Cando, ND

Some people are a bit surprised that I attend the Funeral Director’s Convention held in Fargo in the spring and wonder why on earth I would do that??? A couple of years ago I realized that there was something missing in the care of cemeteries.  I had been working at repairing and repainting concrete statues in cemeteries and saw so many headstones covered with lichen and all the damage that this was causing.  So, now I attend cemetery committee meetings and visit with funeral directors to spread the word that I can and will clean these headstones.  Maybe you are wondering also why I would tell you something like this.  The reason is … if you look around and see what needs to be done and no one is doing it, there is an opportunity for work.  Is this thinking out of the ‘box’?  There are a lot of interesting things to do if you just use a bit of creative thinking.  What a peaceful place to work!

Thirteen Cando students grades six through eighth have placed second this year in regional competition in Grand Forks in the FIRST Lego Junior Robotics. This placement qualifies them to compete for the World Invitational tournament held in Minneapolis, MN. These students are required to conduct research and build a robot with lego as well as create a presentation and attend a regional competition. It is a great opportunity for these young kids to learn how to program the tasks for the robot to preform and learn how to control the robot through out the timed competition. They will be completing in April. Sure hope you got out to see them in action during one of their fund raisers a free-will breakfast that was held in March.

Another month has come and gone and tomorrow a new one begins and we have to get busy with promotion ideas and action.  Summer will be here before we know it. Last Thursday there was a entreprenerrial tourism conference called Beyond Tourism in Cooperstown.  It was very interesting, we learned what Cooperstown has and what they are doing to promote tourism there.  Well, we dont have the same features and historical  sites.  Ben  Klipfel was the last speaker of the day, not an easy time when everyone is tired and looking at their watches and wondering how soon we can go… Well, he is one excited- about -promotions -guy and it was probably the more useful speaker of the day!  He said dont do what some other place is doing… do the opposite, do something different.  Well, we dont have a mountain, river, monument or site to promote so maybe we have to promote just what we have,,,, good people and a nice quiet creative place.  We have the sunsets, stars, the beautiful summer weather and the not that cold of winters.  We do have new people in town who are here because we have less expensive housing and quiet safe streets and nice people.  Not everyone can say that!  It just seems that other places are more exciting and interesting than Cando… so… let’s show our Cando spirit!  And promote what we have!   We are good creative interesting people. And we invite you to come see our community and stay as long as you want.

March has almost come and gone and what ever happened to January and February? I thought we would get so much done this winter and where has the time gone?  Well, maybe I did get something done.  I attended the Dig Into Tourism workshop at LRSC in Devils Lake and learned a lot about what we need to do to develop tourism here in Cando (and that won’t be such an easy project as we dont have a mountain or river or monument but sometimes it is just the simple quiet things that can be promoted, like the Eurasian doves that have been in our town for 3 years now.  Or the wild turkeys that are seen along the east edge of town.) Ag/home show is this week-Thurs. from 3-8 p.m. and that is a good place to promote events, products and people.  I  will have a booth promoting my business of repairing and repainting statues/yard ornaments and cleaning tombstones.  Shade tree committee will be there show ing all the trees planted in Cando this past year and promoting the cook book being put together for the 125th celebration coming up next year.   And we have been working on a Towner County road map featuring all the towns in the county with photos of interesting places to see.  So, guess it is all about lots of little things to see and do here in Cando.  Tonight it was the ice skater’s show featuring young students who have been taking ice skating lessons this winter. Tomorrow night it is a photography class where we will learn how to really use our digital cameras.  I will be there, the teacher has assured me that it will be digital camera 101.  And about the ebay classes in Rolette, we learned how to buy and sell on ebay.  I did the buying but the item that I put on to sell didn’t sell.   Maybe next time.

Was there ever a time when any one of us turned our backs on a bargain? Probably not.
The economy is cooling down, according to Federal Reserve Board.
Here are ways to keep your money at home!
Look for cheaper gas in your area. Here is a website to check out for prices: Gasbuddy  or Gaspricewatch.
Be careful about using a credit card, when paying for gas.
Because of rebate offers, high annual percentage rates and limit you to a particular brand of gas.
Properly inflate your tires, this can save you up to 9 cents off a 3.00 a gallon.
When you go shopping, make a list of things you need first.
This will avoid shopping for things you want. Look for sale items.
Stock up on things you uses the most. FOOD!
Check out more websites: sharingisgiving, shopping.
There are so many more ways to save money, to help the economy to step up.
Anyone with more solutions to help keep our money at home is welcome.

HI, last Tuesday night, there was a class at the college in Devils Lake about finances, taxes, and selling businesses.  These are always so interesting and there is so much to learn about money management and how to pay only the taxes necessary.  Four from Cando attended.  So often when there is an interesting class held somewhere else, I wish we would have more adult education here in Cando.    Maybe that is something we can work on for next fall.  Any ideas, anyone?  

Hearing that there is an artist in residence project at the Cando elementary school working with clay, some around town have stated that they also would like to try working with clay.  So, something to think about, maybe we can get some adult education in the arts going in Cando.   I love to take classes, maybe others do too.

Winter time is busy but we also need quiet creative activities to keep our spirits and energy levels going.  If you have any ideas for adult art classes, let me know and I will work at getting something arranged.

Here we are, singing the blues again, for the need of funds at the Cando Community Library!  After much research the Library Board has gone to the City Council AGAIN, asking that an added levy of 8 mills be put on the Primary Election Ballot in the Spring.  At present the average household in Cando is paying about $7 in City Real Estate Tax.  This added mill levy (+ present mill levy) so that the budget could balance would be under $25 per average household.

Please help us get this passed by positive output to the public and voting “Yes” in June; we don’t want to lose our Library!  And good ideas for raising money will be welcome.  Talk to the Library Board members: Becky Kingsley, Amy Borstad, Connie Elsperger, Lavonne Haugen, J. R. Gibbens.

Sunday, August 26th 2007 a tornado ripped through Northwood ND.
The tornado damaged homes, businesses, hospital, school, and more.
With the help of the Cando community, food pantry, Cando school, Bob’s Supervalue, managed to fill up a pick up and trailer full of food, paper products, clothing, water, and more.
Many volunteers pitch in to help load the supplies, with financial help from Joan youngerman. Don and Tracy Godman were on their way to Northwood, to deliever the supplies needed.
First stop was the Salvation Army booth, to get directions to where to go. Next stop was the sheriffs department, to get a vechicle pass to enter the town.
Once we entered the town, we couldn’t beleive our eyes. With tears running down our faces, trying to keep to our mission, why we were there.
Unloading the supplies, watching people come in and out of the community center, with more tears, and support for each other, was overwhelming at times.
We drove around and took many pictures of the damage made from the tornado, as we had to keep moving, so the National guard could do their job, removing debris.
We are so proud of the Cando community, by coming together to support our neighboring town.

I just checked out “The Quilt makers Gift” out of the Horizon’s library. The artwork is beautiful with quilt designs. It’s a children’s book and I am anxious to read to story to my grandchildren.