BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – After several recent apartment fires in Bismarck-Mandan, a volunteer group is helping families rebuild.

North Dakota Lions Emergency Relief has been helping families affected by apartment fires in the Bismarck-Mandan area since 2019. The non-profit is still in need of volunteers and financial donations while it works to get fire victims closer to normal.

Coordinator Patty Barrette said the focus is on more than immediate needs.

“So our goal is not to just get them through today and tomorrow. Obviously that’s very, very important, but we want them to think long term. We want to try to help everyone get as close to normal as we can,” Barrette said.

The organization is positioned to help 150 people in the first 48 hours after a disaster with clothing, hygiene supplies, bedding and household basics.

Once families find a place to stay, volunteers help them prepare for the months ahead by providing winter clothing and other essentials they may not think about in the moment.

“We have people that can kind of have been through this before either personally or have been part of our organization. They can sit down and say, okay, you know, what size underwear do you need? What size socks do you need?” Barrette said.

Barrette said helping families through traumatic situations can also weigh heavily on volunteers.

“We get the residual trauma. And so I have to monitor the team, make sure that they’re doing okay too, because there’s a lot we’re dealing with. You get a lot of tears coming in,” Barrette said.

Clothing and household donations are temporarily paused because of the overwhelming community response.

The group said financial donations, gift cards and volunteers are still needed to support families. Donations are helping families impacted by the Alberta Heights and Kirkwood Park fires.

The volunteer-run group said the first week after a disaster often brings a strong response, but as time goes on, families are still rebuilding and the need for help continues.

The group is looking for drivers, sorters, intake takers and bilingual volunteers. One-shift commitments are welcome.

One hundred percent of donations go through the North Dakota Lions Emergency Relief fund. More information is available on the group’s Facebook page.

• Three major festivals are scheduled in Columbus on May 23-24, the weekend before Memorial Day.
• Asian Festival, Ohio Black Expo: Riverfront Culture Fest and Land-Grant x Jeni’s Strawberry Jam will offer food, music, family fun, and other activities.
• Admission is free for Asian Festival and Strawberry Jam, while Ohio Black Expo requires tickets.

Memorial Day is approaching, and with it comes mornings filled with parades and bellies filled with cookout fare.

However, you can get your fill of both before the day of remembrance, thanks to a trio of festivals, all taking place on May 23-24.

Asian Festival, the Ohio Black Expo: Riverfront Culture Fest and Land-Grant x Jeni’s Strawberry Jam will offer foods for all palates, live music, family-friendly fun, and other activities. (Yes, there’s even a parade.)

The events could draw a combined 140,000-plus visitors to Columbus over two days, if attendance mirrors 2025 numbers reported by event organizers. Asian Festival alone counted more than 100,000 attendees last year.

If you want to be a part of the weekend festivities, all you need is a clear schedule and some details, which we’ve provided below.

Asian Festival

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. May 23, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. May 24

Where: Franklin Park, 1755 E. Broad St.

What: Aimed at promoting cultural diversity, education and community connection, the festival celebrates Asian and Pacific Islander heritage with food, arts, shopping, and performances from traditional dance and music to martial arts and more.

Festivalgoers can browse the marketplace, view educational and cultural displays, and enjoy a smorgasbord of authentic Asian cuisines including Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indian, Thai, and Filipino.

Organizers advise attendees to arrive early to avoid crowd and parking snafus.

Cost: Admission is free. Parking is available near Franklin Park, but it fills up quickly. See website for parking locations. Some have free shuttle service one hour before to one hour after the festival.

Info: asian-festival.org

Ohio Black Expo: Riverfront Culture Fest

When: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. May 23, noon to 10 p.m. May 24

Where: Genoa Park, 303 W. Broad St.

What: Empowerment, education and entertainment are hallmarks of this celebration of Black excellence and culture, which will kick off with a parade at noon May 23.

The rain-or-shine festival will offer such attractions as food trucks, 100-plus vendors, an HBCU college fair, storytelling, and a family zone with bounce houses, games, music, health and wellness checks, and other activities.

Featured performers will include Columbus-based J Rawls and Mix Master Ice, R&B singer October London, British R&B band Loose Ends, hip-hop’s Dead Prez and Rapsody, and multi-genre Grammy nominees Tank and the Bangas, among others.

Grammy-nominated hip-hop emcee and radio personality Monie Love will serve as a special guest host.

Proceeds from the festival will support youth and community programs.

Cost: Through May 22, tickets cost $25 for one day and $40 for both days. Same-day purchases online and at the gate will cost $30 for one day and $45 for both days.

Children ages 10 and younger will be admitted for free.

Info: ohioblackexpo.com

Land-Grant x Jeni’s Strawberry Jam 

When: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 23-24

Where: Land-Grant Brewing Co., 424 W. Town St.

What: The ninth annual Strawberry Jam will celebrate Ohio’s peak season for the seeded red fruit with live music and pretty much everything strawberry you can think of!

Thirteen food trucks will serve a bevy of berry-licious goodies including salsa, doughnuts, pretzel bites, dessert pizza, strawberry-stuffed buckeyes, and grilled chicken and pork belly in a strawberry miso ginger sauce.

Returning favorites include Scmidt’s Sausage Haus’ signature strawberry cream puff, Jeni’s strawberry buttermilk ice cream, and Splendid Strawberry Rhubarb Ale, a Land-Grant and Jeni’s collaboration. Hirsch Fruit Farm will also have fresh, local strawberries.

Other big draws will include local music, kid-centric activities in the Strawberry Patch and a vendor’s market selling fruit-themed items like stationery, posters, jam, gift sets, mugs, and bowls.

And of course, beloved mascot Strawberry Jammie will be there, making it a sweet weekend for all.

Cost: Admission is free.

Info: landgrantbrewing.com/jenis-strawberry-jam

Contact features and entertainment reporter Belinda M. Paschal at bpaschal@dispatch.com.

The South Dakota Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at May 19, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 19 drawing

10-26-34-56-64, Mega Ball: 06

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 19 drawing

05-06-42-44-47, Bonus: 03

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your prize

• Prizes of $100 or less: Can be claimed at any South Dakota Lottery retailer.
• Prizes of $101 or more: Must be claimed from the Lottery. By mail, send a claim form and a signed winning ticket to the Lottery at 711 E. Wells Avenue, Pierre, SD 57501.
• Any jackpot-winning ticket for Dakota Cash or Lotto America, top prize-winning ticket for Lucky for Life, or for the second prizes for Powerball and Mega Millions must be presented in person at a Lottery office. A jackpot-winning Powerball or Mega Millions ticket must be presented in person at the Lottery office in Pierre.