Colleen fell in love with Eagle Bluff and its bluffs-and-river surroundings when she first arrived as a 24-year-old intern. Her passion for the place has never diminished. Neither has her mission “to empower people to connect with the natural world and each other...to use a natural setting to bring people together and be more of a community.”

As a student Joe studied the Forestry program in Germany, working alongside students from schools who stayed in youth hostels. These students were learning to care for the environment by being educated about the environment in the environment. And it hit him— he had to make this same opportunity available to students in his home state of Minnesota!

After graduating from Winona State University, Sheila started at Eagle Bluff as part of a position through the Americorps program in the Fall of 1995. Stringwood has benefited from her skill and patience since 2000.

As pastor and deacon of Bethlehem Lutheran Church on the Hill in Lanesboro, the Eversoles have welcomed Stringwood with an open door and ambient performance venue since 2000. 

Stringwood is grateful to Phil and Heidi for their many acts of generosity, especially for giving students access to their grand piano for daily rehearsals and weekend performances each summer. 

Stringwood is thankful to Julie for introducing students to the ambient space and welcoming community of rural Elstad Church, one of Minnesota's oldest congregations, for weekend performances and delicious receptions each summer. 

As our primary contact in Spillville, IA, Stringwood is grateful to Linda for welcoming students each summer to the important historical spaces and the informed descendents of Spillville, IA, for weekend performances and lunch at the 1893 summer home of Antonin Dvorak.