Summer lunch program starts June 5th

By Bosten Morehart

Staff writer

The summer lunch program in Winner will start on June 5 and run through July 14. No lunches will be served during the 4th and 5th of July.

The lunches are free to all kids 18 and under in the Winner School District. You do not need to fill out any paperwork to partake in the lunches and there will be no questions asked.

Lunches are served in the Armory Monday-Thursday from noon to  1 p.m.

The program will run congruent with Summer Rec. This allows for the kids to grab lunch right after Summer Rec or right before the pool opens.

A few changes to the program include all lunches having to be eaten inside the armory and no delivery of lunches.

For more information on the program contact Laura Root at 605-842-8101 or Melanie Bachmann at 605-842-8106

Memorial day speaker and services

Courtney Steffen, a candidate for state American Legion commander,  will be the speaker at the Memorial Day service at the Winner Cemetery on Monday, May 29 at 11 a.m.

Steffen is the vice commander of Districts 3-8 of the American Legion. She is from the Chester Post 136 where she is also the post commander. She is a member of both the post and the American Legion Auxiliary.
She earned her eligibility in the American Legion through her service in the United States Air Force where she served as logistics readiness officer in Alaska, Iraq, Honduras and California. She also maintains memberships in the VFW, DAV, MOAA and IAVA.
During the work week, Steffen serves as the Brookings County veterans service officer in Brookings. She loves helping connect veterans and their families to the benefits they have earned in the service. She has three children: Annika, James and Kit.

The Winner American Legion and VFW will be conducting services at area cemeteries.

On Sunday, May 28 they will be at the Witten Cemetery at 2 p.m.

On May 29 services will be at Novotny family cemetery, Clearfield at 8:30 a.m.

Services will be at St. Boniface Catholic Cemetery, Clearfield at 9 a.m. Services will be at the Holy Spirit Cemetery of Ideal at 9 a.m. and at Lenker Cemetery at 9:30 a.m. and ZCBJ Cemetery at 9:45 a.m.

The Avenue of Flags will fly at the Winner Cemetery on Memorial Day. They are looking for volunteers to help put up flags. At 1 p.m. on May 27 place crosses and small flags by veterans grave sites, on May 28 at 4 p.m. lay poles by the holes for the flags.

At 6 a.m. Monday the large flags will be placed on the flag poles.

At 4 p.m. on Monday will be the removal of the small flags and crosses and the large flags.

Offices closed for Memorial Day

Government offices in Winner will be closed on Monday, May 29 in observance of Memorial Day.

The Tripp County Courthouse will be closed as well as the Tripp County Library.

The Winner city office will be closed on Memorial Day.

All state and federal offices in Winner will be closed Monday.

The Winner Post Office will be closed Monday and there will be no mail delivery.

All financial institutions in Winner and Colome will not be open for business on May 29.

There will be no noon senior meals on Monday at the senior citizens center.

Southern Plains Behavioral Health Center will be closed on May 29.

Winner Elementary Reading Olympics

Submitted photo
Winner second graders won first place in the Reading Olympics. Pictured from left are Aramina Evans, Liam Grossenburg, Ruby Noguchi, Hallie Curtis and Jozlynn Rolf.

Winner Elementary hosted its 2nd annual Reading Olympics for 2nd to 7th graders.

There were 125 students who participated from Winner, Gregory, Colome and Burke.

Winner students placed first in the second grade, second in the third grade, first in the fourth grade, first (team 2) and third (Team 1) in the fifth grade, second in the sixth grade and third in 7th grade.

Reading Olympics is a competition where students read a set of pre-selected books and work together as a team to answer the questions about the books.

Winner’s 2nd-5th grade teams are coached by Monica Ellwanger and Michelle Sharkey. The 6th & 7th grade teams are coached by Lisa Jankauskas and LaGrande Woods.

Hamill Hustlers 4-H Club Cemetery Fence Project is complete.

Photo by Katie Larson
Persons worked hard to complete the Hamill Cemetery fence project. In front from left are Joy Fott, Katrin VCanZandbergen, Ryland Hannas, Lane Littau, Coop,er Van Zandbergen, Kade Fenenga, Echo Fenenga, Kylee Van Zandbergen, Kelli Van Zandbergen, Geneva Sturlaugson, Kaylea Hannahs, Tracy Childress and Faye Heinis. Second row from left are Hunter Shippy, Austin Blare, Andrew Henderson, Jesse Larson, Jed Blare, Amanda Blare, Ainsley Henderson, Samantha Christensen, Lydia Sturlaugson. Back from left are Easton Shippy, Kevin Van Zandbergen, Holly Larson, Audie Larson, Roger Evans, Tara Fenenga, Brad Fenenga and Trace Larson.

After many years of fundraising by past and present 4-H kids, in addition to private donations, and a grant from the Tripp County Community Foundation, the Hamill Hustlers 4-H Club was able to meet their financial goal.  The club worked on a fence project at the Hamill Cemetery

At times a daunting task, the Hamill Cemetery fence project is complete.

“ God blessed us with rain the night before and a glorious day to work on Saturday. We were hoping to get it all done in one day, (but not overly optimistic), so we ran two diggers on opposite sides of the cemetery and met in the corner and 11 very long hours we were done,” said Holly Larson of the 4-H club.

The Hamill Hustlers appreciate everyone who helped in numerous ways. “We truly could not have done it without you,”said Larson.

Colome High School graduating class of 2023

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
The Colome High School graduating class of 2023 poses for a picture prior to the ceremony on May 13. In front from left are Ashlyn Hoffine, Libbie Petersek and Morgan Gill. Second row from left are Toree Ringing Shield, Paige Paulson, Landi Krumpus, Sophie Hofeldt, Jordyn Ring, Devan Dougherty. In back from left are Sully Shippy, Billy Looking Cloud, Aidan Muller, Taylor Nelsen, Burner Schenefeld, Taitin Ringing Shield, Kaden Pechota and Kash Heath.

WHS Regents Scholars

Dan Bechtold/Winner Advocate Photo
Winner High School graduates who are Regents Scholars are in front from left Mali Beehler, Tessa Mann, Faith Covey, Rylee Root and Melanie Brozik. Second row from left are Ainsley Henderson, Aleya Miller, Dalton Petersen, Blake Volmer, Chaz Blotsky, Donny De’Sersa, Kendyl Bachmann and Leah Wiechelman. Third row from left are Brindy Bolander, Kelbi Meiners, Justin Hausmann, Trista Kierstead and Shayne Day. In back from left are Maggie DeMers, Pierce Nelson, Jack Kruger, Ethan Bartels, Clay Sell, Tayden Mathis and Amanda Blare. Not pictured is Joselin Kludt.

Helen Ann Hoffman, 80

Sutton, NE., resident Helen Ann Hoffman, 80 passed away Monday, May 1, 2023, at the Sutton Community Home in Sutton, NE.

Funeral services were conducted a 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 9, 2023, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sutton, NE., with Rev. Tim Stacy officiating. Graveside services were conducted at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery in Battle Creek, NE.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the family to be designated later.

Helen Ann (Nebola) Hoffman was born on May 20, 1942, to Helen Karl (Maska) and Ed Nebola in Gregory, SD. Helen was a force of nature who was unapologetically strong-willed, a fighter to the end. She led her family with grace and unending support for everyone around her. Helen’s passing will be felt by those that were lucky enough to be in her orbit for all times.

Helen grew up on the farm outside Gregory. She graduated from high school in 1960. Soon after high school, Helen married and raised five children with love, patience, and a few tears. Over the years the family lived in Winner, SD, Grand Island, and O’Neill. While taking care of the home, she also managed the books and day-to-day operations for family-owned businesses including, Johnson’s Drive-In in O’Neill. She met her person, Don Hoffman, on Feb. 13, 1986, and they married on Feb. 13, 1990. When her nest emptied, Helen started a career in the insurance industry which continued until her retirement in 2012.

Helen is survived by her sons, Robert Bromwich and Rodney (Kim) Bromwich; daughters, Kim (Mark) Henning and Stacy (Matt) Foster; stepsons, Bryan (Diane) Hoffman and Galen (Kelly) Hoffman; and stepdaughter, Rita (Dennis) Schueth; siblings, Jo Haffield; Virginia Kingsbury; and Ed (Sharon) Nebola; grandchildren, Ashley; Jarod; Natasha; Madeline; Mitchell; Colbey; Kanai; Michael; Lauren; Matthew; Breane; Beau; Brock; and Corey; as well as, 5 great-grandchildren.

Helen was preceded in death by her father, Ed Nebola; mother, Helen Karl; stepfather, Rudolph (aka Rudy) Karl; her firstborn son, Willis Bromwich; sister, Frances Lake; and brother, John Nebola.

Meredith Duane “Punk” Worth, 92

Meredith Duane “Punk” Worth was born on April 3, 1931, in Winner, SD to Elwood and Frances (McBride) Worth. Punk passed away in his ranch home surrounded by loved ones May 2, 2023, at the age of 92 years and 29 days.

After Meredith was born, his mother took him home in a shoebox.  He was so small (weighing just four pounds at birth), his mom called him her little “Pumpkin Seed”. It didn’t take long for “Pumpkin Seed” to become “Punk”, and to this day, many people do not know Punk’s given name on his birth certificate. Punk attended numerous grade schools in Keya Paha County and graduated from Keya Paha County High School in 1948. On May 18, 1952, Punk married Enid Lorraine Graham in Ainsworth, NE. To this union, two children were born: son, Ronald Scott, and daughter, Lorraine Alice. May 18th of this year would have marked Punk and Enid’s 71st wedding anniversary.

In May of 1962, Punk and Enid purchased the Charlie Simons Ranch by Norden, Neb. They began raising Hereford cattle, and over the years transitioned to a totally black Angus herd. Asking Punk what he liked doing best, he’d  say, “Raising and working with livestock, and producing the best mother cow possible”. He raised high quality beef cattle and owned some darn good ranch horses in his day.  In earlier years, Punk also raised and sold pigs, milked cows, farmed and put up a lot of hay. After selling his cow herd in the early 2000’s, Punk was still active in developing heifers, feeding and caring for take-in cattle, and haying. At this time, he also became active in antique tractor pulling contests.

He was a member of the Borderline Tractor Pullers for twelve years, winning numerous awards. He still went to the hayfield every summer, running the swather, rake and baler for the last time in the summer of 2022 at 91 years of age. This last winter, he spent many hours in his tractors plowing and moving snow. He was always making improvements to his ranch, and enjoyed woodworking and welding. If he could make it with his own two hands, he sure wasn’t going to buy it! Punk had a very creative and sharp mind right up to the end. Three days before he passed, he was still giving orders about “things that needed to be done”.

In his younger days, Punk was an active member of the Meadville Roping Club. He was an avid supporter of rodeo his entire life. He served as the rodeo chairman for the Keya Paha County Fair and Rodeo for 35 years, negotiating many contracts with rodeo stock contractors along the way.

In 2017, Punk was inducted into the Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame. This nomination and his induction humbled him greatly. He became a huge supporter of the association and attended the annual banquet and induction ceremony each year.

Punk loved music and dancing. He was a drummer and played in numerous country western bands for the past 66 years. From barns, clubs, bars, pavilions, outdoor stages, garages, senior centers, and assisted living facilities, he played and danced in them all.  Wherever they went, Punk and Enid were always the envy of most dancers on the dance floor as watching them dance together was mesmerizing.

Punk was a staunch patriot and a Korean War Veteran serving in the United States Army from September 1952 to September 1954. He is a 67 year member of American Legion Post #98, where he still held the position of commander at his passing.

Punk was a huge community supporter all his life. He served on the Keya Paha County Ag Society for 35 years holding the positions of secretary, vice president, and president. He has been on the Keya Paha County Fire Board for 37 years, a director on the KBR Rural Public Power Board for 23 years, a 53-year member of the Elks Lodge #1790 and was a Charter Member of the American Legion Post #98 Honor Guard.

Punk was preceded in death by his parents Elwood and Frances Worth Dixon; step-father Arnold Dixon; sister Carole (Worth) and husband Gene Cullison; brother Bobby Gene Worth; father-in-law Casey Graham; mother-in-law Alice Graham; sister-in-law Avis (Graham) and husband Bill Hollopeter; nephew Robert Gene Cullison, and great-granddaughter Violet Grace Olson.

Punk is survived by his wife Enid; son Ron; daughter Lorraine; brother Malvern “Corky” (Janet) Worth, all of Springview.  Grandchildren: Troy (Angie) Worth of Imperial, NE, Mitch Worth of Springview, Brittany (Chad) Olson of Valentine, NE; sister-in-law Aliene (Graham) Clark of Rock Springs, WY; brother-in-law Gerry (Stella) Graham of Ainsworth; great-grandchildren Hayden, Hadley, Henley, Parker and Kwynn, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services were held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Keya Paha High School in Springview.  Pastor Sam Courts officiated at the service. 

  Memorials were suggested to Springview American Legion Post #98, Springview Fire and Rescue Department and the Nebraska Sandhills Cowboy Hall of Fame.  Interment was in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Springview under the direction of the Hoch Funeral Home of Ainsworth.  Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hochfuneralhome.com