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, JANUARY 4, 2.012 ISSUE NUMBER 26 • PARK RIVER, NORTH DAKOTA SINGLE COPY $1.00
'Friday Night Out' f
to offer young Snow days are here again
adults connection
PARK RIVER, N.D. -- Fri-
day, Jan. 6 the Park River
Community Club is hosting an
event that will be a first for the
area. Dubbed "Friday Night
Out", the event is designed to
bring the 20 and 30 some-
thing's of Walsh County to-
gether.
A few months ago at the
club's monthly meeting, Pres-
ident Ruth Jelinek mentioned
a series of articles she had read
in the Press about young peo-
ple that had returned to, grew
up in, or moved to the area.
That's when the discussion
began of how to bring them to-
gether.
A committee formed to cre-
ate an event. The concept was
to host a fun, low-pressure
evening. After looking over
schedules, the date was set.
From 7 to 9 p.m. at the Park
River American Legion, the
committee said, the night
would include games, appetiz-
ers catered by Jim's Super
Valu, and the chance to win up
to $500 in Park River Bucks•
The goal is to connect with
the younger generation of
Walsh County, and the hope is
that this event would be the
first of many to come.
Student sets sights
high with youth
center plans
By Allison Olimb have fun and relax and at the
of The Press same time stay out of trouble.
PARK RIVER, N.D. -- He surveyed students at Park
When Alec Setness of Park River School and found that
River began his seventh grade out of 191 7-12th grade stu-
year this year-he rabook----dent;.t78 said they would
that started him on a mission
to challenge himself and his
community.
Through his homeschooling
lessons he read the book "Do
Hard Things: A Teenage Re-
bellion Against Low Expecta-
tions" and that got him
thinking. He decided that the
hard thing he wanted to ac-
complish was to create com-
munity youth center.
He began by surveying the
kids in the area to create a vi-
sion for the youth center. Alec
said that he wants to do is to
create a place to let people
want to go to a youth center.
He found that movie nights
were the most popular activity
suggested with air hockey,
pool table, video games, foos-
ball, holiday parties, comput-
ers, board games, and
community service following.
He also researched which
nights youth would want to at-
tend, if having a canteen
would be a plausible opportu-
nity, and what types of foods
Youth ten ter
Go, JaL. 1pag, e 3
Through his homeschooling lessons
he read the book 'Do Hard Things:
A Teenage Rebellion Against Low
Expectations' ... the hard thing he
wanted to accomplish was to create
community youth center."
\\;
os: Larry Biri
Snow finally has made its appearance on the
ground in the region. High temperatures have
been a challenge to winter so far and any snow-
fall had been met with temperatures above
freezing up to 40 degrees. While many folks
were not about to complain about the lack of
slippery roads and snow shoveling, some were
wondering where their white Christmas was
and when they would be able to dust off their
snowmobiles. Above: First snowman of the
year. Amy Christenson puts the gloves on while
her sister Bailey puts a scarf around the snow-
man that they just built. The extra protection
might not have been needed as Saturdays tem-
peratures approached 40 degrees. Left: Drew
and Maci McMillan take to the slopes by the fair
building in Park River on a beautiful Saturday
afternoon. #
Y00ear m Rev00tew:
The Press looks back at what made 00Ol1: Part 11
Walsh County Press
Staff Report
WALSH COUNTY, N.D. -- Another year has passed by all
too quickly again. So as tradition with the Walsh County Press,
we are giving our readers a year in review for 2011. Part II...
July
Dori Carlson of Heartland Eye Care of Park River and Grafton
became the first female president of the American Optometric
Organization.
Walsh County farmers suffered through wet weather.
Park River gymnastics program got offthe ground with its first
ever summer camp.
The Press featured Park River native, Joshua Anderson, who
founded Conversation English Circles at North Dakota State
University, and helped a number of nonnative speakers•
Fordville continued the Hillclimb tradition•
The Press began a four-part feature series on "Young in rural
North Dakota".
Summer temperatures found the region.
Park River hosted the annual Bikers Sunday for the first time.
The ride is normally held in Larimore.
Author and radio personality Scott Hennen made an appear-
ance at the Park River Tea Party in the Park event.
Park River Airport announced that they will be replacing the
current runway with funds from the State Aeronautical Com-
mission and also a federal grant from the U.S. Department of
Transportation.
Edinburg hosted the Ordahl family from Norway and parts of
the United States on a tour of their ancestor's home.
Area youth bowlers Michael Young, Jeffrey Johnson, Jordan
Johnson, and Matthew Dobmeier traveled to the National Youth
Bowling Championships in Las Vegas.
Park River Bible Camp celebrated 75 years of faith.
The Park River Farmer's Market made its debut in the Little
Park.
Park River kick starts a soccer program.
August
Claire and Anne Welch became stars on water skis when they
joined Skinautique on Lake Upsilon.
A fund was established to aid the Barclay family following
Gary Barclay's vehicle accident. Barclay, who was in a coma,
later passed away.
First Care Health Center raised more than $14,000 with its an-
nual golf tournament.
Walsh County Veterans Service Office offered outreach in
Park River.
Domestic Violence and Abuse Center, which had had finan-
cial trouble a year ago, once again was going strong.
Walsh County Historical Society hosted a tribute to "Uncle
Sig". Sig Jagielski contributed many pioneer buildings to Walsh
County's Heritage Village located in Grafton.
Park River senior Tricia Zikmund created a service project to
help the senior citizen center of Park River through a root beer
float fundraiser. The event also helped senior high school
Year in Review
Obituaries
See pa,,e, 2
Eat, Pray, Oilt
See' p,ag'e, 6
"A New hYea00gs ]Be00o, lution
mtet]htibnt,0000, dhtat g00o00es ibnt one
yeaur aun4l out dhe odher,,"
Author Llnknown
Remember when
See paffe' 5
School lunch menus return
b%e p,a,e' 7