More than $40,000 was disbursed in 2021 through the Prairie Rose Community Fund with city of Hardwick, Springwater Township and Hardwick American Legion receiving the majority of this year’s funds.
The community board of directors met recently to make the annual disbursement. This year, $34,500 was given in community grants and $9,500 to high school seniors and current college students.
The city of Hardwick received grants for energy-efficient lighting at the community hall, a message center at the city campgrounds, and waste water treatment improvements.
The fire department was granted money to purchase 16 pairs of gloves and three new garage doors. The city’s community club received funds for the annual Jubilee Days and Santa Claus Day.
Springwater Township was approved to construct a concrete parking pad at the township hall.
The Hardwick American Legion reapplied for unspent funds in 2020 for landscaping around the community hall.
Scholarships were awarded to Emilee Haraldson, Brooklyn Moss, Zach Ahrendt, Chandra Javier, Mallory Thorson, Jenna Schelhaas, Emilie Bartels, Carson Ehde, Dalton Javier, Jacob Raak, Adriana Gonzalez and Aric Meinerts.
Scholarships and community grants are distributed annually and are based on submitted applications.
Applications can be found online at prairierosecommunityfund.com for the 2022 award period.
Eligible recipients must reside within the Prairie Rose Wind Farm’s footprint of Springwater, Rose Dell and Denver townships.

Dallas Bowron (center) with his daughter, Judy Bowron, Plymouth, and his son, John Bowron, Luverne) celebrated his 107th birthday Tuesday, Sept. 7, at Poplar Creek apartments in Luverne, where residents and family members gathered for coffee and cake in his honor.

Krista Burkman of Brandon, S.D., is one of 27 4-H youth who were selected to serve as a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador.
Ambassadors are youth leaders and spokespeople for the statewide organization.
Selection as an ambassador is one of the highest honors that a 4-H member can achieve.
“As a state ambassador for the coming (4-H) year, some of my goals are to improve my leadership skills, meet new people, learn a lot about myself, make an impact in the lives of others, and be a good role model for state ambassadors that are yet to come,” Burkman said.
She is a member of Rock County’s Springdell 4-H club and is a junior at Brandon Valley High School. She is the daughter of John Burkman and Kris Burkman.
The ambassador team plans and facilitates various 4-H activities including supporting the Minnesota State Fair, hosting statewide leadership events and sharing their story with the general public.

The following appeared in The Rock County Herald on Aug. 12, 1892.
 
Everything Booming
 
This is The Condition of Things Generally In Luverne And The County at Large
The present year will go into history, if present indications may be trusted, as the most prosperous ever known in the county.
The fame of this county as the richest agricultural  country in the west, has steadily been reaching abroad, and the influx of new settlers of late has been rapidly increasing. The price of land has been steadily advancing and is destined to advance still more rapidly in the near future. Nearly all the large tracts of lands once owned by James Thompson, the Close Brothers, and the St. Paul & Sioux City Railway company, are now in the hands of actual settlers, and most of the “raw prairie” is under cultivations.
During the present year improvements on an extensive scale have been made in all parts of the county. New residences, new barns, and new granaries may be seen on every hand. New farms have been opened and a long step has been taken toward that time to which we have long been looking when a prosperous home will be found on every quarter section in the county.
No one familiar with this section for a number of years, can drive at the present time through any part of the county without feelings of surprise and wonder at the marvelous improvements which have been made of late, and every stranger who visits this section and sees for the first time our magnificent country and our beautiful farms, concludes that nothing in the world can be finer and that the Herald for years has said of Rock county is less than the facts would warrant.
Luverne is likewise making wonderful progress in the way of improvement, but it is simply keeping abreast with the march of progress in the surrounding country. In the neighborhood of fifty new residences and three magnificent business blocks are now in course of erection in the village. One of these blocks, that of Nelson Bros. & Co., will be by all odds the finest store building in southwestern Minnesota, and either of the other two would do credit to any inland town in the state.
A splendid system of waterworks has recently been completed and within two or three months a first class electric light plant will be in operation in the village.
Luverne easily leads all its neighboring rivals, and is conceded to be the largest, most prosperous, and most enterprising town, as well as the best business point in Southwestern Minnesota.
Business and residence property, like land in the surrounding country, is steadily advancing in price, and offers excellent opportunities for profitable investment.
On the whole Luverne and Rock county, as well as the smaller towns in the county, are getting to the front with rapid strides.
         Donations to the Rock County Historical Society can be sent to the Rock County Historical Society, 312 E. Main Street, Luverne, MN 56156.
Mann welcomes correspondence sent to mannmade@iw.net.

This week, Sept. 12-18, is National Direct Support Professional Recognition Week, and the staff and families of Rock County Opportunities are honoring the DSP personnel who work with RCO clients. They are (front, from left) Pam Tieszen, Erika Camarillo, Connie Carda, Jenna Coffman, (back) Christina Hacker, Krista Kurtz, Savannah Siebenahler, Tessa Shuler and Molly Hansen. According to the American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR), DSPs are the “dedicated, innovative direct support workforce that is the heart and soul of supports for people with disabilities.”

Sanford Luverne’s Hospice Dinner and Auction was a hybrid event this year with part of the auction items being sold online and the banquet in person Aug. 26 at Grand Prairie Events.
Organizer Helen Saum said, “I am thrilled to report a net profit of $75,386, our highest fundraiser net proceeds to date.”
She said people were excited to support the fundraiser, whether in person or not, based on positive comments received on the new Online silent auction, which raised nearly $10,000
Competitive bidding at the live auction included a new package to tour the newly renovated train depot in Luverne with tickets to ride on the Ellis and Eastern Train.
Another auction highlight was George Bonnema's “Carrot Cake for a Cause” going for a high bid of $1,250 and then being 'donated back' and re-bid for $850, generating a total of $2,050. “What an amazing night of generosity and support for the Hospice program,” Saum said.
 
Honorees
The annual event also honored the Hospice Volunteer of the Year, Sharon Hamm, Friends of Hospice, Phil and Denise Gorter, and the Hospice Staff' Award that went to the entire hospice team working to provide care to patients and families during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Friends of Hospice, the Gorters, became involved with hospice in 2006 as a way of giving back for the care received by Phil’s brother, Loren, who passed away at The Cottage. They started by hosting and decorating a Minnesota Vikings-themed table for the “Tour of Tables,” which has become a family tradition to help raise funds for a designated need at The Cottage each year. 
The Gorters have involved their family each year, including siblings and their children and young grandchildren who all attend and help support the cause. Phil serves on the Hospice Community Advisory Board and has been an ambassador for hospice service. Denise volunteers countless hours hosting multiple tables for the “Tour of Tables” and is on the decorating committee for the Annual Hospice Dinner and Auction. 
Volunteer of the Year Sharon Hamm has been a patient care volunteer since 2014.  She regularly volunteers at The Cottage and is always willing to help evenings and weekends or whenever the house is busiest.
Sharon accepted a special assignment to visit a hospice patient in a group home who has a very debilitating disease. “Sharon has gone above and beyond and truly exemplifies the hospice philosophy in the care and compassion she shows each day in her volunteer work,” Saum said.    
Hospice Staff Award recognizes the efforts of the entire Hospice Team working together this year during the pandemic. “All staff had to quickly adapt to new ways to care for their patients differently when going to patient homes, into various facilities, and to following changing protocols as well as working with patients and families at The Cottage,” Saum said. 
Members of Sanford Luverne Hospice team include Dr. Austin Spronk, Medical Director; Brandi Gaul, RN; Kim Fitzgerald, RN; Jill Roemen, Social Worker; Sara Lanoue; Matt Nath, RN; Jessy Liming, RN; Tammy Moeller, Hospice Manager; Helen Saum, Volunteer and Meeting Coordinator; Pastor Kristi Franken, Chaplain; Helen Buys and Karla Kix.\
Cottage staff members include Marie Chapin, Amy Cowell, Jessica Limones, Lois Petersen, Megan Thompson, Rose Aristeo and unscheduled part-time staff Ashley Bostic, Lois DeValk, Staci Feikema, Tammy Love and Robin Carlson.
Artist Shawn DeGroot, Sioux Falls, made the fused glass pieces awarded to recipients.

The visiting Hills-Beaver Creek Patriots football team took full advantage of numerous Madelia Blackhawk turnovers early in the game Saturday on their way to a 51-0 victory and improved their record to 2-0.
Senior Patriot Donovan Leenderts pounced on a Madelia fumble on the Blackhawk 24-yard line on Madelia’s second offensive play of the game.
Four plays later, Cole Baker crashed into the end zone for an early 6-0 lead.
The first quarter continued to go the Patriots’ way, according to head coach Rex Metzger, “because of us creating some early turnovers which led to good field position. We were able to jump on them early and score.”
A Patriot defensive three and out led to a 45-yard drive, when on the sixth play of that drive, quarterback Oliver Deelstra scampered into the end zone from four yards out on a keeper.
Casey Kueter caught the two-point conversion pass from Deelstra to widen the Patriots’ lead to 14-0.
The HBC defense continued its outstanding play as Ty Bundesen picked off a Blackhawk pass on the next possession.
The throw and catch combination of Deelstra to Baker went 45 yards on the first play of the drive for another touchdown.
Although the extra-point kick failed, the lead increased to 20-0 in favor of the visiting Patriots. 
Metzger said he was pleased with the Patriots’ stifling  defense and physical play, which prompted a fumble recovered by Kueter.
Two plays later came a Deelstra-to-Bundesen touchdown pass, then a 2-point conversion run by Bundesen.
Those points widened the Patriots’ lead to 28-0 while still in the first quarter, but Coach Metzger’s squad was not yet done with the first quarter.
After a nifty 19-yard punt return to the Blackhawks’ 25-yard line by Justin Roelfs, Baker later ran in the ball from the 12-yard line for another touchdown.  With a Sawyer Bosch to Drew Leenderts conversion pass, the Patriots enjoyed a 36-0 lead after one quarter of play.
H-BC was able to add another first half score with a 17-yard burst by Baker. Bundesen tacked on the extra point kick for a 43-0 halftime lead.
Third quarter action saw Roelfs ramble in from 52 yards out. Bosch then pushed the score to 51-0 with his successful 2-point conversion run. Like the season opener, the second half was played with a running clock in the Patriots’ favor.
The younger H-BC players saw a lot of playing time during the contest, as 21 Patriots charted at least one tackle on defense.
Metzger said he was pleased with the play of the starters as well as the younger player. “They improved from Week 1, and all played physical,” he said.
The 2-0 Patriots will be at home on Sept. 18 to host the Heron Lake-Okabena-Fulda Coyotes.
Game time is 7 p.m. at Patriot field in Hills for the annual Hills-Beaver Creek Homecoming game.
 
Team statistics
H-BC: 212 Rushing Yards, 97 passing yards, 309 total yards, 12 first downs, four penalties for 45 yards, zero turnovers.
Madelia: 39 rushing yards, six yards passing, 45 total yards, eight penalties for 40 yards, three turnovers.
 
Individual Statistics
Rushing: Roelfs 2-72, Baker 7–62, Bosch 7–31, Deelstra 5–24, Drew Leenderts 1–16, Luke Fuerstenberg 2–5, Bundesen 1–3, Brock Harnack 1-minus 4.
Passing: Deelstra 7–8 for 97 yards, Bosch 0–2.
Receiving:  Baker 2-60, Bundesen 2–18, Gideon Taubert  2–17 , Drew Leenderts 1–2, Kueter 1 - two-point conversion.
Defense:
L. Fuerstenberg seven tackles, Alex Harris three tackles and three tackles for loss, Austin Allen three tackles and two tackles for loss, Kueter two tackles, two tackles for loss and one fumble recovery, Baker two tackles, one tackle for loss and one QB sack, Riley Tatge two tackles for loss, Donovan Leenderts one fumble recovery.

The Luverne Cardinals football team fell to 0-2 on the season after a loss Friday night to longtime rival Jackson County Central.
The Cardinals started strong and took a 16-14 lead into halftime before JCC scored 22 unanswered points in the second half to ultimately put the Cardinals away by a score of 36-16. 
Friday night's game resembled Luverne's loss in Week 1 to Redwood Valley. The Cardinals played a close first half but then didn’t execute in the second half, according to Luverne coach Todd Oye. 
“Unfortunately, we once again struggled in the second half,” he said. “It was very apparent that JCC was physically stronger than us on both sides of the ball tonight.” 
After a strong defensive stand by Luverne to start the game, the Cardinals took over at their own 35-yard line and needed just two plays to start the scoring for the night. 
Luverne senior Ashton Sandbulte gained nine yards with a nice run up the left side of the field with the first offensive play of the night to set up second and short for Luverne.
The next play turned out to be the play of the game for Luverne.
Senior quarterback Casey Sehr dropped back and threw what Oye called “a beautiful pass” to junior Gannon Ahrendt for a 56-yard touchdown. 
Sehr and Ahrendt connected again on the two-point conversion to give the Cardinals an 8-0 lead just 3:09 into the game. 
The Cardinal defense held strong again on JCC’s second possession of the game, but the next Cardinal drive ended with an interception and JCC took over at the Luverne 46-yard line.
JCC marched down the field to score their first touchdown when junior running back Thomas Freking crossed the goal line with a five-yard run with 3:02 to go in the first quarter. JCC’s two-point conversion attempt was no good, leaving the score at 8-6 in Luverne’s favor.
Luverne’s next scoring drive would come early in the second quarter. After JCC’s snap flew over the head of their punter, the Cardinals took over at the JCC 24-yard line.
The Cardinals took advantage of a JCC penalty and finished the scoring drive with a three-yard pass from Sehr to Luverne sophomore Conner Connell.
The Cardinals then converted the two-point conversion on another pass from Sehr to Connell, and Luverne took a 16-6 lead with 11:06 to go in the second quarter. 
Jackson County Central wasted no time and utilized a strong kick return and a 30-yard passing play to get deep into Cardinal territory.
JCC senior Levi Lindley finished the Huskies scoring drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, and Lindley also punched in the two-point conversion to make the score 16-14 with 8:25 to go in the half.  
Neither team was able to put points on the board the rest of the quarter, and the Cardinals headed into halftime with the lead. 
Luverne’s offense struggled much of the second half, and JCC’s running game proved to be too much for the Cardinals to handle. 
JCC utilized three rushing touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach for the Cardinals.
Lindley rushed for two of the Huskies’ touchdowns, and senior Will Freking rushed for the last JCC touchdown. Neither team would put points on the board in the fourth quarter, and the score finished at 36-16 in favor of the Huskies.
The Cardinals will look to get their first win of the season when they travel to Windom this week.
“Windom also has lost their first two games, so both teams will be desperate for a win,” Oye said. “We need to play better in the second half to be successful.”
This week’s game at Windom has been moved to Thursday night due to a shortage of referees. The game will start at 7:30 p.m. 
 
Team statistics:
Luverne: 45 rushing yards, 168 passing yards, 213 total yards, 7 first downs, 3 penalties for 15 yards, 3 turnovers.
Jackson County Central: 233 rushing yards, 91 passing yards, 324 total yards, 16 first downs, 7 penalties for 45 yards, 0 turnovers.
 
Individual statistics:
Rushing: Ashton Sandbulte 6-33, Kaleb Hein 2-8
Passing: Casey Sehr 12-23 for 168 yards
Receiving: Gannon Ahrendt 5-113, Eli Radtke 1-31
Defense: Connor Overgaard 7.5 tackles, Jamie McCarthy 5.5 tackles, Eli Radtke 3.5 tackles

The Luverne Cardinals bounced back from a Sept. 7 loss to the Tigers in Marshall with a 3-1 win over Westbrook Walnut Grove on the road Thursday, Sept. 9, and a second place finish in their home tournament Saturday, Sept. 11.
Windom beat Luverne in the Saturday tournament, but the Cards hope to avenge that loss when they meet the Eagles in Windom on Thursday, Sept. 16.
 
Luverne 3, WWG 1
The Luverne Cardinals volleyball squad was in action Thursday, Sept. 9, in Westbrook against a fierce home team that came out swinging in Set 1. 
Luverne knotted up the score early in the first set after a tip from outside hitter Kamryn VanBatavia. Despite late attempts by Elise Ferrell and Reghan Bork with a kill and an ace, the Chargers took the first set 25-16.
In Set 2, the Cards rebounded with Trista Baustian putting up consecutive sets for Kamryn Van Batavia for two kills to put Luverne ahead 9-4. 
Christina Wagner opened the lead to 20-14 with a strong hit from the middle. A service ace by Baustian helped conclude the second set for a Cardinal 25-15 win.
In Set 3, Luverne’s Bork and Anja Jarchow set up Ferrell for a set of kills that helped put the Cards up 8-3. 
A collective block by sisters Elizabeth and Christina Wagner sent the Cardinals to an 11-6 lead. 
Despite attempts to stave the bleeding by the Chargers, an 11-4 run with a Baustian set and Van Batavia kill allowed the Cards to acquire a 2-1 set lead.
Bork and Baustian teamed up to push an early lead in Set 4 at 7-0 with solid sets, a kill and a service ace. 
With a set by Averill Sehr, Van Batavia pushed the lead to 14-7.  Although W-WG attempted a late run, the Cards were able to narrowly champion the set at 26-24.
 
Serves:  Anja Jarchow, two aces; Set Assist: Trista Baustian 15, Reghan Bork 17; Digs:  Macy Stratton 8; Kills: Elise Ferrell 16, Kamryn VanBatavia 8; Blocks:  Elizabeth Wagner 4; Christina Wagner 3
 
Luverne tourney:
Luverne 2,
George-Little Rock 0
In match one, the home team got off to a strong start with an ace and consecutive tips from setter Reghan Bork. 
Elise Ferrell bookended ace serves to put the Cardinals ahead 12-3.  A set by Trista Baustian to right side hitter Morgan Ahrendt extended Luverne’s lead to 17-7. They finished the set 25-7 after sets from Baustian to Bork and Ferrell for back-to-back kills.
Luverne cleared the bench in Set 2, which allowed all the players on the squad an opportunity to face the G-LR Mustangs. 
A pass from Macy Stratton and set by Bork allowed Baustian to tip the ball for a kill to put the Cards ahead 3-1. With a pass by Christina Wagner, Ferrell was able to complete a back row attack to maintain a lead at 8-5. 
Elizabeth Wagner’s block at 21-13 gave the home team an edge before a Stratton pass set Ferrell up for the back row attack roll shot to finish off the match for a 2-0 set win.
 
Kills: Elise Ferrell 5, Trista Baustian 5; Aces: Elise Ferrell 3; Blocks: Elizabeth Wagner 1
 
Luverne 2, Hills-Beaver Creek 0
In a Rock County tilt, the Cardinals proved too strong for the visiting Patriots, taking an early lead that H-BC could not recover from. 
Anja Jarchow pounded out three consecutive ace serves to put Luverne ahead 9-1. 
With a pass from Stratton and a set from Bork, Ferrell hit a blistering outside kill to continue the lead at 11-3. 
Elizabeth Wagner finished the set with an overpass kill for a score of 25-13 in Set 1.
Set 2 started similarly with a 6-1 run from the Cardinals, leading to a 10-3 lead after a pass from Carly Olson, set by Bork and kill by Christina Wagner. 
A block by Wagner and ace by Ferrell gave Luverne the edge to 2-0 win.
 
Service Aces: Anja Jarchow 4, Reghan Bork 2; Kills: Elise Ferrell 9, Christina Wager 5, Trista Baustian 3
 
Luverne 0, Windom 2
In the tournament championship, Big South contender Windom proved too strong for the Cardinals. 
Sets 1 and 2 were riddled with Cardinals’ errors, which the host team could not seem to overcome.
The Cards lost the sets 22-25 and 21-25. 
Despite an early lead in Set 1 at 17-10, Luverne struggled to put together a run of points.
 
Digs: Macy Stratton 20, Elise Ferrell 8; Kills: Elise Ferrell 7