Mission

What is your role on the Board?

Promote, introduce and coordinate Project 11 throughout Minnesota and North Dakota schools

Hello everyone, I’m honored to introduce myself as one of the newest members of the Max Foundation crew. My key role is to promote, introduce and coordinate Project 11 throughout Minnesota and North Dakota schools.

What are the highlights of your life personally?

My name is Lisa Byfuglien. My last name is pronounced Buff-lin and I know it’s a crazy way to say that, but I married into it 30 years ago to my high school sweetheart Jamie. We both grew up in the small northern town of Roseau, MN. We have 3 grown children, 1 son-in-law, and 3 beautiful grand babies. I have been the owner and teacher of a preschool for 28 years and really have a passion for positive mental health for children of all ages. This led me to Project 11 and the Max Foundation.

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

My aspiration for this job is to help kids have access to mental health tools through Project 11 and the Max Foundation that help change the stigma of mental health, get kids talking to build relationships, and have the knowledge to navigate this thing we call life! Please feel free to reach out with any questions.

Respectfully,
Lisa Byfuglien
Max Foundation Project 11 Coordinator
Lisabyfuglien@gmail.com
218-242-3957

What is your role on the Board?

I am committed to making a difference in as many kids lives as I can. We have a good advisory group that shares this same passion. Mental wellness is a serious issue and I am committed to bringing it the attention it needs and feel that I can do that by contributing time, energy and resources to the Max Foundation Advisory Board.

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?

Because of the need for mental wellness. If we are successful that means we’ve helped others. As Max’s father, this is so very real and personal. We need to make a difference so that another family doesn’t have to go through what Kallie, Lisa, Layla and I deal with every day.

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

Mental health is a serious issue that is not well understood or accepted publicly. We need to understand and accept that fact. The foundation is committed to raising funds and investing those funds in a way that it will give today’s kids and their families the tools they need to handle mental health issues the right way. 

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max?

Max was just so much fun to be around. He loved all of the things that I love. Hunting, fishing, hockey. The last family trip we took together was to the 2018 Stanley Cup final in Washington DC. It was great!

What are the highlights of your life personally?

My three kids, Layla, Lisa, and Max
Being part of a successful business with Kallie, my wife.
Being part of championship athletic teams.
Coaching.
Fishing and hunting.

What is your role on the Board?

I hope to use my years of private business ownership, parenting, grandparenting and volunteerism to guide the Max Foundation. It is critical that we stay true to our mission and operate with unquestionable integrity and do all that we can to ensure that we are financially capable of making a difference now and for years to come.

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?

It is critically important to accept the fact that mental wellness is a critical issue especially in our teens and young adults. It is equally important to acknowledge that mental illness has a social stigma and that should not be. The next generation is our future and I am hopeful that we can give them the tools they need to live an enjoyable, positive and productive life.

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

To do nothing about mental wellness is not an option. We will work hard to invest the money that we are entrusted with into events, projects and activities that will make a difference for today’s youth. I hope that we can bring knowledge and understanding to the importance of mental health issues and provide the youth and young adults with the tools that they need to live life to its fullest.

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max? 

Max was only 19 years old but he touched people in a powerful way…..his quick smile, his firm handshake, his eye contact, unending questions and his enthusiasm…..hard to find anybody who did not like Max!!

What are the highlights of your life personally?

I have been blessed beyond reason:
Being raised in a loving, nurturing and caring family.
38 years of marriage to Mary, my wife.
4 wonderful children, who are now all adults.
8 incredible grandchildren.

Please give a brief summary of your professional/work experiences.

Work started at a young age with mowing lawns, being a minnow boy, guiding on Lake of the Woods for summer fishing. After a stint at college I came home and worked in the family business for 18 years. In 1997, Mary and I made a decision to pursue a different career and since that time have been self employed owning and operating several different businesses.

What is your role on the Board?

My role on the Board is to contribute what I can to make this foundation a successful one. Being able to talk about mental health issues and spread the word about the Max Foundation that we are here to help and want to help anyone we can. I hope myself and everyone involved with the Max Foundation can make an impact on others’ lives through our awareness and events and get people comfortable about reaching out for help.

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?

The success of this foundation is important to me because how crucial mental health is in everyone’s lives, and how important it is that we do what we can to end the stigma. The success is important to me because we have an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives.  It is important to me to honor my brother in a way that would make him proud.

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

I hope that with the Max Foundation that we can touch many people’s lives in a positive way and be able to help them be able to overcome some of the hardest obstacles in life. I hope with the Max Foundation we can get people to reach out when they need help and help them live the best life that they can.

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max? 

I don’t think I can pinpoint one memory or experience with Max because we had a lot of them. My favorite thing about him was just how he made me feel when I was with him. He was my go to when I was sad and he always seemed to brighten my day when I was around him. One thing I think of often is the smile on his face when we’d be driving in his boat up at the Angle with the music on and there didn’t seem to be a worry in the world. Those were my favorite days with Max.

What are the highlights of your life personally?

The highlights of my life are my family and friends. The amazing people in my life that make me laugh and also stand by me through my hardest days. I am very thankful for the care and support I receive from them on a daily basis. Without my unbelievable family and friends the things I enjoy in life wouldn’t be as much fun.

Please give a brief summary of your professional/work experiences.

I grew up in Warroad and played hockey for the Warroad high school team. I graduated in 2013 and went to college at the University of North Dakota where I continued playing hockey and received a communications major and a leadership minor. I am now living back in Warroad and work for my parents at The Patch Motel and Izzy’s Lounge and Grill.

What is your role on the Board?

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?

There is no question that mental wellness is something that needs to be talked about and we had no idea it was going to affect our family the way that it has. We created the Max Foundation because we want to help others and encourage conversations about mental wellness. Our foundation is possible because of who Max was and how he treated people. It is important to me to continue to make Max proud and keep his spirit alive by helping others.

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

My hope for the Max Foundation is that we are able to educate kids and let them know that there are other options. I feel so so sad that Max felt he only had one option and I wish more than anything that we would have had the chance to help him. So, going forward, I am hopeful that we can impact kids and families in positive ways and encourage them to have conversations and ask for help. 

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max? 

Max and I spent a lot of time in the boat together fishing and those are my favorite days with him. One day in particular we were at the cabin and he woke Dad and me up at 5:00AM to go muskie fishing. Three casts in I caught my first muskie and Max netted it. He was so excited for me and that is what was so special about Max – he was genuinely excited for others. Everyday I think about having just one more day in the boat with Maxie.

What are the highlights of your life personally?

I’m not sure I could say just one thing but what I do know is that I am very grateful to have a close family. I am lucky to be Max and Lisa’s sister and have such supportive parents. If you would have asked me this question before we lost Max I would have probably told you winning state with my high school team or winning gold with my U18 team. Looking back, my highlights are the times I was able to spend with Max and the times all five of us got to be together. I will forever cherish our memories together.

Please give a brief summary of your professional/work experiences.

• Warroad High School
• Went to school and played hockey at UND
• Patch Motel, Izzy’s Lounge & Grill
• Coach of the Warrior girls hockey team

What is your role on the Board?

I think that I can help the board make good financial decisions and keep focus on our mission.

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?

Mental wellness affects one in five and doesn’t discriminate. Kids are our future. If we can be successful in helping kids, our world will be a better place going forward

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

It is my hope that the Max Foundation can educate as many people as possible about mental wellness. We’re going to be small and focused as we get going but as long as we are having success and the funds are there we will continue to help.

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max?

August 2nd, 2018. Max took a few buddies and me fishing. It was the same stuff we’d been doing for years without Max but him being a part of it added an element that made it so much more special. Fishing was good but the stories and fun were great. He ended up spending the entire day with us – including muskie fishing in the evening. Even though he was 15 years younger he fit in perfectly.

What are the highlights of your life personally?

Growing up and attending school in Warroad – hunting, fishing, playing hockey. Attending St Johns for 4 years. Playing hockey and making some great friends there. I lived and worked in Fargo/Moorhead for two years and made more great friends there.

Married Kendra, my beautiful wife, in 2008. We have four great kids – Callen, Adley, Conway, and Nohl.

Please give a brief summary of your professional/work experiences.

Have always been in the retail/outdoor/sports business. After school I worked for Gander Mountain and Scheels. We now have four businesses headquartered in Warroad. Streiff Sporting Goods, Hosted Hunts, North Country Convenience, and T-Shirt Barrel.

What is your role on the Board?
I am hopeful that I can bring a healthcare and community perspective to the Board. My experience coordinating wellness efforts in the community will fit nicely with the mission of the MAX Foundation.

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?
Mental wellness is a huge component of overall wellness and is a passion of mine both personally and professionally. LifeCare Medical Center has identified mental health as a top community health need in our last two Community Health Needs Assessments. Our administration and hospital board have made a commitment to addressing this need and would like to support the Max Foundation in their efforts to help make this happen.

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?
I hope we can work together with other organizations, groups, and communities to help reduce/eliminate the stigma that comes with talking about mental health. I hope we can equip our communities with the tools and resources needed to support the mental wellbeing of their people.

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max? 
Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to know Max on a personal level.  

What are the highlights of your life personally?
I moved back to this area with my husband, Todd, and our 3 children in 2006. Moving closer to our extended family and raising our children in this community has been a highlight for me. My older two children, Adam & Ellie, currently attend the University of Minnesota and my youngest, Lauren, is a sophomore at Roseau High School.

Please give a brief summary of your professional/work experiences.
Graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. Have worked various nursing jobs throughout my 26+ year career but most recently have been working as one of the Wellness Coordinators at LifeCare Medical Center. 

What is your role on the Board?

The title I have on the Max Marvin Foundation board is Treasurer, but I will also be donating my time and resources to help wherever it is needed. 

Why is the success of this foundation important to you?

To me this foundation represents the concentrated effort of people with ideas, means, and motivation to make a difference in the lives of not just kids or one community, but an entire region. Suicide and depression have either directly or indirectly affected almost everyone. They are difficult concepts, and the more we can do to normalize open conversation and get more minds working together on help and prevention, the better off everyone will be. 

What do you hope the Max Foundation can accomplish?

My hope is that the Max Foundation can find the right people with the right expertise to donate resources to, and that the result will be communities with the tools to prevent suicide and support those struggling with their mental health. Whether that’s with in-school programs, therapists, community projects, or access to mental health training for whoever wants it. The Max Foundation is working in the right direction and I’m proud to be part of it.  

What is your favorite memory/experience with Max?

Max had a way of fitting in wherever he was – even with a team of girls a few years older than him. When I was on the Warroad Girls JV Hockey team, Max would join us for practices, and they were always better when he was there. Max would show us the stick handling tricks he was practicing and chat with anyone nearby. The kid never got winded. I specifically remember when he was telling us he was going to get bigger shoulder pads and start checking soon – he was so excited and proud that he was moving up to that level in hockey. We were all happy for him even though it didn’t affect us at all, he was just contagious like that.

What are the highlights of your life personally?

I am thankful for my husband, my dog, my family and my home. I might not be the kind of lucky person that wins at scratchers or raffles, but I was born blessed with people who love me and a good life. 

Please give a brief summary of your professional/work experiences

I skipped around and ended up back where I started. In high school and into college I worked as a teller at Security State Bank of Warroad. After graduating college with a degree in management I went to work at my husband’s family’s resort for a few years. After deciding that the resort business was not for me, I was offered a job back at Security State Bank and with Security State Insurance. I have happily been with those businesses since.