Congratulations …to the crew of Air Force Security Police who man the front gate(s) at Minot Air Force base. Today, which is Tuesday, November 18th, 2025, you eclipsed the record. What record you ask?
The record of being greeted 43 times in a row with a warm smile and a friendly greeting as I entered Minot Air Force Base for a meeting this morning. Those of you who have businesses know the importance of that “first impression.” In fact, many businesses will tell employees that “it is impossible to make a good first impression the second time.”
Training someone to smile and have a warm disposition when greeting visitors to Minot Air Force Base is really only part of the challenge. Take into consideration that it is a 24/7 job at the main gate, and the greeting facility faces straight north, which a lot of winter days is straight into a cold, northwest wind, sometimes with driving snow. And when they are giving out wind chills they just have to dress a little warmer, and hope for warmer days ahead.
And then during the summer there might be days of 100+ degree days or days with wind and rain…and yet their job is still to welcome folks with a warm smile and friendly greeting.
So once again, congratulations on a new Rod Wilson from the Northern Sentry Greeting With A Warm Smile record. Once the weather gets really cold, I mean cold enough to test the fiber of even us true NoDaks, we’ll still keep track.
November 28th Can Make A Difference!
As you read this I hope you are making plans to bring your family to Downtown Minot for our Annual Holiday Open House & Small Business Saturday. We want you to have a good time. Festivities start at 3 PM.
But the Downtown Business and Professional Association want to give you a couple of opportunities to get your holiday season started right.
First, we will be once again partnering up with Toys for Tots, a popular Marine Corps promotion that allows you to drop off new, or slightly used, toys at the drop boxes in Downtown Minot. There will be a drop box conveniently located at the Taube Museum on the corner of Central and Main. The Taube is kind of Santa Claus central with Santa giving kids a chance to visit with him and enjoy milk and cookies, kind of a pay it ahead thing you know. It’s a perfect opportunity to drop off a toy for a child who is less fortunate…after all that’s part of Christmas, right.
Next, the DBPA is proud to team up with the Souris Valley United Way to conduct a food drive for their Backpack Buddy program. From Emily at United Way “The Souris Valley United Way’s Backpack Buddies program is currently feeding more than 610 elementary and middle students in Minot each week. Recipients are identified by school counselors and teachers as children who might otherwise go hungry on weekends. The Backpack Buddies program provides food security for children in all 10 elementary schools in Minot, Dakota Elementary on MAFB, and Jim Hill and Central middle schools.”
The SVUV will also have a collection point at The Taube. The food gathered will be used to fill backpacks. I’ve included some of the items that are most appreciated from donors.
I guess part of an old fashioned Holiday Open House is helping our neighbors enjoy the season. Let’s fill those boxes in the Taube with food and toys…and yes, November 28th can certainly make a big difference.
Are you making a list?
The list of everything that you want to do this winter in Minot and North Dakota. Curling, ice skating, cross country skiing, downhill skiing, ice fishing, sledding, walking (or jogging) in the crisp winter air. Enjoying a show at the Mouse River Players or at one of the high schools, or attending a hockey or basketball game? Yep, lots to do. In North Dakota we don’t shut down during winter, we just take a different direction and keep right on going.
Today’s Chuckle
The trouble with singing your own praises is that it’s hard to get the right pitch.
