From North Dakota To Siberia: Fifth Generation Farmer Creates Jobs

Stephanie Stober praises the benefits of flax seed. She’s a fifth generation grower on the family farm, and knows the average person can mix flax seeds to salads, soups, cereal, juices. or baked goods for a nutritous meal, or snack. “Flaxseeds are rich in omega-3 essential fatty acids, magnesium, potassium, and fiber,” she said.

Not short on motivation, Stober finds her work rewarding. In these uncertain economic times, her business is able to provide jobs in her small community. “We are able to employ people who normally would have to drive 30, or more miles to find work, since the local grocery store closed. Creating jobs is a great assest, ” she said.

Stober has a history of being community-minded. “I had the opportunity to travel to Siberia to help educate farmers on different ideas for income in 1992,” she said.
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Cheerful Givers wins local Touchstone Energy Community Award

Karen Kitchel, President of Cheerful Givers was delighted when Dakota Electric Association recently named Cheerful Givers, the non-profit she operates, as the local 2008 Touchstone Energy Community Award winner.

Cheerful Givers, an organization that helps needy children living in homeless shelters, provides nurturing by honoring a child’s birthday via gift giving –where extenuating crisis circumstances would otherwise make it impossible. The organization has used the scripture verse “God loves a cheerful giver” as a catalyst for their special mission.

Founder of Cheerful Givers, Robin Maynard referred to Karen as “an incredible and dedicated woman who stayed with me every step of the organization’s development.”
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Recognizing Your Value

Originally published on 10/03/2007 - 6:48 p.m. GMT

What makes someone special? More specifically, what makes you a person of value? Too often, we allow our background and experience to shape us, define us, and then determine the rest of our lives.

Erin Hurry didn’t fall into that trap. She knew that in order to realize the person she truly is, she had to let go of her past and believe in herself.

From the time she was a plucky 14-year old until she was nearly 18, Erin lived in various motel rooms and on friends’ couches while attending high school. However, in order to afford to live on her own, she also had to work and sometimes stay at places that were further away from school than her rides would take her. Thus, she missed a lot of classes. The school counselors were notified, and they had a meeting with her mother. The school wanted to know why she wasn’t in school. Was there a problem? Erin’s mom said there was no problem—Erin was purposely missing school. So, the school kicked the Honors student out, two weeks before her high school graduation and said she’d have to try for her GED.
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