Weskota Manor Avera volunteer helps former teacher stay in touch with students

FORMER SCHOOL TEACHER KAREN (HEEZEN) FASTNACHT (center) is back in the education business, thanks to the generous assistance of a Weskota Manor Avera activity volunteer. When Karen’s teaching career ended due to injuries sustained in an automobile accident on August 14, 2007, she eventually became a resident at the local nursing home. Manor activity volunteer Loretta Couch (right) helped devise a project where the former school teacher corrects papers from the local elementary school. Corrected papers are completed with a sticker. When school is in session a “Mrs. Fastnacht’s Room” (front/left) completes the theme. When she is not doing volunteer work at the Manor, Loretta also works part time in the activities department. Also shown in the photo are Karen’s daughter, Michaela (left) and her husband Mike Fastnacht. Loretta and her husband, Rick Couch, a Springs-area native, moved here in 2008.

True Dakotan photo/Duke Wenzel -- The "contraption" that has provided the free ride up the sledding hill (looking downward... note the panoramic scene overlooking the prairie) for a couple of generations.

BY CRAIG WENZEL

TRUE DAKOTAN EDITOR

Remember this? Back in the 1950’s –when I was just a kid, REALLY– there was a local guy who did excavating and digging, building roads, earthen dams, and whatever else needed to be done. A.J. Gebhardt was a bit of a genius, actually, able to fabricate about anything you –or he– could imagine. So the Wessington Springs city park had this big hill that kids used for sledding in the wintertime, but A.J. –and probably some of the town council members– decided a rope lift would be good. And they were right. Once A.J. set his mind to it the rope lift would carry us kids back up the hill for another run.

 BY CRAIG WENZEL – TRUE DAKOTAN EDITOR

I’ve always been ready for a sled ride down the big hill in the Springs city park, at least in the winter when there is sufficient snow on the ground. The Christmas blizzard that we had over the holiday was a tough one, but it did provide the basic needs for a fast ride on an aerodynamically designed piece of plastic.

Our three-and-a-half year old grandson Layne and his nine-month old baby sister, Londyn, stayed with us overnight after their parents, Matt and Amber, went back to Pierre.

TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE

G. Marvin Powell, Wessington Springs, was one of the South Dakota veterans to fly to Washington, D.C. with the SouthDakota Honor Flight to see the national World War II Veterans’ Memorial. He was accompanied by his daughter, Nadene, Sioux Falls. They are shown above in a photo taken from television coverage of the event. G. Marvin, a resident at Weskota Manor Avera in Wessington Springs, also enjoyed a Veterans Day program at the manor that was presented by the local VFW post.

TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE

THESE FOUR WORLD WAR II veterans were in attendance at the Veteran’s Day program at WSHS. They are among a dwindling number of that war. They are pictured, from left: Harold Mettler, Pete Bult, Russell Hanson, and Eldon Beckman. It’s not known how many WWII Vets still live in the county. There were veterans from several other wars at the gathering including Korea, Vietnam and the war in the Middle East.

Better late than never

BY DUKE WENZEL – TRUE DAKOTAN EDITOR

TRUE DAKOTAN PHOTO/DUKE

IT’S MEAL TIME for this calf on a Jerauld County farm. The fair weather into November has allowed area livestock producers to keep their herds in pastures and corn stalks late into the fall.

The Wessington Springs High School students chose the royalty for the 2009 school year. They are, back row left to right: Evan Muller, Jonathan Manning, Collin Baumgart, Troy Duxbury; front row left to right: Koel Heydon, Sarah Larson, Jina Waggoner, Jasmyn Knippling.

Homecoming week will be September 21-26, 2009 this year. The student body has chosen the theme of DECADES. There will be a parade on Friday, September 25 beginning at 2:00 pm.

The days at school will be as follows:

*Monday Sept. 21-Nerd day

*Tuesday, Sept. 22- Ping Pong-Picture Day K-11. (Coronation program) Seniors- Grandma and Grandpa Day

Dustin Evans (left center) joined the Company Cowboys band in place of his Dad, Kyle Evans at the band's 40th anniversary show. Company Cowboys members Brian Bergeleen (left) are shown with Dale Schimke (right/center) and Lennis Fagerhaug (right).

Exclusively on truedakotan.com (not printed in the True Dakotan “hard copy”)

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BY CRAIG WENZEL

A large group of people came to the restored 1905 Opera House in Wessington Springs last Friday night, helping the “Company Cowoys” band observe their 40th anniversary.