Category Archives: News

Rylee and Rustin Schroeder and Maggie DeMers participated in the youth cattle show at the Central State Fair in Rapid City.

Rylee was fifth overall in senior showmanship and had the champion red Angus feeder steer, the champion chi market steer and champion shorthorn heifer calf.

Rusin made it to the finals of the junior showmanship, was second in class with his red Angus heifer calf and was second in the class with his commercial feeder steer.

DeMers had the champion Simmental bull calf, the reserve champion charolais market steer and reserve champion Angus heifer.  

The late Dr. Julie Williams of Chamberlain, formerly of Winner, received the 2020 distinguished service award from the South Dakota Veterinary Medical Association at its convention in Sioux Falls.

The distinguished service award is an award to honor an individual who has brought distinction to the veterinary profession through devotion to the care and well being of animals, support for the profession and contributions to the community.

Dr. Williams was born in Winner and was a graduate of Winner High School.

She earned her DVM degree from Iowa State University in 1982. Dr. Williams returned to South Dakota after graduation to work with Dr. Lee Dorwart of Chamberlain.

In 1983, Dr. Williams opened Mid River Veterinary Clinic in Chamberlain. She was a solo practitioner.

Due to health and injury issues she had to retire and sell her practice in 2012.

She remained involved with veterinary medicine.

Dr. Williams believed it was important to educate her clients. She regularly sent out newsletters and had drug representatives sponsor meetings on current issues.

She was a member of the South Dakota Animal Industry board from July 1998 to October 2015. She served as president of the board from 1998 to 2001 and was vice president from 2001 to 2006.

In her community, she was a big supporter of 4-H.

Her husband, Larry Wagner accepted the award in her honor.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

Winner High School and middle school students learned the dangers of vaping when a guest speaker came to the school on Sept. 1.

Robb Holladay has been speaking to students about vaping for four to five years. He knows first hand the damage vaping does to the lungs. He is an x-ray tech in Dallas, Texas.

He  told WHS students that he is not here to judge them but to provide information.

Vaping has become an epidemic and new studies show that vaping can contribute to a condition known as “Vape Asthma.” A combination of vaping and COVID has produced a new condition that is a huge concern to medical professionals. He said if students vape and get COVID they are sicker.

Holladay explained the message he wants to get to the public is that the companies that manufacture these vaping devices—big tobacco—are targeting these students with misinformation and telling them it is a safe alternative when it is not true.

He said one Juul pod equals a pack of cigarettes.

“Don’t play the tobacco game,” he said.

Holladay said the world has the illusion that vaping is safe.

He said teens vape because of the smell, taste and peer pressure.

However, Holladay says vaping takes a toll on the lungs.  “I know because x rays do not lie,” he said.

Holladay says he has been speaking to students for 25 years. Most of his talks have been on bullying and cyber bullying. He noted in the last four to five years he has been speaking on vaping.

The First Baptist Church of Winner will celebrate its 75^th anniversary on Sunday, Sept. 12.

There will be a 10 a.m. morning worship service and a 2 p.m. celebration service.

Rev. Curtis Wheadon is the current pastor of the church.

An early beginning to Winner First Baptist Church was in September 1945. At that time Rev. Curtis L. Gatson began a field pastorate. Arrangements were soon made with the Christian church to use their building for worship on Sunday evenings.

In late 1945, a group of young people began meeting twice a month. By spring of 1946 adults were meeting with them for Bible study.

At a meeting in the Edward Sorensen home on April 24, 1946, it was decided to organize a Winner Baptist Church. Meetings were held and Rev. Gatson appointed a committee to formulate a constitution. A meeting to organize the First Baptist Church of Winner was held at the Christian Church on May 5, 1946. The charter of incorporation was issued on Feb. 5, 1947. There were 19 charter members.

Ground for a new church building was broken at 4^th and Lamro on April 26, 1947. The first service in the new basement of the building was held on July 13, 1947. Sunday school met in the Charles Burtz home.

A parsonage was  built next door to the church and was completed in 1950. Services were held for six years in the basement of the church. On Aug. 9, 1953, another milestone in the church history was passed when the cornerstone was set in place. One year later, eight years from the date of organization, the completed building was dedicated to the glory of God on Oct. 7, 1954.

In September of 1996, Winner First Baptist Church celebrated 50 years of serving God.

On Dec. 30, 2011, the church received an anonymous gift of $100,000. After many meetings and prayer it was decided that God was blessing the Awana ministry. This ministry was outgrowing the present church. Members felt God was providing for them to build and reach more children for his kingdom.

In September 2013, ground breaking on “holy ground” was held at 501 South County Road for a new church building. Most of the work and building was done by volunteers from the church and community.

Throughout the building God continued to bless the church with gifts and donations as they were needed.

On Easter Sunday, April 5, 2015, the first service was held in the new building. On Sept. 20, 2015, a dedication service was held. On that day God had so richly blessed the church that it was debt free.

Awana grew from five children in 2009 to 101 children in 2017.

Throughout the building process, the prayer of the church was for wisdom, unity and discernment. God answered those prayers.

Over the 75 years, there have been 14 pastors and seven interim pastors.

By Dan Bechtold

Editor

The new concrete on the north side of 7^th St to Van Buren St. is now open was the report at the Aug. 31 highway construction meeting.

Connor Christensen of T& R Contracting, Sioux Falls, reported that as of the afternoon of Aug. 31 the entire length of  concrete on the north side  will be open.

This does mean  there will still be head to head traffic on the new concrete and motorists are asked to drive slow. There is still a width restriction on the highway.

Christensen added that milling of the old asphalt will start from McDonalds to Monroe street on the south side of the street.

Where there was a detour on North County Road that is now open as is the entrance to McDonald’s from the highway.

Christensen added that H & W  Contracting, Sioux Falls, will be working on placing underground utilities.

Big O Concrete will be working on installing sidewalks.

Starting Saturday, Sept. 11, T&R Contracting will start working every Saturday till the end of Phase I in November.

Traffic Solutions has switched the traffic control barricades. Since the sidewalk has not been put in there will be a space allowed for pedestrians to walk.  

As always, persons can follow the highway construction Facebook page for the latest information.

The Winner Dairy Queen won first place for best float in the Winner Labor Day parade.

Second place went top Baleigh Cerv Photography.

A float featuring many veterans won third place and fourth place went to Winner Rotary.

The parade theme was “Honoring those who served.”

First place in best antique auto went to Kent and Mildred Hamiel of Reliance. They had a 1924 Model T.

Second place went to Ray Pravecek and third to Ted Kenzy.

In antique machinery, Mark Zimbelman won first place.

The best horse and rider was Jenaya Schrader and second went to Anna Kartak.

The Winner High School band marched in the parade.

Daniel Orthel of Denver, Colo., and Jessica Soja, Winner, were the overall 5K winners in the Winner Regional Health Labor Day race Monday morning.

Orthel crossed the finish line in the 5K in 22:22. Soja had a time of 20:29.

First place in  the one mile run went to Jalen Tideman and Maizie Dalchow. Tideman had a time of 7:42 and Dalchow had a time of 11:44.

The race attracted a lot of runners and walkers.

The men’s results include:

1 mile

0-18—Jalen Tideman, 7:42 and Pierce Nelson, 9:44.

19-14—Blake Tideman, 7:45 and Andy Dalchow, 11:46

50+ men—John DeMers, 9:45; Jeff Holzer, 11:45 and Tony Berg, 17:17

Results of the men’s 5K include:

0-18—Mason Cole, 42:36

19-49—Daniel Orthel, 22:22; Craig Hinman, 25:35; Michael DiGrazia, 26:59

In the women’s one mile run Maizie Dalchow won first in the 0 to 18 division in 11:44

Tessa Hinman was first in the 0-18 division in the 5K in 25:37

In the women’s 19-49, Soja was first; Kallie Farley, 2^nd, 23:52 and Jill McMurtey was third in 25:18. dd

Dennise Higgins placed in the 5K in 27:47 and Lisa Halverson was 36:10.

Betsy Watzel walked the 5K in 47:21.

In the two mile fun walk, Erin Grossenburg was first in 28:47 followed by Amy Engel, 2^nd, 28:48 and Haley DeMers, 3^rd, 29:36.