Basic HTML Version
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Volume 112 • Number 5
308 S. Main, PO Box 950
Freeman, SD 57029
95¢
INSIDE
-
Church News ................................................p. 8
Classifieds.............................................p. 14, 15
Public Notice.......................................p. 12, 15
Reflections ..................................................p. 16
Sports ............................................................p. 10
Social.................................................................p. 7
16 pages
I
NSIDE
:
Music contest
Saturday
MCA
DonDiede Relays
A look inside FHS’s biggest
sports event of the spring
■
p 10
FHS hosting
Cornbelt track
meetThursday
Seven teams, including Freeman
High School, are scheduled to take
part in the 2012 Cornbelt Confer-
ence Track Meet in Freeman this
week Thursday, May 10.
Field events begin at 1 p.m. with
running events slated to start at 3
p.m.
Other participating teams in-
clude Bridgewater-Emery, Canis-
tota, Hanson, Marion, McCrossan
Boys Ranch (new to the Cornbelt
Conference this year) and Menno.
The meet will include varsity,
junior varsity and junior high com-
petition.
The last event, the 1,600 relay, is
scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.
Freeman Academy was sched-
uled to take part in the Tri Valley
Conference Track Meet Tuesday,
May 8.
Both FA and FHS will take part
in the Region 3B Track Meet in
Centerville Thursday, May 17.
The state meet will be held in
Rapid City Friday and Saturday,
May 25 and 26.
FA, FHS to take
part in regiongolf
meet in Sioux Falls
Golfers from Freeman Academy
and Freeman High School will take
part in the Region 3B Tournament
in Sioux Falls next Monday, May
14.
Elmwood will be the location for
both the boys and girls.
Other schools competing in Re-
gion 3B are Alcester-Hudson, Bal-
tic, Bridgewater-Emery, Canistota,
Centerville, Garretson, Gayville-
Volin, Irene-Wakonda, Marion,
McCook Central-Montrose, Parker
and Viborg-Hurley.
Individuals placing in the top 20
will advance to the state tourna-
ment. In addition, teams that finish
first or second in the final standings
may take an entire squad to state.
The State ‘B’ Golf Tournament
will be held in Rapid City Monday
and Tuesday, May 21 and 22. The
boys will compete at Hart Ranch
while the girls will compete at the
Elks.
FHS competed in the pre-region
meet at Central Valley in Hartford
Monday, May 7. Results were not
available in time for publication.
Freeman Fishing
Derby returning to
arboretumJune 16
The eighth-annual Freeman
Fishing Derby is scheduled to take
place Saturday, June 18 at the Free-
man Prairie Arboretum.
Youth through age 15 are invited
to participate; fishing gear will be
available for those who do not have
their own.
Prizes will be awarded for fish
caught in three age divisions.
Watch the
Courier
in the weeks
to come for more information.
The Freeman Fishing Derby was
started in 2005 by Chet Sorensen
and Tom Stolp. Stolp continues to
organize the event thanks to broad
support from the business commu-
nity.
Citywide rummage
planned June 9
The Freeman Citywide Rum-
mage Sale will take place Saturday,
June 9 beginning at 8:30 a.m. The
Freeman Athletic Association is
once again organizing the event.
Information and registration sheets
are available at Merchants State
Bank. The registration deadline is
Friday, June 1. For more informa-
tion call Emily Hofer at 925-7223.
continued on back page:
Foundation
Down in the valley
A photo essay by JeremyWaltner
Down in the valley, around a gentle bend in the road, was a store.
Its simple stature was out-simplified only by its name, and its impact on the area was far
deeper than even the valley in which it rested. The Turkey Ridge Store never had a town
per se to call its own; rather, it was a heart among the charcoal veins of the land, con-
necting the people of one community to the next. The final owner called it the “hub.”
East and slightly north stands the community of Hurley, east and slightly south, Swan
Lake. Spring Valley is straight south, Menno straight west, Marion straight north and
Freeman to the northwest. You can add Irene and Viborg to the neighborhood, too.
How many farmers and housewives, children and passersby in between stopped at the
Turkey Ridge Store to eat a candy bar, drain a Mountain Dew, pick up a bag of feed, can
of beans, jug of milk or gallon of gas?
Not anymore. No, the Turkey Ridge Store of Turkey Ridge, nestled in the heart of the
Turkey Ridge Valley on Highway 18, run by a family devoted to the community, is closed.
The front door is locked. The American flag waving to cars and trucks screaming by has
been taken down. Mind you, other enterprises owned and operated by Bruce and Becky
Ebbesen — the last to own the Turkey Ridge Store — are still viable. Yep, Turkey Ridge Oil
and Ridge Kitchen Lunchwagon are still going strong.
But not the store.
Its closing Saturday, April 28, marked the end of a colorful chapter in the history of the
store that dates all the way back to 1927 and no doubt stirred up some kind of emo-
tion in those who remember buying dried goods, drinks, hardware, tires, feed and seed
there, or taking a seat at the restaurant-style booth in the corner, where, as Becky puts it
through the emotion of the day, “we solved the world’s problems.”
The history is rich. The pictures document today. Turn to page 9.
Return on investment
Freeman Community Foundation honors local
organizations, scholarship winners at banquet
by Jeremy Waltner
In what Emily Hofer referred to as “our highlight,” the
Freeman Community Foundation (FCF) formally honored
its most recent grant recipients and scholarship winners at
a dessert reception at the Prairie Arboretum Interpretive
Center Thursday evening, May 3.
Hofer, secretary of the FCF, and Nathan Walter, FCF
board president, both of-
fered comments at last
week’s gathering. And
while the event was in
recognition of those on
the receiving end of the
local community foun-
dation, Hofer and Walter both spoke of the value of the
organization now in its 15th year.
“What a great idea for a foundation,” Walter said; “an
endowment that will perpetually give back to the greater
Freeman community.”
Walter said one of the goals of FCF officials is to pro-
mote the organization in an effort to strengthen its vis-
ibility in the community, and admitted that when he was
first approached to be on the board of directors four years
ago by past president Jill Aanenson, his first question was,
“What is the Freeman Community Foundation?”
“How is it possible I had never heard of this nearly half-
million dollar foundation that has had such a broad impact
on Freeman?” Walter said, noting that 44 grants and five
service scholarships totalling nearly $100,000 have been
awarded since 2000.
“We believe there’s room for us to make a larger impact
in Freeman,” he continued. “Unfortunately, most people
know about us much as I did four years ago. I think board
member Ruth Strasser stated it best when she said, ‘I think
the Freeman Community Foundation is really Freeman’s
best kept secret.’”
Future gifts to the FCF will help its endowment grow
and benefit the community for years to come, Walter said.
“One of our strategic goals as a board is to increase
awareness of the wonderful and vital impact this foun-
dation has made on the lives of the citizens of Freeman.
Although there are many local organizations and charities
that are extremely valuable and important to this commu-
nity, the foundation differentiates itself in two significant
ways.”
The first, he said, is that the FCF has far-reaching im-
pact.
“There’s really no segment of the community that hasn’t
benefited from the foundation,” he said.
The second, Walter continued, is that the contributions
made to the organization are long lasting.
“Your resources make the Freeman community a better
place to live for many generations to come.”
Hofer recognized the board members who helped found
the FCF in 1997 by name: Jackie Goosen, Stephen Rous-
sos, Sharon Schamber, Dewayne Kieper, Brian Field, Lar-
ry Horner, Glenn Roth and the late Pam Ortman.
Roth, who has remained a board member every year
since and will leave his post in 2012 because of term lim-
its, was on hand at Thursday’s reception. Hofer addressed
him directly.
“Fifteen years ago, did you know the impact this
foundation would have on the community?” she asked.
2012
RECEPTION
Big boost
for the bus
Thanks to unexpected funds
from ROCS, transportation
service set to begin in June
by Jeremy Waltner
“All good news.”
That’s how Norm Kaufman de-
scribes the latest developments in
the Freeman community’s effort to
establish a bus transportation ser-
vice to assist residents with errands
and appointments, from a trip to the
grocery store to the doctor’s office.
It appears that service should be
available by the first week of June
— ahead of the schedule beset by
funding limitations.
An advertisement for drivers be-
gins running this week, just as the
articles of incorporation for Free-
man Community Transit have been
submitted to the state for approval.
All of this comes on the heels
of last week’s surprising news that
Freeman Community Transit would
be included in 2012 funding through
ROCS (Rural Office of Community
Services), which provides assis-
tance to low-income, elderly and
handicap clients in southeastern and
south central South Dakota.
Freeman was not scheduled to be
part of the budget in 2012, leaving
those involved with the local ROCS
project seeking other financial sup-
port.
“It’s not like we were not going to
have bus service available, but this
pushes us further ahead than we an-
ticipated,” said Kaufman, president
of Freeman Community Transit.
“We’ll also be able to broaden the
scope of the service we offer; that’s
the big thing.”
The ROCS funding, which comes
on top of local financial support al-
ready committed, “really opens up
the possibilities,” he said.
While details — including rider
fees — have yet to be worked out,
those expanded services could in-
clude at least one additional hand-
icap-accessible minivan to supple-
continued on back page:
Bus
CHANGING OF THE GUARD
ith a city of Freeman ward map and the South Dakota state seal behind him, new
Freeman Mayor Sam Sorensen is administered the oath of office by city attorney Dale
Strasser Monday evening, May 7, the first meeting of a new year for local city govern-
ment. Sorensen, who defeated Lonnie Tjaden in the incumbent’s bid for re-election
last month, on Monday took his seat at the head of a table made up of old and new councilors
alike; in addition to Randy Broders, Charles Gering, Scott Stern and CharlyWaltner, the new coun-
cil includes Eva Olson and Donna Waltner, who replace Loren Tschetter and Royce Breneman. In
his opening remarks to city officials, Sorensen called for hard work among elected officials and
spoke of a desire to come together for the good of the community. “We must remember, as city
officials, we are in this together for the betterment of the city of Freeman. We must have conti-
nuity as a council, have a healthy environment for the community and work together with each
other for the common good of Freeman.” Sorensen’s first meeting included the eyes and ears of a
notable audience member — his father, Chet, who 35 years ago took the oath of office as mayor
of Freeman, a position he served for 12 years that became part of a 30-year career in local city
government. For more on Sam Sorensen, his seat at the city table and the special connection he
now shares with his father, see next weeks’
Courier
.
PHOTO BY JEREMY WALTNER
W