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5 Fall 2013 Business Feature In 2009, Lake Elmo resident Juli Wall left her position as an insurance executive for Allianz (where she had worked for 20 years) in anticipation of the next step in her career. Wall was exploring new options in the insurance industry, but after count- less lengthy interviews, none of the opportunities presented seemed like the right move. It wasn’t until trag- edy struck that Wall discovered her true calling. In February 2010, Juli’s husband, Brent, suffered a traumatic brain injury resulting from a snowmobile accident. Brent’s accident placed him in the hospital for 30 days, five of which where he depended on ventilator support, but the need for care did not end there. Upon his discharge from the hospital Juli be- came the caregiver for her husband over the next two years “Brent’s accident really put life into perspective for me,” said Juli. “I re- alized what was truly important was spending time with my loved ones, and giving back to people.” Juli followed her heart and decided to leave the corporate world and fo- cus her efforts on finding a career closer to home. She started by re- searching franchise opportunities, and came across Acti-Kare Respon- sive In-Home Care. “Acti-Kare didn’t seem to be a typi- cal franchise like others I had re- searched,” mentioned Wall. “Also, after going through the care and recovery process with my husband, I became passionate about helping others going through similar things.” Wall opened her Acti-Kare fran- chise in 2012, with her business partner Jill Patersen. Patersen also felt strongly about the business, as her mother had Alzheimer’s and the family was providing in-home care. The company moved into their office space this past June. Acti-Kare joins several other in-home care businesses located in Lake Elmo including Always Best Care, and Brightstar St. Croix. However, Juli doesn’t see competition being a problem. “We all have different specialties and coverage areas,” she said. Acti-Kare’s focus is on seniors, offer- ing services ranging from assisting with errands and providing compan- ionship for seniors living indepen- dently, to providing personal care for individuals needing around-the- clock hospice care. Utilizing Juli’s experience in the insurance industry Acti-Kare also provides long-term care advocacy services, another offering that differentiates the busi- ness from others in the industry. “Our mission is to provide passion and commitment to the senior mar- ket,” said Juli. “In many cases, care providers become an extension of your family. We are dedicated to our clients and treating them with grace, dignity and respect.” Connie Thompson found Acti-Kare through a referral service through el- der care. “Juli is an angel from heav- en,” Thompson said. “We utilized Acti-Kare services for three weeks, while my father was in transitional care and then hospice. Their help made all the difference in the world.” Acti-Kare employs 35 people, all with 10 or more years of experience. They are located at 8997 Highway 5, in the Prairie Ridge Office Park, and can be reached at 651-493-1251. Acti-Kare franchise owner Juli Wall. The business moved into their new office space, located in the Prai- rie Ridge Office Park, in June. Acti-Kare Providing Quality Care Services for Seniors Recreational fires can be an ideal accompani- ment to the perfect crisp fall day. When starting or tending a fire, regardless of the size, consider the conditions. Is it too windy to burn? Is it too dry to burn? Fires must be attended at all times and extinguished at the end of the day. Smoldering fires are illegal (statute 88.171 (10)). Leaf pile fires are not recreational fires, and are also illegal. To view more guidelines on recre- ational fires visit www.lakeelmo.org/recfires. Also this fall, the Lake Elmo Fire Department will be conducting a training burn in the Lake Jane area on Monday evenings through October. The home that was donated to the department will provide firefighters with a unique training opportunity, handling a fire in an area without close access to a direct water source. Lake Elmo Firefighters Urge Residents to Burn Responsibly JUNE, JULY, AUGUST EMERGENCY CALL RESPONSE Fire: 60, Rescue: 16, Medical: 76