We've shared pictures on social media of the progress that's taking place at our new location at 660 N. Main St. in River Falls. Locals know it as the "Roen Building," which housed Roen Ford dealership and, most recently, Bernard's Auto. Patrick Traynor purchased the building and has begun remodeling it. We're grateful for the opportunity to share the space with his wife's eye clinic.
This week, Derek Miller, Jens and Jon Lantz and myself represented Victory and we did our part in some crucial demolition to prepare for the next steps. In the process, Derek's dedication was put to the test and he passed. With a front mounted jack hammer, he went to work on a small brick corner room that ended up being nothing short of a "bomb shelter." He also attacked a small set of stairs.
In those moments of struggle, Victory 2.0 connected with some interesting history.
Here's the backstory:
My Grandma Audrey left an incredible legacy in River Falls and I love being associated with many of her "pay-it-forward" acts of service. She passed away over two years ago and I was honored to speak at her funeral. That day, I shared an important story about how proud she was of her father's imprint on our little community. He was a foreman and constructed several landmarks in town, including churches, office buildings, and most notably the Glen Park Pool, which was built as a part of FDR's Civil Works Administration during the Great Depression. I met with my grandma once a week and soaked up as many stories as I could while focusing on documenting her journey through life. She often boasted of her father's craftsmanship and how his cement was the best that was ever mixed. She really believed it, and many poor souls would eventually come to believe it as well.
When the Ezekiel Lutheran Church went through a renovation project in the late 80's, she was appalled that their leadership was certain that they'd be able to knock down the old sanctuary during one weekend. I remember watching that gigantic wrecking ball crash into the walls and the steeple coming down, but it didn't take a weekend. As Audrey recalled, it took them over two weeks to knock down what was made from that "Damn Luberg Cement!" She said it was a great feeling to drive by and watch those construction works struggle because they were so certain it would come down easily. Not her dad's work. She said she would watch from the car and laugh out loud.
Well, that story has sort of come full circle in our newest Victory School of Wrestling adventure as we embarked on that challenge to remove that small room in the back corner of the old Roen building.
Derek spent over 10 hours of uninterrupted jack hammering on Tuesday to get the 12-inch poured cement ceiling down. There was so much rebar...and a few swear words.
It all made sense this morning when my dad told me that Grandpa Luberg and Harley Roen were great friends and in 1968 he built that addition. My great grandfather actually built the area that will be our permanent wrestling space. How cool is that? I know it took longer to remove that little room than it did to build it!
In the midst of all of the anxiety and confusion happening in the world, an indelible memory took place for me that connected our future to the history of River Falls and my family. I know Grandma Audrey would be all wound-up over what is taking place in the world right now. She would have had several opinions about COVID-19, politics, end times prophesies, and people. She always had opinions about people.
She would have taken a few minutes to see what her grandson was up to by ordering my dad to drive her down to the building. She would have sat in the car and quietly observed a few grown men fumbling over the rubble.
Her head would be shaking and she would have waved her finger at Jon and Derek's expletives. And she would have laughed.
"That Damn Luberg Cement." Audrey would have gotten a kick out of it.
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