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>>> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "PRAIRIE PULSE."
JOINING US TODAY IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT MEDORA FOUNDATION
RANDY HATZENBUHLER.
THANKS FOR BEING HERE >> THANK YOU.
>> TELL US WHERE YOU'RE FROM, YOUR BACKGROUND.
>> I'M FROM NORTH DAKOTA, BORN IN MANDAN AND DIDN'T VENTURE VERY FAR.
I WORKED AS A PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT FOR SEVERAL YEARS BEFORE GOING TO WORK IN MED ORA.
THIS IS MY 24th YEAR IN MEDORA.
YOU INTRODUCED ME AS PRESIDENT, I'VE LONG PREFERRED CHIEF
POPCORN SELLER BECAUSE I DO A LOT OF THAT IN MEDORA.
>> THAT'S A FUN PART.
>> IT IS A GOOD JOB.
>> YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR AWHILE, BUT HOW DID COME UP TO END AS
THE PRESIDENT OR CHIEF POPCORN SELLER?
>> I DID WORK AS A C.P.A. AND THE FOUNDATION WAS A NEW ENTITY
THE FOUNDATION IS ABOUT 27 YEARS OLD.
I HAD MADE A DECISION I WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING ELSE.
I HAD SOME NICE JOB OFFERS, BUT I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO OPEN A
DAYCARE CENTER IS WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT DOING.
AT THE LAST MINUTE, SOMEONE FROM THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT MEDORA WAS IN OUR OFFICES.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET MY BOSS ROD JAYDEN.
IT WAS THE POOREST JOB OFFER THAT I HAD BEEN GIVEN BUT I REALLY LIKED THE MAN.
HAD THE HONOR OF WORKING WITH ROD FOR NINE YEARS BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY.
I WAS THE FINANCIAL OFFICER FOR THE FOUNDATION.
BUT THAT JUST KIND OF MEANT IT WORE A LOT OF HATS, GOT INVOLVED IN OPERATIONS.
WHEN ROD PASSED AWAY, I WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE
HIS POSITION AND HAVE BEEN DOING THAT FOR THE LAST 16, 17 YEARS NOW.
>> FOR FOLKS OUT THERE WHO MAY NOT REALLY UNDERSTAND, WHAT EXACTLY IS THE THEODORE
ROOSEVELT MEDORA FOUNDATION?
>> GREAT QUESTION.
YOU KNOW, AROUND NORTH DAKOTA PEOPLE ARE VERY FAMILIAR WITH
METORA AND THEY'RE BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE MEDORA FOUNDATION.
AS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, WE'RE STILL A BABY AT 27 YEARS OLD.
THE FOUNDATION WAS CREATED BY
HAROLD SHAEFFER IN 1986.
AS HE WAS SELLING HIS COMPANY, THE GOLD SEAL COMPANY, HIS PASSION HAD BECOME MEDORA.
HE WAS VERY AWARE THAT THE BUYER OF HIS PRODUCTS COMPANY, GOLD
SEAL COMPANY, PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE INTEREST IN MED ORA, NORTH DAKOTA.
HE WAS CONCERNED WHAT HAD BEEN DEVELOPED IN THE PREVIOUS 25 AWAY.
SO HE SO HE BENEFITED ALL THE ASSETS -- GIFTED ALL THE ASSETS
OUR PURPOSE IS TO SHOWCASE MEDORA AND HOST PEOPLE NOT JUST
FROM NORTH DAKOTA BUT AROUND THE WORLD AND THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN
DOING THE LAST 27 YEARS.
>> LET'S COME BACK TO THE FOUNDATION A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.
LET'S TALK, AGAIN, FOLKS WHO DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHEN AND HOW
LONG WAS THEODORE ROOSEVELT IN THE BAND LANDS.
>> HE WAS IN THE BADLANDS FOR PARTS OF FOUR YEARS.
BUFFALO.
PRETTY WELL-KNOWN, IT'S INTERESTING HOW MUCH TIME DID HE SPEND.
IT WASN'T FOUR CONSECUTIVE YEARS.
HE CAME ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT OCCASIONS AND DID SPEND SIGNIFICANT BLOCKS OF TIME.
BUT EARLIER SOMEONE WAS VISITING AND ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT, YOU
KNOW, WHAT ROLE DID THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S BEING IN MEDORA AND
IN THE BADLANDS HAVE ON HIS LIFE?
I KIND OF REALLY APPRECIATED CLAY JENKINSON'S RESEARCH ON THIS.
BECAUSE THEODORE ROOSEVELT WAS A MAN OF GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS,
BUT HE WAS ALSO A POLITICIAN.
SO I THINK EVERY FOURTH GRADER IN NORTH DAKOTA KNOWS THAT HE
SAID HE WOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PRESIDENT HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR
HIS TIME IN NORTH DAKOTA OR DAKOTA.
NOW, HE PROBABLY SAID THINGS LIKE THAT IN LOTS OF PLACES, BUT
THIS IS THE INTERESTING THING.
WHEN HE WAS NOT POLITICKING, WHEN HE WAS IN THE PRIVATE
COMPANY OF ONE U.S. SENATOR, I THINK IT WAS SENATOR HALL FROM
NEW MEXICO, IN THE WHITE HOUSE, NOBODY IS AROUND, HE'S NOT
WINNING VOTES ANYWHERE, I'LL PARAPHRASE THIS BECAUSE I MAY NOT GET IT EXACTLY RIGHT.
BUT WHAT HE SAID TO SENATOR HALL WHEN THEY WERE HAVING A
CONVERSATION, DO YOU KNOW WHAT MEMORY I WOULD CHOOSE TO KEEP IF
THE ALTERNATIVE WAS FORCED UPON ME TO HAVE ALL THE EXPERIENCES
OF MY LIFE ERASED FROM MY MEMORY?
I WOULD CHOOSE ONE.
IT WOULD BE MY TIME ON THE RANCH IN DAKOTA.
NOW, THAT'S A POWERFUL STATEMENT.
THAT'S NOT A POLITICIAN SPEAKING.
SO CLEARLY, CLEARLY THE TIME THAT HE SPENT OUT HERE WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
AND IF YOU THINK OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES, AT LEAST TWO OF THEM.
ONE WAS A GREAT ADVENTURE.
WE HAVE A PROPERTY IN MEDORA, CALL IT THE HIDE HOME, ONE OF
THE ORIGINAL BUILDINGS AND YOU CAN RENT IT AS A GUEST.
THERE'S A MAP FROM THE 1880s ON THE DESK THAT THE GUESTS CAN SIT AT.
AND YOU LOOK AT THIS MAP, AND IT'S DEVELOPED, IT'S DEVELOPED, IT'S DEVELOPED.
THEN THERE'S JUST A BIG WHITE SPACE ON THE MAP.
IT'S THE BADLANDS OF NORTH DAKOTA BECAUSE NOTHING HAD BEEN THERE YET.
I'M SURE THAT'S WHY ROOSEVELT CHOSE.
HE WANTED TO GO TO THE UNCHARTED PART OF THE COUNTRY: BUT THE
OTHER OCCASION WAS IF YOU RECOGNIZE THAT HIS WIFE AND HIS
MOTHER DIED ON THE SAME DAY, VALENTINE'S DAY, 1884.
AND HE HANDED HIS NEWBORN BABY OFF TO HIS SISTER.
HE CAME SHORTLY THEREAFTER TO THE BADLANDS.
YOU KNOW, CLEARLY IT WAS A TIME OF HEALING.
HE COULD HAVE ENDED UP BEING A NON-ENTITY IF HE HAD NOT REBUILT HIMSELF AND HEALED.
SO THE TIME IN DAKOTA WAS REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> IT SEEMS IT WAS.
CAN YOU TELL THE FOLKS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PAPERS AND ARTIFACTS THAT YOU HAVE?
>> WE HAVE A SIGNIFICANT COLLECTION OF BOTH NATIVE AMERICAN AND THEODORE ROOSEVELT
I THINK IT WAS IN 1995, A MAN NAMED JIM WILKINSON WHO WAS
ORIGINALLY FROM NORTH DAKOTA AND THEN ENDED UP BEING IN HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA WAS A
COLLECTOR OF ROOSEVELT BOOKS AND NORTH DAKOTA BOOKS.
AND IN THE NEWLY REMODELED AND RESTORED AND EXPANDED ROUGH
RIDERS HOTEL IS A WONDERFUL LIBRARY.
AND THERE ARE BOOKS THAT ARE, THE ONLY WAY THEY'RE IN THE
LIBRARY IS THEY'RE EITHER BOOKS BY ROOSEVELT, ABOUT ROOSEVELT OR
ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA OR BY NORTH DAKOTA.
AT THE TIME THAT IT WAS GIFTED, TWEED ROOSEVELT, GREAT GRANDSON
OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT ACTUALLY WAS ON OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT
THE TIME WAS QUOTED AS SAYING, BEHIND HARVARD UNIVERSITY, THIS
WAS THE SECOND LARGEST COLLECTION OF ROOSEVELT BOOKS.
SO IT'S A VERY NICE COLLECTION, AND IT WILL COMPLEMENT NICELY
THE GREAT WORK THAT DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY IS DOING IN
ARCHIVING A LOT OF THINGS ON ROOSEVELT.
>> AND THAT LEADS RIGHT INTO THE NEXT QUESTION.
I UNDERSTAND DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY IS WORKING ON A
DIGITAL LIBRARY AND THEY HAVE A CENTER THERE.
YOU HAVE SOME RELATIONSHIP IT SOUNDS LIKE WITH THEM.
>> WE DO.
YOU KNOW, WE'VE HAD A GREAT BOARD OF DIRECTORS AT THE MEDORA FOUNDATION.
ONE OF OUR PAST BOARD MEMBERS WAS FIRST LADY OF DICKINSON
STATE UNIVERSITY, DEANNA VICARS I WOULD GUESS IT WAS EIGHT OR
NINE YEARS AGO, OUR HISTORIC COMMITTEE FROM THE MEDORA
FOUNDATION INVITED STAKEHOLDERS LIKE DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY
AND THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK, NORTH DAKOTA COWBOY HALL OF FAME AND WE
STARTED WORKING ON THINGS.
WHAT HAPPENED IS WHAT EXACTLY SHOULD.
A UNIVERSITY TOOK THE BALL AND RAN WITH THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT CENTER IDEA.
CLAY GEN KINSON HAS REALLY BEEN THE DRIVING -- CLAY JENKINSON
HAS REALLY BEEN THE DRIVING FORCE FOR THAT.
THEY'RE ARCHIVING ALL THE BOOKS OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT.
I THINK THERE WERE OVER A MILLION PAGES OF ROOSEVELT
RELATED MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN DIGITIZED FROM THE LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS AND I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE AGREEMENTS WITH HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
THEIR GOAL IS TO HAVE ALL OF THEM, AND THAT THIS DIGITAL PORTAL WILL BE HOUSED AT
DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY.
I THINK RECENTLY THE LEGISLATURE APPROPRIATED SOME MONEY TO HELP
ADVANCE THOSE KINDS OF THINGS.
>> THAT'S GOT TO BE A HUGE UNDERTAKING.
>> IT IS, AND IT'S GREAT FOR MEDORA.
WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA HAS RICH ROOSEVELT HISTORY.
TO CONNECT PLACES LIKE DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY, ONLY A HALF
HOUR FROM THE NATIONAL PARK, THERE WILL BE ACADEMIC SCHOLARS AND EVEN JUST FOLKS OF
CURIOSITY, INTERESTS, TOURISTS WHO I THINK WILL ENJOY BOTH OF THOSE ACTIVITIES.
>> RANDY, LET'S CIRCLE BACK AROUND.
YOU MENTIONED YOU HAVE A GOVERNING BOARD.
OBVIOUSLY A LOT OF ORGANIZATIONS LIKE YOURS PROBABLY DO.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT THAT.
YOU HAVE SCHOLARS, HISTORIANS AND PEOPLE THAT JUST LOVE
NORTH DAKOTA PROBABLY ON YOUR BOARD.
>> I'M OBVIOUSLY BIASED.
I THINK I'VE GOT THE BEST BOARD IN THE STATE, AND THAT GOES FROM DAY ONE.
WHEN HAROLD SHAEFFER CREATED THE FOUNDATION, IT'S A SIZABLE BOARD.
IT RANGES FROM 17 TO 23 PERSONS OVER ITS HISTORY.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO KNOW THEIR NORTH DAKOTA HISTORY KNEW THAT HAROLD SHAEFFER WAS A
CONSERVATIVE BUSINESSPERSON AND VERY ACTIVE IN REPUBLICAN
POLITICS, BUT HE WAS VERY, VERY INTENTIONAL IN CREATING A
FOUNDATION THAT WAS BALANCED.
WE'VE HAD PAST DEMOCRATIC GOVERNS SERVE ON OUR BOARD --
DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS SERVE ON OUR BOARD.
A VAST ENTITY.
WE HAVE PEOPLE, ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGARDED HISTORIANS IN
THE COUNTRY, DOUG BRINKLEY, WHO WAS A BEST-SELLING AUTHOR ON OUR BOARD.
WE HAVE GOOD BUSINESS LEADERS.
WE HAVE PEOPLE COMMITTED TO MEDORA.
FOR WHATEVER REASON, AND I THINK IF YOU ASK LOTS OF PEOPLE, IT'S
A COMMON THING, THAT AS YOUR DRIVING ACROSS THE STATE OF
NORTH DAKOTA, ACROSS BEAUTIFUL PRAIRIES, BUT WHEN YOU HIT THE
CANYON AND THE BADLANDS, IT'S SO SUDDEN AND SO DRAMATIC, YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH IT.
FOR SOME REASON, THE PEOPLE OF NORTH DAKOTA KIND OF ADOPT
MEDORA AS THEIR LITTLE TOWN.
SO WE HAVE PEOPLE FROM ALL ACROSS THE STATE -- HISTORIANS,
PEOPLE WHO HAVE PASSION FOR ROOSEVELT, PASSION FOR THE
BADLANDS, PASSION FOR THE MEDORA MUSICAL.
WE'VE EVEN HAD BOARD MEMBERS COME BECAUSE THEY WERE PASSIONATE ABOUT GOLF AND HELPED
US BUILD A GREAT GOLF COURSE.
>> WE'LL GET INTO THAT A LITTLE BIT LATER ON.
SO HOW IS THE FOUNDATION FUNDED NOW CURRENTLY?
AND TELL US ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED.
>> OKAY.
CURRENTLY OUR CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD IS ED SHAEFFER, FORMER GOVERNOR ED SHAEFFER.
PROBABLY FOR THE FIRST, I'D SAY, TEN YEARS OF THE FOUNDATION, 15
YEARS OF THE FOUNDATION'S EXISTENCE, ED WAS INVOLVED WITH
PRIVATE BUSINESS AND GOVERNMENT AND SUCH.
ONLY IN THE LAST TEN OR 12 YEARS DID HE COME TO THE BOARD.
WE'VE HAD FOLKS LIKE FRANK LARSON FROM VALLEY CITY ABOUT OUR CHAIR.
THE MAYOR OF DICKINSON, DENNIS JOHNSON.
THAT 23-PERSON BOARD IS A VOLUNTEER BOARD, NON-COMPENSATED.
THEY SET THE GOVERNANCE FOR THE FOUNDATION, SET THE DIRECTION,
ONE, THREE, FIVE-YEAR PLANS.
OVER THE YEARS, THE FOUNDATION HAS RAISED ABOUT $32 TO $33 MILLION IN ITS EXISTENCE
FROM PUBLIC SUPPORT, INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES, PRIMARILY INDIVIDUAL SUPPORT.
WE'RE ALSO VERY, VERY FORTUNATE IN THAT AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE OPERATE BUSINESSES.
THE MEDORA MUSICAL, A LOT OF THE ACTIVITIES IN DOWNTOWN MEDORA,
INCLUDING SOME LODGING PROPERTIES AND RETAIL SHOPS AND FOOD SERVICE.
SO OUR ANNUAL BUDGET IS ABOUT $15 MILLION, BOTH ON THE EXPENSE AND THE REVENUE SIDE.
WE HOPE TO RAISE EACH YEAR $2.3
TO $3 MILLION IN GIFTS.
SO FAR THAT'S KIND OF BEEN THE WAY THINGS HAVE WORKED OUT.
>> OKAY.
$2.5 TO $3 MILLION IN PERSONAL NATIONS SOUNDS LIKE.
AND THE BUSINESS PART OF IT SUPPORTS THE REST OF THAT.
SO HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO YOU HAVE?
>> THE LOW POINT OF THE YEAR, WE'RE OPERATING WITH ABOUT 43
FULL-TIME YEAR-ROUND EMPLOYEES.
FOR PROBABLY EIGHT MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR, WE ARE RUNNING 80 TO 100 TOTAL EMPLOYEES.
WHEN WE HIT THE PEAK OF THE SUMMER SEASON, WE WILL HAVE 325
TO 335 EMPLOYEES.
AND DURING THE COURSE OF THE SUMMER, THERE'S A PHENOMENA THAT
HELPED 12, 13 YEARS AGO.
WE STARTED A VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
WE WILL UTILIZE NEARLY 600
PEOPLE AS VOLUNTEERS IN MEDORA.
TODAY THERE ARE PROBABLY HERE IN MAY WHEN THE SEASON HASN'T EVEN STARTED.
I'M NOT SURE.
I THINK WE HAVE 25 OR 30
VOLUNTEERS IN MEDORA WHO ARE HELPING US CLEAN, PAINT, PLANT
FLOWERS, GETTING THE TOWN READY FOR THE SEASON.
THAT WILL GO ON THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SUMMER.
>> SO THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SUMMER JUST MORE AND MORE VOLUNTEERS.
COULD YOU DO IT WITHOUT VOLUNTEERS?
>> I'M NOT SURE WE COULD ANYMORE.
WHEN IT STARTED, IT WAS AN IDEA THAT -- THERE WAS A LADY FROM FARGO, JEAN NESIME.
SHE WAS THE FOUNDER OF OUR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM.
SHE WAS A WONDERFUL FRIEND, ENDED UP BECOMING A BOARD MEMBER.
SHE SAID PEOPLE WILL HELP IF YOU ASK.
THE FIRST COUPLE OF SEASONS WE HAD ANYWHERE FROM EIGHT TO 14
VOLUNTEERS.
AFTER ABOUT THREE YEARS, MY WIFE TOOK OVER THAT PROGRAM.
WITHIN THREE YEARS TIME SHE GREW IT TO 1,000 PEOPLE A YEAR APPLYING.
AT THAT TIME WE COULD ONLY UTILIZE 4 OR 500.
WE HAD TO TELL 500 TO 600 PEOPLE A YEAR NO, WE DON'T HAVE ROOM FOR YOU.
WE'VE MANAGED TO GROW IT.
WE'VE BUILT A FACILITY CALLED THE SUPERIOR TO WORK LODGE.
THE VOLUNTEERS BUILT IT, FUNDED IT.
IT'S A VERY NICE FACILITY WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS COME AND SPEND
SEVEN DAYS WITH US, THEN ANOTHER CREW WILL COME IN.
>> WELL, THE SEASON IS GETTING STARTED WE HOPE.
>> YOU CAN TELL THIS BECAUSE I'M SMILING.
>> THE BIGGEST PROBABLY THING YOU HAVE IS THE MUSICAL.
>> THAT'S OUR ROCK.
FOR THE MEDORA FOUNDATION, THE MUSICAL IS THE ANCHOR ACTIVITY.
THE NATIONAL PARK IS ITS EQUAL OR EVEN GREATER BECAUSE YOU HAVE
TO HAVE THINGS -- I CALL THEM ATTRACTERS.
WE NEED ATTRACTIONS FOR THINGS FOR PEOPLE TO DO, BUT YOU HAVE TO HAVE ATTRACTERS.
IN MEDORA, THE TWO MOST SIGNIFICANT ATTRACTERS ARE THE
THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK AND THE MEDORA MUSICAL.
SOME ARE BETWEEN 6 TO 700,000
PEOPLE WILL VISIT THE NATIONAL PARK DURING THE COURSE OF THE 12
MONTHS.
OUR GOAL IS WE HOPE TO HAVE ABOUT 100,000 PEOPLE SEE THE MEDORA MUSICAL.
OVER THE YEARS, THIS WILL BE OUR 49th YEAR, OVER THREE MILLION
PEOPLE HAVE SEEN THE MEDORA MUSICAL.
NOT A LOT OF EVENTS IN NORTH DAKOTA THAT CAN CLAIM THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
WHAT ARE THE OTHER AT TRANSACTIONS?
YOU MENTIONED THE GOLF COURSE A COUPLE OF TIMES.
THAT SEEMS TO BE A GOOD -- IS IT AN ATTRACTION OR ATTRACTER?
>> FOR GOLFERS IT'S AN ATTRACTER.
WHEN WE BUILT THAT GOLF COURSE, IT WAS NAMED THE NUMBER ONE BEST
NEW PUBLIC GOLF COURSE IN THE COUNTRY BY GOLF DIGEST.
YOU CAN'T GET A BETTER RATING THAN THAT WHEN YOU'RE A NEW COURSE.
OF COURSE YOU'RE NOT NEW ANYMORE, SO THIS YEAR MAYBE MORE
IMPORTANTLY BULLY PULPIT WAS NAMED 100 BEST COURSES IN THE COUNTRY.
THAT'S A LIST THAT WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF.
SO THE GOLF COURSE, IT HAS ATTRACTED NEW PEOPLE TO MEDORA.
I SAID IT THIS WAY FOR A LONG TIME.
THE LAST DOLLAR OF MARKETING WE SHOULD SPEND IS ON A 15 TO
45-YEAR-OLD MALE TO COME TO THE MEDORA MUSICAL.
IF THEY COME, THEY LOVE IT AND THEY COME BACK.
BUT YOU CAN HARDLY CONVINCE THEM IF THEY HAVE A MINDSET THAT
SAYS, I'M NOT GOING TO GO TO THE MUSICAL.
WHEN WE BUILT THE BULLY PULPIT GOLF COURSE, I HEAR THIS STORY
ALMOST EVERY DAY, SEEING SOMEONE FROM BISMARCK, GOOD TO SEE YOU.
YEAH, MY WIFE HAS BEEN WANTING TO GO TO THE SHOW.
I SAY SURE, HONEY, WE'LL PLAY A ROUND OF GOLF DURING THE DAY AND GO TO THE MUSICAL.
IT'S BEEN A GREAT ADDITION.
>> I UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE AN ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM AT DICIN-STATE
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT ANY OF THAT AND WHAT THAT INVOLVES?
>> IT'S AN OUTSTANDING SYMPOSIUM.
THEY BRING NATIONAL HISTORIANS AND AUTHORS EACH FALL.
THIS YEAR I THINK THEY'RE DOING IT -- TYPICALLY IT'S AROUND
ROOSEVELT'S BIRTHDAY WHICH IS ON OCTOBER 27th.
I DON'T HAVE THE DATES OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, BUT I THINK IT'S
A LITTLE EARLIER THIS YEAR.
IT'S USUALLY A COUPLE, THREE DAY EVENT.
CLAY JENKINSON HAS LED THAT.
FOLKS LIKE CANDICE MALLARD, DOUGLAS BRINKLEY, EDMUND MORRIS
WHO WROTE "THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT."
A PUMP ITER PRIZEWINNING -- PULITZER PRIZEWINNING BOOK.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF FOLKS DICKINSON STATE UNIVERSITY IS BRINGING IN FOR THE ANNUAL
SYMPOSIUM.
WE PLAY A SMALL ROLE.
IN THE EARLY DAYS WE WERE VERY MUCH A PARTNER WITH THAT.
THEY ALWAYS BRING THE GROUP OUT TO THE ELK HORN RANCH AS PART OF THE SYMPOSIUM.
BECAUSE IN PART BECAUSE DSU IS DOING SUCH A GREAT JOB AND WE
BUILT A SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY A FEW YEARS AGO AT THE ROUGH RIDER
HOTEL, WE WERE ACTUALLY ABLE TO BRING THE NATIONAL THEODORE ROOSEVELT ASSOCIATION TO
NORTH DAKOTA TWO YEARS AGO AS PART OF THE SYMPOSIUM.
SO THAT'S REALLY GAINING SOME NATIONAL ATTENTION.
>> OKAY.
YOU MENTIONED THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK.
DOES THE FOUNDATION HAVE A DIRECT RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT?
ARE THEY PRETTY SEPARATE ENTITIES?
>> AT ONE POINT, AND I BELIEVE THIS IS STILL TRUE, THEY'RE
COMPLETELY SEPARATE BECAUSE THE NATIONAL PARK IS RUNGY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SITUATION IN MEDORA.
YOU HAVE PRIVATE BUSINESS, YOU HAVE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION
LIKE OURS, YOU HAVE THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY WHICH OPERATING THE CHATEAU, A
SIGNIFICANT SITE IN THE STATE PARK SYSTEM, AND YOU HAVE THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WITH THE NATIONAL PARK.
WHEN YOU SAY ARE WE CONNECTED?
WE LITERALLY ARE NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBORS.
I WALK OUT THE BACK DOOR OF MY OFFICE AND IF I WALK 20 FEET, I
AM IN THE NATIONAL PARK.
IT'S A GOOD, GOOD RELATIONSHIP.
THE PARK SUPERINTENDENT VALERIE NAILER HAS BEEN A GOOD PARTNER
ON A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE TRY TO DO.
I THINK THAT MEDORA IS IN SUCH AN ADVANTAGEOUS SITUATION
BECAUSE OR BACKYARD LITERALLY IS 70,000 ACRES THAT WON'T CHANGE.
AND THAT'S SOMETHING VERY VALUABLE IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA.
>> SURE.
SURE IT IS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK THE CONTINUED FASCINATION IS WITH THEODORE
ROOSEVELT FOR THAT MATTER IN THE STATE, NATIONALLY AND EVEN GLOBALLY?
>> JOHN, TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, I REFERRED TO HAROLD SHAEFFER EARLIER.
WHEN HE CREATED THE MEDORA FOUNDATION, HE WAS PROBABLY ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST
RECOGNIZABLE PEOPLE IN THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA.
HE COULD HAVE CREATED THE HAROLD SHAEFFER FOUNDATION.
HE COULD HAVE CREATED THE MEDORA FOUNDATION.
HE CHOSE TO CREATE THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT MEDORA FOUNDATION.
I'VE KIND OF COME TO SAY HE WAS THE SMARTEST GUY IN THE ROOM.
BECAUSE THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S LEGACY IS FOREVER.
THAT I THINK HAROLD SAW BEFORE ANY OF US.
HE SAW THAT ROOSEVELT'S PRINCIPLES, HIS IDEALS AND HIS STRAIGHTFORWARD MANNER WOULD
ALMOST ALWAYS BE RELEVANT.
AND IT'S PART OF THE REASON WE RECENTLY HAVE TAKEN OUR THEODORE
ROOSEVELT PERSON ON TOUR ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.
JUST FINISHED A TEN-DAY TOUR AROUND THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA WITH HIM.
WE DID 27 EVENTS IN TEN DAYS.
JOE WEGAN IS HIS NAME.
I MET HIM AT THE WHITE HOUSE WHEN HE WAS PERFORMING FOR THE
PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY ON THE OCCASION OF THE 150th BIRTHDAY
OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT IN 2008.
>> HOW DO YOU OR HOW DO SCHOLARS SORT OF RECONCILE HIS IMAGE,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S IMAGE AS AN
EAST COAST COAST A LIST CONTRA >> I DON'T THINK THEY RECONCILE IT.
HIS PERSONALITY WAS THE BIGGEST IN ALL FACETS.
HE'S KNOWN AS THE READINGEST AND WRITINGEST PRESIDENT.
THAT WAS PART OF HIS CHARACTER.
HIS BEING A COWBOY AND A ROUGH RIDER WERE GENUINE.
SO HE'S A REALLY RARE KIND OF CHARACTER.
GO BACK TO YOUR PREVIOUS QUESTION, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY HAROLD WAS SO SMART.
BECAUSE WE CAN GO FOR A LONG TIME IN MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA
PROVIDING KIND OF VIGNETTES ON THEODORE ROOSEVELT'S LIFE.
WE CAN DO THAT IN DOWNTOWN SHOALS, WE CAN CHANGE THE MEDORA
MUSICAL EVERY YEAR AND INTRODUCE A LITTLE SNIPPET OF ROOSEVELT'S
LIFE AND ENTERTAIN PEOPLE WITH IT.
YOU DON'T RECONCILE IT.
YOU ACCEPT IT THAT HE WAS BIGGER THAN THE REST OF US.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THEODORE ROOSEVELT WOULD THINK OF THE OLD
EXPIRATION GOING ON IN OUR STATE?
>> I WISHED I COULD HAVE HIM SITTING ACROSS THE TABLE AND ASK HIM THAT.
I'M SURE -- ROOSEVELT IS KNOWN
AS THE GREAT CONSERVATIONIST.
HE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WHAT DOES CONSERVATION MEAN VERSUS PRESERVATION.
YOU KNOW, I JUST CAN'T ANSWER THAT.
I THINK THERE WOULD BE PARTS OF IT THAT HE WOULD HAVE GREAT CONCERN ABOUT.
HE ALSO WOULD SAY A STRONG COUNTRY NEEDS TO USE ITS NATURAL RESOURCES.
SO I THINK HE WOULD PUSH HARD TO MAKE IT BE DONE RESPONSIBLY.
I THINK HE WOULD BE REALLY GLAD THAT THERE'S A NATIONAL PARK
WITH HIS NAME THAT SAYS THESE 70,000 ACRES AREN'T GETTING TOUCHED.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
I WISHED HE WAS A LIFE TO TALK TO HIM.
>> CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIS LIFE?
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HISTORY YOU REALLY HAVE ON HIM.
THE BIG JOURNEY TO SOUTH AMERICA AND HIS FAILED PRESIDENCY IN 1912.
>> THE FAILED PRESIDENCY, THE RUN IN 1912 WAS PROBABLY A
LITTLE EASIER FOR ME TO SPEAK ABOUT, IN THAT WE DO PRESENTATIONS ON ROOSEVELT.
IT'S REALLY INTERESTING THAT HE SAYS ONE OF THE REAL REGRETS OF
HIS LIFE WAS WHEN HE WAS ELECTED IN 1908, THAT HE SAID HE WOULD
NOT RUN -- I'M SORRY, NOT -- HE CAME TO OFFICE IN 1901.
BUT AFTER THAT, WHEN HE WAS ELECTED, HE SAID HE WOULD NOT
RUN AGAIN AND HE WOULD VIEW HIS SEVEN YEARS AS TWO FULL TERMS.
HIS WIFE SAID THAT WAS A MISTAKE, AND IT OBVIOUSLY WAS.
HE SKIPPED ONE CYCLE AND THEN CAME BACK AND RAN IN 1912.
HE DID QUITE WELL AS AN INDEPENDENT IN CREATING THE PROGRESSIVE BULL MOOSE PARTY BUT
CAME UP SHORT.
I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS THEY FIND FASCINATING WHEN THEY
COME TO MEDORA AND LEARN LITTLE THINGS ABOUT ROOSEVELT.
EVEN THOUGH HE WAS DEFEATED, PEOPLE WERE SHOCKED TO KNOW HE
WAS SHOT DURING THAT CAMPAIGN ON OCTOBER 14th.
HE TOOK A BULLET AND THEN GAVE A SPEECH FOR 80 MINUTES WITH A BULLET IN HIS CHEST.
THE UNDERGARMENT THAT HE WORE WITH THE BULLET HOLE IS ON
DISPLAY IN MEDORA, NORTH DAKOTA AT THE THEODORE ROOSEVELT
NATIONAL PARK INTERPRETATIVE CENTER.
SO IN MANY WAYS, HE PROBABLY FAILED AT THE ELECTION, BUT HAD
A LOT OF VICTORIES IN THE BATTLE THERE.
>> THERE'S A LOT MORE I WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT.
WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?
WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE FOUNDATION IN THE FUTURE?
>> OUR VISION STATEMENT I THINK IS THE SIMPLEST.
OUR VISION TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO HISTORICAL MEDORA FOR POSITIVE
LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCES.
THAT'S A REALLY GRANDIOSE VISION FOR AN ORGANIZATION THAT LOOKS
LIKE A TOURISM ORGANIZATION.
WE DO THAT WITH 300 YOUNG PEOPLE EVERY YEAR.
WE HAVE PEOPLE WORKING FOR US FROM 18 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, RICH EXPERIENCES, THE
VOLUNTEERS.
WE JUST WANT TO KEEP DOING THAT AND IF YOU AND I VISITED FIVE
YEARS FROM NOW OR TEN YEARS FROM NOW AND PEOPLE SAID MAN, MEDORA
HAS GROWN, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THEY SAY, AND IT'S STILL REALLY GREAT.
YOU KEPT THE IMPORTANT ELEMENTS THE SAME.
I WOULD SAY WE'VE DONE IT RIGHT >> RANDY, WE'VE RUN OUT OF TIME
I KNOW PEOPLE CAN GO TO MEDORA AND GO TO YOUR WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE.
THANKS FOR JOINING US.
>> HAVE THEM CALL 1-800-MEDORA.
>> THAT'S ALL WE HAVE ON "PRAIRIE PULSE" THIS WEEK.