America, the Beautiful

A week removed from 9/11 and more than a week since the Annie's House weekend, but I still can't get the weekend out of my mind. I have decided to share all the pictures from the Annie's House project that were in the paper (that didn't get put on our website at www.ndna.com/bottineaucourant) and post them on here.

There will be a large amount of sports pictures as well as I covered five sports games/matches last week. Needless to say there will be a large amount of photos for readers to enjoy this week.

In other news, I rose to 1-1 in my Bottineau fantasy football league, but fell to 0-2 in my MN/ND/KS league. It's early, so I haven't lost faith quite yet.

Anyway, many pictures to write cut lines for, so I'll stop babbling.

Jenette Nelson speaks at the opening ceremony to the Annie's House build weekend on Sept. 6. Nelson was the mother of Ann Nicole Nelson, who is the namesake of Annie's House. Ann perished in the World Center terrorist attacks.

This man was awarded with for the longest distance traveled to make it to the build. More than 1,700 miles.

Richard Slavin of Staten Island, N.Y. takes a break from building to ride a horse for the first time.

Peter Peltonen and Brian Fitzpatrick have a little fun driving the sledge hammer on the wall the morning of Sept. 8 during the build.

JR Swietek from Utica, Ill. solidifies a fishing dock on Sept. 8 at BWP.

Ethan Davis of Minot, N.D. puts his stitch into the National 9/11 Flag on Sept. 8 at the Bottineau Armory.

Will Artz of Bottineau gets a little messy as he paints stars for the ‘Stars of Hope’ project.

The progress made on the Annie’s House build was evident following the weekend’s work on Sept. 8.

The MASH pole, a NYSTY tradition stands west of the main Annie’s House structure.

Reminders of Annie’s ‘bucket list’ were displayed on the rafters of the Annie’s House main structure.

Bob Lotspeich or ‘Builder Bob’ shakes hands with Larry Koch as he gives him one of three ceremonial tool belts. Koch is currently undergoing cancer treatment, and skipped a treatment to come to the build. The other two were given to local volunteers Dan Fett and Dick Kornkven.

Elaine Glinz (left) and Alice Ihla (right) make lefse the evening of Sept. 8.

Brian Parness of New Jersey has fun playing some softball late on Sept. 8.    

enette and Gary Nelson of Stanley, N.D., parents of Ann Nelson, walk during the procession on Sept. 9 to close the Annie’s House festivities.

Jacks corner Keith Francis looks to make a hit on a Iowa Central Tritons receiver.

DCB quarterback Kanavis Stewart looks to throw last Saturday against Iowa Central.

After relieving Stewart, Malcolm Hilliard delivers a strike to Lance Jackson.

Francis picks off the Tritons in the end zone.

David Moore makes a big stop as Keith Haywood tries to fight past a blocker to help out.

Casey Thomas (left) and Damon Bateman (right) combine to make a tackle on a Tritons back.

Stewart releases a pass in the first half.

Sophomore receiver Lance Jackson returns a kickoff last Saturday.

Tyias Huck hauls in what turns out to be a 60-yard gain.

Alex Munoz holds as Carlos Peternina kicks through the extra point.

Jackson tries to juke a defender after making a catch near the sidelines.

Senior Hadlee Schell looks to slam home a kill last Thursday against Dunseith.

Sophomore Molly Lodoen hits a serve in the win at Newburg last Thursday.

Freshman Leah Parizek tries to block a Williston State kill attempt.

Members of other DCB athletic teams came in full fan gear to support the Ladyjacks last Tuesday.

Sophomore Jackie Miller spikes the ball.

Bottineau Stars junior Courtney Gallagher digs out a serve last Tuesday against Our Redeemers.

Bailey Neubauer puts up a set last Tuesday in Bottineau.

Senior Katryna Hahn goes up and makes a big block.

Spectator Andrew Haberman shows his support by returning an errant ball that went by the stands.

Karlee McCloud (left) gets a piece of a Lady Knights shot while Kennedy Olson (right) tries to make the block as well.

Neubauer goes up to try and get a block.

Gallagher prepares to serve.

Senior Karlie Hancock delievers the opening kickoff last Friday night in Westhope.

Hancock and the rest of the Sioux storm down the field after the opening kick in last Friday's homecoming win over North Prairie.

Junior quarterback Hunter Braaten runs to his left last Friday.

Senior tailback Kodie Hancock fights for more yards with a Cougars defender draped all over him.

Kodie turns after catching a ball out of the backfield and looks upfield.

Braaten eludes a Cougars lineman.

Tyler Simpson drags down a Cougars back last Friday in Westhope during the homecoming game.

Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn's Ethan Miller (29) tries to jump on a North Prairie final.

Michael Schepp makes a big tackle in the backfield for the Sioux in the 48-14 win.

Braaten and receiver Calder Solloway celebrate after Solloway hauled in a touchdown pass from Braaten.

Karlie Hancock bulls forward for more yards.

Kodie Hancock reaches the ball across the goal line to score his third touchdown with a Cougar trying to drag him down.

God Bless America

First I would like to take the time to thank all the fire fighters, first responders, members of the military and veterans for all their wonderful service today on this 11th anniversary of the tragic 9/11 terrorist attacks.

However, this past weekend was really about folks getting together and doing good for the sake of doing good, rising up from the ashes of tragedy and building something that will stand for years to come.

I am talking of the Annie's House project run by the New York Says Thank You Foundation. I had a wonderful time covering it this past weekend. I have a few pictures that I didn't use in the paper left over, and I'll share them on here.

I also have a few pictures from the homecoming football game and the DCB volleyball game last Wednesday.

Ian Snodgrass comes around the edge on the pass rush in last Friday's homecoming loss to Bismarck-St. Mary's.

Snodgrass puts a lick on saints quarterback Trent Bohan.

Braves junior Harrison Aide returns a punt last Friday.

Bottineau's Chief Sideline Attendant Tyler Rispa tries to pump up the crowd in the second half.

Ladyjacks sophomore Jordyn Sondrol smacks a kill last Wednesday in a win over LRSC.

Freshman Amber Gable passes the ball.

Bottineau native Ashleigh Aufforth celebrates after an ace serve.

Sondrol again goes for a big swing.

Aufforth (left) and Leah Parizek (right) try and block a Lady Royals shot.

Larry Koch, receives a tool belt at the Annie's House weekend festivities, and gets emotional. Koch skipped a chemotherapy treatment to attend the build at the Bottineau Winter Park.

The Guss family (from left: Jason, Conner, Lindsey and Dawson) paint 'Stars of Hope' last Saturday afternoon at the BWP.

Members of the Bottineau fire department and sheriff's department as well as other firefighters from across the nation pose behind the National 9/11 flag last Saturday in the Bottineau Armory.

Two volunteers pound in some nails last Friday at the Annie's House build.

Craig Carter of Staten Island, N.Y. secures a beam to a wall last Friday.

How many fire fighters does it take to sledgehammer a wall into place? Apparently eight.

Christian Jones (center) awaits a rafter on a lift last Friday morning. Later that day he officially became an Eagle Scout.

Workers make benches and other crafts last Friday morning down by the pond at the BWP.

Wind it up

This week I chose the Gwen Stafani song "Wind it up" because it is about time for the fall sports season to officially get into the groove. The NFL season starts tomorrow, and other fall sports are already in gear, so let's wind it up.

Last week I had to cover a Lumberjacks football game in Bottineau. I then took the Labor Day weekend off and went back to Minnesota for the weekend.

This week will be hectic, crazy and insanely busy. I have a interviews to set up, a volleyball game a, football game and the whole crazy, chaoticness of the Annie's House project. Soon hundreds of volunteers from across the country will be in the Bottineau area, and it will be perhaps my busiest week as a reporter, hopefully I can survive it.

I am in an NFL pick 'em league this year, so I won't be posting my picks as I used to do. I will however continue sharing photos. I have a few from last week's football game.

Jacks starting quarterback Jonathan Parks calls out a motion during last Thursday's game against Mayville State.

Parks delivers a pass while breaking away from a defender in the 42-6 loss to the Comets.

Mayville's Josh Jeffries breaks up a pass intended for DCB's Lance Jackson.

Jacks Linebacker Marquis Brantley wraps up Dominique Bradley during last Thursday's second quarter.

Parks looks ahead as he decides to run.

Comets quarterback Tanner Carpenter goes down after a Damon Bateman sack late in the first half.