Posts tagged summer fun

Bully Pulpit Golf Course set to open mid-May with two brand-new holes

May 4, 2022 Written by Tim Olson

The following story first appeared in our new print publication, Notes From the Trail.

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After a year of diligent work to secure the long-term future of Bully Pulpit Golf Course, golfers have much to look forward to in the coming season — including two brand-new holes and an improved, championship-level experience.

“After being a par 69 course in 2021, we’re excited to bring par up to 71 this year,” said Clubhouse Manager and PGA Head Golf Professional Patrick Rominger. “That’s thanks to two brand-new holes that we’re really proud of.”

The new Hole #8 from above. Par 4.

First is the new #8: a par 4 that will test players’ strategic skills. “It’s a tight tee shot,” Patrick said. “And golfers will have to use a shorter club as they approach the green.”

“#8 also has a really great Badlands backdrop from the green.” he added.

The new Hole #12 from above. Par 5.

The new par 5 #12 is all about risk versus reward. “If you’re aggressive off the tee, you can cut the corner off,” said General Manager Kirby Scharmann. “But some of the native grasses in that area could get you into trouble.”

Golfers can expect a smoother ride in 2022: more than have of Bully Pulpit’s cart paths have been upgraded from asphalt to concrete. “It should make for a more pleasant ride between holes,” Patrick said. “And it helps us prolong the lifespan of our carts!” Additional cart path upgrades will be made next offseason.

Part of the championship-level experience, Patrick said, is making sure every hole is challenging but fair. “For that reason, we’re taking time this summer to rework Hole #16,” he explained. “The view is beautiful, but the green has settled in such a way that it doesn’t always play fair.” Players can expect Hole #16 to return in 2023.

For now, our crew is excited about the state of Bully Pulpit for the year ahead, thanks to late winter and early spring moisture in western North Dakota. “We worked hard to prep the turf for a strong spring,” said Superintendent Kyle Fick. “Our guests will be in for a rewarding experience this season.”

Kirby put it this way with a smile: “It’s going to be a great summer of ‘good walks spoiled,’ as the saying goes.”

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Bully Pulpit Golf Course is scheduled to open to the public on Thursday, May 12th, weather permitting. Visit Medora.com/BullyPulpit to find a tee time!

Bully Pulpit, Bully Pulpit Golf Course, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation - Development, What to do in Medora
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How a teddy bear from Teddy Roosevelt made a family’s visit to Medora extra-special

May 2, 2022 Written by Tim Olson

At the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, nothing makes us happier than hearing people’s “Medora stories.”

This particular story — of Teddy Roosevelt, a teddy bear, and a young girl named Lily — has us smiling today.

Watch the video above to hear Lily’s great-grandparents, Mike and Marianne, share the story of a visit to Medora with three of their great-grandchildren.

“Lily was extremely sensitive to touch of any kind. She had never accepted a stuffed animal,” Marianne said.

That is, until she met Teddy Roosevelt (as portrayed by Joe Wiegand). He struck up a conversation with the three kids on the streets of downtown Medora before his one-man show began at the Old Town Hall Theater.

“When it was time for the show, we especially noted Lily paying attention to Teddy Roosevelt with everything she had,” Marianne said.

“At the close of his show, he came back holding a teddy bear,” she explained. He tossed it over to their family, intending for it to be given to Lily.

What happened next was a real surprise:

“She hugged it, and there was no way she would let go of it!” Marianne said. “She had to carry it wherever she went. She held it all through the Medora Musical. She hugged it on the drive back home. She hugged it when she went to bed that night.”

Seeing Lily embrace a stuffed animal for the first time is a memory Mike and Marianne won’t soon forget.

“The attention that Teddy Roosevelt gave to Lily — it was just beautiful,” Marianne says. “That teddy bear was a piece of joy for her for such a long time.”

Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation - Development
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NEWS RELEASE: A Bigger, Better Medora Experience Means More Summer Jobs & Free Housing

February 16, 2022 Written by Tim Olson

(Medora, ND) – The Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation (TRMF), in anticipation of its biggest summer season ever, is preparing to welcome a seasonal staff of hundreds of highly qualified people from all around the world—and to offer several perks for those employees.

TRMF is a year-round operation that employs 72 full-time staff members. In order to better serve the many thousands of guests who visit Medora in the summer, our staff grows to include hundreds of seasonal employees.

And in 2022, TRMF will have even more attractions and features in Medora for guests to experience:

To provide these new services—in addition to mainstays like the Medora Gospel Brunch, lodging at the historic Rough Riders Hotel, and tee times at Bully Pulpit Golf Course—TRMF is poised to hire 337 summer employees in 2022.

“Living and working in Medora makes for a summer unlike any other,” says Sara Michael, Talent Acquisition Specialist for TRMF. “And the summer ahead will be our biggest and most fun one yet. I’m eager to see our staff grow to include hundreds of wonderful people.”

As part of our hiring surge, the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation is offering several incentives and perks to our summer employees:

  • Housing will be provided at no cost to employees who reside in double-occupancy housing during their time in Medora
  • Employees will be eligible for a $300 end-of-season bonus
  • Referral bonuses of $200 are available to employees who recommend additional hires
  • Employees can attend the Medora Musical at no cost
  • Golf rounds for $11.00 at Bully Pulpit Golf Course for employees
  • More than $30,000 in scholarship and award opportunities are available for employees who demonstrate leadership and good character

“We often hear from our seasonal workforce that they have the best summer of their life when they work in Medora,” Michael says. “We’re happy that we can offer free room and board to our staff this year, in addition to the competitive wages and other great perks that come with spending a summer here.”

Anyone interested in applying to work in Medora is invited to see our full list of openings at this link.

VIDEO: Work and Explore in Medora!
PHOTOS: Employees on the job in Medora
LINK: Learn about employment in Medora

Faces of Medora, Medora Musical, Press Release, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation
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Rise Up: Celebrating Our TRMF Volunteers—and the Bright Days Ahead in Medora

October 6, 2021 Written by TRMF

“You are the embodiment of every value that the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation holds dear.”

That message from TRMF Volunteer Coordinator Peg Gunther was central to the 2021 Volunteer Appreciation Events, held in Fargo and Medora at the beginning of October.

The events—with the theme “We Rise”—capped what was a historic summer in Medora, largely thanks to the tremendous help of more than 600 passionate volunteers.

After months of wonderful work by these folks, we were glad to have the opportunity to serve them—to share laughter, memories, music, gratitude, and good news.

Good news like this: a $100,000 challenge donation from Dr. Lana and Warren Schlecht to pay for renovations at the Spirit of Work Lodge for volunteers in Medora!

Volunteers also heard the great news that longtime volunteer Marlene Hoffart made a significant six-figure donation to put Point to Point Park over the finish line—and ensure the new addition of a lazy river, a splash pad, pickleball courts, and much more is ready for families to enjoy by summer of 2022!

We also had the pleasure of sharing some special volunteers’ own stories with the group. They heard from Mike Johnson, a 15-year volunteer with a passion for sharing Medora with children:

And they heard the emotional story of Lonnie Bonner, who suffered a stroke in February—then persevered to volunteer for her 15th year in Medora:

At the conclusion of the events, Peg Gunther reminded our volunteers that they defy all preconceptions. “Many of us are retired or semi-retired, and at a stage in our lives where we can be made to feel like our best years are behind us,” Gunther said. “Well look around! You blow that stereotype out of the water.”

It’s impossible to overstate how much TRMF values its devoted team of volunteers. We can’t wait to see you all again in 2022!

Here’s a message of thanks to our volunteers on behalf of the whole Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation Team:

Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation
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Relive the 2021 Medora Hot Air Balloon Rally & Badlands Kite Fest!

September 15, 2021 Written by TRMF

The final weekend of the Medora Musical had us looking skyward.

We sent off summer in Medora in a picture-perfect way: by inviting kite fliers of all skill levels to the 5th Annual Badlands Kite Fest. Watch the video above to meet a few of the kite lovers who made the weekend special!

And on Sunday, September 12th, we were treated to another colorful sight: the 18th Annual Medora Hot Air Balloon Rally!

Although less-than-ideal weather conditions required the balloons to be tethered to the ground for safety, it still made for an amazing finale to what was a wonderful summer in the Badlands. Enjoy a few photos below!

Events, Fun, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation
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Celebrating a record year at the Pitchfork Steak Fondue… with a pitchfork!

September 15, 2021 Written by TRMF

The Pitchfork Steak Fondue in Medora has come a long way in the last 50 years.

What started with a single pot in the back of a truck has grown to become a big, nightly undertaking. We’ve gotten used to serving thousands of tasty steaks fondue-style each summer. But we’ve never had a summer like this!

For the first time in our history, we served more than 50,000 steaks at the Pitchfork Steak Fondue in a single summer in 2021—50,383, to be exact!

So to celebrate the milestone, we decided to give away a very special gift to the lucky 50,000th guest: an authentic Pitchfork Steak Fondue pitchfork. (Don’t worry, we deep cleaned it!) Have a watch!

Food, Fun
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2021 Summer Wrap-Up: Thank You from TRMF!

September 13, 2021 Written by TRMF
2021 Summer Wrap-Up: Thank You from TRMF!

Another summer has come to an end in Medora. But it was one we won’t soon forget.

In 2021, we had a celebration in Medora. We took hikes on a brand-new trail. We ate a whole lot of steak at the Pitchfork Steak Fondue. We made memories with our loved ones. We returned to old traditions, and even started some new ones.

And of course, we enjoyed the Greatest Show in the West. In fact, 123,992 people saw the Medora Musical this summer—our second-highest attendance ever.

To say thank you to everyone who made it such a memorable few months in Medora, we put a quick video together, featuring many faces of TRMF.

Enjoy—and we’ll see you again soon!

Faces of Medora, Medora Musical, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation
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Media Roundup: Approaching the 2021 Medora Musical Finale, and the Fun Continues this Fall!

September 9, 2021 Written by TRMF

If you’ve been watching or reading the news in North Dakota in the last few days, you might have caught a mention or two about Medora recently!

So in case you missed it, here’s a roundup of recent stories featuring the Medora Musical and other fun events we have planned.

KFYR-TV aired a feature on “Fall Fun In Medora” on September 4th:

“The Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation says this summer was one of the two best ever for visitors.“

“‘If there’s one upside from 2020 and that people realized how much they enjoyed getting outside together, getting the hiking boots out, dusting off the mountain bikes, thinking about national parks and camping and doing those things as a family. I think the passion was really ignited for many and we saw that happen a lot in Medora,’ said Justin Fisk, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation.”

The Bismarck Tribune highlighted TRMF on September 6th in its piece “Medora Musical eyes near-record attendance year; attractions to see upgrades”:

“Accessibility improvements are gaining steam at foundation attractions, part of a new initiative called Access Medora for upgrades in line with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

One project added an ADA-compliant ramp and accessible restrooms to the Old Town Hall Theatre. 

A $1.4 million project will add a dual, high-capacity elevator to the amphitheatre. Plans are to begin construction this fall and finish in spring 2022.“

You can read more about our Access Medora initiative here. The high-capacity elevator will allow guests with mobility needs to enter the Burning Hills Amphitheatre much more quickly and efficiently. We’re grateful to The Engelstad Foundation for leading the way with a $1 million gift to get this project underway!

Then on September 8th, KX News featured the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation in its KX Conversation segment. We discussed the Medora Musical, the upcoming Medora Hot Air Balloon Rally & Badlands Kite Fest, and Ring of Fire, a musical set to open on September 15th in Medora:

“If you like the Man in Black, there’ll be something here for you! Ring of Fire has about two dozen of his songs. It tells stories of family and perseverance—and has a really incredible cast. If you like the music of the Medora Musical, you can expect that caliber of talent singing music from Johnny Cash. We’ll keep the fun going into the fall in Medora!” said Tim Olson, Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation.

Medora Musical
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We’ve Achieved Our 2021 Medora Musical Attendance Goal!

August 27, 2021 Written by TRMF

Thursday, August 26th, 2021 was a red-letter day in Medora, North Dakota.

To most anyone, it might have seemed like any other day. Guests were greeted. Tickets were scanned. Folks headed onto the escalator, descended into the theatre, and enjoyed another night of the Greatest Show in the West.

So what made it so special? Well, on Thursday, we sold our 115,000th ticket to the Medora Musical—and for the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation, that marks a huge success. It means we’ve reached our 2021 attendance goal, and we still have a whole lot of shows left!

After what was an unusual year in 2020, it was truly amazing to see so many of our friends return to their summer tradition in 2021. If you made it to the Medora Musical this summer, thank you.

If not—or if you’re itchin’ for an encore—now’s your chance to help us make history! With a few more big weekends at the Medora Musical, 2021 could go down as our #1 highest attended summer ever!

So from all of us at TRMF: thanks for making this summer so special, and we hope to see you again real soon!

Medora Musical
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Summer 2017 Rough Riders Review!

July 31, 2017 Leave a Comment Written by Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation
Here it is, our Summer 2017 Rough Riders Review!

 

Take a look! We’re excited to share it with you!

 

And if you like what you see, consider becoming a member of the Theodore Roosevelt Medora Foundation (TRMF). Perks of joining TRMF include free Medora Musical tickets, free Bully Pulpit Golf Course passes, and our quarterly Rough Riders Review. 

Learn more and sign up here.

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Summer
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