Tag: Rutland Post Office

The Rooster Crows – Apr. 28, 2023

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By Bill Anderson

Fifty-one degrees above Zero on Tuesday, April25, and we’re not done, yet. The weather gurus are predicting highs of 59 for both Wednesday & Thursday, April 26 & 27, this week. It will only take a little push to get into the 60’s, where the reality of spring can finally sink in. The possibility of snow is still in the forecast, though, but maybe, just maybe, we are done with that nonsense until November.

Local farmers are beginning to get a little tense, as potential planting dates are crossed off the calendar without a wheel having turned anywhere in the County. If the cool damp weather persists, it has been suggested that ice plant may become 2023’s primary cash crop.

Speaking of cash crops, Chuck Anderson reports that he has been hauling corn from the Anderson Farm in Weber Township to the Cargill Company’s storage and loading facility at Fairmount this week. The corn was harvested last fall, and was contracted for delivery to Cargill this spring. Road conditions have required Chuck to take a roundabout route to Fairmount, though. He has had to drive west from the farm on a Township road, then north on the next Township road to County Road #5, and then west on County #5 over to ND Highway #32, then north on #32 up to ND #11 and then east to Fairmount. Chuck says that he’s just happy to have a route that enables him to get the corn to where it’s supposed to go by the time it’s supposed to get there.

Chuck Anderson also reported that word was received on Tuesday, April 25, that an old neighbor, Virgil Hoistad, had passed away that day. Virgil was residing at a nursing home in Moorhead MN at the time of his death. Obituary and funeral information was not available as of this writing.

The Lariat Bar is becoming an increasingly popular venue for meetings of all kinds: professional; personal; and, partying. On Wednesday, April 19, three old friends: Steve Wyum of Rutland; Dr. Jerry Waswick of Gwinner; and, Bill Anderson of Rutland; gathered at The Lariat Bar to enjoy the Noon Special, a hot roast beef combo, and to catch up on where life has been taking them. The three men had become friends while serving together on the Sargent County Commission from 2004 to 2020. On the evening of Wednesday, April 19, Ambulance crews, Fire Departments & members of the Sargent County Sheriff’s Department met to discuss the new Statewide Interactive Radio Network (SIRN) that will allow emergency responders to communicate with each other during emergency response situations, when clear and unambiguous communication is needed. On Tuesday, April 18, the Sargent County Chapter of Pheasants Forever held its meeting in the Lariat’s dining room. Among those attending the Pheasants Forever meeting was Sargent County’s rhubarb King, Terry Dusek of Milnor. On Saturday, April 15, descendants of Dianna Anderson and the late Larry Anderson met in the Lariat’s dining room. Earlier that week, on Wednesday, April 12, the Wild Rice Antique Tractor & Plowing Association met at The Lariat in the afternoon, and the Sargent County Farmers’ Union executive committee held its organizational meeting in the dining room of The Lariat that evening. On Tuesday, April 25, members of Bergman-Evenson Post #215 of The American Legion met in The Lariat’s Dining Room to review the “Poppy Posters” created by members of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd Grade Classes at Sargent Central’s Elementary School. Twenty-five posters had been submitted, and all were well done. The Poppy Poster Contest is sponsored by the Rutland Unit of The American Legion Auxiliary, and was coordinated by Auxiliary member Diane Smith.

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The Rooster Crows – Dec. 2, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

The four day Veterans Day weekend, from November 10th through the 13th, gave us rain, cold, ice, snow and slush, bringing down power lines, wrecking trees, damaging buildings and making traffic of any kind, pedestrian or vehicular, hazardous. The four day Thanksgiving weekend gave us sunshine, temperatures into the upper 40’s, and altogether pleasant conditions that raised spirits, melted snow, removed ice, and greatly improved conditions for travel and other activities. The Almighty giveth and the Almighty taketh away, in this case that turned out to be a mighty good deal. By Wednesday, November 30, conditions were back to winter, with a temperature of 9 above and a 25 mph northwest wind, but at least the ice and snow were gone, for a little while, anyway. Sometimes old guys wear their long woolies; Sometimes they wear the ones filled with down; sometimes they’re all in the laundry; then those old guys are the talk of the town.

A few years ago, the City of Rutland installed a speed limit sign with a flashing light on it along County Road #10/First Street, on the south side of town, in an attempt to slow down the traffic entering Rutland from the south. The sign is now missing, as is its flashing light. Anyone with information about the present location of the missing sign is asked to contact the City of Rutland at 724-3081. Traffic signs are expensive, and they are installed for the protection of the public. Some folks think that it is humorous to remove or deface traffic signs. Several years ago, someone thought that it would be fun to steal a STOP sign from the intersection of County Road #14 and ND Highway #11 at Geneseo. Shortly after the sign had been removed, a person unfamiliar with the area drove through Geneseo from the south and, as there was no sign, did not stop at the intersection. The driver’s vehicle was struck by a tractor-trailer rig in the center of the intersection. The driver was killed and her car was demolished. This was not humorous to any of the parties involved. If you have any information about Rutland’s missing speed limit sign, please see to it that the sign is returned so no one will have to carry a tragedy on their conscience for the rest of their life.

Paul Anderson travelled on Delta Airlines to Phoenix AZ on Tuesday, November 22, to spend the Thanksgiving holiday with his Mother-In-Law, Etha Quinlan of Sun City West, his daughter, Betsy, from Las Vegas NV, and his daughter, Katy, and her family from Seattle WA. Present at Etha’s home in Sun City for Thanksgiving Dinner were: Etha Quinlan; Paul Anderson; Betsy Anderson; Josh & Katy Elfering; Rhys Elfering; and, Arlo Elfering. Betsy, Josh, Katy and the kids all headed for home on Friday, November 25, and Paul arrived back in Fargo on the11:00 p.m. flight from Minneapolis on Sunday, November27.

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The Rooster Crows – Oct. 7, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

Uff-Da, what a day!  Sunday, October 2, 2022, Uff-Da Day XXXVII, was a great day in the little city that can. It started out as a questionable day, with an overcast sky and sputtering rain showers as the 5k Run/Walk got underway at 8:00 a.m., but it just got nicer and nicer all day long, with increasing sunshine and just enough of a breeze to keep the flies grounded. The Sun really does always shine on Rutland, even when it’s raining! The streets were full of people, and every face had a smile. More than 3,000 lefse, 18 roasters of scalloped potatoes with ham, more roasters full of rice pudding, gallons of rommegrot, hundreds of krumkake, sandkaker & abelskievers, Uff-Da Tacos, hot dogs and bratwursts had been consumed by the time activities started to wind down. All that was left was the aroma of good cooking. Among the highlights of this year’s event were: the 2022 car show organized by David & Pat Bladow, and members of their family, that included 104 antique, classic, restored & modified automobiles from throughout North Dakota, South Dakota & Minnesota; the one room country school exhibit in which Val Pherson and a group of 32 youngsters, dressed in period garb demonstrated what school was like back in “the good old days”; the sawmill operated by Sod Buster volunteers from Fort Ransom and powered by Joel Susag’s WD-45 Allis Chalmers tractor; musical performances by Jim Levery, Harvey Bergstrom and Earl Fust at the Seniors’ Center and Town Hall throughout the day; The American Legion Color guard composed of Ted Lee, Roger McLaen, Andy Hoflen, Andy Harris & Calvin Jacobson that led the Uff-Da Day Parade through town; and, The temporarily reopened Lariat Bar, now under new ownership and management, that supplied refreshments to patrons throughout the afternoon and evening hours. Annie Kempel, owner & operator of The Monkey Hut Bar in Havana, was behind the bar at The Lariat to manage the day’s operations. Arts & craft vendors, 41 of them, reported a great day and local youngsters with their wagon loads of pumpkins, squash and other garden produce did a land office business. The Nickel Scramble, once again sponsored by Joe’s Ag Supply and the Kenny & Tanya Hamilton family, had enthusiastic participation by kids of all ages.  According to Rutland Community Club President and Uff-Da Day XXXVII Chairperson Katie McLaen, planning for Uff-Da Day XXXVIII will begin at the next meeting of the Rutland Community Club on Monday, October 10, at the Rutland Town Hall. Uff-Da Day XXXVIII will be on Sunday, October 1, 2023. Mark it on your calendar now, and don’t miss it.

Among the throng in Rutland for Uff-Da Day were Rutland natives, former residents and old friends: Eleanor (Kulzer) Bommersbach, age 102, and her daughter, Patsy Steiner, of Wyndmere ND; Pat Prindiville from Horace ND; Glen Larson and daughter, Laura, from Watertown SD; Lowell T. Wyum from Fargo ND; Ann Hoflen from St. Paul MN; John Hoflen from Bismarck; Allison Hoflen from West Fargo ND; James Hoflen from Iowa; Kathy Lee from Wahpeton ND; Carol (Welle) Fridgen from Nevis MN; Sonja (Anderson) Christensen from Wahpeton; Clarence “Stub” & Sharon(Lee) Sundlie from Fargo; Bonita (Bauman) Sundlie and daughter, Lisa, from Horace ND; Harlan Nundahl from Fargo; Mavis (Hoflen) Wold from Forman; Mary Alice (Pearson) Oyloe from Williston ND; Jerry & Ramona Kelsh from Fullerton ND; Sarah (Lee) Dobmeier from Alexandria MN; Mary (Olstad) Indridson from Cavalier ND; Jim Dotzenrod & grandson, Brody, a big fan of Rutland’s “Bounce Houses,” from Wyndmere ND; Alissa Mitskog from Wahpeton ND; Evangeline (Larson) Vold from Britton SD; Patty (Larson) Jacobson from Forman; Dean & Carol (Henjum) Nundahl from Mankato MN; Corrine (Narum) Romereim and granddaughter, Jaylyn Romereim & Jaylyn’s boyfriend, from Wahpeton ND; Rod & Brenda Romereim from Wahpeton ND; Steve & Judie (Anderson-Seavert) Grohs from Rosholt SD; Brevin Watson & girlfriend from Wahpeton ND; Rita Preble from Forman; and, many, many more. 

Jim and Jennifer Boyko of Britton SD have purchased the Weber Township farmstead formerly owned & occupied by the late Terry & Patty Carlen and their family. The farmstead of about 20 acres is situated on the west side of County Road #10, approximately 6 miles south of Rutland. Mr. Boyko is employed by Hortons in Britton, and Mrs. Boyko is a teacher in the Britton school system. The Boykos have two adult children presently in college, and a daughter in Junior High at home. The Rutland community welcomes the Boykos to Sargent County, to the Coteau des Prairies hills, and to the Rutland & Havana communities. The Carlen Farm had been purchased last Winter by John Anderson of Weber Township. John offered the farmstead for sale last Spring, and the deal with the Boykos was closed about 2 weeks ago. It’s good to have people on our local farms.

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The Rooster Crows – Apr. 29, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

The thunderstorm that moved through the Rutland community late on Friday night and early Saturday morning, April 22 & 23, was a real rip-roaring, rumbling, rattling, rocking & rolling sound and light show, combined with a downpour that dumped .84 of an inch of rain at the Mike & Debbie Banish farm south of town; 1 inch at the Chuck & Mary Beth Anderson farm in Weber Township; .85 of an inch at the Mark & Kathy Wyum home in Rutland; 1½ inch of rain at Jesse Brakke’s Ransom Township farmstead between Rutland & Cayuga; and, more than 2 inches at Rick Bosse’s farm near Brampton. A 4.6” gully-washer near Crete, in the northwestern corner of Sargent County, washed out a substantial section of County Road #2 near Kraft Lake, according to Sargent County Commissioner Lyle Bopp. The temperature shot up to 72 above by Noon on Saturday, and then began a rapid decline to 24 degrees by 6:00 on Sunday morning, as the weather front moved through. The forecast for the week calls for more rain and more cold, with freezing temperatures most nights until the first week of May is behind us. Well, at least there was half a day of nice weather on Saturday, April 23. There was some consternation on the afternoon of Tuesday, April 26, when a bright object appeared in the sky to the south southwest of Rutland. Concerns were relieved, though, when it was confirmed that the object was actually the Sun, making its first appearance in quite some time. It was a welcome sight, and it is hoped that it will show up a little more often in the future. There is general agreement that a week or two without freezing temperatures sometime between now and Labor Day would be nice.

Rodney Erickson reports that the paperwork he submitted to the U.S. Postal Service concerning a new Post Office location in Rutland has been received by the office in Colorado in charge of the project and is under consideration. Rodney was informed that it might take a month or two for the Postal Service to get someone up to Rutland to look things over and make a recommendation about the floor plan for a new facility. It takes a lot of planning to figure out how to put a lobby for the public up front; office space, work area & storage in the rear; and a screen line with customers’ Post Office boxes and a service window in between. Speed does not appear to be of the essence. The Post Office boxes, service window and other USPS equipment were removed from the old Post Office last week and taken to the Gwinner Post Office to be stored until they can be installed at the new location. Let’s hope that the Postal Service can remember where it put this stuff when the time comes to use it again. As of the end of April, it will have been 7 months since the door on the old Post Office was locked “for a few days.” Since then, several local volunteers have been making daily trips to Forman to pick up mail at the Post Office there and deliver it to the intended recipients in Rutland. A few years ago, before the gang that now runs the Postal Service from its lair in Washington DC was appointed, the aim of the operation was to be faster, more efficient, and less expensive. The current Postmaster General has a new goal: slower; less efficient; and, more expensive. It is time for the Congress of the United States, the body that has the statutory and Constitutional responsibility to oversee the operations of the Postal Service, to fire the Postmaster General and the entire Board of Governors of the USPS. They can then be replaced with competent individuals of good character who have the best interests of the American people in mind. So, come on John, Kevin and Kelly, step up and do your job!

In another Main Street development, The Stock Growers Bank, formerly The Sargent County Bank, has listed the Lariat Bar and its contents with the Steffes Auction Company in Fargo, to be sold sometime in mid-June. According to Casey Bopp of Stock Growers Bank, it is the Bank’s intention to sell the property as a “turnkey operation,” ready for a new buyer to get up and running in short order. The Lariat Bar has been closed since March 5, when former operators Pete & Michelle Denault, decided to terminate their lease. The Denaults had a good business going but decided to leave the business due to personal concerns. Anyone wishing to obtain additional information about the Lariat Bar in Rutland can contact Casey Bopp at Stock Growers Bank in Forman, 701-724-3216, or check out Steffes Auction’s web site at steffesgroup.com. The Lariat Bar is a great business opportunity for anyone who is willing to put forth some effort. It’s better than having a license to print your own money.

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The Rooster Crows – Apr. 22, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

The more the weather changes, the more it stays the same. Like the movie “Ground Hog’s Day,” every day is a repeat of the day before: windy; cold; and, wet. There was a hot time at the old Town Hall, though, at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 16, as more kids than you could shake a stick at gathered for the Annual Rutland Easter Egg Hunt. The event had been planned to take place at a more spacious venue in the great outdoors, Lou Sanderson Field, but the inclement weather forced the sponsor, the Rutland Community Club, to move it indoors. According to Community Club President Katie McLaen, the Easter Bunny, who remained at the scene for photographs, had hidden 3,000 eggs for the kids to find, and 100 for the participants in the newly added adult Egg Hunt. The Rutland-Cayuga Volunteer Firemen donated six bicycles that were awarded as door prizes to 6 fortunate youngsters. The ladies of the Rutland American Legion Auxiliary served caramel rolls, cupcakes, muffins, juice, and coffee to those in attendance. Congratulations to the Rutland Community Club for another successful community event. President McLaen also reports that the search is on for Miss Rutland 2022 to compete for the title of Miss Sargent County this coming Summer. The Community Club will also be hosting the Annual Rutland Community Block Party, to which the entire community is invited, in early June. The next Community Club meeting is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 9, at the Rutland Town Hall. “Things are happening in the little city that can,” says Katie.

Local churches were full on Easter Sunday morning, it is reported. All three churches of the TNT Parish: Trinity Lutheran of Havana; Nordland Lutheran of Rutland; and Trinity Lutheran of Forman; were filled up, and it is also reported that all seats were filled at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Cayuga. 

Easter dinner guests at the Joanne Harris home in Rutland were Andy Harris; Paul Anderson; and Bill Anderson.

Easter weekend visitors at the home of Norbert & Beverly Kulzer were Stephen & Ann Kulzer of Hartford SD and their son, Will, of Brookings. Norbert reports that their two granddaughters were out of the area, Lauren working at a hospital in Kansas City, and Brooke working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in North Carolina. Stephen, Ann & Will departed for home on Sunday afternoon, after the snow let up.

More rain on the morning of Wednesday, April 20. According to Chuck Anderson and Mike Banish, the correct amount received as of 10:00 a.m. was either 3 tenths or 30 hundredths, take your pick. This is added to the snow received last week and on Easter Sunday. As it stands right now, there should be enough moisture to start a crop, if only the weather would warm up a little.

Last week it was mentioned in The Rooster Crows that Noel Liermark of this community had passed away on the morning of Thursday, April 7, at his home in Rutland. Noel had attained the age of 81 years, 8 months and 14 days at the time of his death. Noel Gary Liermark was born in Brooklyn NY on July 24, 1940, to Ivan & Dorothy (Weissman) Liermark. His parents brought him up in the Jewish faith. According to Noel, his first name was supposed to have been Noah, but a clerk at the hospital typed in Noel and it stuck. During World War II Noel moved with his parents to Long Beach CA, where he grew up and attended school. According to his lifelong friend, Mike Silverberg, who flew in from Hawaii to speak at Noel’s funeral, he had the normal interests of a teenage boy of the 1950’s, sports, cars, and girls. He graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic High School in 1958. Following his graduation from high school, Noel worked with his father in the metal salvage business in Long Beach for a year before enlisting in the U. S. Army in August of 1959. During his time in the Army, Noel served a tour of duty with Military Assistance Command-Vietnam (MAC-V), headquartered at Saigon. During that time, American military personnel in Vietnam were officially considered to be Advisors, but the Viet Cong guerillas considered them to be combatants, and did not hesitate to take them under fire. Noel continued to serve in the Army until his Honorable Discharge in 1962. After returning home, he decided to go up to Lake Tahoe for a weekend, and ended up spending more than 40 years there, working in the gaming industry, for many years as a floor supervisor at Harrah’s Casino, one of the most prestigious of the Lake Tahoe gaming venues. It was at Lake Tahoe that he met Debra Vanderwolf, the love of his life. They were married on May 27, 1989, at Beaverton OR. They continued to make their home at Lake Tahoe until moving to Rutland in 2006. He developed a passion for cooking and enjoyed the company of his pet cats and dogs. Noel was a kind and gentle man who played a large role in the lives of his nieces and nephews. He is survived by his wife, Debra Liermark of Rutland; by a brother-in-law, Klaas Vanderwolf of Forman; and by several nieces, grandnieces, and grand nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; by Debra’s parents, Hein & Toos Vanderwolf; and, by a sister-in-law, Gretchen Vann. The funeral service for Noel Liermark was at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 19, at Nordland Lutheran Church in Rutland, with Pastor Julie Johnson officiating. Military honors were rendered by Bergman-Evenson Post #215 of The American Legion. Interment will be in the Rutland Cemetery at a later date. Price Funeral Chapel of Britton & Forman was in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be sent to Debra Liermark, 213 Anthony Street, Rutland ND 58067. The Rutland community extends its condolences to the family and friends of Noel Liermark, a kind and decent man to whom strangers were just friends that he had not yet met.

Well, on the Post Office front, it’s still 3 out of 4: no action; no service; no Post Office. We can’t say “no information” any longer, however. Rodney Erickson reports that he has been contacted by an official at the U.S. Postal Services office in Colorado, and that he has submitted paperwork for a new Post Office location in Rutland. According to Rodney, the USPS now has some new requirements which it is doubtful whether any of the Post Offices currently in use in Sargent County satisfy. One of them is a requirement for at least 9 parking spaces, 2 of them handicapped accessible, and a number of them on private property. We’ll have to check out the Fargo Post Office one of these days, just to see how it stacks up. Representatives of the U.S. Postal Service were in Rutland on the morning of Wednesday, April 20, removing the Post Office boxes and other equipment from the former Post Office building. It was reported that the equipment would be stored at the Gwinner Post Office until a new facility in Rutland is secured.

Rutland native David Sundlie (RHs & SCHS Class of ’65) reports that his current hometown, Bismarck ND had more than a foot and a half of new snow dumped on it during last week’s 3-day blizzard that had most of the State shut down for several days. According to Dave, with the snow that fell down, was blown in and shoveled up, he now has about 4 feet of snow under the deck on his house, and he is looking for a neighborhood youngster to handle the snow chores from this point on. But then, Bismarck had it easy compared to Minot, where 3 feet of snow fell during the blizzard, and another 12 inches was added on Easter Sunday. With western North Dakota having suffered through 2 years of drought, the precipitation is not unwelcome, but cattlemen who are trying to raise a calf crop could do with a little less snow and a lot more sunshine right now. It’s hard to tell which has to be tougher, the cows or the cowboys.

Some upcoming events in Rutland include: Rutland City Council meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 2, at the Rutland Town Hall; Rutland Community Clean Up Day on Saturday, May 7, all over town, with drop off points at the City’s inert landfill west of Lou Sanderson Field and at the City shop for electronic items; Rutland Community Club meeting at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, May 9, at the Rutland Town Hall; and, Memorial Day observances in Rutland commencing with military rites at 10:15 a.m. at the Nordland Cemetery & 10:30 a.m. at the Rutland Cemetery on Monday, May 30. The military rites will be followed by a program at the Rutland Town Hall, and by the traditional community pot-luck dinner at the Town Hall following the program.

The Rutland Cemetery Association reports that it has recently received 2 substantial donations to the Perpetual Care Fund. The first was a $10,000 donation from Jean Hauge, a daughter of Rutland natives Henry & Bertha (Moe) Skaarer, whose remains are buried in the Rutland Cemetery. Mrs. Hauge commended the Cemetery Association’s Board for the excellent care and maintenance that is provided for the cemetery grounds. The second donation was a $900 gift received from the Rutland Sportsmen’s Club’s gaming fund. The Rutland Cemetery Association is grateful to Mrs. Hauge and to the Rutland Sportsmen’s Club for their generous donations.

Meanwhile, on the North Dakota State scene, incumbent U.S. Senator John Hoeven is breathing a sigh of relief after narrowly fending off a challenge for the Republican Party’s endorsement during its recently concluded convention. Sen. Hoeven was challenged by ultra-conservative State Representative Dr. Rick Becker of Bismarck. Had Dr. Becker’s challenge succeeded, it would have been the first time that an incumbent U.S. Senator from North Dakota had been knocked off in a party convention or primary election since NPL candidate Wild Bill Langer beat out fellow NPLer Lynn J. Frazier back in June of 1940. It is alleged that Sen. Hoeven secured his renomination the same way he secured the GOP endorsement for Governor back in 2000, he bought it. According to Representative Becker’s supporters, Sen. Hoeven is not a bad guy, he’s just a bad Senator. That conclusion is probably the one and only thing on which Becker’s supporters and North Dakota Democrats agree.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week. For additional information about what’s going on in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com, and take a look at the Rutland Facebook page while you’re at it, too. Don’t forget to patronize your local Post Office and remember to keep the pressure on the U. S. Postal Service and the North Dakota Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE! Later.

The Rooster Crows – April 8, 2022

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By Bill Anderson

Spring has been behaving like a reluctant maiden for the past few weeks, first bestowing her warm and radiant smile on her ardent suitors, then chilling their enthusiasm with a dousing of rain, snow and slush. Well, maybe it’s all part of an elaborate April Fools prank. Sooner or later, Spring is bound to bestow the warmth of her embrace upon the land, but, until then, she is delivering the promise without the squeeze. The 3 inches of new snow that fell on Sunday, April 3, was a reminder that April showers do not only bring May flowers. Those showers may also bring snow, slush and hazardous driving conditions. On the bright side, Janelle Brakke drove from Rutland to Fargo on Sunday afternoon, and reports that the clean snow removed all of the exterior dirt & grime from her car, as nicely as if she had purchased the high-priced option at the car wash. Every cloud has its silver lining.

A large group of family and friends gathered at the Rutland Town Hall on the afternoon of Saturday, April 2, to honor Delores “PeeWee” Breker on the occasion of her 90th birthday. Delores is one of the daughters of the late Mr. & Mrs. Harold Evenson. The Evensons made their home in Rutland when Delores was born, but later moved to Cogswell where she grew up and went to school. When she married Ralph Breker, she again became part of the Rutland community, residing on the farm southeast of town where Shane & Carla Breker now make their home. Guests from North Dakota, Minnesota and South Dakota were on hand to help Delores celebrate, and Stephen Ricksecker, a nephew who had made his home with Ralph & PeeWee during his high school years, flew all the way from California to attend the party. PeeWee’s many friends in this community extend an enthusiastic “Happy Birthday!” to her, and best wishes for many more to come.

Confirmation students at Nordland Lutheran Church: Greta Bladow; Kaycee Hamilton; Whitney Mahrer; and Charlize Willprecht; presented their Affirmation of Faith statements to the Congregation; and, 5th Grade students: Julia Mahrer; Loden Jochim; Lilith Pavek; and, Krosby Willprecht; had their First Communion; during worship service at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 3.  The Confirmation service, also called Affirmation of Baptism, for Greta, Kaycee, Whitney, and Charlize is scheduled for Sunday, May 1, at Nordland Lutheran Church. This is an impressive group of young ladies: intelligent; articulate; and, confident; of whom their families and their community can be proud.

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