By Jolene Farley
The Lyle and Sharil Rollag family, Beaver Creek, has been honored as the 2002 Rock County Farm Family of the Year.

The annual award recognizes outstanding farm families from across Minnesota for their contributions to agriculture and their communities.

The award came as a surprise to Lyle. "I didn't even know we were in the running," he said. "We didn't do anything out of the ordinary that would qualify us to be Farm Family of the Year or just to receive any reward."

Sharil was also pleasantly surprised. "I was excited, especially for Lyle. He has worked hard on the farm," she said.

The Rollags will be honored at a reception in the Twin Cities Thursday, March 7.

Lyle and Sharil and their three children Thomas, 11, Alaina, 9, and Sean, 7, operate an 850-acre corn, soybean and oats farm near Beaver Creek.

The Rollags also produce alfalfa and cattle, and they custom feed hogs and are partners in a 80-head cow/calf operation.

As a regional representative for the Minnesota Corn and Soybean Growers Association, Lyle is a liaison between state and county organizations. He serves the counties of Nobles, Rock, Pipestone, Murray, Lincoln, Lyon, Jackson and Cottonwood.

Sharil works for the Minnesota Department of Trade and Economic Development at the port of entry dispensing information to travelers.

Lyle also volunteers on the local ethanol plant board and the Rock County Fair Board. Sharil volunteers at Hills-Beaver Creek Elementary School. The family is also active in church activities.

Lyle has his own views on how farming has changed in recent years. "You can't just go out and plant and harvest," he said. "The whole thing is much more complicated than that... from knowledge of government programs to belonging to value added ventures, times change. You change with the times or you may get left behind."

It's difficult for someone to farm the way his father and grandfather farmed, in Rollag's opinion. Farming hasnÕt changed for the better in recent years for those who are more aggressive, farming is just different.

It used to be you could fix your financial mistakes by working longer hours, according to Rollag.

"That doesn't necessarily hold true anymore," he said. "We don't control our own destiny the way past generations did. We only make up 1 percent of the population. We are pretty low on the food chain... even though we supposedly control that food chain."

Rollag urges farmers to get involved with local farming groups to make their voices heard. "It doesn't seem like on your own you get much accomplished," he said.

Farmers can be hurt worse by a bad piece of legislation than by bad weather, according to Rollag. "Farmers cannot control the weather, so they might as well try to control legislation," he said.

By Jolene Farley
Patriot Partners was established five years ago as a Hills-Beaver Creek School district booster organization, according to Patriot Partners president Marlon Top.

When the Patriot Partners see a need for funding, they try to help, according to Top.

"It helps us get closer as a community," Top said. "I have a lot of fun doing it."

Patriot Partners sponsors three main fund-raisers a year. The elementary carnival raises a significant portion of the organizationÕs funds and is a fun event to work at, Top said.

"We get a ton of kids there," he said. "It's something the kids look forward to. You see these little kids they come barreling in. TheyÕre having a blast."

Patriot Partners serve a soup supper on the evening of the High School Awards Banquet every spring.

The group sells concessions at basketball or football games for a portion of the proceeds when no other organizations are available.

Members hope to raise more than $300 from a Whopper Feed they are sponsoring at the boys' basketball game Friday night.

They also issue stock certificates for $10 apiece. The organization sends out cards at the beginning of every year offering the certificates for sale.

Most of the money raised by the organization is used to fund three $250 continuing education scholarships awarded to Hills-Beaver Creek High School graduates.

In addition to the scholarships, every year for the past five years, Patriot Partners has donated $500 to the high school and grade school for various needs.

A portion of the funds the organization raises are currently set aside for the locker room project at Hills-Beaver Creek High School, according to Top.

Top stresses the people who help in the organization make his job as president easier. "There's a core of tremendously hard working women there," he said.

The organization currently has no vice-president (that officer traditionally moves up to president) but Jodie Harnack and Top have agreed to act as co-presidents next year. This year, Jodi Ackerman is secretary and Lois DeHaan is treasurer.

"Our biggest goal right now is to get younger ones involved," Top said.

Top added that he thanks all the volunteers who contribute so much to the organization.

By Jolene Farley
Hills City Council members accepted the resignation of Mayor George Langford at their meeting Tuesday evening. A letter received by the council dated Dec. 28, 2001, tendered the resignation effective Jan. 1, 2002.

"It's been a pleasure to serve the city of Hills," Langford wrote in the letter.

"We are going to miss George," said Jim Jellema, acting mayor pro tem. "George was a good mayor."

Langford notified the council at December's meeting of his intention to move to Luverne after the sale of his home in Hills, but at that meeting he said he would remain mayor as long as possible.

When the council discussed finding a replacement for Langford, Jellema suggested publishing an ad soliciting interested mayoral candidates.

A list of interested parties would allow the council to fill the mayor's seat or a council seat if it was determined a current council member would be appointed as mayor.

"If there are any interested parties out there," Jellema said, "it gives them 30 days to step up and say, 'Hey, I'm interested.'"

Any appointment would be in effect until the next general election in November.

In other board business:
The City of Hills will begin random checks of water usage every month. The city currently relies on residents to read their own meters.

The council voted on a two-year refuse collection contract with Town and Country Disposal. In the contract, rates increased from $3.75 per household with $1.75 additional for recyclables to $4 per household with $2 additional for recyclables. The last price increase for the city was in 1996.

The following were appointed for 2002: Jim Jellema, mayor pro tem; Doug Chapman, civil defense director; Steve Fagerness, weed inspector; Exchange State Bank, official bank; Dr. Diane Kennedy, health officer; Doug Eisma, city attorney; Joanne Goehle, EDA treasurer; Connie Wiertzema, EDA secretary.

The appointments of EDA president and EDA vice-president were left open until the mayor or council seat is filled.

Did Principal Pat Maddox and the Liberty School Board harass and discipline Alex Watson because of an eating disorder? Did their actions constitute a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act? The Hills-Beaver Creek Mock Trial team along with more than 2,000 Minnesota high school students comprising 176 teams will take on the roles of plaintiffs attorneys, defense attorneys and witnesses to argue these questions during the 2002 Minnesota Mock Trial Competition. Hills-Beaver Creek team members are (back row, from left) Paul Betzing, Aaron Blank, Brittney Olson, Becky Broesder, Tanya Leenderts, Kyle Sammons, Jody Rentschler (front row) Lee Jackson, Brittany Knobloch, Deidre VandenBussche, Ashley Buck and LaDonna Sandstede. Local and regional competitions are held in January and February, leading to the state tournament March 12 and 13. Teacher Coach Glenda Kuehl and Attorney Coach Terry Vajgrt will work with the Hills-Beaver Creek team. The Minnesota High School Mock Trial Competition is a citizenship education program sponsored by the Minnesota State Bar Association. More than 800 lawyers and judges statewide will volunteer this year. In addition to sponsoring the statewide competition, the Minnesota State Bar Association will host the 2002 National High School Mock Trial Championship in St. Paul on May 10 and 11.

Photo by Jolene Farley

This week, Feb. 4 through 8, is Pride in Food Service Week. Tuff Memorial Home food service staff Sandy Feucht (left), Marilyn Ahrendt, Rosella Metzger (certified dietary manager), Cherlyn Brouwer and Gerri Mitchell (consultant dietitian) were on duty Monday afternoon preparing afternoon snacks for residents. A full staff of 10 employees prepares all meals for the nursing home's 52 residents plus 25 residents of the Tuff Village and all staff members. The group also provides four delivered meals a day to homebound residents of Hills.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Larry Leslie, 73, Long Beach, Calif., formerly of Beaver Creek and the Luverne area, died Monday, Jan. 7, 2002, in Long Beach.

Graveside services were Monday, Jan. 14, at Riverside National Cemetery.

Larry Leslie was born to Rex and Bertha Leslie on Jan. 1, 1929, on a farm north of Beaver Creek. He was raised by his grandparents, Harry and Mae Leslie. He served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict.

He married Deloris Baack on Aug. 24, 1951, in Craig, Iowa. They lived in the Luverne and Sioux Falls, S.D., area until moving to New Jersey in 1956. They moved to California in 1960.

Survivors include his wife, Deloris Leslie; three sons, Reginald (Leonor) Leslie, Keith (Rikki) Leslie and Terry Leslie; and two grandchildren, David and Nicole, all of Long Beach.

Mr. Leslie was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.

McKenzie Burial Service was in charge of arrangements.

Loius Heitman, 85, Hardwick, died Monday at the Hospice Cottage, Luverne. Funeral mass will be Saturday, Feb. 16 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Luverne, with Father Andrew Beerman officiating. Interment will be in St. Catherine's Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 15 from 2 to 8 p.m. with the family present from 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7:30 p.m. at Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne.

Lena Jouwstra, 89, Luverne, died Thrusday, Feb. 7 at the Luverne Community Hospital. Services will be Monday, Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. at Christian Reformed Church, Luverne, with Rev. George Koopmans officiating. Burial will be at 2:00 p.m. at Valley View Cemetery, Rock Valley. Visitation will be Sunday, Feb. 10 from 3 to 7 p.m. with the family present at Engebretson Funeral Home.

Melvin "Barney" Kruger, 59, Ash Creek, died Wednesday, Feb. 6 at his home. Services will be Saturday, Feb. 9 at 10:30 a.m. at the Assembly of God Church, 2 miles west of Luverne, with Rev. David Jahn officiating. Burial will be in Maplewood Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday, Feb. 8 from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Assembly of God Church. Dingmann Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.