The Dell Rapids School Board will meet in regular session on Monday, October 28th, at 7:00 p.m. in the HS/MS DDN Room. Some of the items on the agenda include approval of surplus items, approval of supplemental budgets, a working session on EEAD – Special use of School Buses by Outside Groups, and the administrative reports. The full agenda can be found here.
Rapid City Hosting Two State Events this Weekend
Rapid City will be hosting two state events October 25-26. Over 700 Student-Athletes will compete in the 68th Annual SDHSAA State Cross Country Meet to be held at Robbinsdale Park in Rapid City on Saturday afternoon, October 26th, beginning with the Class ‘B’ Girls’ race at 1:00 p.m. ct/12:00 p.m. mt. The entire Dell Rapids St Mary boys and girls cross teams qualified for the state event. Members of those teams include Anna Wolles, Cassy Geraets, Jackie Wolles, Mitch Roemen, Jared Scholten, Luke Brown, Matt Farmer, and Ethan Schmidt. Lexi Snyder and Zane Schumaker will be representing the Dell Rapids Quarriers at the state event.
Rapid City Stevens High School is the site for the 7th annual state competition for cheer and dance. Competition for Class A will be held on Friday, October 25th, with opening ceremonies beginning at 6:00 p.m. ct/5:00 p.m. mt. Class AA competition will begin at 12:00 p.m. ct/11:00 a.m. mt on Saturday, October 26th. Class A has 18 schools entered in the competitive cheer competition with 9 in the competitive dance competition. In Class AA, 17 schools will compete in competitive dance, with 16 set to compete in competitive cheer. Dell Rapids St Mary will perform around 7:10 p.m. ct/6:10 p.m. mt and Dell Rapids public will perform around 8:51 p.m. ct/7:51 p.m. mt. The event will be broadcast on South Dakota Public Broadcasting television channel 2 (SDPB2) as well as online at http://www.sdpb.org/live/
City Council Meeting: 10/21/13
The Dell Rapids City Council will meet in regular session on Monday, October 21st, at 7:30 p.m. at the City Chambers. Some of the items on the agenda include an amendment to the AT&T agreement of the water tower lease, first reading of an amendment to ordinance 779 – discharge of fireworks, and the administrative report. The full agenda can be found here. The city council meeting will also be webcast live on Big Sioux Media.
Fund Set up for Injured Teen
A fund has been set up for Dylan Lesselyoung at Wells Fargo Bank in Dell Rapids. Lesselyoung was severely injured in a roll-over crash on Tuesday, October 8th. He was ejected from the vehicle when it rolled over. His neck broke in several places in the accident. Currently Lesselyoung has no feeling or movement below the shoulders. He has undergone two surgeries so far in Sioux Falls, but now needs to be transferred to Craig’s Hospital in Denver, Colorado. Craig’s Hospital specializes in rehabilitation of spinal cord injuries. He could be in Denver anywhere from three to nine months. Lesselyoung’s mother, Tracy Fodness of Dell Rapids, will be traveling with him to Craig’s Hospital and will be staying with him while he recovers.
Donations can be made to the fund. STAY STRONG D.M.L bracelets are also for sale for $5.00 at the home football game tonight, or they can be purchased from Kassandra Steinke (605-212-6939). The monies in the fund will be used to help cover the transportation cost to have him flown in an air ambulance and for anything he may need during his rehabilitation.
Lesselyoung is a graduate of Dell Rapids High School and just recently started college in Mitchell.
Cards/mail can be sent to:
Craig Hospital
%Dylan Lesselyoung
3425 S. Clarkson Street
Englewood, CO 80113
Dell Rapids School Board Meeting: 10/14/13
The Dell Rapids School Board will meet in regular session on Monday, October 14th, at 7:00 p.m. in the MS/HS DDN Room. Some of the items on the agenda include the approval of the Safe Routes to School grant requirements, a request for the archery club to be school sponsored, discussion on the old elementary building, and committee reports. The full agenda can be found here.
See You at the Pole Rally Held
Students from Dell Rapids Middle School participated in the first “See You at the Pole” Rally on Friday, September 27th, at 7:30 a.m. The rally was organized by the First Baptist Church Youth Group, The Pulse. Students gathered to pray for their school, teachers, coaches, principals, peers, community, and their nation. The Scripture of focus was 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”
The students read Scripture, shared personal testimonies, prayed, and shared ways that they could be positive influence in their schools. The national “See You at the Pole” rally events are held annually on the fourth Wednesday of September.
Anna Schmidt, student organizer, said, “This is a great way to honor God and to pray for our school, community, and our nation.”
This group of students plan to gather and pray quarterly at their school flagpole.
Quarrier Marching Band 2nd at Hobo Days
Mikaela Stofferahn
**Photo by Alexis Damm**
The Dell Rapids Marching Band participated in the Hobo Day parade on Saturday, October 5th, in Brookings. The Dell Rapids band received second place in Class A. Milbank received first place. The other bands in Class A were Sioux Valley, Miller, and Flandreau
The Dell Rapids Marching Band had to overcome some big obstacles in Brookings. First of all four students were missing due to injury or prior family commitments. When the students arrived in Brookings, another student had forgotten a knee brace, but manage to march through the entire parade, playing through the pain. To go along with those obstacles, the band had to also overcome several instrument malfunctions and a
Jayme Damm
**Photo by Alexis Damm**
missing group banner.
Band Director Brian Smith said, “As our time to enter the parade was quickly approaching, I could sense that the group was not focused on the long parade ahead. After a quick ‘motivational’ speech, the band seemed to pull it together. I was very happy with their efforts on Saturday. I received many compliments about the band’s performance from both strangers and colleagues I spoke with during the parade.”
Congratulations to the Dell Rapids Marching Band on their second place finish at Hobo Days!
Braeden Lightner
**Photo by Alexis Damm**
City Council Meeting: 10-7-13
The Dell Rapids City Council will meet in regular session on Monday, October 7th, at 7:30 p.m. at the City Council Chamber. Some of the items on the agenda include an outdoor events permit for the Halloween Open House on October 25th at the downtown businesses, a report and discussion on economic development, Library Director job description and wage setting, date setting for upcoming free rubble site days, and administrative report. The full agenda can be found here.
Two Dell Rapids Residents Die in Crash Near Wagner
WAGNER, S.D. – Two Dell Rapids, S.D., people died in a one-vehicle crash on a gravel road two miles west and one-half mile north of Wagner on Sunday, Sept. 29.
Stephanie Jo Thompson, 32, was driving a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac south on the gravel road. She lost control, and the vehicle entered the west ditch and rolled. Thompson was wearing a seatbelt. She was partially ejected from the vehicle and was dead at the scene.
A passenger in the vehicle, Derek Gavin Weston, 34, was not wearing a seatbelt. He was thrown from the vehicle and was dead at the scene.
No further information is immediately available. http://news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?id=15209
October Proclaimed Disability Employment Awareness Month in South Dakota
PIERRE, S.D. – Gov. Dennis Daugaard has proclaimed October as Disability Employment Awareness Month in South Dakota, carrying the national theme “Because We Are Equal to the Task.”
The state Department of Human Services (DHS) joins a broad effort to observe National Disability Employment Awareness Monhttp://www.daubyssportscenter.com/th (NDEAM), an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of NDEAM is to educate the public about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities.
The history of NDEAM traces back to 1945, when Congress enacted a law declaring the first week in October as “National Employ the Physically Handicapped Week.” In 1962, the word “physically” was removed to acknowledge the needs and contributions of individuals with all types of disabilities. In 1988, Congress expanded the week to a month and changed the name to National Disability Employment Awareness Month.
“The Department of Human Services is proud to be a part of this year’s National Disability Employment Awareness Month,” said Dr. Ted Williams, interim Secretary of DHS. “We want to spread the important message that a strong workforce is one inclusive of the skills and talents of all individuals, including individuals with disabilities.”
This effort coincides with Gov. Daugaard’s goal of making South Dakota an “employment-first state,” in which employment is the first priority and the preferred outcome for the state’s citizens with disabilities. Bringing this goal into focus is the Employment Works Task Force – comprised of representatives of the disability, business and government communities – which will present a report to the Governor by the end of October, outlining strategies to increase the employment of South Dakotans with disabilities.
Reflecting this year’s theme, a host of agencies and organizations will engage in a variety of activities throughout the month to educate the public on disability employment issues and the role they play in fostering a disability-friendly work culture. These efforts include the following:
Oct. 3, Sioux Falls – At 8 a.m. at the Sanford Research Center (Coyote Room), located at 2301 E. 60th St. N., a breakfast will be held for area employers and providers. Michelle Grimm and Tina Cook from Southeastern Behavioral Health Care will present on “Mental Illness in the Workplace.” DakotaLink and Adaptivations will have booths at the event to demonstrate and display adaptive equipment available for people with disabilities. For more information, please contact Cindy Stewart at (605) 367-5330.
Oct. 7, Yankton – At 10 a.m. at the Yankton Middle School, 2000 Mulberry St., “Handicap This!” will give a presentation. At 7 p.m., a community event will be held at Mount Marty College in Marian Auditorium. Tim Wambach and Mike Berkson will speak about disability issues, breaking down barriers, living with disabilities and living to one’s potential. For more information, please contact Jennifer Trenhaile at (605) 668-3050.
Oct. 8, Mitchell – At noon at the Sherman Center on the Dakota Wesleyan University campus, 120 W. University Ave., a presentation will be made by “Handicap This!” The public is invited to attend. A second presentation will be made at the Mitchell Area Community Theater/Pepsi Cola Theater, located at Seventh and Main. Doors open at 5 p.m.; hors d’oeuvres and beverages will be provided; an awards presentation will start at 5:30 p.m.; and “Handicap This!” will begin at 6 p.m. “Handicap This!” will present on disability issues, breaking down barriers, living with disabilities and living to one’s potential. For more information, please contact Brenda Martin at (605) 995-8072; an RSVP is encouraged.
Oct. 9, Brookings – “Handicap This!” will present at Brookings High School, located at 530 Elm Ave., beginning at 9 a.m. A second presentation will be given from 11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. for the Brookings Area Human Resource Association and Women in Leadership and Learning at the Swiftel Center. The presentations will address disability issues, breaking down barriers, living with disabilities and, most of all, living to one’s potential. For more information, please contact Sylvia Lozada at (605) 688-4282 or Matt Simet at (605) 695-8471.
Oct. 9, Milbank – At 6:30 p.m. “Handicap This!” will present at the Milbank Community Center; registration is at 6 p.m. The presentation will address disability issues, breaking down barriers, living with disabilities and, most of all, living to one’s potential. An evening meal and dessert will be prepared and facilitated by individuals involved in a cooking class through LifeQuest. Award recipients will also be recognized. For more information, contact Brigett Wookey at (605) 881-3727.
Oct. 10, Watertown – At 5 p.m. “Handicap This!” will present at the Elk’s Lodge Banquet Hall, located at 600 W. Kemp. The presentation will address disability issues, breaking down barriers, living with disabilities and, most of all, living to your potential. The Mayor’s Awards will follow the presentation. For more information, please contact Gary Frentz at (605) 882-5130.
Oct. 11, Madison, at 9:00 am “Handicap This!” will present at the Madison High School (800 NE 9th Street, Madison, SD) at 9:00 am. The presentation will address disability issues, breaking down barriers, living with disabilities and, most of all, living to one’s potential. The general public is welcome to attend. For more information, please contact Shaun Erschens at (605) 688-4280.
Oct. 16, Rapid City – From 5:30-8 p.m., Dr. Richard Pimentel will present at the Rushmore Plaza Holiday Inn. Pimentel is a nationally renowned expert on Disability Management, Job Recruitment, Americans with Disabilities Act and Attitude Change. He is not only technically proficient, but he is also an exceptional communicator whose audiences praise his ability to combine information, humor, metaphor, analogy and storytelling into an informative whole that does not just present the information, but really communicates it in a memorable fashion. For more information, please contact Margie Helgeson at (605) 394-2261.
Oct. 17, Aberdeen – From 3:30-5 p.m., a session will be held at the Best Western Ramkota Hotel featuring Stuart Ellis-Myers. The topic will focus on promoting communication skills, leadership skills and customer service for employers, employees and service providers during the vocational rehabilitation process of employment as well as worker shortage and how people with disabilities can fill those needs. Aberdeen Mayor Mike Levsen will present awards to local employers and employees. For more information, please contact Doris Lamb, at (605) 626-2398.
Oct. 15-17, Pierre/Fort Pierre – The 2013 Fall Conference, with the theme “Beyond the Yellow Ribbon,” will be held at the Best Western Ramkota. Dr. Richard Pimentel will provide the keynote speech “Wounded Soldiers Returning to Work” during the luncheon on Oct. 16. The Fall Conference is a collaboration of agencies providing presentations in the areas of Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Community Employment Services and Transition Services for Students with Disabilities. Sessions will focus on working with veterans with disabilities when they return home and working with students with disabilities as they transition to employment or adult services. For more information, please contact Bernie Grimme at (605) 773-3195.
Oct. 21, Sisseton – At 6 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 202 E. Maple St., an event will be held to recognize employers of people with disabilities. A guest speaker and presentation of certificates will be featured after a catered meal. For more information, please contact Cindy Kirschman or Mike Hauge at (605) 626-2398.
About DHS
In partnership with its stakeholders, the South Dakota Department of Human Services’ mission is to optimize the quality of life of people with disabilities through the programs and services offered by its divisions. Learn more by visiting the department’s website, dhs.sd.gov, and viewing the 2013 DHS Strategic Plan.