Mom Has Passion For Helping Others

Prior Lake American:

Lori Goertzen’s benevolence was a boon to victims of the wildfires in Grand Marais last week.

She went up north to the family’s cabin and volunteered to take in the pets of those displaced by the fires.

“The fire came within 13 miles of our cabin,” she said. “A lot of the people up there walked out of their cabins and resorts with only the shirts on their backs. They lost everything.”

Goertzen, a North Dakota native, lived in Prior Lake for 25 years with husband Donovan before the family moved just over the border into Savage four years ago. Her heart, though, has stayed with Prior Lake.

After meeting at Trinity Christian College in Chicago, Lori and Donovan moved to Burnsville briefly and then settled in Prior Lake.

They raised two children – Lexie, now 19, and D.P., 22. Lexie studies vocal opera at Wheaton College in Illinois; D.P. studies art at the University of Minnesota.

Goertzen has had many jobs throughout her life, but the artistic ones included working as a salesperson at the Bead Monkey and as a floral arranger at Linder’s.

In her spare time, she enjoys arranging flowers and volunteering with various groups. She also runs a small business that makes mittens out of recycled wool, and she works with organizations to come up with mission and vision statements.