8/13/2008 – News

Volume 125, Number 28           Wednesday, August 13th, 2008

Sheyenne wins $10,000 for completing Horizons program
Ten Sheyenne residents traveled to Bismarck to accept a $10,000 grant for successfully completing the Horizon Program. June 30 marked the official end of the 18-month leadership project for Sheyenne and 20 other rural communities of fewer than 5,000 with a poverty rate of at least 10 percent. Supported by the NDSU Extension Service and funded by the Northwest Area Foundation, it is hoped Horizons can help them move from poverty to hope, from population and economic decline to prosperity.
At the July 9 celebration, Lynette Flage, ND Horizons project director, recognized the work of Anamoose, Bowdon, Cando, Cooperstown, Dodge, Gackle, Grant County, Harvey, Hazelton, Lidgerwood, Linton, Maddock, McKenzie County, New Town, Rock Lake, Rolette, Rutland, Sheyenne, Stanley, Steele and Walhalla. She is seeking 15 new communities to enter the program this fall.
"Horizons helped us realize that all residents of Sheyenne can have a good quality of life when we work together. And each individual can make a positive difference," said Patti Jo Larson, who has been active in the program.
Some of the major areas of focus that were started and will continue include:
1) Purchase of the Sheyenne School Campus and plans for renovation into a multi-faceted lodge that would enhance the town of Sheyenne and the surrounding area. Three committees are currently working on the business plan.
2) Distribution of a list of services and resources available to Sheyenne area residents in the form of a "Neighbor-to-Neighbor Guide to Living and Thriving in Sheyenne ND."
3) Continuation of a community newsletter and blog (http://sheyenne.communityblogs.us) to improve communication and active participation. A new computer and printer available for public use will be located at Wild Things Taxidermy on Main Street.
4) Supper meetings will be held at 5:30 p.m. on the first Monday of each month at the Community Senior Citizens Center. Everyone is welcome to attend. The September meeting will be held on Sept. 8 because of the Labor Day holiday.
5) There will be a farmers market every Saturday starting in mid-August when produce is ready. Check the sign south of the Sheyenne Post Office.
For more information contact Sharron Lucas at 996-3363 or Patti Jo Larson at 996-3531.

Ten people from Sheyenne were present in Bismarck to receive the $10,000 prize for completing the Horizons Program. Left to right at the presentation were Collin Hanson, Pastor Sharron Lucas, NDSU vice president of Agriculture and University Extension Dr. D.C. Coston, Kevin Dvorak of the ND Community Foundation, Patti Jo Larson, Northwest Area Foundation interim program director Deanna Arce, Joanna Larson, Gov. John Hoeven, Paula Myhre, Bek Merideth, Richard Comer, Hazel Evenson, Kathy Comer and Dick Evenson.

Minnewaukan man helps on medical misson to the Dominican Republic
DR BY RICHARD PETERSON
Mark Motis of Minnewaukan recently returned from a two-week medical mission to the Dominican Republic sponsored by Medical Mission International, a Christian organization that sends medical personnel to 40 sites around the world to provide free medical care for poor people. Motis, a retired teacher, has little medical experience, but there are many jobs that need to be done on these missions and he wanted to help.
His physician, Dr. Russell Petty of Devils Lake, arranged for Motis to go with his group after Motis expressed interest in the trip. Dr. Petty goes on several of these medical missions each year and is planning future trips to Puerto Rico and Peru.
All the people who go on these missions, including the doctors, nurses and medical students, have to pay their own way. Motis figures the July 12-27 trip cost him about $3,000, including air fare, room and board.
Motis and Dr. and Mrs. Petty drove to Fargo and left by plane there July 12 at 5:30 a.m. They flew to Minneapolis then to Miami and finally to Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic. They arrived there about 11 p.m. that day. So it was a long day of travel.
The first night he slept on a box with a 3" mattress and mosquito netting. After that he slept in barracks type buildings with double decker cots and mosquito netting. It was very hot, even at night and there was no breeze. After a couple nights he managed to get a fan which was a great improvement in comfort.
The Dominican Republic is among the poorest nations on earth and the standard of living is quite low. Homes are generally just shacks and people receive very little medical care. So these medical missions, which provide medicine and Christian teachings, are probably the only medical care most people receive.
They were taken by a school bus from Santo Domingo the next day to their base camp in Sabana Grande DeBoya, which is the equivalent of a state in the Dominican Republic. Their camp was a walled compound with buildings inside and locked gates to keep out vandals and criminals.
The first week Motis worked in a hospital. Among his first jobs was to fix a light which didn’t work properly in the operating room. When something needed fixing, they called on Motis, who is experienced at handyman jobs. His primary job was sterilizing medical instruments after surgery.
The scalpels and other surgical tools were first rinsed in a bowl containing Hi-lex and water, then scrubbed in a bowl of soapy water with a scrub brush and then rinsed in a bowl filled with clean water.
After that the instruments were wrapped in clean cloth, taped and put into an ancient autoclave. An autoclave is a chamber that steams the instrument packages and heats them to 250 degrees, thus rendering them completely sterile. The medical people joked that the autoclave came over with Columbus’s ships, but it did the job.
The doctors did many surgeries, including repairing many hernias, gall bladders and hydrocysts (cysts in the body filled with fluid). There were two surgeons operating almost continuously during the day. Motis saw lots of medical conditions and many people in miserable circumstances.
The days were fairly long. They were roused at 6 a.m., there was prayer at 6:30 a.m. followed by breakfast. Work began at 8 a.m. and lasted until 5 to 7 p.m. They used lots of sunscreen and mosquito lotion.
The second week he acted as a pharmacy technician while the medical people "went on clinic." Each morning a school bus left the compound and took them into villages, where clinics were held. On the bus were four physicians, a dentist, an optometrist, nurses and 45 medical students from the University of Kentucky. Also on the bus were a dental chair, medical tools and a complete pharmacy. Helen Petty and Motis were the pharmacy technicians. A 12-year-old Dominican Republic boy was the interpreter for the doctors. The doctors ordered the medicine and Motis and Mrs. Petty provided it. Through the boy, the doctors gave instructions to the patients as to how to take the medicine.
Here are some statistics from the two week clinic: the medical team saw 235 adults and 163 children (18 and under). There were 107 adult surgeries, 40 major surgeries on children and seven minor surgeries on children. The dental team saw 72 adults and there were 129 extractions. Two hundred forty-nine people were given fluoride treatment. There were 126 eye patients. Health education was given to 1,001 people and there were 1,283 prescriptions filled.
Dr. Petty’s daughter, Cynthia Johnson, a nurse, was also on the trip. Cynthia’s daughter was also a participant. So it was a family affair for the Pettys. The University of Kentucky medical students decided to attend religious services of all denominations while in the Dominican Republic and Motis went along. They witnessed a number of denominations, including native religious services.
The most memorable experience for Motis was attending a Catholic Mass. The young Dominican Republic priest broke apart a large piece of bread for communion and gave a piece to each person present. He also offered a sip of wine from his chalice to each person present. "I thought that was symbolic of real Christianity," Motis said.
Motis was requested to bring gift items for the Dominicans. From Otter Tail Power Co. he got a bunch of key chains with little lights that shine when one presses the key chain. The children were amazed and very happy to get a gift like that. He also got a bunch of donated farmer caps which were given to older patients, who greatly appreciated them. He had a whole suitcase full of gifts, such as motel soap and shampoo and other gratuities from area businesses.
The medical personnel were far more fortunate than the natives. "We really ate well," Motis said. A typical breakfast was French toast, mangoes, papaya, pineapple, star apples, limes and lemons. "The coffee they grow there is among the best in the world," he said.
Lunch was two sandwiches, one of cold meat and cheese and the other was peanut butter and jelly along with a fruit of some sort.
Supper back at the compound was either chicken, pork or beef with rice, mashed potatoes and gravy.
The shower was a black container on the roof filled with water which was heated by the sun and fed to the showeree by gravity. "There wasn’t much water pressure," Motis said. It seemed the electric power failed almost daily at breakfast time and supper time.
Their last night was spent in Santo Domingo and they went swimming in the Caribbean prior to going to an expensive restaurant for a feast.
Then back to a walled compound with locked gates near the capital city. There was a bar near the compound and Motis heard gunshots that night while the partying at the bar went on until 5 a.m. He didn’t sleep very well, but was glad to be locked in the compound.
Would he go again? "Yes, if I could arrange to be part of a medical mission to Australia, I’d jump at that chance," Motis said. But he’s going to consider other areas as well.

Dr. Russell Petty, left, of Devils Lake and Mark Motis of Minnewaukan, right, show two Dominican Republic children the Otter Tail Power Co. key chains with little lights that come on when the key chain is squeezed. The children were fascinated by the gadgets.

Even though the area was in the mountains, the water table must be high because burials are above ground. This is a cemetery. The multi-storied structure on the left is a crypt which will hold 10 bodies.

Mark Motis and Helen Petty served as pharmacy technicians when the medical missionaries "went on clinic" in the boondocks. Boxes of medicine are in the background.

This 12-year-old boy served as interpreter for the doctors.

Appreciation supper
An appreciation supper for volunteers who helped with Minnewaukan’s Quasquicentennial Celebration and the All-School Reunion was held August 5 in the Benson County Courthouse yard. Three of the hardest-working volunteers conferred on the financial aspects of the events prior to the supper. In the front are Sherri Thompson, Claudette Carlson and Cathy Nord. In the background are Emma Thompson, Deanna Hanson and Dennis Weed.
HERE IS THE CAPTION FOR RON DALE & AARON:
Grilling sausages and hamburgers were Ron Carlson, left, and Aaron McQuoid, right. Dale Halvorson, center, lends his expertise to the chefs.

Barko Coffee House
Oberon regulars were recently joined by Don Knutson of Phoenix, Ariz. at the Barko Coffee House and Blacksmith Shop in Oberon. Memories and old times, usually exaggerated, were discussed and enjoyed by all.
Current economic and political problems were also discussed, but no bi-partisan agreement for fixes was reached. Left to right are Gene Woolley, Wayne Nelson, Don Knutson, Larry Barko and Lester Roberts. Barko is early in putting out his Christmas decorations, or are those from last year?

BCATS class celebrates 50 year reunion
Graduates, former classmates and teachers met at the Maddock Community Center on July 5, 2008 for the 50th class reunion of the BCATS Class of 1958. Twenty-two of the 29 living classmates from the class that numbered 37 were in attendance, as well as two former classmates and five teachers. Graduates were Joan Ellefson Waagen of Bottineau; Carol Erickson Bitz of Vancouver, Wash.; Judith Faleide Johnson of Albuquerque, NM; Norma Knote Swanson, Dorothy Gilbertson Stegman and Janis Williams Haugen, all of Fargo; Carol Ann Haagenstad Carlson of Hopkins, Minn.; Richard Hofstrand of Champaign, Ill.; Gerald Hvinden of Thompson; Darlene Lider Langseth of Epping; Beaulah Liudahl Sears of Devils Lake; William Preuss of Cressey, Calif.; Marlys Ramsfield Freadhoff of Valley City; Naomi Rosendahl Johnson of Cocoa, Fla.; Bonita Shaffer Schulz of Lakeland, Minn.; Loren Stadig and Janice Stevens Schimke of Bismarck; Herman Vetter of Grand Forks; Gary Stadum of Esmond; and Sonja Faleide Dahl, Gavin Foss and Barry Grondahl, all of Maddock.
Former classmates attending were Bonnie Arnold Hagen of Devils Lake and Merwyn Johnson of Cando. Teachers in attendance were Ed Anderson of Mesa, Ariz.; Carolyn Gilbertson of East Grand Forks, Minn.; Allen Rudel of West Fargo; Gerald Wagner of Roseville, Minn.; and Clarence Unruh of Laramie, Wyo.
Graduates unable to attend were Annette Ambers Martell of Mayville; Ardell Berglund of Underwood; Diana Hunter Sizemore of Sterling, Va.; Donna Jones Fillner of Madison, Wisc.; Sylvia Schmidt Heit of Arvada, Colo.; Deloris Morris Tarbell of Spokane, Wash.; and Joyce Vang Hanson of Devils Lake. Deceased class members are Janice Burgess Tandeski Olson, Darlene Ehnert Hanson, Julianne Faleide Nenow, Kent Halvorson, Phillip Kanzelman, Duane Nordrum, Audrey Sylling Naastad and Dennis Walker.

BCATS class of 1958 members who attended the all-school reunion at Maddock are pictured. Left to right, back row: Loren Stadig, Herman Vetter, William Preuss, Gerald Hvinden, Gavin Foss, Barry Grondahl and Gary Stadum. Middle row: Norma Knote Swanson, Bonnie Arnold Hagen, Sonja Faleide Dahl, Beaulah Liudahl Sears, Richard Hofstrand, Carol Erickson Bitz, Naomi Rosendahl Johnson, Judith Faleide Johnson, Merwyn Johnson and Ed Anderson. Front row: Darlene Lider Langseth, Carol Ann Haagenstad Carlson, Janice Stevens Schimke, Janis Williams Haugen, Dorothy Gilbertson Stegman, Marlys Ramsfield Freadhoff, Joan Ellefson Waagen, Bonita Shaffer Schulz, Allan Rudel and Gerald Wagner. Photo by Kris Kallenbach