Jill Christensen of Valley City has been named North Dakota Wildlife Federation Sportswoman of the Year. Here she is with her husband, Kevin, with the deer they each got while bow hunting, which is her favorite sport. She is active in Barnes County’s Wildlife Federation, and also sells all kinds of outdoors sporting goods,  in addition to  repairing sports wear and other items in her place of business. (Submitted photo)

By Jean Schlegel
Valley City Times-Record

A lot of people in the North Dakota Wildlife Federation thought Valley City’s Jill Christensen deserved to win the 2007 Sportswoman of the Year award. So, despite stiff competition from more than 25 clubs across the state, Christensen brought home the top honor.
Barnes County Wildlife Federation President Perry Kapaun said, “She's well deserving. She’s an outstanding person.”
An avid, lifelong outdoorswoman, Christensen accepted her award at N.D. Wildlife Federation’s 73rd annual convention in Bismarck held Jan. 18-20.
Kapaun, himself a winner of the 2004 Sportsman of the Year award, said Christensen works so hard helping the club in all its programs, and is especially involved with the youth.
A humble person, Christensen said she was “very honored” that she was chosen from some 25 clubs affiliated with the state and national organization. The local Barnes County Club’s board members nominated Christensen for the award.
Another former Valley City sportsperson, Doug Leier, who now resides in West Fargo, was awarded the Communicator of the Year award. His parents, Mary Ann and Larry Leir, still reside in Valley City. Leier is a biologist with the North Dakota Game and Fish Dept., and has a regular column in the Times-Record called “North Dakota
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Outdoors.”
Donald Baasch of Valley City was the 2007 president of the North Dakota Wildlife Federation, and also attended the annual NDWF convention.
Working in public relations, she is involved in just about everything that goes on with the local club. She takes care of the newsletter, mailings, helps with the ice fishing derby, membership, meetings and banquet. Although it gets to be a lot of work at times, she says she doesn’t mind, and really enjoys it.
An outdoors-person, bow hunting is her favorite sport and one she excels in. She has been doing it with her mother and dad, Ruth and Jim Larson, for years.
“My dad carried me on his shoulders for years (when he went bow hunting) before I was able to hunt myself,” Christensen said. She started bow hunting when she was 12 years old, and got her first deer that very first year (1972). Her picture with her first deer was not only featured in the local newspaper, but also the North Dakota Game & Fish Outdoors magazine. Her parents were so proud of her, she says, especially her mother.
Although Christensen enjoys fishing, she can’t find as much time for that sport as she does bow hunting, which she really loves.
Christensen keeps herself busy with outdoor sporting goods five days a week all year long in her store, L & H Shoe Shop, located at 125 Central Avenue South in Valley City. She doesn’t just repair shoes at her shop; she also sells sporting goods, and she carries a Federal Fire Arms license to sell fire arms.
Christensen says her parents continue to help her in the store, even after selling the business to her in 2000. “It’s wonderful that they do,” she says.
It’s a big job keeping up with the repair work for the many outdoors men and women. L &H Shoe Shop repairs fish houses and tarps, does custom work on fan covers for grain bins, repairs luggage, binds carpets, and repairs the sportsmens’ clothing. She first helped her parents in the store when she was very young and now they help her.
Christensen, raised a city person, says she loves the outdoors. She and her husband Kevin, who also enjoys hunting with his wife and her family, reside in Valley City.

Perry Kapaun, left, president of the Barnes County Wildlife Club, and Don Baasch, 2007 president of North Dakota Wildlife Federation, right, stand with Jill Christensen of Valley City, who was named North Dakota Wildlife Federation Sportswoman of the Year. (Submitted photo)