Aberdeen Magazine November/December 2016

COMMUNITY. LIFE. STYLE.

Kristina Kessler and Teresa McCoy

38 PROFILE Rob and Dee Brandner celebrate two decades of roller rink fun

40 SCENE Collegepalooza

42 GETTING THE LAST LAUGH Knock knock. Who’s there? It’s the new faces of comedy in Aberdeen!

MANAGING EDITOR

Becca Simon

PUBLISHER

Troy McQuillen

DESIGN

Eliot Lucas

AD SALES

Abby McQuillen abby@mcquillencreative.com

PUBLICATION OFFICE

McQuillen Creative Group 423 S. Main St., Suite 1 Aberdeen SD, 57401 (605) 226-3481

PRINTING

Western Printing SUBMISSIONS

Aberdeen Magazine welcomes your input. Message us your story ideas, drop off historic photos, or stop in for a chat. Email us at: becca@aberdeenmag.com

troy@mcquillencreative.com

WEBSITE www.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.

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.

A pair of ringneck pheasants roam the prairie in this beautiful painting by local artist, Dan Parsons. The midwestern landscape made a lasting impression on him as a child, and continues to be a huge source of inspiration today. Read on to find out more!

Photo by Troy McQuillen

Baby, It’s Cold Outside!

Ah, yes, the holidays – a special time of year reserved for celebrating with family, spending relaxing evenings curled up by the fireplace, and eating delicious home cooked meals without a care in the world.

Well, that’s how it would be if we all lived inside a Lifetime made-for-TV Christmas movie, anyway.

Instead, many of us associate this season with pure chaos. Traffic increases, retail stores become all-out-war zones, and frigid Aberdeen temperatures cause us to wonder if we’re actually in the North Pole. When the going gets tough and “Jingle Bell Rock” starts to reverberate through your skull and drive you slowly into madness, it can be hard to slow down and sip your hot cocoa.

Fortunately for you, Aberdeen Magazine is here to swaddle you in warm blankets and give you a sense of sanity amidst all the tinsel and lights. In this issue, we’ll help you survive this year’s White Elephant exchange by providing you with a guide full of neat and quirky gifts your whole family is sure to love, all from locally owned shops. Not sure what to whip up for this year’s Christmas dessert? Try our almond brioche, straight from the cookbook of Cj’s Patisserie owner, Peri Malsom. While you’re busy decorating the Christmas tree and stuffing your stockings with presents, don’t forget to take a look at our “In the Spirit of Giving” section to see how you can give back to the community and celebrate the reason for the season.

Even though the temperatures may be dropping, you can always find something to do in Aberdeen if you look hard enough. We’ll take a closer look at SkateAway, one of the most beloved go-to places for fun, and its owners, Rob and Dee Brandner. We’ll also give you the full scoop on Aberdeen’s comedy scene, which is bound to give you a few laughs no matter the time of year.

Regardless of what you’re doing, November and December are sure to fly by, and before you know it, New Year's Day will be upon us. This season, try to overcome the usual holiday headaches and take in all the cheer Aberdeen has to offer. You wouldn’t want to land yourself on the “naughty” list, after all! //

BECCA SIMON Managing Editor

ERIN BALLARD

Erin is a student, writer, and lover of classic rock n’ roll. She comes from Tampa, Florida originally, but has called Aberdeen home for the last three years. She studies Professional Writing and Rhetoric, along with Desktop Publishing, at Northern State University. Anything involving fashion, music, and home décor makes her happy, and someday she hopes to live sustainably on her own farm.

HARRISON BROWN

Harrison is an illustrator and game artist that hails from Portland, Maine. When not hunched over with a pencil in hand, you can usually find him sinking his teeth into his other favorite pass-time: cheeseburgers.

HOLLY HOLBORN

Holly is a senior at Northern State University pursuing a Bachelor's degree in English with a minor in French. She has been an Aberdonian since early 2014. She is very passionate about languages and likes to watch Netflix with her cat, Mushi.

JONI LARSON

Joni Larson of JL Photography is an energetic and passionate photographer dedicated to capturing your moments, memories and milestones with a personal touch!

NICK MALSOM

Nick was born and raised in Aberdeen and studied video production in Seattle. He works as a video producer at McQuillen Creative Group as well as at Northern State University in their sport's department. He enjoys watching and playing soccer in his free time.

JENNY ROTH

Jenny is a farmer’s wife, stay-at-home mother of three daughters, and writer living in Roscoe, SD. Her essays appear in the parenting magazine Mamalode, www.mamalode.com.

YOUR SOURCE FOR WHAT’S HAPPENING IN ABERDEEN

The Scene at Mike Miller Elementary

MIKE MILLER ELEMENTARY began its first school year this fall with a brand new building and progressive educational initiatives, but according to Principal Nicole Schutter the best feature of the new school by far is its students. “We are very proud of them all for stepping in to a new year in a new school. It’s a very courageous way to begin a school year.” Schutter adds, “The building just overflows with positivity and enthusiasm. The students and staff are very excited to be part of the Mike Miller Elementary community.” Several noteworthy programs have been put in place for the almost 200 K-5th grade students enrolled in the school’s inaugural year. Students and teachers gather in the gym on Monday mornings to get motivated for the week ahead

and recognize birthdays and Leaders of the Week. The school also welcomes education students from Northern State University into their classrooms. The NSU students help with individualized instruction and activities while also gaining valuable experience before they begin their teaching careers. A pilot program that the school is excited to implement is the iPad initiative. All students have access to the iPads and use them in a variety of ways throughout the day to enhance their curriculum.

Bikers, Walkers, and Joggers, Rejoice!

THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT has given us a reason to be more active this winter, in the form of a new bike path along Roosevelt Avenue. The recently finished path has finally completed the connection between Melgaard Road on the south end of Aberdeen and Fairgrounds Road on the north. Construction began around the end of August of this year and took about a month to complete, under the supervision of Lien Transportation Company. Once completed,

Mike Miller Elementary School is named after Mike Miller, who served as a remarkable community leader and instrumental member of the Aberdeen School District’s School Board for many years. According to Schutter, “Mike knew the importance of helping others and did so with such a sense of humility and empathy. The words ‘kind and compassionate’ don’t do enough justice to describe him. We are extremely proud to carry on his legacy at Mike Miller Elementary.” //—

JENNY ROTH

the trail was inspected by the South Dakota Department of Transportation and shortly after, made open to pedestrians.

This particular stretch of sidewalk was dreamt up twenty years ago, as part of a master plan for all the pedestrian trails within the city limits of Aberdeen, though they did not have the funds at the time to begin construction. A recent application for and approval of state money allowed them to realize the completion of this part of the trail. Future sidewalk plans within the next year include putting in similar bike paths in areas where on-street paths already exist, in order to increase safety for bikers, pedestrians, and drivers alike. //—

ERIN BALLARD

Photos by Troy McQuillen

Aberdeen Boys and Girls Club Building Project Highlights

CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN JULY on a new building for the Aberdeen Boys and Girls Club. The project is expected to be complete by June 2017. Executive Director Mike Herman took time to talk with us about some of the new facility’s features and the opportunities it will provide for area youth.

Currently, the Aberdeen Boys and Girls Club serves about 300 school-age children every day. They provide safe transportation from school as well as numerous field trips and encourage youth programs during both the school year and summer months. The new facility will increase in size from 16,000 to 29,000 square feet. This extra

space will allow them to welcome even more members and provide affordable, fun services to over 400 children on a daily basis.

The club has operated out of the same building since its start 46 years ago. The new building will be completely handicap-accessible and is designed specifically to suit the needs of a youth center. Some features it will include are an art room, game room, education center with smart boards, and teen center. It will also have a top-notch security system.

A significant part of the Boys and Girls Club is their free meals food program. The new building will have an eating space large enough to accommodate everyone so they no longer have to worry about running out of seating room at meal times.

As of now, the Aberdeen Boys and Girls Club building campaign fund has reached 4.6 million dollars needed out of their 5.2 million dollar goal. //— JENNY ROTH

 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HOW TO DONATE OR ABOUT THEIR YOUTH MEMBERSHIPS CONTACT THE ABERDEEN BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB AT 605-225-8930 OR VISIT WWW.BGCABERDEEN.ORG.

Construction for the new Boys and Girls club facility is well underway. The new building will nearly double the size of the previous building.

Photo by Troy McQuillen

Spotlight on the 10th Annual South Dakota Film Festival

IT’S ALWAYS A LAST MINUTE SURPRISE to learn what Hollywood celebrities will be attending the South Dakota Film Festival. This year Aberdeen was treated to some pretty big celebrities with fascinating stories about the film industry. Stephen Tobolowsky chatted about Groundhog Day and the Goldbergs, as well as acting for comedy in general. Anthony Michael Hall reminisced about his time with John Hughes and films like Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club and transitioning from a kid actor to adulthood. Executive Producer Hawk Koch ( Chinatown, Wayne’s World) shared the stories behind several blockbusters. Actor Lisa Ann Walter talked about her many roles in such films as Bruce Almighty, The Parent Trap and several TV comedies and dramas. Independent filmmakers and movie fans from across the country gathered September 21– 25 at the Capitol Theatre for five days of screenings and networking. //

Photos by Greg Gilbertson

NOVEMBER & DECEMBER

NOVEMBER Holiday Food Drive

When: November 1 – December 9

Where: Sanford Aberdeen Lobby

Get in the spirit of giving by contributing to Sanford’s second annual holiday food drive. Donate items such as peanut butter, canned meats, canned vegetables, and more. The proceeds go towards The Salvation Army and The Journey Home.

NOVEMBER

Northern State University Swing Dance

When: November 4, 7:30 PM – 12:00 AM

Where: The Ward Plaza

Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for children

Come enjoy a night of nonstop song and dance as NSU’s Jazz Ensemble performs a lively selection of swing music. All proceeds go towards NSU Music Scholarships.

NOVEMBER Winterfest

19

NOVEMBER

When: November 19 – November 20

Sat. 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Sun. 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Where: Aberdeen Civic Arena

Cost: Free

Featuring artists from across the region, you won’t want to miss this festival that contains a fine arts gallery, 50 artisan booths, food, entertainment, and more. There’s a little something for everyone.

Moscow Ballet Presents Great Russian Nutcracker

When: November 29, 2016, 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Where: Johnson Fine Arts Center

Cost: $25 – $75 a seat

Experience for yourself the holiday classic that is the Great Russian Nutcracker. Directly from Russia, this ballet features nearly 40 dancers, a 60foot Christmas tree, stunning sets hand-painted in Russia, and entertainment for the whole family.

NOVEMBER The Kat Trio

When: November 10, 7:30 PM – 10:00 PM

Where: Aberdeen Civic Theatre

Enjoy a variety of unique arrangements from this violin-clarinet-piano trio, ranging from Russian songs to classical works and even American pop songs.

DECEMBER

Aberdeen Area Living Christmas Tree

When: December 2-3, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Where: Aberdeen Civic Arena

Cost: Free will donation

Ring in the holiday season with this annual event that narrates the meaning of Christmas through its talented orchestra and adult and children’s choir.

NOVEMBER SD Snowmobile Assoc. Annual Convention

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When: November 11 – November 12

Where: Best Western Ramkota

Cost: Varies

Love snowmobiling, but can’t wait any longer for the snow to fall? The SDSA Annual Convention has you covered. Attend membership meetings and educational workshops, get your fill of snowmobile related paraphernalia at the area trade show, and much more.

DECEMBER

10

9th Annual Christmas at the Depot with James Valley Model Railroad

When: December 10, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Where: Old Milwaukee Railroad Depot

Cost: Free, donations welcome

Experience all the coolness of normal railroads, only much, much smaller. This event features seven model railroads operating in a Christmas setting, and includes Thomas the Train and trains running up to 100 cars, all in a cute Christmas setting.

Take a Load Off

Pantorium Cleaners and Laundry

can

help you with all your cleaning and laundry needs

BY BECCA SIMON PHOTOS BY TROY MCQUILLEN

You come home late from work, prepare dinner, and tend to your myriad of other responsibilities and chores that need doing. By the time you have a moment to catch your breath, it’s nearly time for bed and you have no time to tend to the mountain of dirty garments that are beginning to pile up, begging to be washed. Thankfully, you don’t have to shoulder the burden alone: Pantorium Cleaners is more than happy to help you with the load.

For over 80 years, Pantorium Cleaners has been offering their top-notch laundry and cleaning services to loyal patrons. Although they advertise themselves as a dry cleaning service, they can do just about anything. Rugs need washing? Check. Dress shirts and fine linen need special care? Got you covered. Hems need adjusting? Pantorium can do that, too!

Since the business got its start in 1931, it has been consistently providing quality service and employing generations upon generations of loyal employees. Current owners Dale Bain and his wife Mi go way back with the business. Dale’s mother was employed back in 1978, and Mi has been employed since 1992. When Mi’s boss started looking to retire, she and Dale took the reigns.

In their six years of ownership, Pantorium’s wide range of services has grown exponentially. They are beginning to expand into commercial services, and currently serve Buffalo Wings and Rings, Scotty’s, and Big Fella’s, just to name a few. They also recently built a new, larger laundry facility in addition to their main building, which contains large, state-of-the-art washers and dryers.

In addition to your fine linens and other materials, Pantorium can also help you out on laundry day. Their new Fluff N’ Fold service encourages costumers to bring in the laundry they might not have time to do. Not only will Pantorium do it for you, they’ll also neatly fold and package it for your convenience.

If you live too far away to take full advantage of Pantorium’s Services or simply want to spend a lazy day at home, never fear: Pantorium picks up and delivers – completely free. In addition to Aberdeen, they cover communities as far as Groton, Ipswich, Roscoe, Selby, Gettysburg, Mobridge, Frederick, and Conde.

As Pantorium continues to grow and expand its services, Dale hopes to delve even deeper into commercial services, including medical laundry.

Customers can also look forward to Pantorium’s new VIP loyalty club, expected to roll out soon. By becoming a member, you’ll have the opportunity to get special discounts and promotions the more you use Pantorium’s services.

The next time you need garments of any material cleaned, tailored, preserved, or all of the above, Pantorium Cleaners has you covered. After all, as their website states: “Stains and dirt don’t wait. Why should you?” //

The French Toast You’ve Never Heard Of

A Taste of Paris, right in your very own kitchen

Running out of ideas for delicious treats to surprise your friends and family with over the holidays? If you’re looking to whip up a treat that is both delicious and comforting, look no further than this recipe for almond brioche. Straight from the cookbook of Peri Malsom, owner of Cj’s Patisserie right here in Aberdeen, this recipe will provide a little bit of Parisian flair to your dinner table. Once you’re done cooking, don’t forget to stop by their bakery for more delicious French-themed treats and desserts! //

ALMOND CREAM

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup Almond flour

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp pastry cream powder (substitute vanilla pudding if needed)

2 1/2 whole eggs

Directions

1 Cream butter with almond flour, pastry cream powder, and powdered sugar until smooth and lighter in color.

2 Gradually add eggs.

3 Use right away or store in fridge.

ALMOND SYRUP

Ingredients

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

5 tsp almond flour

5 tsp sugar

1 tsp almond extract

Directions

1 Boil water and 1 cup sugar.

2 Pour over Almond flour and 5 tsp sugar.

3 In a double boiler, add almond extract and let infuse with mixture for 15 minutes.

4 Let cool.

RASPBERRY SAUCE

Ingredients

1 package fresh or frozen raspberries

1 cup sugar

Directions

1 Over medium heat combine sugar and raspberries.

2 Stir frequently until a thick bubbly boil.

3 Cool in refrigerator with cellophane touching the top of the raspberry sauce.

ALMOND BRIOCHE

Directions

1 Cut brioche loaf into 1" slices (available @ CJ's)

2 Warm Almond Syrup to 95 degrees, dip slices and let drip on a greased wire rack over a sheet pan to remove excess syrup.

3 Spread layer of Almond Cream onto each slice, 1/8" thick.

4 sprinkle with sliced almonds and powdered sugar and drizzle with raspberry sauce.

5 Bake 450 degrees on a nonstick baking sheet until golden brown.

6 Let cool, dust baked slices with powdered sugar and enjoy.

RECIPE COURTESY OF PERI MALSOM

Photo by Nick Malsom

NighttimeNurturer

BY HOLLY HOLBORN

Gloria Tostenson is one of the overnight servers out at Marlin’s Family Restaurant, and has become one of the most beloved faces for the customers who frequent the establishment between the hours of 10:00 PM. and 6:00 AM

Although she has been with Marlin’s for eleven years, Gloria did not start her career as a server here. Her parents moved to Milbank, South Dakota with her and her siblings when she was a young child because her dad was a traveling cook. Milbank then became her hometown, as she would spend the next 35 years growing up and building her adult life there.

Unfortunately, she lost both of her parents by the age of 13, but her future husband, David, luckily lived three houses down the street and his family already looked at her as a daughter of their own.

Gloria’s career as a server began in September of 1972 at the Brite Spot Café in Milbank, before she graduated from Milbank High School along with David and his sister in 1973. During her time at Brite Spot, she learned how to do anything and everything while making 75 cents an hour. She continued her serving career at Dairy Queen after Brite Spot Café closed.

At Dairy Queen, Gloria said she had fun working in “the old days where they had the car hops outside.” From there, she went to the Millstone in Milbank where she would run the restaurant with David and make everything from scratch, including the salad dressing. Her next serving job was at Trevett’s Café, where Gloria made the transition to the overnight shift to serve the bar crowd in Milbank. Since then, she has never gone back to day shifts. “It’s a lot of fun,” she said. “It takes a special person to work on overnights.”

She married her longtime friend, David, in March of 1981. When they received a job offer from Mother’s Café, they packed up their stuff and moved to Aberdeen with their daughter, Jennifer.

Gloria says that Jennifer was one of the best things to happen in her life. Originally, doctors told her that she was unable to bear children. However, one night she wasn’t feeling too well, so she went home from work, unable to tell what was wrong. Eventually, she went to the hospital to get checked out, and an hour later, the “Miracle Baby” was born. Jennifer weighed only four pounds and eleven ounces when she came into the world. Gloria apparently carried her daughter for the full term, but didn’t know she was pregnant since she didn’t see any difference in her body. She still wonders about the generous person who used to leave diapers in her car every week, because she and David weren’t prepared for Jennifer’s arrival at all.

After Mother’s closed, Gloria worked at Giovanni’s Pizza for a while and then at RG’s, where she spent 14-and-a-half years serving before finding her home at Marlin’s.

Throughout her time at this Aberdeen truck stop, she has seen a variety of things and served a variety people, including a couple trying to have an intimate moment in the women’s restroom, country music artists, and more than a few sassy people from the bar crowd. And though it is fun work, she’s glad that cops are her best friends, especially when dealing with some of the rowdier crowds.

While at Marlin’s, she has acquired quite a few affectionate nicknames. “Granny” and “Mom” seem to be pretty straightforward, but the last one, “G-String,” is by far the most interesting. She acquired this last nickname from a coworker who kept trying to get Gloria’s attention. When she wouldn’t answer to “Gloria,” her coworker tried calling her “G,” but that didn’t grab her attention either. Finally, her coworker yelled “G-String!” and sure enough, Gloria looked right over!

Above all, Gloria says she enjoys Marlin’s because of the people she works with. They all work as a team to get the job done, and the dynamics are good. She also appreciates being respected as an experienced waitress. Though she had a problem with her leg earlier this year and was out of work for a couple months to recover from her surgery, when she came back, the crew worked just as well as it did before.

“You have to like what you do. And you can’t just think of it as being ‘oh, I gotta go to work tonight’. You gotta think of it as you’re going because that’s what you enjoy doing. And I do enjoy coming here.” Gloria noted about working at Marlin’s. She has a good attitude about her job and learned to “shower [everyone] with kindness” over the years. Determination has helped her get to where she is now, as she proudly states that, “I’ve just had a good life being a waitress… I’ve done well for myself. People from when I first started said I would never make it, and I’ve proved them wrong. That’s amazing to me.”

So far, Gloria has worked in the serving industry for almost 45 years and feels a special connection to her parents because of this career choice. “My dream, in my lifetime, is to hit 50 years of being a waitress,” she said. “If my legs let me do it, I will make it.” Let’s hope she will get there since she is only about five years away! Then, she might be able to retire to Nashville to be with her daughter and get to see some of her favorite country artists! //

Little did anyone know that on July 14th, 1954, an Aberdeen icon would be born in Nome, Alaska.

Photo by Harrison Brown

Taste of F rance A

BY ERIN BALLARD PHOTOS BY NICK MALSOM

OWNERS

AND HIGH SCHOOL

SWEETHEARTS Peri and Alex Malsom began cultivating the dream that would eventually become Cj’s Patisserie many years ago. While pursuing degrees at Northern, Alex worked as a barista and fell in love with the art of making coffee, while Peri studied art and visited France. Cj’s Patisserie, open now for nearly a year and a half and located in downtown Aberdeen, is a true hybrid of its owners’ passions.

An authentic family business, Cj’s was named for Alex’s grandmother Cora Jane, who provided an education trust that allowed Peri and Alex to follow their dream of creating something together at French Pastry School, in Chicago. “We wanted to bring something special to this community that is high quality and delicious.” And that’s exactly what they did. In keeping with the French theme, the bakery has been styled “Patisserie,” for the French word for pastry shop, and serves up a whole lot of butter.

When asked why someone should visit the patisserie, Peri answers simply: “Because it’s delicious!” Cj’s serves up a variety of tasty treats that are all made from real ingredients, and flavors and options change on a daily basis. They always offer some sort of breakfast pastry, like croissants, scones, and brioche; a type of bread, such as French baguette or honey wheat; a few different kinds of sweet treats, like eclairs, macarons, cookies, and cupcakes; and two flavors of soup a week, like chicken noodle and broccoli

rance

cheese. Everything is made from scratch and baked fresh every day; even their coffee syrups are homemade and unique, including flavors like lavender honey.

Besides their French-style menu, customization is something that sets Cj’s Patisserie apart from other dessert places around town. “If you had a favorite macaron flavor and asked me to make it tomorrow, I would do my best to make that happen,” Peri says. They even offer two glutenfree items every day in an attempt to cater to

every guest that walks through their doors. “We want to feed everyone; we’ll make sure you get something delicious in your tummy.”

Peri and Alex have a lot in mind for the future of Cj’s Patisserie. Peri explains how she hopes to one day provide cake decorating and macaron-making classes, among others, to the community. They would also like to expand production space in order to accommodate all of the wholesale requests from businesses around town. In the nearer future, Peri hopes their dream of expanding seating to the second floor of their building will become a reality, opening up the possibility of a potential breakfast and lunch menu full of crepes, sandwiches, and maybe even a “Sorbet of the Day.”

At the end of the day, for Peri, it’s really just about seeing people happy. Inside the pastry shop the atmosphere is warm and welcoming,

and smiles are abundant. These are her favorite memories. “[It’s] the first time someone tries something we make and the ‘mmmm’ that follows… I also love when people get frosting on their noses when they bite into a cupcake,” she laughs. With an ultimate goal of spreading happiness, and sharing what they’ve learned with the community Peri and Alex feel like all the hard work has been well worth it. “It's a great feeling to create something unique and special, share it, and have it be so well-received and appreciated,” she says. “Everyone here is so supportive of us… We will continue to serve this great little place we call home, and with any luck more people will discover us each day.” //

 CJ’S PATISSERIE CAN BE FOUND ACROSS FROM CENTRAL PARK, JUST NORTH OF THE ABERDEEN CIVIC THEATRE. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON DAILY FLAVORS AND SPECIALS, VISIT THEIR FACEBOOK PAGE OR CALL (605) 622-0607.

“It’s a great feeling to create something unique and special, share it, and have it be so well-received and appreciated.”

 Peri puts the finishing touches on a wedding cake. This is one of the largest cakes she’s made to date!

in the SpiritGIVING of

BY BECCA SIMON

As wonderful as the holidays are, everyone knows that they can also be one of the most stressful – and hardest – times of the year. Once it hits mid-November, the month long scramble of gift hunting, potlucks, and frigid temperatures begins. As we try to stay afloat in our own hectic lives, it can be easy to forget what makes the holidays so great in the first place: the spirit of giving and extending kindness to those around you. By recognizing our blessings and sharing them with the community, we can make sure that everyone can experience holiday cheer. The Aberdeen community offers multiple fun and low-stress ways to give during this holiday season, ranging from charitable opportunities to volunteer work. Read on to learn more!

SALVATION ARMY

The most iconic Christmas fundraiser is without a doubt The Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle campaign. Starting all the way back in 1891, this yearly tradition is marked by the infamous red kettles and the bell ringers who accompany them during the holiday months. This is the biggest fundraiser of the year, and helps The Salvation Army to pay for services for people who need them all year round. “They help buy the food that we give out in food baskets, pay rent when you can’t pay your rent, and more,” Dale Hunt, Salvation Army major, said. On top of throwing some money in while you’re out during your holiday shopping, you can also give back to the community by signing up to be a bell ringer yourself. Just call the office at 225-7410 and ask for a woman named Lacy, and she can sign you up for whatever time and location you want.

Another staple are the annual Angel Trees located throughout town. These trees match donors with children to ensure they receive gifts on their wish list for Christmas. The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree is located in the Aberdeen Mall every year, but other businesses are welcome and encouraged to sponsor their own tree. New this year is what the Salvation Army calls a “Warmth Tree”, which is a similar concept to the Angel Tree, but specifically calls for donations of warm clothes, hats, mittens, coats, and boots. “It’s hard to send your daughter or son to school without a nice jacket or a pair

of boots when it’s 10, 15 degrees and the wind is blowing,” Dale said.

If you’d like to help make sure everyone is fed a hearty Christmas dinner, you can also help out with The Salvation Army’s Christmas food baskets. They are constantly seeking food donations, and highly encourage other businesses or organizations to hold their own food drives for the baskets. People are also more than welcome to create their own baskets and give them to the Salvation Army to be delivered to a family. If there’s a specific family you know of that you want to help out, you can give them their name, or you may simply say you bought enough food for a family of four, and the Salvation Army will make sure it gets to a family of four. In terms of the contents of the basket, major Mary Hunt recommends plenty of non-perishable food items, although they do have the capacity to freeze some meat. “Think of your basic Christmas family dinner,” she said.

Last but not least is the Christmas dinner planned for the 23rd of December. This event runs from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM, and includes a short worship service before dinner. To volunteer for this event, simply call The Salvation Army and ask for Sue.

The holiday season is a very special time for new majors Dale and Mary, who will be spending their first Christmas in Aberdeen this year. “I always take it very personally,” Mary said. “When I was

growing up, my dad worked seasonal jobs, so we didn’t have much for Christmas and we wouldn’t have had one if not for the Salvation Army. Now, being on the giving end of it, I want to make sure people get a nice Christmas dinner and some nice toys and clothes for Christmas.”

For Dale, the holiday season represents a time of hope. “It’s a time that you can see joy on people’s faces that didn’t have joy. We can give them hope where they didn’t have hope before.”

However, while both Dale and Mary encourage involvement during the holiday season, they want to remind everyone that they are always looking for help year-round. “Everyone thinks that the holidays are the biggest need, but they forget that in July and August, there is also still a need,” Mary said. “People are just as hungry then as they are at Christmas time. We look for volunteers year round who can help cook, work with kids, work the thrift store, and answer phones.”

UNITED WAY

If you’re looking for an exceptionally fun and unique way to spread Christmas cheer, look no farther than United Way’s annual Christmas Eve at the Hospitals. This program, coordinated with several other service groups such as the Sertoma Club, the Lion’s club, and the Kiwanis club, makes a point of providing joy to everyone who may have to spend their Christmas in the hospital. The volunteers travel from room to room, delivering gifts of poinsettia plants to every patient and ensuring that each child receives a gift from Santa Claus himself. On the morning of Christmas Eve, representatives from each group gather together and go Christmas caroling throughout both Avera and Sanford hospitals. To get involved with the festivities, contact the United Way office at 225-0212 or simply show up ready to sing around 10:00 AM at Avera.

SAFE HARBOR

Do you have a knack for interior design? Would you love to decorate a room, but have already redone yours too many times to count? Safe Harbor has the perfect opportunity for you. As they begin their move into their new facility, Safe Harbor is encouraging community members to decorate rooms and bathrooms for clients. As an organization, a family, a group of friends, or even individually, you can sign up to “adopt a room” in Safe Harbor’s new building, which you will then have the opportunity to decorate as you see fit. All the basics are provided for – you just need to supply lamps, mirrors, bedding, and

BEAUTY INSIDE OUT from the

Total Package Med Spa can help create the ideal you

BY BECCA SIMON PHOTOS BY JL PHOTOGRAPHY

However, this is exactly what the Total Package Med Spa aspires to be. Recently opened in September, these licensed medical professionals are determined to improve the lives of their customers by helping them look and feel good, all in the same place.

The idea for a med spa stemmed from the minds of Ginger and Dr. Richard Conklin through a campaign of the American Cancer Society that reached out to patients to get their hair, makeup, and nails done in order to help them look and feel better. As they were chewing on that idea, they decided to extend it to the community at large. Around nine months ago, they decided to make this idea a reality.

Total Package Med Spa differs from most regular spas in that it operates more like a clinic that specializes in achieving medical-grade results. Each staff member is a licensed medical professional and undergoes rigorous training for their specific positions, ensuring medical-level care along with the pampered feeling you get at a spa. Their services range all the way from physical improvements, such as skin rejuvenation and sexual health enhancement treatments, to life coaching and personal counseling.

To many people, lots of these options and the benefits they have are totally new. Can’t get rid of excess fat, no matter how much you diet or

PEOPLE NEED HELP FROM THE INSIDE OUT”

When people think of a “spa,” they usually think of your typical day spa experience: massages, facials, hair, and nails. If you were to tell someone about a spa that could enhance the overall quality of their life inside and out through a variety of medical procedures and personalized counseling, they might cock their head a bit.

Total Package Med Spa utilizes state-of-the-art technology and boasts an inviting, modern feel to ensure everything about the experience gives you a pampered feel.

exercise? Total Package Med Spa has the solution in the form of Cool Sculpting, an FDA approved procedure that uses targeted cooling on the skin to reduce fat cells without any needles or surgery. If you suffer from arthritis, joint pain, or other injuries, Total Package’s Full Body Cryotherapy will help you get back on your feet. By lowering the skin’s temperature for a short amount of time, cryotherapy can reduce inflammation, increase metabolism and energy levels, and decrease recovery times. “It treats both old and young,” Ginger elaborated. “In fact, many athletes use it as their secret weapon since when they’re training, they don’t have to take that day or two off to let their bodies recover. It also gives you a little pep in your

Left to right: Taylor Newton, Joni Larson, Jade Penfield, Suzi Gilchrist, Denna Flowers, Ginger Conklin, Jenny Hepper, Heather Hedges, Nicole Wald, Jennifer Gilchrist, Debbie Thurston

step because your endorphins kind of come into play afterwards.”

Total Package can also help prevent the aging process by keeping skin smooth and healthy through the use of their Halo treatment. Halo is a powerful fractional laser that is used to treat fine lines, wrinkles, pores, sun damage, uneven skin tone, and scars.

These treatments only scratch the surface of the services Total Package offers its customers. They also offer hydro-facials, Botox injections, hair reduction treatments, and much, much more.

With all these options to choose from, it may be overwhelming to figure out which treatment is best for you. Thankfully, Total Package has you covered. Before any other steps are taken, you must first meet for a consultation with a nurse practitioner to find out what’s best for you. “We will

talk about what you want, what you need, and how to become the ideal you,” Deena Flowers, head of marketing, explained. “You will get personalized attention.”

Although typical beauty spas may target adult women as their demographic, Ginger wants to stress that the services at Total Package are for everybody. At some point in their lives, almost everyone wishes they could change something about themselves, whether it’s an annoying scar they just can’t get rid of or their lifestyle habits. “People need help from the inside out,” Deena said.

The folks at Total Package Med Spa couldn’t be more excited to extend their services to the community at large. They are always keeping an eye on the latest technologies they can offer to their customers, and are constantly working to improve. //

Through facials and treatments using technology such as the Halo laser, Total Package Med Spa can help treat all kinds of skin blemishes to help customers look younger.

A Window into the Wild

Local artist Dan Parsons provides a peek into the beauty of the midwestern landscape

BY BECCA SIMON

FOR LOCAL ARTIST DAN PARSONS, the midwestern landscape is as familiar and nostalgic as his childhood. His interest in the natural world has carried over from his early years into adulthood, and is the primary focus of his art today.

Born and raised in Aberdeen, Dan grew up surrounded by wildlife. Like many other children in the area, he spent much of his time hunting and fishing, and was outside all the time. “It was a natural progression,” he said.

Although Dan dabbled in the arts a bit while in high school, he had no idea it would later become his passion. He received a football scholarship to attend Bismarck State College, and in order to keep up good grades to keep playing, he decided to take what he thought would be the easiest classes – art classes.

Little did he know that doing so would jumpstart his career as an artist.

“I was lucky. I had a mentor that saw I had some talent and brought it out,” he said. “It just went from there. I’ve been painting ever since.”

While in college, Dan had the opportunity to take a trip to Paris with his art class, during which he and his classmates sold their art at a show. Since then, Dan has done it all. He frequently sells his work at Arts in the Park in Aberdeen, and has also been featured in major gallery shows. In September, he had a show in Aberdeen’s ARCC Gallery, and this upcoming April, he will have another show at the Bismarck Art and Gallery Association.

Since then, Dan has tried out just about every medium. He has experimented with everything from ceramics to watercolor, but currently prefers acrylics since they are faster drying.

When Dan is painting a wildlife scene, he tries to first think of what kind of emotion that particular piece should evoke. “When I’m doing a fall scene, I’m trying to bring out every emotion with that. Every season has its own thing, and I try to follow the season. But in the wintertime I’m painting summer stuff, because you just want to get outside again.”

Dan says his work is most inspired by the Dutch Renaissance painters. “I like to do dark backgrounds with bright highlights,” he said. “It just makes the colors snap.”

But the heart of his inspiration is simply the natural world surrounding him. “As an artist, you’re constantly looking at things around you. You’re looking at different sunsets, the colors you see, and anything that sets you off,” Dan explained.

Dan’s art captures the subdued emotions associated with the outdoors – of an early morning sunrise, the whistle of wings overhead, or the smell of freshly cut grain.

If there’s anything he learned over the years about being an artist, it’s to keep working and never give up, no matter what. After working at the post office for 25 years, Dan semi-retired to go south and travel the country in an RV with the

goal of approaching galleries across the country with his artwork. Sometimes he was successful, sometimes he wasn’t. But no matter the outcome, he kept plugging away.

“There are so many times you’re going to be rejected,” he said. “You won’t get into a gallery or you won’t get into a jury show, or something like that. You just have to trudge on past it and keep going, because eventually it’ll happen. I expected to be selling in The Louvre or something when I was 20. But you’ll find out as you keep going that your work gets better, and you’ll gain a solid fan base.”

Today, he remarks that it is much more convenient to plug your work since technology has made approaching galleries much easier. “Now, I can work here and still have my subject matter. I try to keep it local.”

In the future, Dan hopes to quit his day job and do art full-time, although he is unsure how soon that will be. “You just don’t know,” he said. “You could be rich one week and poor the next. You have to go with what you love to do, though. Don’t do something you hate. You’ll be locked in.” //

Photos by Troy McQuillen

“AS AN ARTIST, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT THINGS AROUND YOU”

LOCAL GALLERIES

Wein Gallery Presentation College

1500 North Main Street 605-229-8350

Mon-Thurs 8 am-9 pm, Fri 8 am-5 pm, and Sun 1-9 pm

President’s Gallery, Lincoln Gallery and Student Center Gallery

Northern State University 1200 South Jay Street 605-626-7766

President’s Gallery: Mon-Fri 8 am-10 pm, Lincoln Gallery: Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm, Student Center: Mon-Fri 7 am-11 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

Lakewood Mall

3315 6th Ave SE Suite #48

605-725-0913

Thurs-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 202 South Main Street 605-225-6603

Mon-Thurs 7 am-9 pm, Fri 7 am-11 pm and Sat 8 am-11 pm

Dan’s collection of artwork features wildlife from across the Midwest and even the world, and aspires to capture the emotions within the scenes he paints.

Mighty Moms

Teresa McCoy and Kristina Kessler empower pregnant women to exercise

WHEN KRISTINA KESSLER

WENT for runs while expecting, she received frequent criticism from people trying to look out for her baby. They’d often tell her that she shouldn’t be running while pregnant, or think that it would harm her child. By the way people approached her, it was easy to start to believe that those negative connotations were true.

But what many people don’t know is that exercise – when practiced safely and with a doctor’s permission – can actually ease the process of carrying, delivering, and even recovering from the birth of a child.

Teresa McCoy and Kristina Kessler, both

BY BECCA SIMON

certified personal trainers and moms who have had healthy, fit pregnancies have made it their mission to help pregnant women become the healthiest they can be, all while providing a supportive community and breaking down common misconceptions.

To do this, they teamed up with the Aberdeen Family YMCA to create a pre-natal fitness program as well as a post-partum program. They are currently holding small group training sessions two to four times a week, depending on the individual’s choice.

During each 60-minute session, Teresa and Kristina lead total body workouts that help women tone and strengthen their bodies safely

and effectively throughout the stages of pregnancy. “Carrying a baby obviously adds on a lot of extra weight, and it’s very front-centered and heavy,” Kristina explained. “A lot of women find that their glutes and lower backs are sore. And when you’re nursing, your upper back gets sore.” For this reason, a heavy emphasis is placed on the muscles that aid in correct posture and are used during labor and delivery.

“And then the more you’re good at controlling your muscles and working out properly, the faster you’ll recover and the stronger you’ll be,” Teresa added.

The benefits of staying fit during pregnancy are abundant. In addition to a faster recovery from labor and delivery, exercise can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes and hypertension, increase energy and result in better sleep, decrease the need for pain relief during delivery, and lower the chance of getting postpartum depression.

However, Kristina and Teresa recognize that not everyone may be at the same fitness level.

Photo by Troy McQuillen

 Kristina instructs members of her class how to do safe exercises that will aid in various aspects of pregnancy by improving posture, upper body strength, and more.

By keeping the classes small, they can devote their attention to making sure each woman is getting the help she needs. “Some women might have no experience, so we can help them safely start up,” Teresa said. “I think some people get scared of working out, especially when they’re pregnant. But we want to let you know it’s okay, and even if you have no experience, we can help you.”

It’s also important to know when to stop. Anything that makes you feel light-headed is too much. A good test to see if you’re pushing yourself too hard is to see whether you are still capable of talking while exercising. “If you’re beyond the point of talking, you’re pushing yourself too hard,” Kristina explained.

During their warm-ups, they also provide educational lessons about nearly every aspect of pregnancy, ranging from nutrition to breastfeeding and even how to fight off the ailments that come with pregnancy and post-pregnancy.

Although fitness may be the reason for their gathering, the main goal of the program is to empower women to work out while pregnant and provide them with a solid support group. “It helps to have a community of women in which you can share your fears and worries,” Teresa said.

Due to their own positive experiences, Teresa and Kristina are full of nothing but enthusiasm for the program. “We hope that our passion can spread to people coming to the class,” Kristina explained. “It’s important to know that this is safe, that this is okay.”

According to Teresa, empowering pregnant women to exercise is still a relatively new movement in Aberdeen and even America. “People are starting to recognize that, hey, this is good, and not only is it good, it’s really important, healthy, and safe.”

Women in the program have the option of attending either two sessions a week on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday. If they choose the unlimited plan, they can attend all four sessions Monday through Thursday.

Now that their program has taken flight, Kristina and Teresa want to keep working on building a program that will be here for the long haul. In October, they will begin their first post-partum classes, and by next spring they hope to offer a class that involves a stroller boot camp where moms come with their babies. Eventually, they hope to be able to have a class for moms of all ages.

Above all, they want to continue to educate the community that there are safe ways to exercise during pregnancy and safe ways to come back from having a baby. “Moms who are trying to be athletic should know that they can come join us and have support,” Teresa said. “You are not alone.”

Women who are expecting or have just had a baby are encouraged to come check the program out. Teresa and Kristina are more than willing to meet with anyone who may have questions or want to know more about the program. //

 TO LEARN MORE, EMAIL KRISTINA AND TERESA AT

MIGHTYMOMS@ ABERDEENYMCA.ORG.

Presentation Sisters

Celebrate 130 Years

S Joyful in

BY BECCA SIMON

When the Presentation Sisters first set foot in Dakota Territory in 1880, they were met with rough wilderness and harsh climates. Their first home base was a sod house on the banks of the Missouri River, where they fought to survive the deadly winter by living on frozen antelope and condensed milk. Tasked with educating the Lakota people and the French settlers in a totally unfamiliar place, the sisters certainly had their work cut out for them.

Now, as the Presentation Sisters prepare to celebrate their 130th anniversary, things are certainly a little different. Thanks to the sacrifices of the sisters who came before them, the Presentation Sisters today live normal, comfortable lives instead of the grueling life of a pioneer. Since then, the sisters have served in communities across the state, halted a diphtheria outbreak, and began their own hospital. The impact of their resettlement from Dublin, Ireland to South Dakota is widespread, and they have totally changed the landscapes of the communities in which they’ve served.

Sister Lois Ann Sargent, a sister for 65 years and Presentation’s Archivist, has born witness to many of these changes in Aberdeen and has seen firsthand how the mission of their foundress,

Nano Nagle, has been carried out.

“Nano Nagle was a teacher and educator, and she went out and visited with the poor and the sick in their homes,” Sister Lois Ann explained. “She taught in the penal times, when she had to teach in hiding. We’re trying to follow her example by working with children, the less fortunate, and the sick.”

After moving around from 1880 to 1883 to teach along the Missouri River, Deadwood, and Fargo, Reverend Robert Haire invited three sisters to teach at Sacred Heart Parish in Aberdeen in 1886 (now known as part of the Roncalli School System). Aberdeen’s status as a hub location between the multiple railroads intersecting in the region made it the ideal location for the sisters to begin building their legacy. In 1901, during

a deadly diphtheria outbreak, the sisters were invited to assist the sick and eventually start a hospital. They were teachers at the time, with little background in medical training, but there was a call for help that needed answering, so they went right to work. In 1901, they opened their first hospital – what Aberdonians know today as Avera St. Luke’s.

The sisters’ involvement with the hospital soon led them to begin their own nursing program, which later led to the continuation of nursing education once Notre Dame Junior College moved to Aberdeen and was renamed Presentation College in 1951.

The sisters first Motherhouse was Butler Hall, pictured here with Original Blessed Sacrament Chapel. This building was originally located south of Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, which is now home to Kessler’s parking lot.

Seven sisters stand outside of Butler Hall. In the front is Mother John Hughes, who was one of the first three Sisters sent to Aberdeen.

Photos by Troy McQuillen and courtesy of Presentation Sisters

In the 1960’s, the sisters began to work as missionaries in countries around the world, including Mexico, Bolivia, Guatemala and Zambia.

Following in the footsteps of Nano Nagle, the Presentation Sisters’ mission is to “willingly go forth to any part of the world to work for justice, alleviate oppression and promote human dignity, especially among the poor,” and to “proclaim the Good News with missionary zeal, in a spirit of love and joy.” Without their contributions, Aberdeen’s healthcare and education systems would be totally different.

Today, many of the tiny schools across the state that the sisters staffed are closed, and the laity took over education. However, that doesn’t mean they’ve stopped educating – many sisters still participate in education efforts in Aberdeen and beyond, such as teaching English as a second language one-on-one to families, offering scholarships to students and providing internship opportunities. And although they no longer have any nurses on duty, they still have many sisters placed in their sponsored hospitals in other various positions. Now, they dedicate their lives almost entirely to serving the less fortunate by frequently answering the call to missions overseas and doing ample ministry and volunteer work within the community. “We’re known for our hospitality,” Sister Lois Ann said. The changes in healthcare and education are not the only major changes the Presentation Sisters have seen over the past 130 years, however. When

Sister Lois Ann came to join the sisters in 1951, they were still located in Butler Hall in downtown Aberdeen, just south of Avera St. Luke’s Hospital, which is now Kessler’s parking lot. Although it had served them well for many years, it was an old structure that was falling apart. In 1954, Sister Lois Ann got to be one of the very first residents of the new Motherhouse, which was the largest building Aberdeen had seen at the time and remains the home base for the sisters today. Since then, she has witnessed many major building renovations to the college and living spaces. “We want to keep it nice and livable, and very presentable to the public,” she said.

After one year of college, Sister Lois Ann entered the convent, and says that she has lived a very full life because of it. She was a teacher for 36 years and then a principal at several of Presentation’s schools. In 1990, she came to work as the Archivist, and has had the opportunity to learn much of the sisters’ past that she might never have known otherwise. She can tell you all kinds of stories, from how the hospitals used to have farms to how the sisters assisted in making pheasant sandwiches for soldiers during World War II. She even completed a very extensive timeline of the sisters’ history, which culminated in the creation of the Heritage Hall display, a hallway within the convent that gives a detailed glimpse into the sisters’ past.

“It’s been interesting,” Sister Lois Ann remarked. “I’ve never regretted becoming a member of the congregation. I was inspired by the sisters during my high school days, and was invited here by them.”

Currently, there are 68 Aberdeen Presentation Sisters and over 2,000 globally!

The sisters try their best to be visible in the community, hoping that by their examples, others may choose to take up their mission. Whether it’s choosing the vocation of sisterhood or joining their Cojourner program, which is a year long program in which members agree to carry out their mission, the sisters are hopeful that others will continue to follow in their footsteps.

Just as they did in the past, the Presentation Sisters will continue to spend their lives answering the call to “join in God’s mission by alleviating oppression and promoting human dignity in God’s people through prayer and apostolic service.”

According to President Sister Janice Klein, this milestone in history is no different from the many others throughout the sister’s 130 plus years in Dakota Territory. “Each moment in history has presented the Sisters challenges as they live this vocation of Love…freely received and freely given,” she said. “They discern the needs in their midst, providing leadership and witness as they respond.”

Sister Lois Ann’s life motto is one that reflects upon all of the Presentation sisters’ 130 years of history — “Live, live, live, joyfully, gracefully, and faithfully.” //

“I’VE NEVER REGRETTED BECOMING A MEMBER OF THE CONGREGATION.”

For Dee and Rob Brandner, roller rinks are nothing short of magic. They embody a piece of childhood where everyone can come together to have fun, make memories and, most importantly, form relationships that might just last a lifetime.

BY BECCA SIMON

When Rob’s parents were young, they met while waltzing and skating at the Aberdeen Roller Rink, and Dee’s parents met at Skateland. When Dee was 15, Rob asked her to skate couples at Rollaway, and the rest is history.

That’s why, when they found out that Rollaway – the last surviving roller rink in Aberdeen –was closing in 1991, they knew they had to do something about it. They were in their early twenties at the time, with no money and little means to start a business, but that didn’t stop them. “We grew up on skates,” Dee explained. “We felt bad for the kids in Aberdeen that didn’t have one. I thought, oh my gosh, what are these kids going to do?”

A few years later, Dee and Rob started looking at buildings to see if there was a place they could use. After looking at quite a few, including the building that is currently the Eagle’s Club, they decided to buy land and build their own rink.

In April of 1996, SkateAway, which was named after Aberdeen’s old roller rinks Skateland and Rollaway, opened its doors to the public. On its very first day of business, the construction crew was still working hard to put up the final lights and finish the cubbies. When they walked out of the building carrying scaffolding only a half an hour before they were set to have their grand opening, there was already a long, long line out the door of kids who couldn’t wait to see their new roller rink.

Since that day, SkateAway has been the go-to venue for fun for kids of all ages. In 2004, the building was expanded to accommodate more birthday rooms and an arcade was added. Relics from other roller rinks in South Dakota, including

made and unforgettable bonds were formed. “When I post a picture on Facebook of [people at SkateAway] from years and years ago, someone will comment on it and say, ‘Oh my gosh, I haven’t seen you guys in awhile. We need to get together.’ That’s so cool because they’re still friends, and they still get together 20 years later,” Dee said.

Although the faces occupying the roller rink may change every few years as people grow up, the feeling of timelessness that permeates the walls of SkateAway never dies. When people come back in college or even once they have kids of their own, it’s like a flashback directly to their childhood. “We had a policewoman who used to go to Rollaway that brought her son out here for a birthday party,” Dee elaborated. “She came in, left for ten minutes, and came back. She hadn’t been

“When they come back, they’ll say they miss it so much,” Rob said.

“That’s one of the greatest feelings to me, because missing something from your childhood means you really enjoyed it. It’s like old home week, I always say.”

Rob and Dee are everything from the janitors to the managers, but if you ask them, they’ll say they don’t really have any complaints. “We tell all our employees it’s the most fun job you’ll ever have,” Rob laughed.

On top of getting to hang out with the kids, Rob gets to hear all the new, popular songs before they even hit the radio, as well as play classics from the 80’s. A lot of kids even now will request ACDC, Metallica, or even Madonna or Michael Jackson. “I don’t think there’s been a Friday night in the past two years where there hasn’t been a Michael Jackson song asked for, which to me is cool because it’s fun music to skate to.”

the large hanging lights with mirror balls, found a home in Skateaway when they closed down. Other than that, though, not much has changed – and many will agree that that timelessness is what makes it so appealing. Today, Skateaway is the only roller rink located within a 200 mile radius of Aberdeen, the closest being in Sioux Falls. A couple years ago, Skateaway was even named “The Best Kept Secret of South Dakota.”

Rob and Dee’s main goal was to provide Aberdeen with a happy, fun, and safe environment for kids. Twenty years later, it’s safe to say that they did just that and much, much more.

For many like Dee and Rob, and their parents before them, roller rinks are a place where some of their most precious childhood memories were

in a skating rink since she was a teenager, and all of a sudden all these emotions and feelings came back, and she just started crying.”

It’s getting to know the people and being able to touch their lives in this way that makes Dee and Rob’s job so special. A lot of the kids come every weekend and start to feel like family. They know who is coming on Friday or Saturday, and whether they come in the afternoon or the evening. “If a kid is gone one week, the next week I’m like, ‘Were you sick last week?’ And they say, ‘No, I got grounded.’ I kind of laugh and say, ‘You need to clean your room so you can come and see us!’” Rob said.

They have been able to watch kids grow up from when they were little into their teens years.

Part of what makes SkateAway such a positive environment for family is the extra care Rob and Dee put in to make sure the kids are safe. They don’t tolerate bullying or swearing, and kids that violate the rules are asked to leave. “Here, everybody is equal,” Rob said. “It doesn’t matter which side of the tracks you come from, it doesn’t matter who you are, when you’re here you all become friends. It’s an amazing thing to watch.”

Due to their role in the community as leaders and go-givers, Rob and Dee had the honor of being selected to be Frosty for the Snow Queen festival this year. In the 70 years of the festival’s history, they are the second couple ever to be chosen.

“We’re proud to be part of Aberdeen,” Rob said. “This a great community. People have supported us and we appreciate that. When we opened, we couldn’t imagine still being here 20 years later. It has just flown by, and the kids have been crazy fun. We just wanted to help kids. And it took us back to holding hands and skating, too.” //

Photos by Harrison Brown

“WE TELL ALL OUR EMPLOYEES IT'S THE MOST FUN JOB YOU’LL EVER HAVE.”

Social Network Event Brings Students

Downtown

AT THE START OF THE SCHOOL YEAR hundreds of NSU and PC students merged on Main Street for activities, food and games. Folks from the Aberdeen Area Chamber of Commerce, iHELP Student Loans, Northern State University, Presentation College and the Aberdeen Downtown Association planned this first-ever welcome-back event to gather the students and introduce many of them to our downtown. Destined to become an annual event, this years Collegepalooza was tied in with the Downtown Summer Concert Series on August 25th. //

Photos by Troy McQuillen

last laugh getting the

So this new comedy scene walks into Aberdeen….

BY BECCA SIMON

As the wise Steven Martin once said, “Comedy is the art of making people laugh without making them puke.”

laugh

As many comics know, there is a fine line between the two – and sometimes they have to learn that the hard way. However, for the people that have mustered up the courage to stand on the stage and share their jokes with the world, taking that plunge has been one of the best decisions they have ever made.

In Aberdeen, a few local comedians have gotten together to jumpstart a local comedy scene that encourages people to cultivate their talents and laugh together.

It all started around a year ago when Jon Boon, a new comic on the scene hailing from Tennessee, reached out to Spencer Dobson, a professional comedian who lives in the area. Jon, who has been a fan of the comedy scene since he was young, took notice to the fact that there were no open mic opportunities for aspiring comics. Together, Jon and Spencer decided to change that. After reaching out to Slacker’s and

the Red Rooster, they set up an open mic night that alternates between the two locations every Tuesday evening at 7:00 PM at the Rooster and 8:00 PM at Slacker’s. The event at Slacker’s tends to be a bit more adult-oriented, whereas open mic nights at the Red Rooster appeal to people of all ages.

Although this platform for comedy is relatively new, so far Jon and Spencer would agree it has been a success. “We’re a very promotional crowd,” Jon said. “If people think they’re funny or they want to be funny, we encourage them to come up. We’ve had kids come up one time that we never see again, people that like to come up every once in awhile to tell funny stories, and people who just have funny stuff to say.”

Jon thinks he wasn’t very good at it when he first got up, but practice and lots of open mic nights have helped him improve. With the help of Spencer, he has learned a lot about the art of comedy and even had the opportunity to be on some comedy shows. By getting up in front of an audience and learning what works best for him, he has come to develop his own flavor of humor. “I try to think of how I can make something funny in the least amount of words,” he explained. “It

element of surprise. “The audience thinks you’re going one way, and then you turn it,” Spencer said.

Oftentimes, it’s pointing out the contradictions and absurdities in every day life that makes people laugh. “We all hate the same things,” Jon said. “Sometimes it’s just about being right about something they didn’t even know was a problem, or making an ideal gel.”

For instance, there may be some things that many people have seen their whole life but could never properly explain, and when it is explained in a way that is concrete, it becomes funny. An example of this is the word “Musquirt” coined by Rich Hall on Saturday Night Live, which refers to the liquid that comes out of mustard bottles. “We all know what that is, but nobody has put a name on it,” Spencer laughed. “It’s like, ‘Oh, that!’ That happens politically, societally, and in relationships. When you can do it, it’s a magical thing.”

To aspiring comics, Jon and Spencer say there is no better way to improve than by simply doing it. “Go up the first time,” Jon said. ‘It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done, but I’ve never missed an open mic since. It makes me better at shows.”

Since they have started the open mic gigs, Jon has hosted nearly all of them. Hosting has

sounds stupid because you’re supposed to talk, but I don’t want a lot of setup for a punchline. The punchline has to meet or exceed the setup.” Most of Jon’s jokes are short one-liners about things he sees on Facebook or other places on the internet, as well as where he grew up, and other various subjects.

Spencer is similar in that most of his humor tends to be semi-autobiographical. “I keep my feelers out for things that strike me as funny and present them in the most intriguing way possible.” Spencer, who does stand-up comedy full-time, has traveled all across the country telling jokes and developing his identity as a comic. Originally from Grand Forks, he started doing comedy in Minneapolis in the 90’s. In 2000, he did the HBO Comedy Arts Show. Since then, he has had the opportunity to meet several famous faces in the comedy scene, including Eugene Mirman, the voice of Gene from Bob’s Burgers, and even Steve Martin.

When asked what the secret recipe to making people laugh is, both men agreed that it’s all in the

allowed him ample time to practice his craft, since he is able to make jokes in between each person that takes the stage. Sometimes when he’s working on a joke and it has no end, it comes naturally to him while onstage.

“That fear and the adrenaline of going out on the ledge, and not knowing how you’re going to get off is what kicks it in, and the pieces of a joke come out,” Spencer said.

Of course, it doesn’t always go well. “Sometimes it just blows up in my face,” Jon laughed. But that’s all a part of the learning process.

In the future, Spencer and Jon hope to start bringing in more professional comics around South Dakota. Once they get more people in, they are hopeful it will continue to grow from there.

Spencer and Jon encourage all comic hopefuls to give it a go, at least once. “Just try it. It’d be great to have a couple regular people who secretly want to do this to take the plunge and get on stage,” Spencer said. “Do two minutes, we don’t care. Just keep trying, and keep an open mind.” //

If people think they’re funny or they want to be funny, we encourage them to come up.

Photos by Harrison Brown

EAT RIGHT, SPEND LIGHT

Whimsical and cozy, the Junction invites its guests to stay.

BY ERIN BALLARD

OWNER MARY BONEN is constantly moving, cooking, and prepping, but still never misses the chance to greet everyone who comes through her doors. Free samples and comfy couches contribute to the friendly, at-home atmosphere, but it’s really the food that keeps customers coming back. With every-day regulars at places like Avera and Sanford, car dealerships and hotels around town, the Junction has slowly but surely made a name for itself in Aberdeen.

The food company began as a daycare catering service over a year ago and quickly gained speed. “It’s always been really important to me what my kids eat,” Bonen explains. “We were delivering to fourteen different daycares and then adults started asking for lunch, too.” The Junction progressed to a food truck and then eventually moved into the location they now call home, on North Main Street. Bonen has been cooking for about seven years, but it was her background in nutrition that moved her to develop the company. “I wanted to give people a healthy option without the higher price tag,” she says. This combination of health and convenience inspired the name “Junction” and the unique variety of food they offer.

In addition to using only fresh ingredients, the Junction works closely with essential oils to create their wholesome menu. Ninety percent of the food served at the Junction is infused with essential oils from the Oil Room. Not only is this a natural and healthy way to spice up dishes, but it also allows consumers to benefit from all of the healing qualities associated with oils. According to Bonen, the mutual support between the two companies has been essential to the success of each.

An average menu at the Junction could include anything from street tacos to pork enchiladas to

a hamburger combo. Their best seller, spicy crab rolls, are made every day, though they usually sell out before 10:oo AM. if they aren’t the feature menu item. Though the menu changes weekly, the quality of the food remains constant. “The only thing we don’t make homemade is ketchup and mustard,” Bonen laughs. “The shells, the sauce, the cheese… it’s all homemade.” As winter rolls in, the Junction will offer seasonal soups, stews, and desserts, including pheasant and knoepfla soup.

Free delivery is an essential part of the Junction’s business plan because they do want to get their food to as many people as possible. Much of their delivery business is to those who cannot leave their homes but still want a healthy option, like the elderly or sick, for example. The Junction goes a step further by giving out free meals to low-income families on Thanksgiving and Christmas. “We just want to make people happy with our food,” Bonen says. “We don’t

want anyone excluded from that.”

With an adjustment to hours in late September, the Junction is now open from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Monday through Saturday. This, along with more tables inside, encourages guests to sit down and eat their meals inside, something that was not possible before. Other changes in the future include additional seating in front of the store once the snow melts, and hopefully, a “cold prep bar”, in which customers can prepare their own freezer meals at the store to take home and eat later. Bonen would also love to work with schools someday in order to provide healthier lunch options for students in the area.

Right now, Bonen is focused on providing healthy food to as many people as possible. “I want to show people that good food isn’t gross and it doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be good and cheap.” For more information and to view a current menu, visit their Facebook page or stop by their store. //

Photos by Mary Bonen

BYJENNYROTH PHOTOSBYHARRISONBROWN

Game On! Where to Score the Perfect GiftsforaWhiteElephantExchange

Toasty!

THE BASIC RULES OF A WHITE ELEPHANT gift exchange seem pretty straight-forward by definition. Everyone brings an unmarked, wrapped gift, and in the order chosen, players decide if they want to try their luck by opening one of these gifts or if they would rather ‘steal’ a gift that has already been opened by someone else. It sounds cut and dry, but my family has done this type of gift exchange during the holidays since I was a kid, and I can tell you from experience that it can quickly turn from just a game to a hilarious and competitive battle to see who will take home the best gift. We have strategized, formed alliances, and stolen to obtain sought after items that we didn’t even know we needed, like electronic wine bottle openers, leg lamps from the movie, , and talking fish wall plaques. But arguably even more important than ending up with a one-of-a-kind gift at the end of the exchange is the bragging rights you earn when you bring the one gift to the game that The Junque Shack, Main Street and Southern Shack Designs gave us some great ideas and helped us put together a list of unique, vintage, and useful white elephant gifts.

Get crafty!

Affordable and original home décor items like these handmade burlap flower designs can be found at Southern Shack Designs located at 312 6th Ave SW Aberdeen.

Cool kitchen!

Also at Southern Shack Designs are old-school kitchen accessories and containers that are sure to be a hit anywhere. Prices vary.

Sweet treats!

These candies with humorous South Dakota labels found at the Hitch ’N Post at 2601 6th Ave SE Aberdeen only cost between $4.99-$6.99 each.

Cowboy up!

Where are we now?

Photos by Troy McQuillen