The Good Life – July-August 2024
On the cover – Motorcycle enthusiast, Dave Currier goes on the ride of a lifetime! Also in this issue, Local hero and Fargo Assistant Chief of Police, Travis Stefonowicz. Dad Life – Keeping your kids active and healthy this summer. Stand-up comedian Marlin Wells, Camping, Martial Arts and more!
On the cover – Motorcycle enthusiast, Dave Currier goes on the ride of a lifetime! Also in this issue, Local hero and Fargo Assistant Chief of Police, Travis Stefonowicz. Dad Life – Keeping your kids active and healthy this summer. Stand-up comedian Marlin Wells, Camping, Martial Arts and more!
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DAD LIFE<br />
WRITTEN BY: PAUL HANKEL<br />
GETTING OUT THERE<br />
Keeping Your Kids Active and Healthy This Summer<br />
As the summer sun approaches<br />
and school days give way to lazy<br />
afternoons, many parents find<br />
themselves facing the age-old<br />
question: How do we keep our<br />
children active and engaged during<br />
the long days of summer break?<br />
With the temptations of screens,<br />
“lazy days,” and video games everpresent,<br />
it can be challenging to<br />
ensure that our kids are getting the<br />
exercise they need. Here is my list of<br />
suggestions for how to ensure your<br />
kids remain active this summer.<br />
Visit the Parks<br />
Encourage your children to embrace<br />
the great outdoors by planning fun<br />
activities such as hiking, biking,<br />
camping, or swimming at any of<br />
the many local and regional parks.<br />
Minnesota and North Dakota are<br />
home to a combined 78 state parks,<br />
2 | THE GOOD LIFE<br />
that feature any and all forms of<br />
summer recreation.<br />
Locally, Fargo is home to over 150<br />
parks and over 100 miles of trails<br />
and paths for residents to enjoy.<br />
Moorhead has 48 parks and many<br />
trails and walking paths.<br />
Community and Recreational<br />
Centers<br />
<strong>The</strong>re is rarely a weekend that goes<br />
by that my son and I don’t head over<br />
to the Rustad Center in West Fargo.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se sporting complexes are<br />
great venues that host a multitude<br />
of sporting activities, open to the<br />
public.<br />
Fargo is close to completing Phase<br />
1 of their new multipurpose Fargo<br />
Parks Sports Center, located in<br />
south Fargo. Once completed, the<br />
new facility will span more than<br />
390,000 square feet and host:<br />
- Full-size turf field<br />
- Walking track<br />
- Basketball courts<br />
- Ice rinks<br />
- Pickleball courts<br />
- An indoor playground<br />
- Community meeting spaces<br />
Sports Camps and Recreation<br />
Enrolling your kids in summer<br />
sports programs or camps is a great<br />
way to ensure they stay active and<br />
is also a way to make new friends.<br />
Whether it's soccer, swimming,<br />
tennis, or martial arts, there are<br />
plenty of options and local sports<br />
programs to choose from. To see a<br />
list of available sports and outdoor<br />
programs, check with your local<br />
Park Board for a list of options.
Make Fitness a Family Affair<br />
Make staying active as a family a priority by planning<br />
activities that everyone can enjoy together. Take family<br />
bike rides, go for nature walks, or have a friendly game<br />
of tag in the backyard. Not only will this promote physical<br />
activity, but it will also strengthen family bonds and create<br />
lasting memories.<br />
Limit or Involve Screen Time in Outdoor Activities<br />
While some screen time is inevitable, especially during the<br />
summer months, it's important to set limits and encourage<br />
other forms of entertainment. I suggest creating a schedule<br />
that includes designated screen-free times for outdoor<br />
play, reading, or chores.<br />
In many cases, technology and screens can be incorporated<br />
into summertime activities. Online sports and activity<br />
training, listening to music or podcasts while outdoors, or<br />
even watching a movie on a blow-up screen in the backyard<br />
are great ways to incorporate tech into your outdoor<br />
activities with your kids.<br />
Lead by Example<br />
Children learn by example, so make sure to lead an active<br />
lifestyle yourself. It is important to show your kids that<br />
staying active is not only important but also enjoyable.<br />
When they see you being active and enjoying nature, they<br />
will want to join you. You have the opportunity to instill a<br />
lifelong commitment to an active and healthy lifestyle in<br />
your children and a love for outdoor adventure by falling in<br />
love with an active lifestyle yourself.<br />
Try a New Sport or Activity<br />
Summer is a great time to teach your children to step<br />
outside of their comfort zone and to try new things. In<br />
today’s youth sports landscape, more and more student<br />
athletes are choosing to specialize in and only play one<br />
sport, due to the time commitment needed to compete<br />
at the high school level. Most coaches, myself included,<br />
would disagree with this notion, however. It is important<br />
for children to explore other sports that utilize and train all<br />
parts of their growing bodies. Also, many of the skills and<br />
movements used to play the most popular sports translate<br />
extremely well to other less-play sports such as tennis,<br />
racquetball, and frisbee golf.<br />
Secondly, having your children try a new sport will teach<br />
them perseverance and resilience in the face of adversity<br />
(learning a new sport).<br />
A healthy lifestyle isn’t just about working out or being<br />
outdoors. It also encompasses eating healthy, getting<br />
enough sleep, and yours and your child’s mental health.<br />
By incorporating these tips into your summer routine, you<br />
can help ensure that your children stay active, engaged,<br />
and healthy throughout the summer months. So, embrace<br />
the sunshine, get to know the summer activity options in<br />
your area, and get out there! •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 3
JULY-AUGUST <strong>2024</strong><br />
VOLUME 12 | ISSUE 1<br />
02<br />
DAD LIFE<br />
GETTING OUT THERE<br />
Keeping Your Kids Active and<br />
Healthy This Summer<br />
06<br />
CAMPING<br />
Going Big or Small<br />
10<br />
HEADQUARTERS FITNESS & MARTIAL ARTS<br />
Something for Everyone<br />
14<br />
CHRIS ARGENZIANO<br />
One Man’s Journey Through Music<br />
18<br />
ON THE COVER<br />
DAVE CURRIER<br />
<strong>The</strong> Ride of A <strong>Life</strong>time<br />
24<br />
HAVING A BEER WITH<br />
MARLIN WELLS<br />
Fargo Stand-up Comedian<br />
28<br />
HOMEWARD ANIMAL SHELTER<br />
Dreaming of <strong>The</strong>ir Forever Homes<br />
30<br />
LOCAL HERO<br />
TRAVIS STEFONOWICZ<br />
Fargo Assistant Chief of Police<br />
COVER IMAGE<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY BY: DARREN LOSEE<br />
DESIGN BY: DAWN SIEWERT<br />
4 | THE GOOD LIFE
PUBLISHED BY<br />
Urban Toad Media LLP<br />
www.urbantoadmedia.com<br />
OWNER / GRAPHIC DESIGNER<br />
Dawn Siewert<br />
dawn@urbantoadmedia.com<br />
OWNER / PHOTOGRAPHER<br />
Darren Losee<br />
darren@urbantoadmedia.com<br />
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS<br />
Paul Hankel<br />
Ben Hanson<br />
Jeffrey Miller<br />
Krissy Ness<br />
Danielle Teigen<br />
Emma Vatnsdal<br />
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES<br />
Darren Losee<br />
darren@urbantoadmedia.com<br />
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong> Men’s Magazine is distributed six<br />
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urbantoadmedia.com | 5
CAMPING<br />
GOING BIG OR SMALL<br />
WRITTEN BY: JEFFREY MILLER<br />
Tent camping is a great way to<br />
experience a Midwestern summer.<br />
Falling asleep with a soft night<br />
wind blowing and coyotes howling,<br />
frogs croaking and a myriad of<br />
insects making a symphony of<br />
sound is something that can’t<br />
be found indoors. No matter<br />
6 | THE GOOD LIFE<br />
the budget or skill set, there is a<br />
camping experience for everyone.<br />
Where to Go?<br />
Places to camp abound in and<br />
near the Fargo/Moorhead area.<br />
Lindenwood Park, in the heart<br />
of Fargo on the Red River, offers<br />
a place for an urban camper to<br />
enjoy nature while also being<br />
close to home. A little further<br />
away, Buffalo River State Park<br />
is a picturesque location west of<br />
Hawley, Minnesota. <strong>The</strong> Buffalo<br />
River burbles through the park<br />
and hiking trails abound through
PHOTO BY: JEFFREY MILLER<br />
Tent camping is a great way to experience<br />
a Midwestern summer.<br />
both riparian forest and tallgrass<br />
prairie. On the North Dakota side,<br />
Brewer Lake is located near the<br />
town of Erie. Situated in a forested<br />
area near the small impoundment<br />
of Brewer Lake, the campground is<br />
located in one of the most beautiful<br />
areas of Cass County. Further<br />
south, both Sheyenne Oaks<br />
Campground and Jorgen’s Hollow<br />
Campground offer campsites near<br />
the Sheyenne National Grasslands<br />
of southeastern North Dakota.<br />
For the more adventurous camper,<br />
both the National Grasslands and<br />
State Forests in North Dakota<br />
and Minnesota offer dispersed<br />
camping. Dispersed camping has<br />
no amenities, just a place to get<br />
away from the hustle and bustle of<br />
the city and enjoy peace and quiet.<br />
What Do You Need?<br />
It’s easy to try to pack the entire<br />
house on a camping trip, but<br />
try to refrain from including the<br />
kitchen sink. <strong>The</strong> most important<br />
part of camping is, of course, the<br />
tent. Tents can range from a tiny<br />
bivy tent, just big enough for one<br />
person to sleep to a canvas wall<br />
tent big enough for a group of<br />
people and a stove. For camping<br />
in our area, especially with more<br />
than one person, a 6-to-8-person<br />
tent is perfect. Tent sizes are<br />
a bit misleading, as a 4-person<br />
tent, while it can certainly fit four<br />
people jammed in like sardines,<br />
is better suited for 2 people. Our<br />
family of 5 sleeps comfortably in<br />
an 8-person tent, with ample room<br />
for everyone.<br />
Tents come with a rain fly, but<br />
I’ve spent too many nights feeling<br />
raindrops bouncing off of my<br />
head to trust the nylon rain fly. A<br />
simple and efficient solution is a<br />
lightweight nylon tarp. Stretched<br />
over the tent, it provides a piece of<br />
mind that a torrential summer rain<br />
won’t flood the tent.<br />
One summer during my teenage<br />
years my dad, brother and I spent<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 7
Locations with a river or lake are great places to wet a<br />
line, and simple fishing gear with bait appropriate to the<br />
fish targeted takes up little room in the kit and<br />
can provide a fresh meal for supper.<br />
a few days on a lake in Ontario,<br />
Canada. Camping on an island<br />
in the middle of a large lake, we<br />
caught walleyes and northern pike<br />
during the day. One night there<br />
was a rain of biblical proportions,<br />
and even though dad had to get<br />
up every few hours to push the<br />
pooling rain off the tarp, we never<br />
got wet.<br />
I’ve come to use my hub-style<br />
hunting blind more and more for<br />
spartan camping purposes. Last<br />
fall, on a pronghorn antelope hunt<br />
in central Wyoming, I decided to<br />
forgo a large tent and instead just<br />
pop up my hunting blind each night.<br />
It had just enough room for my<br />
8 | THE GOOD LIFE<br />
cot and some clothes, was sturdy<br />
enough to withstand the wind, and<br />
could be set up and taken done in<br />
mere minutes. I slept like a baby<br />
every night.<br />
In colder weather, hub style<br />
insulated ice fishing huts offer<br />
more warmth.<br />
Folding camping chairs make<br />
sitting around the campfire more<br />
comfortable and a propane lantern<br />
helps shed a light on the campsite.<br />
Gear<br />
When I was younger I thought<br />
nothing of using my sleeping bag<br />
on the ground when camping, but<br />
as I’ve gotten older the comfort<br />
of a cot ensures I don’t wake up<br />
in the morning with a stiff, sore<br />
back. Cots help get a person off<br />
the ground, helping to keep the<br />
camper warm as well as providing<br />
a softer sleeping surface.<br />
A few years ago, I bit the bullet<br />
and purchased a quality sleeping<br />
bag, and it made all the difference<br />
in the world. Wrapped in mummy<br />
style sleeping bag, in the soft<br />
cradle of a cot, I find I can sleep<br />
comfortably in temperatures down<br />
into the 20’s. On warmer nights, I<br />
simply unzip the bag to let the cool<br />
air in.
Camping offers an inexpensive way for us<br />
to enjoy the natural world around us.<br />
When camping with my family,<br />
we usually bring an air mattress.<br />
Using a converter plugged into<br />
the pickup’s input socket in the<br />
dash, I can fill the mattress up<br />
easily and give the kids a soft<br />
sleeping surface. <strong>The</strong> last thing I<br />
want is cranky, irritable kids in the<br />
morning.<br />
A good night’s sleep is built upon<br />
a good meal, and a small propane<br />
camp stove ensures hot, delicious<br />
food. <strong>The</strong> old standby green<br />
Coleman style stove heats up<br />
quickly, cooks evenly and is small<br />
enough to stash in the vehicle for<br />
the trip. When camping solo, I<br />
can easily live on canned ravioli,<br />
beef stew and other staples of the<br />
canned goods aisle. When the kids<br />
and Heather are along, however,<br />
I need to step up the game. Hot<br />
dogs, hamburgers and bratwurst<br />
are easily cooked in a saucepan on<br />
the stove and provide hot, delicious<br />
meals. A small cooler ensures the<br />
cold food stays cold.<br />
What to Do<br />
Depending on the campsite’s<br />
location, there are a variety of<br />
activities to do during the day.<br />
Hiking trails are a good place<br />
to experience the landscape,<br />
and insect repellent, water and<br />
snacks keep the kids happy and<br />
attentive. Locations with a river<br />
or lake are great places to wet<br />
a line, and simple fishing gear<br />
with bait appropriate to the fish<br />
targeted takes up little room in<br />
the kit and can provide a fresh<br />
meal for supper. In Wyoming, I<br />
camped near a river one evening<br />
and caught enough trout for a fish<br />
dinner. Fresh from the cold water,<br />
it was absolutely delicious.<br />
Enjoying the World<br />
Around Us<br />
Camping offers an inexpensive<br />
way for us to enjoy the natural<br />
world around us. It’s easy to<br />
become complacent when living<br />
in our houses, with heat and air<br />
conditioning and all the comforts<br />
of home. Sleeping in a tent,<br />
surrounded by the natural world,<br />
not only affords us recreation but<br />
a sense of place as well, reminding<br />
us how small humans are in our<br />
vast world. •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 9
WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
HEADQUARTERS FITNESS & MARTIAL ARTS<br />
Something For Everyone<br />
Joining a gym can be intimidating. Often, you find<br />
yourself stuck between someone whose arms are<br />
bigger than your waist and someone trying to film<br />
their workout for “likes” when all you want is to get<br />
healthy and maybe fit into those jeans you loved<br />
from last year.<br />
A gym should give you a sense of community and<br />
a positive outlook on your fitness goals, and that’s<br />
exactly what you will find at Headquarters Fitness<br />
and Martial Arts. This hidden gem is located just<br />
outside of Fargo, in Horace, ND, and is waiting to<br />
help you meet your goals.<br />
Now for the catch: This isn’t your ordinary gym. Its<br />
focus is martial arts, kickboxing, and total gym.<br />
For 18 years, Jason Natal, owner and operator,<br />
has studied martial arts from wrestling to MMA,<br />
kickboxing, and Jujitsu. Natal holds a black belt in<br />
Jujitsu, but you won't find him flaunting it around<br />
his gym; as I'll explain later, his gym is about<br />
community, not hierarchy.<br />
“People often think that martial arts are just filled<br />
with violence and physical strain, but it’s much<br />
more than that. In general, martial arts or combat<br />
10 | THE GOOD LIFE
“Martial arts or combat sports build more<br />
secure individuals and can offer a place to<br />
grow better people. It works you mentally,<br />
physically, and, as cheesy as it sounds,<br />
spiritually.” – Jason Natal<br />
sports build more secure individuals and can offer a<br />
place to grow better people. It works you mentally,<br />
physically, and, as cheesy as it sounds, spiritually,”<br />
explained Natal.<br />
Natal has been training people for over nine years. “We<br />
can match your goals however needed. We have a space<br />
for fitness, so we can work on strength conditioning,<br />
sports-related training, and rehab-focused activities<br />
to build someone back up so they can train and move<br />
around,” said Natal.<br />
Natal explains that he is creating a space for everyone,<br />
whether that means marital arts, a total fitness gym,<br />
chiropractic work, etc. While not all of these can<br />
be found at the gym today, the future is bright for<br />
Headquarters.<br />
When speaking to Natal, I noticed the sense of<br />
community his gym offers. You can find any person<br />
at his gym, and you are all equal when you're in the<br />
building, and that is a significant draw for some people,<br />
me included.<br />
“I think people just gravitate to who you are because<br />
it relates to them as well … I mean, I could be doing<br />
anything else with my time,” said Natal. “If you can offer<br />
a space where a bunch of like-minded people can come<br />
in and enjoy what they do, it’s a sense of community,<br />
and I don’t think you can force it.”<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 11
This is exactly the type of energy to look for in a<br />
gym: people who are dedicated to the craft because<br />
it appeals to them. With so many commercial<br />
gyms popping up, it is easy to get sucked into the<br />
promotion they are offering, but what you won't find<br />
is a caring and dedicated group of people working<br />
with you toward your goals.<br />
“One thing we try to eliminate is that hierarchy<br />
system; when we are on the mat, there is no uniform<br />
nor belting system,” explained Natal. “So, nobody<br />
knows who's who, and you train with everybody<br />
[regardless of ranking].”<br />
“Tradition is great, but when we train here, it's for a<br />
purpose,” said Natal.<br />
<strong>The</strong> purpose may be different for everyone. Like I<br />
said before, you may want to get back into shape,<br />
or maybe you’re a fighter who needs training or just<br />
wants to learn martial arts. <strong>The</strong> possibilities are<br />
endless.<br />
People from Moorhead, Fargo, West Fargo, and<br />
Canada visit Headquarters to achieve their fitness<br />
goals.<br />
Another attribute of this company is the kid-focused<br />
classes on Saturdays.<br />
“It's such a great development tool for kids, to be<br />
honest,” explained Natal. “This is exactly what<br />
drove me in a positive direction. I wasn’t sure<br />
what I wanted to do. Martial arts gave me different<br />
possibilities that I never thought I would have<br />
without it. It’s been such a great direction for me<br />
and has given me everything in my life today —<br />
relationships, my job, just my life in general.”<br />
As kids, my sisters and I took many years of martial<br />
arts, specifically Karate, and to this day, I find uses<br />
for it. Whether that be how to fall correctly without<br />
hurting yourself or, of course, self-defense. It's like<br />
learning to ride a bike; you never forget how to do<br />
it, but practice makes perfect.<br />
So here it is — this is your sign to get out there and<br />
learn something new, whether that’s martial arts or<br />
just getting into a fitness routine.<br />
Finally, as we do, I asked Natal what the good life<br />
means to him.<br />
12 | THE GOOD LIFE
“<strong>The</strong> good life to me is being in a room full of<br />
individuals who have different goals or the same and<br />
being supported throughout the process, being truly<br />
cheered on and cared about without anything given<br />
back in return,” said Natal. “Success doesn’t have to be<br />
for them; it’s just having the ability to be around people<br />
who want success and growth for you. Being able to<br />
do what you love every single day, choosing your own<br />
struggle, and working towards progress and growth.” •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 13
WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
14 | THE GOOD LIFE
One Man’s Journey<br />
Through Music<br />
Local music instructor and professional<br />
musician Chris Argenziano has played guitar<br />
for roughly 26 years. He first got his hands on<br />
a guitar at 14, after his brother had borrowed a<br />
guitar from their grandma and taught himself<br />
to play using Metallica tabs and simple cord<br />
books.<br />
After some time, he found that he enjoyed<br />
playing and did what most other musicians do<br />
– he started collecting guitars.<br />
“I currently have 15 guitars, four of which are<br />
the main ones I play, and a lot of them sit in a<br />
closet that need to be listed or donated,” Chris<br />
laughed.<br />
Like many other musicians, Chris started<br />
playing with his buddies, which is how his first<br />
band, Head Shop, was formed. <strong>The</strong>y continued<br />
to play and, as always, went through a series of<br />
name changes before they landed on Soul Patch<br />
Adams. This was roughly around the time I met<br />
Chris, and being under 21 at the time, I never<br />
had the opportunity to hear them play live, as<br />
they were exclusively playing at bars during this<br />
time. <strong>The</strong>y played the Elks Lodge and the old JT<br />
Cigarros on 45th Street in Fargo.<br />
“<strong>The</strong> focus then was actually like writing our<br />
tunes too, which was a lot of fun, and it was<br />
interesting because I started out playing a ton<br />
of metal,” explained Chris. “I still love metal,<br />
but then I heard the album Dave Matthews and<br />
Tim Reynolds Live at Luther College, and I was<br />
like, holy ****!”<br />
To this day, Tim Reynolds has inspired Chris,<br />
and he often receives feedback from listeners<br />
that his style reflects that of Tim Reynolds,<br />
which is a big compliment.<br />
“As you predicted, the band broke up before you<br />
ever got to come and see us,” joked Chris.<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 15
After playing for some time together, Soul Patch Adams<br />
inevitably broke up, launching Chris back into college. It<br />
would be eight years between the first time he attended<br />
college at UND, where he received a “PhD in partying,”<br />
and the time he received his master’s degree in classical<br />
guitar from NDSU.<br />
“My first meeting with the classical guitar instructor<br />
at NDSU, I did not like him,” laughed Chris. “<strong>The</strong> first<br />
thing he did was like, here, read this music, and I barely<br />
read music on guitar. I played trumpet and knew how to<br />
read music there, so I struggled through these pieces.”<br />
He then dropped a bomb on Chris, he would only teach<br />
classical guitar, no other method, and since Chris<br />
didn’t own a classical guitar or know how to play one,<br />
he had a long hard look in the mirror and, out of spite<br />
said, “screw that guy, I’m going to learn to play classical<br />
guitar, and I'm going to get good at it,” laughed Chris.<br />
He did just that.<br />
I have enjoyed hearing Chris play in many settings, from<br />
late-night bar shows to jazzy brunches around town.<br />
Although modest, Chris is a fantastic guitar player.<br />
“I still consider myself a student; you're never done;<br />
you're always learning, especially with classical and<br />
jazz; it’s so vast,” exclaimed Chris. “When learning<br />
new classical music, or any music, you should sing<br />
the melody first because emulating the human voice is<br />
what we try to do; there is nothing as expressive.”<br />
While attending college, Chris continued to play<br />
around town. He started in a band he created with local<br />
musician Ciro De La Garza, <strong>The</strong> Ciro and Toph Show,<br />
where they played together for ten years. Eventually, he<br />
found himself in the Gina Powers Band, playing original<br />
and cover music.<br />
At this time, he also met fellow musician Eric<br />
Martens, and they bonded over a shared love of the<br />
guitar. <strong>The</strong>y play in a duo called Twelve Strings<br />
and book private gigs together.<br />
After many years of college and playing late-night<br />
gigs, Chris finally moved out of the late-night gigs<br />
and turned it into a working career.<br />
Currently, you can find him playing with his jazz Duo,<br />
Twelve Strings, booking many private gigs such as<br />
the Fargo Country Club and weddings, and teaching<br />
students from his home and at two different colleges,<br />
Valley City and the University of Jamestown.<br />
16 | THE GOOD LIFE
It has been a pleasure watching my<br />
friend Chris grow in his profession<br />
from student to teacher and beef up<br />
his musical repertoire.<br />
I took this opportunity to ask Chris<br />
how he prepares for a gig.<br />
“As far as unfamiliar terrain, I mean,<br />
you learn as you go,” exclaimed Chris.<br />
“I basically have my survival kit of<br />
things that I might need at any given<br />
gig.”<br />
“I remember we had one gig where<br />
Eric's amp didn't work, and like, I've<br />
got a tackle box filled with pretty much<br />
every adapter, and we had changed all<br />
the adapters, and he's like, that's the<br />
first time I've ever seen anyone like<br />
have all the adapters we need to chain<br />
this together to get two inputs into one<br />
amp,” reminisced Chris.<br />
As we wrapped up Chris’s fantastic<br />
journey from bar musician to<br />
professional classical/jazz guitarist, I<br />
asked what the good life meant to him.<br />
“Being able to pursue the music that I<br />
like obviously and still having the time<br />
to do all the other things I want to do,<br />
not just make it work, is what the good<br />
life means to me.” •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 17
ON THE COVER | DAVE CURRIER<br />
Inspired by his dad, Dave Currier won<br />
the 2021 Cannonball motorcycle race riding a<br />
restored 1911 bike<br />
WRITTEN BY: DANIELLE TEIGEN<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
<strong>The</strong> numbers are mind boggling: a 3,389-mile motorcycle<br />
race across 12 states completed in 16 consecutive days.<br />
What’s even more mind boggling is that Dave Currier won<br />
it in 2021 riding a restored motorcycle that was more<br />
than 100 years old.<br />
You read that right.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Motorcycle Cannonball is the most difficult antique<br />
endurance run, and Dave won the entire race while riding<br />
a century old machine he had painstakingly restored and<br />
upgraded to endure such a grueling ride.<br />
Dave has always been a motorcycle guy. His dad, Dick,<br />
owned the Indian Motorcycle dealership in Fargo in<br />
the ‘40s and ‘50s and eventually a Harley-Davidson<br />
dealership, and Dave was right there, soaking up all that<br />
knowledge and passion. He was riding a motorcycle at<br />
just seven years old.<br />
Dave parlayed his drive and ambition into entrepreneurship:<br />
he started Dakota Fence Company in 1972 in Fargo<br />
as a senior in high school and has built it into a successful<br />
multi-generational business with offices in six cities. Now<br />
that he’s retired and his business rests in the hands of his<br />
three capable children, Dave has cultivated his passion for<br />
motorcycles into a full-fledged hobby.<br />
Okay, maybe it’s more than a hobby.<br />
It’s a lifestyle.<br />
One where Dave researches and reads about antique<br />
motorcycles, networks with other motorcycle aficionados,<br />
and scours flea markets and estate sales for rare machine<br />
parts all in the name of bringing an old motorcycle back<br />
to life.<br />
18 | THE GOOD LIFE
urbantoadmedia.com | 19
ON THE COVER | DAVE CURRIER<br />
Even though the race celebrates the old, it’s actually<br />
relatively new. Founder Lonnie Isam, Jr., dreamed up the<br />
idea of cruising on scenic American roads on an antique<br />
motorcycle in 2009 and the first race happened a year<br />
after that with fewer than 50 riders. He named his race<br />
after Edwin “Cannonball” Baker, a motorcycling pioneer<br />
who set countless cross-country records. Baker famously<br />
rode an Indian motorcycle from San Diego to New York<br />
in 11 days, a Cadillac roadster from Los Angeles to New<br />
York in 7 days and a Rickenbacker car from Canada to<br />
Mexico, according to the Crown Hill Foundation. When<br />
he retired, Baker had ridden more than 5 million miles<br />
with 126 coast-to-coast trips.<br />
Baker’s “Cannonball” nickname came from a New York<br />
journalist who compared him to the Cannonball Express<br />
train following a record-setting transcontinental run in<br />
1914, and the nickname stuck. Baker died in 1960 and<br />
was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.<br />
Since the first Cannonball in 2010, six more races have<br />
been held every couple of years with a different crosscountry<br />
course each time with 100 riders. Dave learned<br />
about the race in 2012 and eventually started meeting<br />
many of the riders.<br />
He first competed in 2018 riding a restored 1915 Harley-<br />
Davidson twin cylinder. It was grueling.<br />
“I was up at 5 a.m. and ate breakfast, then I had to get<br />
my map of the course and by 7:30 we started,” Dave<br />
explained. “<strong>The</strong>y start with the oldest, slowest class, so I<br />
was in class 3 with a twin cylinder. <strong>The</strong> average speed was<br />
45 miles per hour a day, and we only stopped for gas and<br />
mandatory lunch … you badge out at the end of the day for<br />
your miles completed, then eat supper, check your bike<br />
and go to bed. It’s pretty intense and then you do it all over<br />
again the next day.”<br />
Winning the Cannonball comes down to miles completed,<br />
the age of the motorcycle and the age of the rider.<br />
In 2018, Dave completed all the miles and finished 13th<br />
overall riding a 1915 Harley twin.<br />
“I knew if I wanted to win I had to ride an older bike,”<br />
Dave said.<br />
An avid motorcycle collector, Dave already had a 1911<br />
Harley-Davidson in his collection, so after the 2018 race<br />
he started to assess what it would take to build a race<br />
20 | THE GOOD LIFE
motorcycle out of what is essentially a bike with a motor on it,<br />
he said.<br />
“It’s the toughest motorcycle to do the Cannonball with,”<br />
Dave explained. “<strong>The</strong> bike would have to do what it was never<br />
designed to do.”<br />
He and his team of two specialized mechanics – John Rouland<br />
and Tim Ekstrom – spent two years upgrading, experimenting,<br />
fixing, adjusting. Dave even took the bike up to Thief River Falls<br />
for testing and slept on a cot next to his bike while he was there.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re are two types of people who compete in the Cannonball:<br />
those who just want to experience it and those who want to win<br />
it,” Dave explained with a smile. “I’m very competitive … when I<br />
set my mind on something, I do it. I’m in it to win it!”<br />
Dave poses with his restored 1911 motorcycle in<br />
South Padre after winning the Cannonball race.<br />
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: DAVE CURRIER<br />
Part of building the bike to be race-worthy involved also making<br />
sure Dave would have backups ready in the event that something<br />
malfunctioned while on the road. He explained that once a racer<br />
hits the road, no one can touch the bike except the racer.<br />
“My biggest fear was a flat tire because time is a racer’s best<br />
asset; a flat tire would take up so much time on the road,” Dave<br />
said.<br />
If a racer has a major breakdown along the course, the bike is<br />
taken to the truck and trailer of shame, Dave shared. “You lose<br />
the miles for that day but you can start again the next day,” he<br />
said. “That’s why just finishing is a feat itself.”<br />
No matter how many people a racer knows on the ride, “once<br />
the flag drops, you’re on your own to run your own race,” Dave<br />
explained.<br />
Long rides on long days mean racers have to take care of<br />
themselves, so Dave was disciplined about getting a good night's<br />
sleep, staying hydrated and managing any unexpected elements<br />
he encountered on the ride.<br />
During the 2021 race, Dave didn’t have any rain gear along so he<br />
simply had to endure torrential rain. He didn’t have room on the<br />
bike for anything more than what he absolutely needed.<br />
But no matter what challenges happened along the way, Dave<br />
said the scenery was worth it. “We rode 11,000-feet high over<br />
Monarch Pass (in Colorado) and across the Hoover Dam,” he<br />
said. “It’s an opportunity to ride a motorcycle in places you’ve<br />
never been before.”<br />
Dave Currier’s two specialized mechanics John<br />
Rouland and Tim Ekstrom have become like<br />
brothers to him throughout their time preparing<br />
for and participating in the Cannonball race.<br />
In 2021, Dave rode his 1911 motorcycle from Sault Sainte<br />
Marie, Michigan to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina before<br />
finishing in South Padre Island, Texas. Along the way, Dave<br />
knew he was competing well – he was clocking all the miles, and<br />
had no major breakdowns or mechanical setbacks. On the last<br />
Dave Currier holds up the Open Road trophy he<br />
received for winning the Cannonball race.<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 21
ON THE COVER | DAVE CURRIER<br />
day, Dave said race director Jason Sims<br />
rode up alongside him and indicated that<br />
he should follow the police escort for the<br />
last nine miles.<br />
What an experience.<br />
“You are the parade – there are people<br />
everywhere,” Dave remembered. “Those<br />
last 115 miles I was pretty balled up<br />
because I knew this was it.”<br />
As he approached the finish line, Dave<br />
saw that his three adult children had<br />
surprised him by flying down to Texas to<br />
greet their dad at the end of the race.<br />
“It was quite a finish,” he said.<br />
Thinking back on his win, Dave is quick to<br />
point out how many people played a role<br />
in his accomplishment. His mechanics<br />
– they’re like brothers, he said – were<br />
with him for every step of preparing the<br />
bike and then actually being on the route<br />
with him. His sponsors – Dakota Fence<br />
Company, Acme Tools, and Milwaukee<br />
Tool – made his bike building possible.<br />
His wife Kay is extremely supportive of<br />
his passion after 48 years of marriage,<br />
and knowing the company he started and<br />
is now retired from is in the hands of his<br />
kids is a great comfort to him.<br />
Riding a nearly 4,000-mile motorcycle<br />
race as a 70-year-old and starting a<br />
company as a high school senior are<br />
surprisingly similar, Dave said. “You start<br />
with nothing, but you get out of it what<br />
you put into it,” he explained. “Your effort<br />
is what pays dividends.”<br />
Dakota Fence Company has been a family<br />
business even before his kids started<br />
working there. Shortly after he started<br />
the company in 1972, Dave’s father Dick<br />
came to work with him. Once Dave’s own<br />
kids were graduating from college, he<br />
told all of them the same thing.<br />
“I said they should go out and get a job<br />
and call me if you ever want to come back<br />
and work for me,” he said. “<strong>The</strong>y needed<br />
to have a taste of the world before coming<br />
back to Dakota Fence.”<br />
22 | THE GOOD LIFE
Sure enough, sons Joe and John and daughter Amy<br />
all returned to Fargo, one by one.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>y’re all aggressive like me and ventured off<br />
into what they liked to do,” he said.<br />
And how about his dad, the man who started it all?<br />
Dick Currier died in 2020, so he didn’t get to see<br />
his son claim the Cannonball victory. But he was<br />
right there for every mile – his smiling face stares<br />
out from the side of the 1911 motorcycle Dave won<br />
the race riding.<br />
“He was on that ride with me,” Dave shared, tearing<br />
up. “When you’re on a long race like that, you have<br />
a lot of time to think. And I thought about my dad<br />
a lot.”<br />
So will Dave race another Cannonball? He’s<br />
not sure yet. He’s waiting to see where the next<br />
route will go as well as the minimum age of the<br />
motorcycle.<br />
“I just love antique motorcycles and the Cannonball,”<br />
Dave said.<br />
Even if he doesn’t compete in another future<br />
Cannonball, Dave will still attend motorcycle shows<br />
with his restored antique bikes so other people<br />
can enjoy them. He’ll still be out in his Cannonball<br />
shop – his back garage in Fargo dedicated solely<br />
to restoring antique bikes. His shop also serves as<br />
a Cannonball showroom, with the walls covered<br />
in photos and souvenirs from his races, with his<br />
cherished Cannonball trophy displayed proudly.<br />
Show attendees love seeing the solid brass “Open<br />
Road” trophy and talking with Dave about his win.<br />
“That trophy is a pretty big deal to me,” he said<br />
with a smile.<br />
What does the good<br />
life mean to Dave?<br />
“Enjoying the benefits<br />
of life to the fullest!<br />
I’m blessed with good<br />
health, family and<br />
friends and love every<br />
day God gives us!” •<br />
PHOTO SUBMITTED BY:<br />
DAVE CURRIER<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 23
HAVING A BEER WITH | MARLIN WELLS<br />
John Mulaney has his suit and tie. Bert Kreischer has<br />
his belly. Carrot Top … well, carrot top. A signature look<br />
— rooted in upbringing, alcoholism or unfortunate<br />
genetics — can define a stand-up comic as much as<br />
their material.<br />
For Marlin Wells, it took the isolation of a global<br />
pandemic to birth his personal style.<br />
“We all came out of Covid a little strange,” Wells said<br />
with a knowing grin. “It just kinda happened one day.<br />
I had an old shirt and I figured what the hell, I like<br />
to keep people guessing. Sleeveless flannel, tattoos<br />
and a laid back Mohawk … What even is this guy? I<br />
like surprising people with a rougher exterior only for<br />
them to find I’m the sweetest silly boy.”<br />
Wearing a sleeveless flannel shirt with hair to match,<br />
the local Fargo comic stood out more than usual<br />
amidst the post-Fargo Marathon crowd that steadily<br />
spilled into Drekker’s Brewhalla with participation<br />
medals around their necks. He with his Watermelon<br />
Mint Sloosh and I with my full-bodied root beer (I had<br />
a drive ahead of me), nobody mistook us for runners.<br />
Fancying myself a humorist, I<br />
was excited to meet Wells and<br />
learn more about his craft. So, we<br />
settled into one of the few remaining<br />
tables and dove right in to explore his<br />
life as a Midwestern comic.<br />
So how was the Fargo marathon?<br />
<strong>The</strong>y didn’t have a bib big enough for me. I<br />
tried safety pins, but it just looked like a name<br />
tag. I can’t imagine liking to run. What a thing to<br />
like. Me? I like ice cream.<br />
What’s the “Marlin Wells the comic” origin story?<br />
I didn’t know what stand-up was until I saw it on<br />
Comedy Central. I ran to my mom and said “It’s like a<br />
movie, but he's just talking, but it’s not like the news.”<br />
… just a ten-year-old trying to explain what standup<br />
was to an adult. I never once connected that it’s<br />
a thing that just anyone can do, until I was working<br />
in radio and made a friend named JD Provorse, a<br />
comedian himself, who badgered me for like two<br />
years to give it a try. <strong>The</strong> Red Raven was my first set<br />
in 2014.<br />
24 | THE GOOD LIFE
WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 25
HAVING A BEER WITH | MARLIN WELLS<br />
<strong>The</strong> good life<br />
looks like …<br />
never having<br />
to do something<br />
you don’t<br />
want to do.<br />
Who do you want to give your<br />
eulogy?<br />
It would be a tough heat between<br />
a handful of friends, who are all<br />
very good public speakers. What<br />
I’d be most excited about is all<br />
my different compartmentalized<br />
friend groups to come together<br />
and shake hands and be like<br />
“really he was friends with that<br />
person, too?”<br />
What’s the best/worst heckling<br />
you’ve encountered and was it<br />
warranted?<br />
Heckling is never warranted,<br />
and Midwesterners are not big<br />
hecklers. <strong>The</strong>y will sit with their<br />
hands folded not laughing, but<br />
no one is going to shout. Most of<br />
the time it’s someone who’s just<br />
drunk and talking loudly. But once<br />
in Velva there were only like eight<br />
people at this show in a bar the<br />
size of an airplane hanger. He was<br />
hammered drunk, and I was in<br />
mid-sentence doing a joke when<br />
he asked what my bandana was<br />
26 | THE GOOD LIFE<br />
for. I felt like a librarian reading to<br />
children.<br />
How long does it take you to<br />
organize and memorize a full<br />
show?<br />
From writing a note on my phone<br />
to me thinking it's ready for the<br />
stage … it's fairly quick. I’ll take<br />
stuff to the stage long before it's<br />
ready. I think everyone does. My<br />
45-minute set has some twoyear-old<br />
stuff in it.<br />
When you eventually get<br />
canceled, what will it be for?<br />
Canceling is not a real thing, you<br />
just gain a different audience.<br />
You made a terrible joke about<br />
something and now a certain<br />
audience doesn’t want to go<br />
to your shows anymore. For<br />
example: I don’t love that we’ve<br />
all just culturally decided you<br />
can take your dog everywhere.<br />
I don’t remember voting-in that<br />
policy. Your dog will be fine at<br />
home.<br />
What’s your backup career?<br />
I don’t have one. I have nothing but<br />
soft skills. I dropped out of college<br />
with half of a mass comm degree,<br />
but I guess I’d probably try to go<br />
back to radio. I loved my time in<br />
radio. Why not try and be the last<br />
gnat on that dinosaur’s back?<br />
How long do you think you’d last<br />
as a court jester?<br />
I’d like to think I’d be OK. I’d have<br />
to crank up the physicality, but I<br />
could do it. As always, it depends<br />
on the audience. Does the king<br />
have a sense of humor? But on<br />
the other hand, I’m not very good<br />
at crowd work. I’m not much of a<br />
roaster … not good at being mean.<br />
But I think I could make it to the<br />
ripe old age of 31, when everyone<br />
else died back then.<br />
Who are your comedy heroes?<br />
Sinbad for sure. His jokes are just<br />
assaulting, one after another like<br />
a machine gun. Robin Williams is<br />
the same way. I like a few of the
thinkers like George Carlin and<br />
Bill Hicks. I’m jealous of Mitch<br />
Hedberg; I wish I could write<br />
good short jokes like him. I think<br />
Nikki Glaser is amazing. Kyle<br />
Kinane is amazing … he’s been<br />
a favorite of mine since his first<br />
album.<br />
Tell me about the first time you<br />
felt you had totally won over an<br />
audience.<br />
I don’t have a specific moment,<br />
but it happens often. I’ve<br />
had audiences staring at me<br />
confused as to what I’m even<br />
doing, like waiting for me to sing.<br />
Those shows are fun like pulling<br />
teeth. Some shows are just a<br />
can’t win, lost cause.<br />
How long does it take to know<br />
if the audience is on your side?<br />
Usually within five minutes you<br />
know. My usual set has things I<br />
open with that are for everybody,<br />
then I get more specific and<br />
might lose you — I call them dip<br />
a toe jokes. But then I go back to<br />
stuff for everyone. Sometimes<br />
you can tell before you even get<br />
on stage … oh, they will not care<br />
for me.<br />
What are your comedic goals?<br />
I would do this for free, but if I<br />
got to a place where I take home<br />
like $30K a year but all I do is tell<br />
jokes, perfect. My next big goal is<br />
to perform only in places where<br />
comedy happens, like comedy<br />
clubs. I don’t need a Netflix<br />
special, but if I could just perform<br />
in comedy clubs and not on the<br />
other side of the pool table at the<br />
back of the bar, that’d be perfect.<br />
What does the <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong> mean<br />
to you?<br />
<strong>The</strong> good life looks like … never<br />
having to do something you don’t<br />
want to do. Whether that's a job<br />
you don’t want to go to or people<br />
you don’t want to see. <strong>The</strong> good<br />
life means not having to work a<br />
job you hate, but still being able<br />
to afford to hire someone to<br />
clean so you don’t have to. A life<br />
free of worry and obligation. •<br />
urbantoadmedia.com | 27
Dreaming of <strong>The</strong>ir<br />
Forever Homes<br />
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: HOMEWARD ANIMAL SHELTER<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are just a few of the many faces in our care that are<br />
patiently waiting for their forever families to find them. We<br />
know there’s a match out there for all of them. And for all<br />
the rest of their friends at the shelter and in foster homes<br />
that aren’t pictured here on these pages. Maybe one has<br />
been waiting all this time to rescue YOU ... Adopt a shelter<br />
pet today!<br />
At Homeward Animal Shelter, our mission is: “Rescue.<br />
Shelter. Protect. Rehome.” We provide a second chance<br />
at happiness to lost, abandoned, and owner-surrendered<br />
animals; and educate the community on the proper, loving,<br />
and kind treatment of animals.<br />
Homeward Animal Shelter is committed to preventing<br />
animal overpopulation and spays/neuters all animals<br />
6 months or older before adoption. Since its inception in<br />
1966, Homeward Animal Shelter has placed nearly 41,000<br />
animals in lifelong homes. •<br />
For information on adopting, volunteering or to make a<br />
donation, visit: homewardonline.org<br />
Winnebago Kit Kat Oats<br />
Female | 4 yrs old | Hound Mix Female | 9 yrs old | Torbie DSH Male | 3 ½ yrs old | Pit Bull Terrier Mix<br />
Hi there! <strong>The</strong> name is Winnebago,<br />
and boy oh boy, have I done a lot of<br />
moving around! It's time for me to find<br />
my forever home and settle down. In<br />
my first home, I spent a lot of time in a<br />
kennel and didn't get a lot of attention.<br />
It wasn't very fun, but thankfully, I'm<br />
not there anymore. Unfortunately, I<br />
missed out on what it meant to be a<br />
dog when I was younger, so meeting<br />
new dogs can be scary for me. I'm still<br />
learning how to integrate into a home,<br />
now that I won't need to live in a kennel<br />
all the time, and I'm hoping someone<br />
will be patient and help me do that. All<br />
in all, I’m just an affectionate, playful<br />
gal looking for someone to love me …<br />
think that could be you? Come meet<br />
me and see!<br />
28 | THE GOOD LIFE<br />
Hi there, I’m Kit Kat! As you may have<br />
guessed, I am very sweet. I live up to<br />
the name of the sugary confection I<br />
was named after. I love to mosey about<br />
my surroundings and keep an eye out<br />
for birds; it's a passion of mine. People<br />
often tell me I have a melodious and<br />
deep voice when I decide to speak. I'm<br />
just a laid-back, affectionate senior<br />
lady looking for a family to love. My<br />
ideal home would have plenty of<br />
great windows so I can continue my<br />
birdwatching adventures. Do you<br />
think I might be the one for you?<br />
Hi there, I’m Oats! My happiness<br />
knows no bounds, especially when<br />
I’m playing fetch! I’m a playful soul<br />
who loves both playtime and leisurely<br />
strolls.<br />
I’m not just about fun and games,<br />
though; I’m a smart cookie who knows<br />
commands like heel, sit, and down,<br />
with “free” being my absolute favorite<br />
during walks. Remarkably, I never<br />
show interest in chewing on anything<br />
other than my toys or bones, making<br />
me a model housemate.<br />
I’m also a champion cuddler. Whether<br />
it’s on the couch or by your side,<br />
I love being close to my human<br />
companions. With my sweet nature<br />
and affectionate demeanor, I’m sure<br />
to melt hearts wherever I go. Think I<br />
could be the one for you?
Barry<br />
Male | 4 ½ yrs old | Gray Tabby DSH<br />
Hi, I'm Barry, a delightful gray tabby<br />
with a strong broad chest and soft<br />
velvety feet who enjoys petting and<br />
head rubs. I love to play, although<br />
sometimes, lately, I get carried away<br />
to the point where I must ask myself,<br />
"Am I a cat or am I a squirrel? But I think<br />
that's because I've been cooped up in<br />
this kennel for so long. If you would<br />
like to add a little action adventure to<br />
your daily routine (in addition to my<br />
loving adoration, of course...), I may<br />
just be the boy for you!<br />
Peppermint patty<br />
Female | 1 ½ yrs old<br />
Pit Bull Terrier Mix<br />
Hey, I'm Peppermint Patty, a oneyear-old<br />
brindle and white beauty<br />
filled with boundless energy and an<br />
unmatched zest for life! I might be a<br />
bit slow to warm up to new faces, but<br />
once you've earned my trust, consider<br />
yourself part of my inner circle.<br />
Playtime is my favorite - squeaky<br />
toys, dog friends, and snacks are the<br />
things I enjoy most. I'm on the lookout<br />
for an active forever family who can<br />
keep up with my energetic nature and<br />
adventurous spirit. If you're ready for<br />
a bubbly, loving, and fun companion,<br />
I'm your girl! I promise we'll have a<br />
blast together embarking on epic<br />
adventures and living life to the fullest.<br />
I can't wait to meet you!<br />
Luffy<br />
Male | 2 yrs old | Tuxedo DSH<br />
Hi there, I'm Luffy, a gorgeous, regal<br />
tuxedo cat who is dreaming of quiet<br />
companionship and a peaceful home<br />
of my own. I'm a gentle boy with a<br />
sweet demeanor who would do best<br />
in a household without a huge amount<br />
of ruckus. I hope to find a human who<br />
will understand that I need a little time<br />
to settle in, and who won't mind me<br />
making myself at home on their lap<br />
while they read a book or watch a<br />
movie.<br />
If you are yearning for a companion<br />
who will adore you with their whole<br />
heart, I might just be the guy for you.<br />
Please come and meet me today!<br />
Cove<br />
Female | 5 ½ yrs old<br />
Torbie & White DSH<br />
Hi there, I'm Cove, I'm a sweet girl<br />
with some trust issues. As you can<br />
imagine, being surrounded by other<br />
animals and lots of new people makes<br />
it hard for me to relax. However, once<br />
I get to know you, there isn't a nicer<br />
girl than me! I am a bit starved for<br />
affection and I will pace around and<br />
watch you carefully to see if you want<br />
a friend. If you are not in the mood, I<br />
will find a cozy spot to be on my own.<br />
But if you give me a sign (like talking<br />
to me encouragingly or patting your<br />
lap) I'll cozy right on up to you for<br />
some petting and love. I hope you will<br />
take a chance on me so that we can<br />
grow together!<br />
BONDED PAIR<br />
Prosecco &<br />
Champagne<br />
PROSCECCO | Male | 2 yrs old<br />
CHAMPAGNE | Female | 2 yrs old<br />
Black and White DSH<br />
We bring out the best in each other and<br />
will bring endless joy, laughter, and<br />
companionship to your home. Adopt<br />
us, and let’s create heartwarming<br />
memories together!<br />
Wallace<br />
Male | 1 yr old | Pit Bull Terrier Mix<br />
Hello, I'm Wallace, or you can call me<br />
Wally, I'm not picky when it comes<br />
to my name or affection. I'm a big<br />
love bug that's ready to have fun! I'm<br />
"short for a Pitbull" some might say,<br />
but my love for life and playing is not.<br />
I'm a boy who loves living large! I’m<br />
outgoing and goofy, and as playful as<br />
they come! I can’t wait to live my best<br />
life full of love and exciting adventures<br />
with my perfect family. I sure hope you<br />
come find me soon… I’ll be right here<br />
waiting for you.<br />
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LOCAL HERO | TRAVIS STEFONOWICZ<br />
FARGO ASSISTANT CHIEF OF POLICE<br />
WRITTEN BY: EMMA VATNSDAL<br />
PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA<br />
Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what<br />
we get, but we make a life by what we give. <strong>The</strong> true<br />
guide of life is to do what is right, even if it is not always<br />
easy, and to seek always to help others in their time of<br />
need."<br />
With more than two decades in law enforcement under<br />
his belt, Travis Stefonowicz has experienced a lot. And<br />
it was the helpers who inspired him to become one<br />
himself.<br />
“Growing up in a small town, I witnessed a tight-knit<br />
community of hardworking individuals who always<br />
came together,” said Stefonowicz. “One of the people<br />
I really looked up to was a standout wrestler. He was<br />
an amazing person and an amazing athlete, but he was<br />
in a car accident where he ended up losing his legs.<br />
And the community just kind of rallied around him and<br />
the other families involved, showing them incredible<br />
support. I was pretty young, but it left an impression<br />
on me.”<br />
But the road to where he’s at now wasn’t paved with a<br />
blue stripe. <strong>The</strong> obstacles he’s overcome propelled him<br />
from dispatcher to Assistant Chief of Police for Fargo,<br />
N.D.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Early Days<br />
“When I first started school, I wanted to be a nurse<br />
or an occupational therapist,” said Stefonowicz. “But<br />
as a young person, studying and doing (the medical)<br />
stuff really wasn’t in my trajectory at that time. I wasn’t<br />
interested or passionate about (nursing). But I saw that<br />
there was this need for good people to help people, so<br />
30 | THE GOOD LIFE
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LOCAL HERO | TRAVIS STEFONOWICZ<br />
that kind of opened my eyes a little bit and I decided<br />
(nursing and occupational therapy) wasn’t going to be<br />
my path.”<br />
Stefonowicz then shifted his focus to the business<br />
world, pursuing a business major in accounting.<br />
“I immediately recognized that I didn’t like desk work,”<br />
he said, chuckling.<br />
While at school for business, Stefonowicz worked in<br />
loss prevention at JCPenney.<br />
“I started picking up on when money and other things<br />
went missing,” he said. “My boss at the time said ‘have<br />
you ever considered a career in law enforcement?<br />
You’re good at this part.’ And when officers came to<br />
deal with cases (at JCPenney) they’d bring it up too.”<br />
When officers would ask him if he had considered<br />
pursuing law enforcement, Stefonowicz said he<br />
couldn’t help but feel frustrated.<br />
“I was always frustrated, because when they would<br />
(ask if he’d ever consider law enforcement) I would<br />
ask them questions like ‘Who do I contact? How do I<br />
even start the process?’ and (the officers working the<br />
loss prevention cases) said they didn’t even know the<br />
number for HR or who we were supposed to contact.<br />
I also worked at a bar at the time so I would see (the<br />
officers) there too. <strong>The</strong>y’d remember me and we’d have<br />
these conversations all the time, but it was always the<br />
same answer, ‘I don’t know the number’ or ‘I don’t even<br />
remember the test we took or how you could study.’ So<br />
I was really really frustrated.”<br />
But it was that frustration that opened the door and<br />
set his path for the future.<br />
Opening the Door<br />
At that time, the Fargo police department tested every<br />
two years.<br />
“I took the first test, and I could tell you exactly<br />
what I scored,” said Stefonowicz. “And I could tell<br />
you the name of the person who scored one less<br />
than me. He was chosen and I wasn’t, for another<br />
reason, but ultimately it ended up being just a little<br />
bit of serendipity. Because I walked across the street<br />
to the Police Department and asked what jobs there<br />
were that either people weren’t huge fans of or that I<br />
could sign up for and start right away. That application<br />
process and rejection was the driving force to show<br />
32 | THE GOOD LIFE
them they had made a poor choice and I was on a<br />
mission to prove it.”<br />
He started working the overnight shift as a<br />
dispatcher and realized immediately that he was<br />
on the wrong side of the radio.<br />
“From that point on, whenever anyone asked for<br />
something I would go out of my way for them,”<br />
he said. “I’m not very talkative or outgoing, I’m<br />
actually pretty reserved, but any time there was<br />
an officer in the room I’d ask them how they got to<br />
where they were, where they had went to school,<br />
and ultimately what can I do to prepare.”<br />
He befriended one of the younger officers, who<br />
clued him into where he could purchase study<br />
exams for the police hiring tests. He spent the<br />
next few months studying for the exams when he<br />
had downtime during his shifts as a dispatcher.<br />
But the Fargo Police Department only administers<br />
the test every two years. So Stefonowicz set his<br />
sights west; he applied and was hired in Aurora,<br />
Colorado, where his father was living.<br />
“It worked out well,” he said. “I got to spend<br />
some time there, learned a lot on the big city<br />
side of things and got to see a professionally-run<br />
academy.”<br />
He returned to Fargo and was told he needed<br />
to attend the academy again, giving him the<br />
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LOCAL HERO | TRAVIS STEFONOWICZ<br />
PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: TRAVIS STEFONOWICZ<br />
opportunity to see two different styles of instruction.<br />
Once again, he found himself surrounded by two types<br />
of people: some who felt they were meant to be there<br />
and others who were a bit less passionate.<br />
Stefonowicz knew what side he wanted to work with.<br />
“That set my tone,” Stefonowicz said. “From that<br />
point on, recruiting and teaching was my sole purpose<br />
in life. It was helping other good people get into law<br />
enforcement.”<br />
Clearing the Way<br />
Whether it’s late nights and weekends helping prepare<br />
new recruits for interviews, or helping sort out<br />
resumes, once Stefonowicz found his purpose there<br />
was nothing that could stop him.<br />
“I find a lot of satisfaction and purpose in (helping<br />
recruits),” he said. “And it’s been a really cool<br />
experience. As I helped some people get into the<br />
field — whether that was through getting hired or the<br />
academy — I get to see them green as green can be<br />
on their first day. <strong>The</strong>y don’t know much of anything<br />
and they’re not real sure of themselves, but then they<br />
start to grow their confidence and things start to work<br />
in their favor and it’s fantastic. <strong>The</strong> work doesn’t get<br />
easier, they just get better.”<br />
Throughout his time with the Fargo Police<br />
Department, Stefonowicz has held various teaching<br />
positions, including firearms instructor, defensive<br />
tactics instructor, active shooter instructor and police<br />
training officer. He also served on the Red River<br />
Regional SWAT team for nine years as an operator,<br />
basic training instructor and team leader.<br />
“You get these people when they’re<br />
coming in and they’re so excited,<br />
they’re like a sponge and you get to<br />
help set the course for them.”<br />
– Travis Stefonowicz<br />
“You get these people when they’re coming in and<br />
they’re so excited, they’re like a sponge and you get to<br />
help set the course for them,” Stefonowicz said. “I’ve<br />
found a lot of satisfaction in that.”<br />
34 | THE GOOD LIFE
Living the <strong>Good</strong> <strong>Life</strong><br />
While Stefonowicz excels in the “classroom,” his<br />
life extends far beyond that.<br />
“Family time is extremely important,” he said.<br />
“Friday nights in the fall, getting to watch my son<br />
play football … That’s precious time. My other two<br />
kids are involved in theater, so getting to see them<br />
at plays is super cool. <strong>The</strong>y’re so brave. I’d rather<br />
have somebody shoot at me than stand up there on<br />
stage and do what they do. It’s just amazing.”<br />
He has had to master balancing his responsibilities<br />
in uniform with his personal life at home, but it’s<br />
the support from his family that makes it all worth<br />
it.<br />
“My career path has certainly been interesting,<br />
and it’s been a fun ride for sure,” said Stefonowicz.<br />
“I never thought I’d find myself behind the desk,<br />
but the path that’s brought me from one end to the<br />
other is what I’ve got.<br />
It’s the little things that happen along the way that<br />
shape who you are, and you try to share those<br />
experiences with everybody else. I guess my sense<br />
of purpose is sharing those experiences so others<br />
don’t have to make the mistakes I made, they can<br />
learn from mine and be better from the get-go.”<br />
But through all the experiences, his sense of the<br />
good life is simple: happy, healthy and wealthy.<br />
“Wealthy can mean financial wealth, but also<br />
spiritual, emotional and physical wealth,” he<br />
said. “And for each person that’s going to look a<br />
little different. To some it’s a place, to others it’s<br />
a person. So I can be happy, healthy and wealthy<br />
in my relationship with my wife and kids. It's not<br />
necessarily a place for me, it’s a purpose. Happy,<br />
healthy and wealthy, for me, is a purpose driven by<br />
family.” •<br />
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