BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Local brand Many Visions focuses on encouraging creativity within the community.

Its event Mini Visions, focused on starting this process at a young age.

At the Capital Ice Complex in Bismarck, Many Visions set up a variety of family-friendly activities, all involving art and ways for kids to express themselves.

Live music echoed through the rink along with the voices of children joining in karaoke.

For event organizer Bobby Cochran, the event was a way to give children in the community an opportunity that was not available to him as a child.

“I was a troubled youth as a kid, so I never had these tools and had these lessons as a kid, so I’m trying to provide these for them and we do it absolutely free,” said Cochran.

Children were free to explore music and art activities, such as coloring and creating via virtual reality programming at different stations.

These exposed them to a variety of different interests and possible coping and therapeutic skills.

“I have two grown boys and just, you know, the more things you can subject them to, the healthier life they’re gonna live, I think,” said Nicole Morrison, an attendant of the event.

Cochran says the goal is to build a future for the youth filled with art and music, a sentiment supported by his slogan.

“Never doubt your visions, which means that you could do anything in your life that you want to do, you just have to believe in yourself and have to know that you can do anything you want, you just have to take those small steps to get those big steps,” said Cochran

Inflatables were also available for the kids to use.

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GARRISON, N.D. (KVRR) — Fort Stevenson State Park near Garrison, North Dakota is now home to the Guinness World Record title for the most people making s’mores at the same time.

That’s what it looks like when 1,150 people make s’mores at the same time.

The previous record was 891.

The park hosted the event to celebrate its 50th anniversary, with local sponsors providing support.

An official judge from Guinness World Records was on site to verify the record and confirm that 1,150 people simultaneously made s’mores.

Fort Stevenson State Park Manager Chad Trautman said all the volunteers and visitors that came together to make history helped them create an unforgettable event.

There was an anniversary on May 14, 1948, but The Forum missed it. It was the day that Jewish Agency chair David Ben-Gurion proclaimed in Tel Aviv the establishment of the state of Israel. It was celebrated then by the Jewish people and within a matter of hours, the United States gave it official recognition as a nation state.

Now how is it that The Forum missed this anniversary?

On the op-ed page was a letter from

Allison Slavik saying that Gaza is not going away

. That might be true, but how about a mention of releasing the hostages held in tunnels by Hamas? Most people could accept a truce if at least a few of the living Jewish people could again see daylight along with the bodies of the dead under Hamas control.

How did the Jewish mothers of those hostages feel on May 12th?

Also,

Trampas Johnson has his viewpoint

expressed about the Palestinian-Israel conflict. How sad that Hamas butchery and savagery has engulfed the innocent lives of the Palestinian families.
Since Secretary of State Blinken and National Security spokesman John Kirby are each on record asking for Hamas to accept a temporary cease-fire and release 30 hostages, I believe that could create more support for Allison’s and Trampas’s debate points. But here we are, no fireworks for a celebration in Israel on its own Independence Day. Instead, there is daily fireworks in Hamas and Israel war.

If Gaza has a right to exist, so does Israel. The entire world knows that Israel is a Jewish nation. Now the readers of The Forum might read the other side of story and pray for the release of the hostages.

Crystal Dueker lives in Fargo.