FOREVERWELL MARCH 2026
FOREVERWELL® is a program for the active ager - our goal is to bring new events, extracurriculars, and clubs just for you!
Social Activities:
Member Spotlight
Potluck at Fercho
“Just Don’t Quit” - NIck
March 17 11:15 - 11:45 am Dawson Lounge - FY
If you ask Nick when health and fitness started in his life, he’ll pause for a second and smile.
Bring a dish to share and enjoy conversation with friends! Vern from Northern Plains Botanic Gardens will be speaking on the history of the community gardens in our area, the upcoming gardening season and community needs.
Valley City, starting in the local country club’s weight room. “When my kids were conditioning
Book Club March 10 9:30 - 10 am Dawson Lounge - FY
“I guess it really took off when my boys got involved in sports.” Nick and his wife, Linda, raised two sons. When one of them showed interest in football, Nick had one condition: “You’re going to have to hit the weights.” Strength mattered. So they began lifting together in in the weight room, so was I,” he says. That’s how it started—and he never really stopped. A Marine, Before it All Long before Valley City and the YMCA, Nick was an 18-year-old entering the United States Marine Corps in October 1968. He served in Vietnam until April 1970. He hadn’t lifted weights before the Marines, but the physical demands of military service introduced him to structured training and discipline. After returning home, he met Linda. Both were born and raised in Pierre, South Dakota, and this year they celebrate 54 years of marriage. Linda has always been active in her own way—an avid walker who could outpace the entire family at the mall or even on a casual stroll through the neighborhood. Building Community in Fargo & Finding His Rhythm at the YMCA When Nick first joined the YMCA in Fargo, it took a couple of months to settle into a routine. But once he did, he was hooked. He started with treadmill workouts, challenging himself to see how quickly he could walk three miles. Just shy of a jog, he eventually worked his time
We will discuss “West with Giraffes” by Lynda Rutledge. All are welcome, even if you haven't finished the book.
down to 45 minutes. This conditioning helped him keep up with Linda’s brisk pace.
April’s Books is “An Irish Country Doctor” by Patrick Taylor
Coach Nick
He mixed in cycling classes for a time and maintained steady strength training. Even North Dakota winters played a role with snow removal keeping him active when temperatures dropped. Over time, he gravitated back to what always felt right, the weight room. Today, he works out at least three times a week.
Fitness for Nick had never just been about himself. It had been about showing up for his kids and his community. In Valley City, he coached girls’ softball, boxing, and hockey for several seasons. After moving to Fargo, he coached in the church softball league. He never claimed to be an expert. He simply wanted the kids to compete, improve, and believe they could do better. And they did. When asked what advice he would give someone new to exercise, he doesn’t hesitate: “Don’t
March 10
April 14
West with Giraffes by Lynda Rutledge
An Irish Country Doctor by Patrick Taylor
give up.” You’ll feel sore. You’ll get sidetracked. Stay with it. Start simple. Go a little farther next time. Then show up again the next day. From a Marine in 1968, to a father lifting alongside his sons, to a coach, and a steady presence at the YMCA Nick’s story isn’t about intensity, it’s one of commitment. After many years, he keeps showing up for the workout.
YMCA of the Northern Sky | ymcanorthernsky.org/foreverwell