for as long a

Her earliest memories of volunteering as a child are of being “Grandma’s helper” while her grandmother played organ and sang at local nursing homes. Strand fondly remembers entertaining the residents and leading them in the chicken dance, which, of course, brought great joy and delight to all in attendance. What started as such a joyous experience quickly emerged as a core element of her personality. Being mindful of living as Christ’s hands and feet in this world, Strand’s life has been molded around the words of Jesus that “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:35) x

In high school Strand’s servant heart prospered through key club and national honor society, as well as in mission projects through her church and serving at her Bible camp. This unwavering commitment to supporting her community started young and has just kept growing. Serving isn’t just something Strand enjoys doing, it is something she needs to do. “There are just so many various and wonderful ways our cities need support. I can’t not be involved,” she says.

Her incredible involvement, both professionally and personally, led to her being nominated and then titled 2022 North Dakota Mother of the Year through American Mothers, Inc. With her husband Tyler, daughter Raelyn (2 1⁄2) and son Lincoln (1) cheering her on, Strand is thrilled to hold this title and bring dignity, honor and recognition to the role of motherhood and to the critical ways in which moms shape community.

After graduating from West Fargo High School in 2010, she, like many teenagers, floundered for a bit before enrolling at MSUM to pursue a degree in social work. While in school she also began working for CHI Friendship as a direct support professional, assisting adults with special needs. “I was able to empower individuals to live independently in their homes, be engaged and active members of their community, and meet their personal goals,” she says. This work, which she loved for over nine years, deepened her commitment to those who might be overlooked in the community and opened her eyes to the plethora of needs and opportunities for service surrounding her.

While studying abroad in Spain in the summer of 2013, Strand began dating her classmate Tyler, who is now her husband. Both were pursuing degrees in social work, and later decided to attend UND together to attain their master’s degrees. With her master’s fresh in hand, Strand took a position at the Sanford Roger Maris Cancer Center and what is now known as the Sanford Center for Bleeding and Clotting Disorders (located within Roger Maris) while her husband took a position serving students at Minnesota State Community and Technical College. In her role at Roger Maris, Strand walked alongside families and individuals that were impacted by oncology, hematology and bleeding disorder diagnoses. Working directly with individuals, children and caregivers, Strand was exposed to the vast need for assistance and resources people all over the state of North Dakota were experiencing.

Strand’s love for these patients and their families led to her involvement on the Board for Bleeding Disorders Alliance of North Dakota (BDAND). Since its beginning in 2015, this alliance has assisted patients who are directly impacted by a bleeding disorder with financial, emotional and community support. Through walks, annual meetings and educational events, BDAND brings awareness to a wide variety of bleeding disorders. Kids and adults who suffer from chronic bloody noses, unusually heavy menstrual cycles or easy bruising might unknowingly be dealing with a bleeding disorder. As awareness increases, so can diagnoses and therefore medical intervention. Because these disorders are unusual (not rare, but not common), they are often suffered in isolation. A major benefit this organization brings to families is the knowledge that there are others who experience the same thing, as well as the opportunity to network with them. When they gather for events, a child can talk to other kids who have similar lifestyle adjustments and medical treatments due to their bleeding disorder. Moms and dads can sit with other moms and dads and experience camaraderie. Sometimes the greatest words a person can hear are, “I’ve been where you are. I understand how you feel.” BDAND provides that for kids and adults around the state and parts of Western Minnesota, and helping to provide that opportunity for fellowship is what keeps Strand so passionate about the organization.

After five years at Roger Maris, smack dab in the middle of a pandemic and nine months pregnant, Strand transitioned within Sanford to Children’s Southwest Clinic, where the need for mental health care has skyrocketed in the last couple of years. As an integrative health counselor, Strand is imbedded in the clinic, which promotes physical and mental well-being in the primary care setting. As she meets with children and their families to develop a plan and identify goals of care, Strand provides mental health therapy, connects patients to resources within the community, and provides crisis management services. Due to the increased need in mental health services since the pandemic, wait times have lengthened and access to service has become more difficult. Strand enjoys working towards bridging the gaps in care and is grateful to be part of the patient’s primary care team, helping them to access services in a timely manner and empowering them to overcome barriers.

Not only did Strand change jobs during the pandemic, but she also had her first baby shortly after the shut-downs began. “Talk about loneliness. I was a brand-new mom desperate for community, and there was nowhere to go and nothing to do.” So, rather than letting her loneliness get the best of her, she put that ache into action. Looking for a tangible way to bless others, she began Google searching non-profits she could begin or get involved with during the pandemic. One night her search led her to an organization based in Wisconsin called Box of Balloons. BOB creates birthday party boxes for children whose families are unable to provide a birthday celebration. Interestingly, both Strand and her co-founder, Katie Dukart, both of Fargo, found the organization on Google and emailed the director in Wisconsin right around the same time. That director put the two of them in touch with each other, and they got busy. Under their dual leadership, in just two short years our local chapter of Box of Balloons has flourished, providing birthday parties for well over 300 children. Each birthday box contains paper products that align with the child’s interests, decorations, a gift, party favors and a cake or cupcakes. Referrals come from community advocates such as teachers, social workers and case managers. x

ABOVE : Some of the party supplies included in a Box of Balloons birthday box. Those who want to donate items, volunteer or sponsor a birthday box can get connected through the Box of Balloons Fargo Facebook page or email boxofballoons.fargond@gmail.com.

Getting a front row seat to the generosity of our community is a gift that keeps on giving, as Strand witnesses in her involvement with the Dakota Medical Foundation’s Lend a Hand Up program. Through her encounters over the years with DMF (particularly while she worked at Roger Maris), Strand has had the opportunity to engage with this program and work with families who have benefited from it. Encouraged by DMF’s mission of partnering alongside families in crisis, Strand decided to jump onto the Lend A Hand Up Application committee. The primary role of this committee is to review applications to verify eligibility for fundraising resources, including up to $5,000 of Boost funding per eligible campaign. Because these applications must be submitted through a fundraising champion in partnership with the individual/family benefitting from the campaign, it is inspiring to see so many friends rallying around each other in our city and region. Strand is constantly amazed by the generosity of our community and the resilience of the families with whom she gets to work.

Another creative (and delicious) way Strand serves in the community is through Addie’s Royal Cupcake Stand. For the last five years, she has had the joy of dressing up as Rapunzel and delivering cupcakes to businesses throughout the metro. Strand also participates with the annual cupcake stand, for which 3,000 cupcakes are baked, decorated and sold, with all proceeds going to the Sunshine Foundation, which exists to make dreams come true for chronically/seriously ill, physically challenged or abused children. Founded by Addie Loerzel, a teenager in Moorhead who herself received a life-changing vacation through the Sunshine Foundation, Addie’s Royal Cupcake Stand has now raised enough funds over the years to make ten children’s dream vacations come true. “… I grew up fantasizing about Disney princesses, so to be able to dress up and be one for a day is truly magical,” says Strand. “Seeing the look on children's faces as they grin with excitement to hug and take pictures with their favorite princess is a joy! Addie has a heart of gold and each year the cupcake stand gets bigger, as do her fundraising efforts.”

Having a heart that beats with generosity and service, Strand clearly fills many roles and wears many hats. But last summer, the Strand family of three welcomed a new baby boy into their family, giving Strand more opportunities to grow and thrive in her most loved role — that of “mom.” With her unwavering commitment to our community coming second only to her commitment to her beautiful family, Strand was a natural selection for a nomination to the 2022 American Mother’s Inc. (AMI) contest. Since its onset in 1931, AMI has sought to honor mothers for their unconditional love, inner strength and courage, while also providing encouragement and inspiration for the 85 million mothers in the United States. As North Dakota’s Mother of the Year, Strand now has the opportunity to stand up for motherhood and empower moms to see their purpose and dignity in the midst of what can be a grueling, unseen job. The local chapter in Fargo brings mothers together to work on service projects within the community, stressing the importance of the power of maternal energy to make a positive impact in the world. Strand’s advice to every mom everywhere is to simply trust that she is doing her very best. “As moms, we are all trying to be the best we can,” she says. “It’s messy. There’s no perfect mom. We have enough to worry about. We can’t be so hard on ourselves.”

To learn more or get involved with the ND Chapter of American Mothers Inc ., connect on Facebook or reach out to emilybrooks27@hotmail.com.

Amen and amen. Let’s take a cue from Strand and champion one another, giving honor to our neighbors, our communities, and yes, even ourselves. Let us look for those in our communities who might be less noticed or hurting under the surface. Let us invest in our community, pouring our lives out for the sake of others, because, as the ultimate Servant said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)

WORDS : MEGAN ELGIN PHOTOGRAPHY : Karolina Grabowska on pexels.com