About Ward County, ND

Every website, every blog, and every agent out there is going to tell you how wonderful they are and ask you to "consider" them. I want you to "consider" this: If you want to list a house make sure you have made up your mind as to if you want to sell or if you want to stay. If you are looking for a home make sure you have made the decision to buy. I know my time is valuable and so is the time of my clients. If you want to sell your house and you want to list it with me then it will be priced properly or you can list with a liar who will inflate the price and your hopes and you will stay. If you are just looking at houses and not serious about buying then call another Realtor, I don't want you! I'd rather spend my time with real buyers, my family, my Church family, or about anywhere that I am truly needed. Now a word about cutting commissions: NO! I have integrity and I am worth what I charge for my service, are you? What do you think of people willing to do your job for a fraction of what you are paid to do it for? Again, do you want someone working for you with integrity or a marshmallow who caves in on there principals to you as well as to the people they are dealing with on your behalf? Think about that.

This weekend I had the good fortune to meet the beautiful and gracious Alayne Okland, Executive Director of The 2nd Story Club. I met Alayne like I've met a whole lot of people, at a rummage sale.

I almost passed up this rummage sale because it was a downtown address in the heart of the business section of Minot ND. I'm sure glad I didn't. The rummage sale was being held by The 2nd Story Club of Minot which is a social club for adults with developmental disabilities. I like that their literature says "For Exceptional Persons", I certainly could feel that as I was there. The club was started 33 years ago and they receive NO State or Federal funding.

Alayne and her assistant run the show with a lot of wonderful volunteers. The facility includes a reception area, TV room (see the picture below), large activity room with a stage, kitchen, game room, and staff area. You can check out their website at http://www.secondstoryclub.com and if you wish to contribute that would be great to!

2nd Story is a wonderful opportunity operated by wonderful people. Visit their website and give them your encouragement, they certainly deserve it. Do me a favor and tell Alayne that Bob sent you.

My mother gave me a great appreciation for the Fine Arts. She, Sofia, was very active in Fargo and she was the President and Manager of The Fargo Fine Arts Club House. Her love for the Arts gave all us "kids" the same appreciation she had. Although my oldest brother is a physiologist he is a very talented artist with a canvas and has had excellent success of late selling his work. My other brother is very gifted at creating jewelry. I and my sister are a little lacking but we both love the theater and more.

As small as Minot ND is it also has a great appreciation for the arts. Minot was the first City in the state to have a full time director for it's Area Council of the Arts and I believe it may still be the only one in the State. One of the members of the Council is the Mouse River Players Community Theater. I stopped by last week to see what was happening and I also took a couple of pictures. It's not much to look at from the outside but the all volunteer crew does a great job inside. This day they were building a new set.

This is the Mouse River Players Community Theater 35th year. To view the upcoming season take a look at their web site at www.mouseriverplayers.org or better yet come and see a play this season. I also need to mention a wonderful friend of mine and a GREAT friend of the Arts, Arlene Saugstad. She has been such a great contributer the Mouse River Players named their main stage "The Arlene". Arlene is a joy to all so I will end with Thank You Arlene!

This post is for ALL Realtors as well as folks moving to Minot North Dakota.

A lot of people, myself included, like to hunt for bargains so as community promoters (Realtors) we should be able to tell clients where the bargain shops are. I work with a lot of young families due to the Minot Air Force Base and these kids can use all the help they can get. I also work with some very affluent people and they often ask where they can donate items that they have updated or items they just don't use. Everybody can use a Thrift Store for one reason or another.

I found a neat site that can inform you of Thrift Stores in your area. It's called ThriftShopper.com. It's not perfect, It missed three in Minot ND but it's a start.

In Minot North Dakota the thrift shops are: 1) The Restore 112 2nd Ave SW 2) Dakota Boys & Girls Ranch 1206 S Broadway 3) Goodwill 1405 S Broadway 4) Salvation Army 1933 S Broadway 5) Seventh Day Adventist Clothing Center (they give there clothes away here) 10 17th Ave SW, around the corner from the church 6) Building Bridges on the corner of 1st Street and 2nd Avenue SE

Bob Timm, Minot ND

Things have been so crazy busy here in Minot I have not been able to keep up with my goal of sharing one great thing about Minot North Dakota every day. Therefore I will share a few thing today just to get caught up. Speaking of "GREAT", last Thursday was the 20th Annual "The Great Tomato Festival".

Picture courtesy of KXMC-TV News in Minot

The Great Tomato Festival is a wonderful event that is put on by three different groups in town, The Minot Public Library, The Western Plains Opera, and The Taube Museum Of Art (pronounced Taw-bee). Each year the thee groups and many volunteers get together and put on this event. Although they all work together all the proceeds benefit one of the groups for that year and then it rotates each year. This year it was the Minot Public Library and they netted about $40,000.00. Just think of what a boost that is to the local library.

The event features a diner with the menu being of one huge grilled on the spot pork chop, a stuffed tomato, pasta, home made style biscuit, desert and beverage. There is a silent auction with items from many, many local vender's and performing artists. One of the coolest donations this year was a 1990 Jaguar XJS Coup Rouge Addition (it was a beautiful machine). All the while a cool Jazz band is playing and you can just enjoy visiting or even get up and dance. I am only guessing but I would say there was a thousand people present.

It's really a fun time and I hope to see you there next year. Coming up next for a great time is the Norsk Hostfeast which I have blogged about in the past. Please click HERE to learn more.

Bob Timm, Minot ND