Aberdeen Magazine May/June 2022

➼ Aberdeen artist Lance Smith creates beautiful paintings that aim to connect people from all walks of life. He has been able to refine his art during the pandemic, creating something beautiful in an uncertain time.

68

BEAUTIFUL: THE COUNTRY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE IN

BROWN COUNTY

➼ Former students of county schools in the area recount their memories of a very different school district.

Feelin’ our content? You really should subscribe ;-) Do it now at aberdeenmag.com/subscribe

REGULARS

04 FROM THE EDITOR

06 WHAT’S NEW

Your source for what’s happening in Aberdeen.

16 THEN & NOW

Capturing the change and growth of our city through photos.

20 CALENDAR

Never miss an event in the Hub City.

22 PARTNERING TO STAMP OUT HUNGER

The National Association of Letter Carriers and United Way partner to gather food for Aberdeen’s local food pantries – and you can help.

56 TASTE

Peach cobbler is delicious, fruity, and best of all, easy to make! Follow this quick recipe and enjoy a tasty treat of your very own.

76 WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Aberdeen Magazine wants to hear from its readers!

76 COMIC

The Aberdabber by Eliot Lucas

ON THE COVER

➼ 16-year-old Caleb Hubert shows off a variety of animals available at Caleb’s Aquatics on this issue’s cover. Caleb has been breeding fish in his home since he was 12 years old, and what was once a hobby has evolved into Aberdeen’s newest pet store. Now Caleb sells a variety of fish, pets, and supplies to care for your furry (and scaly) friends. Photo by Troy McQuillen.

THE DEFENDERS

➼ Six Aberdeen attorneys see the humanity in the individuals they represent while providing the best defense they can.

FEATURED CONTENT

30 GET TO KNOW: BEA SMITH

Follow along with this Q and A session with Bea Smith, the Sanford Health Aberdeen’s Community Liaison.

32 MAKING A SPLASH

16-year-old Caleb Hubert’s passion for fish has evolved into Aberdeen’s newest pet store.

40 THE HEART OF ABERDEEN

7th grade students at Holgate Middle School share their meaningful prose on what makes Aberdeen special.

50 A CELEBRATION TO UNITE THE COMMUNITY

Aberdeen’s Catholic community invites everyone to join the One Vine, Many Branches event – a unique celebration of faith.

58 EXTERIOR DECORATING

A local family’s vibrant yard creates a landscape that awakens healing.

74 ABERDEEN RECREATIONAL TRAIL GUIDE

This map of Aberdeen’s many trail systems is a valuable tool for planning out some outdoor summer fun. Catch up on the rules of the road and enjoy the great outdoors!

LANCE SMITH

Meet Annie!

When I saw Sandra Bullock’s character in The Proposal, I thought it would be the coolest thing ever to work for a magazine. I’ve loved writing since I was a kid, and getting paid to do that seemed like a dream come true. Everything seemed to work out just fine for Sandra Bullock and her magazine.

Then I realized I was mixing up The Proposal with 13 Going On 30 and Jennifer Garner’s magazine Poise. The importance of fact checking became abundantly clear to me that day.

Movie talk aside, I’m excited to be Aberdeen Magazine’s editor. In high school, I edited Central’s newspaper and yearbook. When I was at NSU, I wrote and eventually became the assistant editor for their paper, The Exponent. Now I have been introduced to the world of magazine publication, and it’s fun to see what’s similar to my past experiences and what’s completely new.

I’ve lived in Aberdeen my entire life, and I’m still learning things about it every single day. There is always something interesting going on, and interviewing people keeps my curiosity sufficiently piqued. My parents have often wondered where this penchant for writing came from, because they made it pretty clear it’s not from them. Well, it doesn’t really matter. I get to use a passion of mine to benefit the community, and in my humble opinion, that is awesome. Having the chance to meet some of the people that make Aberdeen special is another great perk to this job. You can’t have Aberdeen Magazine without Aberdeen, and you certainly can’t have Aberdeen without the wonderful citizens who work hard to make this a great place to live.

Hopefully as you flip through this copy of Aberdeen Magazine you’ll discover something fun and new about this town we have all come to love. //

CONTRIBUTORS

 PATRICK

regular contributor commenting on Aberdeen’s personality, food options, and history.

 BRANDON

and a

swing

is a

 ANGIE CLEBERG and AARON SCHULTZ are on the executive team at the United Way of Northeastern South Dakota. The United Way is instrumental in providing support for health and human service programs in our community.

MANAGING EDITOR

Annie Scott annie@aberdeenmag.com

PUBLISHER

Troy McQuillen troy@mcquillencreative.com

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Eliot Lucas eliot@mcquillencreative.com

AD SALES

Julie Lillis julie.aberdeenmag@gmail.com

INTERN Brandon Heim

PUBLICATION OFFICE

McQuillen Creative Group 423 S. Main St., Suite 1 Aberdeen SD, 57401 605.226.3481

PRINTING

Midstates Printing

EDITORIAL SUBMISSIONS from interested parties will be considered. Please submit to the editor at annie@aberdeenmag.com

PRIVACY STATEMENT Any personal information, email addresses, or contact submitted to the editorial office or online via our Facebook page will not be sold or distributed. Aberdeen Magazine does wish to publish public comments and attitudes regarding Aberdeen, therefore written submissions and comments on our Facebook page implies permission to utilize said information in editorial content.

FOLLOW US

Facebook @AberdeenMagazine

INSTAGRAM @aberdeenmagazine

COPYRIGHT 2022 Aberdeen Magazine is produced exclusively in Aberdeen, South Dakota. All content is copyright with all rights reserved. No content may be shared, copied, scanned, or posted online without permission. Please just ask us first. We're pretty flexible. PUBLISHED

www.mcquillencreative.com

Annie Scott MANAGING EDITOR

GALLAGHER is a

HEIM

magician, writer,

dance teacher,

fifth-year student at NSU studying English with a creative writing emphasis. You can find him dancing with his wife Winter or meeting someone for coffee.

 JOSIE CLEMENS is a Presentation College graduate and former Aberdeen Magazine editor who has a passion for learning and writing.

Dakota Responders Help Rural Areas

Agtegra and the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine are teaming up to provide first responder training to about 100 Agtegra employees. From that pool, approximately 30% will move on to EMT training. Training was conducted in January and February of this year and included Stop the Bleed, Narcan use for Opioid Overdose, and AED Operation topics. Employees who attended training will receive ‘ditch kits’ with supplies to provide basic first aid and stop-the-bleed materials.

Director of Safety and Environmental Beth Locken mentioned that studies have found a critical shortage of first responders and EMS services in rural communities. Dr. Matt Owens of Redfield Community Memorial Hospital chose Agtegra to partner with. Dr. Owens was looking for a partner that had a significant impact in rural areas. Agtegra was a natural fit thanks to the amount of mobile equipment and employees that work in rural communities on a daily basis. Funding for this initiative was available under a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grant through the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in Vermillion.

“The Sanford School of Medicine makes it a priority to train medical doctors to practice in rural South Dakota,” Locken said, “so this is a natural extension of that mission.”

The grant made it possible to provide first responder training to individuals in communities who could come across an emergency situation to be able to provide basic life-saving skills until first responders at the scene. From that, the concept of ‘Dakota Responder’ was developed.

“Most first responders in rural communities are volunteers who have careers and other obligations that are not always near the ambulance station when a call is received,” Locken said. “By having individuals in the communities trained in basic life-saving techniques, this significantly improves a victim’s chance of survival.”

“Agtegra is extremely grateful to be a partner for this initiative. Our employees, families, member-owners, and patrons are all individuals who could one day benefit from the skills of a Dakota Responder.” // —Annie Scott

Planning Continues for New Jail

A new regional jail is potentially coming to Aberdeen. The former Regal (Hub City) building has been approved for purchase. Located at 2914 Industrial Ave. in the industrial park, the $4.5 million building is over 150,000 square feet and will be able to hold over 200 inmates.

Purchasing and renovating this building will be cheaper than building an entirely new facility. “Finding an economical way to increase capacity is always on our mind,” Brown County Commissioner Mike Wiese said.

Support from surrounding counties will be necessary for the project to continue. The Brown County Commissioners agreed that if 40 percent of the $30 million required isn’t acquired before Apr. 1, 2023, the building will be sold.

Aberdeen’s current jail has been at capacity for some time now, and housing inmates has become a statewide issue. Two other regional projects were studied when planning for Aberdeen’s new jail. Lawrence County and Lincoln County are in the process of building jail facilities as well. Wiese also said that inmates originally from Aberdeen that were relocated to other facilities would be able to serve their sentence closer to home.

Upon initial opening, the entire facility will not be utilized. Wiese said that the extra space could potentially be used for workforce placement and rehab programs in the future.

“It’s not all about locking people up, but providing better rehabilitation,” Wiese said. // —Annie

Scott

 Dr. Matt Owens trains Agtegra employees. Photo courtesy of Beth Locken at Agtegra.

 The site for the future jail.

Photo by Troy McQuillen

Celebrate Pop Culture at Hub City Con

Attention all fandom fanatics – the first Hub City Con, presented by Flashbax, will be taking place at the Ramkota Event Center on May 14. The event, sponsored by the Red Rooster Coffee House, Harr Motors, McQuillen Creative Group, and the Hitch’n Post, will run from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM with a $5 admission fee. Kids under 13 get in for free!

Gwen Rinde and Erik Braley began planning for Hub City Con back in 2020. “We have both been to a lot of fan and anime conventions, and Erik has been a vendor at them too. We knew what it took to plan one, so when we had the idea we looked at venues and started talking to people,” Gwen said. “So far, the town has been very welcoming.”

There will be over 20 vendors and guests at the convention, including the 605 Ghostbusters, the Oracle Game Store, a demo by Strongheart Martial Arts Academy, and a SiouxperCon information booth.

Hub City Con will also have plenty of activities for attendees to partake in. There will be a pop culture bingo game for those who wish to put their nerd knowledge to the test. The Red Rooster Coffee House is hosting the Be Kind Reset film festival, which will showcase short films inspired by different games. The Oracle Game Store will have an open board gaming area. Artist Andy Grode will be making paintings live that will be auctioned off at the convention. There will also be a cosplay contest that is open to all ages and skill levels. “You don’t need to have big fancy costumes. Just have fun,” Erik said. // —Annie Scott

 For more information, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ hubcitycon

Aberdeen Parks Welcome New Additions

Park-goers of Aberdeen can expect to see some new additions while exploring the great outdoors this summer.

Playground equipment for the Nano Nagle Inclusive Playground in Storybook Land is scheduled to be installed in June. Parks, Recreation, and Forestry director Mark Hoven shared that Avera St. Luke’s Hospital had donated $200,000 which covered the cost of the playground equipment. The playground will include accessible equipment that allows patrons of all abilities to enjoy the park. The playground is named after Nano Nagle, who founded the Presentation Sisters.

Storybook Land will also see changes to some familiar favorites. The munchkin houses are being refurbished and a new Big Bad Wolf statue will be installed. Guests can expect to see these changes around Memorial Day. Games will begin at the new Player’s Field South softball complex this May. The $4.5 million complex is composed of four diamonds and is located near the existing Player’s Field. A ribbon cutting ceremony is scheduled for Jun. 3.

A new trail at Baird Park, located northeast of Holgate Middle School, is ready to explore. Hoven also spoke of plans for a treehouse playground at the Kuhnert Arboretum later this year. // —Annie

Scott

 Check out Aberdeen Parks, Recreation, and Forestry on Facebook @AberdeenPRF for the latest updates on events.

 Gwen Rinde and Erik Braley.

Photo by Troy McQuillen

 The groundbreaking ceremony for the Nano Nagle Inclusive Playground was held on Dec. 3, 2021.

Photo courtesy of Aberdeen Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department

K.O. Lee Library’s Oceans of Possibilities

Dive into the ocean depths this summer as the K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library presents “Oceans of Possibilities” during their summer reading program! The summer fun will run from Jun. 1 to Jul. 31, excluding the week of the 4th of July.

Readers of all ages are encouraged to partake in the fun. There will be events and activities for all age groups to enjoy individually or as a family.

Story Time in the Park will take place every Thursday during the Salvation Army’s meal distribution. Weather permitting, anyone who gets a lunch is welcome to stay for stories and songs with the K.O. Lee library staff. Take and Make kits for kids, tweens, and teens will be available throughout the summer, along with LEGO club games and challenges. The Coding Club for tweens will be held on Wednesdays at 10:00 AM with prior registration required.

While it’s important to read as a family, parents should find some time to read for themselves as well. Two book clubs for adults, Coffee Klatch and Cover to Cover, will continue to run through the summer. Coffee Klatch will be held on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 AM and Cover to Cover will be held the second Wednesday each month at 7:00 PM.

The library is also excited to announce their new reading app, READsquared. The app can help readers track their reading and activities. There are mini-games, bingo cards, and other fun things to discover in the app. Not too tech savvy? Paper versions of these activities will be available at the library. Social media aficionados can find the library on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube, Snapchat and TikTok. // —Annie Scott

 The K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library can be contacted by phone at 605-626-7097, email at library@aberdeen.sd.us, or their website www.aberdeen.sd.us/library

Wylie Thunder Road Signals Start of Summer

Get ready for some summer fun with an Aberdeen staple! Wylie Thunder Road is officially open for its 28th year of business. Go-karts and mini golf opened the weekend of Apr. 30. Euro Bungy Trampolines and the Laser Maze Challenge/Beam Buster will be open by the weekend of May 7 with Bumper Boats opening on Memorial Day Weekend. Various specials will be held throughout the season. Wylie Thunder Road is located in Wylie Park. // —Annie Scott

 Don’t miss out on Thunder Road’s special events. Visit them on Facebook or their website www.thunderroadaberdeen.com. You can also call them at 605-225-8541.

 Go-karting at Thunder Road began Apr. 30.

Photo courtesy of Byron Banasiak.

 Adults and children of all ages are welcome to participate in the Summer Reading Program.

Vendors Venue in Uptown Aberdeen Mall

What started as a simple December/January popup turned into an amazing opportunity for both start-ups and the public. Lori Volk is a native Aberdonian who saw the need for a place where customers customers can shop a variety of products, and where vendors can showcase their product to a wider audience. Lori herself needed a place to sell her 31 Bags product, but didn’t have a safe, secure place to go. Seeing our local mall and wanting to give it more traffic, she set up shop there. After letting her friends use the space to host, she started getting more and more vendors using the space. Now they are considered part of the “Vendor Family.” Lori’s passion then led her to wanting to give the same opportunity to anyone who is just starting-up, a small business, a freelancer, or just wants to try something out, but doesn’t have a place to go (and doesn’t want to break the bank renting!).

YDC’s New Name and New Look

The Aberdeen Family YMCA’s Youth Development Center will be experiencing some big changes in the coming months.

In order to honor their contributions and dedication to the students of South Dakota, the YDC will now be known as the Glenna and Rodney Fouberg Youth Development Center. Glenna and Rodney were co-chairs during the construction of the YMCA in 2005. They also served as honorary chairs during the YDC’s construction in 2013. The late Glenna Fouberg was a teacher for nearly 40 years and served as the director of the Alternative Learning Center here in Aberdeen. A renaming event is scheduled for Jun. 8 at 12:00 PM. The event will take place at the YDC and all are welcome to attend.

In addition to the renaming, the YDC will also begin their campaign to fund an expansion to the building. The building will remain on State St. across from the YMCA. Additional parking will be added near the YMCA parking lot. The 10,562 square foot building expansion of eight classrooms will allow for the additional enrollment of 145 children ages 4 weeks to 5 years.

“When we first opened, we had two overflow rooms,” CEO Mike Quast said. “By 2014, we had those filled.”

Many daycares in the state were forced to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically increased the demand for infant and toddler care. Currently, the waitlist for infants at the YDC is approximately six months.

//

—Brandon Heim

On the public side, Lori hopes to be able to provide variety with this vendors venue. There’s not only product that you wouldn’t find at big stores like Walmart, but it’s also an easy place to purchase hard-to-find products like Avon since door-to-door sales have declined. Each week there’s someone different, and if you want to find someone specifically, you can find their business card featured on the outside wall or free to take inside the venue. You can find vendors that sell product like jewelry, essential oils, photography, food and more!

 Search “Vendors Venue Menu” On Facebook to see upcoming vendors, events, and more! To get in touch about setting up, call 605-216-0400.

“With this expansion, we can double the number of infants and toddlers we care for,” Quast said.

The addition is expected to be completed in March 2024. // —Annie Scott

 Lori Volk’s pop-up store at the Uptown Mall has become a great resource for small businesses in town.

 The YDC’s new name will honor Rodney and Glenna Fouberg. Photo courtesy of Aberdeen Family YMCA.

Photo by Brandon Heim

Aberdeen Central Football Honored For Academic Excellence

The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame has recognized the Aberdeen Central football team as one of the 62 teams from 13 states chosen as the top academic winners in their states as part of the inaugural NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award.

“Academic and athletic success go hand-in-hand,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “We are proud to announce these 62 outstanding high school football teams as the top academic performers in their states. These schools, coaches, players and their families should all be incredibly proud of their accomplishments. We hope by inspiring teams to compete in the classroom with the same competitive spirit that it takes to win on the field, we will better prepare high school football players for success later in life.”

The 62 finalists from each division of play were selected by the individual statesʼ high school coaches associations from a pool of semifinalists submitted by each school's head coach. Eligibility requirements for the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award include a minimum cumulative team GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, superior academic application and performance, and a successful football season. // —Annie

Scott

New Director for K. O. Lee Library

The Aberdeen Public Library Board has selected Anna Moser to become the next Library Director at the K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library. Moser has previously worked in public libraries in South Salem, New York and Redding, Connecticut and is currently serving as the Youth Services Manager at Lincoln Library in Springfield, Illinois. She has a bachelor’s degree in English from SUNY-New Paltz and a master’s in Library Science from Pratt Institute. Moser will begin her duties on May 2.

“Anna’s work experience and education are a good fit to become our next Library Director,” City Manager Joe Gaa said. “But what really set her apart to the Library Board was her enthusiastic personality and her experience in growing library programs.”

“I’m excited about so many things!” Moser said when asked about her thoughts on her new position. “The job, of course, and getting to work in such a fantastic and beautiful library, but also getting to become a resident of such a bustling, progressive community like Aberdeen! There’s so many great components to the city that I want to discover and take part in, like joining Natural Abundance, taking my husky, Maxx, to all the dog parks, and practicing yoga at the different studios!”

Moser will be taking over for Shirley Arment. Arment has worked at the library for 47 years, with 14 of those served as the Library Director.

“Shirley has spent her career at the library and will be greatly missed. It is bittersweet to see her go and we wish her well in retirement. I am sure that Anna will take the baton and continue the strong tradition that Shirley and the library staff have established,” stated Gaa. // —Annie Scott

 Aberdeen Central’s football team was the only school from South Dakota nominated for the NFF National High School Academic Excellence Award.

Photo courtesy of John Davis, sdsportscene.com

Photo courtesy of Anna Moser

 New Director Anna Moser

100 block of South Lincoln street looking north – 1911

In 1909, the Aberdeen Daily News reported that August Witte had purchased a huge chunk of lots on the west side of Lincoln Street, across the alley from his Main Street Witte Hardware store. The plan for the lots was to build seven buildings of the same size to be used as retail stores with lodging on the second floor. This 1911 photo shows what resulted from this plan. This building on the left was known as the Mueller Building, and even though it looks like one building, you can count seven divisions as reported. The new building attracted businesses to Aberdeen. O.E. Watts had been eyeing Aberdeen from West Virginia for 15 years and in 1909, he decided to start a men’s clothing store in the Mueller Building. His goal was to sell 200 suites per month. Next door, the duo of Magandy & Rasmussen opened the Herman Meat Market also in 1909. The second-floor operation was first called The Herman Hotel. After struggles and troubles of disturbance, it became the Rogers Hotel with new management. The building was designed by Aberdeen architect J.W. Henry. The building that is barely seen between the Mueller Building and the County Courthouse is the Kennard Hotel that housed what would become the Chamber of Commerce. Dakota Title is now in this location. // —Troy McQuillen

100 block of South Lincoln street looking north – 2022

The Mueller Building still exists today and houses Gellhaus & Gellhaus Law Office and DSS Image Apparel. The second floor was completely remolded, preserving many historic details, in the early 2000s and is now used as apartments. The triangular parapets have been removed from the facade and the store fronts are now uniquely different. The Brown County Courthouse underwent a substantial remodel in 1975 that included the removal of the iconic sandstone steps. The original steps lead a visitor up to the first floor, revealing a stunning rotunda. The remodeled entrance now leads a visitor into the ground floor, and an elevator was added in the middle, covering up the rotunda. Fortunately, the majority of the building still looks stunning and is lovingly cared for by the County. City planners could not have imagined that the 1911 scene from the previous pages would be inundated with the cars and parking lots that we have today. In fact, many buildings were demolished on Lincoln Street to better accommodate the parking demands of Main Street, one block over. // —Troy McQuillen

2022 MAY & JUNE

HUMP DAY BINGO!

Wednesdays

6:30 - 8:30 PM

Hub City Station Event Center

 Play some bingo for a good cause! $20 will get you 10 games, and payouts increase with more players. Profits from the bingo games go to local charities.  @hubcitystation

THE FARMER’S MARKET

Saturdays

9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Malchow Plaza

 The weekly farmer’s market is back! Beginning on May 7, come and shop a variety of fresh produce provided by local vendors. There will be no market on May 28 or June 18. events@themarketontheplaza.com

SPRING HOSPITALITY TRAINING

May 4

8:30 - 10:30 AM

Aberdeen Capitol Theatre

 Spring cleaning isn’t just about your home anymore. Christine Cashen teaches carpe chaos - seize your time, seize your energy, and take responsibility for your own emotional state. Registration required. www.visitaberdeensd.com/springhospitality-training-registration

ABERDEEN AREA

MEN’S CHORUS

May 8 3:00 PM

First Presbyterian Church of Aberdeen

 The Aberdeen Area Men’s Chorus is back after a year-long hiatus. Join them in an afternoon filled with song. Admission is $10 for adults, children under 18 get in free.

 605-225-6753

MUMMIES & MOSQUES

May 10

7:00 PM

K. O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library

 Join Bruce B. Junek and Tass Thacker as they present their experiences traveling through Egypt, Jordan, Greece and Turkey on their bicycles. Learn about famous mummies and mosques as they journeyed across three continents; Africa, Europe and Asia.

 605-626-7097

ARCC DANCE RECITALS

May 13 - 19

7:00 - 8:30 PM

Aberdeen Civic Theatre

 Ballet, tap, jazz, modern, hip hop, acro, Broadway, clogging… The ARCC’s dance program has it all. There will be three different shows running an hour and a half. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students.

www.aberdeen.sd.us/527/Dance

8TH ANNUAL RUN WITH THE POLICE 5K

May 14

10:00 AM

Wylie Park

 Run with the police in this fundraising event for the Aberdeen Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #4. There will also be a Junior Run at 9:30. Registration is required for these events.

runwiththepolice5k.wixsite.com/ aberdeensd

HUB CITY CON

May 14

10:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Ramkota Event Center

 A convention to celebrate all things pop culture! See our article on page 8 for more details.

 @hubcitycon

DANIEL NARDUCCI

May 19

7:00 - 9:00 PM

NSU Johnson Fine Arts Center

 The Aberdeen Community Concert Association presents Baritone Daniel Narducci, a multi-faceted artist whose talents have been captured through lives tage presentations, recordings, documentaries, and television.

www.aberdeencommunityconcerts.org

ABERDEEN BEER MILE

May 26

7:00 - 9:30 PM

Brown County Fairgrounds

 Drink some beer and get in shape while you’re at it! Run ¼ mile, drink a beer, rinse and repeat. This event is 21+ and all participants must bring an ID to the race.

www.runsignup.com/Race/SD/ Aberdeen/AberdeenBeerMile

 ARCC Dance Recitals

 Daniel Narducci

 Arts in the Park

11

ONE VINE, MANY BRANCHES

June 5

8:30 AM

NSU Barnett Center

 Join Aberdeen’s Catholic community for this unique celebration of faith. For more information, see our article on page 50.

 605-218-0072

2022 CHAMBER

GOLF TOURNAMENT

June 6

10:30 AM - 6:00 PM

Moccasin Creek Country Club

 See which team reigns supreme in sport and in song - this year’s theme is Golf Cart Karaoke. Registration and sandwich bar opens at 10:30 AM with a shotgun start at 11:30 AM. The day of golf wraps up with drinks and hors d’oeuvres served in the club house.

 605-226-0989

YMCA GLOW RUN

June 10

9:30 - 10:30 PM

Aberdeen Family YMCA

 A family friendly way to exercise, socialize, and have some fun. All proceeds will go to Aberdeen Family YMCA scholarships. All runners receive a glow cup and root beer float at the end of the race. Registration begins at 9:00 PM.

 605-225-4910

TOURNAMENT OF ROSES

June 11 - 12

Saturday: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Sunday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM

Whitetail Bowmen Archery Club

Outdoor Range

 All ages and family groups are welcome to participate in this two-day archery tournament. Adults are $20 for the weekend, families are $40, and kids five and under participate for free. www.whitetailbowmen.com

KID’S FISHING CONTEST

June 12

1:30 - 3:00 PM

Wylie Park

 Calling all aspiring anglers! Kids can compete to win trophies in one of two age groups: Preschool through 2nd grade and 3rd through 6th grade. Participants must bring their own bait and tackle. Registration begins at 1:00 PM south of the Pavilion.

www.aberdeen.sd.us/334/Kids-FishingContest

SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

June 16

6:00 - 11:00 PM

Malchow Plaza

 Kick off summer with this free, family-friendly event. Food vendors, cold beverages, and live music are all brought to you by the Aberdeen Downtown Association. Music starts at 7:00 PM. www.aberdeendowntown.org/eventspages/summer-concerts

18 24 29

ARTS IN THE PARK

June 18: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM

June 19 : 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Melgaard Park

 Need the perfect Father’s Day gift? Check out the creations of area artists at the 46th Arts in the Park. Spend the day with family and enjoy the art, live performances, and great food vendors. www.aberdeenareaartscouncil.com/ events/arts-in-the-park

DIAMONDS IN THE ROUGH

LADIES GOLF TOURNAMENT

June 24

10:00 AM

Moccasin Creek Country Club

 Golf, lunch and dinner, specialty drinks, and fabulous prizes – this event has it all! Registration is required for this 2-women team tournament.

 605-226-0989

I’M INJURED - NOW WHAT?

June 29

6:30 - 8:00 PM

Shoe Science on Main

 Learn how to prevent and heal from common injuries that many athletes experience. This event, sponsored by the Aberdeen Area Running Club, is free to attend, and light snacks will be served.

 @shoescienceaberdeen

 Kid’s Fishing Contest

Partnering to Stamp Out Hunger

Aberdeen can Stamp Out Hunger with food drives

by UNITED WAY STAFF

Mid-May is typically full of gatherings in the Aberdeen area including a myriad of high school and college graduation ceremonies and receptions marking the unofficial beginning of the summer season. Since the mid-1990s, another tradition in our area began with the help of our local letter carriers, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. The NALC Food Drive is the largest single oneday food collection in the United States. Since its inception, over a billion pounds of food has been collected nationally including hundredsof-thousands of pounds right in our community.

On the second Saturday of May your local letter carrier will pick up non-perishable food items left by the mailbox. That donation will go

directly to the local food pantries in our area such as the Salvation Army and The Journey Home. The 2019 collection year brought in over 25,000 lbs, and immediately after the May floods of 2007 over 20,000 lbs. “At the end of the day, you can feel every pound of food you sort and

FAMILIES GETTING FOOD ASSISTANCE

56% 24% 72%

SOUCES:

56% OF HOUSEHOLDS HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND MEDICAL CARE

24% HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND PAYING FOR SCHOOL LOANS AND TUITION

72% PURCHASE INEXPENSIVE, LESS HEALTHY FOOD TO STRETCH THEIR GROCERY BUDGET

www.census.gov/quickfacts/SD www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2019/18_0549.htm

www.nlihc.org/housing-needs-by-state/south-dakota www.feedingsouthdakota.org/about/our-work/hunger-in-south-dakota www.sdaho.org/2019/06/21/kids-count-report-highlights-childrens-health/ www.datacenter.kidscount.org/data#SD/2/0/char/0

lift, but the rewards are worth it,” Dan Bruckner, NALC Food Drive Coordinator said. “When you see it go from the mailbox to the sorting table, and off to the agencies all in one day, it really shows how awesome our community is a coming together to help one another.”

Each year the goal is to improve the process, but the greatest impact was providing plastic bags for the event which doubled the collection total in one year. The used plastic bags are then collected and donated to the Our Savior Lutheran Church where they are woven into sleeping mats and shipped around the world. Businesses, schools, and others have created fun opportunities to help give that kick-start the drive. In the past, we’ve seen a few cans collected all the way to truckloads of pallets provided, “My favorite part of this event is that nearly everyone in the community can participate and help make a difference. Even if it’s one can of food, it gets added in and helps feed someone in your own town,” said Angie Cleberg of United Way of NESD.

The NALC Food Drive provides 4-6 months of food product for our local food pantries. Food collected supports summer food programs including the Summer Sack Lunch program from the Salvation Army. To learn more about the NALC Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive or help with the food programs in the area, please reach out to the United Way office. The 2022 food drive is scheduled for May 14th. //

68% HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND UTILITIES

68% 60%

60% HAD TO CHOOSE BETWEEN FOOD AND PAYING FOR HOUSING

43%

1 OUT OF 9 INDIVIDUALS IS FOOD INSECURE

1 OUT 6 CHILDREN AT RISK OF GOING HUNGRY.

43% OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN SD QUALIFY FOR FREE AND REDUCED MEALS

Photo courtesy of United Way

ou know the clichés: the young, crusading attorney with a heart of gold believing the accused is both innocent and getting railroaded by the prosecution, or the incompetent ding-dong, distracted, in a hurry, unsure who the client is. Public defenders on TV are rarely three dimensional or realistic. The attorneys who have that job in the Aberdeen area would say it’s more complicated. These are their stories.

It may surprise some that we have public defenders or need them. In fact, the majority of criminal, misdemeanor, juvenile, and abuse

Securing the right of defense in Aberdeen

by PATRICK GALLAGHER

and neglect cases in Brown County involve attorneys appointed in a public defender role. Despite frequently disappointing results, these attorneys see the humanity of their clients and provide the best defense they can.

Six Aberdeen attorneys contract with the county to receive appointments: Tom Cogley, Chris Dohrer, Scott Kuck, Jerry McNeary, Cristy Serr, and Brandon Taliaferro. The contract pays each attorney a fixed rate each month regardless of the level of work.

Court-appointed doesn’t mean free, however, as Scott Kuck explains. “The attorney gets paid

by the county,” he said, “but they have to keep track of their time and turn a voucher in to the county. Then the client has to repay the county at the state’s court-appointed attorney rate of $101 per hour”—a rate lower than a standard private attorney’s fee.

Cullen McNeece, appointed in 2021 as Magistrate Judge in the Fifth Circuit (which covers 10 counties in northeastern South Dakota from the Missouri River to the Minnesota border), says he’s the “meet and greet judge.” Almost all defendants appear before him for misdemeanors, petty crimes, or felonies, and

Photos by Troy McQuillen

 Players in the effort to ensure justice for indigent defendants include: Magistrate Judge Cullen McNeece, Judge Tony Portra, and attorneys Scott Kuck, Tom Cogley, and Jerry McNeary

he makes most attorney appointments in Brown County. He hears all misdemeanor and petty crime trials, and felonies go to circuit court.

Jerry McNeary explained that defendants apply for an appointed attorney, and the magistrate determines if they qualify. Magistrate McNeece said “Most people meet the indigency requirements.” It’s expensive to retain an attorney, he added. The qualification is based not only on income, but the ability to hire a lawyer based on one’s other expenses as well. “In my time as magistrate,” he said, “I’ve only had to reject five or so applicants.”

When he makes appointments, he tries to make the workload among the attorneys fair, but there are some other factors to consider.

For example, McNeary said “The magistrate will ask if a defendant has had an appointed attorney before and will appoint that attorney. This echoes Scott Kuck’s comment: “We get a lot of repeat customers.”

While the magistrate appoints in most cases, Tony Portra, a Fifth Circuit Judge, appoints for juvenile and abuse and neglect (A&N) cases. The latter require many appointments. In fact, in most A&N cases, he appoints an attorney

Kuck

for the children, one for the mother, and one for the father. He added that when he makes appointments, he makes some qualitative assessments.

“Attorneys and defendants appear before judges many times,” he said, “so we get to know if an appointment might work or might create a

The vast majority of cases end in a plea agreement. Most do not go to trial, like on TV.

Scott

personality conflict. We’re looking for the best match for client and attorney.”

McNeary says all the contract attorneys are extremely busy with court appointed work, and it typically accounts for most of their workload. It’s not surprising. Magistrate McNeece says Brown County has about 2,000 cases a year, most of which get appointed to the six attorneys. In addition, some Aberdeen attorneys take appointments in other counties in the Fifth Circuit.

The most common cases they get tend to be drug and alcohol-related offenses, driving under the influence, and simple assault. McNeary adds that probably two-thirds of his appointed cases are tied to meth—possession, assaults, or other meth-connected felonies.

RITE OF PASSAGE?

These depressing cases make it sound like public defender work must be a rite of passage for new attorneys. Not so, says McNeary , who notes some of the contract attorneys are very experienced.

Kuck has been doing public defender work for 28 years, starting a year after law school. “I wasn’t planning on criminal law,” he said and joked “Public defender work isn’t going to let me retire soon.”

Tom Cogley, who has been practicing 11 years, says at first, he wanted to be a trust officer, but he liked the trial work he did during law school. “If you want courtroom and trial

experience,” he said, “there are way more criminal trials than others.”

The work is challenging. Kuck said “I don’t want to say they’re all guilty, but the facts are against you. You’re always doing what’s in your client’s interest because you have a legal and ethical obligation to do that.” In addition, he added “I don’t treat privately retained clients differently than court appointed.”

In a similar ethical vein, Judge Portra noted “I don’t necessarily know if an attorney is appointed or retained when a case comes. I don’t want to know. I want to treat all defendants the same.” He added “We see the contract attorneys frequently, and they are sometimes retained, sometimes appointed, but I don’t need to know until sentencing.” Sentencing for clients with appointed attorneys includes repaying the county.

McNeary said matter-of-factly, including all criminal cases, whether the attorney is appointed or retained, “The vast majority of cases end in a plea agreement.” Most do not go to trial, “like on TV,” Kuck said.

Pithily, Judge Portra noted “Most of the time in criminal law, it’s not a whodunit but a how badis-it. You often prepare a case hoping to improve the plea agreement rather than hoping for an acquittal.” This is true whether the attorney is appointed or retained, he said, adding “A plea agreement doesn’t mean your attorney sold you out. They got the best deal for the client. The issue is the terms of the agreement, not the fact of having one.”

THEIR STORIES

The attorneys don’t tell many stories, but they shared some. Kuck remembers serving as a public defender in federal court for a client charged with aggravated assault for beating up someone who had harassed him in a bar. The victim had been warned to stop but ended up with a fractured skull. Kuck’s client was a former marine.

Judge Portra

“So I asked him if he could wear his dress uniform. It was a jury trial, and I put him on the stand. I believe the jury wants to hear from the defendant. If you’re not guilty, why not? I wanted to present him as a good guy, who warned the guy to leave him alone.” Kuck concluded, “After the not guilty verdict, my client was in tears.”

Most of the time in criminal law, it’s not a whodunit but a how bad-is-it.

WHAT ARE PUBLIC DEFENDERS AND WHY DO THEY EXIST?

 Cornell Law School’s Legal Information Institute defines the job simply, “A public defender is a lawyer who represents indigent criminal defendants.” Most of us can recite the standard TV Miranda warning: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have a right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you.” The last sentence is about public defenders, and it derives from the U.S. Constitution. In the 1963 case of Gideon v. Wainwright, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the Constitution requires states to supply attorneys for defendants who can’t afford one.

The Court left the method of providing for public defenders up to each state, and South Dakota leaves it to each county. There are essentially three ways to provide public defenders. In South Dakota, the least common is the best-known type, the Public Defender Office, where the work is the full-time job of attorneys who are employed by the local government. Only Minnehaha, Pennington, and Lawrence counties use this approach. All other counties use a method of appointing attorneys for indigent defendants. Counties will either assemble a list of attorneys who are willing to be appointed for the role or establish a contract with certain attorneys. Brown County uses the contract method.

Scott Kuck

In Cogley’s favorite story his client, a “very rough kid from Minneapolis,” was convicted of first-degree robbery, but had become a model prisoner.

“When he got to prison, he realized he never gave God a try,” Cogley said. “He started praying and felt God was changing him. I prayed for him too.”

The defendant had never admitted to the robbery, which he needed to do to get a reduced sentence. During a hearing in the appeal process, after the judge cautioned him against selfincrimination, he finally admitted to the crime and received the sentence reduction. Cogley concluded, “The guy went to prison expecting to be there the rest of his life but let God change him and he got some of his life back.”

WHY THEY DO IT

With depressing cases they mostly lose and that don’t make them much money, why do these attorneys do it?

“I enjoy the work,” McNeary said. “It’s not the most glorious work. It can wear you down, but occasionally a fun one that you look forward to will crop up.” The fun ones have an actual legal challenge, he notes, such as a constitutional issue in which evidence can’t be presented and the State must throw out the case. “It can be really hard dealing with tough clients, often losing cases and carrying large caseloads,” he said, “but occasionally you get the win, which is satisfying.”

Sometimes, it can be transformational. Kuck says he was a kind of “throw away the key” guy in law school. “But when you’re on the other side, you see that they’re just people who often haven’t had the greatest hand dealt in life—a lot of addiction that leads to bad things. People

get in bad situations and need help.” He added “I love it, but it’s frustrating. You’re helping people when they’re in a really bad state in their life. At same time, there’s people you represent multiple times, and you’ve had conversations with, and they came back.” The “bottom line,” he said, is “you’re like a lifeline for somebody when they’re at the worst time in their life and might be going to prison, and you’re there to help them through this horrible time of their life.”

Sometimes it can be very personal. Cogley said “When I was younger, I was not a stranger to the courtroom as a defendant. At 21, a lot of poor decision making put me in the same position many of my clients find themselves in today.” That experience in the criminal justice system “leads me to provide respect and empathy to defendants now.” He added “I like the people and like to be next to them supporting them and treating them with respect through a dark time in their lives.” Several of his clients are now living exemplary lives. “When I get down, I think of them,” he said. “They’ve gone through a lot and gotten themselves out and should be applauded.”

As happens in the courtroom, the guys on the other side of the bench get the last word. “The court-appointed attorneys have a difficult job of managing client expectations, delivering bad news and still adequately representing them,” Judge Portra explained. “Think of the attorney advocating for a client and hearing a judge sentence the client to the pen or tell the client she’ll never see her child again.” It’s a very difficult thing to do, he said, because they align and identify with the client. Worse, the attorneys may “have to represent someone who is accused of doing something reprehensible, but they’re human. Everyone is human.” He concluded “One can empathize with the attorney who has to advocate for the client everyone hates. It’s tough work.”

Magistrate McNeece boils it down: “They get involved because everyone is a human being, everyone makes mistakes, and you help people get back on track.” A couple thousand people a year must appreciate it. //

After the not guilty verdict, my client was in tears.

Get to Know: Bea Smith

Making meaningful connections to better the lives of Aberdeen’s residents

by JOSIE CLEMENS

Bea Smith moved to Aberdeen six years ago, but growing up in Ashley, ND, the Hub City has been her go-to place for shopping, healthcare, and activities— her home away from home. Bea has experienced the Aberdeen community as both a visitor and a resident, giving her a unique perspective as she started her first position in Aberdeen at NSU’s Admissions office. She then worked as the Director of Membership and Engagement with the Aberdeen Chamber.

A little over a year ago, Bea shifted roles and became the Sanford Health Aberdeen’s Community Liaison where she works to better connect Sanford Health to the Aberdeen area community. The community leader also

participates in a number of volunteer programs and organizations including Hub City Cups, Safe Harbor Foundation Board Member, and Meals on Wheels.

“Behind every Aberdeen business and Aberdeen organization is a cool story. Once a person learns of the story, my hope is they will support the business, be involved in the community organization, and appreciate the amazing community we all get to call home,” Bea said.

Bea is passionate about creating a community that she wants to live in, welcoming newcomers, and helping them feel at home in Aberdeen. Learn more about one of Aberdeen’s biggest supporters in this Q and A with Bea.

Why is community involvement important to you?

From a young age, it was instilled in me, being involved in things to ensure their continuation. If you enjoy the events and activities community organizations put on, then be involved in them! Our community service organizations and nonprofits bring uniqueness to our community that sets it apart from others. It is up to us as residents to create the fun, vibrant, and supportive community we all want to live in.

What do you love about the Aberdeen community?

I love that Aberdeen is a really big “small town.” When walking down Main Street or going to the grocery store, chances are you will run into someone you know. Everyone is willing to support and help out one another. There are countless examples of this throughout our community.

How do you spend your free time?

I enjoy spending time with my husband, Aaron, two-year-old daughter, Stella (soon to be two children as we are expecting our second child this spring), and Shih Tzu, Ruby. I enjoy volunteering and attending various community events and activities in the community. Wednesday mornings you’ll find me at the Hub City Cup Show, enjoying coffee and networking, and on the weekends, cheering on our Aberdeen Wings Hockey team!

If you could choose only one word to describe yourself, what would it be?

Connector. I love connecting people— especially if someone has a great idea. Connecting them to someone who can help bring life to that idea excites me. Aberdeen has an abundance of people doing incredible things, but often we don’t realize the power of our networks and simply getting connected.

What are you working on now that excites you?

There are so many things I’m working on that excite me. Within Sanford Health, we are working on programs that will be launching locally in the upcoming years. //

Photo by Troy McQuillen

 Bea Smith, Community Liaison for Sanford Health, Aberdeen.

Making Splash

ONE OF ABERDEEN’S YOUNGEST ENTREPRENEURS TURNS A HOBBY INTO A LIVELIHOOD

by ANNIE SCOTT photos by TROY MCQUILLEN

Right before his interview, Caleb Hubert was hard at work putting a plethora of new pet supplies on his store’s shelves. He was quick to jump up and greet every customer that walked through the door. At just 16 years old, Caleb turned on the open sign for his business Caleb’s Aquatics. His love of fish, however, developed at an even younger age.

“When I was 12, I made a YouTube channel

Caleb’s Aquatics began as a hobby operated from Caleb’s home. He started with only one tank

room and moved to the basement, and then to his parents’ garage.

“When I moved my tanks to the basement, it was still mostly a hobby for me. I saw people on YouTube with their own aquarium rooms, and I wanted that too.”

Caleb describes his business as “extra, extra small” in the beginning – only seeing about two or three customers a week. When he opened his Facebook page, the number steadily grew. By the time he set up the garage, that number jumped up to about 20 people.

“I would message one person to stop by at this time, then I’d go right to the next person, and it was a lot!” Caleb said.

With the closing of Noah’s Critters in 2018 and Walmart’s decision to stop stocking live fish, the demand for fish skyrocketed.

“People were flippin’ out!” Caleb said. “People still wanted fish and didn’t want to drive all the way to Watertown. They were begging for fish. Christina Olson from Noah’s helped me a lot and directed business for fish to my Facebook page.”

It’s how everyone starts, and I made mistakes. I went to Noah’s Critters every day, asking questions and checking for new fish.” –Caleb Hubert

 Bearded dragons are great pets for the beginner reptile enthusiast.

Opening a storefront was always the intention for Caleb’s Aquatics.

“About 8 months ago, I was picking up an aquarium from a closed business,” Caleb said. “I was asking them a lot of questions, and then I drove by this building on Main Street with a ‘for rent’ sign.”

A few phone calls later, Caleb's Aquatics evolved from a hobby business to its own brick and mortar store. Moving in began in February of 2022.

 Follow the YouTube channel that started it all by searching Caleb’s Aquatics. Stay up to date by following @Calebsaquatics on Facebook. Shoot Caleb a message or call him at 605-290-5351.

“I had a lot of help from my parents, Bernie and Tina Hubert,” Caleb said. “They didn’t know much about animals, but they knew how to help paint.”

Funding the passion

Wondering about the finances? That’s all on Caleb, too.

“Obviously there weren’t many costs when I was still at home,” Caleb said. “When things

started growing, the cost of heating all the tanks got to be a lot so I paid for that.”

The fish started to pay for themselves. When Caleb would make a profit selling fish, he’d invest that money right back into his business. Caleb bought tanks and other supplies from Noah’s Critters closing sale.

“Some things were gifts. The signs outside were my birthday present.”

Caleb did take out one loan, but the money from that covered a few important items.

“My car is on there, my computer for work, and a few other things,” Caleb said. “I could have added more, but I want to use most of my money to improve the business and not pay off a bunch of loans.”

I had a lot of help from my parents… They didn’t know much about animals, but they knew how to help paint.”

 Different kinds of pets can be purchased at Caleb’s Aquatics.

 Leopard gecko

 In addition to fish, Caleb is able to help customers with his many years of fish knowledge.



Balancing act

Having to juggle school, a business, and a social life is tricky, but Caleb makes it work.

“I could be an A+ student, but with everything going on, I’m more of an A to B+ student,” Caleb jokes. “I get everything done at school, and when the bell rings I go right to the store to feed the animals.”

Store hours are another challenge.

“I want to be flexible, but you don’t want to change your hours too much,” Caleb said.

While the fish take up a big part of Caleb’s time, he has other hobbies too. He showed off some of his tech equipment and said he was going to record some games at the State B basketball tournament.

“Some days, I just want to do nothing,” Caleb added. “I want to travel sometimes and I like to camp in the summer.”

the storefront is

Aquatics has been running for a few years out of his parents’ home.

Furry, fishy, scaly friends

Caleb’s Aquatics specializes in fish, and the impressive wall of fish tanks is proof of Caleb’s expertise. For those who are looking for cuddlier pets, there will be plenty of other animals as well.

 In addition to pets, the store will also carry supplies for all kinds of critters.

“I’ll carry basically anything but dogs and cats,” Caleb said. He plans to have guinea pigs, reptiles, hamsters, and parakeets on hand, but he’ll also take special orders for other animals.

Live crickets and mealworms to feed scaly, slithery pets will be stocked too.

Future goals

Caleb has high hopes for his business. Currently, he’s doing most of the work. Eventually, he’d like to hire some help.

“I’m still in high school so I have to focus on that. But after I graduate in a few years, I would like to expand Caleb’s Aquatics.” //

 Caleb’s Aquatics Hours

4 - 7 PM Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 11AM - 5PM Saturday

Closed Wednesdays and Sundays

Address: 418 N Main St.

Though

new, Caleb’s

The Heart of

Aberdeen

HOLGATE STUDENTS SHARE WHAT MAKES ABERDEEN HOME

Carolyn Geyer and Mia Bergan came up with an assignment for their 7th grade language arts students: What’s Aberdeen lucky to have? The following pieces highlight the special treasures that make Aberdeen a truly great place to live.

 There’s no place like Aberdeen! I enjoy visiting Wylie Park where you can rent fun bikes, walk your dog, ride the train, look at animals, or visit the castle. There is also mini-golf, go-karts, bumper boats, and a laser maze. I’ve been to many different towns and nowhere has a park like this. Besides Wylie Park, Aberdeen has the Brown County Fair where you can go on rides, watch concerts, see animals, and eat fair food. The fair here has free parking which makes it unique from other fairs. Aberdeen really is unique!!

BY BRYNLEY KAAN

 The actors complete their final song and hold the last note out, waving spectacular jazz hands. The audience jumps to their feet, a standing ovation. The Aberdeen Capitol Theatre features live theater between April and November. A few years ago, my family and I attended the theater's performance of “James and the Giant Peach.” The director of the play cast people from kids to teenagers to play the parts. I liked seeing some of the people I grew up with show their talents to the town. I really enjoy having a place to watch live theatre here in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

BY JOSEPH MILLER

 Swoosh, the wind blows across the trees surrounding Richmond Lake. People bike up and down the trails that run through the lush green trees during the South Dakota summer. I have biked through these trails countless times. It is one of the many things I look forward to doing in the summer right here in Aberdeen. I like biking and exploring, so these trails are extraordinary. This is not the only thing I like to do at Richmond Lake. I also like disc golfing. Many baskets line the trails, and it is not a short course. These are things that I like about my town, Aberdeen.

BY CARSON STODDARD

 Life is definitely better at the lake. Of the places I enjoy in Aberdeen, the lakes are at the top of my list, specifically Mina. In the summer, my family and I love to go to our cabin and spend the day at the lake. It is also fun inviting friends and family to the lake. You can just hang out and enjoy nature or do many fun activities that the lake has to offer such as boating, tubing, water skiing, swimming, or playing yard games. My family has made and will keep making many memories at the lake, and I enjoy spending time there.

BY ELLIE ISAAK

 There are many unique features about Aberdeen, and we’re going to explore them. Firstly, we have Storybook Land. Storybook Land, established in 1976, has been one of the defining attractions that put Aberdeen on the map. How Storybook Land has done that is by just being a place for fun for the family. Another defining feature of Aberdeen is Wylie Park. At Wylie Park, you can have a walk anywhere, or enjoy things like minigolf or bumper boats. Places like these two make Aberdeen a notable place in South Dakota, and hopefully they will be there to stay.

BY EVAN ADAJAR

 Grab your rods and grab your guns. In Aberdeen, we can experience some prime pheasant hunting. I personally love fishing with friends in lakes by Aberdeen and enjoying going tubing and a nice drive around the lake. I love that in Aberdeen there are so many opportunities to catch a fish, shoot a pheasant, or maybe even a whitetail deer. The fishing doesn't stop when winter comes around because with the lakes all frozen, it makes for good ice fishing. Enjoying the tournaments and catching the big ones with family and friends is always super fun.

 Ms. Bergan’s Block 1 class.

 Owen Ward, Aric Tennant, Darius Laducer (back), Quinn Blackbird, and Raylee Brick (front) have written especially vivid passages about Aberdeen.

Photo by Troy McQuillen

 Ace! The crowd cheers wildly as the server makes another point. One thing I enjoy in Aberdeen would be Matchbox volleyball. Matchbox is a very special event that has lots of kids from different towns come together to play volleyball in Aberdeen. There’s a wide variety of sports and activities you can do at Matchbox. Matchbox gives me the opportunity to improve my skills in volleyball, and lets me meet new people from neighboring towns. That is one of the reasons why I appreciate Aberdeen; it’s for their dedication to the sports you love!

BY MYA ARAMATZIS

 The YMCA is my favorite place to be and here's why. Whether you want to work out, swim, or even play basketball, the Y is the best for doing all of this. I love to hang out with my friends there. The gym upstairs is really nice and clean. The staff is really kind and helpful, so are the kids that I meet in the gym. The equipment is quality, and that's why I like the gym. Lastly, the pool is even better! That's why I love the YMCA In Aberdeen, South Dakota.

BY CARTER LUST

 What is unique about Aberdeen? I love all of the camping opportunities that our town has to offer because my family and I love camping. Sometimes it is for a weekend and other times it is for a whole week, but we love camping because we get to spend time together. We love Richmond Lake campground. We can go on long walks, fish on the dock, and take nice long bike rides. This is why I appreciate my town, Aberdeen, so much!

BY ADDISON JENSON

 I love walking down Aberdeen’s beautiful Main Street. I might go to the Capitol Theater for a spectacular performance in a stunning theater put on by fellow Aberdonians. Then I would go grab a coffee at the Red Rooster or the newly built Market on the Plaza owned locally. I might even walk over to the Dakota Prairie Museum to learn for free the history of our amazing town. Later, when it gets dark, the street lights up, and I can see an amazing light show of the Theater and Plaza. The scene is truly something wonderful!

BY ELSA SCHIFERL

 Standing on the blocks above the pool, you feel the adrenaline rushing through your body… then *beep*. Aberdeen is very lucky to have the Aberdeen Swim Club, also referred to as ASC. I have tried many sports in my life, and by far swimming is my favorite. Now it's not just because of the sport itself, it's because of how welcoming and kind the team is. Every meet I go to is full of energy and excitement, as well as how helpful the sport is with staying healthy. That is why I appreciate the Aberdeen Swim Club in our community so much.

BY PAISLEY LAFAVE

 VROOM! VROOM! Imagine, you're asked to rise; you start singing the national anthem. All of a sudden, the cars start speeding one by one. As the announcer is broadcasting the racer´s names, my friends and I are laughing about absolutely nothing. That is one of the feelings I get at the Brown County Speedway. The raceway is one of the fun attractions I extremely enjoy in our town. Not only is it exhilarating, the tasty food makes the experience even better. While enjoying this food, the crowd is roaring, the checkered flag is being waved, and we have a winner!

RAYLEE BRICK

 BOOM!!!!! With a big bang, a pheasant falls from the sky and hits the ground. Just seconds after the bird hits the ground, a hunting dog goes to retrieve the bird. Hunting is very popular in Aberdeen and many people enjoy hunting. Sometimes you could be driving or even riding your bike by the field next to Presentation College, and you could see ducks or pheasants. You could even see some deer. For example, many people could say that they saw a deer on the way to school. I know for a fact that my family enjoys this outdoor activity. This is one of the many things that makes Aberdeen unique.

BY MCKENZIE JORGENSEN

 Grab your sunscreen, or even some years an umbrella, and attend the Brown Country Fair. Attractions include the concerts and rodeos. Some of the best country singers can be found on stage here. Some of my favorite rides at the fair are the Ring of Fire and the Drop. There are thrilling rides, but these are a couple of my favorites. Lastly, the food available is quite tasty. This last year, there was even a family giving out root beer floats to people. I appreciate the people who make this fair possible. Not only do we get to enjoy the fair, we can feel safe in our community.

BY MADI BISHOP

 Aberdeen is special to me, but also everyone else who lives here. Do you want to know why? It is because Aberdeen has a heart, not a famous statue or giant waterpark, but we have a great big heart. For the most part, we have a very safe community; there are rarely people who point out the fact they dislike a person. Overall, I'm lucky to live in Aberdeen, not just because of all the sights and attractions, but because of the kind caring people.

BY RAYLEE BRICK

 Gather the decoys, orange gear, and ammunition. I feel very fortunate to live in Aberdeen, SD, where I can go hunting and fishing with my family. In the fall months, we like to go hunting. I enjoy the opportunity to hunt ducks, pheasants, and deer. My dad and I go hunting on private and public land. There are a lot of areas around Aberdeen that have been good for my family to go hunting and fishing. In the summer, my family and I like to go fishing, and we go ice fishing in the winter at Mina or Richmond Lake. This is

what I enjoy doing in Aberdeen.

BY KHLOE COCHRAN

 The night roars with horrified screams, the sound of chainsaws ripping through those yells! It's the Haunted forest! One thing I appreciate most in Aberdeen is the Haunted forest, which occurs only once a year. I love it because of how much effort the community puts into the event! For example, they have both a night show, for a mature audience, and a day show, for the younger crowd! Along the way, I might see zombies, scary clowns, and freaky aliens, to name just a few. This is a yearly event that I tremendously enjoy attending with my friends.

- We

- Clean, serve-yourself stations for customer use

- Refill your clean containers from home or use our bags

- Our clear containers show off fresh product

- For large quantities, special orders are encouraged

QUINN BLACKBIRD

 Ms. Bergan’s Block 2 class.

 What I appreciate about Aberdeen are the summer activities. On a hot summer day, there is nothing better than to be lazy on the lazy river at the Aquatic Center. Or on cool summer nights, sitting around a campfire at Richmond, Roy, or Mina Lake. In the month of August, it is so much fun when you and all of your friends are sitting on the ferris wheel at the Brown County Fair and drinking their delicious lemonade and the various stands throughout the fair. Summers are the best, in my opinion, but those are my favorite things about Aberdeen during the summer.

BY ABAGAIL DEUTSCH

 Our family loves being outdoors in the fresh air. Aberdeen has brought that family fun to life. National Night Out is a family friendly experience. Every October, people from all over Aberdeen get to eat good food and participate in fun activities and challenges. I love when I get to watch movies at night, meet the firemen, have a good hotdog and partake in the fun. Things like this really make Aberdeen unique. In the past few years, National Night Out was postponed due to COVID. When it comes again, I will definitely go.

BY JAMES FERGUSON

 WOoHOo! This is probably one of the first things you’d hear if you were at the Brown County Fair in Aberdeen SD. Aberdeen is a very inviting town. There are many fun things to do here, for example, the Brown County Fair with rides, entertainment, and good food. Each year we have this attraction, which I know my whole family enjoys. Aberdeen has even more to offer. For example, you can go celebrate the exciting victory at an Aberdeen Wings hockey game in town. Aberdeen is a respectable community, and I have no doubt about it.

BY BRIGGS MEDILL

 Imagine, it’s a nice warm day in August, and your plans are to go ride rides with friends, go to the rodeo or concerts later that night, and eat lots of delicious food at the Brown County Fair. I think that the Brown County Fair is definitely a family friendly event or an attraction that makes Aberdeen a very special place. Every year my family and I camp for the whole week and have a fantastic time with friends. The Brown County Fair is a place where you can never become bored because it is always a crazy new experience every time.

BY JERZY PARMELY

 The beeping of pinball machines ring in your ear. Families all around you, laughing, playing games and talking to one-another. That's right, you're in the Retrocade. Found on Main Street, this place is fun for people of all ages. I can not think of the countless hours I have spent at the Retrocade in my lifetime. This is one of my favorite places to hang out. The Retrocade welcomes anyone to come in, and the owners are really nice too! This is just one of the places that makes Aberdeen a unique place.

 Around Halloween, I enjoy going to the Haunted Forest with my friends. The Haunted Forest is an attraction many people go to during the month of October. The Haunted Forest varies everywhere throughout Wylie Park. What I enjoy about it is the realism of the acting and the props, the effort they put into it every single year, and the amount of detail in the decorations. I’m not a person that gets scared easily, but the Haunted Forest is pretty scary, and even I scream. They chase you with chainsaws and things like that, and it’s a thrill!

BY GRACE RESZLER

 Splash! You hear that sound at the water park every summer. What I love most about the water park is the cold water, the concessions, and how nice the workers are. My friends and I hang out there since there is so much to do and we all have a blast! The Aberdeen Aquatic Center is probably the best place to go during the summer to stay cool and have fun. My favorite thing to do there is to go down the water slides, especially the yellow one which is the fastest. The water park is what I love most about Aberdeen.

BY JORDAN REXINGER

ARIC TENNANT

 The delicious taste hits your tongue; it is Twist Cone ice cream! Aberdeen is the only place in the whole world with a Twist Cone! This is my favorite out of all of the ice cream places in our community. Twist Cone has a ton of different flavors, and all of them are really good. My family and I usually always go on the day that it opens in March. My favorite flavor to get is probably the twist cone, which is just vanilla and chocolate mixed together. It is without a doubt delicious. My family always enjoys going to Twist Cone.

BY GAGE SAUVAGE

 ¨Into three and out of four and away we go.¨ That was one of the most heard lines of my childhood. This quote was heard by me at Brown County Speedway, ever since I was the age of five. Brown County Speedway makes Aberdeen unique. I can sit and watch all the classes from street stocks to ¨the big iron¨ to the late models. I can sit and watch my favorite driver. At every intermission, Ken's Superfair Foods sponsors a candy toss for the kids. After the races are over, I can go back to the pits and meet some of my favorite drivers. That's pretty cool!

BY WESTON SCHAEFFER

 Something I really appreciate about Aberdeen is the community. The community in Aberdeen is always willing to help out. For example, every year we have a Brown County Fair, and there are always plenty of volunteers there to help out with anything needed. Another example is the church. If you have ever attended a church in Aberdeen, then you know that the people at the churches are very respectable (New Life fellowship). They are always there for you when you need them, and they are very good listeners when it comes to time to listen. In addition, they are easy to talk to. These are just a few of the reasons why I appreciate living here.

BY DEON PARKER

 The gentle rolling of waves, the musical chirping of birds, and the methodical rustling of leaves. The place I just described is Richmond Park. My family and I love to go there to unwind after a long day. The scenery out at Richmond is remarkable. The lake right off the trails and glimmering. My dad and I enjoy riding our bikes out at Richmond and we race. There are even horse trails! Richmond Park is for sure one of my favorite things about Aberdeen and why it is so special to me.

BY ASPEN KLINE

 Calm, quiet, and a blast from the past! The Dacotah Prairie Museum provides a welcoming look at the history of Aberdeen, the surrounding area, and South Dakota’s past to present time. From Native American culture to the Industrial Revolution and the railroad, the Dacotah Prairie Museum sits close to the iconic “Hub” to which Aberdeen gets its nickname, “Hub City”. I’ve been to the Dacotah Prairie Museum multiple times and each time I learn something new. As the years go on and history is written the Dacotah Prairie Museum will continue to be the G.O.A.T.!

 Vroom! You hear other go-karts trying to pass you as you're racing them around the track at Thunder Road. You beat your friends just to go do bumper boats with them, next. It’s so much fun to go and race your friends or soak them on the bumper boats at Thunder Road. I love this place because it gets me out of the house and is something fun to do with family and friends. You also can do mini-golf, the laser maze challenge, and EuroBungy. It really is a fun place to hang out with friends.

BY BRINLEY NEIFER

 You walk into a huge arcade, there’s so many things to do! You and your friends rush to all the fun games and activities at Allevity Entertainment. Allevity has many fun things to do, my personal favorite is laser tag, ax throwing, rock climbing, bumper cars, and many arcade games. Allevity is my favorite place in Aberdeen because there are so many fun things to do. That is why Allevity makes Aberdeen unique.

BY CARTER KIEFER

 K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library is home to 10, 20 or maybe even 100 thousand books. Right when you walk in you get that crisp book smell. Turn left and see the kids area with more simple books and computers plus comfort setting. Adult areas have more complex books plus more computers. My favorite part is that you can research in peace, read, and check out movies. I love getting books in other languages, so I can expand my knowledge on various cultures. I look forward to going there whenever I can.

BY DAVIN WASHENBERGER

 You're walking up to the building and smell the aroma of fresh cooked meat. At Dulce’s Hispanic Store/Mexican Restaurant you can get the best Mexican tacos. When I ate their food, it was the best thing I ever ate in my life. The owner of the store and restaurant is very nice and welcomes everyone. Apart from the restaurant, they have a store full of Latin American goods. I really enjoy having this restaurant and store in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

BY DULCE SALAS

 After I do my last dive for swim practice at the aquatic center, I go to the waterpark with my friends for a couple of hours. The Aberdeen, SD, Aquatic Center is home to the Stingrays. This place is unique to me because I am on the team. The Aquatic Center is a waterpark which has a tube slide, an open flume slide, and an enclosed body flume slide that provides an exciting ride. I really enjoy having a pool to swim in and a place to go for a nice day in the sun.

BY JACKSON ISAAK

 POW, the lights go off. Actors come back on to complete their bows. The crowd goes wild with excitement. The Aberdeen Community Theater shows LIVE theatrical performances during their season during the months of April and November. I have had the privilege to be in 4 ACT shows. The director choses actors to portray the roles. It is really nice seeing the people you grew up with working with you. It is a good thing to have a place to show your talents and to watch local talents. I have memories of this that will last a long time.

BY JOEY JOHNSON

 “Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge , and the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.” -L. Frank the author of the Wizard of Oz. Watch the fairy tale Wizard of Oz come to life at Storybook Land, a place where you can experience many rides, life size characters from the Wizard of Oz and more! My family and I look forward to walking down the yellow brick road and showing relatives that have never been there before to enjoy Aberdeen SD and it’s unique features.

BY LAUREN SAHLI

DARIUS LADUCER

 Whoosh! You're flying free as the wind blows through your hair when someone passes by. The feeling of paradise feels just a glimpse away. Rolling away from the sway of the music. A sophisticated lifestyle of Aberdeen South Dakota referred to as Skateaway. I have been to skateaway many times before. Even though I'm rough at skating and I've fallen down numerous times. However, skating from my experience is a fun filled, extraordinary experience, and contributes a lot of entertainment. Whether it’s hanging out with friends, playing arcade games, skating, or even just eating. Skateaway is a remarkable place to be.

BY MAGGIE FERGUSON

 Roar, you hear the cars fly past. The Brown County Speedway is a great place to spend a night watching dirt track racing. You can watch WISSOTA Pure, Street and Super Stock cars or WISSOTA Midwest modified and modified or late models. Watching races is one of my favorite things to do on the weekends. On Friday nights over 5,000 people can watch the races. You don't usually think of racing being a small town thing but it is one of the most watched things in the US. I love watching races here in Aberdeen.

BY MASON SPIEKER

 YUMMY, as Twist Cone opens up every summer there are long lines waiting to get a cold treat. You can go for any meal of the day. The ice cream treats are amazing and addicting. At night the sign glows and it looks really cool! Many people go to Twist Cone on a hot summer day. The flavors really melt on my tongue! I look forward to Twist Cone once it opens up, to get their flavor of the week. In my opinion every flavor of the week is by far the best thing on their menu!

BY REGAN LUST

 The players walk off the court to thunderous applause. Yet another tremendous win by Northern State’s Men's basketball team! The Northern Wolves provide entertainment during the winter months. It’s my favorite source of entertainment in Aberdeen. Northern has a great basketball team and have won the conference title 4 out of 5 years! Everytime I go to watch I know I am going to get a great show from the amazing coaches and players. I really love having a great basketball program here in Aberdeen!

BY MITCHELL HOFER

 Roma’s Ristorante is an Italian restaurant that serves a multitude of dishes. Being in Roma’s feels like you're actually in Italy! One time when I went there I got the “Mussels Marinara”. It was so good I ate it in five minutes. Their free bread they give you is also amazing and the vinaigrette that comes with, is garlicky and tangy, a perfect match for the fresh bread. It’s nice that there is somewhere you can always get authentic, Italian food, here in Aberdeen.

BY ZACH RICCI

 Zoom! The motorcycles just whizzed past. It's the Gypsy Day Parade! Full of motorcycles, dirt bikes and more. We are lucky to have businesses and volunteers to drive in the parade every year. Aberdeen has been doing this since 1916. Saturday, October 2 was the 105th annual parade in downtown Aberdeen. It is nice to see friends and to high-five them along the parade route. This gets the whole town out of their houses to make friends with other people. The only fighting you see here is the playful fighting over candy!

BY ALLISON BRENNER

 Homework help, table games, outdoor activities and much, much more, this is what makes The Yapatorium one of Aberdeen's most sought out places to attend for youth of the area. This free after school and summer center is a great place to pass some time and meet new people. My personal favorite thing to do at The Yapatorium is play on the computers or challenge my friends on the PS5’s or Nintendo Switches. If you find yourself feeling bored come check out The Yapatorium-Where youth is still golden.

BY CADEN HOMMEL

 Mrs. Geyer’s class.

| ART & CULTURE

A Celebration to Unite the Community

Aberdeen’s Catholics strive to serve the community - and some pancakes, too.

by ANNIE SCOTT

am the vine; you are the branches.”

John 15:5 – the inspiration for the One Vine, Many Branches event – depicts the importance of cooperation with Christ and the fruit of collaboration, which creates a loving community.

The One Vine, Many Branches event is a first for Aberdeen’s Catholic community. This collaborative celebration involves St. Mary’s Parish, Sacred Heart Parish, the Presentation Sisters, as well as the Aberdeen Catholic School System, Presentation College, Avera Health System, and the Diocese of Sioux Falls’ mission, St. Thomas Aquinas Newman Center at Northern State University.

Aberdeen’s Catholic community has a rich legacy of service and is always focused on better ways to serve. That legacy is visible across Aberdeen. Northern State University has a memorial to Father Robert Haire, credited as

a founder of NSU. Fr. Haire was also the founder of Sacred Heart Parish. Additionally, the Avera Health Mission was originally a Presentation Sister mission, and later a collaboration with the Benedictine Sisters, created in 1901 following a request of civic leaders in response to a health pandemic.

“Our history and legacy have helped make Aberdeen a great place to raise families. We are excited to celebrate that legacy, and we’re equally excited to point our eyes to the future. Our ‘Future Full of Hope’ is really the theme of the day,” Dave Vetch said.

The One Vine, Many Branches event will be on Sunday, June 5 at the NSU Barnett Center. During the celebration, the six regular Sunday Masses will not be held at the two parishes. All are invited to take part in this unique Eucharistic celebration with Bishop Donald DeGrood. Doors will open at 8:30 AM, and there is no fee for admission. Anyone in the community is welcome and encouraged to attend.

The celebration will begin with a keynote address from retired Archbishop Robert Carlson. Archbishop Carlson served as the Bishop of the Sioux Falls Diocese from 1995 to 2004, and his message will highlight the ‘Future Full of Hope’ vision for Aberdeen.

Following the program and Mass, the area Knights of Columbus councils will be hosting a free-will donation pancake feed. Knights of Columbus is a men’s fraternal, charitable, service organization, with chapters in Aberdeen as well as surrounding communities. Family friendly experiences, including games and youth activities will be offered. Booths sponsored by local and regional ministries will provide resources and information for those attending the celebration.

The vision for a community-wide Catholic celebration began over three years ago, with then St. Mary’s pastor, Rev. Michael Griffin. Preparations and logistical planning began in earnest last fall.

“I’d like to thank the development offices of the Presentation Sisters, Presentation College, Aberdeen Roncalli, the Avera Foundation, and the CCFESD-Catholic Community Foundation for Eastern South Dakota. The development offices as well as a host of volunteers have made this event possible. I’d also like to thank our volunteer event coordinator, Laurie Campbell, for her leadership,” said Vetch. //

 For more information, call David Vetch at the Aberdeen Catholic Foundation at 605-218-0072 or email at dvetch@ccfesd.org.

OUR HISTORY AND LEGACY HAVE HELPED MAKE ABERDEEN A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE FAMILIES.”

– DAVE VETCH

Photo by Troy McQuillen

 Pictured back row left to right are David Vetch, Jeff Steele, and Keith Schumacher. Front row left to right are Bill Kimball, Laurie Campbell, and Steve Nemmers.

Lance Smith

Lance Smith aims to create a sense of peace with his art.

by ANNIE SCOTT

When life was put on hold during the COVID-19 quarantine, many people took on new hobbies to uphold a sense of normalcy in an otherwise uncertain time. Lance Smith has been creating art since he was a child, but it wasn’t until the pandemic that he started to take his craft to the next level.

“People have always told me that I had the gift to create art,” Lance said. “I didn’t have any formal training or schooling. It was always something I picked up and dropped again. It was an escape for me.”

Originally from the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Lance moved to Aberdeen over 30 years ago with his mother. While he’s lived in other cities throughout his life, nothing beats

the slower pace and family ties that Aberdeen has to offer.

Lance explores several different themes in his art, often forming his pieces with specific feelings in mind. Animals and nature are common subjects in his paintings. He’s also always been interested in stars, planets, and the galaxy. Sometimes his art is political, but what’s most important to Lance is creating art that makes people happy.

“I want my art to be universal. It’s not only something that Native Americans can relate to, but all races can connect with it. I want people to feel peace no matter their walk of life,” Lance said. “I want them to be taken away into the piece for a few minutes.”

There’s no one definitive way to create art. Making perfect, photorealistic pieces may work for some people, but Lance has a different perspective. Fitting his art into one specific category is impossible. Creating something from nothing is one of Lance’s favorite things about making art.

“Part of the appeal is using my imagination to make something new, something one of a kind that no one’s seen before.”

His work is created with a wide array of mediums. Many of his pieces are acrylic paint on canvas, but his creative process doesn’t stop there. Lance has painted on logs, ceramic tiles, old ironing boards, and even shoes. Recently, he started wood carving too.

“I’ll paint on anything, anytime, anywhere,” Lance said.

Lance’s wife, Lanni Zephier Smith, helps a lot with his art. She has a strong interest in art herself, so her feedback is incredibly important to Lance. Her insight is integral to many of his paintings. For example, she helped develop the mythical lore behind the piece Shapeshifters and suggested he use deer specifically.

“She’s a good sounding board for bouncing different ideas. She helps me refine my ideas and helps me see things that I can’t. Her help makes me bring these ideas to life.”

Recently, Lance’s work has been recognized on a much larger scale. About half a year ago, he ditched his reluctance to get a Facebook page of his own and started to post his art. A group called Social Distance Powwow shared some work of his, and his online platform took off. People from around the world started buying his original pieces and prints of his paintings from his Etsy store.

 Lance Smith and his painting Grass Dreamer.

Photos courtesy of Lance Smith

Local Art Galleries

WEIN GALLERY

Presentation College

 1500 North Main Street

 605.229.8349

 Mon-Fri 8 AM-5 PM

PRESIDENT’S GALLERY, JFAC GALLERY AND STUDENT CENTER GALLERY

Northern State University

 1200 South Jay Street

 605.626.7766

 President’s Gallery: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM, JFAC Gallery: Mon-Fri 8 AM-4:30 PM, Student Center: Mon-Fri 7 AM-4:30 PM and weekends 1-9 PM

LAMONT GALLERY

Dacotah Prairie Museum

 21 South Main Street

 605.626.7117

 Tues-Fri 9 AM-5 PM, Sat and Sun 1-4 PM

ARTWORKS CO-OP GALLERY

Uptown Aberdeen

 3315 6th Ave SE Suite #48

 605.725.0913

 Thurs-Sat 11-6 PM & Sun 12-6 PM or by appointment

JANE WEST GALLERY

Capitol Theatre

 415 South Main Street

 605.225.2228

 Open during events, call ahead for additional hours of operation

ARCC GALLERY

Aberdeen Recreation and Cultural Center

 225 3rd Ave SE

 605.626.7081

 Mon-Thurs 9 AM-8 PM, Fri 9 AM-5 PM and Sat 10 AM-12 PM

RED ROOSTER

COFFEE HOUSE GALLERY

 218 South Main Street

 605.225.6603

 Mon-Thurs 7 AM-7 PM, Fri 7 AM-9 PM and Sat 8 AM-9 PM Sun 9 AM-2 PM

“I’ve shipped things to England, Germany, and Australia,” Lance said. “I work in maintenance, so selling my art really helped me during the pandemic.”

Above all else, Lance values the positive feedback that people share with him. Although selling his art wasn’t his ultimate goal in the beginning, it makes him proud knowing his art is worth buying.

“What brings me the most pride is when a customer shares a picture of my art hanging in their home. Just knowing my art is good enough to get a compliment is an awesome feeling.”

While he’s had success sharing his art with the world, Lance is focused on how his art can impact the local community as well. His goal is to showcase more Native art throughout Aberdeen in businesses, hospital waiting rooms, and other public spaces.

“I’ve contacted NSU and I want to work with them to include more Native American art on campus,” Lance said. “I think it’s important to have Native art all over, and not just in the ‘Native section’. And if you’re going to have Native art, it’s important that a Native person makes it. Native-made is most authentic.”

Once the pandemic is over, Lance hopes to showcase his art in galleries across the state. Until then, he’s working hard on improving his craft with each passing day.

“Some people struggle to find their gift,” Lance said. “The pandemic made me think about what I was going to do with mine. It came from a really special, almost magical place, and I work hard every day to acknowledge that.” //

PEACH COBBLER!

A sweet and fruity dessert that’s great any time of year.

by ANNIE SCOTT

As a young adult, I’m not a stranger to survival cooking – the kinds of recipes that are quick and easy and cheap and palatable enough to cook again. But as I get older, I find myself wanting to add more ‘real’ recipes to my repertoire. Baking seems like the perfect place to start. I think that this peach cobbler recipe is a great mix between easy enough to throw together and sophisticated enough to impress my home ec teacher mother. I even used frozen peaches when I made this, and it was still incredibly delicious. So do yourself a favor and try out this easy recipe – it’s just peachy! //

INGREDIENTS DIRECTIONS

FILLING

• 6 large peaches, sliced (or 2lbs frozen peaches)

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• ½ tablespoon cornstarch

TOPPING

• 1 cup flour

• ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into small slices

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat your oven to 375° F. I always forget and get sad when I have to wait.

2. If you’re using frozen peaches, make sure they are thawed. Place peaches in a mixing bowl and combine with the sugar, stirring well with a spatula. Let the mixture sit for 20 minutes. Mix in the cornstarch to thicken up the juice.

3. After you’ve finished the peach mixture, start making the topping. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, milk, vanilla extract, and butter. Use your hands to rub the butter into the mixture until the texture resembles breadcrumbs. You can also use a food processor, but I didn’t test that. Hands are more fun to use anyway.

4. Put the peach mixture into a 9x9 baking dish and spread into an even layer. Next, sprinkle the crumbly mixture on top, also in an even layer. Bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.

5. Finally! Serve this dessert warm, straight from the oven. Vanilla ice cream is especially tasty with peach cobbler.

Photo by Annie Scott

 Peach cobbler is best served with vanilla ice cream.

Exterior Decorating

A LOCAL FAMILY’S VIBRANT YARD CREATES A LANDSCAPE THAT AWAKENS HEALING

story and photos by TROY MCQUILLEN

Everyone generally knows that gardening is very therapeutic. Being outdoors, getting dirty, and watching the fruits of your labor revealed before your eyes is very satisfying. Soon to be married, Deatrick LaPointe and Erica Hardy find great joy and calmness in creating an outdoor living space that teases the eyes and is just simply joyful to behold. You might gaze upon a lovely pot with several different types of flowers and be surprised to see a pair of eyeballs looking back at you. All the plantings throughout their front and backyards are accented by little creatures, funky props, and everyday objects coated with vibrant color.

You might think a yard with this much variety and fullness would be anything but relaxing. In fact, it’s sort of opposite of what everyone seems to want in landscaping -- no maintenance. Well, they have lots of maintenance, but that’s part of the therapeutic tending they enjoy so much. They try to get everything planted by mid-June to enjoy blooms by July. Admittedly, life gets in the way, and it’s not unusual for them to plant at midnight under moonlight instead of sunlight to get everything in.

 Deatrick LaPointe (center) works in Technology Management and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Cyber Defense. Erica Hardy (left) has been educating children with disabilities and teaching academics and life skills for over a decade. They grew up locally and graduated from Aberdeen Central. They are engaged to be married in the Fall of 2022. Their daughter, Adriana, will begin her sophomore year of high school this fall.

They make their planting selections based on research about a plant or flower’s origins or what they have come to represent. Orange for example (which will be the dominant color of their wedding) brings change and signals a bright future. They change things up every year and Deatrick points out, “Planting flowers is like growing seeds of life; when you harvest the full potential of each flower, you perceive a new view of life in what that specific flower represents. That is how our garden evolves; new changes bring new ideas and choices, we want our choices to be aligned with our family, vision, and goals.”

They have taken care to plant and place pots in strategic locations around the yard considering tree and house shade, fencing, turf, and patio space. They remain aware of the soil conditions by supplementing with new soil yearly, then plant perennials and annuals based on the resiliency of each variety.

Most people probably stroll through the greenhouses in the spring and select things they like. Deatrick and Erica take a more in-depth approach. They chose flowers based on their ideas, colors, and themes they’ve researched. Deatrick says, “You learn flowers have Latin names and common-sense personalities when you start reading about them. Let their color, name, history, and characteristics mean something about who you are as well as your family and community.”

For as whimsical as their garden is, Deatrick and Erica certainly appreciate the natural beauty their garden gives back. They recommend talking to people who care about a vision for what a garden looks like and how it evolves during the season. They say be mindful of what real, living, artfully arranged plants bring to the fulfillment of life, and just dive in. Trust your instinct, work your intellectual and naturally artistic muscles. Deatrick says, “Evolve that vision every season. Remember, what you plant helps you, your family, and the entire community. Appreciate and enjoy the season.” //

➼ Deatrick and Erica like to coordinate the colors with the colors of the environment and the colors of the house, fence, and green of the grass.

➼ Deatrick says to have a dedicated watering schedule in compliance with city restrictions. Keep it simple and saturate with a delicate sprinkle. Try to water before 9 AM then cool it down by 8 PM.

BEAUTIFUL

County schools are a thing of the past, but their memory lives on.

by PATRICK GALLAGHER

 Meda Lathrop was a teacher at one of the country schools in 1910. Photo courtesy of Dacotah Prairie Museum.

One hundred ten years ago, superintendent M.M. Guhin launched the first commencement exercises for eighth-grade graduates of Brown County rural schools. He hoped to promote pride in the places that hosted the schools. Hearing from some former country school students, he was successful.

The last Brown County country schools closed about a half-century ago, but for some area residents, they remain treasured—if, even to them, sometimes amusing—memories. While many might respond as Lynn Hanson’s granddaughter did when she asked Lynn to talk about her school days— “Grandma, you’re making this up!”—it’s all true.

HISTORY

Brown County’s first school was established in 1881 near Putney with 13 students. Soon thereafter, the territorial legislature required each township to dedicate two sections of land for schools. By 1893, Brown County had 160 schools. Guhin supervised about the same number when he was elected superintendent in 1910 to oversee 200 teachers and nearly 3,000 students. The number of schools gravitated in the mid-hundreds, with more than twice as many students, until around World War II, when consolidation, population movement, and lack of teachers caused decline. Ultimately, students made their way to schools in towns. Today, seven school districts (three based outside the county) serve Brown County with far fewer and much larger schools.

With so many schools, it’s not surprising that none of the five people I spoke with— who attended between the 1940s and 1960s— attended the same schools. These schools officially had numbers to identify them, but they became known for whatever family lived closest. Lynn attended the Davis School near the Davis family, for example.

And they often were like family schools. Besides siblings, there were often cousins among schoolmates. Jerry Krueger went to Wetonka School in Edmunds County for first grade, North Pembroke for second, then back to Wetonka for third after North Pembroke closed.

“There were only three of us in school in first grade, and we were all related,” he said. “Later a family of three boys moved in, and all the students were cousins.” Mike McHugh, whose Prairie View School in Ordway usually had about 13 students altogether, said his mother went to Ordway School with 26 first cousins.

These close relations sometimes included the teachers. Betty Palmer Beyer went to Rudolph School southwest of Aberdeen with a family whose older sister was their teacher. When Rudolph closed, she moved east to Sunshine School, where her sister taught one year. “We did not get along well,” she said.

Valerie Larson Nixon, who attended All Star School in Palmyra (and doesn’t know how it got its name) said “My mother, a former teacher, became our substitute teacher. That was interesting.”

SCHOOL BUILDING

The buildings tended to be similar. Often constructed before electricity came, schools had large windows typically on the east and west sides. After light, the next key feature was a stove or furnace, which might be in the middle of the building, near the entrance, or in the basement if there was one. Lynn’s teacher had to get in early to get the basement furnace going.

“Sometimes a parent sent soup that we put on the grate in the floor to keep warm until lunch,”

 Valerie Nixon’s photo from her 8th grade graduation in 1950. Graduation ceremonies were often held at the Brown County Courthouse and included students from several different schools.

 Betty Byron, Lynn Hanson, Valerie Nixon and Mike McHugh shared memories of their county school experiences.

The Rural Educator: M.M. Guhin 1871-1941

➼ Michael Miles Guhin was very influential in rural education. A superintendent, Northern Normal & Industrial School instructor, State Office of Public Instruction official, and educational publisher, inventor, and entrepreneur, his story is captured in Children Are People: M.M. Guhin, Educator, by Emily Guhin, who spoke about some of his contributions.

As county superintendent, she said “he had to visit 164 rural schools covering many miles, he had to conduct institutes for the teachers (like in-service training) and do all he could to encourage teachers to upgrade their certificates. He had to evaluate the facilities at each site.”

After a stint at Northern, he went to the state Office of Public Instruction, where he edited the Better Rural School Bulletin.

“He liked doing things that helped teachers do their jobs better,” Emily said. When the State stopped producing the Bulletin, he brought it back to Aberdeen to publish, later replacing it with The Rural Educator.

Back at Northern, he worked with Rural Demonstration Schools, country schools where teaching students would practice teaching with experienced teachers. He also opened Hub City School Supply, where he sold the flash card machine he invented— “an educational tool to allow a student to study math while the teacher focused on other students and grades,” she explains.

Unlike many educators, Emily noted, Guhin “was known throughout the state.” She wrote the book because, “he had accomplished a lot in his lifetime, and I didn’t want people to forget about him.”

she said, “and I knew we would have a hot meal.”

Maybe the next most important feature was outside, the outhouse (usually two). Betty said Sunshine School “had chemical toilets so we didn’t have to go outside.” Some schools also had barns for the horses some children rode to school. Other than that, there usually wasn’t much outside.

TEACHERS

Teachers were, obviously, a central part of the country school experience, and maybe the only adult students saw daily other than their parents. Despite this, while my interviewees had stories about teachers, they didn’t always remember names -- perhaps because teachers didn’t stay long.

Valerie had different teachers each year and thought, “It seemed they taught a year, got married and started a family.”

If the teacher got married, Betty observed, their contract prevented them from teaching anymore.

With young teachers having little training, the quality varied. He never had any ‘lemons,’ but Jerry said some were ‘hard to learn from.’

“The best teachers,” he added, “were the ones who got a six-week certificate from Northern to teach in rural schools.”

Betty called them “six-week wonders.” A teacher herself, she’s sympathetic to the teachers’ situation. “The teacher may have had only a few students,” she said, “but they were in several different grades, and she had to teach several subjects. It was not easy work.”

 Children play at the Brookside school in 1961. Photo courtesy of Dacotah Prairie Museum.

 Lynn Hanson’s Davis School class in 1941. Even the horse got in the photo.

Teachers often boarded near the school in the home of a student’s family. One of Jerry’s teachers boarded at his home and drove him to school. Some teachers lived in the school. Lynn remembers one who slept on a cot at the school during the week.

Students had little idea what the Brown County superintendent’s job was, other than being intimidating. Helen Bergh, one of Brown County’s best-known country school teachers, wrote of seeing M.M. Guhin coming to her childhood school and being “scared to death of him” (about twenty years later, she attended his surprise birthday party).

Jerry remembers the Edmunds County superintendent coming once a month. “He was kind of a tyrant,” he said, “and we were afraid of him.”

 This is a very small section of a 1911 Brown County map showing a radius of about seven miles around Aberdeen. As you can see, there dozens of schools just in this small view. The number of county schools hovered around 160 up until the 1960s.

very

 Parliamentary procedure and the Pledge of Allegiance were

important in country schools. Photo courtesy of Dacotah Prairie Museum.

 A class portrait at Putney school. Photo courtesy of Dacotah Prairie Museum.

 Once use of the Senn school concluded, it was moved to Fredrick for preservation.

Photo by Troy McQuillen.

Miss Helen Bergh 1908-2002

➼ Although she taught in only two schools in her 43-year rural teaching career, Miss Helen Bergh (newspapers usually included the Miss) became very well known as a local educator, historian and more. A few highlights:

• Attended Brookside School and Central

• Received one-year teaching certificate (1927); State Teaching Certificate (1934); bachelor’s (1943); and master’s (1956) from Northern

• Taught at Mertz School 1927-28

• Taught at Brookside School 1929-1970

• Trained teacher candidates for 35 years

• Actively involved with many organizations: American Association of University Women, Association for Childhood Education, Brown County Territorial Pioneers, Brown County Museum and Historical Society, and more

• Dacotah Prairie Museum board member, interim director, curator of education 1971-1990

• First recipient of Friend of Education Award from Aberdeen Education Association 1977

• First Lady of Aberdeen 1978

• NSU Distinguished Alumni 1992

• South Dakota Hall of Fame inductee 1997

The superintendent’s job was to supervise instruction, of course, which meant visiting schools. Genevieve Arntz, who became Brown County superintendent in 1939, drove 5,000 miles a year to visit each school at least twice. In addition, Mike said “A school board for each township was responsible for the teacher doing her job and upkeep of school.”

EDUCATION

Most schools covered grades 1-8 in one room, which required flexibility in teaching grade-level subjects when younger and older students were there. Teachers often taught multiple grades at a time, particularly when there were few students. Valerie says she usually had two classmates, but her brother and sister, who were a year older and younger, were usually alone in their grade and might join Valerie’s lessons.

Lynn remembers learning reading, writing and math, but not much history, noting “When would there be time if all the grades had to learn things individually?” Typically the students being taught came to the front of the room to sit around the teacher.

Betty giggled about sitting on a bench in front of the teacher. “If the teacher wasn’t looking,” she said, “we would swing back and forth to get it rocking.”

The one employee in the building, responsible for everything from teaching to cleaning, needed help, so everyone pitched in. Betty said families

took turns bringing water, and if there was a well on the school grounds, students drew the water. Valerie added that two students were selected to put out the flag in the morning and take it down at night. The boys had to put coal in the furnace in the morning and stoke the coals at night.

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY

For many students during recess, you made do with what you had, which was often nothing for playground equipment. They played many games, including Annie I Over, Ring around the Rosie, and Pom Pom Pullaway. Lynn remembers catching gophers at recess—that is, “I didn’t; the boys did.” Valerie recalled, “At recess, everyone played. Everyone was included in what they played.”

Although Mike doesn’t recall snow days, Jerry remembers snow. “Big snowstorms would lock us in our homes because no one plowed very

 Mike McHugh’s class of 13 students at Prairie View School in Ordway. Teachers often taught for only a year or two.

 Plana School. Photo by Troy McQuillen.

often. We had to walk to school over snowbanks,” and he smiled, “but it was only two miles.”

Valerie’s dad put runners on the horse-drawn hay wagon to take them to school. “We sat in the straw to keep warm,” she said.

From 1928 to 1970, the country schools performed in a joint Rural Chorus, in which students around the county learned songs in their own schools then came together to perform as a large group, typically in Aberdeen, often accompanied by Miss Helen Bergh. Aberdeen business people convinced WNAX, the Yankton radio station, to broadcast the first concert.

Guhin launched the Young Citizens League in Brown County to promote citizenship through student learning and, more importantly, practice. It became widely popular.

“We had meetings, and officers were elected, and 'committees' were appointed to do chores

like raising and lowering the flag and cleaning erasers,” Valerie said. "YCL was very important in country schools.” Jerry added, “It developed real appreciation for government. I wonder if we should teach that again.”

COMMENCING

The eight years of country school was central to these people’s lives. Valerie still remembers her eighth-grade graduation at the County courthouse overseen by Ruth Johnson, Brown County’s last superintendent. Then they went to high school.

Most attended Central High School, which was an adjustment. From his country school, Mike “went from 12-13 students to 93 at Sacred Heart School for ninth grade to 435 in my class at Central—1,300 total students. It was culture

shock. I still see people I went to Central with but never knew.” Jerry lived with his aunt in Aberdeen. “I was scared to death, but two Aberdeen students befriended me,” he said. “They’re always special to me.”

Mike concludes, “I’m not sure if the education would have been better in a bigger school. I believe it depends on parental input and student interest.” However well prepared they were for high school, it’s safe to say these folks felt ready for life.

Betty believes, “Kids today have no idea what we grew up with, but I think it was better.” A compassionate woman who went to country school during World War II and collected milkweed pods for life-saving military equipment, in our conversation during the early days of the invasion of Ukraine, she worried more about what children today are going through.

Decades later, long after they graduated from their country schools, the memories are mostly good—if sometimes told in near disbelief by those who lived them—but they reflect an experience they all appreciate. As M.M. Guhin hoped, they are proud.

Jerry probably speaks for all. “It was a wonderful experience, but I didn’t know it until I got to Aberdeen,” he said. “It was beautiful! I got a great education.” //

 Note: In addition to the interviewees, thank you to K.O. Lee Aberdeen Public Library, Dacotah Prairie Museum, and Brown County Auditor’s Office for research assistance.

 Miss Helen Bergh tunes into a program on a small TV in 1965. Photo courtesy of Dacotah Prairie Museum.

 The class of 1934’s graduation photo in front of Lincoln Hall on Northern State University’s campus. Photo courtesy of Dacotah Prairie Museum.

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by Eliot Lucas