OFF THE BEATEN PATH
I was born and raised in North Dakota and nurtured at a young age with a love for all it has to offer. I am always amazed by fellow North Dakotans who have never traveled off the major artery roads. Best-kept secrets can be found off every off-ramp of Interstate 94, county road or highway.
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RECYCLING PAYS
Celebrating Earth Day each year has given me the impetus to be very concerned environmentally. It all began, to my best recollection, when I was in the first grade, and there was a war effort due to the start of World War II. We were bringing metal cans, which were washed and labeled. Both ends were removed from the cans, then they were flattened. My family had good times doing this, carrying them and all newspapers to the building behind our school for pickup by the dray line in our small town and transported out of state by train.
TREAT OTHERS WITH KINDNESS
Every New Year’s, resolutions are made and broken at a frantic rate: lose weight, quit smoking, save more money. The list is endless with our good intentions, but the average resolution goes by the wayside in about 30 days, according to studies.
I often wonder what would happen if we all practiced something we were taught as children: Treat others as you want to be treated.
MINOT PARK DISPLAY
The Minot Sertoma Christmas in the Park light display is a must during every holiday season. The already beautiful Oak Park is miraculously turned into a twinkling extravaganza of glowing lights and magical scenes of winter wonderland. Old and young, family and friends, enjoy feelings of joy, peace and hope for all mankind during this seasonal drive.
Eileen Dolan, member of Verendrye Electric Cooperative
LEADING ENERGY INDUSTRY
I believe the new technology involved in fracking our vast amounts of oil has impressed me the most. We were 11th in the nation, with 5,000 wells in 2012, but fracking has now moved us to second place, with 1.44 million barrels a day from thousands of wells.
Other states are now using the technology, too. It has helped increase America's energy supply, something that seemed impossible 15 years ago.
Marlene Kouba, member of Slope Electric Cooperative
ALWAYS HELPFUL
I have been a member of North Central Electric Cooperative for more than 30 years, and my husband was a member all his life. Whenever we’ve called or stopped into the office, the whole staff has been welcoming, patient and helpful. They have assisted in numerous electrical projects for us.
When my husband passed away in March 2018 and I decided to sell the farm homestead, they were accommodating in helping me separate the power from the homestead and my own watering systems, since I still had cattle.
HELPING WITH WAR EFFORT
My favorite part of North Dakota’s history is set in the 1940s, with North Dakota’s impact during and after World War II. In 1943, our state led the nation for war bond purchases per capita, and our universities adapted to provide training for machinists, officers, pilots, medics and radio operators! We trained patriotic citizens to build ships, serve on the battlefield, and heal the wounded.
FINDING A HOME
In 2010, my family embarked on a WWOOF trip around the United States. WWOOF is an acronym for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms and allows volunteers to learn hands-on skills to which they haven’t been exposed before.
Our family’s trip spanned 18 states and we visited 12 farms. At the time, my family was living in Pennsylvania, but my parents were considering moving. This trip would provide the perfect chance for them to observe some states they had never visited before and help them choose a new home.
