Patrons of the Ramkota Hotels’ Seasons Café know this lady very well. Since 1975, when the hotel opened as the Kirkwood Motor Inn, she has been greeting and seating folks who come to dine or just have coffee.
Mueller was recruited from the Elks to work in the Café. “I worked two jobs for awhile, here and at Buttrey’s downtown until they closed, then at the mall,” she said. “Finally I thought, ‘why do I work two jobs when I am getting social security?’”

Mueller is 86, turning 87 on January 24th and recently went from four days a week to three. “Most days I work ten or eleven hours, I enjoy it very much,” she said. “I love people, I love to work with people, it’s my life. The Ramkota is a great place. They have treated me very well.”

She shows no sign of slowing down. “People ask, ‘why don’t you retire?’”said Mueller. “I don’t know what I would do with myself. I love to work! I am supposed to be here at 6:00, but I come early and get all my work done, then I sit down and rest before we open.”

“I have been here 24 years and I can count on one hand the number of days she’s missed, except for a week when she was sick,” said Dave Achtenberg, Ramkota General Manager. “She always finds a way to get to work.”

The world is filled with causes, and folks hop on board with a humanitarian spirit – whether working behind the scenes to plan an event, participating in a sponsored walk /run or as a recipient of the monies raised. Locally, groups brainstorm for ways to help their event stand out as well as to raise significant amounts of funds for various causes. Here are just a few.
1) To celebrate lives of people who have battled cancer, to remember lost loved ones or to fight this disease, teams raise money throughout the year as they gear up for a 12 hour walking event each spring. Nearly seventy teams competitively strive to raise the most by hosting local rummage or brat sales as well as gathering cash donations, goods and services.
The ‘Begging for a Cure’ team raised more than $24,000, then joined other teams to set up booths, camp out and walk the opening survivor lap on June 5, 2010 with 250 survivors and more than 700 participants. Because cancer never sleeps, Relay for Life teams share the responsibility of maintaining at least one walker on the track at Century High School – at all times through the night. Total dollars raised: $289,000 – with an additional $60,000 in ‘in-kind’ scholarships. The American Cancer Society utilizes the money raised from this event to bring programs and services to patients throughout the state, such as wig or prosthesis programs or volunteer and advocacy programs for local legislators to request federal monies for research. *Information: SaraHaugen, 250.1022.
2) Every spring, riders pump legs as they compete – atop stationery bikes – in order to give 82 cents from every dollar raised back to children and families of cerebral palsy. Home renovations, van repairs/modifications, wheelchairs and accessories, therapy and medical services are necessities to individuals with cerebral palsy, and are not always covered by their insurance plan. To bridge the gap in these expenses, the Medcenter One Foundation holds the Great American Bike Ride (GABR) bringing 1,000 sponsored riders to Century High School to pedal for twenty-five minutes each. Teams raised $225,000 during the April 10, 2010 event. *Information: Tressie Wiley at 323.8452 or Bruce Klootwik (committee chair) at 223.6991
3) The Sam McQuade Sr./Budweiser Charity Softball Tournament brought $76,000 to sixty local charities in 2009, after softball teams from thirteen states played ball in Bismarck. Teams pay entrance fees, spectators pay gate fees and folks donate money at this annual event. The first tournament attracted 103 teams, and this year, a record-setting 472 teams competed in the 35th Annual event. Over the years, the Budweiser Clydesdales have made occasional appearances, as teams and spectators bring money into the community for food, lodging, and shopping. *Information: Shannon McQuade at 223.6850
4) Sponsored by the Missouri Valley Optimist Club, the Kroll’s Diner Bismarck Marathon benefits a number of area charities. 2010 charitable organizations include: Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Bismarck/Mandan, YMCA Strong Kids, Charles Hall Youth Services and the ALS Association. Held each September, runners take their mark as well as cross the finish line at Sertoma Park. Whether running the 5K, full marathon, a half marathon or a relay, runners are attracted from across the US and Canada to set personal records or might be used as a Boston Marathon qualifier. Registration fees range from $20 5K walk/run – $210 for mail in relay team registration. This year, the Kroll’s Diner Bismarck Marathon will award $1500 to any man or woman who establishes a new marathon course record and $250 for a half marathon record. *Information: www.bismarckmarathon.com .
5) A Thanksgiving tradition for many, the Turkey Trot encourages families to get up and get moving before they tackle that turkey dinner. Beginning at the Bismarck Elks Club, this event offers turkeys or pumpkin pies to winners of prize categories. Since it’s geared to be a family affair, both a 5K and 10K run are offered as well as a 5K competitive walk and a ‘fun walk’. Over $50,000 was raised in 2009, by a record-breaking 1249 participants, making this a very worthwhile event for the Cystic Fibrosis Association of North Dakota. *Information: Ken Karls at 222.3998
6) The Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk (R) puts walkers on either a one- or three-mile route to participate in a fight against Alzheimer’s. The goal is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research, care and support. Generally held in September, this walk/run takes place at Sertoma Park. *Information: http://memorywalk10.kintera.org .
7) The Mandan Dakota Lions Club raised $2800 in their first annual Strides Walk for Diabetes on May 22, 2010. The club fundraised and sought scholarships from area businesses in order to raise diabetes awareness as well as to bring money to children of diabetes. Funds are used to help pay for admission to Camp Sue (diabetic children’s camp at Park River) or to help pay for low vision machines or other vision impairment technology devices. Held at Fort Lincoln State Park, participants walk or run a 3K or 5K. *Information: Steve Moore at 663.2333
Medcenter One Women’s Health Center holds an annual Arthritis Walk. 150 participants raised over $20,000 earlier this year as they walked or ran the 5K. Monies raised go to fund educational seminars or offer programming (aquatic, land-based or self-help) to the community. *Information: Kelly Brekke at 701.388.1988
9) Raising money for teacher mini-grants or Bismarck Public School PTO’s, participants in the Apple Dash Run/Walk 4 Education raised $12,000 in September for the 5K walk or run. Held at Hughes Educational Center and utilizing the Tom O’Leary walking trail, the Bismarck Public Schools looks forward to this family event – by bringing in music, magic, tacos in a bag and inflatables to culminate this family night out. Additionally, a ½ mile walk and a 1-mile walk/run are offered. *Information: http://www.bismarckschools.org/district/alumni-association/bps-foundation/apple-dash/
10) Caregivers, cancer patients and survivors celebrate life each fall at Bismarck Cancer Center’s (BCC) Applefest. Held each September, families come together to enjoy hayrides, entertainment, food, carnival games and inflatables as well as a silent auction. Although a fitness competition is not a component / piece of their planning, BCC looks forward to raising community awareness and raised $26,000 as a result of the 2009 celebration to be used directly for ‘Wrap-Around-Services” at BCC for patient and family expenses related to their care. (see related story, pg 15) BCC looks forward to this annual event to bring families, their staff and the community together to celebrate life. *Information: Amy Gross at 222.6100

Lee Woodruff was the emcee for the Reinvention Convention. An author and Good Morning America contributor, Woodruff is also the wife of journalist Bob Woodruff, who survived a roadside bomb in Iraq. Through his recovery process, she learned a lot – and the couple has also helped put a face on the serious issue of traumatic brain injury among returning Iraq was veterans.

Woodruff has written about her family’s experience in her book In an Instant. As she talked about some of the things she learned throughout the whole ordeal, there were two things she mentioned that stuck with me.
Live in the moment more – too often we are thinking of ten other things that need to get done. For example – while exercising, enjoy that time.
Leave the dishes in the sink – I think this speaks for itself. I tried it yesterday when I was trying to choose over vacuuming or arriving on time for my daughter’s track meet. The vacuum was left unplugged.

I attended the More magazine Reinvention Convention to get ideas and have a little time to myself. The weather in Chicago was perfect for walking and sightseeing. I finally saw “the bean” – a fabulous sculpture in Millenium Park. As you can see, it’s pretty popular. But more about the convention…

One of the sessions I attended was conducted by Dr. Pamela Peeke. She has written Fight Fat After Forty and Body for Life for Women. When I met her, she asked if I knew her friend Mikey Hoeven! Seems Dr. Peeke was a keynote at one of the First Lady’s Women’s Health Summits.

She is an extraordinary presenter and very fit. She had some tips for keeping the “Menopot” away:
– Learn to plan (meals, snacks, etc.)
– Rein in total calories (never below 1200, try to stay under 2000)
– Munch on Menopot Melting Foods (nuts, beans, green veggies, dairy, oatmeal, eggs, whole grains)
– Eat more lean protein
– Incorporate More Healthy Fats
– Control the Carbs (use an online carb counter)
– Eat every 3-4 hours
– Lighten up Dinner (make sure you wake up hungry)
– If you eat after 8, you gain a lot of weight
– Sleep your way to success (get at least 7 hours every night)