By Mary Fischer

A grant application, an end-of year report, bookkeeping updates, ordering new books and scampering around town to get everything signed: A hectic Friday left me with unfinished business but gave me a genuine sense of accomplishment. What I can't do today will wait for tomorrow.
My week began with a trip to Assumption Abbey in Richardton, N.D., to attend the wake and funeral of a dear friend and spiritual mentor, Father John Oderman. Our community was blessed to have him as chaplain at Maryvale Convent and Mercy Hospital for many years. His wonderful wood crosses, inspired homilies and stations of the cross, and books of meditations, have given us a legacy of encouragement and a path to follow. My sister's retirement to Maryvale gave me cause to visit there regularly, almost every Sunday. Many healing blessings and prayers via Father John were bestowed on my husband Donald and me during his final illness. It became my job and pleasure to proofread his writings while my family members and others shared their talents of carving, painting and typing his various productions. I am still blessed with the job of proofreading his final composition, "Divine Love II," which will be published soon.
Our community celebrations of prayer for Christian unity were well-attended if Friday's service at Trinity Lutheran was indicative of the others. In thanksgiving for the privilege and right to worship together, I praise God for living in a community and country where those rights and privileges are exercised. The gathering was especially blessed by the leadership of a Baptist minister in a Lutheran denomination. With sharing of prayer, scripture, song and soup, what a joy! It was training for heaven.
January birthdays slip by but not unnoticed. Our family has a bunch and we sang happy birthday to Father Michael, a day early, on Thursday morning. Some folks are still waiting to enjoy Christmas family gatherings. Mary Ann again postponed seeing her children because of the weekend weather.
Our name is on the list for North Dakota libraries completing grant obligations. As soon as efficiently possible, we will install new Internet stations. A big thank you for this possibility and your contributions to this end. I am proud.
New materials:
Adult fiction: "Home to Briar Mountain" (Mystery and the Minister's Wife) by Diane Noble, "Homespun Harvest" (Home to Heather Creek) by Robert Elmer.
Large print: "The Maverick" by Diana Palmer, "Dead Man's Gold" (The Loner vol. 3) by J. A. Johnstone, "Hanging Woman Creek" by Louis Lamour, "True Blue" by Karen Kingsbury, "One Perfect Day" & "Measure of Mercy" (vol. 1 in Home to Blessing) by Laurine Snelling, "Blue Hole Back Home" by Joy Jordan-Lake, "Shame" by Greg Garrett, "The Hidden Flame" (vol. 2 in Acts of Faith" by T. Davis Bunn & Janette Oke, "Dawn's Prelude" (vol. 1 in Song of Alaska) by Tracie Peterson, "Fields of Grace" by Kim Vogel Sawyer.
Paperbacks: "Death is Forever" by Elizabeth Lowell.
Paperbacks, love inspired: "Just Cause" and "Fire and Ice" both by Susan Page Davis, "For Better or Worse" by Jennifer Johnson, "Patterns and Progress" by Amber Stockton, "Love From Ashes" by Yvonne Lehman.
Nonfiction: "Unholy Messenger: The Life and Crimes of the BTK Killer" by Stephen Singular, "Come Let Us Adore Him" by Thomas Kinkade.
Children's books: "Sleep Big Bear, Sleep!" by Maureen Wright, "Never Smile at a Monkey" by Steve Jenkins, "Marsupials" by Nic Bishop, "Red Ted and the Lost Things" by Michael Rosen, "Signal" by Cynthia DeFelice, "Over My Dead Body" (43 Old Cemetery Road vol. 2) by Kate Klise.
CDs: "25 Christmas Favorites," "Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker.”
We have received a large donation of children's video titles, including "Barney: Happy Mad Silly Sad: Putting a Face to Feelings,” "You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's School Dance Party,” "You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's Sleepover Party,” "You're Invited to Mary-Kate & Ashley's Fashion Party."

By Joe DeMasi

I grew up in a suburban community just outside New York City.
My parents used to take us into the city when I was young and we would enjoy so many of the great things a first-class city like New York has to offer. These included trips to Broadway to see shows and world-class museums, where I still remember the great dinosaurs, the Egyptian artifacts, the planetarium shows and the famous paintings.
We regularly went to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, major league baseball games, shopping in world-famous stores like FAO Schwartz and Tiffany’s and wonderful restaurants in vibrant ethnic neighborhoods.
Christmastime in New York was awesome, with visits to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes and the breathtaking Christmas display at Macy’s that took up the entire eighth floor of the store!
As I got older, my friends and I would take trips into the city just to see concerts, visit museums or hang out in ethnic neighborhoods, munching on everything from dim sum to baklava. Growing up on Long Island offered similar opportunities without having to take the train into Manhattan. We had bowling alleys, ice- and roller-skating rinks, movie theaters, concert halls, restaurants, sporting events and parks. There was also one of the most beautiful beaches a 10-minute car ride away that had a great boardwalk overflowing with activities. We lived right by the water, where you could go boating, fishing, clamming, deep sea fishing, water skiing and so much more!
All the most famous bands and entertainers came through and you could go see them, and we did! There was always something going on from the most world class to the most basic.
That’s why I always found it perplexing when people would complain to me that there was never anything to do! I mean, you can’t tell me you can’t find anything to do in New York City. It’s not like we were stuck in some small town in the middle of “nowhere USA!”
Well, the years have passed and now I find myself living in some small town in the middle of “nowhere USA,” and I have to admit that there are certainly plenty of things going in on in our community, especially when you consider our size. I’d like to call attention to an upcoming event I know you are really going to enjoy.
The second installment of the Arts Midwest program will arrive in Valley City from Feb. 20-28.
I’m sure you all remember how exciting it was to have a group like Beauty and Melody, the 20 young women from China, visit us last September.
Well, now Mauvais Sort, a group from Canada, is set to take Valley City by storm.
Their music has been described as “folk and roll” in that they bring the traditional instruments of French folk music like the accordion, guitar and fiddle and combine it with a rhythm section that is vibrant and energetic!
Add some great vocals and you have a group that is a must-see! They will be making stops at all our schools, Valley City State University and, of course, a community concert that is free and opened to the public on Feb. 25 in Vangstad Auditorium.
I strongly advise you to come and check them out. Please don’t be like my friends back in New York who would complain about never having anything to do. Make the effort. I can assure you it will be so worth your time. And you don’t have to travel to New York City!!
So until next time, I’ll see you from the stage!

By Jen Mastro

We all know that giving your time to help out a neighbor, a friend or even a complete stranger is the right thing to do. However, what most of us don’t know is that it definitely is the right thing to do – for your health!
A study done by The Corp. for National and Community Service has proven that donating your time can greatly increase your quality of life. The report shows that volunteers have greater longevity, higher functional ability, lower rates of depression and less incidence of heart disease. The study also shows that volunteering just two hours a week has meaningful benefits to a person’s body and mind.
So the word is out – it’s good to be good.
Faith in Action of Mercy Hospital is an organization built upon a network of caring volunteers.  These volunteers assist in activities of daily living for our senior citizens and those with chronic illness or disabilities to help them maintain their independence.  Faith in Action has been providing no cost services to those in need in Barnes County for 13 years.  Faith in Action depends on individuals, organizations, and fundraisers for financial support.
Through the kind and healthy hearts of many volunteers this program provided over 7,300 hours of service last year. Those services include, transportation, visiting, shopping and running errands, light yard and house work, escorts to medical appointments and more.
Faith in Action strives to connect volunteers and care recipients with similar interests.  The program is an avenue for community members to build relationships and share their lives with one another. Faith in Action benefits both individuals by helping them become happier and healthier people.
Faith in Action is always in need of new volunteers to meet the growing needs in Barnes County. You can give as little or as much time as you want. If you are interested in lending a helping hand to someone in our community, please contact Faith in Action at (701) 845-6491.
Why not? It’s good for you!

 By Steve Shirley

Last week, presidents of the public four-year universities in North Dakota met with the Legislature’s Interim Higher Education Committee in Bismarck.  We had a very productive discussion during two days on a variety of issues related to higher education in North Dakota.  My thanks to the members of this Legislative Committee for the vibrant dialogue and productive interaction – legislators on the committee asked many good questions, and their interest and concern for the future of higher education in North Dakota is appreciated.
Among the items discussed during the meetings, the issue of tuition waivers (discounts) has received considerable follow-up attention in the media. This article outlines how tuition waivers are used at Valley City State University, and defines what a tuition waiver is and the function it serves.
A tuition waiver is a reduction in the published rate of tuition for a student at VCSU.  A few important points: 1) A tuition waiver is not defined as a “free ride.”  When used for a non-resident, it is generally a PARTIAL waiver/discount on their higher rate of tuition, NOT a full waiver.  2) Tuition waivers are not used exclusively for non-resident or international students; North Dakota students also receive waivers.  3) Waivers are only applied to tuition; recipients still pay full expenses for room, board, books, fees, etc.  
There are several categories of waivers used at VCSU (and all ND colleges and universities).  Some waivers are mandated by state law, others are mandated by State Board of Higher Education policy, and others are used at the discretion of the individual university.  At VCSU, the various categories include waivers for: members of the National Guard; those with POW/MIA/Vets Dependent status; employees/staff; international students; senior citizens; cultural diversity; and institutional waivers.
Here is an example of how a tuition waiver might work. If John Doe from Miami, FL is interested in VCSU, his tuition would be $11,434.80 in 2009-10 (based on 15 credits/semester). If John earned a 23 on his ACT exam, he would be eligible for an institutional waiver of $4,500 through VCSU’s Student Talent and Academic Recognition (STARS) program, bringing his tuition to $6,934.80. John might also qualify for a $1,400 cultural diversity waiver, reducing his final tuition to $5,534.80.  Tuition at VCSU in 2009-10 for a North Dakota resident taking 15 credits/semester is $4,282.80.  Therefore, John from Miami is charged a tuition that is $1,252, or 29%, MORE than the North Dakota resident.  Of course, in addition John would still also pay the full expenses for the residence halls, meal plan, mandatory fees, etc.
When all waivers and tuition rates are computed at VCSU, 87 non-resident students received some form of waiver in 2008-09, and they paid an average of 11% more than the resident tuition rate.  Bear in mind, there are also resident students receiving various waivers reducing the average rate North Dakotans pay even below the published in-state tuition rate.  
Partial tuition waivers have long been used to recruit and retain talented students to VCSU (and have been used strategically at thousands of other colleges and universities throughout the US).  In addition to enhancing the overall academic, classroom, and college life experience at VCSU, these non-resident students also live in the residence halls, utilize food services, purchase books at the bookstore, pay other fees, etc.  These additional students help generate a critical mass and spread fixed costs over a larger base keeping the costs of some operations lower for ND resident students.  
Of course, these students also add much to the economic and cultural environment within Valley City and the state.  These are students who may not otherwise attend VCSU without these incentives.  They are important to the overall vitality of the VCSU community, they add much to our city, they become our graduates and alumni, they enrich classroom discussions, they join student clubs and organizations, they compete in our athletic programs, they work and shop in our local businesses, and in many cases they stay in North Dakota upon graduation and add to the strength of our state.  As we move ahead, VCSU is excited to serve all of our students and strategically recruit the best and brightest from our region and beyond.