It started with a simple question: can you pass the maple syrup?
Three years ago, Nadine & Randy Thomas and Kathy & Steve Oakley found themselves sharing a table at Dodge’s annual Pancake Breakfast. Over flapjacks and coffee, a new friendship began.
Kathy and Steve had lived in Saint Paul for 30 years before moving to Mendota Heights, where they were searching for things to do in their new neighborhood. Over in Woodbury, Nadine and Randy stumbled across the event on Facebook.
“You have to be much more intentional about being social as you get older,” Kathy says. “It was so rewarding to meet Nadine and Randy at a place like Dodge Nature Center.”
Nadine & Randy Thomas (left) and Kathy and Steve Oakley (right) enjoying a spring day at Dodge Nature Center together.
That chance encounter grew into a treasured friendship. The couples bonded over shared interests, visited each other’s homes, and found a new favorite place together: Dodge.
“It’s so great for stress relief,” Kathy shares. “To see ducks swimming on the pond, feel the breeze on your face, and know that natural things are happening—it is so necessary.”
Having moved to the Twin Cities from South Dakota, the Thomases thought they’d be leaving wild, natural spaces behind. Discovering Dodge changed that—and gave them a place to keep learning alongside new friends.
“It’s amazing that Dodge is here to conserve nature and be a place for children to learn about the natural world,” Nadine says. “And older children, too!” Randy adds.
This article was originally published in the Nourish Your Need for Nature Newsletter, Spring/Summer 2026.