AS I SEE IT
By Neal A. Shipman
Farmer Editor
More often than not, all of us sometimes forget to recognize the people who go out of their way to make our lives easier, brightened our days or made a difference in the lives of others. It’s not that we intentionally don’t want to thank them, but we don’t.
So this week, I’d like to give my “tip of the hat” to three groups of people that this past week certainly deserve a great big thank you.
First, what can you say to the city and county road crews that responded so quickly and efficiently in clearing all of our roadways after the past snowstorm that dumped over 11 inches of snow across the county, but “thank you!” The March 4 and 5 snowstorm turned our roads into a treacherous mess after they were first covered with ice and then buried under all of the snow.
But these public workers responded in such a professional and efficient manner that by the time the storm had passed virtually every city and county road was open to regular traffic by noon on Tuesday. It was a herculean effort. And for all of our city and county employees who worked around the clock to make roads passable again, you get one of this week’s “tip of the hat.”
The second “tip of the hat,” goes out to everyone involved in the Watford City High School Drama Department’s production of the “Wizard of Oz” this past Friday and Saturday.
It has been a long time since the community has been treated to such an outstanding production. The hard work that all of the students in the cast, as well as in the band, put in was clearly evident as the performance was flawless. And when you consider that the entire production ran a full two hours without a hitch, it not only speaks highly of the students involved, but to the countless hours that Emily Taylor, production coordinator, Anna Schwartz, high school choir director and Mike Housel, high school band director, put in to make this a show that will long be remembered.
So the second “tip of the hat” goes out to the cast, the set-makers, the cooks, and everyone involved in the “Wizard of Oz.” Thank you for making it a fantastic evening.
The last “tip of the hat” this week goes to Angie Hartel, who along with Elisa Thibodeau and Shilo Chavez, organized a Feed The Hungry Children MobilePack event at the Rough Rider Center this past weekend.
For two days, over 500 area volunteers, including members of several girls hockey teams who were competing in a state hockey tournament in Watford City, made over 100,000 MannaPack Rice packets that the Feed My Starving Children organization will distribute to help feed hungry children around the world.
Hartel deserves a lot of credit for bringing this event to Watford City and for reminding all of us that we have the opportunity to make a significant impact on starving children around the world.
So my final “tip of the hat” this week goes to Hartel and the hundreds of volunteers who help make the world a better place and who made an impact on the lives of children around the world.