Many Rock County and Luverne community members worked together to make a Christmas wish come true for Luverne fourth-grader Cassandra Sunderland (center). Pictured on the day her piano was delivered Friday are Elementary Counselor Marie Atkinson-Smiens (front), Elementary Principal Melody Tenhoff (front row, from left), Child Guide Lisa Dinger, Sunderland, piano teacher June Polzin, elementary teacher Helen Laabs, (back) music teacher Beth Capistran, County Commissioner Jane Wildung, Santa Terrie Gulden and County Administrator Kyle Oldre. Story inside.

Photo by Lori Ehde

December
Dec. 23: Cory and Shannon DeSmet, Hayfield, a girl.
Dec. 29: Darrel and Brook Kroeger, Hills, a boy.
January

Jan. 17: Neil and Carolie Carlson, New Brighton, a girl.
Jan. 31: Seth and Sue Hofman, Melvin, Iowa, a boy.

February
Feb. 12: Michael and Michelle Gray, Hills, a boy.
Feb. 20: Dr. Douglas and Esther Van Marel, Huron, S.D., a girl.
Feb. 22: David and Cindy Niessink, Steen, a girl.

March
March 10: Hans and Susan Erickson, Eagan, a girl.
March 15: Harvey and Tamara Horn, Luverne, a girl.
March 18: Stacen and Donna Burgers, Hills, a girl.

April
April 3: Chris and Joy Birens, Hills, a boy.
April 6: Marlin and Amie Fick, Beaver Creek, a boy.
April 15: Kyle and Sara Oldre, Luverne, a boy; Jared and Amanda Rozeboom, Hills, a girl.
April 17: Shane and Heather Roberts, Luverne, a boy.

May
May 8: Arlyn and Kim Gehrke, Beaver Creek, a boy.
May 18: Phil and Shari (Rierson) Haen, Renville, a girl.

June 21
June 2: Jason and Ranae Johnson, Luverne, a girl.
June 7: Justin and Laressa Birger, Sioux Falls, S.D., a girl.
June 20: Jason and Ericka (Tollefson) Noteboom, Sheldon, Iowa, a girl.
June 25: Tim and Trista Bosch, Hills, a boy.
June 27: Brent and Joanne Taubert, Beaver Creek, a boy.
June 28: Lonnie and Andrea Bucher, Beaver Creek, a girl

July
July 7: Scott and Kristi Ebert, Harrisburg, S.D., a girl.
July 9: Matt and Hana Hartter, Rock Rapids, Iowa, a girl.
July 10: Blake and Denise Wysong, Hills, a boy.
July 16: Derrick and Tim Flier, Brandon, S.D., a boy.
July 21: Andy and Stacie Bommersbach, Detroit, Mich., a girl.
July 22: Jeff and Cammie Dysthe, Beaver Creek, a boy.
July 27: Randy and Laurie Schott, Steen, a girl.

August
Aug. 3: Kurt and Lanette Elbers, Steen, a girl.
Aug. 31: Mark and Brenda Hadler, Edgerton, a boy.

September
Sept. 12: Dean and Renae Knobloch, Hills, a girl.
Sept. 25: Lynn and Amy (Feucht) Mogler, Algona, Iowa, a boy.
Sept. 30: David and Amy Olson, Beaver Creek, a girl.

October
Oct. 15: Sheila Pruit and Wayne Duncan, Beaver Creek, a girl.
Oct. 22: Aric and RaeLynn Leenderts, Rosemont, a boy.
Oct. 24: Dustin and Michelle Knobloch, Steen, a boy; Chad and Rachele Carver, Hills, a girl.
Oct. 30: Boyd and Danielle Vis, Beaver Creek, a boy; Chad and Tami Rauk, Beaver Creek, a girl.

November
Nov. 4: Rev. David and Bonnie Fagrey, Rapid City, a boy.
Nov. 8: Dean and Terri Baker, Steen, a boy; Joe and Becky Nadgwick, Omaha, Neb., a girl; Dean and Christy Rozeboom, Gregory, S.D., a boy.
Nov. 26: Jeremy and Maritta Smidt, Pipestone, twin girls.
Nov. 28: Mike and Anna Gilman, Eden Prairie, a boy.

December
Dec. 5: Cory and LaDawn Kelderman, rural Hills, a girl.
Dec. 8: Bob and Angie Johnson, Rock Rapids, Iowa, a girl.
Dec. 17: Joel David Huston and Tara Jo Sandager, Hills, a girl.

Land O’ Lakes Feed sales representatives Mark Tiesler (left) and Mike McNab serve Elden Reyelts of Beaver Creek lunch at Livestock Producer Days in Beaver Creek on Thursday.

Photo by Jolene Farley

Margaret Hatting, 87, Luverne, died Sunday, Dec. 29 at the Luverne Community Hospital. Visitation will be Wednesday, Jan. 1 from 2 to 8 p.m. with parish prayers at 6 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne. Services will be Thursday, Jan. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Catherine Catholic Church, Luverne, with Fr. Andrew Beerman officiating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery.

And the stockings were hung (for decorative purposes only)

This year, a Christmas tradition that could have ended long ago is finally coming to a close. … Santa won’t be filling my stocking.

It’s not because I deserve a lump of coal instead of good stuff, either. My mom and dad finally decided that, with their youngest child in her mid-20s, and their oldest a hair shy of 30, it’s time to stop staying up late and stuffing stockings for three grown women — especially since their daughters can stay up later than "Santa."

Saying good-bye to our family’s St. Nick was coming for a while. I think it was mom who finally brought it up while we were talking on the phone. "Santa might not come this year," she said.

It was fine with me, I told her. It was getting a little awkward, anyway, shouting, "Thank you Santa Claus!" Christmas mornings, after emptying stockings on the floor.

I told mom it’s a sign to stop setting out cookies for Santa when you can’t sit on the floor, shuffling through stocking stuffers, for long before a spider vein starts throbbing.

Even though he’s not coming this year, I already told Mom I still want my typical Santa gifts, the classic stocking stuffers: some favorite lotions, lipstick, maybe a book or costume jewelry … whatever Santa might have given me, had he been around.

And the person who actually bought the gifts can take credit this year.

The greatest gift is a home for the holidays

Knowing I had a secure home and loving family was the best present I always counted on at Christmas and throughout the year.

Unfortunately, many children don’t know that gift because they are waiting to be adopted.

Many times, these are children old enough to understand that they’re missing out on a real family. They are also old enough to know time is running out for their chance to be adopted.

Statistically, people usually apply to adopt perfect Caucasian infants, but most children waiting to be adopted have had troubles, are a racial minority and are older than age 6.

Adoption issues will be addressed on the national level when CBS airs "A Home for the Holidays," at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 20. This presents inspirational stories about adoption to raise awareness, and it includes stories from famous people involved in adoptions.

Most people know the Luverne story of the Rev. Bart Fletcher and his wife Claudia’s mission to adopt children in need. They’ve taken in nine children and encourage others to do the same thing.

Claudia is currently helping to find a home for Johnathn, an 11-year-old in Sioux Falls, who needs to be placed nearby because of some treatment needs.

He is described as having "a great sense of humor. He loves animals and would especially like to live on a farm or with a family who has pets. … Because Johnathn has felt rejected by past caregivers, it’s important that adoptive parents commit to him and be willing to hang in there."

Claudia points out that adoption is a larger social issue, not just a family matter: Children who leave foster care at age 18 without being adopted are likely to become homeless, in prison, victims or perpetrators of abuse and/or chemically dependent.

Claudia can be reached at 283-9693 to talk about Johnathn or a general interest in adoption.

In Search of a
Dairy Princess
The Rock County chapter of the American Dairy Association is looking for candidates to be the 2003 Rock County Dairy Princess.

The role of the Rock County Dairy Princess is to serve as an ambassador in Rock County for the dairy industry.

Her duties will include appearing at various promotional events, participating in parades throughout the county and speaking to consumers and the media.

To qualify, candidates must be at least 16 years of age and not yet 24 years old by July 1, 2003.

The candidates, or her parents (or legal guardians) must be actively engaged in the production of milk for sale to a licensed plant during the current year.

Candidates also qualify if they or their parents are employed on a dairy farm in the dairy related industry.

If you are interested in participating in the contest, call Philip or Theresa Raak by Jan. 15 at 348-4850.

Luverne native a key player in Sundance movie
A movie by Patrick Coyle was recently accepted to be shown at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival in Utah.

For Coyle’s first feature film, "Detective Fiction," which he wrote, directed and starred in, he chose Luverne native Greg Winter to be the director of photography.

Winter, a 1971 LHS graduate, has been in the film business since he graduated from the University of Iowa with a master’s degree in fine arts.

He currently works as an art director at Wilson-Griak, a Minneapolis film production company and is currently a member of the Minneapolis Film board.

In the independent film world, Sundance is a big deal.

The festival has launched the careers of Quentin Tarantino, Wes Anderson, Steven Soderbergh and St. Louis Park’s Joel and Ethan Coen, whose first film, Blood Simple, won first prize at the first Sundance Film Festival in 1985.

The film was described by Colin Covert of the Minneapolis Star Tribune as "a dark psychological drama of addiction and infidelity, but its journey to the screen played out more like a Horatio Alger story, an up-by-your bootstraps tale of determination in the face of formidable challenges."

The Sundance Film Festival is from Jan. 16 through Jan. 26.

"Detective Fiction" will run four consecutive days, beginning Monday, Jan. 20.

For those of you who won’t be attending the Sundance Festival this year, Luverne’s Ben VanderKooi is working to get a screening of the movie at the Palace Theatre.

JC Penney’s last day is Friday
After 15 years, the JC Penney store will close its doors for the last time tomorrow.

A customer appreciation open house is today, Thursday, Dec. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m.

Nationwide, gas prices drop
Since mid-November, the nationwide price of gas has dropped 8.6 cents per gallon and currently averages $1.378.

In the Midwest, prices have dropped 13.1 cents to $1.339.

The average prices in other regions are
_ Great Lakes Region, $1.329
_ West, $1.426
_ Southeast, $1.318
_ Southwest, $1.331
_ Mid Atlantic, $1.413
_ New England, $1.484

Publisher Roger Tollefson can be contacted by e-mail at tolly@star-herald.com

Evelyn Huisenga Balk, 89, Worthington, died Thursday, Dec. 19, 2002, at Luverne Hospice Cottage.
Services were Monday, Dec. 23, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Worthington. The Rev. Larry Brixius officiated. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery in Wilmont.

Evelyn Huisenga was born to Claus and Eva (DeVries) Huisenga on Sept. 1, 1913, in Sibley, Iowa. In 1918, her family moved to Rushmore. She attended elementary school in Rushmore and graduated from Worthington High School in 1931. She worked in her dad’s grocery store. When her father retired in 1941, the store was turned over to her and her sister, Bilda.

She worked in the store until she married Alfred Balk on Sept. 1, 1943, in Wilmont. After their marriage, the couple farmed on the Balk family farm south of Wilmont until 1978 when they retired and moved to Luverne. In 1983, they moved to Worthington. Mr. Balk died on June 26, 2000. She moved to Luverne Hospice Cottage in September 2002.

Survivors include three children and their spouses Joyce (Jim) Broesder, Adrian, Jim (Linda) Balk, Albert Lea, and Kathy (Marlin) Mitchell, Rushmore; seven grandchildren, Deb (Jon) Neitzell, Becky (Steve) Michaletz, Joe (Vicki) Balk, Mike Balk, Shawn (Tammi) Wittry, Bobbi (Myron) Ruesch and Nicki Wittry; eight great-grandchildren; and one sister, Nellie Siemon, Mobridge, S.D.

Mrs. Balk was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Alfred, one brother, LeRoy Huisenga, and three sisters, Leona Alberg, Dena Wulf, and Bilda Mahan.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Luverne Hospice Cottage.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Worthington, was in charge of arrangements.

Services for Pearl Aning will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 26, at First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. The Rev. John Pehrson will officiate. Burial will be at Luverne Memorial Gardens, rural Luverne. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday at the church.

Pearl Anna Aning, 68, Luverne, died Saturday, Dec. 21, 2002, in Luverne Community Hospital.
Pearl Aning was born to Jacob and Geessien (Dammer) Aning on Aug. 10, 1934, in Ellsworth. She attended country school in rural Ellsworth and also Luverne. She lived in the Nobles and Rock County area all her life. She moved to Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne in 1986.

Ms. Aning was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. She enjoyed working at Luverne D.A.C. She loved her teddy bears.

Survivors include two brothers, Benard Aning, George, Iowa, and Menno (Eleanor) Aning, Luverne; three sisters, Dena Tholen, Rushmore, Jennie Johnson, Luverne, and Mary (Ray) Harsma, Worthington, and many nieces, nephews and friends.

Ms. Aning was preceded in death by her parents, one brother and two sisters.

Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.

Irene Schlapkohl, 97, Luverne, died Friday, Dec. 27 at Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center, Luverne. Visitation will be Monday, Dec. 30 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Dingmann Funeral Home, Luverne. Graveside services will be Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 10 a.m. at Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne, with Rev. Bart Fletcher officiating.