The Good Life – September-October 2016
Featuring Fargo Police Chief - David Todd, Having A Beer with Bob 95 FM's Jay Farley, Local Comedians and more in Fargo Moorhead's only men's magazine!
Featuring Fargo Police Chief - David Todd, Having A Beer with Bob 95 FM's Jay Farley, Local Comedians and more in Fargo Moorhead's only men's magazine!
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BY: MEGHAN FEIR<br />
I’m going to tell you a sad story. Get the Kleenex.<br />
Once upon a time, I was in a car with three groomsmen<br />
and a fellow bridesmaid on our way to — what else — a<br />
wedding. <strong>The</strong> five minutes of pure silence was deafening,<br />
so I asked some queries. <strong>The</strong>y gave me short and to-thepoint<br />
answers. I stopped trying. One groomsmen in the<br />
front then asked the one seated next to me what was<br />
wrong.<br />
“Bartholomew (not his actual name, unfortunately),<br />
what’s up? This is the quietest I’ve seen you all weekend.”<br />
Turning to his friend, the sullen, monotone groomsman<br />
said, “It’s ‘cause I haven’t had a drink yet.”<br />
Laughing commenced as I examined the truth bomb he’d<br />
just launched. That statement, while so pathetic, rang<br />
with a sad truth.<br />
As America’s No. 1 drunkest city in 2015 and the fifth<br />
drunkest city in <strong>2016</strong>, as stated by Bustle.com from<br />
data collected by the Center for Disease Control and<br />
Prevention, that may also be Fargo’s No. 1 problem.<br />
Twenty-eight percent of Fargoans qualify as heavy<br />
drinkers.<br />
Unlike the kombucha I make at home that was an<br />
acquired taste for me before I became taste buds with<br />
my SCOBY, most alcoholic beverages offer little to<br />
no health benefits, thus eradicating any real need to<br />
acquire a taste for it.<br />
Although we’re surrounded by messages of<br />
“empowerment,” we’re actually an incredibly weak<br />
society. Everywhere you turn, alcohol is the draw for<br />
nearly every type of entertainment. Whether it’s at a<br />
party or a work event, it’s seen as a required guest<br />
“because it’s cold outside,” “because there’s not enough<br />
2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
to do,” “because, duh.” No one will go if it doesn’t<br />
arrive on time in its chill, relaxed, life-of-the-party<br />
state of being.<br />
I will give alcohol this: <strong>The</strong> only time I semi-like<br />
one of my uncles is when he’s drunk — when he’s a<br />
druncle — but there’s a sensible answer for what he<br />
and you should do if you’re a nicer, funnier, and more<br />
tolerable type of person to be around after you’ve<br />
been on the bottle.<br />
Instead of relying on a beverage to alter your<br />
personality, become the person you think you like<br />
being, but when you’re sober — fully aware. If the<br />
smart-Alec mental response that just went off in your<br />
brain is that the person you like being is drunk, stop<br />
kidding yourself. That’s problematic.<br />
Instead of only dancing at weddings when you’ve<br />
gone past the point of being able to remember,<br />
dance like a moron in your state of sobriety, and only<br />
evacuate the dance floor when “<strong>The</strong> Cupid Shuffle”<br />
starts playing its rancid instructions of turning to<br />
the left now, y’all. Three hops this time? Hops aren’t<br />
required to have a good time. (You’re welcome.)<br />
Instead of waiting to approach that woman<br />
you’ve been interested in until you’ve had at least<br />
four beers, take a deep breath and go up to her<br />
completely coherent and unaltered. If you’re nervous<br />
and shaking like a leaf, go for it.<br />
We so easily rely on things to ease the pain, numb<br />
the nervousness, dull the emotions, and alter about<br />
every other emotion we can experience all because<br />
we’re uncomfortable with our own feelings and how<br />
we deal with whatever comes our way.<br />
How is it that someone acting like a sloshed sloth<br />
is still so entertaining to people that they think they<br />
want to spend multiple nights a week or a month<br />
witnessing it? Why is self-induced sickness such<br />
a pleasure, so alluring that hangovers must be<br />
experienced every weekend?<br />
Drunkenness is one of the most accepted vices<br />
around, and although this altered state leads<br />
many to drunk driving, violent behavior, unwanted<br />
pregnancies, all-around stupidity and more, it’s<br />
laughed at, celebrated and encouraged by more than<br />
just Wisconsin rednecks, party jocks from the gym,<br />
and unsatisfied businessmen.<br />
I encourage all of you to lead by your actions. Stop<br />
before you get sloshed. Show others and yourself<br />
that you can be just as funny, just as confident,<br />
and just as calm without drinking so-called liquid<br />
courage. Although society may tell you otherwise,<br />
drinking is more sobering than you think. •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3
<strong>The</strong><br />
GOODLIFE<br />
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POLICE CHIEF DAVID TODD<br />
ONLY ONCE CHANCE<br />
Fargo Police Chief<br />
Determined to Get It RIght<br />
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VOLUME 4 - ISSUE 2<br />
CONTENTS<br />
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
02<br />
LEARNING TO LOOSEN UP<br />
on Your Own<br />
06<br />
LEADER OF THE PACK<br />
Nicole Lee is Resident Wolf Keeper<br />
10<br />
IS THERE EVEN A COMEDY<br />
SCENE IN FARGO-MOORHEAD?<br />
<strong>The</strong> Answer is Yes. And It's Getting<br />
Bigger and Better.<br />
14<br />
HAVING A BEER WITH...<br />
Bob 95 FM's Jay Farley<br />
24<br />
FATHERS<br />
My First Year of Fatherhood<br />
26<br />
CARVING ARTISTS<br />
Chainsaws + Hand Carving<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 5
6 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com<br />
BY: KRISSY NESS ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Nicole Lee is the resident grey wolf keeper at the Red River<br />
Zoo, and has been working there for 16 years. She also works<br />
hand in hand with eagles, deer, small mammals and reptiles<br />
used for educational purposes.<br />
Lee went to NDSU and graduated with a degree in Zoology. “I<br />
started out volunteering at this zoo, and have experience with<br />
interpretative education type work at other facilities,” stated<br />
Lee.<br />
Lee was the lead Zoo Keeper in 2008 when the first two<br />
wolves were introduced to the zoo at five weeks old. It was<br />
a constant 24/7 interaction between the wolves, Lee and<br />
the other Zoo Keepers. “I knew wolves were in the eventual<br />
plan to get at the zoo, large carnivores and birds of prey have<br />
always been my interest,” Lee said. “I went out on my own to<br />
take classes and read materials on the wolves.” It was difficult<br />
for Lee to be in constant interaction with the wolves when they<br />
were puppies and then have zero connection with them after.<br />
“As humans we were their caretakers, we weren’t a part of<br />
their pack,” affirmed Lee.<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 7
<strong>The</strong>se are wild animals and<br />
cannot be looked at by her or<br />
any other person as oversized<br />
dogs or domesticated animals,<br />
just because they are in a zoo.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>y are not tame, even with<br />
the socialization process.”<br />
<strong>–</strong> Nicole Lee<br />
L: SALLY JACOBSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ■ NICOLE LEE, WOLF KEEPER<br />
Last year four new puppies were introduced to the pack;<br />
coincidently they are the nephews to the elder and only<br />
female, Ella. Moose, who is the eldest male wolf, was a<br />
bit skittish at first but has learned to live with the juvenile<br />
wolves. “Wolves are very territorial animals, so we did<br />
have to take that into account,” said Lee, “it was a nerve<br />
wracking experience, but we were hopeful.” <strong>The</strong> juvenile<br />
puppies really took to Moose, but they can be a bit<br />
obnoxious to a senior wolf. Lee expected the mother would<br />
be receptive, as she was missing that from her existence.<br />
<strong>The</strong> six wolves live in an acre and a quarter in size exhibit,<br />
and were set up in with wolves in mind. <strong>The</strong>re is a stream<br />
leading to a fairly large pond, specific plants and trees<br />
were brought in to make the wolves feel as comfortable as<br />
possible. <strong>The</strong>re are also elevated platforms so the wolves<br />
can see their surroundings, this is very important to<br />
wolves.<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are many jobs to be performed when you first get<br />
to the exhibit. Lee walked me through all the steps she<br />
takes when she gets to her job in the morning when she is<br />
working with the wolves.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first thing Lee does when she arrives at the zoo is to<br />
check the perimeters of wolf exhibit and looks for gaps in<br />
8 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com<br />
the fence; there are dig barriers set up to keep the animals<br />
where they are.<br />
That leads her to the holding area, where they do fly<br />
spraying and ointment application, the older wolves are<br />
accustom to coming up to the fence and receiving antifly<br />
ointment on their ears. <strong>The</strong> younger wolves will get<br />
sprayed with fly repellent if they are uncooperative, in fact<br />
the whole area is sprayed with fly repellent and the wolves<br />
will scent roll in it which is a natural behavior.<br />
If it is a feeding day they feed them in the holding area,<br />
typically during a cooler part of the day so they will finish<br />
all their food. “We do not feed them live animals,” stated<br />
Lee, “they can catch prey within the exhibit though.” Road<br />
kill is often donated to the zoo, mainly in town hits, which<br />
is great because those animals won’t go to waste; instead<br />
it will go to the cycle of life. Hunters will also donate foul<br />
and other game to the zoo. While they are feeding Lee<br />
maintains their living environment by making sure the<br />
auto water feeders are working and are clean. She will<br />
then make sure the windows are cleaned for the exhibit,<br />
and mow the grass.<br />
She will also do enrichment programs for the wolves such<br />
as hiding treats around the exhibit so the wolves have to
hunt them down, or hide food in card board boxes and<br />
bags so the wolves have to work to get their treats.<br />
Lee also keeps a close eye on the weather, for most<br />
storms the wolves can find shelter within the exhibit,<br />
but on occasions the wolf keepers will leave the holding<br />
area doors open so the animals can seek protection<br />
there.<br />
<strong>The</strong> day in a life as a wolf keeper seems pretty amazing,<br />
although as Lee stated before these are wild animals<br />
and cannot be looked at by her or any other person as<br />
oversized dogs or domesticated animals, just because<br />
they are in a zoo. “<strong>The</strong>y are not tame, even with the<br />
socialization process,” Lee points out.<br />
If you find yourself at the Red River Zoo tomorrow or in<br />
a year, swing by the wolf exhibit! It is a beautiful display.<br />
While you’re at it, thank a Zoo Keeper; there is a lot of<br />
hard work that goes into sustaining these animals. •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 9
BY: PAUL HANKEL ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
You probably weren’t aware of just how up and coming the Fargo-Moorhead area’s<br />
comedic scene is. Currently there are dozens of full and part time comedians gracing<br />
the stages of Fargo-Moorhead’s various comedy venues and also performing regionally<br />
and nationally. Recently Fargo became home to a new, full-time comedy venue called<br />
Level 2 Comedy Club, located in the Radisson Hotel, downtown Fargo. To go along<br />
with the venues, comedy fans can now see standup or open mic comedy at least four<br />
nights per week!<br />
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong> got to chat with three local up-and-coming comedians about their<br />
thoughts on the scene, some advice for novice comedians and their unique individual<br />
comedic styles.<br />
10 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
JD Provorse<br />
JD Provorse was born and raised<br />
in Jamestown, North Dakota, and<br />
has called Fargo home for the last<br />
decade. His first dabble with comedy<br />
occurred in 2007, at an open mic<br />
night, at Courtney’s Comedy Club in<br />
Moorhead. Since then, Provorse has<br />
gone on to perform more than 200<br />
shows in 10 different states. Currently<br />
he performs locally and regionally<br />
and can be seen weekly at any of the<br />
venues listed in this article.<br />
Marlin Wells<br />
Marlin wells is from a, “little town that no one’s ever heard of,” called<br />
Carson, North Dakota. He moved to Fargo in 2003, in order to attend<br />
Minnesota State University-Moorhead and has been performing, locally<br />
and regionally, for the last two and a half years. Wells grew up loving<br />
comedy and remembers his first experience with comedy being a Sinbad<br />
Special that appeared on Comedy Central. He also credits famous<br />
comedic acts such as George Carlin and Mitch Hedberg as his early<br />
influences. According to Wells, he never initially considered comedy as<br />
something he could do as a profession. However, influenced by the local<br />
scene and friend JD Provorse, Wells eventually began performing. Wells<br />
says that he and Provorse have been friends for over a decade and that,<br />
in his words, “JD hounded me for years, trying to get me to do standup.<br />
After awhile I was like ‘why not?’ and decided to give it a try at a Red<br />
Raven open mic, a few years ago. And now, here I am.”<br />
Joe Christianson<br />
Joe Christianson is the hometown kid of the bunch. Christianson grew up in<br />
Fargo and has been steadily performing for the last three and a half years. He<br />
currently performs several times per week at comedy hotspots and has also<br />
performed regionally. His advice for fans of local comedy: “Just come out and<br />
support. We have a good thing going here!”<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 11
<strong>The</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: Describe your style.<br />
JD Provorse: I’m not filthy by any means, but we are<br />
going to talk about some dark stuff. I also like to point<br />
my finger at things that I think are ridiculous!<br />
Marlin Wells: (laughs) Well, I don’t consider<br />
myself an artist, I hate that sh**! I’m just a<br />
guy who loves comedy. I try to stay natural<br />
and conversational <strong>–</strong> like a very one-sided<br />
conversation. I’m pretty mellow.<br />
GL: In your own words, describe the comedy scene in<br />
Fargo-Moorhead.<br />
JDP: Full of new growth. We’ve had several different<br />
phases of comedy. Our scene is very fresh, very new,<br />
and full of new voices.<br />
MW: I would say that the comedy scene around here is<br />
underground, but strong. Right now we have a bunch of<br />
local comedians who have the chance to become real<br />
pros. <strong>The</strong> scene here just needs more exposure.<br />
Joe Christianson: Mitch Hedberg.<br />
GL: If you had to pick, who is your<br />
all-time favorite comedian?<br />
JDP: George Carlin.<br />
MW: George Carlin and Bill<br />
Hicks.<br />
All three also cited several other favorites, including<br />
current favorites <strong>–</strong> Kyle Kinane, Marc Maron and<br />
Hannibal Buress. <strong>The</strong>y also commented on the fact<br />
that there are any number of female comedians on the<br />
rise. As well as their favorite female comedians, such as<br />
Morgan Murphy and Maria Bamford, and local favorite<br />
Michelle Pearson.<br />
GL: Where would be your dream venue to perform?<br />
JDP: Headlining the main stage at the Fargo <strong>The</strong>ater.<br />
I love that place!<br />
MW: I generally don’t think that big venues are exactly<br />
the right way to see comedy. Large venues are cool,<br />
but I feel like comedy should be in a dim room with<br />
200 people. I'm not saying I'd say no to ever doing a<br />
12 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
large venue, but lets just say that I wouldn’t put<br />
Madison Square Garden at the top of my list.<br />
But as far as historically significant venues <strong>–</strong> I’d<br />
love to play <strong>The</strong> Comedy Cellar in New York, or<br />
<strong>The</strong> Comedy Store in Los Angeles.<br />
GL: What advice do you have for brand new<br />
comedians?<br />
JDP: Be fearless. Practice preparedness while<br />
meeting the situation. Putting in the work isn’t<br />
necessarily going to make you a star. But it<br />
will put you where you need to be if stardom<br />
happens for you. Also, I know that it’s really<br />
scary your first time, but DO NOT have a few<br />
beers before your first show. It will not go well!<br />
But afterwards…drink lots!<br />
JC: Just know that, at first, it’s going to feel like<br />
a really bad band practice. You’re just learning<br />
and aren’t probably going to be very good!<br />
To go along with the budding open mic and<br />
stand up scene, Fargo also plays host to<br />
national comedic acts several times per year.<br />
Shake things up this week and try something<br />
new. Check out one of FM’s comedy open mic<br />
nights!<br />
You can also join the Fargo Local Comedy<br />
Facebook group. Now, get out there and laugh! •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 13
BY: MEGHAN FEIR ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
As an on-air radio announcer for Bob 95 FM, Jay Farley<br />
brings cheer to listeners throughout the day and has<br />
collected his fair share of stories over the years. <strong>The</strong><br />
homecoming king of ’98 for the Alexandria Cardinals,<br />
Farley grew up around small Minnesotan towns and lakes<br />
where country music thrives.<br />
On a July day so humid and hot there was even a heat<br />
advisory floating around, we met up at Drekker Brewing<br />
Company in Fargo to chill out for a chat and sip on a glass<br />
of beer and some water on tap.<br />
<strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong>: Jay, do you ever have days where you don’t want<br />
to hear any music at all?<br />
Jay Farley: Yes, but you can’t get crabby. Being on the radio<br />
is one of those jobs where a lot of people look to you to<br />
help get them through their day, so even if you are having a<br />
bad day, it’s important to not let that show.<br />
GL: What’s the weirdest call-in you’ve ever received?<br />
JF: A lady called and was wondering if I could put out there<br />
on the radio a request for somebody to come help her tie a<br />
mattress to her car. She was moving somewhere, and the<br />
mattress kept falling off. Another time I read a story about<br />
people eating in their cars. One guy called up and said he<br />
always eats soup in the car. I was like, “How are you eating<br />
the soup, with a bowl and a spoon, or with a thermos?” He<br />
said that he’s done both. I thought that was odd.<br />
GL: If Batman sang country, which country music song<br />
would he sing?<br />
JF: We have to go with something mysterious. Eric Church<br />
is kind of mysterious. I would probably go with “Creepin.’”<br />
Batman is kind of a creep — a man of the night like that.<br />
GL: Do you ever have nightmares about the mascot, Bob?<br />
JF: No, thankfully. <strong>The</strong> only thing that would creep me out<br />
Being on the radio is one of those jobs where a lot of people look to<br />
you to help get them through their day, so even if you are having a<br />
bad day, it’s important to not let that show. <strong>–</strong> Jay Farley<br />
14 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 15
I don’t like clowns at<br />
all. If my kids ever<br />
want one at their<br />
birthday party, dad is<br />
not going to be there.<br />
<strong>–</strong> Jay Farley<br />
is if it were a clown. I don’t like clowns at all. If my kids<br />
ever want one at their birthday party, dad is not going to be<br />
there.<br />
GL: If you were to start a food truck business, what kind of<br />
food would you specialize in making and selling?<br />
JF: I love steak. It could be a whole bunch of kabobs or<br />
steak sammiches or something like that.<br />
GL: What would it be called?<br />
JF: <strong>The</strong> Steak ‘n’ Park? <strong>The</strong> Park ‘n’ Steak? I don’t know.<br />
Like T-Bone Town or T-Bone Truck.<br />
GL: It’s hard to come up with a business model in two<br />
seconds.<br />
JF: It is!<br />
GL: What about T-Bound?<br />
16 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com<br />
JF: Come on down to T-Bound! I’ll go with that. That’s<br />
good.<br />
GL: If you were going to write a popular country song, how<br />
would the first lines of the lyrics go?<br />
JF: Something about running out of beer. That would just<br />
set up the whole “Oh, crap!” kind of feel.<br />
GL: Would it be like, “Sittin’ in my Chevy, lookin’ at the<br />
road. Man, this gravel’s dusty. Can I get a Ford?” or “I<br />
remember the day you left me, lookin’ all pretty an’ sweet. I<br />
sat there on my tractor, watchin’ my cold beer can weep.”<br />
JF: You should be a country songwriter. That’s really good.<br />
We could work with that. I’ll have you on the show and you<br />
can sing it.<br />
GL: Yesssss. Can I read it in poem form?
JF: Yeah. You can even turn it into<br />
a haiku. Whatever you want to<br />
do. Music Mondays with Meghan.<br />
Wait. Did I not answer the<br />
question?<br />
GL: Well, I kind of took over<br />
because I’m a brat. How would<br />
your first couple of lines go?<br />
JF: I’d make it a party song. “My<br />
buddy showed up an’ we’re fresh<br />
out o’ beer. Let’s jump in the truck<br />
and get outta here.” We have to<br />
rhyme it a little bit. “We got the<br />
ladies just a waitin’ down by the<br />
crick. Grab your fishin’ pole. Yo,<br />
it’s gonna be sick!” A little bro<br />
country rap there. If we team up,<br />
we could really come up with<br />
something cool here.<br />
GL: Why does the Cookie Monster<br />
never gain weight? No, this isn’t a<br />
joke, and I don’t have an answer.<br />
JF: ‘Cause cookies are a<br />
“sometimes food.” That’s the<br />
way he goes now. He spent years<br />
and years only eating cookies,<br />
but now he teaches kids that<br />
cookies are a “sometimes food.”<br />
He doesn’t want you to know<br />
this, but sometimes he turns into<br />
the Veggie Monster. <strong>The</strong> Cookie<br />
Monster is all about moderation<br />
now. I know this because I’ve<br />
watched many of the episodes.<br />
That’s how he stays so slim and<br />
trim!<br />
GL: I’m glad he has more of a<br />
balanced diet these days.<br />
JF: He’s lookin’ good.<br />
GL: I was worried he was going to<br />
get diabetes.<br />
JF: Cookie Monster, checking his<br />
insulin levels on the next “Sesame<br />
Street.” Brought to you by the<br />
letter D for diabetes.<br />
GL: What does the good life mean<br />
to you?<br />
JF: To me, it’s family. I love my<br />
family. My boys are my everything.<br />
<strong>The</strong>y’re adorable, by the way. Just<br />
to watch them grow, to hear them<br />
learn more every day and call<br />
me daddy and have them come<br />
running to me when I come home,<br />
it melts my heart every time I see<br />
my boys. That’s all I need — my<br />
boys. •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 17
BY: ALEXANDRA FLOERSCH ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
18 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com
ONLY ONE<br />
CHANCE<br />
FARGO POLICE CHIEF<br />
DETERMINED<br />
TO GET IT RIGHT<br />
What started as a simple drawing in grade<br />
school became a little boy’s future decades later.<br />
As many moms do, David Todd’s mother<br />
saved the drawing depicting his future career<br />
aspirations. In crayon, he drew a police car and<br />
policeman, dressed in blue and equipped with a<br />
gold badge and hat. In the distance stood a farm,<br />
complete with a green grass and a horse. Filed<br />
away in a safe place, only time would tell how<br />
accurate that prediction would prove to be.<br />
“So here I am,” said Fargo Police Chief David<br />
Todd, shrugging his shoulders a bit, not quite<br />
wanting to admit his 6-year-old self was right all<br />
along. “I live on a farmstead with horses and I’m<br />
a police officer. I got lost a couple times along the<br />
way, but I still have that picture.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> Journey<br />
After high school, Todd pursued premed<br />
but soon learned it wasn’t his<br />
passion. In search of the next step,<br />
family friend Les Sharrock, then<br />
the Moorhead Police Chief,<br />
encouraged him to do a ride<br />
along with his officers. “I did,<br />
and then, of course, I was<br />
hooked,” Todd said.<br />
Having given Concordia College<br />
and Northwestern College a run for<br />
their money, he quickly transferred<br />
to St. Cloud State University, enrolling<br />
in the school’s criminal justice program.<br />
But it wasn’t long before the Fargo Police<br />
Department had their sights on him. “I<br />
turned 22 years old and got hired the next<br />
month,” Todd said. “I had to drop out of St.<br />
Cloud State and I finished at MSUM. I’ve been<br />
here ever since.”<br />
Looking back 29 years later, Todd has held<br />
many positions in the department. While a<br />
large part of his career was spent in patrol, his<br />
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favorite position was as a downtown resource officer, where he really<br />
got to the know the members of the Fargo community. “You start to build<br />
relationships with them, get to know them and you care about (people),”<br />
he said of the homeless he especially grew to care for.<br />
But the downtown beat was only a temporary stint for Todd. After 13<br />
years with the department, he was promoted to sergeant and, from there,<br />
worked his way up to lieutenant, captain and deputy chief.<br />
“If something<br />
controversial happens in<br />
your community, you have<br />
to be willing to get out<br />
in front of it and tell the<br />
community exactly<br />
what happened...<br />
before Facebook court<br />
is in session.”<br />
It was just a year and a half ago that the Fargo Police Department was<br />
under turmoil. To resolve issues, an independent review board was asked<br />
to examine the department, which resulted in a change in leadership.<br />
Almost immediately, Todd was asked to stepped in as interim chief and<br />
eventually accepted the official position of Fargo Police Chief in <strong>October</strong><br />
2015. “It has been a rocket ride ever since,” he said.<br />
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Learning to Lead<br />
As chief, Todd oversees 163 sworn officers, 22 nonsworn<br />
personnel and two contracted employees for a<br />
grand total of 187 people. When he speaks of his team,<br />
you hear how much those men and women mean to<br />
him.<br />
In fact, a sign in his office reflects his motto: Mission<br />
first, officers always. “It’s always going to be our<br />
responsibility (as law enforcement) to accomplish the<br />
mission for the community,” he said. “But along the<br />
way it’s a leader’s responsibility to look out for their<br />
people and find ways to be there for them.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> position of chief is less about the individual and<br />
more about the team. Deciding what’s best for the<br />
department in the long run requires selflessness.<br />
“When you think you’ve reached the limit of what you<br />
want to accomplish for the department, it’s not about<br />
you... it’s what’s best for the organization,” he said,<br />
confident he’ll know when it’s his time to step down.<br />
It’s not an easy job. Todd often works 10 to 12-hour<br />
days, taking work home with him on nights and<br />
attending one or two scheduled events during the<br />
weekends. “This summer I’ve tried to back off on that<br />
a little bit for the sake of my wife,” he said. “She’s very<br />
understanding. She knew when I agreed to do this<br />
what it was going to entail. You just have to live, eat<br />
and breathe it.<br />
In the Spotlight<br />
<strong>The</strong> average police chief in the United States lasts<br />
three to five years in the position. “It takes you about<br />
two weeks in this job to figure out ‘Okay, there’s a life<br />
span to this,’” Todd said. “That’s because it’s a pretty<br />
stressful spot, it’s very political. You’re in the media<br />
spotlight all the time.”<br />
Engaging and staying in front of the media is one<br />
of the hardest parts of the job. “As Chief of Police, if<br />
something controversial happens in your community,<br />
you have to be willing to get out in front of it and tell<br />
the community exactly what happened before the<br />
rumors start and before Facebook court is in session.”<br />
Transparency between law enforcement and the<br />
community is critical to maintaining trust. “I get out<br />
there as quickly as I can and tell the story — talk to<br />
all the news media outlets and give them all those<br />
interviews to put out that fire,” Todd said. “When I<br />
say it’s hard for me to do that, it’s not hard, but it’s<br />
consuming and takes a lot of my time I could use<br />
elsewhere. But that’s the nature of today’s society.<br />
We try to find ways to be as transparent as we can.”<br />
Other times, the job is about admitting fault and<br />
hoping the community has enough trust in law<br />
enforcement that they forgive the actions. “If I’m<br />
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willing to get out there on the good stuff we<br />
did and defend it, I better be willing to get out<br />
on the mistakes we made and say, ‘Yeah, we<br />
screwed up,’... and apologize for it.”<br />
Law Enforcement in <strong>2016</strong><br />
In <strong>2016</strong>, putting on boots, a badge and a<br />
bullet proof vest takes courage. Fargo’s<br />
officer Jason Moszer proved that.<br />
“When we went through Jeff Skuza’s death,<br />
I didn’t think I could do that again,” said<br />
the Fargo Police Chief of a fellow officer’s<br />
suicide. “But this one was different. It was<br />
a line of duty death.” <strong>The</strong> days, weeks and<br />
months following Moszer's death impacted<br />
not only the community, but the nation —<br />
marking yet another fallen policeman.<br />
support. “<strong>The</strong>re are times when, as a leader, you have to put your arms<br />
around people, hold them up and help them through those situations,”<br />
he said. “Mostly it’s just letting people know that you care and you’re<br />
going to try and find the path forward for them.”<br />
To this day, Chief Todd and many others wear a remembrance bracelet<br />
in honor of officer Moszer. “As a chief, it kind of reminds me of what<br />
the sacrifice is sometimes — what it takes to have a safe community,”<br />
he said. “In this case, it was the sacrifice of one of my officers who<br />
was a husband, a father, a son and a brother. I also use it to remind me<br />
what my responsibility is as a leader: to be there for my people.”<br />
Chief Todd has been applauded by many<br />
for the strength and courage with which<br />
he handled Moszer’s death. But for him, it<br />
wasn’t about staying strong. “As a leader,<br />
I think it’s okay for people to see your<br />
emotions because it shows them that you<br />
care,” he said. “<strong>The</strong>y’re having those same<br />
emotions and they want to know it's okay to<br />
have those.”<br />
It’s not about having all the right answers<br />
— sometimes it means just showing your<br />
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Todd believes people are passionate about law<br />
enforcement and are called to it. “<strong>The</strong>y love what they<br />
do for a living and they love serving their community,”<br />
he said. “At the same time, they’re very courageous.<br />
When there’s something critical happening — instead of<br />
running away from the danger, they’re running towards<br />
danger.”<br />
Lately, there’s been a tendency by some to paint police<br />
as an occupying force. In some communities that may<br />
be the case and they may have earned the reputation,<br />
but in Fargo it’s different, Todd explained.<br />
“In communities like ours, we live here,” he said. “We’re<br />
invested in our schools, in our sports teams and our<br />
kids’ activities. We’re the parents sitting right next to you<br />
in the bleachers at that junior high orchestra concert.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>y're as much a part of our community as the citizens<br />
they're sworn to protect.<br />
Looking Forward<br />
Outside of work, Todd and his wife are empty nesters.<br />
His oldest son, David, serves in the Marine Corps<br />
Reserve — having just done a short tour in Morocco<br />
— and is currently following his father’s footsteps,<br />
attending NDSU for criminal justice and in the police<br />
academy. Meanwhile, his youngest son, Jake, is pursuing<br />
physical therapy at UND with hopes to get into the<br />
doctorate program. Eleven-year-old Gunner, their black<br />
lab, is also part of the family. “He’s my best friend,” Todd<br />
said.<br />
For fun, the Todd family rides horses and camps. “I’ve<br />
got a Harley-Davidson that my wife and I like to take<br />
occasional trips on,” he said. “That’s kind of my stress<br />
reliever.”<br />
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: DAVID TODD<br />
And just this year, the Todds are exploring the lakes<br />
area, having recently purchased a cabin. “We’re figuring<br />
out lake life, so that might be a transition out of the<br />
farmstead at some point,” he said.<br />
As for what comes next, Todd doesn’t know. “In many<br />
respects I’m fortunate that this is the last part of my<br />
career,” he said. “Knowing that, I’m just going to sprint<br />
and get as much done as I can.”<br />
Eventually, the Fargo native will retire as police chief<br />
and explore what else life has to offer. Until then, he’ll<br />
be living the good life. •<br />
“<strong>The</strong> good life, to me, is giving all you got,<br />
because in a position like this, you only<br />
have one chance to do it right,” he said.<br />
“You want to give it all you’ve got and<br />
do it right so that someday you can<br />
walk away with no regrets.”<br />
<strong>–</strong> Fargo Police Chief, David Todd<br />
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My First Year of Fatherhood<br />
Lessons Learned, Sleep Lost & Lives Saved<br />
BY: BEN HANSON ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
At about 7 p.m. on July 29 — after thirteen hours of<br />
refilling ice waters, holding vomit bags at the ready and<br />
fighting my natural instinct to joke about all the probing<br />
going on — I became a father for the first time. In no way<br />
does it feel like it’s been that long, but I guess time flies<br />
when you’re barely awake to notice it.<br />
Soon, we’ll be hosting friends and family to celebrate<br />
Macklin’s first birthday, but somewhere mid-party planning,<br />
I realized we’re also marking my one-year #Dadiversary<br />
— the perfect time to reflect on the few things I’ve learned<br />
during this first year of fatherhood. Not exactly lessons, so<br />
don’t worry about taking notes. Nothing profound, either.<br />
Just a few observations about what parenting has brought<br />
to my life.<br />
Fat Camp for Your Ego<br />
I admit, I think I’m the greatest. At least I used to. As I<br />
tweeted out about a month ago, I have since realized that<br />
my son is, in fact, the greatest. Why? Well, he’s a baby, and<br />
babies come into this world with a measurable GAF level<br />
of absolute zero, automatically making them the coolest<br />
person in the room.<br />
I’m in constant awe of Mack’s ability to literally care<br />
nothing at all about the way he looks, smells or sounds.<br />
Got company over? Let me show you how I can fart on<br />
your boss’s lap! Posing for family portraits? Watch how<br />
I can smile through a face full of spit-up! He’ll stare you<br />
square in the eye, while unashamedly grunting his way to<br />
a full diaper... and you can’t help but happily cheer him on<br />
(more on the cheering later).<br />
How liberating must it feel to wake up and never look<br />
in the mirror or give your pants even a cursory sniff<br />
before slipping them on? Macklin doesn’t care. He’s<br />
a baby James Dean. His inborn chill level keeps my<br />
ego in check, especially when he points his cute little<br />
finger at me and smirks while I wipe his butt.<br />
Everything's a Huge Deal<br />
When was the last time you flailed your<br />
arms and giggled like an idiot when a dog<br />
looked in your general direction? Do you often<br />
lose control of your vocal cords when eating<br />
pancakes? Do you get so excited about the speed at<br />
which you make your way down the hallway that you<br />
require a change of pants? Of course not.<br />
For babies, however, everything is a huge deal because<br />
everything is new. All of it. And because their memory<br />
and attention spans are adorably undeveloped,<br />
everything continues to be new. You’d think we parents,<br />
being the adults that we are, would be immune to such<br />
misplaced excitement, but we’re not. We become live-in<br />
cheerleaders for our kids, celebrating each tiny milestone<br />
like they’re splitting the atom. Last night I applauded my<br />
son for peeing in the tub simply because he did it standing<br />
up. (I think he may be a genius.)<br />
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My God, the Emotions<br />
I cried a little during this year’s Espy Awards. That’s<br />
right, a sports awards show made me cry. As the<br />
Aurther Ashe courage award was presented to the<br />
mother of a 15-year-old who took a bullet to save the<br />
lives of his two friends, the whole theater of all-star<br />
athletes broke down in tears. So, it wasn’t just me.<br />
At a concert a few weeks back, however, it may have<br />
just been me. A quiet song, sung solo by Brandi Carlile<br />
about her wife and their new baby girl made an already<br />
still summer night motionless. Emotionally motionless.<br />
A year ago, I doubt my emotions would’ve been so raw,<br />
but on that night my heart was pierced — effortlessly —<br />
by a simple love song.<br />
Being a parent makes these stories, songs and<br />
experiences of other parents more personal. Before<br />
Macklin, I understood their emotions on an intellectual<br />
level… now I feel them.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Worst Roommate<br />
Yes, babies are adorable. <strong>The</strong>y’re also loud, smelly and<br />
completely incapable of telling time or recognizing<br />
imminent danger. It’s easy to forget that we humans<br />
come into this world entirely unsocialized and without<br />
regard. Any regard. For anything. Not even their own<br />
lives, which I’m constantly saving.<br />
Most of us have lived through a bad roommate<br />
experience at least once… but it was over in the blink<br />
of a lease agreement. And in worst case scenarios, you<br />
had legal recourse. I don’t think I can take my son to<br />
small claims court to recoup wasted food costs or sue<br />
him for excessive midnight shrieking.<br />
Over the last year, I’ve learned that having a baby<br />
means choosing to live with the moochiest of moocher<br />
roommates. <strong>The</strong> upside is worth it, however. A gentler<br />
heart, a more patient disposition and a little less selfabsorption.<br />
I’m still the funniest person I know, don’t<br />
get me wrong… but I’m rooting for my son to take that<br />
burden off my shoulders as soon as possible. •<br />
Ben Hanson is a full-time father, part-time writer<br />
(for hire). Follow him and his son along all their<br />
#dadventures at www.MrFullTimeDad.com.<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 25
BY: KRISSY NESS ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
Award winning wood carver David Sharp taught a<br />
class hosted by local décor and furniture carver,<br />
Dean Tvedt, July 31st, in North Harwood at<br />
Tvedt’s studio -- Carving Cowboys.<br />
Sharp hails from Tennessee and is a veteran when it<br />
comes to carving wood. He took first and second place at<br />
the Affiliated Wood Carvers Ltd. in Iowa last year and his<br />
work is nothing short of breathtaking. “<strong>The</strong> other carvers<br />
and I call this event Congress,” Sharp joked. He has been<br />
carving wood by hand and with chainsaws for 10 years<br />
and all of his work is realistic and made with natural<br />
wood. Some of the projects he has made include, but are<br />
not limited to: realistic, caricature, animals, relief, bust,<br />
and fireplace mantels. He enjoys teaching classes and<br />
commissioning projects for others.<br />
Tvedt has been carving wood for 15 years as a hobby and<br />
recently retired from the Air National Guard in Fargo.<br />
Since then he has dedicated his time to teaching classes<br />
and constructing beautiful works of art and furniture<br />
from reclaimed wood, “A hobby that pays a little — to buy<br />
more toys,” said Tvedt. He always uses standing lifeless<br />
timber, “98 percent of the wood I use is a dead tree<br />
already.” Tvedt also teaches classes on antler carving and<br />
I was lucky enough to get a look at some of his projects<br />
— they are amazing. <strong>The</strong> detail and patience that go into<br />
these endeavors is incredible. “Carving had taught me<br />
more patience,” admitted Tvedt. “Mary, my wife is my<br />
best critic.” She offers a feminine touch to some of his<br />
projects, and is a great support system when it comes to<br />
his hobbies. It is great to see two people working toward<br />
a common goal, even if it is primarily his hobby. You can<br />
find his work at <strong>The</strong> Red Silo in downtown Fargo and<br />
at Eclectic Charm in Bismarck. For most of his projects<br />
Tvedt uses a dremel or carves them by hand. “As I get<br />
older I do less and less chainsaw carving, it is hard on the<br />
body,” confesses Tvedt. His smaller projects can be carved<br />
in one-day and they boast striking texture and great detail.<br />
For larger projects they can take up to three days. <strong>The</strong>se<br />
will be the size of projects that will be used for the class.<br />
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In this class the students, who ranged in age from<br />
40-80, chose from a Mountain Man design or a<br />
Native American. <strong>The</strong>y started with a 12x12 slab of<br />
red cedar wood that Sharp brought all the way from<br />
Tennessee. From there they shaped the project using<br />
a chainsaw, then when the projects takes its form they<br />
used dremels and carved texture and design by hand.<br />
None of these projects were painted; instead they had<br />
a natural wood finish and a light oil coat to preserve<br />
the project. Sharp and Tvedt had never met before<br />
this class, in fact Tvedt called Sharp up after finding<br />
out that he would be in Minneapolis teaching another<br />
carving class and asked him to teach this class. Both<br />
men have taught many classes between the two of<br />
them, “Everyone always says they have no artistic<br />
ability, but everyone has the possibility to learn,” stated<br />
Tvedt. Sharp has a similar yet different outlook on<br />
teaching, “I find if the students want to do it, it [the<br />
project] will come out better.”<br />
<strong>The</strong>re are four main types of woodcarving: Whittling,<br />
which is done by using a carving knife. When the<br />
carving is complete you can see the knife strokes<br />
rather than a smooth or sanded surface. Carving-inthe-round,<br />
just using a knife cannot produce these<br />
carvings, power tools or chisels are needed to give it<br />
a more life-like finish. Relief carving, have a flat back<br />
and are carved in three dimensions, most are done<br />
urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 27
with hand tools but power tools can be used as well. Finally, there<br />
is Chip carving, which is used to remove selected pieces of wood<br />
from the project with a knife.<br />
Tvedt is also a part of a wood carving club in Moorhead, “In <strong>The</strong><br />
Chips,” where locals get together to work on and discuss projects;<br />
they also have a good time poking fun at one another, “Not a lot<br />
of people know these types of groups are in Fargo/Moorhead.”<br />
stated Tvedt. It is good to get this information out to the public so<br />
maybe they can expand their knowledge of the different kinds of<br />
arts in the community and meet new people.<br />
If you would like to view any of Sharps work, head on over to his<br />
website, www.davidsharpwoodcarving.com and delve into the<br />
beauty that is woodcarving.<br />
<strong>The</strong> good life is “enjoying friends, family, the arts, and a sense of<br />
fulfillment.” Great final words from a local artist, Dean Tvedt. •<br />
L: DAVID SHARP, R: DEAN TVEDT
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Non-Profit Aids Individuals<br />
With Disabilities<br />
Through Service Dogs<br />
BY: JESSICA BALLOU ■ PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
Great Plains Assistance Dogs foundation dba Service Dogs<br />
for America (SDA) is a small, North Dakota-based non-profit<br />
that helps train and certify service dogs for individuals with<br />
disabilities.<br />
Located in Jud, N.D., the organization helps place service dogs<br />
across the country.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> staff at SDA invest their hearts and souls into ensuring<br />
each dog is the best possible ‘life partner’ it can be for our<br />
clients,” said, Jenny BrodKorb, executive director since January<br />
2015.<br />
SDA trained its first service dog in 1989 and placed it with<br />
their first client in 1990. Two years later, SDA became a<br />
designated 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization.<br />
It is also an accredited service dog school member of<br />
Assistance Dogs International (ADI). SDA received its initial<br />
accreditation in 2010, and it is currently the only accredited<br />
service dog organization in North Dakota.<br />
BrodKorb said they dual and triple train their dogs in multiple<br />
skill sets to better accommodate clients’ needs.<br />
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It’s an amazing process to witness<br />
TYPES OF DOGS TRAINED<br />
AND PLACED BY THE SDA<br />
MOBILITY ASSISTANCE DOG<br />
o Assists with, but not limited to, the following types<br />
of diseases or injuries: amputation, arthritis, cerebral<br />
palsy, multiple sclerosis, paraplegia, spina bifida,<br />
stroke and more.<br />
o Task training: retrieve dropped object, open<br />
interior/exterior doors, help a person stand and<br />
brace, turn lights on or off, get help by alerting<br />
another person in the environment and more.<br />
SEIZURE RESPONSE<br />
EMERGENCY MEDICAL RESPONSE DOG (EMRD)<br />
o Assists with, but not limited to, the following<br />
types of seizures: absence, atonic, partial simple<br />
or complex, gelastic and more. Also assists with<br />
pseudo, psychogenic and cryptogenic nonepileptic<br />
seizures.<br />
o Task training: lie close to the client, retrieve an<br />
object, activate an emergency button, electronic<br />
alert system or pull cord, carry medication and<br />
more.<br />
BrodKorb said knowing the dogs in their facility<br />
change the lives of humans is priceless.<br />
“It’s amazing to think that freedom and<br />
independence are reinstated with the passing<br />
of a leash,” she said. “We see people who are<br />
struggling to maintain a healthy existence (due to<br />
their disability/ies) flourish when they are selected<br />
by their new ‘life partner’ [service dog].”<br />
Every day can be a new challenge with its<br />
own rewards, so while it’s difficult to pick a<br />
favorite part of being involved in such a unique<br />
organization, one aspect stands out to BrodKorb.<br />
“Knowing the organization is changing lives by<br />
reestablishing independence — one leash at a<br />
time — is the best part,” she added.<br />
<strong>The</strong> organization lets the service dog choose its<br />
human before officially pairing up. Once someone<br />
is approved to receive a service dog, the client<br />
is brought to campus for dog introductions and<br />
team training.<br />
“This introduction process goes on until a dog,<br />
definitively, selects their human,” she said. “It’s an<br />
amazing process to witness.”<br />
DIABETIC RESPONSE EMERGENCY MEDICAL<br />
RESPONSE DOG (EMRD)<br />
o Assists with, but not limited to, the following<br />
diagnoses: Type I/brittle diabetes and<br />
hypoglycemia. SDA does not train dogs to assist<br />
an individual with Type II diabetes.<br />
o Task training: remind to test blood sugar at the<br />
sound of an alarm, get help by alerting another<br />
person in the environment, activate an electronic<br />
alert system lie close to the client and more.<br />
PTSD SERVICE DOGS<br />
(MILITARY AND NON-MILITARY PLACEMENT)<br />
o Tasks: alleviate anxiety and distress by lying<br />
on top of the person for deep pressure and<br />
psychoemotional grounding, help a person find<br />
an exit when anxious, turn lights on or off and<br />
more.<br />
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“It’s amazing to<br />
think that freedom<br />
and independence<br />
are reinstated with<br />
the passing of<br />
a leash."<br />
“Knowing the<br />
organization is<br />
changing lives<br />
by reestablishing<br />
independence —<br />
one leash at a time<br />
— is the best part."<br />
<strong>The</strong> service dogs come from a variety of places. If the<br />
dog’s temperament and health meet SDA’s standards,<br />
they accept surrenders, work with rescues and shelters,<br />
and occasionally receive dogs from breeders. SDA also<br />
has its own breeding program on campus.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> bottom line is if the dog wants the job of being<br />
a service dog (and it’s a tough job!) and their health<br />
and temperament match our strict standards and best<br />
practices, we will consider a dog from nearly any source,”<br />
she said.<br />
SDA also works with two prisons in North Dakota,<br />
Missouri River Correctional Center in Bismarck and<br />
James River Correctional Center in Jamestown. SDA’s<br />
service dog trainer teachers inmates how to train specific<br />
behaviors and tasks to service dogs in training for the<br />
Inmate Canine Assistance Program (ICAP).<br />
“<strong>The</strong> program benefits everyone: the dogs, clients of<br />
SDA, correctional facilities and staff, and the inmates,”<br />
she said. “Inmates learn a valuable skill and are able to<br />
help persons with disabilities in the process.”<br />
History of SDA<br />
<strong>The</strong> Great Plains Assistance Dogs Foundation/Service<br />
Dogs for America (GPADF/SDA) training program<br />
started in 1989. Ed Duden, Steven Powers and Michael<br />
Goehring came together with a vision to begin training<br />
service dogs. Goehring trained his personal dog as an<br />
assistance dog for the Deanne Brothers in Fargo. <strong>The</strong><br />
first service dog team, Deanne and Zak, graduated in<br />
May 1990.<br />
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<strong>The</strong> story ran in Parade Magazine nationwide and<br />
showcased the need for specially trained service<br />
dogs. Due to all of the press coverage, inquiries<br />
and demand for services increased, she said. It<br />
became clear that dedicated facilities for training and<br />
placement were needed.<br />
<strong>The</strong> first facility was a 4,000-square-foot training/<br />
kennel building. Groundbreaking began in the early<br />
spring of 1991, and the project was completed by that<br />
<strong>October</strong>.<br />
After that, GPADF/SPA bought a used mobile home<br />
for staff. <strong>The</strong> first client apartment was finished a<br />
month later, a few days before the first out-of-state<br />
client arrived for three-week team training. A second<br />
client apartment was finished in 1993, which made it<br />
possible for multiple team training sessions to occur<br />
at one time.<br />
By 1994 GPADF/SDA needed more housing for the<br />
staff to accommodate for the increase in demand<br />
and more kennel space for dogs in training. A second<br />
campaign and an apprenticeship program launched<br />
later that year, and the funding was in place by early<br />
1996 for the Lion’s Wing expansion. Two years later,<br />
the construction on this 3,200-square-foot addition<br />
was completed. A 4,000-square-foot exercise yard<br />
was built in 1998.<br />
SDA is always looking for volunteers and also foster<br />
families who are willing to have a service dog in<br />
training live with them for exposure to everyday life<br />
situations not present on campus.<br />
<strong>The</strong> organization is supported by the help of<br />
donors, not federal or state funding. If anyone is<br />
interested in hosting, facilitating or participating in<br />
a fundraising event for SDA, email development@<br />
servicedogsforamerica.org.<br />
For more information on volunteering, fostering,<br />
donations, applying to get a service dog and more,<br />
visit www.servicedogsforamerica.org. •<br />
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