User:Jonathunder/Belau

Minnesota Sounds and Voices: Jane Belau's piano soothes Mayo patients

Dan Olson

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2012/03/21/minnesota-sounds-and-voices-jane-belau

Rochester, Minnesota

March 21, 2012

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ROCHESTER IS GETTING A NEW POET LAUREATE

Kim David

https://krocam.com/rochester-poet-laureate/

March 17, 2019

Jane Belau became the city’s first Poet Laureate when she was appointed by Mayor Ardell Brede in 2012.

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Back and Forth: Jane Belau continues to serve the community

Harley Flathers

https://www.postbulletin.com/news/local/back-and-forth-jane-belau-continues-to-serve-the-community/article_d22379b5-83ae-560d-a7db-f62593f8d08e.html

August 14, 2014

Jane Belau, of Rochester, is a gift to Minnesota and the United States.

Her accomplishments would fill a book. In fact they have filled a 14-page section of "Taking the Lead: Rochester Women in Public Policy, 1970 – 1990."The book by the Rochester League of Women Voters came off the press in December 2012. Jane's portion, starting on Page 17, is entitled "From Curb Cuts to Cable" and would fill several columns.

But her proudest accomplishment of all is 40 years of "The Belau Report," which dates back to 1974.

Who hasn't seen "The Belau Report" on Charter Communications Cable Access 10 each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 7 p.m.? The half hour is filled with local, state and, occasionally, national officials. Still, Jane told me, "I've made it a practice to never seek an interview with a "big name person" who may be here for medical reasons. And there are many who pass by in the Gonda Building, where I've played the grand piano for 12 years Monday and Thursdays from 10 til noon."

"Taking the Lead" is the story of her 40th anniversary of pioneering in the cable industry with her public affairs program, which originated two years before CSPAN. I told Jane recently that some of the national high-powered TV interviewers should watch how she does it.

She asks the guest a question and listens for the answer, never "butting in" with the next question. Here is a relaxed atmosphere, whether visiting with the Rochester mayor, county commissioners or a Washington D.C. senator. Some programs were taped in Washington.

And the awards keep coming. Only last night, Belau was honored in Mendota Heights as a founder of the Minnesota Women's Economic Roundtable, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. One of her co-founders, Marilyn Carlson Nelson, is a former Mayo Foundation board chairwoman. Jane is well known in the Twin Cities, having commuted daily from Rochester for a period of years to serve on state boards and committees, often by governmental appointment.

I first met Belau in the very early 1970s at Edison Elementary School, where her kids and mine attended a special day where children displayed their artwork for parents. My wife needed the car to go to work and Jane drove me and my kids home.

She never stopped doing for others. When asked what attribute is most valuable to her, she replied, "Heart, empathy, sympathy, a gift of understanding, love and faith. I'm blessed by a great family and gifted by God."

Jane and husband, Paul, have three adult children and their families, four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, so far.

Some years ago Jane was honored by the City of Rochester as its first Poet Laureate and Poet Laureate of Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial. That dates back to the year 2000. She has written over 250 poems and songs for individuals and organizations, many of which have been shared in the Post-Bulletin. Her song "Rochester, the Healing City" was an award winner in the Rochester 2004 Sesquicentennial song event, poems read at statewide celebrations. "God Bless Our Heroes" was sung on 911 anniversaries in the Twin Cities and Rochester. I remember Jane writing a poem for my dear neighbor Dr. Henry Fred Helmholz Jr. on his 100th birthday, Dec. 27, 2011. He died 11 days later.

And finally, her efforts for helping the handicapped go back decades, working on "those curb cuts" for many of us in wheel chairs and on crutches. In my collection of old Post-Bulletin photos is an Aug. 2, 1971, story of the Kelly Games breakfast. Honoring local track and field champion Ryan Kelly, the Hiawatha Chapter of the National Paraplegia Foundation brought in Jesse Owens as a keynote speaker that Sunday morning at the Kahler Hotel. Kelly had suffered total paralysis in a diving accident and the local NPF conducted a run and the breakfast.

As president of the Hiawatha Chapter of the NPF, it was my privilege to introduce Owens, the 1936 Olympic Track and Field winner in Berlin. Also at the head table were: polio patients Pat and Gerda Sours; Rev. Ford and wife Ann; Helen Haynes; advocate for the blind, Ellie Rynda; local runner Bruce Mortenson; and at the end was Jane Belau.

I asked her when she felt moved to reach out and help others? "When I was a little girl, the Bible verse gave me words to live by: "To Whom much is given, of him, much is expected" she said. A registered nurse, musician, poet, song writer, singer, Cable TV Host for 40 years and more, she said, "my faith and family are the most important of all."

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Wendell R. Anderson appointed her as chairman of the Minnesota Governor's Planning and Advisory Council on Developmental Disabilities in 1971.