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Nonprofit group steps up to help family of man killed in crash

Dickinson Press - 5/21/2017

May 21--A nonprofit group's recent event raised more than $4,100 for the family of a Dickinson man killed in an automobile accident in March.

Chive On North Dakota held the event at The Rock Bar in Dickinson a few weeks ago to help the family of 27-year-old Dalton James pay for funeral, travel and other expenses.

Tori Barnum, manager of The Rock, said Chive On approached him about hosting the fundraiser. Though he had heard of the group and always wanted to work with them, this was his first Chive event.

"It was very organized. I was very impressed with all the work they put into it," Barnum said. "I didn't really have to do a lot with the fundraising portion. I could focus on running the bar and running the event and make sure things were going well and putting out the fires that needed to be put out, and they focused on all the fundraising stuff. It was wonderful."

Chive On North Dakota is a statewide group that is run entirely by volunteers, said Jenaya Kiti, the nonprofit's president. It is also a member of the national organization Chive Nation.

"Our focus is making North Dakota 10 percent better," Kiti said.

Kiti is one of three administrators who live in Dickinson while the others live in different parts of the state. All administrators work together to put on events regardless of their location, she said. Dickinson has 50 to 60 Chive members making it the organization's most involved area of the state.

The group does not have a membership fee or regular meetings aside from two meetups a year and an annual administrative team meeting, Kiti said. Chive On welcomes any newcomers interested in volunteering and making a difference in their community.

The group communicates through its Facebook page, posting updates on volunteer opportunities or creating Facebook events for fundraisers organized by Chive On North Dakota. Anyone interested in joining the group can simply keep an eye out for events posted online, show up and help out, Kiti said.

"I think that our organization is special and is great in just the way that we hold our events," Kiti said. "It's more geared toward young professionals -- people who want to do good things in the community but still have fun doing them. One of our national slogans is 'We party with a purpose.' So when we hold these events, the focus is on making sure that it's a fun event and something that will raise money or do good in the community. We try to make sure that the two go hand-in-hand."

The group usually puts on two or three events in the Dickinson area a year, she said. Bark in the Park, which was created last year, is an event the group plans to put on annually in October to promote animal adoption and raise money for local shelters. The group keeps an eye out for other community needs throughout the year to see if there are other areas Chivers can help out as well.

"The best part is being able to talk to the people that we've helped," said Emily Murphy, the group's secretary who lives in Dickinson. "They're just so grateful that we had reached out to them and just humbled by the whole experience. It's just really neat to see people appreciate what we're able to do, and it's just a great feeling too. It doesn't matter if we raised $1,000 or $10 -- every little bit helps somebody in some way."

Kiti said the organization welcomes people from all walks of life, adding the major rule is there are no politics or religion involved. The only thing people should be focused on at Chive events is helping the cause at hand, she said.

The group may also appeal more to younger people, Kiti said. While there are plenty of other service-based groups in Dickinson, Chive On is not as strict as other groups. However, though nationally the group is sometimes known for having a good time rather than for its service, Murphy said giving back to the community is the most important thing.

"A lot of people think The Chive is just about posts of sexy girls and partying, but the real Chivers dig deeper than that," Murphy said. "We're active in our communities and our states to help those that really need help. We're more than just a bunch of 20, 30, 40, 50-year-olds partying -- we're people that have a passion to help everybody from all walks of life."

People interested in contacting Chive On North Dakota for help with their own events can reach them by email at chivenodak@gmail.com. Community members wishing to get involved with the group can check out its Facebook page, Chive On North Dakota, for updates on volunteer opportunities.

"I would definitely suggest using them for multiple fundraisers--if anybody's looking for one, I would suggest contacting them," Barnum said. "They're great to work with."

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(c)2017 the Dickinson Press (Dickinson, N.D.)

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