Sauk Rapids Herald - February 18, 2023

Triple ‘A’ Award winner

Roesch savoring final months of high school life

BY TOM FENTON | STAFF WRITER

Editor’s note: The male SRR Triple ‘A’ award winner is Benaiah Hinz. Hinz will be featured in an upcoming issue of the Sauk Rapids Herald.

For all the reasons Grace Roesch is involved in high school activities, recognition and accolades do not make the list.

At the same time, the Sauk Rapids-Rice senior said being selected as one of two Minnesota State High School League Triple ‘A’ Award winners comes with an immense sense of pride along with gratitude to those who have guided her on her successful journey.

“I’m super excited to earn this award,” said Roesch, a mainstay on the tennis and basketball courts for the Storm the past ve years. “It is such an honor. I nd it rewarding to be recognized for all of my hard work over the years. I couldn’t have done this without lots of help and guidance from teachers, advisers, coaches, and my friends and family.”

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Shepherd

Neary installed as 10th bishop of Diocese of St. Cloud

ABY BEN SONNEK | STAFF WRITER

fter over three years of waiting, the Diocese of St. Cloud welcomed its new shepherd, Bishop Patrick Neary. Neary succeeds Bishop Donald Kettler, who submitted his resignation in November 2019 at the age of 75.

The rainy weather outside the packed Cathedral of St. Mary in St. Cloud could not dampen the smile of the new bishop during his Feb. 14 episcopal ordination and installation Mass. The smile was shared by the concelebrating archbishops, bishops, priests and dea-

cons as well as the congregation of religious and laity, and family and friends – some coming from as far away as Oregon, Peru and Africa.

The principal ordaining bishop for the Mass was Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. The co-ordaining bishops were Bishop William Wack of the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Florida, and Auxiliary Bishop Peter Smith of the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon.

“It is a wonderful sign of the Father’s love for the church that

he would be providing such a ne shepherd for this diocese with just the right gifts to continue the work of spreading the Gospel that has long been central to the Diocese of St. Cloud,” Hebda said.

As the 10th bishop of the diocese, Neary will be adopting the motto of his order, the Congregation of Holy Cross: “Ave Crux, Spes Unica” – “Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope.”

An Indiana native who comes to Minnesota from Holy Redeemer Parish in Portland, Oregon, Neary has enjoyed getting to know his congregation.

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Ellard D. Grabuski

PHOTO BY BEN SONNEK

Archbishop Bernard Hebda anoints the Rev. Patrick Neary, ordaining him as a bishop, Feb. 14 in the Cathedral of St. Mary in St. Cloud. Neary is succeeding Bishop Donald Kettler as the bishop of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

PHOTO BY TOM FENTON Sauk Rapids-Rice senior Grace Roesch is the female Triple A Award winner for Sauk Rapids-Rice High School for the 2022-23 school year. The Minnesota State High School League honors one male and female student in every school district for this award.

Foley FFA Chapter members are Elizabeth Lorenz (front, from left), Josi Pozorski, Cortney Brambrink, Travis Boyle, Grace Gadacz, Cylie Marshik, Alli Lewandowski, Braelynn Kuperus and Ben Lewandowski; (second row, from left) seniors Kayla Barthel, Emma Dietz, Evangelia Kuperus, Neavah Schmit, Kaitlynn Pollard, Jacquelyn Beauchamp and Marley Wheeler; (third row, from left) juniors Gabby Orton, Abbey Jurek, Kaylie Kuschel, Raylynn McColley, Lilly Dahler, Makayla Benc, Shelby Knosalla, Tyler Knosalla, Emmit Olson, Grace Loehrer and Ty Lambertson-Orton; (fourth row, from left) sophomores Skylar Morris, Kendra Dietz, Luke Sobania, Jesse Bursch, Jacob Schafer, Adam Kobinia, Blake Herbst, Nevaeh Beack and Steven Brambrink; (fifth row, from left) freshman Nolan Hackett, Sean Aasen, Alaina Moulzolf, Aleaya Kipka, Payten Alderink, Brody Blank , Ashley Postle, Ava Dahler, Jada Hansen, Kaylee Dahler and Darren Boyle; (back, from left) freshman Mason Arnold, Alex Wirtzfeld, Tyler Novak, Paige Fussy,Makayla Reishus, Brandilyn Garcia, Alaina Nordhausen, Lydia Hunt, Chloe Schbonkski, Kaiya Gotvald and Leo Gadacz.

Foley

officers are Josi Pozorski (front, from left), Cortney Brambrink, Travis Boyle, Grace Gadacz and Cylie Marshik; (back, from left) Elizabeth Lorenz, Alli Lewandowski, Braelynn Kuperus and Ben Lewandowski.

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(Below)

FFA

Rustic Acres from front

“The next thing we tried was freeze-drying some heart meat. Cora loved it.”

Cora is the family’s 9-year-old red fox Labrador retriever and official taste-tester.

“She’s picky, so everything we produce is pickydog approved,” Anna said. “We took byproducts from our farm and continued experimenting.”

Backroad Meats Inc. in Milaca played a critical role in expanding the business.

“We worked out a deal with them regarding discarded lungs and liver and the other undesired bits,” Anna said.

When the business started turning a profit, the Kaas family decided to expand into online sales.

“All of our food is natural and raised locally,” she said. “There’s no additives or bread. Just meat.”

Rustic Acres Pet Treats has a cottage foods license, so the business does not have to be federally inspected. A commercial feed license allows food product sales to animals, Anna said.

“We retain 97% of the nutritional value with freeze-drying,” she said. “Dehydrating only gives you 60% to 70%. Our freeze driers are constant-

ly running. We’re entering our second year of business.”

Amanda never thought the family would get involved with a freezedried dog treats business.

“We’d been processing our own meat products for about eight years,” Amanda said. “Basically, we were getting rid of all the animal byproducts. It just kind of clicked in my head, ‘There’s a market for this. Why aren’t we capitalizing on it?’”

Amanda said Rustic Acres Pet Treats is always coming up with new packaging ideas.

“It’s absolutely amazing both kids help us with the website,” she said. “It helps promote nutritious treats. We’ve really built a reputation with dogs and owners.”

FFA and 4-H were important during her upbringing, Amanda said, adding her father was a key person in their local FFA chapter.

“The leadership and opportunities that FFA is providing Anna has absolutely exceeded our wildest dreams,” she said.

Anna is currently taking biology, greenhouse management, and fish, lakes and rivers courses at Milaca High School.

“Next year, I’m hoping I can take animal sciences,” she said. “I want to attend the University of Minnesota’s St. Paul campus and go into civil engineering.”

Anna’s interested in building bridges and making sure soil is OK for skyscrapers. Since civil engineering is such as male-dominated field, Anna said she thinks she will have an easier time because of her knowledge as a small business entrepreneur.

Doug Olson is a Milaca High School agriculture department teacher and FFA adviser. He learned about what Anna was doing from co-adviser Leann Pietrzak.

Anna’s family business provides a supervised agricultural experience, he said.

Students maintain records of time spent within an SAE area. Students earning wages keep track of financial records, including income and expenses. Olson said students record their skills that relate to agriculture, food and natural resource national academic standards. This prepares them for future competition. FFA proficiency award applications come in many categories, Olson said.

“Anna’s application is

agricultural processing,” he said.

This year, others include outdoor recreation, beef entrepreneurship, specialty crop production and diversified livestock

production.

“It’s a great way to highlight some really cool things,” Olson said.

Five Milaca FFA members have completed proficiency award applications. Students were

judged by Region 4 FFA advisers Jan. 31 and completed interviews Feb. 2. Students who place in the top three regionally advance to state competition in April.

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(Above) The Kaas family – Anna (from left), Lawrence, Amanda and Shawn – own Rustic Acres Pet Treats of Milaca. Anna uses the family-owned agricultural processing business as her supervised agricultural experience.

(Left) The Rustic Acres Pet Treats company logo features an important family member and company taste-tester –Cora, a 9-year-old red fox Labrador retriever. The Kaas family began making freeze-dried dog treats after receiving a similar gift.

The leadership and opportunities that FFA is providing Anna has absolutely exceeded our wildest dreams

- Amanda Kaas

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Little Falls FFA Chapter members are Tori Pfaff (front, from left) and Gracie Giessinger; (second row, from left) Abbie Scepurek, Antonio Becker, Rachel Sankey, Lauren Wiherski, Briel Selinski and Haley Fitzpatrick; (third row, from left) Devyn Bollig, Cullen Moe, Alicia Holtz, Oliver Wiherski, Aden Larson and Jazmin Virnig; (back, from left) Marshall Kathrein and Isaac Schilling.

Little Falls FFA officers are adviser Gabi Molitor (front, from left), adviser Kim Czech, reporter Antonio Becker and vice president Alicia Holtz; (back, from left) treasurer Cullen Moe, sentinel Kaja Blechinger, president Lauren Wiherski, secretary Haley Fitzpatrick and adviser Matt Petrowitz.

Pierz FFA Chapter

E., Logan K., Vincent R., Alan B., Kaden K., Kyle G. and Elissa P.

(Below) Pierz FFA officers are vice president Edward Westmoreland (front, from left) and sentinel Emilie Smude; (back, from left) reporter Kaden Kroll, treasurer Dylan Vandenheuvel and president Elissa Pawlu. Not pictured is secretary Lauren Vandenheuvel.

African Americans have changed the world of agriculture

Royalton FFA alumni, chapter

join forces for fundraiser

Breakfast event Feb. 19 kicks off recognition week

BY TIM HENNAGIR STAFF WRITER

Each February, National FFA Week runs from Saturday to Saturday near month end. The event helps educates the public about agriculture.

It is also a great time for local chapters to conduct fundraisers.

February is Black History Month. Though many of us are excited to leave behind February’s cold and the wind of central Minnesota, I encourage you to pause. Do you know an African American who has changed the world, and for today’s article, one who has changed agriculture?

This article will brie y touch on two, but there are many more. Take a moment and search the internet, listen to a podcast or better yet read a book. Challenge yourself by getting to know the African American inventors and scientists who changed what we grow, why we grow it and what we use it for.

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This weekend, Royalton’s FFA chapter will get special assistance when it test drives its new event during National FFA Week Feb. 18-25.

Royalton FFA alumni will host a 9 a.m. to noon breakfast and silent auction fundraiser Sunday, Feb. 19.

The freewill event in the north commons at Royalton Middle/High School will bene t scholarships and summer camp opportunities.

Alumni and chapter leaders have reached out for community support.

“We are lucky to have adults who are willing to be involved,” said Joseph Achen, president of the Royalton FFA Chapter. “We want to invite the community to learn more about FFA and its various activities.”

Chapter adviser Nathan Goldade said the idea for a breakfast event developed during a November alumni brainstorming

session.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUW UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES

Percy Julian works in the Minshall Laboratory at DePauw University during his tenure as a research fellow. Born in Alabama in 1899, Julian researched the utility of soybean.

PHOTO SUBMITTED

Royalton FFA Chapter president Joseph Achen (from left), adviser Nathan Goldade and secretary Abigail Nelson have key roles in the Sunday, Feb. 19 breakfast and silent auction fundraiser at Royalton Middle/High School in Royalton The trio is working with Royalton FFA alumni to organize and staff the 9 a.m. to noon event.