Sue Sitter/PCT “Ladies of Another View’s” Patti Armstrong, left, chats with Laurie Odden, executive director of the Rugby Chamber of Commerce, for the show’s “My Hometown” segment, May 11.

The host and crew of BEK Network’s “Ladies of Another View” visited Rugby on May 11 to film a segment of “My Hometown,” a series featuring the people who make North Dakota communities special.

Patti Armstrong, host of the show, spoke to locals representing Rugby’s city government, area businesses, and Prairie Village Museum.

The small group gathered in a cozy corner inside a banquet room at Coffee Cottage Cafe for their chats with Armstrong, which appeared on the BEK Network on May 18.

“A big bonus when doing the ‘My Hometown’ special with BEK TV’s ‘Ladies of Another View’ program is the wonderful people I meet,” Armstrong said in a message after her visit. ”This is no small thing and neither is it an exaggeration. By the time we record the show, I feel like I am gathering with friends.

“I especially felt that way in Rugby, staying for lunch and having visited over the phone and in person with people numerous times,” she added.

Laurie Odden, executive director of the Rugby Chamber of Commerce, talked to Armstrong about Rugby’s claim to fame as the Geographical Center of North Dakota. Odden summarized Rugby’s many options for shopping and places to eat, something she said she would “try to fit in” her short chat with Armstrong.

Ashley Berg, owner of Main Street Boutique and chair of the Rugby Firefighters Auxiliary, chatted about her store’s recent inventory expansion to include kitchenware. Berg told Armstrong about cooking classes she’s started offering upstairs in her building.

Berg also gave Armstrong a glimpse into the life of a firefighter’s spouse when she talked about how her husband, Joel, could leave at a moment’s notice to respond to an emergency as a Rugby volunteer firefighter. She described the work the auxiliary does to support the department.

Shane Engeland, executive director of the Prairie Village Museum, gave Armstrong a brief description of the people who’ve lived in the Rugby region throughout history and discussed upcoming events, such as a tribute to circus shows traveling through town in the past, and a performer with local roots – Silva’s Clifford Thompson, who was born in 1904 and was billed “The World’s Tallest Man.”

Jeff Duchscher, general manager of Rugby Manufacturing, told Armstrong about the important role the company plays in the area’s economy as one of the major employers.

Mayor Susan Steinke also chatted with Armstrong about the many things Rugby has to offer both visitors and people who choose to put down roots in the community.

Armstrong shared her impressions.

“Rugby itself is beautiful with so many restaurants, shops, and businesses that are thriving, clean and tastefully decorated,” Armstrong said. “Now I understand why a friend of mine with a daughter there in her first year of teaching, loves it so much.

“Rugby truly is a town worth visiting and even moving to,” she added. “And that’s another bonus with my job featuring some of North Dakota’s great small towns, I’m not a salesperson, but rather sharing the good news of quality of life and the kind of living you can’t get outside of small towns.”