The Good Life – March-April 2018

FATHERS // MR. FULL-TIME DAD 

I May Have Been Overly Optimistic About Everything 

WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON 

A few months back, I wrote in these very pages about how 

the transition from a 1-year-old to a 2-year-old didn’t seem 

all that scary. I dared the “terrible twos” to bring it on, 

putting my hubris on display for all the world to read. Well, 

I may have made a huge mistake. 

Six months ago when I was feeling so optimistic about 

the challenge of parenting a 2-year-old, Macklin was still a 

baby for all practical purposes. He was only just becoming 

self aware, which means his mom and I were still able to 

steer his behavior and mood with great effect. Fast forward 

to now, with changes hurtling at us from every direction, 

including his increasing cognitive independence, and I 

couldn’t tell you with any degree of certainty what kind of 

Mack we’ll be dealing with even five seconds from now. 

A Two in Three’s Quarters 

The big shift started the day we were notified by that 

Macklin would be transitioning up to the next class at 

daycare. His move from the twos room to the threes 

came as more of a shock to his mother and me than it 

did him… I mean he’s a 2-year-old who’s still getting the 

hang of object permanence. Something as abstract as a 

forthcoming change of setting — as impactful as it proved 

to be — was beyond his cognitive grasp. 

We had three weeks to prepare for the move, including 

one week of gradual transition where Macklin would 

spend part of his day in his regular room and the other 

part in his new room. That was when the so-called 

“terrible twos” first made an appearance. 

Out of nowhere, the tantrums started. And for the littlest 

of things. For example, letting the dog out. How dare 

I open the sliding glass door to let Lucy out back for a 

potty break without first consulting Macklin! We learned 

quickly that if he was able to carry out a task, we’d better 

ask him first if he’d like to do it. Otherwise, tantrum. “I do 

it! I do it!” On the upside, these tantrums only last a few 

seconds… but a day full of micro-tantrums can still make 

for a long day. 

2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

We’ve also learned that “no” often means “ask me again 

in two seconds.” We got to the point of discussing the 

pros and cons of who would let the dog out, how there 

would be countless more opportunities to slide that 

door open and the reality of how the animal digestive 

system operates round the clock. 

The Big Boy Bed 

Another monumental change, but this time one he’d 

been asking for. Ever since we went to visit the in-laws 

and discovered his two little cousins were now sleeping 

in “big girl” bunk beds, Macklin began asking when he 

was going to get a “big boy” bed of his own. We couldn’t 

resist, as the introduction of a twin bed into the mix 

held the promise of more snuggles and a better excuse 

for falling asleep during nap time. 

In hindsight, however, a wiser choice on our part may 

have been to wait until after the daycare transition was 

complete before introducing another new variable to 

his routine. Change is tough for us adults, but it’s even 

tougher for a toddler who has only known one thing… 

be it a classroom or a bedroom configuration. 

His new bed inadvertently moved him one step closer to 

independence, and he knew it immediately. Apparently, 

with big boy beds come big boy responsibilities, or so 

he believed. We’ve smoothed out our evening routines 

since, but those first few weeks were a definite 

regression in the battle of wills I now realize may have 

no end. 

Potty Training 

I don’t blame daycare for the unavoidable challenge that 

is potty training, but with his move up to the threes room 

came with the condition that potty training become top 

priority. So, to recap, in the span of a couple of weeks, 

Mack changed rooms, changed beds and is now, at least 

occasionally, walking around with poop in his pants. 

For the first time, I’ve stopped being jealous of his life… 

if only momentarily. 

Similarly — and thankfully — I’ve learned that potty 

training is only awful momentarily. Bringing home a 

bag full of soiled clothing from daycare is awful, but 

only for a moment. You either throw that whole bag in 

the garbage before entering the house, or you throw it 

into the wash and forget about it (pretreated, of course). 

Overall, the twos aren’t bad for Macklin. They’re just 

another developmental stage he must go through, and 

we’re along for the ride. His growing independence is 

what makes it hard for us. Everyday he’s coming up with 

more of his own opinions and ideas, most of which are 

fun and creative. Others are just, well… inconvenient. 

Potty training — and his feelings about it — fall into the 

latter category. The good news is it’s all momentary. • 

urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3

Contents 

MARCH-APRIL 2018 / VOLUME 5 • ISSUE 5 

FATHERS / MR. FULL-TIME DAD 

TWOS POTENTIALLY TERRIBLE 

AFTER ALL 

02 

F-M FENCING CLUB 

LET'S GET RIGHT TO THE POINT 

GRILLING & TRADITIONS 

AROUND THE WORLD 

06 

10 

HAVING A BEER WITH 

TOM SZYMANSKI 

12 

ASK 30 WOMEN 

WHAT MAKES A MAN 

ATTRACTIVE? 

16 

ON THE COVER 

MICHAEL SCHLACT 

REDHAWKS MANAGER 

MAKES FARGO-MOORHEAD 

"HOME AWAY FROM HOME" 

18 

UNITED WAY'S 

BOLD GOAL TO REDUCE 

HOMELESSNESS 

IN OUR COMMUNITY 

THROUGH HOUSING FIRST 

24 

LOCAL HEROES 

HARWOOD FIRE & RESCUE 

30 


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WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS 

PHOTOGRAPHY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA 

If you have ever been interested in 

fencing but don’t know where to 

begin, F-M Fencing Club is a great 

place to start. Beginners are welcome 

to join in anytime and the club will 

supply them with equipment until 

they are able to purchase their own. 

The F-M Fencing Club has been 

running from its current location, 

Grace Lutheran School, in Fargo, 

ND, since 2011 and the arrangement 

is a perfect fit. With the exception 

of their weapons, the school has 

graciously offered them storage for 

all of their equipment and a full size 

gym to practice in. “They allow us to 

use a closet in the gym to store all of 

our equipment,” said Bianco. 

Dr. Robert Bianco PhD has been 

fencing foil since 1996. — Foil 

is one of three weapons in this 

Olympic sport, all of which are 

metal. A Foil is flexible, rectangular 

in cross section, and weighs under a 

pound. A foil fencer's uniform features 

the lamé, which is a vest, electrically 

wired to record hits. It is the most 

commonly used weapon when beginning 

to learn the sport. 

Dr. Bianco began in grad school at the 

University of North Dakota and continued to 

fence while attending The University of Iowa 

as he worked on his postdoctoral fellowship. 

It was there that he participated in foil and the 

occasional saber event in the UI club. He moved 

back to the F-M area in 2006 and still had the itch 


“We put together a 

non-profit so we could get 

more kids fencing and now we 

have 9 year-olds all the way 

up to veteran class fencers.” 

— Dr. Bianco 


to keep fencing but found the closest 

place to do so was in Grand Forks, 

ND. 

In 2007, Dr. Bianco started a fencing 

club at Minnesota State University 

Moorhead providing courses in the 

multi-weapon group, however they 

were on their way out. “I sought out a 

couple of students who were willing 

to continue and do the student 

organization paperwork and that 

club just exploded; they just needed 

coaching,” said Dr. Bianco. 

After a while, Dr. Bianco went to the 

Coaches’ College, which was put 

on by the Olympic authority. At that 

time they were trying to consolidate 

what was being taught in the fencing 

community within the country. “I 

coached there for many years, and 

Enrique [Alvarez] walked in one 

day…and he was like we should do 

a community group; and so we did,” 

said Dr. Bianco. “We put together a 

non-profit so we could get more kids 

fencing. Now we have 9 year-olds all 

the way up to veteran class fencers.” 

Children ages 9-12 participate in the 

Musketeers program, Intro classes 

and school programs range from 12- 

18 and adult classes are 18+. 

8 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com 

Enrique Alvarez hails from Oviedo, 

Spain but has lived in the F-M area for 

over 10 years. He began fencing when 

he was 14 and was certified a fencing 

coach level 1 by the AEMA (Spanish 

association of fencing masters) by 

1999, and in 2011 he received his 

title of Fencing Master, which is the 

highest level of accreditation by the 

United States Fencing Coaching 

Association and by the International 

Academy of Arms. 

Both Alvarez and Dr. Bianco are 

head coaches for F-M Fencing. 

Alvarez focuses on Epee — designed 

for thrusting and used, with the end 

blunted, in fencing, while Bianco 

focuses on Foil. 

The opportunity to learn fencing from 

these two coaches is quite a treat, not 

to mention they have three assistant 

coaches who are just as passionate 

about fencing as Alvarez and Bianco. 

This club has been featured for the 

last couple of years in various forms 

of media in the Red River Valley and 

it just goes to show that if there is a 

club for it people will show up. All 

of the coaches volunteer their time 

because they truly love the sport. 

Last year four members from the 

F-M Fencing club headed to Salt 

Lake City, Utah to participate in the 

National Fencing Championship. 

Fencers come from all across the 

country and must qualify to share 

in this competition and it shows just 

how much work these athletes put 

into their craft to make it that far. 

This group has been a great addition 

to the Fargo-Moorhead area for many

“I always say for fencing, it’s pure joy.” — Dr. Bianco 

reasons; one major one being it is a great 

way to get exercise. Fencing takes a great 

deal of skill and athletic ability so you must 

stay agile to be a threat in competition. When 

speaking about him and his fellow coaches 

Bianco joked, “We’re old and it hurts when we’re 

done, but it’s always worth it.” 

The good life means something different to many 

people but for Bianco it’s pretty simple. “I always say 

for fencing, it’s pure joy.” • 


UNITED STATES // Barbecue Grill 

Americans pretty much grill whatever they 

can get their hands on – meats, vegetables 

and even pizza. But the most common 

grilled foods are: Hamburgers, hot dogs, 

chicken breast, pork ribs and brats. 

JAMAICA // Barbecue Grill 

Like America, Jamaicans call it Barbecue 

and often use barrel grills. Their most 

popular dish is jerk chicken which is meat 

dry-rubbed or wet marinated with a hot 

spice mixture called Jamaican jerk spice. 

GERMANY // Schwenkgrill 

In Germany food is cooked on a swinging 

grill over hot coals. German barbecue is 

called Schwenker. Their most popular dish 

is Schwenkbraten – pork neck steak. A 

person who operates the Schwenker grill is 

called Schwenker or a Schwenkermeister. 


KOREA // Gogigui 

Korean barbecue, or Gogigui, is often 

cooked on a table grill. Their most popular 

dish is Bulgogi – usually made from thinly 

sliced marinated beef, pork or chicken. It 

often comes with various banchan (side 

dishes) served along with cooked rice. 

JAPAN // Hibachi 

Japanese barbecue, grilled on a flattop 

is called Hibachi. The literal meaning of 

hibachi is "fire bowl". Hibachi is the cooking 

of meat, vegetables and seafood on a high 

heat. Hibachi grills can be portable or built 

into furniture. Their most popular dish is 

Yakitori (skewered chicken). 

SOUTHERN, CENTRAL AND 

WEST ASIA // Tandoor 

Tandoor clay pot ovens are typically used 

throughout the Middle East, India, Pakistan 

and even parts of Central Asia. A fire is built 

on the bottom which heats both the walls 

of the oven and the air inside. Tandoori is 

the most popular dish made of marinated 

meats, yogurt, herbs and spices such 

as ginger, garlic, coriander powder and 

cayenne pepper. 

NORTH AFRICA // Tagines 

Tagines are primarily used to slow-cook 

savory stews and vegetable dishes. The 

cone-shaped lid of the tagine traps steam 

and returns the condensed liquid to the 

pot. The traditional method of cooking with 

a tagine is to place the tagine over coals. 


HAVING A BEER WITH // TOM SZYMANSKI 

HAVING A BEER WITH 

TOO TALL 

TOM SZYMANSKI 

WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR • PHOTOGRAPHY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA 

On a regular hair-ruining, facefreezing 

day in Fargo, I made my 

way to Drekker Brewing Company 

to meet up with one of the area’s 

most easily recognizable figures in 

broadcasting: Tom Szymanski, aka 

Too Tall Tom. 

For over 35 years, Szymanski, the 

chief meteorologist for KFGO, has 

been a regular part of thousands 

of people’s days, bringing weather 

to them with enthusiasm and 

good humor. From Wisconsin to 

Maine, television to radio, he has 

harnessed his lifelong interest in 

scientifically predicting weather 

patterns to help the public stay 

safe and informed in various places 

across the nation. 

Good Life: Was there a time in your 

life when you were just like, “I’m 

going all out. I’m going to look like 

the quintessential person of this 

generation”? 

Tom Szymanski: At the time we 

went through the fashions of the 

‘70s, I hated them, but everybody 

else wore them, so I felt like I had 

to. I did not like polyester. I did 

not like bell-bottoms. My mother 

always got me these shirts with 

bell sleeves where the sleeves are 

all puffed up by the forearms, and 

they looked so stupid. I did not get 

suckered into the platform shoes 

because I didn’t need them. I was 6 

feet tall by the time I was 10. 

GL: I was one of the tallest people 

in middle school, but then I 

stopped growing by eighth grade 

and everybody else passed me in 

height, so I was like, “Okay, bye.” 

TS: See, I was the opposite. I was 

one of the shortest in my class, 

and then, all of a sudden, by fourth 

grade I was like, “Buh-bye! I’m way 

taller than you guys now.” 

GL: What is it like being able to 

reach high cupboards and shelves? 

I climb things. 

TS: Hey, you did for some pictures 

today, too. It’s good! If nothing works 

out in my retirement years, I can 

always be a stock boy. I always like 

to think it gave me an advantage. 

Being tall you can see over crowds. 

There are some drawbacks, like 

finding clothes and sitting in 

airplanes. I wear size 16 shoes, so 

“My mother taught me as a kid to never interrupt people. 

It seems like a lost art. Everybody’s talking and 

nobody seems to be listening.” — Tom Szymanski 


5'4" 

6'9" 

you can’t find those everywhere. 

But overall, I wouldn’t trade it for 

anything. 

GL: What’s one of your biggest 

pet peeves? 

TS: Stupid drivers in the winter 

— people who drive too fast for 

conditions. They see the speed 

limit sign and think that that’s 

how fast they have to go. Another 

one is how people don’t let other 

people finish their sentences; 

they start talking over them 

all the time. My mother taught 

me as a kid to never interrupt 

people. It seems like a lost art. 

Everybody’s talking and nobody 

seems to be listening. When that 

happens in a group of people, I 

just clam up, sit there and don’t 

say anything. 


HAVING A BEER WITH // TOM SZYMANSKI 

GL: You know you’re going to get 

interrupted anyway. 

TS: Right. Another one would be 

when you go out and see people 

just on their phones and they’re not 

even interacting with each other. 

I could actually turn my phone off 

for an entire weekend and not even 

look at it. It’s like some people’s 

lifeline. Somehow, we survived 

before cell phones were invented. 

GL: If you chose to live an 

alternative lifestyle, like living in an 

igloo with penguins, what would 

you want to do? 

TS: I would do what I want to do 

when I retire. I’d like to spend 

some of the winter in Arizona to 

get away from the cold. I’d sit on 

a lawnmower and cut grass for 

a golf course and get free golf in 

exchange for it. My wife is a very 

serious golfer, too. I met her 15 

years ago on a golf course, and ever 

since then, it’s our passion. 

GL: How has your personality 

changed over the years? 

TS: Anybody who knows me well 

knows that I’m actually pretty 

shy and reserved. But I had a 

broadcasting alter ego. I was 

aggressive, verbose and loud. 

There’s Too Tall Tom, which is 

my TV/radio persona, and then 

there’s Tom Szymanski, and 

they’re divergent characters — 

same person, but different. If I’m 

representing the television or radio 

station, I’ll put on my Too-Tall-Tom 

hat and I’ll be what people expect 

me to be. As soon as that’s over, 

it’s like turning a switch; it’s back 

to being me. Over the years, I’ve 

gotten quieter and just mellowed 

out, I suppose. It happens to all of 

us, as we get older. 

GL: What’s one piece of advice you 

have? 

TS: I always tell kids that it’s real 

simple, no matter what you choose 

to do. When the alarm goes off in 

the morning, if you don’t want to 

get up, you should consider doing 

something else for a living. My dad 


“When the alarm 

goes off in the 

morning, if you 

don’t want to get up, 

you should consider 

doing something else 

for a living.” 

— Tom Szymanski 

taught me that. You should 

want to get up, rather than 

have to get up. I always like 

getting up because I’m doing 

exactly what I want to be 

doing. 

GL: What does the good life 

mean to you? 

TS: Living the good life is 

finding the balance among 

family, friends and career 

and leaving plenty of time for 

yourself. If you can find the 

balance in all of that, you’re 

successful. If I can get out and 

do what I love to do, as long as 

I’m physically able, I think I’m 

living the good life. • 


Ask 30 WOMEN 

WHAT MAKES A MAN ATTRACTIVE? 

tattoos 

sense of humor 

confidence 

great hair 

no man buns 

be handy 

communication 

a strong will 

It seems like a simple question, right? Tall, dark, handsome... 

Well gentleman, after asking 30 random women "What make a man attractive?" a personality and a sense 

of humor will take you from an 8 to a 10. Although physical appearance is important, how you treat a lady is 

more attractive than how you look. 

1. Confidence. 

2. Personality, sense of humor, 

confidence but not arrogance, nicely 

dressed, nice smile. A chiseled jaw 

and six pack abs. 

3. Funny, tattoos, facial hair. 

4. Makes me laugh, kind heart, good 

personality. 

5. Family means everything to me. 

If you can’t make them smile, you 

can’t be with me! 

6. Compassion, intelligence, 

humility, and great hair. 

16 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com 

7. Someone kind and considerate. 

8. Eyes, styled hair, a gentleman, 

confidence, makes me laugh, 

morales and faith in God, tattoos 

and rides a motorcycle. 

9. Confidence but not cockiness. 

10. Kindness and confidence. A 

willingness to do whatever needs to 

be done. It's very sexy when a man 

will stop what he is doing to help 

without being asked. 

11. Smart and funny. 

12. Generosity. 

13. Communication skills. It’s a 

huge turn off when a guy uses poor 

English, vulgar slang and does 

things like snap or whistle at a 

waitress to order a drink. 

14. His teeth. 

15. A guy driving a well taken care 

of old pickup truck with his dog by 

his side. 

16. Confidence and the way they 

treat others are what makes a man 

attractive in my eyes, but a few 

tattoos don’t hurt either.

LADIES – If you would like to 

participate in our next Ask 30 Women, 

follow us on our Facebook page at: 

www.facebook.com/urbantoadmedia 

17. Metrosexual. Take a little time 

on yourself. No beard! No baseball 

caps! No buzz cuts! Be handy, 

thread your own hose on to a 

spicket at least. 

18. A pulse. 

19. I think the thing that makes 

a man most attractive is his 

personality along with a great sense 

of humor, because I love to laugh. 

20. Personable, and they have a 

good job. 

21. Tall, light, and handsome. Must 

be honorable and have integrity. 

22. Dark hair, light eyes. Fit. Tattoos 

are a plus. Clean haircut, doesn’t 

have to be crazy short but just clean 

looking, not a long nasty mess. No 

man buns. No crazy facial hair, 

preferably clean shaven or 5 o’clock 

shadow. The taller the better. 

23. Honestly, hockey and Star Wars 

moves them way up to the top. 

24. Respectful, noticing and doing 

“the little things”. 

25. Style, demeanor and 

personality. 

26. A gentle heart and strong will. 

27. His eyes, sense of humor. 

His ability to listen, if he's a good 

hugger - that's a necessity. And 

his hands. I like rough hands. I 

don't want a man whose hands are 

softer than mine. 

28. Good with kids and has pets. 

Likes dogs and cats – not creepy 

pets. Nice arms. 

29. A good haircut, well-groomed, it 

shows he takes care of himself and 

it’s just classy. Kindness. 

30. Looks you in the eyes and is 

interested in what you are saying. 

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professional photograpy 

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materials 

urbantoadmedia.com 


COVER // MICHAEL SCHLACT 


MICHAEL SCHLACT 

RedHawks Manager Makes Fargo-Moorhead “Home Away From Home” 

WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE TEIGEN • PHOTOGRAPHY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA 

It’s an adage that’s older than the sport of baseball 

itself: home is where the heart is. And in a sport where 

a player or coach can be transferred at a moment’s 

notice, an incredible level of flexibility and adaptability 

is required. 

For Michael Schlact, who became manager of the 

FM RedHawks in September 2017, the phrase has 

become a family mantra for him, his wife, Jillian, their 

nearly 3-year-old son Sawyer and the newest family 

member – another little boy – due to arrive this month. 

For these high school sweethearts, being together 

– no matter where “together” takes them – is more 

important than anything else. 

Where it all began 

Schlact and his wife grew up in Marietta, Georgia 

(where they still maintain home base today), and he 

was active in a variety of activities, not just sports – 

piano, theater, etc. 

“My parents wanted me to try everything so once 

I picked something, they’d know I wasn’t forced 

into anything,” he explained one January afternoon 

at a downtown coffee shop. He was in town to do 

promotional activities, and the temperature that day 

was a balmy 25 degrees, but for someone born and 

raised in the south, the cold was a little brisk. 

But Schlact brushed it off, explaining that the warmth 

of the Fargo-Moorhead community permeates much 

deeper than any chilly winter breeze. But more on that 

later. 

Thanks to experimenting with so many different 

activities, Schlact knew by the time he graduated 

from Joseph Wheeler High School that he wanted 

to play baseball professionally, although coaching 

was not a profession he was ever considering. He 

was drafted in the third round in 2004 by the Texas 

Rangers, where he stayed for seven seasons. That’s 

also where he was when he had his first shoulder 

surgery and his first moment’s pause that playing 

might not last. 

“I had no idea I wanted to be a coach - I wanted to be 

a major leaguer as a player,” he said. “Our identities 

get so wrapped up in what we do, which isn’t good 

because it’s not permanent.” 

But that day in 2009, the 6’7” pitcher threw the ball 

and immediately felt a pain like a knife stabbing him 

in the shoulder. 

He spent a year rehabilitating, discovering as he 

sat on the bench and talked with his teammates 

that other guys were scared of getting injured as 

well, but he could ease that worry by sharing his 

experience. 

Schlact was back on the field for the 2010 season, 

but in 2013, he injured his shoulder again but 

this time, he was thinking about retirement. After 

talking about it with his wife, Schlact approached 

his coach, Bobby Brown (who is now with the 

Lincoln Salt Dogs), who told him to spend some 

time with him. 



“He saw a coach in me,” Schlact said. 

So how did a guy from Georgia who played 

professionally in Texas and Kansas end up in Fargo, 

North Dakota? 

Two words: Doug Siminic. 

The longtime RedHawks manager knew many 

other managers and position coaches, so when the 

RedHawks needed a pitching coach, Schlact received 

the call. 

“I’ll never forget that moment – I was at a park with 

my wife and Doug called to ask if I wanted to be a 

pitching coach,” Schlact recalled. 

He accepted, but it was an interesting situation; his 

wife was pregnant with their son and due May 2. But 

he had to be in Fargo by May 1. 

The Schlacts decided to head north early, selecting a 

hospital and doctor online, and discovering throughout 

the process of having the baby that they’d made some 

great choices. 

“Our first taste of how awesome this place is was 

through the birthing process,” he said. The day after 

his son was born, Schlact stepped foot in Newman 

Outdoor Field as the pitching coach, and by the next 

week, he hit the road with the team for exhibition 

games. 

Learning to be a coach 

The transition from player to coach involved learning 

– a lot of learning. 

“When you sit in a dugout next to Doug Siminic and 

you look at everything he did and the championships 

the RedHawks won, you can only learn it by 

experiencing it through someone who lived it,” 

Schlact said. 

While the first year as the RedHawks pitching coach 

was a learning experience, Schlact said he was able 

to hit the ground running the next year. By 2017, he 

was feeling confident and at ease. 

And then “that day” happened. 

That day, of course, is Aug. 13, when Siminic was 

fired, around 10 a.m. that Sunday morning, Schlact 

was called up to be interim manager and just hours 

later, the RedHawks took the field. 

“It was a lot to take in,” Schlact said. “I’m thankful 

for what Doug had done for the team and thankful 

for what Doug had given me, but from a human 

element, I was sad for him as a person. The 

RedHawks were his life.” 

Along with the admiration and respect Schlact felt 

for Doug as a coach and a person, he also said he 

realizes that the RedHawks franchise is a business, 

and the players and coaches all have a job to do. 


After “that day,” Schlact took the next 

24 hours to process his emotions 

and by the next morning, he was 

ready to move forward with the 

team. “It was tough, but I got all of 

my emotions out of the way,” he said. 

Naturally, Schlact felt a little unsure 

about embracing his new role. 

“Admittedly, I was a little nervous, 

especially in those circumstances,” 

he said. 

To this day, Schlact feels gratitude 

toward Siminic. 

“I’m just thankful he put me in a position 

to get into professional baseball and for 

giving me the opportunity to coach,” he 

said. 

As the rest of the 2017 season went on, 

Schlact gained confidence and watched 

as the RedHawks ended in a three-way 

wild card playoff spot tie. 

As the season ended, the word 

“interim” was removed from 

Schlact’s title. 

In a Sept. 8, 2017, Forum 

article, RedHawks president 

and chief executive officer 

Brad Thom said the decision 

to name Schlact as manager 

was made easier after a 

veteran player came to him 

and requested it. “I talked to 

a bunch of players after the 

season was over, and there 

was not one bad word to say 

about Michael.” 

Stepping into a new role 

Throughout this entire 

process of becoming the 

official manager, Schlact has 

remained humble about the 

opportunity he’s been given. 

“It’s a big blessing,” he said. 

So what can fans expect 

from Schlact as a manager? 



“The tradition and pride that comes with wearing the 

RedHawks logo, definitely,” Schlact responded with no 

hesitation. “Our first priority is playing good baseball. 

But the second is to give back to this community, to 

be a positive part of this community. We want to give 

back to the people who’ve given so much to us.” 

Having been a player so recently, Schlact said he wants 

the RedHawks players who aren’t from the Fargo- 

Moorhead area originally to immerse themselves in 

the community. 

“I want them to experience what I’ve experienced 

in my time here,” he said. “I want to invite families 

in more often, and I want them to know more about 

us as people... I want people to know us for being 

approachable and family friendly.” 

Choosing to be together 

Family friendly is not a term Schlact takes lightly. 

Being a professional baseball player is hard enough for 

one person when it comes to abrupt moves, so having 

two people to consider is infinitely more difficult. 

His wife has a degree in childhood education, but once 

they were married, she put her career on the shelf. 

“She said, ‘We just need to be together,’” he recalled. 

“One season we moved five times.” During those crazy 

transitions, Schlact flew to his new team’s hometown 

while his wife stayed behind to pack the apartment 

and then drive to meet him in their new city. 

“It was just something we did,” he said. 

Now, with a second child on the way, the process of 

staying together will be a hair crazier, but more fun. 

“We have an SUV, so if it fits, we bring it,” he said. 

By the end of April, the family (which also includes a 

Pomeranian) will be settling into their apartment in 

south Fargo, and the fun really begins. 

“My son loves the Friday fireworks and on Sundays, 

he gets to run the bases with Dad,” he said. While the 


fun is important, Schlact knows his children will have 

a well-rounded perspective on the world from having 

lived in different parts of the country. 

And living in Fargo has been a delight. 

“Home base is Georgia right now, but home base 

is wherever we are together,” he said. While he and 

his wife have never officially talked about moving to 

Fargo, the notion isn’t ever that far from their minds. 

“When my family comes to the ballpark, my son has 

ushers who help him and they all feel at home,” he 

explained. “We may leave ‘home’ but we come ‘home’ 

to Fargo.” 

Right now, Schlact is focused on his future with the 

RedHawks and continuing to build on the legacy 

of a foundation already being established. But he’s 

experienced enough and seen enough as a player 

to know the future may look different than what he 

imagines today. But if he’s never not in Fargo, you 

better believe the team, the community and the people 

have already left an indelible mark. 

“Fargo and the RedHawks have set the bar high – as 

high as the ceiling,” he said. “Other teams don’t have 

the fans with the passion, who are coming out by the 

thousands every night, that the RedHawks have. And 

the coverage of the media here. You don’t have that 

everywhere.” 

He said in his three years in Fargo, he’s already 

created a lifetime of memories with his family. That’s 

why it’s so hard for Schlact to choose a favorite aspect 

of Fargo – there’s too many to name. He joked that 

the January opening of Chic-fil-A is definitely worth 

noting, but in all seriousness, he couldn’t select one 

solitary place or moment or event. 

“To be in a place where you feel so safe and feel 

accepted, not like an outsider...it’s warmth,” he said. 

“You feel it the minute you hit the ground in Fargo.” 

So what does the good life look like to Schlact? 

“It’s a blend of a job I love, which I’m doing, with an 

amazing group of people around me who support me 

and my family,” he said. “That’s the good life to me.” • 


UNITED WAY'S 

TO REDUCE HOMELESSNESS 

IN OUR COMMUNITY 

THROUGH HOUSING FIRST 

WRITTEN BY: KRISTI HUBER 

PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: UNITED WAY 

Right here in our community, according to a recent 

point-in time-study, there are approximately 

591 local people who are homeless. With 

approximately 419 beds available in emergency 

shelters and transitional housing programs, 

this leaves nearly 200 men, women and 

children who may find themselves homeless 

on any given night in the community we call 

home. 

Solving Homelessness for Good 

United Way of Cass-Clay changing the way 

we address issues like homelessness, 

hunger, poverty, and mental health. 

We’re bringing the right partners 

together to tackle the source and 

root cause – not just the symptoms. 

We invite the community to “Be a 

Force for Good.” “For good” means 

that we not only want to make a 

positive impact, but we want to 

solve issues like homelessness 

not just for one night, or 

temporarily – but permanently, 

through housing navigators 

who put “Housing First.” 


“Once you lose everything, 

you lose hope. 

But I wanted my son 

back – that was the most 

important thing.” 

— Dewayne 


One of United Way’s Bold Community Goals is to Reduce 

Hunger and Homelessness. Thanks to support from our 

community, a team of innovative housing navigators are 

changing the way people, organizations, and systems 

work together when it comes to helping people who are 

homeless. 

Housing Navigators at Work 

Thanks to a housing navigator made possible by United 

Way, a local man named Dewayne had his life changed 

for good. 

If you were to meet Dewayne, it is hard to imagine that 

just one year ago, Dewayne was homeless and arrested 

for panhandling on a Fargo street corner with nowhere 

to go, no home, no job, and just the clothes on his back. 

Earlier that year, Dewayne and his life partner, Lisa, gave 

birth to a baby boy, but soon lost custody of him. Days 

after their arrest, Lisa suffered a medical emergency that 

left her on life support before passing away in her jail cell. 

Not only had Dewayne lost the opportunity to be a father 

to his son, but he had lost his life partner as well. 

“Once you lose everything, you lose hope. But I wanted 

my son back – that was the most important thing,” said 

Dewayne. 

When Dewayne got out of jail, like many individuals 

in our community, he fell back into the same cycle of 

homelessness and addiction – staying in shelters and 

passing out on the sidewalks of Fargo, until one day a 

housing navigator was standing over him. 

Many times, housing navigators literally pick up 

individuals off of the street. That is what people need 

– a connection to the community. They need to know 

someone will be there for them and walk the path with 

them toward getting an apartment and stable home. 

That is exactly what United Way and the housing 

navigators are providing. 

Thanks to United Way, housing navigators are working 

every day in our community to provide support to the 

chronically homeless with a goal of helping them to 

remove the barriers to attaining and retaining stable 

housing. 

The ripple effect of housing 

The impact of a housing navigator goes beyond the 

people they help. Today, Dewayne is a successful 

member of our community, a part of our workforce, 

and is destined to achieve his goal of being a good 

example for his son. He is a “Force for Good” that 

impacts us all. 


When people like Dewayne have a stable home, they 

can move out of crisis mode and move their life forward. 

While we want to see people like Dewayne break free 

from that cycle of homelessness, it affects all of us as tax 

payers and the economic well-being of our community. 

Jesseca White, a Downtown Resource Officer with the 

Fargo Police Department, sees United Way’s impact 

first-hand and describes it through “Tim.” 

“When Tim was homeless, police had to deal with him 

hundreds of times throughout the year. After Tim had a 

stable home, we dealt with him less than thirty times per 

year—think about the cost savings to our community,” 

said White. Having housing navigators available in our 

community means a reduction in shelter says, detox 

visits, police calls, and emergency room visits — and 

United Way is measuring the impact. • 

Watch Dewayne’s full story at: 

unitedwaycassclay.org 

What is Housing First? 

Housing First prioritizes providing permanent 

housing to people experiencing homelessness, 

thus ending their homelessness and serving as 

a platform from which they can pursue personal 

goals and improve their quality of life. This 

approach is guided by the belief that people need 

basic necessities like food and a place to live before 

they can be successful in getting a job, financial 

management, or attending to substance use issues. 

How is Housing First different 

from other approaches? 

Housing First does not require people experiencing 

homelessness to address all of their problems or 

to graduate through a series of programs before 

they can access housing. The Housing First 

approach views housing as the foundation for life 

improvement and enables access to permanent 

housing without prerequisites. Housing Navigators 

offer supportive services to help people with 

housing stability and individual well-being, so they 

can obtain and retain housing. 

Does Housing First Work? 

Housing First is cost efficient. When Housing 

Navigators provide access to housing, this results 

in cost savings for communities because housed 

people are less likely to use emergency services, 

hospitals, jails, and emergency shelter, than those 

who are homeless. In our local community, after 

housing navigators provided services to two 

individuals, after six months, they reported more 

than $37,000 in cost savings to our community 

because of decreased service utilization. 


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LOCAL HERO // HARWOOD FIRE AND RESCUE 

Local Heroes 

Volunteers at the Harwood Area Fire & Rescue Department 

WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR • PHOTOGRAPHY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA 

At its heart, volunteerism is a sign of 

selflessness. Time is precious and 

schedules are full. Time given can 

never be taken back. 

While there are many noble ways 

to give your time to causes, the 24 

volunteers at the Harwood Area 

Fire & Rescue Department take 

this responsibility of inconvenience 

and potential danger especially 

seriously. Lives depend upon it. 

The men and women who serve 

have families, full-time jobs, own 

businesses and are involved in their 

churches. Yet some of them spend, 

on average, 10 hours a week at the 

fire hall. When the calls come in, they 

may be in a work meeting, having 

supper with loved ones, or tucking 

their kids into bed. Whatever they 

are doing, wherever they are, and 

whatever the time, they come to the 

rescue. 

Willing and Able 

Brian Giere, a 10-year volunteer and 

an assistant fire chief, has worked 

at the 7UP Bottling Company as 

a distribution supervisor for over 

20 years. His wife Brenda and 

he also own Schmidt’s Jewelry 

in South Fargo and the seasonal 

Halloween Express store in Fargo. 

Before volunteering at the Harwood 

Area Fire & Rescue Department, 

he had no experience putting out 

fires and administering life-saving 

techniques. 

“I saw they had a call for volunteers 

and I was willing and able. I thought 

I was just going to show up and 

wash their trucks and stuff like that. 

Three years later, I was president 

of the board, and the year after that 

I became an assistant fire chief,” 


Giere said. “It was far more involved 

than I ever thought a small-town 

department would be.” 

Every Tuesday, these men and 

women, college kids and business 

owners, gather at the fire hall for 

training and meetings, but they have 

to be ready at all times. 

“We ask a lot from our volunteers,” 

Giere said. “It’s a big time 

commitment with not a lot of perks 

to it. You’re on call 365 days a year, 24 

hours a day, and we make memories 

you don’t really want to have. But 

we’re there to help people through 

some of the darkest times of their 

life. We’ve seen how people’s lives 

are changed at a moment’s notice, 

and if we can help them through 

that, that’s what we’re called to do.” 

Mike Svaleson, the owner of Turf 

Tamers in Fargo, has been a volunteer 

at the department for 8 years. Before 

his landscaping company took off, 

Svaleson had planned on going into 

law enforcement. Through his work 

at the fire and rescue, Svaleson has 

an outlet to serve the community in a 

tangible way. 

“The community gives me a lot, so 

I feel like it’s a way to give back and 

help out,” Svaleson said. 

Like Giere and Svaleson, every 

member of the department has their 

own unique background and skills. 

“The cool thing about our department 

is we’re 100 percent a team. There’s 

not a single one of us that could make 

it work. It takes all of us,” Svaleson 

said. “We have members that may not 

physically be able to enter a house 

fire, but we need people to drive our 

tanker and help with rehab to make 

“You’re on call 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, and we make memories you 

don’t really want to have. But we’re there to help people through some of the 

darkest times of their life.” — Brian Giere 



sure we’re okay. We have people help 

with traffic control and members 

who are more like moms to us who 

help out with dinners and make 

sure we have water on the scene. 

All of those roles are important. We 

just need people.” 

Goals Materializing 

Few realize the impact a volunteer 

fire and rescue can have on a 

community. On average, the 

department takes 120 calls a year, 

ranging from reported fires to 

medical emergencies. 

“Before I started I didn’t know 

what this department did,” Giere 

said. “I didn’t even know we had a 

department until I got into it and 

saw what kind of impact we make in 

our community.” 

The department, founded in 

1983, covers 23 miles of I-29 and 

even extends into 42 sq. miles 

of Minnesota, requiring them to 

meet standards and be certified in 

both North Dakota and Minnesota. 

These expectations of the fire hall 

and its membership come at a cost. 

As a fire and rescue department, 

funding is received from the City of 

Harwood, township contracts, and 

money from the county for emergency 

medical service (EMS), but that does 

not cover the daily expenses required 

to meet regulations. 

“We roughly triple those dollars every 

year based on donations, grants that 

we write and gaming,” Svaleson said. 

“People often assume that funding 

is taken care of, but if we relied on 

the money we’re given every year, we 

would never survive.” 


The survival and updates of the fire 

hall and its equipment have a very 

real effect on the residents of the 

Harwood area, and it extends beyond 

its safety. 

“We have a national ISO rating 

that we have to get to certify our 

fire department, and all their home 

insurance is based off of that rating,” 

Svaleson said. “If we’re not updating 

our trucks, fire hoses and gear 

and not keeping our members and 

training hours up, that rating goes 

down. Then their insurance rates go 

up.” 

To directly impact those rates and 

the safety and effectiveness of the 

department, an addition to the fire 

hall was necessary. Those plans 

began 20 years ago. This spring, the 

expansion will finally materialize 

after years of planning, saving and 

securing a loan, providing more room 

for training and for the fire trucks to 

safely maneuver. 

“We feel like it’s a really big 

accomplishment. We’re also adding 

a new-to-us truck from another 

department. This will double our 

gallons per minute that we can pump 

and the feet of hose we can carry,” 

Svaleson said. “We have a good 

rating and we hope to only make that 

better.” 

Other expenses of a fire and rescue 

department are seemingly endless, 

and following expiration dates on 

things as simple as gauze and as 

serious as EpiPens is imperative to 

stay certified. 

“All of our equipment has date 

stamps on it. Even tools have basic 

life expectancies,” Svaleson said. 

“One of our big pushes right now is 

the need for new turnout gear, and 

it’s extremely expensive. We have 

some fundraising events coming up 

to help. The building expansion is 

necessary, but it constricts our budget 

to get some of our other necessary 

tools that we have to constantly be 

upgrading.” 

Heroes Among Heroes 

The traumatic situations these 

volunteers regularly face create 

experiences that can only be shared 

with those present, and the need to 

“We’ve seen how people’s lives are changed at a moment’s notice, and if we can help them 

through that, that’s what we’re called to do.” — Brian Giere 



Greater love has no one than 

this: to lay down one’s life for 

one’s friends. — John 15:13 

debrief is a regular part of the team’s 

weekly meetings. 

“We’ve all seen the same things, and 

we help each other through that. 

We’re there for each other. I know 

that if I needed anything, they are the 

ones who would get the job done. I’ve 

seen them do it,” Giere said. “We train 

really hard, but it’s never enough. We 

always encounter things that aren’t 

expected.” 

One of their most trying missions 

happened in 2012 when they had 

to extricate an individual from an 

armored vehicle. 

“You can’t train for that. It’s only been 

done a handful of times in all of history 

and we were able to accomplish that,” 

Giere said. “It wasn’t easy, but we 

got it done. These are the types of 

challenges we overcome on a regular 

basis.” 

With each call, their bond grows 

stronger. They have become each 

other’s heroes. 

“I respond next to quite a few (heroes) 

every day,” Giere said. “They’re willing 

to drop everything at a moment’s 

notice to help. I’m proud to serve next 

to them.” 

Building on a Legacy 

For each of the 24 members of 

the Harwood Area Fire & Rescue 

Department, living “the good life” is 

comprised of serving others selflessly, 

gratefulness for the life they’ve been 

given, and finding balance amidst the 

chaos of their duties. 

“‘The good life’ is having balance and 

appreciation for what you have; to be 

happy with the situation you’re in. I 

have a great family and great people 

I’m surrounded by, and I’m very happy 

in my life,” Giere said. “I think our 

“We’re compensated by thanks.” — Mike Svaleson

department has given me a chance to give back to 

show how much I appreciate that.” 

No matter how hectic their days get and how long 

the emergencies take — be it an hour or 18 — 

support from their loved ones cannot be overlooked. 

“When our pager goes off at 3 in the morning, it 

wakes other people up, as well,” Svaleson said. 

“There have been times where you leave them at 

a restaurant and you’re not sure how long you’ll be. 

It’s a stressful thing on the families, not just us, and 

they definitely deserve thanks.” 

With each sacrifice they make, these heroes are 

building on a legacy of service and love for others. 

“Our forefathers had a good foundation and we’re 

just trying to build upon that and leave it a little 

better than how we found it,” Svaleson said. “We’re 

compensated by thanks.” 

The Harwood Area Fire & Rescue Department 

is always looking for more volunteers and 

donations. Visit their Facebook page (facebook. 

com/HarwoodFireRescue) for more information on 

upcoming events and ways to volunteer. Their next 

event will be held April 28, 2018. •

The Good Life – March-April 2018

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