April’s Teddy Talks series: Twenty-Six Days with the 26th President.
The program will feature “This Day in TR History” and an at length reading in Theodore Roosevelt’s own words. Joe Wiegand, world-renowned TR repriser will perform these readings in the voice of Theodore Roosevelt.
All 26 episodes of the Teddy Talks series will be added to this article the day following their live debut on the Medora, ND Facebook Page! Enjoy the tales and trials of the 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt.
Theodore Roosevelt and Harold Schafer’s lives were generations apart, yet they are connected forever. Harold’s restoration of Historic Medora awakened the world to the impact that Medora and the Badlands had on the 26th president.
In all my conversations with Harold Schafer, I only saw him truly discouraged one time. It was on September 11, 2001. He was sad for the country and the world.
Harold did not get to see the recovery as he died on December 2, 2001. Like TR, he had enormous belief in America. I am certain he knew the nation would rebound.
COVID-19 is different than any of us has experienced. Except in the most important way: WE WILL RECOVER.
When we are free to travel and recreate again, we invite you to return to a place that will lift your spirits and inspire us all to be the best version of ourselves.
Medora and the Badlands is where TR healed after losing his mother and wife on the same day. It is where he made himself strong. The employees of the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation believe that our work is important. Never more so than this summer.
We are doing everything we can to be ready to serve you this summer.
When you are ready, we will be here for you.
We are immensely grateful for you. You have visited, worked, volunteered, and performed in our little town and have generously supported our efforts. Please take good care of yourself. We need you. Hoping to see you on the boardwalks this summer.
Randy Hatzenbuhler, President Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation
P.S. We will be working on and updating our plans every day, but to keep up to date, you can check out our COVID-19 Response page of Medora.com.
Help us, help folks recover
With an abundance of caution and care, we are doing everything we can to be ready to welcome guests to Medora this summer. We are all going to need a place to relax and restore ourselves and each other.
We’re asking our friends to help us recruit for the key positions that will allow us to be ready to open this summer.
Will you share with your family, friends, colleagues, and connections that we are hiring for this year, and that now more than ever, we need a team to help us connect people to Medora for positive, life-changing experiences.
Our campus is growing. Our campus includes the Life Skills Center, Spirit of Work Volunteer headquarters, and Elkhorn Quarters Housing, and provides our seasonal employees a “home away from home,” tying together housing, dining, work, and volunteer facilities. Bill and Jane Marcil, Greg Butler and many other friends of TRMF have taken the lead in getting those facilities in place.
As TRMF President Randy Hatzenbuher moves into his new fundraising responsibilities for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation, Mike Beaudoin and our Executive Team will oversee all areas of our Foundation’s day-to-day operations. Mike’s joined on that team by these dedicated TRMF employees.
Every summer since 2012, Joe Wiegand has performed as Theodore Roosevelt at Medora’s Old Town Hall Theater. Starting this fall, Joe joins the staff of the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation as an Assistant to the President, Randy Hatzenbuhler.
Joe’s primary responsibilities will be fundraising for the TRMF. Joe will be headquartered in Medora, traveling throughout the Upper Midwest and venturing as far as Southern California, Arizona, and Florida in the winter, with the goal of growing philanthropic support for TRMF.
Are you looking for a unique Christmas gift for that special child, grandchild, niece or nephew? Enlist them as Junior Rough Riders with the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation!
Junior Rough Riders receive a membership packet with a custom bandana to wear on their next Medora trip, an official membership certificate for framing, and a Teddy Roosevelt-themed bookmarker. Membership dues are $50. Junior Rough Riders are the future of Medora. They can go on to become summer employees, scholarship winners, join the ranks of the Rough Riders, and even become part of our army of summer volunteers, years down the road!
All the fun will be led by producer and star of the show, Bill Sorensen! He’ll bring magic and laughs to the tour as usual!
Back by popular demand, Queen of the West, Emily Walter! She’s been with the Magical Medora Christmas tour since it first started in 2015!
North Dakota native, Job Christenson, will also be back on tour! He’s a former Burning Hills Singer and host of the Medora Musical, and now a great fit in the Magical Medora Christmas tour!
Chad Willow is back on tour ticklin’ the keys, strummin’ the banjo, and adding vocals to the show!
New to this years Magical Medora Christmas tour is Kim Willow! The former Burning Hills Singer will join her husband Chad on this tour!
Also new to the cast is Travis Smith! He played piano and banjo in this year’s Medora Musical and will bring that talent on the road!
Each year the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation awards nearly $30,000 in educations scholarships and ambassador awards funded by the Rod Tjaden Memorial Golf Tournament. Here are our 2018 recipients:
New Medora WISH Endowment building off of Harold Schafer’s dream to help more families enjoy the Badlands the way he and Theodore Roosevelt did.
(Medora, ND) – The Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation alongside the generous “Wish Wranglers” of the Medora WISH Endowment, are delighted to announce the first ever Kids FREE Week for select attractions in Medora.
Hosts Chet Wollen and Bill Sorensen to lead star-studded Medora Musical cast made up of returning talent, new performers, and several North Dakota natives!
Each year thousands of performers audition at locations in North Dakota, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Florida to find the best talent for the Medora Musical. So let’s meet the cast!
The 2019 Medora Musical, Hosts
Chet Wollan, a Medora favorite is back to host the Medora Musical. Chet (pictured above) is originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota but now lives in Knoxville, Tennessee with Princess of the Prairie, Candice Lively Wollan.
This will be Chet’s fourth year hosting the Medora Musical and his 13th year starring in the show.
Bill Sorensen will return to the Medora Musical for his “final ride” co-hosting. Bill has been performing in Medora for the past 40 years as a magician, comedian, and entertainer. Don’t miss this dynamic duo together on stage this summer!
