Bowdon, ND

I just got back from a three week plus trip to the East Coast to visit friends, and while it was nice to see them and sample some of the fresh seafood that’s always available, I can’t begin to tell you what a relief it was to get back into the wide open spaces of North Dakota and home to Bowdon.

Just to illustrate the contrasts in “lifestyle”, let me tell you about traffic. After leaving a shopping mall at a little before 4:30 one afternoon, I managed to drive 5 miles by 7:00. Now I have to admit that the roads had iced up and many ramps to the highways had been closed, so what seemed like a bazillion cars had to get to their destination on surface roads, but I think I could have walked home faster! The next instance was driving from suburban Washington, D.C. to suburban Baltimore, MD–a whopping 50 miles–at 1:30 on a partly cloudy afternoon. The trip took over three hours and the only thing contributing to the delay was cars, trucks, vans, and busses, waaaaaaaay too many of them for my taste. During one of the many times I was at a dead stop on the Capital Beltway, an interstate highway, I took the picture that accompanies this blog.

Now when I got back to North Dakota on Tuesday, February 19, I drove Loren and Patti Patrie’s van back from Bismarck; from Steele to Bowdon, about 60 miles, I had the road to myself–I didn’t meet, follow, or get followed by one car! Granted, it was the coldest night of the year, so most people with any sense were home keeping warm and toasty, but I cannot tell you how relaxed and free I felt not being surrounded by people, people, people and cars, cars, cars.

We here are so blessed to be living in such lovely surroundings with our wonderful friends and family in communities that are working to always be a little bit better.

Patti Patrie was just elected president of the ND Farmers Market and Grower Association at its 4th annual conference in Carrington, ND on February 15 and 16. Patti grew up in Michigan on a fruit farm and now raises red raspberries on the Patrie grain and cattle farm southeast of Bowdon. Raspberries are sold fresh and in processed products made in the Patries’ on-farm commerical kitchen. A fruit stand was built by Clayton Patrie (Patti’s oldest son) when a Junior at the Bowdon High School. It is located on the northwest corner of Highways 52 and 200 where they intersect just 1 mile north of the Patries’ berry patch.

For several years Patti has been encouraging others in Bowdon to grow produce and sell it along with the raspberries at the fruit stand. Now people are realizing that growing a few more vegetables in their gardens may be a good way to increase the amount of local foods available for purchase in ND. Local food production and a local foods diet are two ways to build upon the new trend of eating by health conscience consumers. Customers inquire about more choices. ND people are agricultural. So its a perfect fit to match the local skills with demand.

Patti and daughter, Anne, attended the conference session on high tunnel production by Terry Nennich of Bemidgi, MN. The tunnels serve as greenhouses but have no artifical heat. Temperature is controled by rolling up and down the plastic walls of the tunnel. Tunnels serve to extend the growing season of both fruit and vegetables which make them very popular in northern climates.

The farmers market group will work to bring Terry back again to speak in more detail on the tunnels and plan a tour of tunnels in the Fergus Falls area of MN this summer. For more information on the farmers market organization and events go to www.ndfarmersmarkets.com or call Patti at 701-962-3355.

Meanwhile the local foods interest is growing in Bowdon and the Horizons team has asked Dwight Duke of Hensler to do a presentation on raising organic fruit and vegetables and marketing at Farmers’ Markets. He will be in Bowdon at the school building library on Sunday, March 30 from 1 to 4 p.m. Everyone is invited.

Current equipment available in the Bowdon Fitness Center:
A Bowflex Sport, 2 Treadmills, 2 Cardiogliders, Eliptical Machine, Rowing Machine, ab lounger, ab swing, schwinn air bike, bike
We have a tv with a vhs recorder and a dvd player, so come and workout on the treadmill or bike while watching a movie. Before you know it, you will have walked those 4 miles or rode those 6 miles.
We also have a cd player available, so bring your favorite cds with and listen to music while you workout on all the machines.
Currently there are 9 members using the Fitness Center.

On Feb. 8th, Denise Spanjer of the Center for Technology & Business, came to Bowdon to give the Train-the-Trainer Class in Computer Education Courses.  Denise was very helpful in giving us the tools we need to competently hold Adult Education Computer Courses.  The following classes will be given:
1. Computing 1 - A beginners guide to computers & the internet.
2. Computing 2 - Word Processing & Spreadsheets
3. Intermeditate Course
4. Windows Management
5. Powerpoint
6. Microsoft Word
7. Microsoft Excel
8. Power-up with Projects
a. Intro to Genealogy
b. Intro to Online Shopping
c. Finding Answers to Your Computer Questions Online
d. Online Investing Resources
e. Getting Acquainted with the Photo Editing Program
f.  Intro to Digital Photography
g. Projects Using Digital Images, Part 1
h. Projects Using Digital Images, Part 2

For more information, contact Pam Hoff at 962-3697.

One of the Focus Items that came out of the Group Decision Center Activity and the surveys Horizons sent out was ‘Improving our Senior Citizens Services’.  So we sent out a letter to the communities with the following info:

Some of the areas where they felt help would be needed/appreciated are:·       
Needing rides to Doctor/dentist/eye (medical) appointments·       
Needing rides to bigger towns to purchase items that can’t be purchased in Bowdon (such as clothes, hardware items, etc…)·       
Help with Spring & Fall Cleaning for someone who can no longer physically do it·       
Pick up and take them to the Bowdon Grocery store for weekly grocery shopping or pick up just their list and monies and do the grocery shopping for them here.·       
Give them a ride to their local hair appointment.·       
Assist them with their mailing needs by taking them to the Post Office or doing their Postal needs for them (mailing their packages, getting them stamps, etc…)·       
When activities are going on in town, provide transportation for them to and from the activity·       
Give them a ride to & from the café if they want to eat out - or if they want to order in, pick it up for them 
We have come up with a possible Volunteer program that could assist in all of these areas.  ·       
We would have a Volunteer Program Coordinator who would be a liaison between the person needing the service and the volunteer providing the service.·       
The Senior Citizens/Shut-ins would call the coordinator to let them know the needs they have.·       
Volunteers would call & let the coordinator know when they will be going to another town and would be willing to take someone to and from their medical appt. or when they would be willing to help transport with the local grocery shopping, hair appointments, activities, café·       
The organizer would contact the Senior Citizen of dates for them to make their medical appt.·       
If the Senior Citizen has a specific appt. where the date is set and can’t be changed, the coordinator would call someone on the list of Volunteer Providers to see if someone could help out.·       
If at all possible, the person needing the service should always schedule their appointments to meet the Volunteer Providers schedule. 

Carolyn Ondris is willing to be the Volunteer Program Coordinator as she is home most of the time.  Her phone # is 962-3020.  (Thank you Carolyn!!!) 
If you are a Senior Citizen/shut-in who could use these services, call Carolyn & let her know of your needs. 
If you are interested in being a Volunteer Provider, call Carolyn and let her know how you are willing to help out. 
If you have any questions/suggestions, please call me at 962-3697.   
Sincerely,

Pam Hoff, Volunteer Program Chairman

An idea that surfaced when the Bowdon Public School merged with Fessenden in 1997 was to build a commercial kitchen in the science room of the vacated school. It wasn’t until the Horizons program in Bowdon that the entire community has started to look at the real possiblilites of such a business in the community.

On February 4 at 4:30 Dennis Hahn of St. Cloud, MN will meet with the members of the school utilization committee to look at the possibilites of remodeling the 1958 built science room into a kitchen for use during community activities, cooking classes, rental to food entrepreneurs, and possible food processing business for the community of Bowdon. Dennis works with a Fargo based restaurant supply company in offering his expertise in commercial kitchen design.

On February 14 an informational meeting will take place with the stakeholders of the kitchen project. Bruce Smith from Glendive, Montana will come to Bowdon to share his expertise on commercial kitchens and food related business. Bruce has had past experience working for two major food companies and is presently a Montana State Extension worker helping eastern Montana establish a project in Glendive which includes a shared-use kitchen, micro-brewery, restaurant, and culinery school. Bruce has been to North Dakota in the past to share information at the state capitol with members of the Bowdon community and others around the state.

Details are being worked out for the workshop which at present will run from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the school building. Anyone interested in helping with the project, fruit and vegetable growers, present and future entrepreneurs, economic development personal, local government officials, etc. are welcome. The project fits into the strategic goal of developing business and jobs in the Bowdon-Chaseley-Heaton community. The project likely will involve persons from throughout the central part of the state.

Please call Patti Patrie at 962-3355 or 471-4748 with your interest.

The Bowdon Cafe is the hub of activity in Bowdon. When it was closed for weekends this past summer due to a shortage of cooks the residents of our community awoke to the fact that everyone is needed to support business in rural communities. For the Bowdon Cafe it was not the lack of customers but the need for committed workers.

Luckily Brian Tebelius persuaded his wife, Kathy, to work several days per week and because of a Horizons steering meeting where the need was presented, Cindy Hoff, offered to cook Fridays and share weekends. Brian knew he needed a place to eat when Kathy is away teaching art, attending college classes, or sharing her Bible School programs with children throughout the state. Kathy is a busy, multi-talented person who brings a great sense of humor and new recipes to work with her. Cindy’s talents are not to go unnoticed either as she ran the cafe several years before the present owners took over in 2002. Beside being a great cook, Cindy cares about the appearance of the cafe and upkeep that makes a visual difference to the customer.

Two remaining cooks who had been maintaining the balance of cooking with Judy Schlossnagle, whose resignation this summer caused the community’s alarm, are Freida Tebelius and Londa Neumiller. Freida manages the cafe’s kitchen and should be given a reward for working extra hours and refusing to let the owners completely close the cafe this summer. Londa works during the winter when she is not busy on the family farm. Freida is loved for the “cheese buttons” she makes as a special entree and Londa has gained a reputation as master baker, especially known for scrumptious cheesecakes. Both are wives of two present cafe owners.

The cafe has been owned by 10-12 community men since 2002. Each owner has contributed finances to the business on two occasions and know they will not receive any financial dividends from their generosity. Their rewards are knowing they will have a place to eat a hearty, home-cooked meal or just have coffee and a carmel roll with discussion on the latest agricultural pursuits.

Lately the owners have realized that the cafe not only meets their food and social needs but also those of singles and elderly in the community. Meals on Wheels is offered to people in Bowdon from the Sheridan-Wells Aging Council, but there still is a need to socialize while eating and the community is dedicated to meeting this need even if food delivery is required. (A separate strategy of Horizons is meeting the transportation, housekeeping, shopping,and delivery needs of the elderly in the community).

So on January 2 four of the Cafe owners and several BDCI board members met in the school building library to dialogue about the cafe, its future, and its meaning to the community. The number one concern of the cafe owners is to find more help, or to find someone who will take a full-time position. BDCI offered to help by advertising through its website and the “Bowdon Guardian”, supporting the idea of signature foods offered at the cafe; planning and installing decor; and looking at a possible remodel of the kitchen. Long-term goals were discussed and a future meeting of the group was suggested.

The dialogue was pertainent to the goal of “Supporting Local Business”. It’s hard for the community to see itself as growing and thriving when rural North Dakota is changing so fast. The 12 leaders who stepped out to buy and save the cafe 6 years ago responded to a need. Now they will become leaders in looking at the needs a small town and its rural components will have in the future. The January gathering was a recognition that both entities care very much for this community we call Bowdon-Chaseley-Heaton and want to work together to weather the changes of this world and look for opportunities for our community to thrive.

The Bowdon Guardian is back. When the Horizon Action Forum voted to publish a local newsletter, three members began firing off ideas for the publication. They were subsequently assigned the privilege of getting the job done.
After some minor delays the paper took form. Issues concerning format, content and publish dates were quickly ironed out and the first issue was mailed Friday, January18th.
The new editors, Carolynn Ondris, Linda Widicker and Carol Hadley compile information such as articles submitted by pastors of local churches and timely health advice by Candace Kreiter, FNP. Cottage industries help keep our community strong and we feature several with each issue. Carolynn, Linda and Carol write articles and Linda is responsible for the attractive layout. Also, find historical nuggets, community calendar and recipes, a kid’s korner and swap shop. Bowdon Development Center, Inc. contributes quarterly reports from their activities.
BCDI furnishes the funds to publish and mail the Guardian. Readers are urged to submit material for publication.

The Bowdon community through its Bowdon Development Center, Inc. sponsors a yearly calendar raffle where $4000 total is given to 61 winners–a daily prize from March 1-April 30. Winnings range from $50 to a high of $200 on holidays. 30 percent of the proceeds go to support a community project each year. This year the first $1000 will support the Bowdon Centennial Museum and Library. The museum received its second grant to renovate the museum from the State Historical Society. There will be new windows, doors, and the lowering of the stage to make more room for displays. The $1000 will help meet the matching funds needed for the grant. If all 600 tickets are sold the remaining $1400 in profits will support the Bowdon Locker and Grocery with new cooling equipment. The grocery is an intregal part of the community and Bowdon is so lucky still have a grocery when many small towns are loosing theirs. The number #1 goal in our list of nine strategic goals for reducing poverty and build on thriving communities is to support and patronize our local businesses. The remaining 70% of the proceeds will be used by BDCI for maintenance of the school and verious ongoing projects of the organization. Freida Tebelius is managing the dispersal of the ticket books. Any sellers or buyers may contact her at 962-3080. BDCI wishes to thank Myra Suckut and Linda Schander at the First International Bank and Trust for handling the finances of this project. THANK YOU!!!!!

Community Commentators
Bowdon’s Community Visioning process, the fourth step in the Horizons Program, which is sponsored by the Northwest Area Foundation, got off to a great start when participants were greeted by the usual North Dakota spread of good food when they walked into the Bowdon Auditorium on a recent Sunday evening.  Thirty-five people gathered to make comments on nine different categories that were an outgrowth of the paper survey that was sent to 220 households in the Bowdon-Heaton-Chaseley community.  From the 78 responses to the paper survey, the Group Decision Center  from NDSU created an interactive program to gather opinions, solutions, volunteers and more from the highly motivated, community-oriented participants. Laughter, a little frustration from the new-to-computers-crowd, and energy emanated around the room as we used the 35 laptops to answer questions, make comments, and make comments on others’ comments in the pursuit of a vision for our community.

At the completion of the evening, the Bowdon Horizons Steering Committee was given a complete overview of what our community views as important and actionable issues, along with practical solutions and ideas. In addition, many people volunteered to particpate in the implementation of the actions needed to realize the community’s vision.

In a meeting that followed soon after the Group Decision Center night, the Steering Committee and a few other volunteers met to distill the process into measureable goals with doable action steps. Those goals and actions are posted on the blog site. Just look in the column on the right hand side of the page to see them all.

Ready! Set! Go! Bowdon!