By Dan Bechtold
Editor
A group of eight community members have been selected as Winner Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors.
Mike Scott, Chamber executive director, said the eight chosen for the ambassador team are: Penny Heenan, Doug Long, Jeff Gregg, Kim Hanson, Austin Hamilton Mary Sprenkle, Mick Tisone and Jamie Sachtjen.
The ambassadors will serve as a special arm for the Chamber.
They will be present to welcome new Chamber members and for ribbon cuttings.
“We want them to help us welcome new members,” said Scott.
The Chamber director explained this is something that several Chambers across the nation have to help with events.
For the rest of the story, pick up this week’s edition of the Winner Advocate or subscribe to the Winner Advocate at 1-605-842-1481!
By U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.)
As COVID-19 continues to spread across the world, many are concerned about access to healthcare. Fortunately, tele-health services have become more common and are especially helpful for people living in rural areas, where a clinic or hospital may be many miles away.
As we seek to limit the COVID-19 outbreak by encouraging keeping your distance from others, video chats or phones calls with medical professionals have become easy and helpful ways to receive care, all from the comfort of our homes.
The best way to prevent getting COVID-19 is to avoid potential exposure. This means not going to busy restaurants or events where there are large groups of people.
It also means that if you feel ill, you should call, email or video chat with your doctor before going to their office to minimize the chance of spreading any illness to others.
Tele-health services allow patients to receive quality medical care without traveling to a doctor’s office or hospital, where they could get others sick.
As we know, seniors are especially susceptible to COVID-19. Earlier this month, the Trump administration announced that Medicare would immediately expand coverage to tele-health services across the nation.
This will allow seniors with health problems to stay home and avoid additional risk of exposure to coronavirus.
This is a win-win for patients and health care providers during this time of crisis.
Since South Dakota is a large, rural state where families can live a hundred miles or more from a healthcare facility, expanding tele-health services has been a priority of mine.
I’m a cosponsor of the CONNECT for Health Act, which would allow for permanent expanded tele-health services for Americans who utilize Medicare.
Our bipartisan bill would allow for certain current geographic restrictions and service restrictions to be waived, and would allow rural health clinics to provide tele-health services so that tele-health is accessible to even more individuals.
Earlier this month, the Senate passed legislation aimed at providing resources to state and local governments in their efforts to combat the coronavirus.
This legislation, which passed with bipartisan support, included language that waived certain federal restrictions preventing Americans from receiving tele-health care from some facilities. Now a number of options are available for South Dakotans wanting to connect with a doctor via video chat or phone call.
Both Avera and Sanford Health offer tele-health services to their patients. Monument Health in Rapid City is part of the Mayo Clinic Care Network. Providers at Monument are able to participate in e-consultations with providers at the Mayo Clinic to come up with the best treatment plans for their patients in Rapid City.
The VA also offers tele-health services for veterans.
Avera recently opened the Helmsley Telehealth Education Center in Sioux Falls which will offer a national telehealth certification program so medical staff can learn the best methods for providing tele-health care.
As we continue to deal with COVID-19 and keep our distance from others, tele-health appointments are a good way for patients to seek medical attention without physically visiting a medical facility.
They’re also more affordable than a visit to the hospital.
We’ll continue working on legislation that makes it easier to access health care when you need it, no matter if you’re located in a rural or urban area.
It’s important that we all take care of our health during this COVID-19 outbreak, and tele-health appointments can help more people receive quality care.
Sonny Boyd, 84, passed away on March 5, 2020, at his residence in Gilbert, Ariz., under the care of Hospice of the Valley and surrounded by his loving family.
Rosary and Celebration of Life Services were held at Horizon Funeral Care.
He was born on June 6, 1935, to Lloyd C and Adell (Bossingham) Boyd in Rosebud, South Dakota. He graduated from Mission High School in 1953 and from Huron College in 1957.
He married Winnifred (Yoyo) Cournoyer in 1952, and he married Shirley Frank Studenberg in 1968.
After college, Sonny taught high school and coached basketball at Marty Mission. He worked as a social worker for the State of South Dakota before moving to the Bureau of Indian Affairs Social Services Division in New Mexico.
He came back to South Dakota and served as assistant CAP director and education specialist for the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and then as executive director of the Rosebud Housing Authority.
He also operated his ranch, Lazy SL, and a car dealership before locating in Rapid City and forming his own construction company, Thunderbolt Enterprises; he built houses on the Rosebud, Pine Ridge, and Eagle Butte Reservations.
In later years he thoroughly enjoyed being a substitute teacher for both the McLaughlin and Smee School Districts on the Standing Rock Reservation.
In 2010 he retired and moved to Gilbert, Ariz.
Sonny is survived by his wife, Shirley; children, Wayne (Kathy), Donnie (Alicia), Barb, Debbie (Clayton) Sully, and Kris (Kevin) Edwards; brothers Dick (Mary) and Bob (Barb); sisters Marie Waln, Carmen (Ed) Driving Hawk, and Donna Richards; his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.
He was preceded in death by an infant son Charles, sons David and John; grandsons Darrin and Travis; brother Ed; infant sister Theresa; and his parents Lloyd and Adell Boyd.
Sonny was a great story-teller, a loving husband, and an advice-giving father and grandfather. He will be greatly missed.
Avis Maureen (Olson) Clark of Lewisville, TX, passed away unexpectedly on March 17, 2020, at the age of 63. Avis was born June 2, 1956, in Winner, South Dakota.
Avis graduated from Winner High School, Winner, South Dakota, in 1974.
After graduating from Huron College, Huron, South Dakota, Avis devoted her career to being an advocate for abused children through Child Protective Services.
Her favorite place to visit was the Olson farm in Ideal, South Dakota, spending time with her brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews, and family friends.
She was always ready for a bonfire and a game of Black Wolf.
Avis is survived by her husband of 40 years, Perry Clark, her beautiful daughter, Kelsi (Cole) Moore, and grandson Jack, as well as brothers and sisters, Dorothy, George, Suzie, Sandy, Carol, Scott, Margie, and Heather, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by sisters Aggie and Mary, brother Duane, nephew Brad, and her parents Pete and Ruth Olson.
A family memorial service will be held at the family farm in Ideal, South Dakota, at a later date.
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