T
HE WALSH COUNTY PRESS - WEDNESDAY, MAY I3, 2020
Pae7
North Dakotans to
receive ballots by
mail for June election
STATEme —— North Dakota
voters will be receiving their ballots
bymailfortheere9thprimaryelec—
tion. County commissions in all of
the 53 counties have authorized
Vote by Mail for the election as a
measure to reduce the public’s risk
of exposure to COVID-l9.
Governor Doug Burgum signed
Executive Order 2020-13 on March
26, 2020 strongly encouraging coun-
ties to use Vote by Mail for the June
9, 2020 election. The executive or-
der suspends the requirement for
counties to have at least one physi-
cal polling location. In response,
every county has decided to admin-
ister the primary election by Vote by
Mail only. Reservation counties
have worked with tribal governments
in their county to secure agree-
ments to support Vote by Mail. This
means no polling locations will be
open for the primary election and all
ballots will be issued through the
mail.
All eligible voters will be re-
ceiving an application in the mail
from the North Dakota Secretary of
State’s Office. Ifyou do not receive
an application by May 11th, contact
your county auditor. The voter will
complete their application and mail
it to the county auditor using a
postage—paid envelope. Once the
auditor’s ofiice receives the appli-
cation and verifies the information is
filled in correctly and has been
signed, a ballot will be sent.
Voters can return their ballots by
mail to the county auditor’s office or
deposit the ballot at a Secure mail bal-
lot drop box location. Each county
will have a secure ballot drop box;
contact the county auditor regarding
the location Voted ballots need to be
returnedbymailby June 8th oratthe
secure drop box by 4 pm. on June
9th, primary election day.
An ExpressVote assistive voting
device will be available for voters
needing assistance with their ballot.
Contact your county auditor to make
an appointment, as most county
courthouse have restricted public ac-
cess.
celebration. v
Directors of Nursing (DON) in the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Qual-
ity Network, which is comprised of 36 hospitals across North Dakota, hold
monthly distance networking meetings. Due to the extra pressure COVID-
19 has placed on hospitals and staff, the networking calls have been hap-
pening weekly.
“This is a platfomr where DONs across North Dakota come together every
week to discuss successes, barriers, and challenges related to COVID-19
activity,” said Jody Ward, senior project coordinator for the North
Dako—
ta Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) prograrn and CAH Quality
Network at the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dako—
ta Center School of Medicine & Health Sciences. “As part of this
discus—
sion, National Nurses Week and National Hospital Week are still occurring,
especially when we need to celebrate nurses and healthcare workers the
most.
Questions were raised as to how do you celebrate when groups cannot gath—
er, it is challenging to serve food, and everyone is working? Through dis-
cussion, we found several hospitals are doing creative ideas that were
shared
with the group, and we thought this is a great way to honor and thank the
nurses, the backbone of the hospitals.”
In Tioga, North Dakota, the Tioga Medical Center (TMC) is celebrat-
ing but incorporating social distancing into the plans.
“Every year we hold a big potluck, and this year it will be a little dif-
ferent,” said Amber Nelson, TMC’s director of nursing. “We will still
do
it, because nurses love potlucks, but we will keep people six feet apart.
Peo-
ple will come and get their food one at a time, everyone will sanitize
them-
. selves before they, so in the remand ereuene. .Wiltbe. Wearingmesle and
:tlienitake their food back to their own area so we can stay consistent
with
social distancing. The management team also puts together little gifts for
all of the nurses. National Hospital Week is also a big week for our cen—
ter. The facility usually buys every employee a geranirun and unlimited
form—
tain drinks for the week, and we hope to have an annual picnic, again pay-
ing attention to the requirements, keeping everyone six feet apart and pos-
sibly taking food back to their areas.
“It is really important to us to celebrate these events because of how
hard
our stafi‘ works. Everybody is extra stressed and this allows the
employ-
ees to feel appreciated. We have also had the opportunity to be on the
ra—
dio several times a week, and recently our CEO talked about how our def-
inition of essential stafi' is different. All of our stafi‘ in the
facility is essen-
tial. Without everyone in our facility, we could not operate.”
First Care Health Center (F CHC) in Park River, North Dakota, has al-
tered its plans as well to keep everyone safe and at a distance while still
hon-
oring the important work all nurses do.
“We are doing a few diflemnfly things this year,” said Lori Seirn,
FCHC’s
director of nursing. “During COVID-l 9, our theme is ‘The Year of the
Nurse:
We Are in This Together.’ Normally, the administration gives all of the
nurs-
es a gift, and we will still do that, but this year we are doing 'care
fairies.’
We are drawing names from everyone who wants to participate and hav-
ing people fill out a survey of their favorite beverage, food—or
intolerances,
snack, and hobby/interest. Everyone will be given a name and then will buy
that person a gift and leave it at their doorstep. This allows the nurses
to
take care of each other anonymously.
“Instead of a scavenger hunt in the community, we are having Zoom Bin-
go, because we need to move our celebrations online. Zoom Bingo will be
every night at 8:00 pm throughout the week with a prize awarded each night
We are keeping our Nurse of the Year award, which is voted on for and by
the nurses, which includes the RNs, LPNs, and nurses aides in the build-
ing, which includes the clinic and hospital. Especially during this time,
it
is a big deal. This pandemic is the biggest medical crisis in my memory,
and a lot of our nurses’ memories, so we want to make sure we are show-
ing support for them. They are sacrificing their time, like they always
do.
They are on the front lines and doing it with professional excellence.”
OSCAR KAYE HEFFTA ESTATE
1. mile East of Park River @1359} Hwy 17
general household items inctucting:
furniture, shop. kitchen, antiques, vintage ctothing. toy
tractors. Chrisrmas decorations (inctuding snow
vitiages‘). and much more.
Friday, May 15: Noon - 8 pm
Saturday, May 16; 8 am ~ 8 pm
Sunday. May 17: Noon ~ 4 pm
NO {EARLY SALEE; « fightback. Venme accepted
Back to Bu
tit
Photo: Larry Btri
Above: Summer thchen and Envision Salon/Spa owner Charlene Skjerven opened
when the governor aimed, taking precautions
bywearing maskandonecustomeratalime. Charleneisworldng
Wardner sanitizes surfaces in the background. Restrictions for salons and
other
on Tina Anderson's hair while Summer IGtohen employee Kelsey
personalcareservioeswerelilledinNorlhDatotaas
of May 1 . Going forward businesses were asked to inplement new health
guidelines to reduce the potential spread of COVIDt 9.
Feeding a hunger, fitting a need
BetaseeddonatestoWalsh CountyFoodprograms
GRAFTON, N.D. — On April
15, 2020, Jordan Sagert with On-
Target Ag Services and Dave Svo-
bodny With Midwest Consulting; '
Betaseed Independent Sales Agents
for the American Crystal region, pre- r.
sented two checks for $5,000.00
each, giving a $10,000.00 total do-
nation to the Walsh County Food _. ‘
Pantry and the Backpack Meal Pro-
gram. These organizations are es-
sential to meeting the needs of the
families within their local commu-
' Theobjectifve of the Backpack
Meal to teamup with the
Grafton and Park River Public
Schools to distribute easy to prepare
meals and snacks to children for the
weekend. A backpack program is a
great opportunity to provide food di-
rectly to the kids who need it most.
The Walsh County Food Pantry
appreciates the generosity and kind-
ness they have shown to those in
GRAFTON, N.D. —— District 10
Democrat-NPL party donates $300
to Walsh County Food Pantry at this
time of need Food banks are on the
fiont line as we recognize food-in-
security due to loss of employment
and COVID- 1 9.
Walsh County Food pantry rep-
resentative Elaine Broker is prepared
for a compound demand because of
seasonal factors and the pandemic.
Elaine explains, she is “humbled
by the way people are responding to
the needs of the hungry. The food
pantry is available for everyone,
those aniving to fulfill seasonal
jobs and those laid ofi‘. We expect
more demand as a result of the pan-
dernic.”
Getting food to people who are
food-insecure has become a mission
throughout the state. Elaine stated
that donations received from I the
Great Plains Food Bank are aug-
CAVALIER, N.D. _ District
10 Democratic-NFL party repre-
sentatives Elsie Magnus and Char-
lie Hart present a donation of $3 00
to Pembina County Emergency
Food Pantry Director Michelle Mur-
ray. This contribution is the 3rd of
its kind, with Cavalier County and
Walsh County also receiving $300
each These Food Pantries are a life
line to residents in the community
that are food-insecure.
Michelle has worked with the
pantry for 15 years and provided an
overview of how the pantry operates
along with a tour of the facility. The
current space in the United Valley
Service building is small, but packed
full of goods. Recipients must
complete an intake form and show
proof of residency but are never
turned away based on income.
Michelle stated “we are ex-
Dist 10makes
need.
Betaseed, Inc., headquartered in
Bloonrington, Minnesota, is North
America’s premier sugarbeet seed
company. From our start in 1970,
Betaseed has maintained a long-
standing commitment to the beet
sugar industry, with research and
seed production operations in sev-
eral states and marketing seed to all
sugarbeet markets. Our mission is
to develop the best perfonrring seed
products and services through in-
novative people, plant breeding,
and seed technology.
LettzDeaoon Mike
andEIaineBroker theftmd-
hottm'tfth mm
army W
I lhebad<park
ndstotherndrvriralbaolmpm-
grams involved.
mented by local donations. Elaine
will target purchases to replenish
food pantry inventory. She stated
“we are extremely low on cleaning
supplies. I will use this donation to
purchase these products.”
Local food banks are the primary
distributors to those in need. Elaine
also indicated ”the school system is
bagging meals for students.” She
added “those in need should not feel
uncomfortable obtaining provisions
fiom Walsh County’s Food Pantry,
it is here for everyone.”
Elaine further noted there has
been an increase in donations re—
cently enabling them to meet pres—
ent demand, but there is continual
need. Please consider a donation to
Walsh County’s Food Pantry. Dis-
trict 10 Dem—NPL is happy to con-
tribute and thank Elaine along with
all volunteers who support each
other in times of need.
tremer low on canned vegetables,
mac & cheese, and pancake mix. I
can use this donation to purchase
these products. The food pantry also
provides a $59 voucher to be used
at our grocery store for supplies that
we don’t stock. We can give indi-
viduals 125 pounds of food with
each basket valued at approximate-
ly $125, four times a year. There is
no income limit.”
The Food Pantry is in the process
of seeking a permanent location. As
long as there are people among us
who are food—insecure there will be
a need for this service. The Food
Pantry is a means of lifting up our
community, to be strong, healthy and
prosperous. District 10 Dem-NFL
is happy to make this contribution.
Thanks to the Pembina County
Emergency Food Pantry Board of
Directors for all you do!
