Ray and Valerie Reichert honored at county fair

The Red River Emerging Leader flame has been passed on from Bryan and Stephanie Ramsrud of Bagley  to Valerie and Ray Reichert.  The Ramsruds have served Clearwater County for the past year and were appointed as the Agassiz Ambassadors for the coming year. 

Nineteen counties in the region participate in a selection process to identify the Agassiz Leaders who will take part in the Emerging Leadership Program.

Ray and Valerie Reichert of Clearbrook were announced at a reception held during the Clearwater County Fair. Leaders are farmers, educators and agri-business men who have been identified by their peers to receive the recognition.

Valerie and Ray are 1992 graduates of Clearbrook-Gonvick High School where they were high school sweethearts.  It started out after Valerie got Ray to teach her how to ride a horse. She did confess that she had been riding Phyllis Stebe’s horses in Gonvick. But things worked out and the pair were married five months after graduation before hunting season. Valerie went to school as a Medical Administrator through the Good Samaritan Center while she was working there. Ray started working with his father Donn Reichert at Reichert Saddlery and Farm Supply in Leonard. He also farmed with beef cattle.

After their marriage they lived in a trailer house on his parent’s farm in Sinclair Township. In 1998 they bought the farm across the highway. The move was the hardest on their cat. They had to go back several times to retrieve him. They sold the beef cattle and now have a herd of horses and several sheep. 

Ray spends more time with his father attending 15 different events with their rodeo supplies that they sell through their business. Valerie worked until 2009 at Good Samaritan Center and she is now a secretary at Samhold Lutheran Church in Gonvick. She also started a second part-time job at Cornerstone Veterinary Services in Gonvick as a Vet Assistant and working as office staff.

The couple is raising three daughters Ashley, Monica and Sarah, who attended Clearbrook-Gonvick school as well as their parents. Ashley graduated with a four-year degree at the University of Minnesota at Crookston (UMC). Monica is in her second year at UMC and Sarah will be in the sixth grade at Clearbrook-Gonvick. 

Ray’s parents are Donn and Ruth Reichert of Clearbrook. He has three brothers Karl, Kurt and Eric and one sister Donna. Valerie’s parents are Victor and Carolyn Rude of Gonvick. She has one sister Vivian and a brother Vernon. 

Valerie and Ray spend as much of their free time as possible trail riding and camping with the family. They enjoy fishing and kayaking. Valerie enjoys being a 4-H mom with the girls very active with projects at the fair for the Leon Ramblers 4-H Club. Ray has been a team roper and has won a belt buckle for his efforts.

Valerie is the President of the NACL ladies at the Samhold Lutheran Church. She is a Sunday School teacher and assistant volleyball coach for Junior Olympics. 

The Emerging Leadership Program developed in 1985 by a small group of People who felt there was a need to help individuals develop their leadership potential. The program’s history is from the King Agassiz Program that ran during the Red River Valley Shows that was held in Crookston.

Since that time 1,050 people have participated in the program which consists of four sessions focusing on a variety of seminars for participants to enhance their skills.

Session 1: helps participants develop an understanding of self and gain insights into leadership in their community.

Session 2: focuses on building skills for leadership with a focus on effective meetings, shared vision, and dealing with conflicts.

Session 3: A three day trip to St. Paul to learn about the legislative process and broaden their understanding of complex issues.

Session 4: encourages individuals to set personal goals for themselves as they look at ways they can “give back” to their community.

Congratulations to the couple.