KLONDIKE KATES BIOGRAPHIES

WENDY MAUSOLF

2001 KLONDIKE KATE (Click on Photo to Enlarge)

KLONDIKE KATE 2001

Hi! I’m Klondike Kate 2001, Wendy Mausolf.
I’m from Fridley, MN….in High School; I participated in every choir available to me. I sang in church choir, where I sang first soprano. I sang 2nd soprano in school concert choir and alto on my gospel team. Music has always been a big part of my life. My mom says she could always tell what kind of day I had by what I was playing on the piano.

I attended college at UMD and was a member of Sigma-Phi-Gamma Sorority. I concentrated on music as a voice major learning opera as a Mezzo Soprano. After college, I began singing lead with the "City of Lakes" Sweet Adolines. During my time with Sweet Adolines, I was on the costume and music committees. We competed internationally and won 2nd place in a Phoenix competition.

My hobby has always been sewing. At age 5, I was tearing old bedspreads apart and remaking them into evening gowns….my first "Kate" costumes, I guess! I made all my own clothes and supported myself through college as a tailor. I had an opportunity to design costumes to help pay tuition for my daughter’s dance studio and I’ve turned that into a second career. I’ve been awarded regional and national "best costume" awards. I still make costumes for various dance studios in the Metro area as well as costumes for our own Saint Paul Winter Carnival.

How is it I came to be a Klondike Kate? I met the Kates while walking the streets during the Minnesota State Fair. They were in costume, singing and having fun. I remembered their energy and fun loving nature….it left an impression with me! A few years later, my daughters started in dance competitions. When they didn’t take home first place, I’d tell them if they’d done their best, they were winners! Well….of course daughters don’t always listen to moms, so I decided to enter a competition for myself.

My first Klondike Kate competition was in 1999. I hadn’t sung for 9 years and was so nervous being on stage! I was determined to show my daughters good "sportswomanship". That first year, my goals were simple – make the first cut and not make a complete fool of myself. To make a long story short, I had a blast! The next year rolled around, I made a new costume, memorized my songs, competed and made the final cut! Judy Nelson won that year. I was happy for her, but I realized at that point I REALLY wanted to be a Kate. In 2001 I was determined to win. I made a new costume and found a new song…."Nobody Knows What a Redheaded Momma Can Do".