Are you new to Minot? Or have you been here a while? In any case, the local Minot community is always willing to lend a helping hand to get you aquatinted with the city and the people. The WayFinder program at Minot Area Chamber EDC (MACEDC) assists locals to feel more integrated to the Minot community, by connecting military members and locals.
Keli Rosselli-Sullivan, Workforce Development and Military Liaison Officer at WayFinders, explained how the WayFinder program was born. “North Dakota started Find the Good Life, a statewide effort to attract and retain people to our state. RoleCall, a talent attraction agency that supported this effort, wanted to do a pilot program and do a community initiative.” Keli informed that when RoleCall interviewed all the cities in North Dakota in June 2022, they fell in love with Minot and asked if MACEDC would be interested in being the pilot city. Keli described that they needed to create new position which would just focus on workforce and military. Keli filled this position in January 2023 and in May of the same year, The Wayfinders program was launched.
According to Keli, the purpose of the Wayfinder program was to encourage newcomers to feel comfortable and connected in Minot. She said, “The goal is the attract people to Minot. If people are considering moving here or are already here, we want to be able to match them with a community champion that we call WayFinders. People may come here, but we want them to stay here and to help them feel a part of our community, and that’s the job of the WayFinder.”
Keli explained that the WayFinder program is used for multiple reasons: to make new friends, to get suggestions on things such as the best school, the best doctor, good neighborhoods to live and more.. She mentioned, “Since its inception, we’ve had 45 people wanting to be matched with a WayFinder. Of those 45, we’ve successfully matched 13. Many people inquire but don’t follow through for whatever reason.”
Someone who did follow through and who has wholeheartedly utilized the WayFinder program is Jenetta Sawyer, mil spouse and owner of Jenetta’s Simple Treats. Keli explained “Jenetta reached out to WayFinder in August 2024, and I connected her with Rianne Kuhn who is also a military spouse who has been here for 10 years. Rianne shared so many resources about the community with Jenetta.” Jenetta mentioned that “The WayFinder program was truly the launching point for me getting myself, my business, and our family connected, involved, and familiar with Minot.”
Quite remarkedly, Jenetta got a legislative bill passed in April this year, which stemmed from that initial connection with her WayFinder. Keli explained, “Jenetta asked the MACEDC president/CEO, Brekka Kramer, how she could go about getting a state law changed.” The law Jenetta was referring to is called the Cottage Law, a law that prohibits home bakers from shipping baked goods out of state. As an owner of her own baking business, Jenetta was motivated for this to change. Keli informed that “Brekka got a North Dakota Senator to get this bill introduced to the Senate and sure enough, Senate Bill 2386, what we also now call Jenetta’s bill, passed! Cottage food businesses can now ship across state lines.”
Jenetta also added that “the WayFinder website has multiple mentor biographies that you can read up on. People who are involved in non-profits, small business owners, musicians from the symphony, and so much more.” She went on to say that “If you cannot decide which WayFinder to pair with (like me), Keli will help pair you. The WayFinder program is truly what you make of it and for it to be successful, go in ready to dive in and get connected!”
If you feel inspired by Jenetta’s story, you can go to www.magicinminot.com and simply apply to be connected with a WayFinder. It might just be the launchpad you need!
