8/16/2006 – News

Goldie named Pet of the Year
Goldie, the official dog of the Maddock Memorial Home, was named the Companion Category Pet of the Year by the ND Veterinary Medical Association. This is the eighth year a pet of the year has been chosen. Sponsoring the competition is Hill’s Pet Nutrition and Midwest Veterinary Supply in Minot.
The award was presented at the 101st annual meeting of the veterinary group. The companion category is for animals who have provided a special benefit to their owner(s).
Goldie was nominated by the residents and staff of the Maddock Memorial Home, a 25-bed basic care home. The Memorial Home has had several community pets. The benefits of pet therapy to both staff and the residents are numerous and include giving them a sense of responsibility, providing unconditional love and comfort, and especially in Goldie’s case, being a calming influence.
Goldie, a female, is approximately 12 years old. She was picked up as a stray at a local work site and when the job ended, she was placed on a wait-and-see basis at the Maddock Memorial Home. She was an instant success.
Even though she herself is a senior aged dog, she has been a quick learner and has adapted to her new lifestyle easily.
She was nominated by all the residents and staff and they unanimously feel she is the perfect dog.

Residents are pictured with Goldie, the official dog of the Maddock Memorial Home. Left to right, back row: Veloy Vallier, Ruth Sorenson, Josie Kolsrud, Leo Marquart, Ansel Haukness, Lorraine Hellerud, Mike Fritel, Bennie Marquart, Orville Stadum, Joyce Vallier, Ida Hofer, Leroy Garnaas and Burton Melaas. Front row: Margaret Jacobson, Albina Erickson, Lillian Moran, Minnie Hermanson, Goldie, Hilda Kotaska, Lila Evenhus, Ruth Nelson and Eileen Gustafson.

Oksendahl leaves coaching field with enviable record
BY LUANN KEMP The Cavalier Chronicle
Nearly three decades of Cavalier Tornado student athletes have been taught and coached by Rod Oksendahl. His recent resignation will certainly be noted in both the classroom and the football field this fall.
Although not retiring, he has chosen to pursue other interests and will close his Tornado career with seven state championships and numerous state appearances in football, baseball and basketball.
Oksendahl, a native of Maddock, graduated from the Maddock High School in 1969. He is the son of Melvin and Grace Melaas Oksendahl.
His wife, Joan, is the daughter of Norman and Inez Kittelson Mathieson. She is a 1968 graduate of BCATS. They were married March 6, 1971.
He graduated from Valley City State College in 1973 and spent time in both Hosmer, SD and Wyndmere. Drawn by the coaching and teaching opportunities that Cavalier offered, they moved north and remained a vital part of Cavalier athletic programs for the past 27 years.
During his tenure, he developed both the football and the baseball programs into winning programs that not only won state championships, but also produced student athletes prepared for college-level participation and the working world.
The Oksendahl name and winning football teams seem to go hand-in-hand within the state of North Dakota. During his coaching career, he compiled an outstanding 261-73 win/loss record, which places him first in the all-time winningest coach in North Dakota history.
"Being able to maintain a program at the level we have maintained is pretty special," noted Oksendahl.
He and his teams gained berths in the state football play-offs 25 of the 27 years. Players under Coach Oksendahl’s direction brought home the "hardware" from four state football championships in 1987, 2002, 2003 and 2004.
Although there were graduations of key athletes every year, Oksendahl was able to keep the winning tradition alive. "The thing I’m most proud of in my whole coaching career is the fact that we have been able to keep a quality program going for a long period of time," commented the coach. " A lot of teams will win a state championship and then be dormant for several years."
Coach Oksendahl also managed to find the right athlete for each position without the ability to recruit athletes as seen in the college ranks. More outstanding is the most recent Cavalier Tornado football team’s 47-game winning streak that cannot be rivaled by any other public school. Only two parochial schools (New England St. Mary’s and Fargo Shanley) can boast similar records.
Oksendahl credits his fellow coaching staff for the major role played in his success on the football field. Bob Wicker, Jim Hardy and Wally Ebertowski coached with Oksendahl from his beginnings in 1978 until 2000. More recently, Rod Mack filled the assistant role.
"A lot of that (the winning record) had to do with the coaching staff being together for 22 years," noted Oksendahl. "That stability of coaching staff helped to maintain the level of excellence that we had."
Every coach has games and teams that earn special places in the memory books. Oksendahl credits the 1987 championship team as one of his most memorable. "A lot of them had played in 1985 and 1986, and in those two years we got beat in the championship game 13-7 and the other 7-6. To have them come back in 1987 and win the state championship was pretty special after the two heartbreaking losses the previous years."
Although Oksendahl credits team effort as a key to his successful coaching career, individual athletes stand out as well. Mike Watson and Scott Jobe highlighted the 1980’s while Rob Hunt and Steve Laqua were the 1990’s memorable athletes. The most recent era of Cavalier football fans were entertained by Matt Anderson, Allen Sundby, Tim Oksendahl and Blake Trenbeath.
Although football may have been his mainstay, Coach Oksendahl can also be credited with developing the Tornado baseball team from its inception in 1996. During the 10 years under his leadership, the team reached the North Dakota state tourney eight times and brought home the championship in 2002, 2003 and 2004.
As he prepares to make the move to the Fargo area, Oksendahl will miss the interaction with other coaches. "When you drop out of the coaching ranks, you also drop out of a fraternity of coaches that you have so much in common with."
He also credits area kids with their part in his success. "I would never have stayed in this business for as long as I did if I didn’t care about kids."
Oksendahl and his wife, Joan, have three children. Todd is working and living in Grand Forks. Tara DuBoard is currently living in the Moorhead area. Tim has recently transferred to Valley City State University.

Rod Oksendahl is interviewed by a reporter after a game.

Duchscher honored
Robert Shirek of Lankin, right, chairman of the Devils Lake Basin Joint Water Resource Board (DLBJB) is shown presenting Carl Duchscher of Knox with a certificate of appreciation for his service to the board. Duchscher has represented Benson County on the board since 2002, serving as board chairman in 2004. He is leaving both the Benson County Water Resource District Board and the DLBJB. Ken Hoffert of Rugby will take his place on the Benson County Water Resource District Board and until the end of 2006, John Beckstrand of Warwick will represent Benson County on the DLBJB.

Earns FB scholarship
The Benson County Farm Bureau presents a Rural Studies Scholarship each year to a worthy high school graduate. The recipient this year is Rhiannon Johnson, daughter of Stuart Johnson of Oberon and Doreen Johnson of Minnewaukan. Rhiannon is planning to attend NDSU and pursue a degree in business administration.
This year’s scholarship is in the amount of $325 and is given in memory of Florence Foss, long-time member of the Benson County Farm Bureau.
Selection is based on accomplishment in the areas of academics and leadership.
Rhiannon far exceeded the minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or higher. She is a member of the FFA and FCCLA in Maddock and has held offices in both organizations. She has also been a class officer, served on the student council and was editor of the school newspaper. One of her community involvements was delivering senior meals.

Water funding
Tim Larson of the ND State Water Commission (SWC), left, is shown presenting a check to Robert Shirek, chairman of the Devils Lake Basin Joint Water Resource Board. The check represents the State Water Commission’s cost participation in the expansion of two of the water storage sites managed by the board in Benson, Ramsey and Towner Counties. The board manages the sites, which store over 800 acre feet of water in the three counties, under contracts funded by the SWC.

Team takes first
The Ramsey County 4-H T.U.F.F. (Teaming up for fun) Horse Show was held June 10 at the Peterson Arena in Devils Lake. The Benson County 4-H team placed first. Members, from left to right, are Janna Rice, Katie Rice, and Kristine Keller.

Clydesdales in Warwick parade
This six-horse hitch of Clydesdale horses appeared in the Warwick Centennial parade and was presented by Delgaty Clydesdales of Minnedosa, Manitoba and Forest Clydesdales of Warwick.

Mrs. Black honored
The late Betty Black was honored at the Esmond Eagles Alumni Association’s All-School Reunion July 7, 8 and 9. She was a long-time teacher (24 years) at Esmond and was honored along with Jane Wolfe and the late Alice Keller. Left to right are the children of Betty and Fabian Black: Dean Black of Devils Lake, Dianne Black Hendrickson of Monroe, Wisc. and Robert Black of Bismarck.

FFA leadership camp
The A.S. Gibbens FFA Chapter of Maddock held its annual chapter officer leadership camp August 3 and 4 at the Maddock School. Eleven FFA chapters from across the state of North Dakota, involving 52 FFA chapter officers and state FFA officers attended. The state FFA officers led by Benjamin Seidler of Garrison, state FFA president, directed workshops in problem solving, goal setting, teamwork, communication and parliamentary procedure.