Heroes Among Us – Part Three

By Sally Miskavige, Grand Forks Children’s Museum Board Member

Throughout my journey to build better educational resources and opportunities in my beloved North Dakota, I have had the pleasure to meet many people who have a similar desire and vision and who work hard to create unique opportunities in our state.

I had the honor to attend a fundraiser for the Teddy Roosevelt Presidential Library, to be

built in Medora, North Dakota. The event was hosted by Hal and Kathy Gershman. There were many people in attendance for this wonderful cause. Notably, Mr. Ed O'Keefe, Executive Director of the library, gave an insightful overview of the project. Mr. Ken Vien, a Grand Forks City Council member, is also working on this project full-time, and he has also been a great resource for the children’s museum project. For the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, the O'Keefe family is spearheading the fundraising to raise $300 million! So far, they have raised $200 million, and the library construction has begun.

It’s a small world…one of the first people I consulted with when envisioning the Grand Forks Children’s Museum project was Ed O’Keefe’s uncle, Tim O'Keefe. Tim has been and continues to be a very valuable resource for our children’s museum project. We are thankful for the partnership that we have with the O’Keefe family and so grateful for the guidance they have provided, as we move forward with the children’s museum project.

There are so many wonderful initiatives going on across North Dakota. The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library will be a transformational project in the North Dakota Badlands. I am truly honored to be included with so many who love North Dakota and are working to create a new vision and new opportunities in our state. It is wonderful to unite in service to create something bigger and better for our state and our common good.

One of my favorite quotes from President Roosevelt, “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”

Thank you, O’Keefe’s for caring and for all you do to make our North Dakota a great state. Teddy Roosevelt would be proud.