JILL SCHRAMM/MDN Terry Quinlen, center, with Our Lady of Grace Food Pantry holds a symbolic check from the Minot Area Community Foundation Wednesday, April 15, outside the new pantry building set to open later this spring. Minot’s Good Neighbor honoree Corey Long, left, chose the nonprofit to receive the $1,000 prize award from the foundation and delivered the funds with Foundation President Jason Zimmerman, right.

Minot’s Good Neighbor honoree highlighted the importance of fighting hunger in delivering a $1,000 check to Our Lady of Grace Food Pantry Wednesday, April 15.

Corey Long was recognized with the Good Neighbor award at the State of the City event April 6. Selected from among 10 nominees for his community service, Long received the privilege of directing a $1,000 award from the Minot Area Community Foundation to the nonprofit of his choice.

Long has been recognized as the type of individual who makes things happen in Minot. He’s used his energy to work with the Minot Shrine Club, Downtown Business & Professional Association, Fjord Fest, Minot Fireworks Association and Minot Fourth of July event. However, he decided to donate to another nonprofit to ensure the money has the most impact.

“I think feeding people is most important,” he said.

Influencing his selection of a pantry was long-time acquaintance Terry Quinlen, an Our Lady of Grace volunteer who also had been nominated for the Good Neighbor award. In learning more about the pantry, Long said he also was moved by the scope of need as the pantry prepares to open a new building.

A Minot native, Long worked with a soup kitchen in Fargo when living there for a number of years. He returned to Minot in 2010. Long works seasonally with Bechtold Paving in Minot. He and Derek Olson also operate a video production company.

Long’s volunteer involvement came naturally.

“I was looking for something constructive to do. It’s easy to sit back and whine and complain. Instead of whining and complaining, I just got up and said, ‘What kind of help do you guys need?'” he said.

Long, currently president of the Minot Fireworks Association, joined the group several years ago after becoming acquainted with former president Adam Dyess. The association conducts fundraising for fireworks events.

“I saw year after year that they were struggling with the money. I wanted to help out because I wanted to make sure my kids had a show,” said Long, recalling how walking to the fairgrounds for the races and fireworks was a highlight of his youth.

The working relationship between the association and Minot’s Fourth of July event committee led to an idea by Dyess to start a Fourth of July parade. Long latched onto the idea and did what he is good at. He went out and garnered support to make a parade happen. The parade has featured local veterans and a commander from Minot Air Force Base serves as parade marshal.

“We just ran with that, and we’ve been doing it now the last three years,” Long said. “I’ve been part of the parade committee with Minot Shrine.”

Long joined the Shrine Club at the suggestion of another long-time Minot acquaintance, Shriner Ken Gillespie, also known as Dizzy the Clown. Long serves as the club’s treasurer and assists the club in bringing the Shrine Circus to Minot each year as a fundraiser to support its missions around children’s healthcare and building men’s character.

He became involved with the Downtown Business & Professional Association after helping a local business at a downtown function. He had the idea that background fireworks at the annual Christmas tree lighting would be a nice touch, and it’s become a regular feature of the event the past few years.

“People love it,” Long said. “It just brings in more people and more community, and they seem to have a good time.”

He now serves on the DBPA board, helping with the holiday events.

His most recent involvement has been with Fjord Fest, the new Scandinavian festival scheduled in August. When Fjord Fest organizers asked for help, Long responded by using his community connections to coordinate storage space for former Norsk Hostfest items the new festival can use. He also helped enlist community leaders to endorse a state grant application for the festival.

Nominated by a downtown business owner for the Good Neighbor award, Long said he was surprised by his selection, given the quality of candidates.

“Everybody that was nominated won this, and I really dislike seeing one person get all the credit,” he said. The volunteerism is what is awesome about Minot, he added.

“There’s a lot of people that just simply want to help out and spread a positive love, if you will – just the positivity,” he said. “There’s a lot of people doing a lot of good around town.”