Category Archives: News

Exploring Agriculture Day set for March 13

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Winner Area Chamber of Commerce will sponsor Exploring Agriculture

Day on March 13 at the Tripp County 4-H Center. The event will be from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Agricultural businesses and organizations will provide hands on activities for youths to learn about agriculture.

Winner Elementary students will be bussed to the 4-H center to take part in this event.

Students will view and pet baby animals.

Students are encouraged to build a model farm. The farms can be dropped off at the 4-H center from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. They will be on display as part of Exploring Ag Day. The model farms can be picked up from 3-4 p.m. that day.
On the model farms, students are to place their name, grade in school, and cell phone number on the bottom of the board.

Also, students can submit a Life on the Farm scrapbook page. Scrapbook pages will be displayed on March 13. Pages will be given back that day.

Prizes will be given to all students who participate.

 

Revival of Pheasant Numbers Wanted in South Dakota

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A state Game, Fish and Parks Department official delivered a slide presentation Friday on the past, present and future of pheasants in South Dakota.

The discussion came as South Dakota prepares for its centennial season of pheasant hunting in 2019. Governor candidates recently announced plans to spur a ringneck revival.

“We need to get everybody involved. Everybody in South Dakota should realize how important this resource is to us,” Barry Jensen of White River said in an article written by Bob Mercer.

“It’s important to the state economically,” the chairman told the other commissioners. “It may be an area we can get out there a little better.”

Kirschenmann, chief of terrestrial habitat for the state wildlife division, stresses habitat is essential for survival and production.

One slide showed the ups and downs of federal soil bank and conversion reserve program acres in South Dakota and the accompanying rises and declines in annual pheasant per mile estimates.

A new effort has some wildlife division staff analyzing game production areas. Their recommendations will be brought to the game commission later this year.

Encouraging landowners to grow short trees, shrubs and bushes that act as thermal barriers help pheasants get through bad weather.

Insects are the main food young pheasants eat the first eight weeks and the top source of hens after they’ve hatched their clutches of eggs.

“We know winter wheat can provide very valuable nesting habitat, “ Kirschenmann said.

Another chart showed locations for 19 habitat advisors from various organizations and governments throughout South Dakota.

Sioux Falls hosted Pheasant Fest last month which Kirschenmann said was “great timing.”

U.S. Senator John Thune wants the federal government to increase CRP acres to 30 million in the next farm bill. The current level is 24 million. 
While South Dakota pheasant numbers have dropped in the past decade, they’re still better than anywhere else.

More people from outside of South Dakota bought pheasant licenses year after year in recent times than hunters who live in South Dakota.

“Our tradition of pheasant hunting is none like anybody else has,” said Kirschenmann.

Wedding Planning is a Riot in Winner Community Playhouse Production

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By Dan Bechtold, Editor

The Winner Community Playhouse production of “Dearly Beloved” is a wonderfully funny, shocking true to life and on target skewering of a Texas family on the occasion of wedding of one of their favorite daughters.

The opening weekend of the play was March 2-3. Persons still have a chance to see this comedy on March 8, 9 and 10. The play starts at 7:30 p.m. each night at the Winner Community Playhouse. Playhouse. For reservations persons can call 842-1958.
The action takes place in a small Texas town of Fayro with most of the action taking place in the fellowship hall of the Tabernacle of the Lamb Church. The occasion is the wedding of Tina Jo Dubberly and Parker Price. Tina Jo is the daughter of Frankie Futrelle Dobberly and her husband, Dub.

Playing the bride and her twin sister is Candace Patmore. Tami Comp, who has played in several productions by the authors Jones, Hope and Wooten, is the frantic mother of the bride.

Doug Nelson, a fairly newcomer to the Winner stage, is cast as the father of the bride.

Though we never wee Parker Price we do see his mother, Patsy, played by newcomer to the Winner stage Roxanne Farley. Patsy is what some people call “high society” in Fayro. For her first experience on the Winner stage Roxanne does a great job.

Tina Jo’s wedding is the culmination of her mother’s dream who wants the wedding set to a “Gone With Wind” theme.

The wedding reception comes with a complete pot luck dinner.

The play has side story which makes it interesting. Frankie, Honey Raye and Twink are the lone surviving members of the Futrelle clan known as the Sermonettes. This gospel trio traveled the area on the revival circuit.

Brady Biggins plays Twink and Barb DeSersa is Honey Raye.

The Sermonettes broke up after Honey Raye’s ill fated marriage to an evangelist. The sister do a lot of arguing as wedding plans are made. However they get together to sing one more time prior to the wedding ceremony.

Performing the wedding ceremony is a seminarian played by Winner High School student Andrew Taylor. Taylor has been on the Winner High School stage but this is his first appearance in a community playhouse production.

Dan Patmore is the town peace officer who likes to show off his gun twirling skills.

Charles York plays Wiley Hicks the fiancé of Twink, though he does not know it.

There is event a psychic played by Linda Watson who has been a favorite in other Jones, Hope and Wooten comedies presented in Winner. Watson was recently named as the outstanding member of the Winner Community Playhouse.
Sarah Gustafson, a regular on the Winner stage, plays the wedding coordinator and local florist.

Director Sandra York keeps this group of actors and actresses on task and does a wonderful job directing.

Dan Patmore has put his usual nice touch on the technical aspect of the play and designed a nice set befitting the theme of the play.

It is a funny play and everyone does a wonderful job. If you want to have an enjoyable evening and not to have to worry about a snow storm, make reservations for this play.

FFA members Named Finalists

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Winner Future Farmers of America chapter has received word that three members are proficiency award finalists and two are STAR finalists.

Justus Gregg is a finalist in grain production entrepreneurship, agricultural service entrepreneurship and is a Star farmer finalist.

Savanah Vogel is a state Star finalist in agriscience

Brandon Volmer is a finalist in beef production entrepreneurship.

In receive these awards, students complete an application based on their records of supervised agricultural experiences.

Final results will be announced at the state convention.

 

Cowboys Eliminated from Post Season

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The Colome Cowboys took their first step in the post season as they nipped Scotland 56-53 in Region 6B play in Colome on Feb. 27.

Jackson Kinzer scored 17 points, Kolton Salonen, 14; Layton Thieman, 9 and Calvin Ringing Shield, 8.

Salonen pulled down nine rebounds. Kinzer had nine assists.

The Cowboys played in the regional semifinal on Friday in Yankton. The Cowboys took on Kimball/White Lake and the Cowboys were defeated 65-49.

Layton Thieman led Colome with 21 points. He was followed by Kolton Salonen with 12 and Jackson Kinzer with 9.

Thieman pulled down 5 rebounds and Kinzer, 4.

Colome ended the season with a 19-3 record.

 

Warriors Season Ends with Loss to Little Wound

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Winner boys basketball team saw its season come to a close as they were defeated by Little Wound 71-55 on Feb. 27 in Kyle in the Region 7A game.

The Warriors were led in scoring by Shea Connot with 14 points. He was followed by Brandon Volmer, 11; Brady Fritz, 10; Joren Bruun, 8; Tyson Westendorf and Oscar Pravecek with 4 each.

Westendorf and Volmer each had 6 rebounds and Fritz, 5.  Connot had 5 assists.

The Warriors ended the season with a 6-15 record.

Delores G. Zimbelman, 81

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Dee was born on Dec. 31, 1936 to Ed and Rose (Schamber) Steinke in Colome, SD. She met the love of her life, Donald Zimbelman, and they were united in marriage on Sept. 27, 1952 in Winner, SD. They moved to Rapid City in August of 1961.

Dee worked in Food Service for the Rapid City School District for over 33 years, retiring in 2003. She was a faithful member of Bethel Assembly of God. She sang in their choir and was active with the missionetts. She also taught Sunday School and served as a greeter at the church. Dee loved to read and take walks with her friends. She always welcomed strangers and friends warmly into her home with the cookie jar always full. Dee always had room at her table for people and loved spending time with her family, especially the grandchildren (10) and great-grandchildren (12).

Grateful for having shared her life are her children, Valorie (Vern) Turner, Cindy (Gary) Zeller, Tim Zimbelman, all of Rapid City, and Diane (KC) Kopaska of Republic, Missouri; brother, Harry (Doris) Steinke of Loveland, CO; sister, Helma Goff of Denver, CO; and son-in-law, Mark Kostaneski.

Preceded in death by her husband, Donald; parents; five sisters, Esther Jacobson, Elsie Blanchette, Lorraine Donnelly, Leona Stark, and Dorothy Kahler; one brother, LaVern Steinke; one daughter, Lory Kostaneski and son, Bryan Zimbelman

Visitation will be held from 6pm – 7:30pm on Wednesday, March 7 at Kirk Funeral Home. Funeral services at 11 am on Thursday, March 8 at the funeral home. Burial at Black Hills National Cemetery.

An online guestbook may be signed at kirkfuneralhome.com

 

Benjamin Bradley Sherwood 62

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Benjamin Bradley Sherwood, Brad to his friends and family, passed away on Jan. 8, 2018 in Vermillion.

Brad was born on Sept. 27, 1955 to Benjamin James Sherwood and Adelyne Maria Jackson Sherwood in Winner, SD. He was the fifth of six children raised in Wood, SD. Brad attended the Upward Bound program at the University of South Dakota in the summer. Through this experience, he met Dr. Wayne Evans who was his mentor and became a very special friend. During this time, Brad developed a deep love and appreciation for his Lakota heritage. After graduating from Wood High School in 1976, Brad joined the US Army. Following his service duty, he returned home to spend time with his father in Wood before relocating to the Vermillion area. During his life, Brad was a trained barber, worked at a packing plant, and had various other jobs before being employed at McDonalds for several years. He enjoyed working at McDonalds until he was no longer able to work due to his health. Throughout his life, he enjoyed Sun Dances and Pow Wows where he made many friends.

Brad is survived by his father Ben Sherwood of Wood, SD and four sisters Joyce Colombe of Rapid City, SD Jayne Longcor of Valentine, NE, Mona (John) Massingale of Wood, SD and Sandra (Dave) Goad of Ralston, OK and a host of nephews and nieces, cousins and close friends.

Brad was preceded in death by his mother Adelyne Sherwood, brother Cleveland James (Jim) Sherwood, nephew Ben Joseph Almand, brother-in-law Ralph James Longcor, paternal grandparents John and Nellie Sherwood and maternal grandparents Cleveland and Phoebe Jackson.

Mona Schaeffer, 87

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Mona Marie McDonald Schaeffer was born Dec. 4th, 1930 in Alfalfa County in Oklahoma to Lloyd Evertt McDonald and Iona Charlottie Summers McDonald.

Mona and her sister Donnas made many moves with their family from job to job in early childhood including Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas before settling down so the girls could go to school in one place. In 1947 Mona and her family moved to Wood South Dakota where she finished high school in 1949 and met her future husband Dwight Schaeffer. Before marrying, Mona attended Sioux Valley Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in September 1952. Mona traveled to England where Staff Sargent Dwight Schaeffer was stationed in the Air Force. Mona and Dwight were married Dec. 13 1952 at Dunmoe, Essex, England.

Mona and Dwight returned home to the farm at Wood in November 1953 to take over the farm because of Dwight’s father’s failing health. Four children were born to this union, Daniel Lowell, Brian Kent, Lisa Marie and Craig Todd. During the years on the farm Mona taught Sunday School and Bible School and served as the Sunday School Superintendent for 17 years. In October 1964 Mona and Dwight started work as a Mobil fuel agent taking over for Lee McDonald who retired. In April 1969 they bought the business from Mobil to become Schaeffer Oil Co. In August 1970 they bought out a Mobil distributer in Winner, South Dakota and moved there to run the business. Mona worked as the head bookkeeper for many years until she and Dwight relocated to Tempe, Ariiz., in the 1990’s.

One of Mona’s favorite hobbies was genealogy and she made numerous trips to Salt Lake City, Rapid City, and many eastern states researching her family “roots”. Mona compiled and printed books for both the Summers and McDonald sides of her family as well as Dwight’s family.

Mona and Dwight returned to Winner in 2012 and took up residence at the Golden Prairie Manor to be closer to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Mona is survived by her husband of 65 years, Dwight, children: Daniel Schaeffer, Brian (Jan) Schaeffer, Lisa (Robert) Koskan, Craig (Lori) Schaeffer, Grandchildren: Brandi Schaeffer, Logan Schaeffer, Lindsay Sletten, Lacy Schaeffer, Christopher Schaeffer, Shannon (Ronnie) Weir, Ryan Koskan, Devin (Kelsie) Koskan, Alex Schaeffer, Marlee Schaeffer and 9 great-grandchildren.

Mona was preceded in death by her sister Donnas and husband Francis Leat, her parents Lloyd and Iona McDonald, Dwight’s parents Luther Schaeffer and Astrid Schaeffer Kositzky, and step-father Bill Kositzky.

Jason “JR” Robbins, 44

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Jason “JR” Robbins, 44, of Hamill, SD passed away unexpectedly at his home on Thursday, March 1, 2018. A visitation was held on Saturday, March 3rd, 2018 from 6-7PM at the Mason Funeral Home in Winner, SD with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Funeral service and burial will follow in Pawnee, Oklahoma at a later date.

Jason Ray Robbins was born on December 5,1973, to Roy Lee Robbins and Francis Ann (Moss) Robbins, in Pawnee, Oklahoma. He passed away on March 1, 2018.

Jason grew up on a farm outside Pawnee, Oklahoma. He attended Pawnee Public School and graduated from there in 1991. He attended Oklahoma State University, he lacked 2 hours in getting his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture / Agronomy. He once told a friend, he didn’t need to get up in front of anyone to work on the farm, so he never took the mandatory speech class required to graduate.

Jason grew up helping his father on the farm. He loved taking care of the animals. Every summer his family would go to South Dakota and help Jason’s uncle Wayne with wheat harvest. After he stopped going to college, he decided to join the part of the Robbins family that had migrated to South Dakota. He went to work with his uncle Wayne, cousin Roger, brother David, and their families.

Jason was a shy quiet man. He kept to himself most of the time. As the saying goes, children and animals know a person’s heart, and children and animals loved being around Jason and he loved them as well. His shyness would slip away as he played games with the children.

Jason is survived by his father and mother Roy Lee, and Francis Ann Robbins, of Pawnee, OK, brother David Robbins, of Hamill, SD, and several aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.