Employees volunteer during lunch break to serve meals to kids

Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota, employees volunteered during their lunch hour to serve meals for the Summer Hunger lunch program

 

More than 40 Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota, employees volunteered during their lunch hour to serve meals for the Summer Hunger lunch program.

The MSA United Way and Bismarck Public Schools partner to provide free, hot meals to children under age 18 at 11 sites throughout Bismarck. Volunteers are instrumental in getting the meals to the mouths of hungry kids.

Employees from MDU Resources, WBI Energy, MDU Construction Services Group and Montana-Dakota Utilities, including the Bismarck Service Center, volunteered to serve meals.

The employees adopted two of the 11 sites throughout Bismarck to serve meals Monday through Friday. Each of those days, from June through mid-July, two employees at each site served meals, and many employees were repeat volunteers during the six weeks.

Kellie Erhardt, internal auditing director at MDU Resources, led the efforts on behalf of the company. She served as the liaison between United Way, recruited volunteers and managed all coordination efforts.

“Volunteer time and energy are invaluable to this program to help achieve its goals and serve our community,” Erhardt said. “It’s so amazing to see how our employees are quick to help, and some even included their families in this volunteer opportunity.”

Ferderer named to Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC’s “20 Under 40” list

We’re proud to announce that Nikki Ferderer, assistant to the chair of the board and the president & CEO, has been named to the Bismarck Mandan Chamber EDC’s 20 Under 40 list.

In her role at MDU Resources, Nikki provides support to the CEO and board of directors of the region’s largest publicly traded company. She is a trustworthy team player who, no matter how busy she is, maintains her professional and friendly composure and makes it all look easy!

Ferderer joined MDU Resources in 2008 and was promoted to her current role in 2016.

Read more about Ferderer and the other professionals recognized at https://issuu.com/bismarckmandanchamberconnection/docs/08chamberedc_connissuu_ae6fac43132d83

Brightening birthdays: WBI Energy employees donate 42 Caring Cake Kits

Mindi Steckler (left), WBI Energy director of human resources, and Patty Fillion (second from left), WBI Energy administrative assistant, delivered 42 Caring Cake Kits to the Dream Center Bismarck. They were joined by Kelly and Johnathan Allen (center) with K&R Designs, and Dorreen Quist (second from right), manager of Dream Center Bismarck, and Jim Barnhardt (right), founder of Dream Center Bismarck.

 

Cakes and birthdays go hand in hand. But for families struggling to make ends meet, a birthday cake and celebration can bring added financial stress.

In honor of America’s birthday, July Fourth, employees in WBI Energy’s Bismarck, North Dakota, office created Caring Cake Kits to help struggling families celebrate their loved ones’ birthdays.

Patty Fillion, administrative assistant at WBI Energy, rallied her co-workers around this initiative. Payroll teams from MDU Resources and Knife River, which are both located in WBI’s building, also participated.

Employees donated enough supplies to create 42 kits. Each Caring Cake Kit includes:

  • A nine by 13-inch disposable aluminum cake pan.
  • Cake mix.
  • Icing.
  • A can of Sprite, which can be used in place of eggs and oil in a cake mix.
  • Candles.
  • A birthday card.

The employees’ efforts were in collaboration with K&R Designs and the Dream Center Bismarck, both in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Caring Cake Kit is K&R Design’s community initiative, and the kits are distributed through the Dream Center’s food pantry.

Inspired by personal experience
Caring Cake Kits is the brainchild of Kelly Allen, co-founder of K&R Designs. It was inspired by her own experience during a time of financial hardship.

When her husband lost his job during the pandemic, they couldn’t afford a cake for their child’s birthday. It was also during this time when they became familiar with the Dream Center, as they used its services, including the food pantry.

The Caring Cake Kits initiative is one way the Allen family pays it forward and helps others in need. They partnered with the Dream Center, which distributes the kits through its food pantry. This ensures families in need never miss a birthday celebration.

 

About the Dream Center Bismarck
The Dream Center Bismarck is a nonprofit center dedicated to serving low-income and struggling families, children, elderly, disabled, veterans and individuals in the Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota area.

 

Bismarck-Mandan employees repair two homes during Rebuilding Together event

Over two weekends, employees from MDU Resources and Montana-Dakota Utilities volunteered for Rebuilding Together in Bismarck-Mandan, North Dakota. MDU Resources sponsored two of the 18 projects selected this year.

Bismarck-Mandan employees and family members volunteered at the annual Rebuilding Together event in the community. Over two weekends, a total of 21 employees representing MDU Resources and Montana-Dakota Utilities shared their time and talents to fix and improve various items at two homes.

This year, MDU Resources sponsored two of the 18 projects Rebuilding Together Bismarck-Mandan took on.

MDU Resources employees Shane Wothe, manager of enterprise endpoints and technical services, and Mark Haag, manager of project Maximo and process improvement, served as house captains.

Rainy weather didn’t stop the team during the first weekend

During the first weekend, volunteers made repairs to the home of an elderly disabled person. The largest part of the project was to relevel the front porch and rebuild the existing set of entry stairs, which were falling apart and creating a safety hazard for the homeowner. Smaller repairs done by the team ranged from repairing window screens to replacing flooring to caulking windows and many other tasks.

Cold, rainy weather on the first day did not hinder the volunteers’ dedication or efforts.

“I’m so grateful that the volunteers did not let the rain stop them from completing our work,” Wothe said.

Second weekend aided by multi-day volunteers and sunshine

The next weekend brought about warmer weather for volunteers, who had a long to-do list to tackle at the second house. The tasks included lawn/yard care, painting walls and cabinetry, replacing flooring and subflooring and much more.

Haag said the volunteers for the second house worked hard and tackled the large to-do list, as well as unforeseen repairs that needed to be made to the home.

“Many of the volunteers from MDU Resources and Montana-Dakota were multi-day helpers,” Haag said. “Shane and I would like to thank them for sticking with it and pushing through to the end.”

Rebuilding Together of Bismarck-Mandan is a nonprofit that helps elderly and disabled low-income homeowners stay warm, safe and dry by making essential repairs to their homes.

MDU Resources-sponsored STEM Expo attracts more than 380 kids

More than 380 kids and their families attended this year’s STEM Expo, presented by MDU Resources, the Bismarck Larks and North Dakota’s Gateway to Science.

 

More than 380 kids and their parents attended the fifth annual STEM Expo, sponsored by MDU Resources, the Bismarck Larks and North Dakota’s Gateway to Science.

The free expo featured 15 booths of hands-on STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) for kids of all ages. It was held at the Bismarck Municipal Ballpark where the Larks play their baseball games.

The MDU Resources family of companies was represented by:

  • Montana-Dakota Utilities line technicians and bucket truck.
  • MDU Resources employees who helped kids participate in brain teaser activities.

STEM-related activities offered by other organizations included:

  • Meteorology.
  • Robotics.
  • Forensics.
  • Virtual reality.
  • Medical demonstrations and more.

For the first time, the event featured a live science demo conducted by local science teacher Scott Weigum.

North Dakota Army National Guard
Bismarck Police Department
Bismarck State College Nursing
Bismarck EMTs
Gateway to Science
Montana-Dakota Utilities
MDU Resources Group
Robotic dog

MDU Resources honors STEM All-Stars, awards $1,000 STEM grant to Bismarck teacher

MDU Resources, North Dakota’s Gateway to Science and the Bismarck Larks honored the 2023 STEM All-Star students during the June 3 baseball game, deemed STEM Night. The students were nominated by their teachers for their love of learning and commitment to using STEM to serve their schools and communities.

The 2023 STEM All-Stars are:

  • Temperance Castillo |8th grade | Mandan Middle School
  • Charles Dobrzelecki | 8th grade | Horizon Middle School
  • Kyle Marcotte | 12th grade |St. Mary’s Central High School (Bismarck)
  • Lander Monson |8th grade | East Fairview Elementary School
  • Chloe Pierson | 4th grade | Carrington Public School
  • Charlee Weinert | 5th grade | Hettinger Public School

 

STEM grant recipient

The MDU Resources Foundation sponsors a $1,000 STEM grant for one nominating teacher to be used for a STEM project at their school.

The 2023 STEM grant was awarded to Stacy Larson and St. Mary’s Central High School. Ms. Larson plans to use the grant to purchase equipment for the school’s robotics team.

In conjunction with the STEM All-Star recognition, the MDU Resources STEM Expo was held at the ballpark earlier in the day. The expo features hands-on STEM activities hosted by local businesses.

This is the fifth year MDU Resources, the Bismarck Larks and North Dakota’s Gateway to Science have teamed up to showcase STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and honor local STEM All-Stars.

 

WBI employees help ready popular lake for summer visitors

Richie and Nathan, both pipeline operators with WBI Energy, volunteered their time to enhance portions of Hollecker Lake, located near Glendive, Montana. Richie operated a skid steer to enhance the beach area, and Nathan used an excavator to place large rocks along the lake’s shoreline.

 

WBI Energy employees in Glendive, Montana, recently helped prepare a nearby fishing pond and swimming area for upcoming summer visitors. Hollecker Lake near Glendive is a community fishing pond that features a public beach area for swimming and relaxing in the sun.

“Hollecker Lake is a great place to take the entire family to fish and swim, and is very popular in the summer,” Dave Linn, WBI Energy senior engineering and project manager, said.

Recognizing the fishing pond needed some TLC, the Glendive chapter of Montana Walleyes Unlimited applied for and received a Community Pond Program Grant from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks.

WBI Energy helped the local Walleyes Unlimited chapter meet the grants’ matching funds requirement by providing heavy equipment and equipment operators. This in-kind donation was used to repair erosion along the lake’s shoreline and add more sand to enhance the beach area.

“WBI Energy has many employees who are members of Walleyes Unlimited,” Linn said. “These members very much appreciate the company’s support for our local chapter and for helping us meet the grants’ local matching funds requirement.”

Granting an impact: MDU Resources Foundation celebrates 40 years of giving

 

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the MDU Resources Foundation. For the past four decades, the foundation has served as the philanthropic arm to share the company’s success with the communities in which its companies operate.

In its 40 years, the MDU Resources Foundation has:

  • Donated more than $42.3 million to worthwhile charities and organizations in 42 states.
  • Awarded more than $1.09 million in scholarships.
  • Sponsored annual scholarships at more than 100 colleges and universities.
  • Matched employees’ donations to educational institutions in the amount of $990,537.
  • Supported employees’ volunteerism by donating $523,250.

“We’re proud of our record of supporting qualified organizations that enhance the quality of life in our communities,” Cory Fong, president and director of the MDU Resources Foundation, said. “We believe our efforts have had, and will continue to have, a positive impact.”

The foundation considers requests in the following categories:

  • Health and human services.
  • Education.
  • Civic and community activities.
  • Culture and arts.
  • Environment.

The foundation’s greatest impact is through lower-dollar grants. On average, about 85 percent of the foundation’s annual grants are $10,000 or less.

These lower-dollar grants to smaller charities and organizations — often located in small towns with limited funding sources — have a special place in the heart of Rita O’Neill, manager of the MDU Resources Foundation.

“The smaller organizations are so grateful for the funds,” O’Neill said. “They’re the first to send a thank you note, and they use the money so well.”

Throughout its years, the foundation also has made some large donations, like a $1 million donation to the Oregon State University Construction Safety Lab; $100,000 to the Norm Waite Jr. YMCA in South Sioux City, Nebraska, to increase access to daycare options for families; and $250,000 to the North Dakota Heritage Center, to name a few.

“No matter the dollar amount — big or small — MDU Resources Foundation supports efforts to enhance quality of life,” O’Neill said. “We’ve supported large projects that help increase families’ access to much-needed childcare and have helped bring STEM education to youth in rural communities, as well as smaller projects, like helping a small town upgrade its playground.”

Another highlight for O’Neill is working with MDU Resources’ employees in the field, from administrative assistants to presidents, who give her insight on the charities from their communities that apply for grants.

“If it wasn’t for them, our foundation wouldn’t be what it is,” O’Neill said. “They’re my boots on the ground, and they have the pulse on the community where they live and work. I don’t know what I’d do without them.”

 

Foundation also supports employees’ charitable and volunteer activities
The MDU Resources Foundation also has programs to encourage and support employees’ charitable and volunteer activities.

It does this through two match programs:

  • Employee Match Program for Education
    This program doubles employees’ and corporate directors’ personal contributions to educational institutions (elementary, secondary and higher education) by matching contributions between $50 and $750.
  • Employee Match Program for Volunteerism
    This program encourages employees to participate in volunteer activities by giving a grant of $750 to a nonprofit organization at which an employee or employee group volunteers 25 or more hours in one year.

Employees recognized with corporate award for volunteerism, community involvement

 

Four employees within the MDU Resources family of companies recently received the Community Spirit Award for 2022. This annual corporate award recognizes employees’ volunteerism and community involvement. Each winner receives a cash prize, plus $1,000 is given to a qualified charity of the winner’s choice.

Each year, MDU Resources honors employees who make outstanding contributions to our family of companies and the communities we serve. Four award categories recognize spirit (community and work), skill and stewardship.

 

2022 Community Spirit Award winners


Rob Jongsma
Vice president and general manager of Knife River Materials
Casper, Wyoming

Rob has continuously supported Natrona County 4-H and its youth participants. One of the biggest learning opportunities for 4-H youth is learning how to raise, care for and show a farm animal such as a cow or pig. Rob has purchased livestock from 4-H youth and has donated the meat to two local non-profits: Natrona County Meals on Wheels and IReach2. Rob’s donation to Meals on Wheels helps provide up to 500 meals to the community’s homebound, handicapped and convalescent adults. The meat donation to IReach2, a progressive care facility for adults with developmental disabilities and brain injuries, helps feed its participants.

 


Shirley Messerle
Senior project administrator with OEG Mid-Valley
Eugene, Oregon

Shirley believes in finding ways to provide for those in need and has found a way to stretch the efforts of one by involving many. She coordinates OEG’s community service through an organization called Bags of Love, whose mission is “Helping Children in Crisis One Bag of Love at a Time.”

Shirley introduced Bags of Love to the OEG team to collect necessities and comfort items for children in crisis due to neglect, abuse, poverty or homelessness. She even set up a donation point in OEG’s Mid-Valley office, making it convenient for OEG employees to donate. She also arranged a business partnership between OEG and Bags of Love; OEG is listed on the organization’s website as a convenient drop-off location.

Shirley also has a long history of coordinating Lane County Food Bank volunteer opportunities with the OEG team – since before she began employment with OEG.

 


Terry Hood
Warehouse person, WBI Energy
Glendive, Montana

Thanks to the efforts of Terry Hood and his family, the community of Glendive, Montana, glows with holiday spirit. For seven months of the year, Terry builds, maintains and refurbishes all 80 of the Christmas decorations that adorn the downtown light poles during the holiday season.

With help from his family, they also decorate the Gazebo Park and BNSF Park with ground mount holiday light displays. Terry makes sure other holidays get their share of attention, too, by changing all the light bulbs in the park lanterns to the respective color of each holiday like St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween and the Fourth of July.

Terry’s attention to Gazebo Park and BNSF Park is a year-round effort. He and his family regularly pull weeds, pick up garbage, and maintain the gazebo with regular upkeep and staining.

His community efforts don’t end there. Terry is the president of the Red Devil Booster Club, which raises money to support junior high and high school athletics. He’s also a retired volunteer firefighter, has coached and umpired baseball for 40 years and helped WBI Energy’s welding department build the red iron superstructure for the new grandstand at Glendive’s fairgrounds.

 


Laura Lueder
Manager of Communications and Public Relations, MDU Resources
Bismarck, North Dakota

Laura is someone who gives humbly of her time and talent in the community. She currently serves on the boards of Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota and the North Dakota Newspaper Association Foundation and is heavily involved with the Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons organization.

Laura has been active as a Girl Scout and Girl Scouts volunteer for over 20 years and is a Lifetime Girl Scout member. Her involvement with the Girl Scouts started when her mom signed her up in first grade. Her mom was her Girl Scout troop leader. Laura volunteered as her daughter’s Girl Scout troop leader. While she was a troop leader, she also was a Service Unit volunteer, serving in officer positions. Laura has been a camp director and continues to serve on the camp planning committee and as a camp volunteer. She serves on the Board of Directors for Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons and volunteers for many Girl Scouts events.

Her passion for STEM opportunities, combined with her love for the Girl Scouts organization, has fostered a STEM partnership between MDU Resources Group and Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons. The partnership encourages young ladies to consider STEM opportunities and introduces them to STEM career fields.

Laura has submitted a total of 855 volunteer hours with Girl Scouts-Dakota Horizons to the MDU Resources Foundation employee matching contribution program for volunteerism. Her dedication to building future girl leaders earned her the U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award.

 

 

MDU Resources Foundation commits $50,000 to outdoor pool in Williston, North Dakota

On behalf of the MDU Resources Foundation and Montana-Dakota Utilities, Shane Homiston (left side of check), Williston district manager, presented a check to the Williston Community Builders in support of building an outdoor community pool.

 

The MDU Resources Foundation, in partnership with Montana-Dakota Utilities, committed $50,000 to Williston Community Builders to help construct an outdoor public pool in Williston, North Dakota.

Residents of Williston have been without an outdoor community pool since 2014. The community’s sole outdoor pool was retired that year due to aging equipment, structural concerns and lack of ADA compliance. Since then, community sentiment has indicated a strong desire to bring a public pool back for outdoor summer recreation and to enhance residents’ quality of life.

Williston Community Builders is the nonprofit leading the fundraising efforts to bring an outdoor pool back to the community. The pool, named Williston Water World, is being funded through support of local donors and community partnerships. After the pool is constructed, the intent is for a partner to take over operations in the future.