Students Take Summer Ag Classes

summer ag class walking goats

By Dan Bechtold, Editor

This summer 15 Winner High School students are getting hands on experience with animal production and plant science.  Wyatt DeJong, ag teacher at Winner High School, is teaching two classes this summer.   The classes started the last week of school and will end the second week of August.  Students will receive a half a credit for taking the class. DeJong says there are quizzes and tests just like normal class.

There is an animal science class. Last year the focus was on beef production and this year the focus is on sheep, goats and swine. Each student can choose one species. There are seven students in the animal science class.

New this year is an advanced plant science class with eight students. This class is working on a community garden plus learning about crops as well as soil science.

There is 40 hours of classroom work and 60 hours of working with plants or animals. The classes are taught in the barn just west of Frontier Motors.   Students get to pick 10 days they can meet for four hours each time. DeJong says the classes are normally held in the evening from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

“The students like the structure as it is so different from any class they would take,” said DeJong.  He noted the classes are set up like a production class on a collegiate level.
DeJong says he is able to teach a lot of concepts and show the students different aspects of both animal science and plant science.

Pink Flamingos Could Be Coming to Your Yard

The Pink Ladies Dart League is holding a Flock Against Cancer fundraiser in the Colome and Winner areas.

Persons can sign up to have flamingos placed in friend’s yard. Friends and family will wake up to a flock of flying pink flamingos in their yard. The flock will spend a day of leisure in the yard before flying off for the next destination.

For an extra fee, persons can be in the witness protection program to ensure they never find out who called them in.

For a fee persons can place their address on the no fly zone to ensure the flock does not land in their yard.

To flock friends or family or to purchase flock insurance, contact Chrissy at 840-0343, stop by the Frontier Bar in Colome or place an order with any of the Colome Pink Ladies Dart Players.

Amateur Team Heads to Championship

am derek graesser

Winner/Colome amateur baseball team defeated Parkston Mudcats 4-3 in district play Sunday in Parkston.

Derek Graesser was the winning pitcher.

Graesser had a solo home run to put the Pheasants ahead 3-1 in the third inning.  Austin Calhoon also hit a solo home run in the victory. He also had single. Dillon Lambley hit a double, single, and drove in a run for the Pheasants.

Winner/Colome will play the Alexandria Angels on Friday at 8 p.m. in Parkston in the championship game.

Lovejoy/Marts Win Golf Tournament

two lady best ball golf

Michelle Lovejoy and Teresa Marts won the championship flight of the 2 lady best ball golf tournament held Saturday at Winner Country Club. The pair shot a 75.

Second place in the championship flight went to Stacey Halverson and Victoria Gronlund with a 76.

Winning the first flight were Kay Bolton and Twila Owen with an 87. Second place went to Deb Godel and Terami Nespor with an 87.

Pin prize winners were Twila Owen, closest to pin on No. 3; Addy Root, longest drive on No. 4; Teresa Marts, longest putt on No. 7 and Addy Root, longest putt on No. 9.

Pheasants Record Shutout

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Winner/Colome amateur baseball team won their opener in the District 5B tournament Thursday in Parkston. The Pheasants won 10-0.

J. J. Farner pitched a complete game allowing three hits and no runs while striking out six.  Austin Calhoon had two hits and an RBI including a double. Geno Katz had a single and an RBI for Winner/Colome.

Winner/Colome Fall in Two Games at State B Legion

riley calhoo0n state legion

Winner/Colome Legion baseball team fell in two games in the state Class B tournament in Webster.

On Friday afternoon, Milbank defeated Winner/Colome 6-2.

Kelly O’Bryan started on the mound and went 8 innings giving up 5 runs (3 earned) on 10 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts.  Drew DeMers pitched the 9th inning giving up 1 unearned run on 1 hit.  Drew DeMers and Levin McClanahan had RBI singles.

The Royals and Milbank had met twice before during the regular season with each winning a game.

The Winner/Colome Legion played in Saturday’s elimination game and fell 7-3 to Madison.

For Winner/Colome, Carter Brickman started on the mound and pitched four innings giving up 3 runs on 6 hits, 1 walk and no strikeouts. Reed Harter came on in relief and pitched four innings giving up 4 runs (2 earned) on 4 hits, 1 walk and 5 strikeouts.

Jr. Teeners Take 2nd in Tournament

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The Winner Junior Teeners downed Chamberlain 18-7 in the Regional tournament in Winner.

“Aaron Gilchrist pitched a gem of game,” said coach Jon Hanson. Brady Fritz and Kameron Meiners came in relief to close out the game.
Leading the way on the offensive side were Brady Fritz with 3 hits and 4 runs, Oscar Pravecek with 3 hits and Colby Kaiser with 4 hits.

Winner’s season came to a close at the hands of Wagner by score of 10-7.

Fritz pitched the entire game and had 5 strikeouts. Fritz and Pravecek each had 2 hits.
“I am proud of the kids for battling all season,” said Hanson. “We ended the season with a record of 14-8 and we only had 2 bad losses on the season.
“It was a pleasure coaching these boys. I saw improvement in every single one of the players from the beginning to the end of the season,” said Hanson.

Danielle Maria McCollam, 26

mcCollam obit

Danielle was born on December 20, 1989, in Burke, SD, to proud parents Kelly and Michelle McCollam. Danielle spent her early childhood in Winner where she attended grade school and middle school. In the summer of 2004 the family moved to Mobridge where she began her high school. She graduated from Mobridge High School in 2008, and later went on to attend Black Hills State University and South Dakota State University, she graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in Hospitality Management.

Following college she worked at the Nantucket Yacht Club in Nantucket, Massachusetts. She then moved closer to her family and worked in Bismarck, ND as the Front Desk Manager for the Ramkota. She returned to Mobridge in 2015 where she began working for Golden Living Center as the Dietary Manager. In March 2016 she became part of the Human Resources Department for PIC/Apex in Mound City, SD.

Danielle made wonderful memories during high school and was very humbled and proud to have been the Homecoming Queen in 2008. One of her other highlights from high school was being a member of the squad awarded Spirit of Six during the 2006 Girls State A Basketball Tournament. She also had a love for playing the piano that she developed from an early stage and had kept with her throughout her life. At the time of her passing Danielle was very happy to be living in Mobridge among friends and family. She was also very excited with her job that gave her the opportunity to travel between Canada and Tennessee; and meet many interesting people.

Danielle was well known for being very loving and kind, and it showed through her many friends that she had gathered throughout her life. Her ability to find the good in people was always present. Danielle was well known for her bright and vivid smile and her willingness to help. Danielle was an amazing family person, doing a great job of always keeping in touch with her family; and had a special knack for remembering birthdays and special dates. Words cannot express how much she will be missed by her family and friends.

Jordyn Hespe, 19

jordyn hespe

Jordyn was born on September 29, 1996 in Winner, SD to Kenneth and Sandra (Olson) Hespe. She had an outgoing personality and everybody who met her was her friend. She moved to Todd County High School when she was a sophomore and found her place. She was active in many things but especially loved volleyball and basketball. She graduated from Todd County High School in 2015. Jordyn was selected to represent South Dakota and play basketball on the girls Down Under Basketball Team in Brisbane, Australia. This was a dream come true for Jordyn! Her trip included the Golden Coast of Australia, Great Barrier Reef, New Zealand, and Hawaii. She fell in love with Hawaii and was amazed by seeing Pearl Harbor. She had the time of her life. She met and made many friends and loved playing basketball.

She was a fun loving girl that enjoyed being around people and helping anybody that needed help. She enjoyed spending time with her dog KIKI who was her baby. Jordyn was taken in by the wonderful people of the Rosebud Nation. She became many peoples’ granddaughter, daughter, sister, auntie, and friend. She loved and cared about everyone she met. There wasn’t anything she wouldn’t do for people. Jordyn played on the girls slow pitch softball team in Rosebud and the COED team in Winner. She lived and loved life to the fullest.

Jordyn’s pride and joy were her family, especially her nieces Bailey, and Carley as well as her nephew Payton. Her family meant the world to her as she did to her family. If she ever needed anything her sister Brooke was always there for her. Jordyn always loved her birthday because Brooke always made her favorite enchilada supper. She loved her brother Jacob and treasured the times they would go fishing and hunting together. She was looking forward to this winter because she drew an Elk tag for the Black Hills. She was so excited to shoot her own elk. She was her daddy’s little girl and her mommas’ whole world. She was not only her daughter but as she grew up she became her mother’s best friend. Jordyn loved her boyfriend Jesse. He was also her confidant and best friend. Jesse loved her very much.

Our “Princess” will be greatly missed by all.

LeRoy “Pee Wee” Foltz, 88

foltz obit

LeRoy was born on January 10, 1928 in Herrick, SD to Merrill and Elizabeth (Determan) Foltz. He grew up in Herrick and attended school there through the ninth grade. People always asked him how he got his nickname PeeWee. Well, when he was in 8th grade, he got to play basketball on the high school team, he was the youngest and smallest player they had, therefore the nickname “PeeWee” and it stuck. After his freshman year his family moved to Winner where he graduated from Winner High School in 1945. While in high school, he enjoyed playing basketball, football, and baseball.

LeRoy “PeeWee” entered the military from 1946-1947 serving in Japan during the US occupation.

On November 7, 1949 he married Lois Jares in Gregory. They lived in Winner from 1949 to 1951, he worked for The Nesbitt Bottling Company. In 1951 they moved to Bonesteel to open the PeeWee’s TeePee Café. It was there that he started his lifetime career in the restaurant business. In 1958, a move to Colorado Springs for one year, they operated a gas station and A+W Root Beer Drive-In. They decided to move back to South Dakota, to Winner in 1959, and purchased the Holme’s Café. While in Winner, he was on the Winner City Council, Manager of the Winner Pheasant Baseball team, and a member of the Elks, VFW, and American Legion.

They moved to Denver, CO from 1965 to 1966, then to Casper, WY from 1966 to 1969. While in Casper he owned the Blue Ox Supper Club. During his time there, many different celebrities enjoyed the hospitality of the dinner club. They even hosted John Wayne’s 63rd birthday party.

In 1969 he began a new career in county club management in Albuquerque, NM, Belen NM, and El Paso TX for the Horizon Land Corp. Then on to the El Paso Country Club until he retired in 1997. During his many years in the country club business, he had the opportunity to play golf with professional golfers Tom Byrum, Curt Byrum, Tiger Woods, Lee Travino, and Notah Begay, just to name a few.

After he retired, he and Lois moved back to Winner to be closer to his many friends and family. He loved spending time and vacations with his children and grandchildren. PeeWee loved the many friends that he made over the years. He especially enjoyed telling all the stories of the baseball players, golfers and best buddies he had the privilege to spend time with over his lifetime.