Carley Swanson-Garro

Researcher, storyteller, traveler. 

I have over five years of experience as a copywriter, content writer, and blogger. 

More recently, I have expanded into social media management and marketing. 

I hold a B.A. in English and Communication Studies from Gustavus Adolphus College.

Issuu •

inBemidji Winter 2024-2025

In this issue of inBemidji we show the behind-the-scenes folks who work hard year-round to prepare cross country ski trails for winter, dive into Buena Vista's 75-year history, welcome Fiddlesticks Fiber Arts to downtown, try out some tasty hot honey recipes and a whole lot more!

In this issue of inBemidji we show the behind-the-scenes folks who work hard year-round to prepare cross country ski trails for winter, dive into Buena Vista's 75-year history, welcome Fiddlesticks Fiber Arts to downto...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Holiday events scheduled for the Bemidji area

BEMIDJI — As the glow of nearly 800,000 lights illuminates downtown Bemidji and snow blankets the ground, it is once again time to celebrate the holidays.Whether you're looking for homemade gifts for your loved ones or want to hear some Christmas carols, here's a breakdown of this year's holiday celebrations.

Email

news@bemidjipioneer.com

to have your event added to the list.

A map of homes with the most illuminated Christmas displays will be availab...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Gwenia Fiskevold Gould, Ron Johnson to face off in Ward 1 race

BEMIDJI — Incumbent Bemidji City Councilors Gwenia Fiskevold Gould and Ron Johnson are running head-to-head for the Ward 1 seat on the council.

Gwenia Fiskevold Gould, 36, is the Ward 1 incumbent, having

won the seat on the city council in a special election in April 2023.



She is the Director of Annual Giving at BSU and decided to run for city council because she believes it is crucial to step up if you have something to offer your community."With my...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Haunted happenings scheduled around the Bemidji area this Halloween

BEMIDJI — The ghosts and skeletons scattered around town are a sign that Halloween will soon be here.This fall in the Bemidji area, community members will gather to share spooky stories and pass out candy at trick-or-treating events. There are a plethora of activities for children, adults, dogs and even spiders to share in the Halloween fun.

Whether you decide to wander the candlelit wilderness or dance the night away at a Halloween party with a spooky DJ, here's a breakdown of this y...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Autumn activities scheduled in the Bemidji area

BEMIDJI — As summer slips away into crisp mornings and cool nights, it's officially fall in the Bemidji area.There are many seasonal activities to explore this autumn in northern Minnesota. From corn mazes to festivals, there is something for both residents and visitors to enjoy.

The Pioneer has compiled a collection of local fall-themed events. To have your fall event added to the list, email

news@bemidjipioneer.com.





Fuller Farm...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Watermark Art Festival returns for its 56th year July 20-21

BEMIDJI — The 56th Watermark Art Festival is set for July 20-21 at Watermark and Library Park.Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 20, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 21, the two-day juried fine art and craft fair has been a highly anticipated summer event for thousands of northern Minnesota residents and visitors since 1967.

Vendors sell a wide variety of goods, from hand-crafted wood items, ceramics, apparel, jewelry, photography, metalworking, leatherworking, home...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Zak Rivers embarks on 100-day journey to canoe the Mississippi River with his cello by his side

BEMIDJI — Minnesota filmmaker, photographer and cellist Zak Rivers has had the Mississippi River on his mind for years.

In 2022, the Mankato native came one step closer to it as part of the documentary crew following 87-year-old Dale "Greybeard" Sanders in his record-breaking journey as the oldest person to canoe the entire Mississippi River, from the Headwaters in Itasca to the Gulf of Mexico.

Now, Rivers is attempting to recreate Sanders' 2,340-mile journey with one twist: he's bringing his
Bemidji Pioneer •

'Honor them and their memory': Annual Memorial Day program held at Greenwood Cemetery

BEMIDJI — Despite a steady drizzle, around a hundred community members gathered together on Monday morning at Greenwood Cemetery for a Memorial Day ceremony to honor those who have died while serving their country.After the presentation of the colors by members of the Honor Guard and junior ROTC, Ralph Gracie American Legion Post No. 14 Commander Steve Jewett led attendees in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

Past Commander Joe Vene then sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" before a POW f...
Bemidji Pioneer •

Pioneer Perspectives: How far would you travel to visit a friend?

Recently, I spent nearly 30 hours on the train from St. Paul to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to visit my friend Katie for the first time in two years.

Katie and I became friends while studying abroad in Sweden and vowed to meet up again once we got back to the U.S. However, two obstacles kept us apart: I lived in Minnesota, she lived in California and our schedules never seemed to line up.

A month ago, Katie moved to New York to start an internship and planned a weekend trip to Toronto to go snowboardi
Bemidji Pioneer •

105 participants face freezing fears during 20th annual Brrrmidji plunge fundraiser

BEMIDJI — Courageous community members climbed onto platforms on icy Lake Bemidji on Saturday to jump into the freezing water near the Tourist Information Center for the 20th annual Jaycees' Brrrmidji Plunge fundraiser.

Crowds of spectators took advantage of the above-zero temps to watch 105 participants launch themselves into the lake to raise money for Special Olympics.

Bemidji Jaycees’ Brrrmidji Plunge Chair Brittany Isensee cited the unusually warm winter weather leading up to the plunge a
Bemidji Pioneer •

Watermark Art Center's Maker Meet offers a community for creators

BEMIDJI — In the back room of Cantabria Coffee Company, creativity was on display on Thursday evening as creators gathered for Watermark Art Center's monthly Maker Meet.

Maker Meets are a place for artists, crafters and makers to connect with and learn from each other while working on their own projects or participating in a mini art project demonstrated by a local artist.

The Danish word "hygge," the practice of coziness and relaxation, sparked the idea for the meets, which began in March. Ji
Bemidji Pioneer •

A ghoulish guide to Halloween events in the Bemidji area

BEMIDJI — It's clear to see from the homes and storefronts sporting jack-o'-lanterns and waving skeletons that Halloween is almost here.

From enjoying the fall weather on an enchanted Halloween walk to dancing the night away at a spooky EDM costume party, there are plenty of events in the Bemidji area where children, adults and even dogs can get in on the Halloween fun.

Whether you're looking for trick-or-treating festivities or just a place to show off your costume, here's a look at some of t
Bemidji Pioneer •

Fall is in full swing: This year's Bemidji-area fall events list

BEMIDJI — Looking at the vibrant yellow leaves scattered across the Bemidji area, it's clear fall is here. Before Halloween marks the end of October and the start of the cold season, there are still several fall activities left to enjoy, from hayrides to pumpkin painting.

The Pioneer has compiled a collection of local fall-themed events. To have your fall event added to the list, email

news@bemidjipioneer.com.





Fuller Farm

is o...
Blogger •

I needed Susan Eisenberg to ask me, "Do You Know Where You're Going?"

Last month, I traveled alone to Boston to present my communication studies research at a three-day undergraduate conference at Harvard University . I have a love-hate relationship with solo travel because I have social anxiety and it can be difficult to push myself to leave my hotel room. The first day of the conference, I befriended two medical researchers from North Carolina who invited me to go to an art museum in Boston with them that evening. I felt a sense of relief over not having to make
Gustavus Adolphus College •

Gustavus Research Students Present at Virtual Midstates Consortium for Math and Sciences

In November, fifteen Gusties presented their research at the Midstates Consortium for Math and Sciences. Founded in 1988, Midstates is an opportunity for students from Gustavus and other private colleges in the Midwest to formally present their research to other undergraduate researchers, graduate students, professors, and principal investigators (PIs).

Midstates occurs every year over two weekends in November. The first weekend features student research in psychology and biological sciences an
Gustavus Adolphus College •

Fall Symposium Spotlight: Big Hill Farm Summer Internship with Audrey Ochtrup-DeKeyrel, Josie Kleckner, and Emily Gerencer

At this year’s Fall Research Symposium, Audrey Ochtrup-DeKeyrel (’22), Josie Kleckner (’23), and Emily Gerencer (’23) presented on their internship at Big Hill Farm (BHF) last summer. As interns, they conducted hands-on research through planting, harvesting, investigating, managing distribution, and developing best practices for the farm moving forward.

Started as a senior seminar project by Eliza Swedenborg (’09) and Cat Wiechmann (’09) in 2009, BHF is an on-campus student-run farm managed by
Gustavus Adolphus College •

Katya McDonald ’22 Researches Late Onset Neonatal Sepsis at the Mayo Clinic

This summer, Katya McDonald ’22 traveled to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to join Dr. Kathryn Knoop’s lab in the immunology department. On Dr. Knoop’s research team, McDonald tested breast milk samples for bioactive compounds that could advance treatment options for late onset neonatal sepsis, an infection that occurs in babies, especially pre-term infants, 72 hours after birth.

McDonald found this opportunity at Mayo through her Gustavus advisor, Dr. Laura Burrack (biology) who she w
Gustavus Adolphus College •

Chemistry Professor Stoll Awarded Janet Andersen Lecture Award in Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Sciences

Gustavus Adolphus College chemistry professor Dwight Stoll was named the 2021 recipient of the Janet Andersen Lecture Award in Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Computer Sciences by the Midstates Consortium for Math and Sciences. The award recognizes Dr. Stoll for his commitment to teaching and mentoring students in the classroom and in his analytical chemistry research laboratory.

In his twelve years as a chemistry professor at Gustavus, Stoll has used a variety of classroom strategies to ca
Blogger •

In Defense of Pop: Why I'm Not Embarrassed by My 2020 Spotify Wrapped

One consequence of the catastrophic events of 2020 was that many people were forced to work, study and socialize from home. With this came more freedom to listen to our own music while we worked. According to Spotify, I spent a whopping 84,602 minutes streaming music in 2020. That's almost 60 days of non-stop listening!

2020 was also a big year for the music industry. When tours and shows were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, many artists turned to recording new music. Taylor Swift an
Psych2Go •

6 Harmful Beliefs That Can Hurt Our Mental Health – Psych2Go

Trauma is unfortunately fairly common. An estimated 70% of adults in the U.S. have experienced at least one traumatic event during their lifetime (The National Council for Behavioral Health, n.d.). Some examples of traumatic events are: experiencing or witnessing physical, sexual, emotional or childhood abuse, accidents, medical emergencies or invasive medical procedures, natural disasters, war, social unrest, loss and grief, and “cultural, intergenerational, and historical trauma” (The National
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