Area Woman Magazine Feb/Mar '16

Area Woman

Contributors Calendar

Harnessing the Power

Where to Shop

Photography We Love

SkinAppeal

Heirlooms: Rethinking Thrifting

Giving Back Twice

It Takes Two

YMCA

In The Nick Of Time

Profile: Premier Medical Imaging

Cancer Survivor Opts For Genetic Testing

Aging Life Care

A Point Well Taken

Lake Legacy

Misfix

Overcoming Obstacles

Mara Brust

Sarah How • A Nurturing Heart

PUBLISHER

Area Woman Publishing, LLC

EDITORS IN CHIEF

Mike Sherman

Becky Sherman

PROOFING EDITOR

Amy Peterson

ART DIRECTOR

Sydney Schermerhorn

ADVERTISING

Mike Sherman

701-306-5119

Debbie Trombley

701-729-1910

Ben Nash

701-200-3010

FIND US

701-306-5119

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PHOTOGRAPHY

5Foot20 Design Lounge

Ande Sailer

Ashley Oberholtzer Photography

Bell's Photography by Jenna Sandman

Ben Nash Photography

Elena K Photography

FATcat Studios

Golden Veil Photography

Haney's Photography

Karensa Tischer Photography

Kensie Wallner Photography

Legacy Photography

Limelite Photography

Mandey Marie Photography

Mike Smith

Ockhardt Photography

Rachel Torgerson Photography

Rick Westra

Rosetta Ann Photography

Scherling Photography

Studio A Photo

Thuen Studios

Timeless Images Photography

Traci Adamson Photography

Wolff Photography

WOMEN’S RESOURCES

WOMEN’S RESOURCES

JILL OCKHARDT BLAUFUSS AMY PETERSON REBECCA MEIDINGER

Jill Ockhardt Blaufuss grew up in western North Dakota and graduated from MSUM Moorhead with a BA in Photojournalism. She has an extensive background in video production and still photography, and currently combines the two with her unique work in baby photography. She is a commercial photographer in Fargo as well as a photographer and writer for Area Woman.

Jill is a wife and mother and has a passion for cooking and hosting dinner parties, traveling, helping others and the history of the natives and settlers of her home state. Among her adventures she has lived in Germany, volunteered in Ghana, Africa, visited Cuba and plans to travel more of the world for both work and pleasure.

This issue, Jill wrote our cover story!

JILL KANDEL

Rebecca Meidinger is a speaker, Bible teacher, and Mom-blogger who has spoken in schools, churches, camps and conferences throughout the states and internationally. Rebecca’s passion is to speak to teens and women about their identity in Christ, their worth as children of God and the freedom found in Jesus.

Rebecca and her husband Paul live in Fargo, ND. Paul is a captain in the Fargo Fire Department and Rebecca is a stay-at-home mom to their four young children. Rebecca is active in her church and loves the outdoors, running, hiking biking, baking, touring area parks, camping, reading, watching movies, drinking coffee with girlfriends and dating her husband.

Amy Peterson has been living in the Fargo/ Moorhead area since 1997 when she began her freshman year at Concordia College. While unsure of how she would use her degree in English Literature and Communications, she found a job after graduation that allowed her to put her newfound knowledge to good use and helped her pay off those pesky student loans. Though she is originally from Long Lake, MN, a western suburb of Minneapolis, she, along with her husband and their five children, is proud to call Fargo home.

BKandel's book, So Many Africas: Six Years in a Zambian Village won the 2014 Autumn House Nonfiction Prize. Her essays have been published in many literary journals including The Missouri Review, Gettysburg Review, Brevity, River Teeth, Pinch, and Image. You can view a two minute book trailer, see photos, and learn more about So Many Africas on Kandel's website www.jillkandel.com where she also blogs about writing, publication, and the life of a writer.

LIFE

The holidays are safely in our rear view mirrors. Now we find ourselves in that often frigid time between the New Year and the first buds of spring. Check out the Area Calendar for ideas that are sure to help you enjoy all that winter has to offer and get your mind start thinking warmer thoughts. This edition of Area Life also includes a look at three different local events that are making a difference in our area.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS February.March

FEBRUARY27

UNGLUED CRAFT FEST

FEBRUARY 6

DESTINATION ANCHOR ISLAND

Fee: $2/swimmer

Enjoy a Saturday afternoon at the Caribbean with music, water games, and prizes. 1-5 p.m.

Fargo South Indoor Pool

1840 15th Ave S

www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

FEBRUARY 6

TEEN POOL PARTY

Fee: Free

Get out of the house and hang with friends at the Teen Pool Party. School ID required at the door.

6:30-9 p.m.

Fargo South Indoor Pool

1840 15th Ave S

www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

FEBRUARY 11

WINE ABOUT WINTER

Start Valentine’s Day early with a stroll through Downtown Fargo enjoying wines and sweets at participating businesses.

5-9 p.m.

Downtown Fargo DowntownFargo.com

FEBRUARY 12

FREE DEVELOPMENTAL SCREENING DAY

Do you have questions or concerns regarding your child's development? Join us for a free screening on the second Friday of each month. Please call ahead to schedule your time.

8 a.m. -4 p.m.

Pediatric Therapy Partners

3060 Frontier Way S, Fargo (701) 364-3945

FEBRUARY 12

FARGO FORCE VS. YOUNGSTOWN

Take the entire family down to the Scheels Arena to cheer on the Fargo Force!

7:05 p.m.

Scheels Arena

5225 31st Ave S (701) 356-7656

FEBRUARY 13

VALENTINE’S DAY KIDS' CLUB AT FIRST INTERNATIONAL BANK & TRUST

This event is open to the public and kids are welcome to stop by between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. to partake in various Valentine’s Day activities.

9 a.m.-1 p.m.

First International Bank & Trust

3001 25th St S, Fargo

firstintlbank.com

Are you planning or attending an upcoming event? Submit local events online at areawomanmagazine.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS February.March

Note: All events are subject to change. Confirm dates and times before attending.

FEBRUARY 13

AWESOME ART AFTERNOON

Fee: Free

Love art but hate the mess? Bring your child to Awesome Art Afternoon! Have fun while building a variety of take home arts and crafts.

1-3 p.m.

RDJ Rec Center 1104 2nd Ave S www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

FEBRUARY 15

RAGTIME THE MUSICAL

AT THE DAWN OF A NEW CENTURY, everything is changing…and anything is possible. RAGTIME returns to the road in all-new touring production Their compelling stories are set to theatre’s richest and most glorious Tony Award®-winning score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens. Tickets available at the FARGODOME Box Office, online or over the phone.Tickets are $56.50, $41.50 and $31.50

7:30 PM | Doors Open: 6:30 PM

FARGODOME www.fargodome.com | (855) 694-6367

FEBRUARY 13

IPAT’S PEDALING FOR POSSIBILITIES STATIONARY BIKE EVENT

Be a Possibility Maker! by participating in or donating to this event to help purchase equipment for people with disabilities throughout North Dakota and Moorhead, MN. Fun! Music! Prizes! Teams of 10 individuals ride stationary bikes and 100% of their donations are used to purchase equipment for people with disabilities.

1:30-5:30 p.m.

Courts Plus Community Fitness Center

3491 University Drive, Fargo, ND

crawls@ndipat.org | (701) 365-4728 | 1-800-895-4728

FEBRUARY 20

WOMEN AND THEIR MUSIC

The Celebration of Women and Their Music, a much-anticipated annual event showcasing some of the area’s most talented female musicians. Tickets are $20 for general admission and $50 for VIP tickets. Tickets are for sale online at tickets300.com or at 300 Broadway N, Fargo, ND 58102, and the day of the show.

FEBRUARY 13

AWESOME ART AFTERNOON

Doors open at 5:50 p.m. | Show begins at 6 p.m.

Fargo Theatre

Downtown Fargo

debjenkins.com/celebrationofwomen.html

FEBRUARY 23

BUDDY - THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY

Now in its 25th amazing year, the "World's Most Successful Rock 'n' Roll Musical" continues to thrill audiences on tour in the U.K. and around the world. Tickets available at the FARGODOME Box Office, online or over the phone. Tickets are $56.50, $41.50 and $31.50.

7:30 PM | Doors Open: 6:30 PM www.fargodome.com | 855-694-6367

FEBRUARY 25

PAINTING, HORS D’OEUVRES & DESSERTS!

Ladies, no art-smarts required! It’s the art of socializing! Come paint “Color of the Night” with friends. It’s guaranteed to bring out creativity, fun and laughter! Appetizers, desserts and beverages will be provided! Pre-registration & payment are required. Visit the website listed below and click on the Fundraiser button. Then click MOMS Club of F/M-IR. Only $30 per person! 50% of funds benefit MOMS Club of Fargo/Moorhead-IR, whose goal is to support other mothers, families & our community.

6:30-9 p.m.

UCC Congregational Church  1101 17th Ave S, Fargo galleryonthego.net | (701) 781-0042

FEBRUARY 27

UNGLUED: CRAFT FEST

Annual craft fest featuring over 70 local and regional modern makers, free workshops, live music and an opening Gala night!

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Plains Art Museum

704 1st Ave N, Fargo (701) 205-1597

FEBRUARY 27

YOUTH ICE FISHING DERBY

Fee: Free. Bring your ice fishing rod and try your luck at the annual Youth Ice Fishing Derby. Event is for youth ages 15 and under.

1:30-3:30 p.m.

South Woodhaven Pond

4802 Woodhaven Dr S www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

Are you planning or attending an upcoming event? Submit local events online at areawomanmagazine.com

CALENDAR OF EVENTS February.March

MARCH 12

FARGO ICE REVUE

MARCH 1

PINT-SIZED EXPLORERS: WHAT’S CRACKIN’ (AGES 4-6)

TAP, TAP, TAP. That’s the sound of a baby chick hatching! Come to the Zoo to find out. We’ll make some eggs of our own and meet some of the animals at the Zoo that lay eggs. $10 RRZ Members, $15 non-members. Space is limited, so preregistration is required.

3:15-4:45 p.m.

Red River Zoo

4255 23rd Ave S

www.redriverzoo.org

Note: All events are subject to change. Confirm dates and times before attending.

MARCH 8

5TH ANNUAL CLAWS FOR A CAUSE

Individual ticket: $75 ~ Reserve a table of 10 for $600. Dress code: tourist attire. Relax and enjoy the music of Motu Steel Drum Band while having a delicious lobster dinner, wine and beer tasting, home goods and services auction and horse racing! “Help neighbors in a pinch”—invest and get involved in our community.

5 p.m. Social | 6-9 p.m. Event

Ramada Plaza Suites

1635 42nd St S, Fargo (701) 356-7836

help@rebuildingtogetherfma.org

MARCH 5

TEDDY BEAR TEA PARTY

Fee: $6/per child, pre-registration is required. Learn etiquette basics through fun games while enjoying bite-sized snacks and refreshments at Teddy Bear Tea Party.

10:00-11:00 a.m.

Rheault Farm, 2902 25 St S www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

MARCH 11-13 & MARCH 17-20

TIN ROOF THEATRE'S "THE ELEPHANT MAN"

BY BERNARD POMERANCE

Drama based on the life of Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed young man with a dream to be like any other.

March 11 & 12 at 7:30 p.m.

March 13 at 2 p.m.

March 17, 18, & 19 at 7:30 p.m.

March 20 at 2 p.m.

The Stage at Island Park, the home of FMCT www.tinrooftheatre.org | (701) 235-6778

MARCH 12

FARGO ICE REVUE

At the end of each year's skating season, students from each of the Park District classes present an "Ice Skating Revue.” 7 p.m.

Coliseum

801 17th Ave N www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

CALENDAR OF EVENTS February.March

Note: All events are subject to change. Confirm dates and times before attending.

MARCH 12

CELTIC FESTIVAL

Fee: Free

Celtic Festival is a celebration of the rich culture of the seven Celtic Nations featuring the intriguing history, arts and traditions of Brittany, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Galicia, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The festival features entertainment stages, presentations about folk traditions, activity booths and Celtic foods.

10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Hjemkomst Center

202 1 Ave N Moorhead

www.fargoparks.com | 499-7788

MARCH 24

UNITED WAY ANNUAL MEETING

Join United Way to learn how our investments and work together can improve lives and change our community.

Event includes:

• Report to the Community

• Volunteer Awards

• Corporate Recognition

• Networking

• Inspiration

Registration for this event opens January 18.

11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Ramada Plaza and Suites

1635 42nd St S

MARCH 25

FARGO FORCE VS. OMAHA

Take the entire family down to the Scheels Arena to cheer on the Fargo Force!

7:05 p.m.

Scheels Arena

5225 31st Ave S

FEBRUARY 20

WOMEN AND THEIR MUSIC

(701) 356-7656

MARCH 29

THE 18TH ANNUAL CHEFS’ GALA AND AUCTION

We've Moved To Spring! This event brings together the F-M area's top chefs to celebrate food and to raise money to support Daily Bread, a perishable food recovery initiative of the Great Plains Food Bank serving Cass and Clay counties.

5:30-8:30 p.m.

Ramada Plaza & Suites

Photography by Dennis Krull, 5foot20 Design Lounge

Crystal Ballroom

APRIL 1

MAKE-A-WISH® NORTH DAKOTA WINE & WISHES

You are invited to join us for an evening to celebrate wishes, celebrate families and celebrate hope as we continue to grant wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to bring hope, strength and joy. This evening will feature wine pairings and hearty hors d’oeuvres, live and silent auctions, entertainment and special guests. Tickets are $50 and available online or by phone.

6:00 p.m.

Hilton Garden Inn

4351 17th Ave S, Fargo (701) 280-9474 | northdakota.wish.org

APRIL 8

HERO'S ANNUAL BASH

HERO, Healthcare Equipment Recycling Organization, invites you to celebrate 20 years of HERO at our annual event. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

6-9:00 p.m.

Ramada Plaza & Suites

1635 42nd St S, Fargo www.HEROFargo.org

EVERY THURSDAY EVENING. THRU MAY 26TH, 2016

JAZZ NIGHT AT BASIES

Live jazz artists perform every Thursday night, 7:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m., September through May.

7:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Basies | Ramada Plaza & Suites

1635 42nd St S, Fargo (701) 281 -7105 for reservations or check out who's playing

QUOTABLE

"For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Then you will seek me and find me: when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you, declares the Lord. "

— JEREMIAH 29: 11-14

COMING EVENTS

COMING EVENTS

CATERS TATERS: RAISING

MONEY FOR CHARITY

ONE POTATO AT A TIME

Words by Marie Laska

ARECENT POTATO LUNCHEON CHARITY EVENT HELD ON NOVEMBER 5, 2015 AT FARGO’S BAYMONT INN & SUITES OF FARGO RESULTED IN MORE THAN $66,000 RAISED FOR ANNE CARLSEN’S TAYLOR MADE LIVING.

Hosted by RDO Equipment Co. and R.D. Offutt Company of Fargo, the 16th Annual RDO Caters Taters for Charity served up the famous “pound-tato” to nearly 2700 attendees, with all the trimmings, dessert and a drink. The one pound potatoes were provided by R.D. Offutt Company’s Elk Horn River Farms in O’Neill NE, one of the country’s largest growers.

Several local businesses also donated prizes for the onsite raffle, including a 65” HDTV, a battery-operated John Deere Gator and airline tickets.

Since its inception in 2000, RDO Caters Taters has raised more than $430,000 for local agencies such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, Hospice of the Red River Valley, Sanford Children’s Hospital and Special Olympics North Dakota. Patrick Kirby, chief development officer of the center stated, “We were so excited to be selected as this year’s charity of choice. It allowed us to let so many more people know about what the Anne Carlsen Center is doing in the community, such as our Taylor Made Living residential facility,” which will provide adult residential services for individuals living with developmental and/or intellectual disabilities. Kirby also said, “We are so grateful to RDO, the sponsors, the volunteers and staff who made this event so amazing, and everyone in the community who participated for their generosity and support!”

For more information about RDO Caters Taters, please visit www.rdocaterstaters.com

Photography by Dennis Krull, 5foot20 Design Lounge

STRONGER TOGETHER: CONNECT, GROW AND BUZZ AT THE WBE

Connect, Grow and Buzz at the WBE

AGATHERING OF STRONG WOMEN IS A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH, FOR SURE.

When women, full of ideas, ingenuity, leadership, creativity and wisdom come together, who can imagine the depth of creative and inventive energy that will surge into the community?

That’s what the Women’s Business Exchange of Fargo-Moorhead is all about … encouraging and inviting women of any and all professional walks to join together in exchanging ideas, creativity, wisdom and fellowship. One of the oldest women’s networks in the city, the Women’s Business Exchange (WBE) started over ten years ago when a group of professional women in Fargo-Moorhead were looking for a way to connect and network with other women who shared similar passions and goals. Over the years, the WBE has been a means through which area women have grown together, exchanged ideas and mentored one another.

This year the WBE is focusing on “Building Bridges.” Every woman is a piece of the bridge, connecting one to another to make our community thrive and serve well. As the exchange has evolved over the years, they have chosen mentoring to be a new emphasis. “Bridges Mentoring” is a new program they are instigating, using a questionnaire to match mentors with any woman who would like to be mentored professionally. Mentorship creates a channel in which wisdom that was gained the hard way can flow more easily to a newer professional woman. As Karen White, president of the WBE said, “When women connect with other women, everyone is empowered.”

White appreciates the WBE because as an exchange, they are not there to sell to one another, but to grow with each other. All women are welcome … no matter the capacity or profession in which they serve–business execs, entrepreneurs, direct sales, freelancers, stay-at-homemoms–every woman is a professional in some capacity, and the WBE can be a place for her to connect and grow.

Words by Rebecca Meidinger Photography by Kensie Wallner Photography

Left to Right–Teri Bach, Crystal Henderson, Karen White, Natalie Sparrow, Carol Seefeldt, Renee Lura, Rachelle Jacobson

Another new initiative for this year is “Buzz Talk…” designed to get women meeting one on one with each other; to take mere acquaintances and develop them into friendships and partnerships. Rather than flippantly saying to each other, “Let’s do coffee sometime!” and then never doing it, a Buzz Talk is scheduled in advance … it’s a way to be intentional about your coffee date for the purpose of personal and professional growth. Get your buzz on!

The WBE is a non-membership organization, making the commitment level as doable as possible for the busy woman who is already juggling her home and professional life. An event-based organization, the WBE invites women either out to lunch or out for a girls’ night for their once-amonth meeting time. Some of the luncheons have a speaker who teaches on a specific area of professional growth, while other luncheons are focused on mingling and developing connections. The evening events are social in nature. When a woman attends a meeting, she ought to bring her business cards for the Discovery Table, which displays business cards and materials for every woman in attendance. At each meeting, one business is drawn as the next month’s WBE Spotlight Business.

If a woman feels like this dynamic group of women is a place for her to belong and connect, they would love to see her at their next event. The WBE has recently gone social, so find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/WBEFM , Twitter @WBEfargo , or Instagram @womensbusinessexchange . The best place to find information and event registration is Facebook.

And, for all the women out there wondering “Is this for me?” – in the words of Karen White, “It’s a place for anyone – whatever you do, you’re a working woman.” [AWM]

UPCOMING MEETING DATES :

February 9 (Tuesday Luncheon, 11:30-1)

March 14 (Monday Evening Social)

April 12 (Tuesday Luncheon, 11:30-1)

May 10 (Tuesday Luncheon, 11:30-1)

June 13 (Monday Evening social)

HARNESSING THE POWER

Power of 100 Organization Holds Inaugural Event

Words by Meagan

However, an unexpected donation is about to change the entire direction of one local organization - and there are over fourteen thousand reasons why.

On October 14, 2015, a new organization in town held its inaugural event. The Power of 100 Red River Valley - Women Who Care is an organization made up of like-minded women, all of whom hope to impact the community in an overwhelmingly positive way, and its first event took place at Dakota Medical Foundation in Fargo.

The Power of 100, according to its website, is an idea borrowed from similar organizations around the world. Over 100 chapters exist, founder and executive member Sandra Buchholz said, in approximately 40 different states.

“To start this, I gathered some of my closest friends who also seemed passionate about the idea, which is how I got the twelve founding members,” Buchholz said. “We wanted to meet strong, goal-oriented women and make a difference in the community. Our mission in starting this movement was to help those charities and focus on those

charities that don’t generate much funding.”

In short, the group meets four times over the course of one calendar year and, each time, every member or team pledges $100 to a single charity. The hope, then, is that one charity receives a donation of at least $10,000 following each event. More than 100 women are allowed to attend, of course; in fact, at the October 14 event, 167 women were registered, raising a total of $14,900

“I think that there are a lot of women who want to do good work in our community and want to work with charities and nonprofits,” Buchholz said. “However, they might not have the time or the budget to do so. But, if you gather 100 women together for an hour, that donation can make a huge difference.”

For those who want to be involved but can’t commit to the annual amount of $400 in donations, two-to-four-member teams may be created, meaning that the donation would be split among the team members at each event. All active members and teams are encouraged to nominate a charity of their choice for consideration.

At each event, three charities will be drawn at random from the nominations. The member that made the nomination will have a chance to explain the selected charity’s mission, as well as what the charity would use the donated funds for, if chosen.

HALF-FULL WINE GLASSES SIT IN FRONT OF LAUGHING, TALKATIVE WOMEN, CREATING THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR AVERAGE “GIRLS’ NIGHT” FUNCTION.

Pittelko

Photography by Meagan Pittelko with submissions from Lacey Koep

Carrie Leopold, Inspire Innovation Lab Founder and Executive Director

Following the final charity’s presentation, all members and teams vote for the charity they find most deserving; finally, the twelve executive members count the votes and announce the selected charity. Each member then writes a $100 check, made out to the charity itself.

Inspire Innovation Lab, located in the Moorhead Center Mall, was the recipient of the first-ever donation. The organization provides hands-on learning, aiming to provide professional development tools, student programming and other learning opportunities related to STEM fields. Inspire Lab currently has an after-school program that encourages students to “tinker and innovate.”

“One of my passions is to have a place for kids to just hang out after school,” Inspire Lab founder and executive director Carrie Leopold said while accepting the donation. “And this morning, someone said to me, ‘There’s just more.’ And I didn’t understand what that meant until right now, because all I can think right now is, ‘There’s just more.’”

According to Leopold, the donation money will go towards securing transportation to the afterschool program.

The Power of 100 will meet in October, January, April and July each year, donating to a different charity at each event.

“This movement might not stop sex trafficking, animal abuse or bullying. It might not eliminate the horrible things that happen in our lives and in our world,” Buchholz said, “but, I hope that it will help others to see hope. In a world full of bad things, something like this just brings some sunshine.” [AWM]

The twelve executive members of the RRV Chapter of The Power of 100 are Alison Zima, Christy Dauer, Jamie Satrom, Jenaah Nyhof, Kristin Miller, Lacey Koep, Laura Wolf, Lindsey Gunderson, Rachel Gehrig, Sandra Buchholz, Stephanie Grosz and Susan Gartin. If you would like more information on how to get involved, please visit www.powerof100rrv.com or e-mail powerof100rrv@gmail.com.

FINDING FAMILY

at the homeward animal shelter

The Homeward Animal Shelter of Fargo-Moorhead is primarily a pound rescue organization dedicated to rescuing dogs and cats at risk of being euthanized at local impounds. Each year, we adopt out hundreds of wonderful pets that just need a second chance at finding a “forever” home. We have a variety of pets available for adoption, from puppies and kittens to senior pets and everything in between, and almost any breed, including purebreds. Next time you’re considering adopting a pet, please check out our shelter and consider giving a pet in need a home.

Have questions? Give us a call!

• www.homewardonline.org

• www.facebook.com/HomewardAnimalShelter

• (701) 239-0077

Gus

Domino

Grover

Sharla

King Tut

Teagan

STYLE

This edition of Area Style incorporates a wide variety of businesses and services available in the F/M area. Get to know the team at SkinAppeal, the dynamic couple that works side by side on graphic design and book publication, a trio of women that are making a difference in the lives of hundreds of area children, and learn about two unique shopping experiences that can change the way you think about what you buy.

WHERE TO SHOP

carol widmans candy co.

We have a wide variety of Valentine boxes filled with assorted chocolates -- perfect for that special someone!

4325 13th Ave S, Fargo (701) 281-8664 | carolwidmanscandy.com

Twyla's Cosmetique

Indulgent, ontrend lipstick shades. Hundreds of colors to choose from. Custom-blend lipsticks and lipgloss available!

2420 S. University Drive, Fargo (701) 282-5303

scheels

Liverpool Jeans feature four-way stretch and a contoured waistband to lift and shape. Shop a mix of skinny, bootcut and pull-on styles to find your perfect denim.

Available at Fusion Boutique

Located inside Scheels Home & Hardware 3202 13th Ave South, Fargo (701) 232-8903 | scheelshomeandhardware.com

centre for hair & wellness

Visibly increase the thickness of your hair with organic Surface Awaken Products!

Downtown Moorhead

(218) 236-6000 | centreforhairandwellness.com

HERO

HERO sells donated healthcare supplies at reduced cost. Items include walkers, wheelchairs, shower chairs, hospital beds, and so much more. No one will be turned away because of an inability to pay. Items on hand vary, please call to see how we can help you.

5012 53rd St S, Ste C l Fargo, ND (701) 212-1921 | HEROFargo.org

dalbol flowers

Sing her a love song - with flowers. For $52.99, this lush, loving rose arrangement tells her just how much you care.

1450 25th St S, Fargo

(701) 235-5864 | dalbolfl owers.com

Heirlooms Thrift & Gift

Shop our selection of high-quality, name brand furniture at affordable prices, and support the mission of Hospice of the Red River Valley at the same time!

Rediscover Heirlooms Thrift & Gift in 2016!

3120 25th St S, Fargo

(701) 356-2670 | hrrv.org/heirlooms

YOU HAVE PUT GLADNESS IN MY heart

Bells Photography

Scherling Photography

Ockhardt Photography

Scherling Photography

Bells Photography

Ockhardt Photography

Scherling Photography

SKINAPPEAL: EFFECTIVE LASER TREATMENT AND RESULTS WITH LITTLE-TO-NO DOWNTIME

Words by Jill Ockhardt Blaufuss Photography by Mike Smith Photography

With the start of a new year come and gone―whether we’re fully immersed, or on the cusp of making that first step toward fulfilling our health and fitness pledges―there is a push, from even Oprah herself, to make 2016 “the year of our best bodies.” With affordable products like Fitbit and Wii Fit, and lower rates for gym memberships, it’s never been easier to stay on top of our total body resolutions. But the changes we make toward a healthier inside may not always be apparent on the outside. SkinAppeal, a full-service medical spa, medical aesthetic and laser clinic in Horace, ND, offers to change that. Sun damage and normal aging can cause the tone, texture and luminosity of our skin to deteriorate. Attempts to reverse this with drug store creams are not only costly, but pale in comparison to the dramatic, effective results produced by the newest laser therapies offered by the professionals at SkinAppeal.

AMY BYARS is a board-certified aesthetic nurse specialist at SkinAppeal and the only nurse in North Dakota to be recognized for a specialty nursing license in the field of aesthetics. “People are amazed at how much their skin has changed with one treatment,” Byars said. “I love being in the medical profession and watching my clients’ confidence emerge after the treatments performed at SkinAppeal.”

What sets SkinAppeal above other options for skin therapy in the region is their commitment to staying current with the newest, safest and most effective technologies. With most skin therapies you can’t have the best of both worlds. Fast recovery means marginal results, and great results mean a lengthy recovery. But SkinAppeal is eliminating the compromise with the Halo, a top of the line Sciton Joule laser. The Halo is a hybrid fractional laser, the first of it’s kind on the market. It differs from older technology in its ability to fire two lasers simultaneously to either the same, or different microscopic treatment zones in the skin. “What this means for patients,” Byars said, “is phenomenal results, with less down time. Patients are able to go back to work in makeup almost immediately, when in the past, there was at times two weeks of downtime.” The Halo precisely targets years of damage to your skin, including discoloration, sun damage, uneven skin tones, enlarged pores, poor texture, fine lines and scar revision.

Another treatment offered at SkinAppeal is the four-step HydraFacial MD treatment that Alexandra Tunell of Allure magazine calls, “the best no-side-effects-whatsoever treatment I've tried.” The HydraFacial is one of the least invasive, effective treatments providing immediate yet long-term results without any downtime or irritation. You’ll notice immediate improvement of fine lines and wrinkles, elasticity and firmness, skin tone evenness, vibrancy and texture, hyperpigmentation, oily and congested skin, enlarged pores and advanced signs of aging. This is done through a twenty-to-thirty-minute procedure that includes cleansing and exfoliation, a mild peel, pore extraction and, finally, a vortex-fusion tool that replenishes the skin with vital nutrients including antioxidants, peptides and hyaluronic acid to promote elasticity and hydration long after treatment.

If the cost of skin treatment is holding you back, think of what you have spent, and will spend, over years of purchasing drug store “miracle” creams. The effectiveness of just one treatment can exceed years of topical treatment usage. Plus, SkinAppeal's treatments are even more attainable with their partnership with CareCredit to provide no-interest financing to qualified patients―making it possible to spread the cost of these super-effective treatments out over six to eighteen months.

So make this the year of your best body. Let those changes you’re making on the inside be reflected by what shows on the outside. With everything from spa services to Botox, derma-fillers, skin tightening, Halo laser and HydraFacial treatments, let the highly trained medical and aesthetic professionals at SkinAppeal help with your resolutions this year to enhance your mind, body and spirit.

Amy Byars, SPRN, MEP-C & Christina Erickson, Master Aesthetician

PEOPLE ARE AMAZED AT HOW MUCH THEIR SKIN HAS CHANGED WITH ONE TREATMENT

RETHINKING THRIFTING: WHEN OLD BECOMES NEW AGAIN

Words by Rebecca Meidinger Photography by Kensie Wallner Photography

It didn’t take long for me to see that Heirlooms Thrift & Gift is a special place. An upscale resale store that first opened its doors in 2003, this delightful boutique carries everything you could want for your home at prices that can’t be beat, for a terrific cause that reaches beyond yourself. Heirlooms is a resale store that supports Hospice of the Red River Valley (HRRV), a local non-profit which provides quality end of life medical care. All proceeds from the store directly support HRRV. As Laura Lesoine, manager of Heirlooms, says, “Hospice isn’t just to help you in dying, but to guide you in living well until the end.”

Having just gone through a rebranding and updating project, the store gives off the allure of new and trendy mixed with the comfort of old and vintage. Designed to have a boutique feel that sets it apart from your typical thrift store, Heirlooms fashionably displays most any home furnishings you could want: sofas, plush chairs, dining tables and chairs, hutches, china cabinets, and china sets galore. Dedicated volunteers spend many hours cleaning and arranging gently used pieces so they are ready to make their next home beautiful. As part of

their rebranding project, Heirlooms offered its first Pinterest-inspired Do It Yourself event to help shoppers envision how the old can be transformed into something new. Lesoine said, “The rebrand isn’t to change what wasn’t working, but to keep moving forward, because the store has been so successful. We want to take everything that’s been right, keep going, think outside the box and bring in traffic of new crowds.” The store also carries one-of-a-kind gift products: fun kitchen gadgets, greeting cards for all occasions, candles, gourmet food items and children’s items … unique, thoughtful items that can be the perfect finishing touch to any gift.

With just three paid staff, Heirlooms relies on numerous and talented volunteers to play a major role in their store. In 2014, over

S I STEPPED INSIDE, THE WARM AND FRAGRANT AROMA OF CINNAMON CANDLES IMMEDIATELY WAFTED AROUND ME, MINGLING WITH THE SOUNDS OF HAPPY SHOPPERS AND PLEASANT CONVERSATION.

Left to right– Laura Lesoine, Noell Reinhiller, Joan Indvik, and Carlyn Stevens.

70 volunteers put in a combined total of 5,400 hours in the store – from cleaning, sorting and processing donations, to cashiering and designing the layout of the store. Whatever a volunteer’s gifts and interests might be, the staff accommodate with roles that fit and bring joy. Hospice of the Red River Valley also enjoys the talents of many volunteers, with about 200 highly skilled paid staff throughout the Valley and over 400 volunteers providing companionship visits, haircuts/dos, massage therapy, and much more to patients who are nearing the end of their lives. Whatever your gifts and interests are, there is a place for you at Heirlooms or Hospice.

And of course, in addition to shoppers and volunteers, Heirlooms needs donations to make this all work. The store graciously accepts donations during regular business hours; all donations are tax deductible. Additionally, Heirlooms partners with a local moving business to pick up furniture from donors’ homes free of charge. Simply contact the store if you’d like assistance in donating furniture.

Whatever your taste and whatever your budget, Heirlooms Thrift & Gift invites you to “Come on in and see what we are about!” You’ll be delighted with this store that’s rethinking thrifting, upcycling old and turning it into new, and inviting you to shop for a purpose. [AWM]

Find Heirlooms on Social Media!

www.hrrv.org/heirlooms

facebook.com/heirloomsfargo

Instagram.com/heirlooms.fargo

Heirlooms Thrift & Gift would like to thank the local businesses that made their recent rebrand possible!

Thank you to:

Scheels

Home Depot

Mathisons

Indigo Signworks

TWICE Giving Back

Downtown Others Shop Creates a Community of Giving

Words by Amanda Peterson

WHEN AUSTIN AND LAURA MORRIS, FARGO, BEGAN PLANNING FOR THEIR FUTURE FAMILY, THEY TOOK AN UNCOMMON

TURN . Instead of just buying a home and stocking up on parenting books, they traveled internationally. They met with leaders of established nonprofits, asked questions and dug for information. The young couple listened to the needs of people in struggling communities.

Photography by Dennis Krull, 5Foot20 Design Lounge

With visions of starting their own humanitarian nonprofit, they sought ways they could make helping others the very heart of their family. Even before they had their first child, they wanted to create a legacy of giving back.

Three years later, their dreams came together in ways they couldn’t have envisioned. In November 2014 - just a few months after the birth of their daughter, Camilla – the couple opened Others in downtown Fargo. This unique boutique features handcrafted products created by sustainable, fair-wage companies and nonprofits from around the globe. Each product gives a portion of its proceeds to a group of people in need. In addition, the shop donates its own proceeds to humanitarian organizations. Essentially, every item you buy – from a beautiful blouse to delicious coffee – gives back twice.

“We found many organizations dedicated to helping lift people out of poverty,” said Laura, 27, a pharmacist at Dakota Clinic Pharmacy, Fargo. “We realized we could help connect those organizations with people in the United States. We could build community around helping people in need.”

The Morrises were especially inspired by the work of the iF Foundation and Partners in Health in Haiti. The organizations’ emphases on community-wide education, fair jobs and healthcare aligned perfectly with their own values. As they discussed how they could start their own similarly focused organization, they realized they could help more by funding already established groups.

Later, when Laura took a trip with friends to Nashville and stumbled across a store that donated 10 percent of its profits, the pieces of the puzzle started to come together. By creating a store, she and Austin could use the proceeds to help nonprofits like iF. They could sell products from those organizations and spread awareness of their causes. They could also generate money through sales instead of needing to ask people for donations.

“It was three years of connecting the dots,” Laura said. “We read books, talked, traveled and tried to fit it all together.”

Fit together, it did .

Today, Others (18 8th St. S., Fargo) features products from more than 100 organizations. Shoppers can pick up a hand-signed men’s shirt from Krochet Kids, dresses from Raven + Lily, kitchen glassware from Usful Glassworks, greeting cards from Good Paper, candles from Orchard Farm and home goods from Nkuku. A quick glance at the product labels lets you know how each tie, baby hat, bar of chocolate or necklace helps free a family from poverty, provide a job for a person with a disability or benefit a community in another way. Local artists can consign their products at the shop with the promise to donate at least 20 percent of their proceeds to a good cause.

“They are very cool products that you would want to buy anyway,” said Others volunteer and frequent shopper Anne Johnson, Fargo. “I love that Others gives back by helping nonprofits and that each product in the store gives back.”

Johnson is one of several volunteers who help organize community events at the shop – another step in building a community of giving. Each month, Others hosts a workshop led by a community member. Recent workshops included mindfulness and yoga, coffee pouring, social media photography, and even a Noonday jewelry trunk show. The volunteers also plan kids' workshops, such as a recent one focused on giving and helping others.

The store is growing community in other ways too. A small community space with fresh-brewed coffee is open for people needing a quiet place to read or work on a small project. Monthly Local Give Back Days donate all of that day’s proceeds to a local nonprofit, such as Dakota Medical Foundation’s Lend a Hand program and African Soul American Heart. The store employees are also each given a small, free studio or of-

Laura Morris

fice space in the back of the store for their own creative pursuits. Erica Frank of Fargo, who recently joined the team as a retail buyer and artist, uses her studio space for her own artwork but also creates eco-friendly monthly window displays for the store.

“It’s a great opportunity for me,” Frank said. “I can work part-time on art concepts and buying for the store and spend the rest of my time in the studio.”

Frank was impressed with Others the first time she shopped in the store and its mission eventually drew her away from her corporate job.

“This store is so in line with my values it was hard to say no. It was meant to be,” she said. “Others is so important because it’s creating change and getting the community involved.”

That’s exactly what the Morrises had in mind.

“You can make a difference through little steps,” Laura said. “It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. The little things add up, especially across a whole community.”

For more information about Others, stop by the shop at 18 8th St. S., Fargo , or contact Laura Morris at laura@othersshop.com. You can follow along online at www.facebook.com/othersshop or www.instagram.com/othersshopfargo

[AWM]

Annual Proceeds to Benefit the iF Foundation

At the end of 2015, Others will make its first annual proceeds donation. This year’s goal is $15,000 for the iF Foundation’s Breakfast Program. The gift will provide daily breakfast for a year to the 180 students at Ebenezer School in Bordes, Haiti.

For more information about the iF Foundation, visit www.if-foundation.org.

One

Words by Alicia Underlee Nelson

AMY AND

AVERY NUBSON SPEND THE MAJORITY OF THEIR DAYS TOGETHER, BOTH AT HOME AND AT THE OFFICE.

And that togetherness is helping the couple’s design business thrive and bringing new books to children throughout the region.

The Moorhead couple runs two area businesses as a team. The first, Nubson Design, is a boutique design studio they founded in 2004. The pair spends hours side by side in their small and colorful West Fargo office as they create and implement new websites, promotional materials, logos and marketing campaigns for clients.

When the Nubsons aren’t working on design projects, they’re discovering new authors and promoting children’s books for their boutique self-publishing company, Over the Moon Books. Avery himself has written, illustrated and self-published three titles through

Photography by Dennis Krull, 5foot20 Design Lounge

Over The Moon Books, including his newest work “Explorasaurus ABCs,” a colorful and informative dinosaur ABC book that appeals to a wide range of young readers. And both Amy and Avery work with other authors to help them self publish and promote their books through Over The Moon Books as well.

Constant contact isn’t a traditional business strategy, but it’s worked well for the Nubsons. “I know a lot of people ask, ‘How do you do it?’” said Amy. “I always answer, ‘It’s not hard and I wouldn’t do it any other way. We are a team.’ We have been very fortunate to work so well together that a lot of times we say it would be harder to work apart. We complement each other in all aspects of our businesses.”

Amy is the strategist, developing marketing plans, creating websites and cohesive designs for clients, and networking with potential authors, customers and the local business community. Avery spends most of his energy on the creative side of their businesses, focusing on his own design work and writing, illustrating and promoting his books.

Avery wants all of his books to be like the stories he devoured as a kid – fun, colorful and educational, with themes and images that readers can keep coming back to as they age. He’s a frequent speaker at schools and children’s events and takes his young fans’ opinions to heart.

“I hear stories from parents, aunts and uncles about how they read my books to their kids at bedtime, day after day,” he said. “It’s humbling to have that kind of influence with a kid.”

This passion for quality children’s literature is just another bond that brings this creative couple closer together. “Our goal is to create books with value,” said Amy. “Every child deserves to learn in an entertaining way.”

“I know that if I can just make one kid laugh, smile or frown from my work, I did my job as an author and illustrator,” said Avery. And what if they happen to learn something? This idea always makes him smile. “Even better.” [AWM]

THREE RINGLEADERS IN CHILD CARE

IT’S BUSTLING AT THE FERCHO YMCA’S EARLY LEARNING CENTER IN DOWNTOWN

FARGO – typical day. Strings of three year olds are lining the hallway in their puffy coats and fluffy mittens dangling down at their toes. They’re peering out the windows and beaming excitedly at each other on their way outside to play tag and make snow angels in Island Park.

The YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties has 30 child care centers hosting nearly 2,500 youth in their 40 programs. The Fercho YMCA was the first Y childcare site in the area to open its doors to preschoolers in 1963. Today, the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties has become not only the largest child care network in North Dakota, but one of the largest YMCA child care networks in the country – and it’s led by three brilliant women who are nurturing the potential of all youth, one child at a time.

Shannon Lang

Shannon Lang, school age director, has one not-so-simple task: to provide a safe place for nearly 2,000 school-age children in our community to learn and play before and after school. With a focus on health, social growth and academic enhancement, licensed Y school age programs serve kindergartners through middle schoolers with a variety of programmatic and activity options. Staff work with youth every day and provide homework assistance and other interactive activities to nurture their potential. These activities supplement what children are

learning during their school day by aligning ND state standards with their lesson plans.

In addition, when the long summer recess begins, thousands of children lose access to the structure of physical and mental activities, healthy meals and possibly even a safe place to play. When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles related to learning, health, safety and hunger. That’s where Lang comes in to fill the gap. She strategically plans program improvements, provides quality assurance, mentors staff, evaluates curriculums and simply “keeps the lights on” for youth.

Lang has a long history working with youth at the Y. She joined the team in 1997 as the early learning site coordinator at Fercho. In 2000, she became the early learning director at Fercho and recently moved into her current position in 2015 as the school age director, over-

Article submitted by submitted by Anna Hagen, Marketing Director, and Kristin Miller, Marketing Coordinator

Photography by Dennis Krull, 5foot20 Design Lounge

Left to right – Lorrie Thoemke, Shannon Lang, & Tania Erickson

seeing all 30 school age sites. She loves working with her vibrant group of participants and staff. “I see all walks of life at the Y,” she said, “We all get to share one roof for part of each day.”

Most school age programs are housed in elementary schools – utilizing their classrooms, gyms and cafeterias. “Oftentimes, the schools will reach out to the Y about starting a new site,” Lang explained. “They trust our longstanding reputation in this area – and they know we can meet the community’s needs.”

Tania Erickson

Tania Erickson, early learning director, believes that with so many demands on today’s families, parents need all the support they can get. That’s why childcare at the Y for early learning participants ages six weeks to kindergarten is more than looking after kids. It’s about nurturing their development by providing a safe place to learn foundational skills, develop trusting relationships and build self-reliance.

The Y’s early learning centers offer quality, licensed childcare year-round. Each day, children experience a combination of teacher-guided activities as well as free time to explore. In the preschool classrooms, lesson plans are aligned with the ND Early Learning Guidelines and also include ‘Get Set for School’ curriculum, to ensure that all children are prepared for kindergarten.

Erickson started at the Y in 1997 as the early learning site director at Schlossman. In 2015, Erickson became the early learning director, now overseeing all of the Y’s five early learning centers and the Y’s preschool programs. “We really take pride in the work we do,” Erickson said, “We want to provide high quality services to the families we serve.”

Four out of the Y’s five early learning sites are accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The West Fargo site is in the process of applying for accredited status. In addition, three of the five sites have received the highest rating in the ND Bright and Early Program, an initiative developed by the Department of Human Services to ensure that North Dakota's children receive the quality childcare and preschool they need for success in school and life. The other two sites are in the process of achieving that status.

WE REALLY TAKE PRIDE IN THE WORK WE DO

Lorrie Thoemke

Lorrie Thoemke, vice president of youth and child care services, has also made it a priority in her life to impact the lives of children. She started at the Y as the child care and family services director in 1996 and ten years later became the Y’s chief operating officer. In 2014, she left that role to become the vice president of youth and child care services, overseeing all childcare programs, numerous youth sports and special interest programs and three summer camps at the Y.

Since her debut at the Y, the organization has opened an additional 27 childcare sites, reaching as far as Horace, Harwood and even Barnesville. Today, the Y has five early learning sites, 30 school age learning sites and four preschool sites, serving children ages six weeks up to 14 years old – and the numbers are growing rapidly.

“We’re hoping to add a new school age site every year for the next twenty years,” adding that the Y also hopes to form partnerships with local businesses to build and sustain programs. “The Y is all about more,” Thoemke explained, “The more support, guidance and opportunities we give kids, the more amazing qualities they’ll get out and the more they can achieve growing up. Our programs truly make a difference.”

In 2015, the Y gave $200,000 in scholarships to 375 families, who would otherwise not be able to afford childcare. Funds raised by the Y’s Partner of Youth Annual Campaign and the United Way are able to help families who qualify for assistance.

At the YMCA of Cass and Clay Counties, Lang, Erickson and Thoemke are helping children of all ages to be their best selves by creating confident kids today and contributing adults tomorrow. It’s part of the Y’s promise to strengthen communities – and these three women are leading the way . [AWM]

HEALTH

Taking care of our bodies is very important. The teams of professionals at Sanford and Essentia are committed to restoring health and getting people on a road to recovery. Learn about a low-cost imaging service provided by Premier Medical Imaging, and be introduced to the woman behind Aging Life Care, part of Lutheran Social Services.

IN THE NICK OF TIME

Words

MIKE KOENIG NEVER EVEN CONSIDERED HE MIGHT HAVE HEART PROBLEMS.

While both of his parents had heart issues, they occurred so late in their lives that Mike was not considered to be at risk.

Still, the 62-year-old pilot from Moorhead didn’t want to follow in his parents’ footsteps and has spent most of his life taking appropriate measures to help keep his heart healthy.

“I tried to stay physically active and even exercised six times a week,” Koenig said. “I believed that I was doing great, as I was experiencing no indication of a heart problem. I noticed I felt tired, but I thought it was just age.”

Koenig completed routine checks and his blood pressure and cholesterol levels were always normal.

It was his wife, Cindy, who finally convinced Koenig to have a heart screen along with her at Sanford Center for Screening. And the results were anything but expected.

Heart screens, also called cardiac scoring, calculate a person’s risk of developing heart disease by measuring the amount of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. The higher the number of the screen means the higher the risk.

How a simple screen saved a life

by Kim Tubbs Photography by Travis Jensen

“A score of 400 or more is considered high risk,” Koenig said. “I scored 3,953 and clearly needed immediate attention.”

Koenig was referred to Sanford cardiologist Rawa Saril, DO, who scheduled Koenig for a stress test. But before that could happen, Koenig began to feel extremely tired and Cindy insisted they go to the emergency room.

An angiogram in the ER revealed shocking news. Mike had five blockages in his heart that required five bypasses, which were performed by Sanford cardiothoracic surgeon Roxanne Newman, MD.

“I never in a million years thought I would have heart issues,” Koenig said. “My friends say I’m one of the hardest workers and exercise fanatics they have ever known. So this entire experience was quite surprising.”

Now, a few months after his surgery, Koenig is recovering well and feeling great. But he wasn’t the only one who benefited from a heart screen.

“Because of what I discovered, my brother also had a heart scan – and also needed bypass surgery,” Koenig said. “Now all four of my sisters are also going to get screened. This heart screening, along with the experts at Sanford, saved my life.”

Know your risk. Schedule your heart screen today by calling (701) 23-HEART or visiting sanfordhealth.org, keywords: heart screen.

Mike Koenig

PREMIER MEDICAL IMAGING: A NEW BUSINESS THAT OFFERS AFFORDABLE MEDICAL IMAGING

Words by Susan A. Stibbe

PREMIER MEDICAL IMAGING

is a new business that offers affordable medical imaging for patients in our area who have no insurance, high deductibles, high co-pays or Health Savings Accounts, to obtain affordable, quality imaging services on a cash pay basis.

“You look around for the best deals and services in all aspects of your life, so why would medical services be any different,” said Rachel Hofer, Premier Medical Imaging Consultant. “Our service gives you these options.”

Premier Medical Imaging offers a cash-pay option as commercial insurers and patient consumers struggle with the uncertainty caused by insurance changes and market factors.

“Surprisingly a large number of patients do not understand their insurance benefit plans. The greatest misconception is that all services are covered with zero out-of-pocket expenses,” continued Hofer. “We suggest that patients review their health insurance plans, especially their deductibles and copayments.”

Premier Medical contracts with Institute of Diagnostic Imaging for use of board-certified technicians and equipment. They combine a philosophy of comfort and genuine care with the latest industry-leading technology. Included in the cash-pay pricing is the imaging, a professional interpretation by board-certified radiologist and a report of the findings sent to a physician of the patient’s choosing. “When patients call to set up an appointment, they will talk to an actual person who schedules the visit and answers any questions the patient may have,” said Hofer. “We strive to

Photography by Jill Ockhardt Blaufuss

give patients the highest level of care with unequaled service.”

Procedures include: Computed Tomography or CT Scan, which provides cross-sectional images utilizing x-rays and computers; Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI, which utilizes a strong magnetic field and radio frequency waves to produce images of various anatomies without the use of x-rays; ultrasound, which utilizes highfrequency sound waves to obtain images; and x-rays or radiography, which utilizes x-rays to produce digital images. They also do CT Low Dose Lung Screening which is the only recommended screening test for lung cancer and Heart Calcium Scoring which uses a CT scan to find the buildup of calcium on the walls of the arteries within the heart.

Premier Medical Imaging was founded in response to the new changes in health care coverage. Their focus is to provide affordable, uncompromising quality services, while minimizing expenditures to patients. They encourage patients to partake in savvy consumerism and suggest that patients contact local healthcare providers and hospitals to investigate pricing.

“We, as consumers, should consult our health care providers to investigate the costs associated with imaging services and factor items such as copayments, deductibles and accessibility when deciding where to have our imaging services,” said Hofer. “In many instances, medical imaging consumers may now find a cash pay option to be their best option.”

Today, and in the future, patients are experiencing a dramatic increase in their insurance deductibles. Many consumers are learning the importance of careful shopping for imaging services. Premier Medical Imaging’s goal is to help patients compare costs and provide the very highest quality of care in order to get “the best service for the best price.”

To schedule an appointment with Premier Medical Imaging: Toll Free 844-551-6910. For More Information, visit premiermedicalimaging.net.

CANCER SURVIVOR OPTS FOR GENETIC TESTING TO HELP HERSELF AND HER FAMILY

Words by Jodie Tweed

IN THE MIDST OF HER OWN BATTLE AGAINST BREAST CANCER, TERESA SCHWEITZER THOUGHT OF HER DAUGHTER AND SISTER. They became two reasons why the West Fargo woman decided to undergo genetic testing to learn if she carried the gene that predisposed her to the disease.

If Schweitzer carried the mutated gene, her family members also were at greater risk of carrying it. And she could be at greater risk for developing other cancers.

Still, choosing genetic testing wasn’t an easy decision.

“In the very beginning, I thought I didn’t need testing because I knew I had breast cancer and it was going to be treated and removed,” Schweitzer explained. “But then I thought that whenever you have the ability to gain knowledge, why not take it so you can plan your treatment and let your family members know.”

Schweitzer had discovered a small lump in her left breast in December of 2013. She had an itchy spot that felt like a mosquito bite and she did a self-exam. “It was the strangest thing, but looking back, it was my body telling me something wasn’t quite right,” she recalled. “Someone was definitely looking out for me. I’m so glad I didn’t wait.”

A mammogram five months earlier had been normal but a biopsy at the Essentia Health Cancer Center in Fargo found Stage 2A breast cancer.

“At that point, your head is kind of spinning,” Schweitzer recalled. She met with her oncologist to discuss options for treatment and had a lumpectomy followed by chemotherapy and radiation.

Because she was diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, Schweitzer met the criteria for genetic testing. She was referred to Jackie Roberts, a family nurse practitioner who specializes in oncology and provides genetic risk assessments and education at the Cancer Center.

Roberts asked Schweitzer about her personal health history and her family health history reaching back at least three generations. The detailed history helped Roberts calculate a risk percentage, or how likely Schweitzer was to be found positive and carrying the BRCA mutated gene. Roberts also outlined the risks and benefits of ge netic testing.

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor suppressor genes and if they mutate then cells are more apt to develop into cancer. They account for up to 20 to 25 percent of hereditary breast cancers, Roberts explained. Of all breast cancers, only about five to 10 percent have a genetic link.

Photography by Scott Thuen of Thuen Studios

Teresa Schweitzer of West Fargo opted for genetic testing after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Her daughter and sister were two reasons why.

Most genetic tests come back negative, Roberts said, but the tests allow healthcare providers to find high-risk patients earlier. Patients with the mutated BRCA genes have about a 45 percent chance of getting breast cancer and other cancers, including ovarian, pancreatic and colon cancer, in their lifetimes. Some have an elevated risk up to 80 percent, she said.

“Cancer usually occurs in individuals as we age, but anybody who is diagnosed with cancer early, that’s a red flag that it could be something genetic,” Roberts explained.

Women with breast cancer may undergo BRCA1 and BRCA2 genetic testing. They may also be a candidate for the myRisk Hereditary Cancer test, a 25-gene panel that identifies risk for eight types of cancer. The tests require blood draws.

“Our patients want to prevent cancer from happening to their children,” Roberts said. “A positive mutation is a lifelong commitment to surveillance, scans or surgery. A lot of difficult decisions need to be made.”

Schweitzer was relieved to learn she tested negative for the gene mutation.

“It was a definite relief to my daughter, as well as my sister,” said Schweitzer, who is now cancerfree. “Since the BRCA mutation can be associated with uterine and other cancers, I wanted to know if I was more apt to get something else in the future.”

Cancer affects the entire family, whether you carry the gene or not. Schweitzer says she couldn’t have gone through 18 weeks of chemotherapy followed by 33 rounds of radiation without the support of her family, including her husband, Joe, and their children, Allison, 19, a pre-med student at North Dakota State University, and Jake, 17, a junior at West Fargo High School.

“Even though I’m negative now, there may be new testing in the future where I might not be so lucky. But I think the more opportunities you have to know what’s going on, the better,” Schweitzer says.

AGING LIFE CARE

Words by LaurelLee Loftsgard

Blaufuss

THE AVERAGE NURSING HOME COSTS RANGE FROM $8,000 TO $9,000 DOLLARS PER MONTH.* What if an individual could wait a few months before moving to such a facility? Waiting even two months could save a family $16,000. Unfortunately, most people don’t know waiting is an option, or even how to make it happen.

That’s what Lutheran Social Service’s new Aging Life Care Management program is for― helping families navigate through those tough decisions to make the right one. This program uses long-term care planning, support and services to show all the possibilities to improve the quality of life for aging adults. They call themselves “experts in aging well,” and with all the different options out there, it’s nice to have someone on your side.

Carmel Froemke, the Aging Life Care manager, said they brought this program to the area to serve the increasing needs of seniors. “We wanted to utilize a model that we know works, therefore we took the information from the Aging Life Care Association to implement in North Dakota.”

Photography by Jill Ockhardt

Carmel Froemke, Aging Life Care Manager

Aging Life Care is not just offering information, it also provides seniors with someone to accompany them to doctor appointments, help meeting needs in their home, assistance with making financial and legal decisions and maintains open communication with their care providers and family members.

As mentioned before, nursing home costs are very high, and are only growing with each year. While many places provide great care for those in need, this type of care can give a family other options to keep their loved ones safe and comfortable in their own home. Froemke said they can keep people safely in their homes by coordinating services depending on their needs. Those things can range from new technology such as locks or alarms, whistles or sirens on the stove, automatic shut off and many other options to keep them safe.

One of the biggest upsides to this program is seniors can be sure all options for care are considered before they go to a new residence such as assisted living or a nursing home. When and if the time does come to move into different housing, this program helps select the right level of care, find a place that works best for the senior and make the transition as smooth as possible. Aging management services do cost money as well, but Aging Life Care offers a sliding fee scale based on the senior’s income.

Right now, Froemke is the only Aging Life Care Manager in the area, and is able to take care of roughly 10 to 12 clients. But, she said if people start taking advantage of the program, they hope to expand and bring in more professionals.

Get all the facts before making a big decision for your own or someone else’s life.

That’s what the Aging Life Care Program is for, keeping you, your family and all those in your life feeling safe, educated and informed. [AWM]

*According to genworth.com

A POINT WELL TAKEN

Pain Relief found in Ancient Medicine

Words by Andrea Arntson

Photography by Dennis Krull, 5foot20 design lounge

THERE’S NOTHING QUITE LIKE WALKING INTO AN ACUPUNCTURIST'S OFFICE AND FEELING IMMEDIATE RELAXATION. The stress of the day that has been your constant companion slips away as the scents of natural oils surround you. And you haven’t even started your session yet.

This is what I felt when entering the tastefully decorated office of North Dakota born Alexandra “Lexi” Matthews. She welcomed me in, going straight to the cozy seating area where we chatted over Keurig-brewed coffee and tea about what brought her to where she is today - a new business owner in a city where acupuncture isn’t a highly sought after method of pain treatment.

When passing out cards offering a free consultation at a recent event, Matthews was

shocked by how few of those entering for the service had never before seen an acupuncturist. “Out of the 40 that returned the forms, only two had been to see someone for acupuncture. Along the coast it’s such a common thing. Hospitals employ acupuncturists. There are employed acupuncturists at almost all of the hospitals in the Twin Cities,” Matthews said. “I have many of my clients referred to me by Mayo. They go there for treatment, see the acupuncturists at Mayo and then come home and don’t know where to look to continue getting the help they need. We live in such a pocket here [in Fargo] that people aren’t aware of all of the services available to them. I just want them to know that I’m here and I want to help.”

But bringing the idea of acupuncture to the F/M area wasn’t the driving force behind

her decision to study it. Her mother was in a car accident and suffered continual pain as a result, which fueled Matthews’ desire to improve her mother’s quality of life through pain management.

Her journey started at MSUM where, under the guidance of highly intellectual instructors, she studied biology and graduated with a four-year degree. Her next step, after deciding oncology and chiropractic care weren’t what she was meant for, was to pursue acupuncture. After nearly three years―which included a wedding, the birth of her second child and commuting for three days out of the week to Bloomington, MN for school―Matthews graduated in 2015 with her master's degree in acupuncture. Though not an easy journey, her persistence and focus carried her through. “I kept telling myself you're halfway there, it’s almost done. Through all the

Alexandra Matthews

blizzards, through the rush hour traffic, the construction―I knew I had to keep going,” she said.

Her space is a testament to how hard she has worked. She is now the proud owner, operator and designer of FM Acupuncture off of I-29 where she sees clients on a daily basis.

“I get to know my clients very well. And I have to, because the treatment, their history - it’s all connected,” Matthews said. “We talk about what’s been going on, why they’re coming in to be seen, what results they’re hoping to see. Some clients will say ‘I feel fine’ and then I’ll touch an area where they’ve been feeling pain and they’ll flinch, so it’s important that they're honest. That way they can get the most out of their visit and walk away feeling better.”

When the initial intake is complete, a plan is formed and tailored to suit each individual. Treatments can help those suffering from chronic pain, recovering from a stroke, undergoing chemotherapy, dealing with stress and anxiety and even dental problems. Often times, Matthews will send clients home with homework to ensure that efforts made do not go to waste. All of this is done at a cost that was decided upon with an understanding of the financial constraints many face.

“I know that it’s hard trying to afford services like this so I do what I can to help people. I’ll offer monthly discounts. For eight sessions in a month, I’ll give a discounted rate of $300 flat. That ends up being $35.00 a session.”

Once fully joined by a massage therapist, FM Acupuncture has tentative plans to host an open house and welcome anyone interested in the services provided. For more information or to schedule an appointment, you can visit Matthews' website at www.fargoacupuncture.com.

[AWM]

HOME

Lake season will be here before we know it.

The building and design team at Paul Davis in Detroit Lakes has the knowledge and skill to make your dream lake home a reality. Take a walk through one of their projects in this edition of Area Home. And, meet the woman behind Misfix, an organization that encourages people to tackle their own home and car repair and maintenance.

LAKElegacy

Sometimes a lake home is more than a summer retreat, it’s a place where generations of a family can make memories, build relationships and encourage one another. Recently, a local family decided to do a significant remodel and an addition of their 1990s modular home, and create a place that would not only be a delightful year-round home, but a tribute to their parents, refuge for their kids and a legacy for their grandkids.

Good bones

“The modular home was very well built, and had ‘good bones’ as we say in the construction business,” noted Paula Boehm, co-owner of Paul Davis of Detroit Lakes, and one of the designers of this lake home remodel. “Rather than demolishing the existing home, the homeowner wanted to use it and expand to create more livable space. Our goal in any project is to reflect the personality of the individuals and family who is going to live there, so we listened to the needs and dreams of this family, and helped them create a family legacy.”

The original 3900-square-foot home had six bedrooms and three bathrooms, but the space was not always well-utilized, Boehm noted. The main floor had a combination kitchen and dining room space plus a great room, but with a limited lake view. The downstairs bath was one large room that served three bedrooms, but wasted a lot of space. The front of the home was plain and simple, rather uninviting for guests.

The process

“Paul Davis, licensed general contractors in Minnesota and North Dakota, has specialized in lake home remodeling for 20 years,” noted Boehm, “so we know the habits and tendencies of people at the lake are different from their other homes. We have first-hand experience, since we also live at the lake: we know what questions to ask, so we get the right answers. To build a home, or remodel one, you have to know how the family lives so we can enhance the quality of their experience after the remodel is completed.”

In this remodel, the homeowner had expressed a desire for a more inviting entrance and a better view of the lake, with expanded living space. Boehm said they began looking for ways to maximize the view of the lake, since it was so limited in the original house. In addition, the homeowner wanted year-round comfort and easy maintenance.

Because Paul Davis specializes in lake homes, they “make lake life better,” she said. Paul Davis is based in Detroit Lakes (not to be confused with the franchise in Fargo!), so they understand the lake environment and county rules and regulations that a contractor needs to abide by; an asset they can offer to property owners. Plus Paul Davis has a full design center and showroom right in Detroit Lakes so homeowners can find all the roofing, siding, windows, stone, flooring,

cabinetry, countertops, tile and paint samples in one place. Their 3-D drafting and design also allows homeowners to see the colors and textures they’ve selected―before anything is built. “It really helps the homeowners to feel comfortable about their decisions,” she confirmed.

The remodel

The first step was the front entrance, which got a significant facelift, adding a covered sun porch with fieldstone accent pillars to the side of the front double fiberglass doors. With a sun porch facing east, it’s a great place to start the morning, relaxing over a cup of coffee. In raising the roof―literally―they also created a double gable on the front, providing a more inviting and impressive entrance.

Stepping inside the front doors, there is a clear view to the lake, framed by new Pella windows. The great room with a 16-foot cathedral ceiling, now extends from the front door through the new 800-square-foot addition (on each floor) to the back windows. On the right is a beautiful open kitchen, with a long island angled around the cooking spaces. Tucked behind in what was the old kitchen is now an oversized walk-thru pantry, complete with floor-to-ceiling shelves, an extra refrigerator and prep space.

The kitchen has knotty alder cabinets, finished in a custom burnt sugar color with a black glaze. An oversize island and backsplash has Fusion granite in shades of rust, gray and cream with a polished finish. Because of the massive island space, the granite countertop with “breathtaking movement” is six cm thick―double the normal depth, with a quarter radius edge. Eight comfortable stools with red leather seats cluster around the island, complete with wrought-iron footrests. The homeowner chose to have the cooktop in the island, and installed a specialized automatic downdraft hood that pops up with cooking, then retracts into the countertop when done.

Brushed nickel hardware complements the stainless appliances, including double ovens and an oversized refrigerator/freezer. Adding light to this interior space are Solatube skylights as well as recessed can lights and blown-glass pendants above the island.

The flooring throughout is a Mohawk porcelain tile in subtle colors called White Mountain. Tile sizes range from 13 x 13 to 20 x 20, placed in a random pattern to add an interesting background to the spacious area. The living area holds a comfortable leather sofa and matching chairs, along with a covered coffee table that can double as added seating. Along the rear window overlooking the lake is a cushioned window seat, just right for napping or reading. The dining area, which is in the new addition, captures the magnificent lake view.

Bedrooms are in a private wing away to the left of the great room, and all had new Pella Designer-Series windows installed with blinds inside the windows for a crisp, clean look. To enhance privacy, higher transom windows were used on the side facing other homes, while the lake views were enhanced.

Lower level

Going from the main level to the lower level used to be a quick jaunt down the back stairs, but the remodel also included a touch of fantasy with the addition of a spiral staircase in a fieldstone tower, topped with a copper roof. Blending the natural fieldstone with maintenance-free vinyl shaker and lap siding on the exterior, the turret addition looks like part of the original building.

Downstairs the addition provided room for a new custom fieldstone wall fireplace and wet bar in the family room. Since the original wood in the lower level was cedar, that wood was used to complete the space. The lower level bedrooms also got an updated look with new flooring and windows, but the bathroom had the biggest transformation. From one single room, Boehm said, they created three spaces: a toilet room, shower room and double sinks in another. Now, instead of having one person using the space, three or four can be getting ready for the day at the same time.

The exterior of the home also received a significant update in the landscaping. Luscious plantings are flanked by flagstone walkways and borders, creating a beautiful environment around the home.

A delight

“We were honored to be able to work with this homeowner,” said Boehm. “She knew what she wanted for her family, and was a delight to work with: she had great taste and was confident in her decisions,” she said. “Every decision is a blend of form and function. Although the homeowner drives the project, part of our job is to ensure that the products selected and the space planning will meet their needs and create the home of their dreams.”

With this remodel, a nice family lake home has been transformed into a family treasure, with beautifully crafted details, combined with wise use of space and thoughtful, creative Paul Davis design. As Boehm noted, “Our vision is to transform lives, one client at a time.” In this home, the family would concur: there has been a transformation, and it is one that will help create memories now and into the future. [AWM]

For more information contact:

Paul Davis

Design, Build, Remodel, Restoration

Attn: Paula Boehm, co-owner

25130 County Highway 6

Detroit Lakes, MN 56501

www.pdmidwest.com

218-847-1800

MISFIX “TOOLS FOR EMPOWERMENT”

Words by Alissa Maier | Photography by Kensie Wallner Photography & Evan Balko

IS NATURAL TO BE INFLUENCED BY THE LIFE

LESSONS

THAT ARE TAUGHT EARLY BY A PARENT, GRANDPARENT, OR ANY ADULT FIGURE IN OUR LIVES.

These lessons come in the form of table manners, learning to share or simply how to change a light bulb. When Amanda McKinnon, CEO of Misfix, was growing up, her Dad was sure to instill the lessons of labor and the “you can do-it-yourself” mentality. She is now taking the lessons she learned from her Dad and teaching others the valuable knowledge that she has used herself throughout her life. As a 2015 Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee, she has taken her idea into the community to empower women (and men) to be self-sufficient in home maintenance and car care.

While attending the 2015 Woman’s Startup Weekend in April, McKinnon was encouraged to pitch a business idea in front of a group of other eager entrepreneurs. The proposal caught the attention of the other attendees and she was given the opportunity to form a team during the three-day retreat to get the business started. There, with six other team members, the idea for Misfix came to life with a logo, website, social media presence and the first event plan. The debut event, held in June, featured a hands-on class led by Marisa Solberg, long-time Lowe’s employee and long-time friend of McKinnon. A group of 15 women were taught a skill that is all too commonly needed: how to patch a hole in a sheetrocked wall. The event was sponsored by Heritage Homes and held at Eco Chic Boutique in Fargo, ND with food and drinks catered by Shotgun Sally’s.

The tagline for Misfix is “Tools for Empowerment” with a mission of providing women and men who attend workshops the necessary tools and skills for home and car repair and maintenance. McKinnon said the future goals of Misfix include offering workshops on other types of useful skills along with having a resourceful website and mobile application to host videos, how-to guides and event informa -

IT

Amanda McKinnon, CEO of Misfix

Kensie Wallner Photography

tion. While the idea for Misfix came about rather quickly, McKinnon said the concept incorporates the values she carries with each of her business endeavors: “to be a learner, a giver, and a funhaver.”

She started her marketing business MSPIRE, three years ago, is involved in the network marketing company It Works Global, and is excited to add this to her list of entrepreneurial endeavors.

As the Misfix start-up business progresses, McKinnon looks forward to creating a space in which guests can feel knowledgeable and empowered, all while having fun, learning something new and socializing.

For more information visit www.misfix.co or find Misfix on Facebook. [AWM]

Evan Balko Photography

PROFILES

Once again, the women that are featured in this edition of Area Profiles are a diverse bunch. But they each have one goal – to make a positive difference in the lives of people. Cera Swiftwater, Mara Brust, and Sarah How are doing what they can with their giftings and passions. Read their stories and be inspired.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

THE HIGH DROPOUT RATE OF AMERICAN INDIAN STUDENTS IS NOT NEWS

According to the National Indian Education Association, the national dropout rate for American Indian students is 15 percent. However, Minnesota State University of Moorhead criminal justice graduate Cera Swiftwater refused to be a statistic.

Swiftwater was raised by her 17-year-old single mother on the South Dakota Pine Ridge Reservation. When Swiftwater was 15, she and her four brothers and sisters were placed in foster care. During her time in the foster care system, Swiftwater moved from school to school multiple times, but she stayed focused and remained on track to graduate high school.

“My siblings have struggled a lot through

school and I asked myself, ‘What can I do to help them?’ On the reservations sometimes you don’t have that mentor,” Swiftwater said. “I thought I can be that person they can look up to.”

By graduating from high school she defied yet another statistic. Based off a 2012 report published by the U.S. Department of Education, South Dakota has one of the lowest American Indian graduation rates in the nation of 49 percent. Out of her graduating class of 12, she was the only one to attend college.

“When I first came here (MSUM), I stayed to myself a lot and I didn’t leave my dorm much,” she said.

It wasn’t until Swiftwater got involved with MSUM’s American Indian Student Association (AISA) that she started to enjoy her

college experience. As AISA president, she realized that many American Indian students were struggling to embrace the college experience, just as she had.

“I wanted an organization that made Native American students feel comfortable. They come to college and they feel like they don’t have any support.”

After initiating weekly meetings, study groups and even the occasional movie night, Swiftwater increased membership and led AISA to receive the award for Best Diversity Program on campus.

She also excelled academically.

“She’s one of those fantastic students that teachers can learn more from than they can ever hope to teach her,” said Professor Kate Richardson Jens. “ She’s very bright, very

How one MSUM student defied all odds to graduate

Words by Nate Gilbraith, MSUM Marketing Intern

Photography by David Arntson, MSUM Marketing & Communications

Cera Swiftwater graduated from MSUM in December and delivered the student commencement address, talking how she has channeled MSUM’s main cores of grit, humility and heart to help overcome her adversities.

In the midst of her college career, Swiftwater decided to take a semester off and enrolled in the National Guard.

“If you ask anybody who knows me they would never have guessed that I would join the military. I’m very uncoordinated and I don’t play sports. It was very out of character for me,” Swiftwater said.

During basic training in the Minnesota National Guard, the recruits attended a training session on domestic violence and sexual assault, igniting a passion within her.

“I have a lot empathy for domestic violence and sexual assault victims because I’ve seen it first hand. I felt like I could use my knowledge and experience to help them.”

Swiftwater pursued her passion by volunteering and later interning at the Rape and Abuse Crisis Center, where she worked directly with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

“Helping these victims became second nature to me,” Swiftwater said. “It further instilled that this is where I need to be and this is what I’m supposed to do.”

Today, Swiftwater focuses on raising awareness of the high violence and abuse rates experienced by American Indian women and children.

“The Center instilled more confidence in me and assured me that I know how to help resolve these issues. MSUM gave me the opportunities to use my knowledge.”

“Cera has faced more challenges at a young age than many people experience in their lifetime,” said Sociology Professor Deborah White. “Her work to raise awareness about high rates of violence and abuse experienced by Native American women and children, along with her commitment to help others in her home community, are truly inspirational.”

in-tuned to the world and her community.”

ON HER OWN TERMS:

MARA BRUST HAS ALWAYS BEEN CURIOUS AND DRIVEN. “In preschool I was bothering the teachers when we were supposed to be playing,” said the petite, graceful blonde as she gave a quick tour of her beautifully curated downtown condo.

The Fargo native flew through her lessons in class, attended Trollwood Performing Arts School and thrived in the disciplined world of dance at Gasper’s School of Dance, a place she credits with helping hone her work ethic. Brust was also the kind of girl who had saved $100 from her $1 a week allowance by the first grade. She’s the kind of woman who only reveals this fact when pressed, after curious visitors ask about a small gold safe tucked into a shelf of beloved books, meaningful objects and childhood photos.

The precocious Brust skipped 7th and 8th grades. She received her diploma from Fargo North High School three years early and graduated summa cum laude from North Dakota State with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism, Broadcasting & Mass Communication Technologies in just five semesters. And she did it all by age 17, months before the kids playing next to her in preschool graduated from high school.

And she wasn’t done. Not by a long shot. Brust interned for both Senator Byron Dorgan and the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, volunteered at Legal Services of Northwest Minnesota in Moorhead and served as a Legal Extern in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Fargo. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia School of Law and returned to Fargo as a licensed attorney. She was 21 years old. She was handling commercial litigation, personal injury and family law cases at Conmy Feste, Ltd. around the same time her preschool classmates had their first legal drink.

Two factors drew Brust back to Fargo. She wanted to continue a family tradition of fighting for justice alongside her father, Kim E.

Words by Alicia Underlee Nelson Photography by Kensie Wallner Photography

MARA BRUST CULTIVATES A LIFE OF ART, ADVOCACY AND SERVICE TO COMMUNITY

Brust, at Conmy Feste. And she wanted to put down roots in her home city. “Nothing shapes a person's life more than the community where they live,” she said.

A commitment to creating a vibrant, supportive community is central to Brust’s mission for her career and her life. And she doesn’t believe in sitting by and letting other people lead. Brust serves on the City of Fargo Planning Commission and The Arts Partnership Board of Directors. She is a member of the Fargo Moorhead Ballet, the Young Professionals Network and numerous other professional organizations.

She also entered the Fargo City Commission race in 2014 and ran again in the 2015 special election prompted by Mayor Walaker’s passing. Brust’s campaigns championed the arts and local small business and advocated for environmentally responsible urbanism in order to build a community that will retain and attract a talented workforce. She didn’t win, but her presence in the race cemented Brust’s role as one of FargoMoorhead’s next generation of leaders.

DON'T WAIT FOR PERMISSION. DON'T WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO ASK. IF YOU SEE A NEED THAT MATCHES YOUR INTERESTS OR TALENTS, MAKE IT HAPPEN.

And she hasn’t stopped performing. She just finished the “Legacy” show at Gasper’s School of Dance and will dance the lead role of Clara in FM Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” during the holiday season.

When she’s not working, dancing or advocating for Fargo-Moorhead, Brust finds refuge in art, music (she plays the white Yamaha that sits serenely in her living room) and her sleek, comfortable home. Her commitment to local community extends to the books on her coffee table (which feature regional authors and explore community building and urban design) and the art on her walls. She is a passionate, knowledgeable collector of local art with a keen instinct for what works in her space. The modern lines of a Steve Revland accent table, Andrew Stark’s abstract paintings and the neutral, industrial edge of multimedia works by Mike Marth take on a new softness amidst the plum walls and plush rugs in Brust’s quietly feminine home.

Her hometown has proved to be a perfect fit for a young woman who believes in forging her own path. “I feel incredibly lucky to be a young professional in Fargo-Moorhead,” she said. “There are so many opportunities to be involved and truly make an impact. I'm not sure I could be an attorney/ballerina/planning commissioner in any other place! The FM area is so receptive to and enthusiastic about new ideas and projects.”

She has simple advice for people who want to live a life of purpose. It’s the same wisdom she would pass on to her younger self, gleaned from years of trusting in her own vision. “Don't wait for permission. Don't wait for someone to ask,” she said. “If you see a need that matches your interests or talents, make it happen.” [AWM]

A NURTURING HEART Sarah How,

mother of four children and school psychologist, is also the author of two children’s books, a speaker at TEDxFargo and is currently the president of the North Dakota Association of School Psychologists. As a Nationally Certified School Psychologist and internationally certified trainer for The Nurtured Heart Approach® she has trained and coached in the U.S., England and Brazil. Despite all her acclaim and accomplishments How said, “I don’t take my life for granted. I wake up and am overwhelmed with gratitude. When you know how dark it can be, you appreciate the light.”

By Jill Kandel

Photography by Rosetta Ann Photography

USE YOUR MOMENTS WISELY.

THEY BUILD SOMETHING THAT you can’t even imagine.

School Psychologist

How grew up in southern Minnesota and did her undergraduate degree in psychology at Bemidji State University. After graduating, she married Mark How and the couple lived in the FM area. Mark trained in graphic design and started his own business, How 2 Creative Services. How received her graduate degree in school psychology at MSUM and when the West Fargo Public School offered her a job as a school psychologist she took it. She has been there ever since.

“I help teachers to teach and students to learn,” How said. “I work with a team and we identify various difficulties and disabilities. When students are struggling, we ask, ‘What are the strengths and the barriers? Are the barriers in the instruction, the environment, or with the child?’ I help connect the dots for students, teachers, families, and agencies. I do short-term mental health interventions, designed for school settings, with the intention of supporting students so they can get back to the business of learning.”

Left to Right– Justin, Mark, Sarah, Chloe, & Lydia

How has worked with children as young as three and up to age 21. Currently, she serves Eastwood Elementary and Westside Elementary schools in West Fargo. “I love my job,” How said. “I like connecting people. I have a beautiful flexibility in my job to meet the needs that come up and to do preventative interventions. Because I am located within the school setting, educators can tap into my expertise in children’s learning and mental health. We collaborate and problem solve in the moment.”

A Family

With all of How’s professional training, education, and years on the job, she said another layer of learning was added when she and Mark had children of their own. “Mark and I often talked about adoption,” How said. “We believe that every child should have a home. We went through several years of infertility before our son Justin was born. Then we had a miscarriage and it was a struggle. We were pretty broken for a while.” They had a daughter, Lydia, in 2005, but weren’t convinced their family was finished. “Around Christmas, Kalob and Chloe appeared in the first ND Heart Gallery,” How said. “It was a photographic look at special needs, older children who were able to be adopted. I remember looking at their pictures and thinking, ‘Could we do this?’ We’d never considered a sibling group. Kalob was eleven years old. Chloe was six.”

In March of 2009, Kalob and Chloe were placed into the How family as an adoptive placement. “I’m a school psychologist,” How said. “I deal with behavioral problems. I thought I could navigate these two foster kids. I think maybe God laughed at my thoughts. I really had no idea how to do this. Both Kalob and Chloe came from severe trauma. You don’t ever erase that trauma. People said to me, ‘All they need is love,’ but that was foolish and unrealistic. You have to have a plan, a strategy, and a support system.”

“Foster care and adoptive parents can get secondary trauma because of their children’s trauma. Kalob and Chloe had significant mental health issues and after they came into our home, we not only watched them regress we also saw our birth children impacted by all the stress. After several months, people said we should stop trying and get out. I felt so defeated and alone. I thought we’d been called to do this, but at the same time all I could see was we were failing. It felt like we were harming our birth kids and not helping our adopted kids. We were in a mess. One

thing that did help was tapping into the local PATH for respite care and into The Partnerships Programs. I’d used these programs as a psychologist, but not on a personal level. It was a Godsend for us to have a break and a breather.”

NHA Training

At about that time, Mari Bell, director of special education in West Fargo, came across a methodology called the Nurtured Heart Approach® created by Howard Glasser. The Nurtured Heart Approach (NHA) had been achieving international acclaim as a set of strategies that transformed the most intense children in inspiring ways – without the use of medication. Bell wanted to train several staff in NHA to become parent-coaches to support families in the school setting. She asked How to go to the training.

“I went to the NHA training feeling really heavy with guilt,” How said. “Mark and I had talked to our kids’ social worker and told her our adoptive placement wasn’t working and that we were done. We couldn’t adopt the kids. My whole life had been about children and making them successful and now I had two children who'd been in foster care for years and been placed in multiple homes, and we were going to tell them we couldn’t keep them. I didn’t know how to keep going in this profession and not feel complete shame and failure.”

How went to the NHA training feeling like a hypocrite. She thought, “If they knew I was quitting on my kids, they wouldn’t want me.” As she listened to the training she thought, This is different. We haven’t tried this angle. “We’d been doing traditional, positive parenting with rewards and consequences. But punitive consequences don’t work well with kids who come from trauma because they’ve lost so much. When you take something away from them it only confirms their feelings of unworthiness. It sets them up for thinking they are never good enough.”

How related a story she’d heard: “If a dollar bill gets crumpled up, or stomped on, or rubbed in dirt, would you still want it? Yes, it still has value. I needed to look at my kids that way. I was learning that their messiness did not define their value.” How sat through multiple days of NHA training. “We’d lost hope,” she said. “We’d lost the ability to see there was still light. It was such a dark time for us as a family.” How walked away from the training with a plan. “It wasn’t a perfect plan,” she said, “but it was enough to begin.”

NHA GAVE US THE TOOLS WE NEEDED TO START BECOMING successful with our children

How started using her new training right away. “At first, Chloe really couldn’t understand it when I said she was doing something right. She’d cover her ears and scream. She couldn’t absorb the fact that she had value. So we started a greatness notebook. I wrote down the good things I saw in her so she had time to digest them. It was like I was talking to a blind person. She couldn’t see herself. I had to see her and speak words of affirmation so she could see it, too.”

“It’s hard on your heart when you do foster care and adoption,” How acknowledges. “Other people kept saying I only needed to love Chloe, but she wasn’t used to love. One night, Chloe had a major tantrum and wrote ‘I hate you’ in her greatness notebook. I had to stop and consider, ‘Does her behavior define her value?’ And I told her, ‘I love you. I will always love you. It’s okay that you hate me right now. But I’m not going to stop loving you and taking really good care of you.’ Then Chloe took the notebook and wrote, ‘I do not hate you. I love you.’ That was the first time I knew Chloe was starting to hear me,” How said. “NHA was not magic. In many ways it was very difficult. You have to stick to it like your life depends on it,” How said. “And we did. I had to look at my kids and say, You are worthy and Your worth is not defined by your actions.”

How continued to implement and learn about NHA. In September of 2009, the school district sent her to be trained as an NHA trainer. “I thought my failings would disqualify me, but these are the very things that have connected me most with parents. I know their pain. I have real empathy and that is an asset to connect me with foster, adoptive and biological families. Isn’t that like God? He uses our weaknesses and makes them our strength!” As things slowly improved at home, the How’s recommitted to the adoption process. “Even though it wasn’t perfect, we had the tools,” How said. “NHA takes work and time. We lost friendships and relationships. It’s hard to be around challenging, intense kids. After months of intensive work, using local services and the NHA in day-to-day parenting, the fog began to lift.”

I HAD TO LEARN TO celebrate

Three Stands: According to the Children’s Success Foundation, the Core Methodology of NHA contains Three Stands

Stand One: Absolutely No!

I refuse to energize negative behavior.

Stand Two: Absolutely Yes!

I will relentlessly energize the positive.

Stand Three: Absolutely Clear!

I will maintain total clarity about rules that demonstrate fair and consistent boundaries.

Absolute No: Choosing not to give energy and time to negativity.

“Typically,” How said, “adults only compliment children when they are being good. Well, if you work with difficult children, good luck with that. When I started NHA, I could lecture for a long time on things my kids were doing poorly. We tend to converse in negativity. NHA teaches not to give your energy and your words to negativity and lecturing. I started watching my children’s faces. It’s pretty humbling to watch someone else’s face crumble when you are vomiting negativity. I saw that I was breaking their spirits, even though that wasn’t my

intention. Learning how to use NHA has been a journey that started with me breaking my addiction to seeing and speaking negativity. It took a lot of self-reflection. I had to learn how to stop being so negative. That’s the first step. Don’t water the weeds.”

Absolute Yes: Relentlessly creating positivity and success with appreciation, recognition and acknowledgement.

NHA doesn’t wait in silence for a child to be good enough. Instead of making a mountain out of a mole hill, they take each small mole hill, each moment of good behavior, and see it is a miracle. “When a child is behaving well we typically say things like Good job, or Way to go. The problem is there is no real information here. Children don’t really see what it is that they are doing well. So we need to be specific. We need to give children some evidence of what we see. For example, I may say, ‘I see you are standing by me waiting for me to finishing talking to dad. You could be interrupting me. This shows me you have great self-control and thoughtfulness; you chose to wait patiently.’ By giving children specifics, we are encouraging them. They begin to see themselves in the light of what they can and are achieving.”

Howard Glasser said, “Whatever you celebrate, you get more of.”

WHEN YOU KNOW HOW DARK IT CAN BE, you appreciate the light.

How further explained, “NHA is about starting to celebrate what is going right rather than spending your energy showing up for the negative. The parent can choose to see, pay attention to and give words to the smallest things. Many things go right every day and we miss it because we aren’t looking. It is a paradigm shift to parent in this way.” This positive approach to life didn’t come easily to How. “I had to stop and learn to see differently,” How said. “I had to learn to celebrate.”

Absolute Clarity: Setting and enforcing clear limits and consequences in an unenergized way.

One of the keys to absolute clarity is that children know exactly what is expected of them. This is done swiftly and clearly but not with excess energy. When something isn’t going well, the child or the adult is encouraged to pause or reset. “A reset,” How said, “is giving first yourself, and then the child, the grace to move on to the next mo-

ment. A reset is not punitive; it is a method of getting back to our best version of ourselves and inviting our children to do the same. For example, I can say to myself, ‘Wow! That was an ugly moment. It’s not what I wanted to do or say, let’s move on to the next moment. In the NHA, the present moment is more important than the past. We all have things go wrong,” How said, “but we keep it in perspective. It’s just a moment. The next moment always arrives. Grace and forgiveness can define our lives. In parenting, I don’t have to lecture and rehash past mistakes my children have made. It’s a gracious way to live.”

“NHA gave us the tools we needed to start becoming more connected with our children,” How said. As they used these methods and began to see positive results and recommitted to the adoption process. On Nov. 21 of 2009, National Adoption Day, the How’s legally adopted Chloe and Kalob into their family. At that time Justin was eight years old, Lydia four, Chloe seven and Kalob twelve.

Greatness

“When Chloe was younger, her school used a behavior card system. A green day meant a great day. A red card meant the teacher had given many redirections and there was inappropriate behavior,” How said. “When I picked Chloe up after school, she’d tell me she had a red card day. Lydia would come out announcing she’d had a green day. Chloe would talk about everything that went wrong that day. I started saying, ‘Tell me about your greatness, Chloe.’ She really

didn’t have the language. She didn’t know how to communicate what things were going right. I needed to give her a language of positivity. Lydia caught on and the three of us used our time after school as a game to look for greatness in smaller increments.”

How’s first book, Tell Me About Your Greatness, came out of this game. The book was published in 2012, by How 2 Creative Services. In the book greatness includes such varied skills as being kind, focused, energetic, independent, organized, friendly, unique, helpful, joyful, healthy, cooperative, creative, patient, responsible, determined, imaginative, self-controlled, or being a learner. The book has been translated into Spanish and will soon be translated into Hmong. How’s second book, Greatness Is My Superpower, is a graphic novel with scenes throughout the day where children are given a choice to ‘cape up’ to their greatness. Anyone can choose ‘cape up’ and activate their superpower of greatness, character qualities like kindness or patience.

These books are now being used at Eastwood Elementary in West Fargo and at Westside Elementary, in conjunction with pilot NHA programs. At Eastwood Elementary they are in their second year of focusing on greatness as a school wide theme. This year their theme is, Picture Your Greatness. The vision is to teach positive relationships to increase academic success. “We are building inner wealth, kids who are strong on the inside, and this takes time,” How said. “But the outcomes are good both academically and emotionally for children and for their families.”

Fluff

How is quick to point out that NHA does not use fluffy positivity. “NHA doesn’t use the junk food type of reflection that is so common today,” How said. “If you say, ‘You can do anything,’ or ‘You’re so smart.’ It can actually harm a child. When a child is told they are smart and then they get a math problem where they struggle, they immediately think, ‘If I’m so smart I wouldn’t struggle with this. It would be easy.’ If you teach a child using NHA you might say, ‘You are struggling with this problem. I see how you are working at it and not giving up. You are showing determination.’ The NHA is based on more than a flippant blank statement. It is specific. Because there is irrefutable evidence that the child has done something well, because you’ve been descriptive and given it words, the words anchor the child.”

How also said, “Self-esteem ideas and self-worth are often grounded in IF. IF I get a good grade, then I am worthy. But when a student struggles and a teacher says, ‘I noticed that you turned in your test. You answered every problem. You could have left some blank, but you didn’t and that shows courage and commitment to learning. Keep doing that!’ This becomes valuable information for the child.”

Faith

“Glasser did not create NHA as a faith approach,” How said, “But when we were struggling with Kalob and Chloe, I prayed a simple prayer, ‘Help!’ It wasn’t complicated. We were drowning. And God sent a boat. As we used NHA, it surprised me how well it fit with my faith. We don’t clean up for God. He loves us despite our flaws. He forgives us as far as the east is from the west.” How currently teaches NHA in various settings from courses which are one hour long to those that take six weeks. She teaches parent and educator classes. She also teaches NHA in a Wednesday night small group, from a biblical viewpoint, at First Assembly Church in Fargo. “We shouldn’t be where we are at,” How said. “Our four kids have all come so far with so many moments of success. NHA isn’t a magic wand. We just took one step and then another. We are still on a journey. So I’d say, ‘Use your moments wisely. They can build something you can’t even imagine.’” [AWM]

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FarewellAdieu