2/28/2007 – News
Volume 124, Number 4
Brinsmade woman to be honored for basketball exploits 50 years ago
BY SARA J. PLUM Country folks know how peaceful it can be in the winter. A blanket of white covers everything and seems to muffle the world. You are on your own quiet island — just the way you like it.
Then the phone rings and the next thing you know, you are making plans to walk out on a gym floor, in front of who knows how many people, to receive recognition for something that happened 50 years ago.
And then your husband tells the local paper and you find yourself being interviewed and photographed, the latter of which you really, really, really do not want to do.
But 50 years ago your coach told you sportsmanship is very important, so you smile graciously and welcome the interviewer into your home.
Delores "Dee" Loken of Brinsmade went through this experience. She is a member of the Clyde girls’ basketball team that was runner-up in the 1957 girls’ state basketball tournament. Her team and the champions from Fairdale will be honored Friday, March 2 between the semi-final games of the Class B girls’ state basketball tournament in Minot.
Dee’s basketball career began in eighth grade, when, at 5’8", she was one of the tallest kids in her class. Basketball was the only extracurricular sport at the Clyde School for girls and boys, so her height made her a natural.
The girls version of basketball in the 50’s was played with six girls from each team on the floor. The only positions were guards and forwards. Three guards played defense on one half of the floor and three forwards offense on the other half. Crossing over the half court line was considered out-of-bounds.
The game began with a jump ball. If the action wasn’t on your half of the court, you waited for the ball to be thrown to your side. You couldn’t touch anyone. Any type of contact was considered a foul and for every foul there was a free throw shot.
Each game had four eight-minute quarters and each player was out with five fouls.
Dee only fouled out once in her whole career. That was the night she had to defend the referee’s girlfriend. She said her tongue was sore from biting it to keep from complaining to the ref!
Midway through the 1956-57 season Coach John Needham decided to schedule a game with Fairdale. The Clyde girls were playing well; their only loss was to Gardner in the first game of the season. Dee figures the coach wanted to see how the girls played against some tougher competition.
Prior to the game, she made a trip to the bathroom. She walked in and there were some of the girls from the Fairdale team. That was when Dee knew her team was in trouble — she had to look UP at the Fairdale girls and she was the tallest member of the Clyde team!
Dee found herself double-teamed the whole game and wasn’t able to shoot much. Clyde lost to Fairdale by 20 points, but learned a lot, just what Coach Needham wanted.
After that defeat the girls went on another winning streak, claiming the District 5 championship and earning a berth in the state tournament along the way.
Then they found themselves face-to-face with Fairdale at the Valley City Auditorium on February 27 with the state championship at stake. Dee said at least they only lost by 19 points in that matchup.The girls’ basketball season ended before the boys’ season, just like it does now. The Clyde girls were asked to play a two minute exhibition game during the boys’ district tournament. When the buzzer went off signaling the end of the exhibition, the girls received a standing ovation with the request to "play more!" They played another three minutes, then had to let the boys’ tournament resume.
Coach Needham always stressed teamwork and didn’t like ball hogs. Winning the sportsmanship trophy at a tournament was almost the same as winning the tournament itself.
Players respected their coaches and parents didn’t interfere with any decisions the coach made. Dee made the comment that if you got into trouble with an authority figure, it was hard to know whose punishment would be worse — their’s or your parents.
After high school Dee married Burnell Raddohl. They had three children: Renee, Garry and Val. In 1971, not long after they moved to the Churchs Ferry area, Burnell was killed in an accident on Interstate 94.
The pain and uncertainty of those days is something Dee will never forget.
One night when the walls were closing in, Dee and a girlfriend who had come to stay with her and the kids decided to go to town. Arden Loken, a local bachelor, happened to spot her and asked if she would be interested in being his housekeeper. She chuckled and told him she hated housework. That didn’t deter Ardie — they married in 1972.
Dee has many fond memories of her high school basketball days. The lessons she learned from the coach have helped her through thick and thin. Her main regret is losing track of teammates through the years.
Almost everyone from the team will be in Minot on Friday. One is coming from Florida and three are coming from Phoenix, Ariz. Vivian Mosolf, one of Dee’s best friends on the team, died from cancer a few years ago. She was their co-captain and leading scorer and will be sorely missed.
Dee said this will be a great reunion and is looking forward to seeing everyone again. She said the girls have a lot of catching up to do. Sometimes when your quiet world is disrupted it’s for the best.
The 1956-57 Clyde girls’ basketball team was runner up in the state tournament. Team members were, back row, left to right: Delores "Dee" Leonard, Deverlie Lafrenz, Vivian Mosolf, Nancy Biby, Phyllis Rath, Patricia Biby and Coach John T. Needham. Front row, left to right: Marie Bruers, Lois Metzger, Mary Westphal, Sharon Worms, Margaret Buchweitz and Carole Ritter.
Dee Loken
Noridian to operate up to 40-person Leeds call center Fargo-based Noridian Administrative Services (NAS) will become one of the largest employers in Benson County when it opens a provider call center in Leeds. NAS will hire up to 40 people from the Leeds area to staff the center. US Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND), who was influential in bringing the NAS call center to Leeds, will be present at an open house March 26 at 1 p.m. at the center.
"The opportunities provided by NAS will have the single largest employment impact on the Leeds community in my lifetime," commented Leeds Mayor Lloyd Himle.
By April 1, NAS plans to hire 10 to 15 full-time employees to staff the Leeds site. Employees will include a team leader, a trainer and several customer service representatives. After operations are successfully established, NAS may add a second shift in the building and employ another 20 people.
Leeds NAS customer service representatives will respond to telephone calls from health care providers regarding NAS’s current Part B Medicare contracts in Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah,Washington and Wyoming.
"Noridian Administrative Services will bring very good jobs to the community with a very competitive salary range and excellent benefits," said Paul O’Donnell, vice president of NAS Medicare Operations, who will oversee the new Leeds office.
"NAS is extremely happy to help bring economic development to a rural area of North Dakota, and we think it is in our long-term interest to diversify our employee base."
Leeds is located in the nation’s first Rural Economic Area Partnership (REAP) Zone. REAP was created in 1995 by Dorgan and the US Department of Agriculture as a pilot program to revitalize heavily farm-dependent areas now suffering from outmigration and job loss.
Dorgan later introduced REAP to NAS at his Federal Information Technology Roundtables. Other REAP Zones are located in southwestern North Dakota and in New York and Vermont.
"This is a great example of how the REAP Zone in Leeds is helping to revitalize the community," Dorgan said. "The new NAS call center in Leeds will bring jobs and economic development, and I am excited to see this partnership come to fruition."
DeWayne Streyle, chairman of the Leeds Economic Development Corporation, said, "The Leeds Economic Development Corporation is thrilled to welcome a company with the stature of Noridian Administrative Services to the community. NAS will provide high-paying, quality jobs for the entire region and may become the largest employer in Benson County."
The new NAS call center will be located in a 4,200-square-foot building owned by the Leeds Economic Development Corporation. NAS has a seven-year lease, with an option to buy the building, vacant since 1997 when previous tenant Uniband lost its contract with the IRS to process currency transaction reports at the site. At one time, up to 75 people worked for Uniband in the building, which also houses the Leeds City office and the Leeds Library.
The LEDC offered NAS "significant advantages to lease the building, including competitive lease rates and incentives to help with infrastructure," according to O’Donnell.
Job applicants can fill out an application online at www.nasadvantage.com or contact Megan Campbell at 701-277-6634 or Based in Fargo, Noridian Administrative Services provides Medicare benefit administration and other services, employing more than 1,300 people in 12 states.
NAS began operating in 1966 as a division of Noridian Mutual Insurance Company. At that time, its business operations consisted solely of administering the federal Medicare program in one state.
Medicare provides health coverage to people 65 and over. NAS now administers Medicare programs in 15 states, serving more than 125,000 health care providers.
The Benson County Job Development Authority awarded a $20,000 grant to the Leeds Economic Development Corporation to help cover the cost of improvements to a building in Leeds owned by the EDC. The improvements were necessary to accommodate Noridian Administrative Services in its Leeds location. Bruce Terpening of Maddock, left, president of the BCJDA, is shown presenting a check to Glenn Hoffmann and DeWayne Streyle, representing the Leeds EDC. Also pictured are Tom Moller and Lowell Haagenson, BCJDA members who represent the Leeds area.
We’re Number One!
The Minnewaukan-Leeds Lions girls’ basketball team defeated Harvey Thursday, Feb. 22 at the Class B regional tournament in Devils Lake.
The co-op is making its first trip to the North Dakota Class B girls’ state basketball tournament at the Minot State University Dome.
The seniors on the team are shown with the Region 4 championship trophy. Left to right are Brandi Weed (back to camera) of Minnewaukan, Gina Ritterman (behind group) of Leeds, Dawn Teigen of Minnewaukan, Hope Keller of Leeds and Katie Clifton of Minnewaukan.
Makes school visit
Representative Dennis Johnson (R-Dist. 15) of Devils Lake recently met with administration and staff of the Maddock School concerning education issues and bills in the ND Legislature. As a member of the Education Committee, he was able to explain components of bills presented to the committee and how they may affect the school. Johnson is pictured with Vanessa Peters, president of the Maddock Education Association.
Region 4 Champions
The 2007 Region 4 Class B girls’ basketball champions are the Minnewaukan-Leeds Lions. The team is shown with their trophy and the game ball. Left to right are, assistant coach Jason Gullickson, Kylee Rallo, Sadie Vallier, Ashley Manley, Katrece Thompson, Kayla Bingham, Jordan Callahan, Denage Braaten, Alyssa Erickson, Gina Ritterman (front), Katie Clifton (front), Brandi Weed (front), Bobbi Grann, Dawn Teigen, Hope Keller and head coach Travis Risovi.
Coach of the year
Travis Risovi, left, head coach of the Minnewaukan-Leeds Lions girls’ basketball team, received co-coach of the year honors for Region 4 on Thursday night. Making the presentation is Brian Duchscherer, superintendent of Carrington Public Schools and a member of the board of directors for the ND High School Activities Association. Last week Travis was co-coach of the year for District 8. Will he get a three-peat at state?
Preliminary goals for Maddock’s Horizons Program listed by years
The Study Circles phase of the Maddock Horizons Program was completed February 17 at approximately 12:30 p.m. All four Maddock Horizons Study Circles made a presentation to the assembled groups, introducing a final list of 21 action items designed to make Maddock a better place to live over an extended time line that could see individual items finalized in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
Maddock had 38 participants in the Study Circles, with eight facilitators and seven steering committee members working with them.
Each Study Circle group met for four hours on each of three Saturdays between January 20 and February 17. This allowed time for extended conversations about many issues, and for reconsideration of any item at the next meeting.
Each circle selected the representatives for its presentation. Philip Backstrom, Bryan Kenner, Lu Mathison and Louise Olson presented Circle #1 items. Sally Campbell and Laura Every presented Circle #2 items. John Halvorson presented Circle #3 items, and Deb Anderson presented Circle #4 items.
The Study Circles groups were asked to divide their action item ideas into three sections. The first section could include up to three action items, with priority action dates of 2007. The second section could have additional items, with an action date of 2008. The total number of items for the two sections was limited to no more than six from any one circle. Any remaining action items from all groups would be listed and referred to the next segment of the Horizons Program, another community participation segment, so that all would be considered within the 18-month period of the local Horizons Program.
An overall priority sequence was not used on the combined list.
There was considerable overlap among the action items developed by the Study Groups, resulting in six distinct action items for priority action in 2007. All four circles agreed on two of the items, two circles agreed on two other items, and one circle presented the final two items. This same process developed with the grouping of 12 distinct action items for 2008. The remaining three action items developed by individual Study Groups were referred to the next segment of the Horizons Program.
The items for 2007 included recommendations for the hiring of an economic development director, emergency/medical services support, provisions for a child care program, a welcome newcomers program, increased youth opportunities and a review of the city’s electrical rate structure.
Items for 2008 that received multiple group endorsement included programs to attract/retain young families, an updated long-range plan for the Maddock Business & Technology Center and the new Multi-Purpose Building, programs to encourage positive attitudes and better communications in the area and programs to provide a family support system.
The Maddock Horizons Steering Committee will receive the final report from the study group facilitators at its Thursday, March 1 meeting at 7 p.m. in the Maddock Business & Technology Center. It will present a copy of the report to the Maddock City Council at its Tuesday, March 6 meeting. The steering committee will then begin the process of referring the action items to the appropriate parties for consideration.
Circle members were Marilyn Allan, Doug Arnston, Jane Arnston, Paul Backstrom, Philip Backstrom, Rolf Berg, Arlyss Bergrud, Stacy Bergrud, Dennette Buckmier, Sally Campbell, Linda Ellingson, Milt Erickson, Michelle Eyl, Hulda Faleide, Mitchell Fossen, Odin Fossen, Yvonne Fossen, Preston Gilderhus, Brooke Hakanson, Dennis Haugen, Terry Hermanson, Mike Jelle, Bonnie Johnson, Judy Kallenbach, Kris Kallenbach, Tom Keller, Bryan Kenner, Chris Lauinger, Pam Lee, RaeAnn Lynne, Addie Mathison, Joe Rameden, Phylis Rehling, Lee Simon, Cindy Smith, Donna Smith, Shirley Smith and Sharon Wheeler.
Facilitators were Deb Anderson, Allan Campbell, Laura Every, John Halvorson, Wayne Knatterud, Lu Mathison, Louise Olson and David Scott.
Steering committee members are Les Anderson, Faith Halvorson, Kathy Knatterud, Vicki Maddock, Wanda Terpening, Pat Tracy and Gary Wald.
Members of the Maddock Horizons Program Study Circle 1 are, left to right, Marilyn Allan, Dennis Haugen, Lu Mathison, Louise Olson, Philip Backstrom, Terry Hermanson, Cindy Smith and Hulda Faleide.
Study Circle 2 participants are, left to right, Sally Campbell, Dennette Buckmier, Pam Lee, Shirley Smith, Laura Every, Judy Kallenbach and Paul Backstrom.
Members of Study Circle 3 are, left to right, Phylis Rehling, Joe Rameden, Tom Keller, Kris Kallenbach and Sharon Wheeler.
Study Circle 4 participants are, left to right, Brooke Hakanson, Arlyss Bergrud, Dave Scott, Deb Anderson, Milt Erickson, Donna Smith and Addie Mathison.