With love from the oil field: Men seek help finding the perfect gift to send home

• The Perfect Gift

Richard Loughnan is one of the many oil workers who sought the Valentine’s Day gifting experience of Riddle’s Manager Millie Wagner Wednesday.

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Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and men are flocking from the oil fields to area jewelry stores so they can snag the perfect gift for their sweethearts away from home.

Millie Wagner, who has managed Riddle’s Jewelry in the Prairie Hills Mall for the past five years, said workers have been pouring into the store all week and she has enjoyed every minute of it.

“I love working with these guys,” Wagner said. “They’ve all been so respectful and so nice.”

Richard Loughnan, who came to Dickinson two years ago to work in the oil fields, has visited Wagner before. He walked into Riddle’s Jewelry again Wednesday and purchased a sizeable golden rose for his girlfriend, who is expecting their second child back in Washington state.

“She’ll be happy,” Loughnan said confidently.

Loughnan was among many oil workers who realized early in the week that the window of opportunity to send off a gift was closing quickly.

Toni Kuntz, manager for The UPS Store in Dickinson, said she has been working hard to make sure workers’ gifts are sent out in a timely manner. She added that working with the men has been a blast.

“It is kind of cute to see the guys come in and send off their stuff to their sweeties,” Kuntz chuckled.

Kuntz added that she is always happy to send something out, even if oil workers wait until the last minute.

Even though a lot of oil workers are short on time and proper fashion sense when they stroll into Wagner’s store, she and her staff make the process quick and easy.

“They want that special gift,” she said. “Their hours are such that they don’t know how they’re going to get it mailed, so we will mail it to their loved ones.”

Wagner added that she especially likes to hear workers’ stories, which often lead to finding the right diamond or gemstone. As soon as the right piece of jewelry is chosen, she works with The UPS Store in Dickinson to make sure the item gets to workers’ loved ones on time for the love-themed holiday.

“They send home these special gifts to make sure that their wives know they love them and still care,” she said.

Tags: valentine's day, oil field, news