Rolla, ND

Last Thursday, a number of people from the community gathered at the United Telephone Conference Room in Rolla to search for the clues to rural community servival.  The session was sponsored by the Rolla JDA (Job Development Authority), with  lunch provided by the Rolla Horizons program.  The Heartland Center for Leadership Development has organized a five session Webinar focusing on rural communities  and their needs to survive.  The first session was entitled  “Rural Communities Can Thrive in the 21st Century”.  The following subjects will be, “Entrepreneurial Coaching — From Crisis to Economic Growth”,” Plowing New Ground — Refreshed Leadership Development for Revitalized Economies”,”Energized Youth — Energized Communities”, and “People Count– Rebuilding Rural Communities with People Attraction Strategies”. 

If you are interested in attending one of these Webinars, please  contact George Youngerman at 477-9130 or rollajda@utma.com. He can help with registration. 

Again this year a student from the Rolla School has been awarded 1st prize in the Northern Plains Electric  Cooperative Youth Tour Essay Contest.  Jessica Munro, a junior at Rolla High School, will be traveling to Washington D.C. this summer on an all expense paid trip for her  winning essay on the need to conserve energy and how to do it. Way to go, Jessica!!

We had to postpone the Horizons community social. It is re-scheduled for January 31st at 5:00pm. The weather decided to not be to cooperative this week-end so we decided to be safe rather than sorry!!!! Please jot the new date on your calendar and I hope to see everyone at the social. There is an awesome meal planned and that is a don’t miss in itself………lotz of info to share with the community also……..

Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts, along with a batch of leaders and fun loving chaperones, hit the tubing/sledding slopes at Cross Roads Range a few miles from Rolla on Monday.  The hill was fast and bumpy and made for a lot of laughs and gasps. I’m not sure if any badges were earned for the event, but I bet one for bravery would have been in order. Some where in the neighborhood of 22 people enjoyed the outdoors and the boys. Wendel Held is the Boy Scout Master and Cameron Mickelson is the Cub Scout Master for the Rolla troops. Other adults having fun were Brett McCloud, Darla Graber and Jamie Horning. Three cheers to all the people who give their time to make the world a better place.

Once again Kimberly Wilhelmi Samuelson has provided our community with much needed culture.  She takes tiny little people and changes them into superstars. Her dance classes for pre-schoolers and elementary students gives the kids a chance to express their talents and dreams right here in our town. She also is instrumental in bringing  communities together for a common goal.  She works with kids from surrounding towns and has performances in each of them, usually at basketball games.  The kids love it and so do the parents, grandparents and the public at large.

Kids, skates, ice, chairs, friends, family - all of this put together makes FUN. ( We won’t tell the kids it’s exercise and that it’s good for them). The volunteer work and the weather have finally produced a skating rink on main street again this year. These last few days have been perfect for enjoying the facility. A few little setbacks have kept the warming house from appearing , but the plan is still in the works to get it to the site so the kids will have a place to put on their skates and warm up. 

The Job Fair Committee for the Rolla Horizons Program has been meeting regularly for the past several months.  The plans for the fair scheduled to take place at the Rolla school on February 3rd, are falling into place nicely.  We have approximately 33 presenters willing to talk to students from 8th grade through 12th grade about the work that they do and how students can get the education needed to follow that line of work. They will let the students know what kind of opportunity is available in the Rolla area, what the pay scale is and the pros and cons of the position.  Students from the Rock Lake, Rolette and Wolford High  Schools have been invited to attend.  The day will begin with a working luncheon for the presenters at ll:30.  They will then be directed to the area where they will be making their presentations.  6 15-20 minute sessions will be available from each presenter.  Students must choose which sessions they want to attend. They are given the opportunity to sign up for 4 .  At the end of the sessions all the presenters will be available for further questions.   Presenters are given the choice of arranging job shadowing. The shadowing will be scheduled for times other than school hours. We are looking forward to a great day. This is a chance for our students to see what is available right here in this community. We have had tremendous support from the school administration arranging this event.  We thank them sincerely. Committee members are: Mr. Brian Palmer representing Rolla School. Mr. Randy Loing, Rolla School. Paula Munro, Rolla Hospital.  Holly Cahill, Rolla Hospital. Val Edwards, Dacotah Bank. Maureen Munro, Munro Builders Supply. Members not pictured are Esther Krumwiede, Bethany McCloud, Brandon Elick and Collin Mangold.

We are having a community “social” on Sunday January 24 at the Legion Cabin. There will be a meal served at 5:00pm and from what I understand it is going to be  a do not miss this type meal!!!! The agenda for the evening will be the horizon committee reports so we can see what is happining in Rolla. Presentation Medical Center will give a presentation and report on the status of the hospital. The quasy-centennial (125th) status will also be presented. It’s going to be a full evening of information for the community so everyone is invited to participate in the “social”. See ya all on the 24th…………………….

The Rolla American Legion Post is offering to sponsor two high school junior boys to attend Boys State from June 13 through June 18, 2010 on the NDSCS campus in Wahpeton. Delegates to the program learn about democratic government by actually establishing and operating a mythical state government patterned after North Dakota. The North Dakota Boys State experience is useful to future business leaders and college bound students. Deadline to apply is April 25, through your local American Legion Post if you wish to have the program costs covered by the Post. Contact Dan Vining, Post Adjutant or Matt Dunlop, Post Commander.

The Rolette County Relay For Life program will be holding a 2010 ‘Kick-off’ meeting at the Rolla American Legion Cabin, on Tuesday, January 12, 2010, starting at 5:30pm. All citizens and fund raising groups interested in helping to raise money for the fight against cancer are encouraged to attend.
The Rolla American Legion Cabin is located at 302 First Street NE; approximately 3 blocks north of the North Dakota Job Service building and the Dacotah Bank.

On Tuesday, December 29, 2009, the US Department of Defense, through the US National Guard Bureau and the North Dakota National Guard presented Rolla American Legion’s Fred C. Wagner Memorial Post with a plaque recognizing their dedication to providing military funeral honors to deceased military service veterans from in and around the community of Rolla.

The Rolla American Legion provides honor guard and color guard services as requested, and has performed these duties in conjunction with active duty honor guard members provided through the North Dakota National Guard.

The Legion is having a steak fry, grill your own steak, on New Year’s Eve. So if you want to socialize with friends and family come and join the fun. I believe there are new years goodies as well as a serving of champagne for the new years toast. They are having a mini casino with play money, so money will be no object for your gambling pleasure………….the grill will be hot about 6:00-6:30.  See you at the Legion!!!!!

Last week on December 3rd. 5 people took a tour of existing community centers in our area.  We needed to get some information from other towns about their centers so that we can continue planning to build our own. Albert Johnson, Esther Krumwiede, Emery Mears, LeAnn Vollmer and Charlotte Lassonde left Rolla at 8 a.m. and drove to Lakota where they toured the Lakota Community Center.  They continued to Langdon and toured the Wellness Center and the Ice Hockey & Skating Arena. They hopped back into the car and headed to Pembina.  There, they toured a rehabilitated city owned structure built in the 1920’s.  The community uses  it as a multi-functional center with a basketball hoop, Legion meeting room, ambulance garage, and wedding/social receptions.  The photo was taken in this facility by one of the city gals.  They made it home safely, about 6 p.m.  A full report will be given at the January Horizons Community Social.