People: Froelichs meet Bobbie Vinton 25 years later

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Ken Froelich may not admit it but he’s something of a romantic. On their 10th wedding anniversary, Ken and Patty Froelich, Cottage Grove, met singer Bobbie Vinton at the former Carleton Dinner Theater, in Bloomington.

Twenty-five years later, they met him again while celebrating their 35th wedding anniversary at Mystic Lake Casino.

Ken Froelich set up the surprise weekend stay at Mystic Lake and the Feb. 15 meeting with Vinton. He made arrangements with Vinton’s son for a meeting, autograph and photo with the famous singer of ‘50s songs. “I actually kept the secret for three months,” he said.

“He’s (Vinton) really a nice guy, very outgoing,” Froelich said. “He’s 10 times better than he was.”

And Patty Froelich, was she surprised? Ken said she cried all the way back to their room.

The Cottage Grove couple was married at St. Columbo Catholic Church in St. Paul, Feb. 17, 1973.

Malinski is

first runner-up

Park High School graduate and Cottage Grove resident Michelle Malinski was named first runner up for Team Runway modeling and honorable mention for Female Fitness Model of the Year, Cold Read (talent), Commerical Print (talent), Fashion Print (talent), Sitcom (talent) and swimwear modeling at the International Modeling and Talent Association, in Los Angeles, in January.

Malinski, 20, the daughter of Michael and Cynthia Malinski, plans to run for Miss Minnesota this year.

IMTA is a modeling and talent event where more than 400 major market agents, managers and casting directors come to find new faces. Before going to Los Angeles, Malinski trained at Caryn International, based in Plymouth.

Big sisters

name Nick Tomas

Big sisters Christine, 10, and Elizabeth, 8, announced the birth of their brother Nick Tomas Oney. They also named him.

Nick was born Monday, Dec. 17, 2007, to Rich and Jessi Oney of St. Paul Park. Rich was also born on Dec. 17.

Nick was welcomed home by grandparents, Frank and Shelley Oney of Harris, and great-grandparents Virgil and Joyce Buck, June Folkers, Leslie Crosby and Angie Oney.

Mann graduates

from basic training

Army National Guard Pfc. Morgana Mann has graduated from basic combat training at Fort Jackson, Columbia, S.C. She is a 2004 graduate of Woodbury High School and the daughter of Cherie Nelson, Newport, and Duane Mann of Inver Grove Heights.

During the nine weeks of training, Mann studied the Army mission, history, tradition and core values. She also took part in physical fitness training and practiced basic combat skills.

Students in the news

Three Cottage Grove residents were named to the 2007 fall semester dean’s list at Bethel University. They are elementary education major Karis Krussow, theater arts major Christa Krussow and mathematics major Mathias Gibbens.

Alyssa Black, Cottage Grove, has been accepted for admission to Luther College, Decorah, Iowa, for the 2008-09.

Melissa Bergdall and Tiffany McKay, both of Cottage Grove, were named to the 2007 fall dean’s list at Concordia University, St. Paul. Bergdall is a junior and McKay, a freshman. Both are majoring in psychology.

Matthew Johnson, Cottage Grove, is traveling in Europe during spring semester through Bemidji State University. He is a junior majoring in political science. The Eurospring semester is an eight-week study abroad program that runs from the middle of March through mid-May. Students begin at the University of Oxford in England for the first five weeks, studying the history of medieval Europe. They spend the following three weeks on an educational tour of Europe.

North Dakota State University named four Cottage Grove residents to the 2007 fall dean’s list. They are Grant Christian, business administration; Amanda Jorgenson, pharmacy; Alexander Nelson, civil engineering; and Alyssa Weber, environmental design.

Allysia Pavek, daughter of Jim and Jane Pavek of Cottage Grove, was named to the 2007 fall semester dean’s list at Inver Grove Community College. She plans to transfer to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to study mathematics and business.

Tags: people, froelich, vinton, malinski