Each August, the Tribune does a Hometown publication, highlighting a particular aspect of life in western North Dakota.

"Hometown Hands" came out in 2007, and this year, the theme is "Hometown Hospitality."

The newspaper would like help identifying stories in Bismarck-Mandan and surrounding communities that express the hospitality North Dakotans offer neighbors, newcomers and those just passing through.

There might be stories about a community festival during which townspeople invite others to share in their community, such as a corn festival or harvest festival. Or a story about a person in the community who always goes out of their way to make sure newcomers are settled in and are welcome. Or it might be a story about the general graciousness of a particular church, club or association.

If you have story ideas or names of people who express the North Dakota idea of hospitality, please contact Tribune Managing Editor Ken Rogers at 250-8250 or ken.rogers@bismacktribune.com.

HometownHospitality will publish in the Tribune in mid-August. The newspaper needs the story ideas and names by June 27 so that they can be assigned to writers and photographers.

Communities in addition to Bismarck-Mandan that are involved in the Hometown program include Garrison, Linton-Strasburg, New Town, Hettinger, Watford City, Hazen, Wishek, Beulah, Washburn, Bowman, and Hebron-Glen Ullin-Center-New Salem.