Fourth-graders perform ‘Hawaiian Beach Party’
Eighty-three Luverne Elementary fourth-graders took the stage Feb. 10 to perform “Hawaiian Beach Party” in the school’s performing arts center. Under the direction of Morgan Van Holland and Beth Capistran, the fourth-graders learned about Hawaiian culture, its dances and phrases. Their performance was “maika’I ka hana.”

Luverne Elementary third-graders traveled to Camp Runamok Feb. 10 for their annual spring concert at the school’s performing arts center. The 84 students were under the direction of Beth Capistran, and their performance was complete with bugs, a bear and lots of action.

Sixteen teams competed for the traveling trophy in the 30th Annual Helgeson Father/Son Pool Tournament Feb. 10 and 11 at Up the Dam Creek Bar in Beaver Creek.
Stan and Ron Jensen defeated tournament hosts Gary and Travis Helgeson in the final round.
Dick Kramer and Brandon Muellenberg defeated Keith and Ryan Morford for third and fourth places respectively.
Other father-son teams included Rocko and Vince Verhey, Irwin and Kyle Rozeboom, Burdett and Kyle Braun, Bert and Andrew Verhey, Wade and Noah Hofer, Ron and Stan Jensen, Bill and Eric Stegemann, Gary and Frank Parker, Dave and Travis Broesder, Tom and Josh Freese, Lee Westphal and Spencer Stroeh and Garrett Chicoine, Jarod and Tanner Rowden and Brian and Dalton Bennett. 
Along with registrations for the double-elimination pool tournament, a quilt and several other raffles raised additional money.
Vicki (Helgeson) Nelson makes the quilt each year, Joni (Helgeson) Worm contributed door prizes, and the corn-hole games were constructed by Harvey Gehrke with artwork by Kenzie Helgeson.
The 2023 event raised $5,800 for Sanford Luverne Hospice, bringing the total to $48,100 over the years of Helgeson fundraising. Money came from the tri-state area and from as far away as Colorado and Indiana.
“It felt awesome,” Gary Helgeson said after the tournament. “We raised the most money ever this year.”
Gordon and Kitty Helgeson started the pool tournament in 1983 to support the Hospice Cottage in Luverne.
Gary played as a father-son team with his dad until Gordon’s health declined. He passed away in 2012, and the tournament paused for several years until Gary’s son, Travis, was old enough to play. It paused again for Covid 19, resuming in 2021.
“The Helgeson family wants to thank everyone for the donations, family members for helping and Up the Dam Creek for letting us play here,” said Gary Helgeson, who with wife, Maureen, organizes the event.
“We especially thank the players. Without them there is no tournament.”

Twenty-nine people raised $23,000 for the Luverne Area Community Foundation through the “Reezin’ for Freezin’ Luverne Leap.”
It started as an idea from Rock County Sheriff Evan Verbrugge who has participated in “Polar Plunge” fundraisers through his law enforcement affiliations.
Working with the LACF, he and organizers encouraged community members to support the cause and raise money ahead of Saturday’s “leap” into The Lake.
Luverne Area Chamber Director Jane Lanphere offered a thanks to organizers, leapers and fundraisers in her Chamber newsletter Monday morning.
“What an awesome turn-out and great participation,” she said. “All of you brave women, men and youth who jumped deserve a big round of applause and thanks. You are all amazing people and wonderful community leaders.”
With temperatures in the mid-30s and first responders standing by, costumed participants took turns jumping into frigid water near the shore of The Lake.
Ron Cote and Bruce Thalhuber announced names of each one as they approached the water’s edge, and two Luverne firefighters in insulated suits stood in the water to assist people to shore.
Participating leapers include Evan Verbrugge, Mike Davis, Dave Duffy, Pat Baustian, Jason Oye, Joel de Cesare, Tim Gust, Amanda and Cora McDonald, Brady Dinger, Pat Saum, Jeff Stratton, James Roby, Jody Reisch, Knute Oldre, Reece Carlson, Colby Crabtree, Eric Sage, McKenzie Rosales, Connie Morrison, Dustin Rodger, Stacy Mente, Lucas Peters, Jackie Johnson, Dylan Gehrke, Isaac DeBoer, Joshua and Emily Crabtree and Rick Peterson.
In addition to the “leapers” who raised money, 12 local businesses sponsored the venture, and volunteers included Mike Davis and his “Lake Crew” and TJ Renken at the event.

A request from a friend back in 1976 led Marilyn Jellema of Hills to a 47-year profession.
Jellema had a desire to stay home with her daughter, Jodi, when friend Nelva Behr asked if she was interested in watching another child.
Behr and her husband, Ron, just had daughter Amy.
“We were blessed with Jodi and I wanted to stay home and that was made possible by bringing in Amy,” Jellema recalled. “And so, on March 1, 1976, I started — not knowing that I would stay for 47 years.”
Jellema, 72, closed her day care Dec. 29, having chosen three years earlier not to renew her state license and officially retire.
“You just know when it is time,” she said.
A total of 157 children came to the Jellema home on a full-time basis and became “family” to Jellema and her husband, Jim.
The children (several of whom have had their own children cared for by Jellema) are still welcomed visitors to the home on the corner of South Anna Avenue and East Third Street.
“I ran my day care under the philosophy that I treated any child that came through the door as I wanted someone to treat my kids, Jodi and Wade,” she said. “They were treated as a family — all the kids that ever came here are called ‘my kids.”
 
‘Day care mom’ not a ‘day care provider’
To many of the “kids,” the Jellemas became “Nana” and “Papa,” after Jodi married Chris Harnack and the couple’s sons, Easton and Brock, came to the day care, where one word was never used to describe Marilyn.
“I don’t like being called a day care provider,” she said. “A day care mom but not a provider.”
Her day care ran on a tight schedule in order to get the school-aged children on and off buses and keep the infant and toddlers occupied during her operation hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
She read stories, completed crafts, taught basic reading and math skills, and saw to it that the children were polite to one another, which Jellema said is among proudest moments of her career.
“Watching the kids grow, watching them learn, watching them be kind to one another,” she listed.
“Like now you go to ball games and you see that some of the little ones still seek out those older ones and go and sit by them — they are still best friends,” Jellema said. “You go to weddings and see the people in the wedding party are day care people that they grew up with.”
The Jellemas are often seen surrounded by their kids as they attend community events or Hills-Beaver Creek Secondary School events.
 
Kids have lasting friendships with Jellema
Knitting is one of Jellema’s passions, and as a retiree she dedicates one day a week meeting with friends who call themselves the “Happy Hookers.”
She also knits with one of her kids, Laney Top, 10, who’s dedicating the next eight years (until she graduates from H-BC) knitting regularly with Jellema.
“Laney said, ‘I’m going to hang with you until you’re 80, and then you’re on your own,’” Jellema said with a laugh.
Years ago, Jellema began making and donating tiny baby blankets to the neonatal intensive care units in Sioux Falls.
The first blanket went to her kid Sage DeBoer, who surprised her parents by arriving weeks before her due date. Jellema’s blankets allowed the various medical equipment to be easily placed between the hand-knitted pattern.
All of Jellema kids receive baby blankets when they decide to start their own families.
 
With the good times also come the bad
Through the years, Jellema has shared in the joy of adding another kid to the day care, the anguish in the adult deaths of three former kids (Carrie Nelson, Chris Nath and Matt Feucht), prayed with others when they were troubled, and offered support after accidents such as the one where former day care kid Trenton Bass was paralyzed in high school.
“We were at the football game where the accident happened,” Jellema said. “I always have a pit in my stomach because I just felt bad for him.”
Recently Jellema’s sad feeling was lessened when Bass and his wheelchair were carried up the steps in order to enter the former place of his childhood care. He stated, “Like old times. God is good.”
“When he said that, the feeling went away and I knew he was going to be OK because I heard it from him. He is an amazing person,” Jellema said.
 
Career choice was a good decision
Choosing a career in family day care is one that Jellema never regretted.
“In the world we are living in, you have to have health insurance and 401Ks are huge,” she said. “With a home day care you don’t have any of this. I like to say my 401K are memories.
“Day care is a great profession, but you have to like kids. You can’t do it for the money — never do it for the money.”
Instead Jellema focused on what she could give the kids.
“If there is one thing you can do in your life that can change one thing in someone else’s life, it is a success,” she said.
Four handwritten papers are tucked into Jellema’s Bible. The names of all 157 kids are listed in the order of their arrival at Jellema’s day care.
The list starts with Jellema’s daughter and ends with Scout Wiertzema, who was 11 months at Jellema’s retirement party on Jan. 8.
No. 2 Amy Behr holds a special place as the child who started the day care.
“It is a great feeling to hear that I started the best career she could have asked for,” Behr said.
As with the 156 kids who followed her, Behr recognizes Jellema’s positive impacts in her life.
“She was always there to cheer me on, whatever that may have been, from sports to music concerts,” Behr said. “To this day it is great to spend time catching up with her, and she is always welcoming me to come visit anytime.”

There is demand for 144 owner-occupied homes, 90 more rental units and over 300 affordable senior housing units in Luverne and surrounding area.
That’s according to the latest housing study reviewed Monday at the Luverne Economic Development Authority.
“It’s a snapshot of the city’s housing that we can use as we move forward into the next few years of housing development,” said EDA director Holly Sammons.
Joe Hollman of Maxfield Research and Consulting, Roseville, presented key highlights of the study.
“The area is missing out on potential population and household growth as some buyers choose to move elsewhere if they can’t find suitable housing,” he said.
“A historically tight labor market is making it difficult for employers to find workers, and additional housing will be needed to support economic development.”
The study shows there’s a housing shortage in Luverne, with the greatest need for middle-market “move-up” single-family homes in the $300,000 to $350,000 range and starter homes under $200,000.
“All the realtors I’ve talked to have emphasized that need,” Hollman said.
Because it’s difficult to build a new home for $200,ooo the study suggests that construction of move-up housing could generate faster turnover of entry-level housing.
With demand from older buyers for maintenance-free products (like twin homes), more construction of those will create turnover for new households to move into the area.
At the same time, there is opportunity for more new rental housing, notably workforce rental housing to accommodate 70 to 80 additional workers for Lineage Cold Storage when it comes online this spring.
 
Luverne imports 66 percent of its workers from up to 50 miles away
The study considered demographic and employment trends.
Luverne has an opportunity to continue growing, but that will be based largely on employers’ ability to hire and the availability of housing.
“A community can’t grow if there’s nowhere for people to move into,” Hollman said. “Additional housing is needed to achieve growth.”
Rock County hit record low employment in 2021-22 and wasn’t significantly impacted by Covid, the study showed.
“Luverne and surrounding areas have experienced strong recovery from Covid, and solid growth is projected over the next 10 to 12 years,” Hollman said.
He said lack of labor and housing for workers can restrain job growth.
“Right now, Luverne is importing workers who are commuting into the city,” he said.
“About 66 percent of jobs are filled by workers commuting into the community, many who come from over 50 miles away.”
The study shows that Luverne is bucking census trends, with some of its strongest growth in married couples with children.
This increases demand for move-up, single-family, owner-occupied housing, and in Luverne resale prices in this category are rising over 6 percent annually.
The median home sold in 2021 for $157,000. New construction homes are selling at an average price of $355,077.
“So, there’s a pretty big price gap between new construction and resale of existing housing,” Hollman said.
Luverne has 31 lots available for construction plus 33 more pending in preliminary platting.
“I think your lot supply is really right where you want it now,” Hollman said.
He said the rental housing market in Luverne is tight, with most affordable rental units occupied with waiting lists, and market rate rentals at just over 4 percent vacancies.
The study shows that newly constructed rental units cost occupants an average of $1,189 per month compared to existing older rental units that average $660 per month.
In terms of senior housing, the study shows a large and growing senior population in Luverne living independently, but that growth is expected to flatten in coming years.
In Luverne’s 106 senior housing units, nearly 4 percent are vacant.
In the 74 units outside of Luverne (such as Hills and Adrian), more than 28 percent are vacant, mostly in assisted living and memory care units and likely affected by Covid 19.
 
Planning for growth
Sammons said the updated study will be useful for planning purposes.
“We’ll continue to look at opportunities for single family as far as lots and prices and incentivizing the private sector. We’ll continue to look at opportunities for more multi-family rentals in both private and public sectors,” she said.
“We’ll use this information to strategically plan what housing looks like parallel to day care. Tackling both at once is really going to be critical. They really do go hand in hand. … That coupled with job growth will create a lot of new opportunities.”
Mayor Pat Baustian said the study will be useful if the city pursues spec homes to fill a shortage of new starter homes.
“This is great data for our council and EDA to look at. We need to make sure the backing is there for spec homes to be built,” he said.
“We know we have a housing shortage, but when we have data to back it up it helps boards and commissions and bankers to see that we need it.”
Specifically, according to the study, the city may need to encourage rental townhomes that would be affordable for families earning $50,000 renting for $1,300 per month.
Baustian said that when the Veterans Home was built in Luverne in 1992, the city built spec homes to fill a need where private developers had fallen short.
Now with Lineage Logistics opening soon, he said Luverne should consider meeting housing demand for those workers.
“This report shows if we don’t get those spec homes built, we’re going to lose opportunity,” Baustian said.
“And housing and day care need to pair up together. We have to keep moving in every lane in order to make it happen.”
 
Three years of change
Luverne’s last housing study was completed in 2019, and since that time, the Uithoven Addition was added to include 15 single-family and twin home lots.
Also, 54 market rate rental units (PrairiE Loft) were built, and four luxury-size lots north of town were annexed into the city limits in the Schmuck Addition.
In addition to the Lopau Addition’s 19 single-family and five multi-family lots, another lot or two may be added to the Reisch Addition, which is on the stub of Walnut Avenue north of RCO and Mary Jane Brown.
The city paid Maxfield Research$10,000 to update Luverne’s housing study.
The entire report can be found on the city’s website, cityofluverne.org under the drop-down menus “business,” “economic development” and “studies and reports.”

On a split vote, Rock County Commissioners decided on Feb. 7 to assist the city of Luverne with a day care facility.
The commissioners voted 3-2 to give $250,000 toward the estimated $6.3 million remodel of the former Total Card Inc. office building on Roundwind Road.
The county will provide an additional $200,000, contingent on if the project’s construction goal is met.
Minutes prior to the split vote, commissioners declined to grant the city the entire $450,000 in another split vote.
While commissioners Greg Burger and Stan Williamson recognized the need for more local day care, they voted twice not to allocate money toward the city of Luverne project.
Burger said it’s about the money and who is responsible paying for it.
“I keep hearing this is somehow becoming an essential service, and I don’t agree with it,” Burger said.
“I don’t think the taxpayers in Luverne and Rock County should be held responsible for providing day care. It is not law enforcement. It is not public assistance. It just should not be categorized as an essential service.”
Luverne officials purchased the 30,000-square-foot building in 2021 and will lease the space to a third party to operate the day care.
Once renovations are complete, the facility will be able to care for 168 newborn- through school-aged children.
Various applications have been made for state and federal financial assistance in order to complete the project.
In December the city received a $2.6 million federal grant. A $3.4 million request with the state may be reconsidered as legislators look to pass a bonding bill this spring.
City officials asked county commissioners to support a portion of the remodeling costs.
“I don’t see very many communities in this state or any other state under 5,000 people willing to spend that kind of money on a day care facility,” Burger said.
“Especially when you can look around in other communities in our area and see they spend about half of that building new construction and they are providing the service for the same amount of kids.”
Chairman Sherri Thompson voted in favor of the county funding the day care project.
“I feel like, along with housing and other things, day care is something that we need,” she said.
“I feel it is borderline essential for that need and for what we want to do to grow our county.”
She pointed to the recently organized county economic development committee and its focus to bring more businesses into the county.
New businesses could bring more families interested in living in Rock County.
Williamson, whose District 2 encompasses the western half of Rock County, said he is also concerned about the high price tag for the day care project while seeing no need for the service among his constituents.
He pointed to the city of Hills project where a former business suite is being remodeled into three separate family day cares.
Once finished, the Hills facility appears to cover the needs of families in the southern areas of his district.
His northern constituents near Beaver Creek and Jasper indicate Luverne is not near their work areas.
“They just don’t think they will use it,” Williamson said. “They are just too far away (15 and 25 miles) and they work in the opposite direction.”
Commissioner Jody Reisch supported allocating a portion of the federal funds the county received for covid relief toward the building remodel, but not to operational costs.
“We just don’t know what the future brings. I think an investment in a facility like that, that there’s a value there,” he said.
“We can disagree on the cost and everything — it is the city’s responsibility to figure out how to fund the rest of it. I just want to show a little goodwill and help them out a bit.”
Commissioner Gary Overgaard suggested the compromise, switching his vote to support the day care allocation to the city of Luverne.
“I have more questions than answers about money,” he said. “That’s my issue. I’m not saying we don’t need day care. I think the case is that we do.”
 
Uses portion of $1.8 million for day care
Rock County received more than $1.8 million in 2021 and 2022 as part of the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA).
Prior to the Feb. 7 commissioners meeting, a balance of $474,000 remained.
When commissioners received notification about the federal funds in 2021, they agreed to focus on infrastructure needs around the county.
They set aside $700,000, indicating there was $100,000 available for each of the seven cities located in the county.
Luverne indicated they would use their $100,000 toward the day care project.
Other cities used the funds to improve streets, sewer systems and other infrastructure improvements.
Other allocations were as follows:
•The rural water systems of Rock County and Lincoln-Pipestone received $100,000 each for system improvements.
•The city of Hills received a second $100,000 allocation toward its day care project.
•Rock County Agricultural Society ($122,000) for sanitary supplies and a mobile stage.
•Alliance Communications ($31,600) for internet services at the Land Management Office.
•Servicemaster ($62,563) for duct cleaning at the courthouse and health and human services building.
• Sanford Luverne ($42,400) for a power cot.
•Generations ($325) for an EDA event.
•Rock County EDA ($75,000) for operational expenses.

Almost $187,000 in aggregate taxes was collected from six gravel pit operators in 2022.
The amount, $186,532, is the second-most collected in the past 10 years. The highest, $189,969, from eight operators, was in 2020.
The collected taxes were split four ways.
The county road and bridge fund received $75,312, special reserve fund $26,581, townships $75,312, and administrative fees $9,327.
Six townships split the amount collected from the township fund, based on where the aggregate originated.
Mound Township received the highest amount ($29,303), followed by Denver ($22,069), Battle Plain ($8,582), Clinton ($6,081), Vienna ($4,869), and Luverne ($4,393).
The remaining townships of Beaver Creek, Kanaranzi, Magnolia, Martin, Rose Dell and Springwater each received $500 from the administrative fund to offset the gravel tax expenditures.
The county collects the state-mandated 15 cents per ton of removed material from the county. The increased amount began in 2017.
Northern Con-Agg LLP paid the most tax in 2022 at $68,135. Bremik Materials Inc. ($54,660) was next followed by Henning Construction ($24,112), Buffalo Ridge Concrete ($21,255), W&N Construction ($10,919) and Reker Construction ($7450.)

Meetings
Compassionate Friends will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20, in the Luverne Area Community Foundation office next to the Palace Theatre. The support group is for anyone grieving the loss of a child - recent or past, of any age and any cause. Contact pat.saum@gmail.com. 
 
Dental clinic in Luverne Feb. 23
The mobile dental clinic will be in Luverne Thursday, Feb. 23, at the Rock County Health and Human Services community room. This clinic provides dental care for adults and children ages 0 to over 100. Call 612-746-1530 to schedule an appointment. All forms of insurance are accepted. Organized by #Luv1LuvAll's Rock County Oral Health Task Force.
 
Virtual author tour in February
The libraries of the Plum Creek Library System will offer “Wrapped in Reading Author Tour,” which include Feb. 21 paranormal researcher and author Chad Lewis, and Feb. 28 mystery thriller writer Brian Freeman. Preregister at https://tinyurl.com/Plum­creekvirtualauthortour
For more information contact the Rock County Library at 507-449-5040 or rocklibrarystaff@gmail.com.
 
World Day of Prayer March 2
Luverne’s First Presbyterian Church will host a World Day of Prayer at 1:30 p.m. Friday, March 3, under the theme, “I have heard about your faith,” based on Ephesians 1:15-19.
A time of fellowship will follow the service.
World Day of Prayer is an ecumenical movement of Christian women who gather the first Friday in March for informed prayer and prayerful action. See wdp-usa.org.
 
Community Ed
Community Education will offer the following classes in the next few weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to register.
Learn how to protect, detect and report fraud in Don’t Be a Target of Medicare and Consumer Fraud on Feb. 21 from 10 to 11 a.m. Fee is $5.
 Learn how to detect and treat Emerald Ash Borer and other common insects and diseases at Insects and Diseases in Trees: What Should I Plant? On Feb. 27. Fee is $10. 
Students grades 3-8 can learn painting techniques in Pour Painting to create beautiful art pieces on Feb. 28. Fee is $10.
Join Master Gardeners on March 2 at Planning Your Garden to learn tips on how to plan your garden for your space. Fee is $5.
Students in grades K-2 with an adult are invited to Child-Adult Yoga for strengthening child-caregiver bonds starting on March 4 for four weeks. Fee is $40.
 
Free tax preparation at library
AARP volunteers will offer free tax preparation for low-income individuals and seniors at the Rock County Library on Mondays starting Feb. 13 through April 15.
Call 507-449-5040 for appointments. Bring documents, including last year’s tax return and a form of identification to document social security number. Tax returns for 2021 will be prepared if requested.
 
Library Happenings
For more information about library happenings, call 507-449-5040 or email rockcountystaff@gmail.com.
Story Time with Bronwyn is at 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and 10 a.m. Fridays now through April 28. Stories and make-and-take crafts are the same at either event.
Winter Book Club meets at different local restaurants during February and March.
The 50 State Challenge for adults and older teens is currently underway where patrons are encouraged to read a book set in one of each of the 50 states through Jan. 1, 2024.
The annual Plum Cleek Library System winter reading program, “Get Wrapped in Reading,” goes now until March 31.
Trivia Night is at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month at Take 16 in Luverne. Team registration begins at 6 p.m.
Reminiscence Kits are available featuring various topics such as gardening, pets, baking, sewing, farming and hunting. The kits are designed to use with a loved one experiencing memory loss, encouraging the loved one to open up about activities they once loved in the past.
 
Community Ed announcements
Community Education will offer the following classes in the next few weeks. Call 507-283-4724 to register.
ECFE Classes for children ages 0-5 years and parents offers information and support to parents and provides activities for parents and children to explore together through classes that meet once a week throughout the school year. 
New Residents: Census Information Needed for Preschool Children. Call 507-283-4724 with information for children ages 0 to kindergarten. The school district uses the information for planning purposes, mailing out information on school events, including the state-mandated Preschool Screening for all 3-year-old children.
 
Food Shelf evening hours
The Rock County Food Shelf is now open for an additional evening shift from 5 to 6 p.m. the first and third Thursdays of the month. Call Mary at 507-227-5548 or Katie at 507-227-3531.
 
A.C.E. respite care available, volunteers needed
A.C.E. of SW Minnesota (A.C.E.) offers respite care services in Rock County for those needing a break from caring for a loved one.
The respite program offers short-term (1-3 hours), temporary care for families and caregivers by providing a brief period of reprieve from the daily cares they provide to their loved one.
Volunteers provide non-professional supportive services to caregivers to give them time for themselves, relieve their stress and help them remain healthy.
Respite care volunteers are also needed. Trained A.C.E. volunteers provide respite care to family caregivers of adults age 60 and older who are suffering from long-term health conditions.
Contact Linda Wenzel at 507-283-5064 or ace.rock@co.rock.mn.us.