Author Archives: Rita Pravecek

40th anniversary of South Dakota football state championships

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Submitted Photo
This weekend marked the 40th anniversary of South Dakota football state championships. The first year of a state championship was 1981 and Winner won the game and now fast forward 40 years to this Friday and Winner won the Class 11B state championship. Two people who have been involved in Winner football over those 40 years are Harvey Naasz, left, who coached the 1981 team and Dan Bechtold of the Winner Advocate. Bechtold has covered every Winner state championship over the 40 years and has not missed a Winner game in the Dome in Vermillion over those years.

Flags to Veterans

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Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Members of the Winner High School student council present flags to veterans during a Veterans Day program in Winner.
Student council members Finn Bartels, Blake Volmer and Jack Kruger present a flag to Sally Brozik. The Winner High School and middle school student council put on the program.

4h awards from recognition night

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Tripp County 4-Hers were honored Nov. 8 for their work the past year at the 4-H recognition event.

There were many awards presented.

Receiving the Discovering 4-H award were Kade Fenenga and Kylee VanZandbergen and Zona Serr.

Ryan Sell received the citizenship medal.

Charter seals were presented to the following 4-H clubs: Border Bumpers, Jolly Mixers, Clovervale, New Adventures, Hamill Hustlers, Shooting Sports, Helping Hands and Wilson Wildcats.

The Mary Lou Connelly award for pubic presentations went to Border Bumpers 4-H Club. Members who gave presentations were Elizabeth Wonnenberg, Zona Serr and Cierra Bordeaux.

The Margaret Novotny learning by doing award went to Rustin Schroeder.

The Fred and Dorothy Littau Spirit of 4-H award went to Ryan Sell.

Allie Littau received the Bobby Fisher memorial Bobby Crocker award.

Brianna Gilchrist received the Bobby Fisher memorial livestock/small animal award.

Hunter Shippy and Payton Fisher received the Lindy Krogman memorial 4-H shining character award.

Madison Graber received the Kenny Perry livestock memorial award.

The Keith Myers family memorial livestock award went to Miranda Fisher and  the Lois Myers family memorial family & consumer sciences award went to Maggie DeMers.

Kayla Natoli received the Charles Mayes memorial horticulture award.

Crop and plant project participation recognition went to Kade Fenenga, Jesse Larson and Maggie DeMers. These awards were presented by John and Cindy Peterson.

The Petersons also presented horticulture project participation awards to the following 4-Hers: Rylan Assman, Maggie DeMers, Avery Manke, Jocelyn Soles, Amanda Blare, Miranda Fisher, Jacob Manke, Kylee Van Zandbergen, Meagan Blare, Allie Littau, Noah Manke, Lena DeMers, Evan Littau, Kayla Natoli and Elizabeth Wonnenberg.

Meagan Blare received the Charles “Chuck” Froning award.
The top senior speech award went to Maggie DeMers and was in memory of Kristie Storms.

The Mid Dakota Fair herdsmanship awards went to: Small animals—Border bumpers, sheep—Wilson Wildcats, goat—Clovervale, swine—Clovervale, dairy—Wilson Wildcats and beef—Hamill Hustlers.

The Don Phillips Memorial outstanding herdsman award went to : Elizabeth Wonnenberg in goats, Carly Fisher in sheep, Rylee Schroeder in swine, Maggie DeMers in beef and Hudson Peters in dairy.

Clovervale 4-H Club won the Tripp County club feeder calf pen of three contest. The club members are Brindy Bolander, Avery Antelope, Evan Littau, Allie Littau and Jaden Graber.

The pen of 3 contest is sponsored by the family of Larry Kauer.

The reserve pen of 3 went to Hamill Hustlers members Gunner Adams, Meagan Blare, Amana Blare, Ausin Blare and Jed Blare.

The Kenneth Olson memorial small animal round robin award went to Kayla Natoli.

Round robin champion livestock showmen are: beginner—Avery Antelope, junior—Roper Moore, senior—Maggie DeMers.

There were 22 members representing Tripp County 4-H at the Western Junior Livestock Show in Rapid City.

Graduating 4-H members and scholarship winners were Kayla Natoli and Meagan Blare.

Blare received a $600 scholarship from the Tripp County 4-H Leaders Corporation investment fund and $200 from the Tripp County 4-H Club Foundation scholarship fund.

Natoli received a $400 Zink memorial scholarship and a $600 scholarship from the Tripp County 4-H Leaders Corporation investment fund.

Leaders recognized for their years of service were: 5 years—Carmen Baker, Jean Clark and Austin Richey; 10 years—Renae Kaiser; 15 years—Holly and Audie Larson, Sherri Mayes

20 years—Tim Pravecek and Barb Watzel; 25 years—Marie Condon.

Jean and Rod Clark were named Friends of Shooting Sports. Several other shooting sports awards were presented.

Horse show award were presented. These awards were featured this summer in the Winner Advocate.

Other award winners not listed have been honored with recognition with results and pictures from the Mid Dakota Fair that were printed in the Winner Advocate.

The three emcees for the evening were Katie Welker, Brindy Bolander and Jaden Graber.

Scott Peterson Receives South Dakota Community Foundation Key Club Member Recognition

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Jamie Farmen, Community Development Coordinator for the South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) was honored to present Key Club Member recognition to attorney Scott Peterson of Peterson Beel, LLP.

Peterson holds offices in Valentine and Atkinson, Neb. and Winner and Martin  specializing in estate planning, wills and trusts.

“We are humbled to have Mr. Peterson’s trust in assisting his clients to craft their charitable legacy,” said Farmen.

Professional advisors play a key role in the special stories that make up the SDCF. This group of advisors have earned the trust of donors writing their stories to be told today and many years from now. Key Club advisors continue to inspire their clients to explore ways to improve the lives of their neighbors in our state.

If you have clients with ties to South Dakota, the SDCF is a great place to start their search for charitable giving. We are immersed in the nonprofit sector of our state, and gifts can be given in any amount. Most importantly, we are a stable, committed institution of financial professionals that you and your clients can rely on.

Jeremy Pesek, age 42

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Jeremy Pesek, age 42 of Lincoln, NE died on Monday, Nov. 8, 2021.

He is the father of three children, twins Maddox and Hope, and Rosie.

Jeremy is the son of Rick Pesek of Weldona, CO and son of Karl and Chris (Kayl) Christensen, of Lincoln, NE. He has one sister, Christy Christensen, of Lincoln, NE.

Funeral services will be held at the Colonial Chapel Funeral Home in Lincoln, NE, on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, at 4 p.m.

He is the great nephew of Don and Rosie Smith and has many Kayl relatives in and around Gregory, SD.He is the grandson of Winnie Kayl of Gregory, SD, the late Kenneth Kayl, and of the late Jim and Joyce (Wynia) Pesek.

 Jeremy was a carpenter for years. He will be greatly missed.

Arlene Bierema, 91

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Arlene Bierema, 91, of Springfield, died Nov. 13.

Funeral services are 1:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 19, 2021 at the Emmanuel Reformed Church in Springfield. Visitation will be Friday from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the church. Burial is in the Emmanuel Reformed Cemetery, rural Springfield. Peters Funeral Home in Springfield is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be directed to Emmanuel Reformed Church.

Arlene Cornelia (Tjeerdsma) Bierema was born to Peter and Annie (Odens) Tjeerdsma on Jan. 6, 1930, in the Springfield, SD area. She passed away Saturday, November 13, 2021 at Avera Sacred Heart Hospital, Yankton, SD.

She attended Kirkwood country school and graduated from Springfield High School in 1948.

On July 7, 1949, she was united in marriage to Sidney James Bierema, the son of Peter and Sadie Bierema, at the home of the bride’s parents. To this union eleven children were born, 5 sons and 6 daughters.

She was a stay-at-home mom who loved to bake bread and sew. She made shirts for the boys and dresses for the girls. She was a 4-H leader who taught her daughters to bake and sew. She enjoyed baking cookies for her grandchildren. She made many blue jean denim quilts for family members, just ask one of the grandkids they probably have a blue jean quilt in their car or pickup that was made by Grandma Arlene.

In retirement she and Sidney spent many hours at auctions. She kept in touch with farming by watching the various trucks, tractors and wagons, sprayers and fertilizers that went to and from Kingsburg. She loved watching the various birds in the bird bath on her yard.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, parents-in-law, and brother Oscar Tjeerdsma.

She is survived by her children: Allen (Jeryln) of Tyndall, Charlene of Springfield, Harvey (Brenda) of White River, Myron (Kim) of Springfield, Aletha (Hal) Whitethorn of Madison, Ivan (Cindy) of St. Onge, Vera (Joe) Hall of Wagner, Miriam (Bill) Leibel of Tyndall, Arlis (Dan) Kafka of Wagner, Amy (Randy) Thum of Scotland and Theran of Sioux Falls; 30 grandchildren and 46 great grandchildren; brother Gerald (Betty) Tjeerdsma of Springfield and sister Bernice (Elmer) Tolsma of Avon