Editor's Note: This Community Club history was published in Hills, Our Town.Every town needs an organization to boost the town, to head certain activities, hold the community together and create interest in the town. The Hills Community Club does that job. In the early years of Hills, there was an organization known as the Farmers’ and Merchants’ Club. The members came from the town and the countryside and did much to foster good relation between farmers and merchants. In later years a Commercial Club to promote Hills as a trading center was established by businessmen. The group sponsored Santa Claus Day each Christmas.They financed and did the work when the new creamery building was dedicated in 1927. There was a huge crowd and it was told that the two boys who were in charge of cutting meat for the barbecue sandwiches haven’t looked a steer in the face since! Later the Club was responsible for getting the high school band to play an hour’s concert on Main Street during the summer months. They provided treats for the band members. One year they also ran an outdoor bingo stand on Main Street. Another time they held cash drawings on Saturday night. That, of course, was during the times when the stores remained open Saturday nights. Those were fun times when the whole family came to town for the evening. And oh, we must mention how good the popcorn tasted! A popcorn stand on the west side of the street did a whale of a business. Another event the Club sponsored was the concerts put on by the Sioux Falls Municipal Band. They made several performances here and were always glad to come to Hills. One year the Club held a Hot Dog Day and another time they provided free pizza to all comers. The pizza was made right here in Hills at the Fikse Pizza Plant. When the older businessmen retired and withdrew, interest seemed to lag, and an Optimist Club was formed. Its aim was strictly to promote activities for the youth. It went well for a few years until it was decided that much of the monies were going out of town to the national organization and it then disbanded. An organization for the whole community seemed to be the answer, so once again a Community Club was formed. This includes merchants, farmers, retired people, those working out of town, professional people, men and women, anyone who wanted to join. The aim of the club was to keep Hills a clean friendly town, a place where anyone would like to live, and to carry out necessary activities. It handles Santa Claus Day, holds an Easter egg hunt, an adult valentine party and organizes a yearly celebration. The club was responsible for acquiring much of the playground equipment at Jacobson Park. They also were instrumental in getting the open shelter house and the enclosed shelter house at Jacobson Park. Other projects were a Christmas lighting contest; building a float, maintaining it and taking it to celebrations in various towns, choosing and holding a banquet to honor an Outstanding Citizen in the community; putting on the celebration called Beef Day (today’s Friendship Days) and the crowning of a beef princess and various other activities. The Club also bought different Christmas decorations, lights, and banners and sees that they are put up. Another project is providing volunteers for Home Delivered Meals to the aged and shut-ins. The first president of the Club was Chuck Ward in 1969. Others who chaired the Club are George Langford, Paul Anderson, Henry Walraven, Orville Sundem, Odean Gorder, Al Top, Wilmer Elbers, Tubby Beyenhof, Joanne Goehle, Larry Leuthold, Pat Demuth, Jeannie Hellerud, Marilyn Nelson and Gordon LeBoutillier. Many residents of the community have spent much time and effort in keeping Hills an upcoming, attractive and desirable place to live and raise a family.
