SUPERHERO TRAITS
This is why my pets are superheroes:
Super-Simba
Simba is a super cat. Why? He was gone for 18 months before our neighbor girl, Sami, found him and brought him to us in February! He braved all the storms and found food for himself, when we thought he had been attacked hunting!
If he was a superhero, I would find him saving the world from being without adorable cats.
He enjoys my father's lap at night, attacking rugs and, of course, catnip.
Super-Buddy!
RECYCLE
Recycling can drink up a lot of funds, but I would like to see the community in which I live (Bowman) recycle many things that we unthinkingly toss in the trash can.
Clean glass, plastic, cardboard and newspapers, if they were separated and recycled, would greatly decrease the quantity being hauled to the landfill. Recycling aluminum cans, which Bowman does, is an awesome beginning, but recycling other items as well would be so rewarding.
Yvonne Stegner
Slope Electric Cooperative
SHARING LUNCH
My mom owns a sandwich shop in Minot, and ever since the COVID-19 and homeschooling started, my mom has been giving kids that need lunch some sandwiches, oranges and apples and some vegetables. Me and my friends have been helping her out so she can get the job done faster.
Paisley Staley
Verendrye Electric Cooperative
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.
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.
FISHING WITH GRANDPA
“No,” Grandpa shouted, “that one isn’t big enough.” I looked at the small sunfish at the end of my pole. Quickly, I curled the hook backward, and eased the fish back into the lake.
After my grandfather and I had decided to go fishing that morning, we got out the yellow raft and a mud anchor. “Be careful of the hook,” he said, handing me the long, knobby bamboo pole that was twice as long as I was tall. We walked through the cold, wet grass to the rich-blue lake.
I asked, “Grandpa, do you think I’ll catch any?”
