By Jolene Farley
Steen Reformed Church Vacation Bible School kids and staff raised $1,600 for Hope Haven International Ministries, Rock Valley, Iowa, last June.

Their donation was used to supply 32 children in developing countries with wheelchairs.

An offering was taken every morning during Vacation Bible School. The 101 kids in preschool through eighth grade, 20 teachers and 15 helpers all contributed. But the vast majority of donations came from the kids, according to Ann Boeve, Bible School director.

"We kept a chart up front," said Boeve. "Each $50 donation bought another child a wheelchair. The kids could see it actually working. Fifty dollars actually did something."

Hope Haven was founded in 1964 and concentrates on meeting the needs of the local disabled. Hope Haven in turn founded the Hope Haven International Ministries in 1993 to help meet the needs of the disabled around the world.

The wheelchair program is an opportunity for persons with disabilities, nursing homes, hospitals, and home medical companies in the United States to donate used wheelchairs.

Many disabled in the United States outgrow wheelchairs or upgrade to better equipment. This leaves them with used wheelchairs that are still in good condition.

Using donated wheelchair parts and volunteer labor, usually retirees, Hope Haven International refurbishes wheelchairs at either the main shop in Rock Valley or one of its satellite shops and redistributes them to those who need them.

Teams of healthcare professionals then distribute the wheelchairs free of charge to people in developing countries. Hope Haven International’s goal is to provide dignity and mobility to persons with disabilities around the world.

The Steen Vacation Bible School sixth-grade youths were allowed to help with that goal. They toured the Rock Valley shop and helped load some donated items.

After the donated wheelchairs are distributed overseas, photos are taken of the disabled children who receive them. The Steen children were able to see photos of the 32 children their donations helped.

The photos are displayed in the Steen Reformed Church as a reminder of what generous giving can accomplish.

By Sara Quam
As far as family businesses go, the Magnolia Steak House holds its own as a third generation takes over.

In March, the Dispanet tradition of serving well-reviewed meals will continue under the new ownership of Amy Dispanet VerSteeg, current manager.

Amy and her husband, Brad, are in the process of finalizing the purchase from Tim and Sue Dispanet. Tim and Sue, owners since 1972, said they decided to retire to enjoy a slower pace of life.

"I wanted to continue the family business," Amy said. "It’s a tradition and a challenge. You could say it's in my blood."

Ironically, Amy didn't expect to manage the business for long, let alone own it. "In high school, I was voted most likely not to return to Luverne," she said.

After getting degrees in English and women’s studies, her student loan payments necessitated the job that she thought was temporary.

When restaurant management got in her system she decided to stay.

Meanwhile, she has maintained connections to her degree by serving on the board of directors for the Southwest Crisis Center.

Other community involvements for Amy are the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Blandin Committee and the Grace Lutheran Church board.

Customers likely won't notice any changes in service or menu items. "Some of the staff has been with us since my grandpa ran it," Amy said.

What’s now known as the Magnolia Steak House was first a bar owned and operated in Magnolia by A.C. Dispanet starting in 1938. He broadened the business to include a steak house after nine years.

The business was passed on to Tim and Sue Dispanet in the 1970s and relocated in Luverne after a fire in 1988.

Luverne High School science teacher Jerry Jensen has 28 students in one of his science classes.

His class limit is generally 24, but the push to improve high school science and math standards is shifting a disproportionate number of students from other elective courses to his classrooms.

The shift is creating an administrative nightmare for high school curriculum planners.

On one hand, educators support the notion of higher standards, but Jensen said there is a shortage of classroom space and teachers to accommodate the sudden enrollment in math and science courses.

Students, particularly those not bound for college, are abandoning other elective courses to meet the new requirements.

After meeting with Curriculum Coordinator Jan Olson, Counselor Craig Nelson and Principal Gary Fisher, Jensen took the concerns to School Board members Thursday night.

"This is a big national move," Jensen said. "It's been shown that kids who are successful later in careers are those who have had more science and math."

Jensen told the board he wants to add new, non-core courses to the curriculum to meet the individual nees of student not on a college track.

He said all indicators are pointing to the need to hire additional science and math teachers. How this affects funding for other existing programs remains to be seen.

For the past several years, Luverne School District has been implementing state standards for graduations, but this year’s freshman class will be the first to graduate with all the necessary requirements.

Biology and chemistry used to be offered as college prep courses, but now that they're required for graduation, all students, regardless of future plans, are enrolling in those courses.

"This year, I've had the largest classes I’ve seen," Jensen said. "What it's coming down to is we need more staff in the sciences, and it's not easy to find someone to hire in that area."

In other business Thursday, the board:
oElected new officers. Don Bryan is chair, Dan Kopp is vice chair, Becky Walgrave is clerk, and Bill Stegemann is treasurer.

oAccepted a $12,000 check from the Tri-State Band Festival Committee to help with the school’s bleacher project.

oHeard a report from school psychologist Renee Guy on her work in the district.

oApproved district bills and noted that the natural gas bill for the month had more than doubled. The district will pay $20,500 for one month’s use of natural gas.

oAgreed to replace a 45-year-old oven in the middle school high school cafeteria. With the heating, cooling and ventilation project planned for that area of the building, the board agreed now would be a good time to replace the oven. Quotes for a new one have come in at $7,300.

oApproved its annual resolution directing administration to make reductions in programs and positions. "In light of heating costs, salaries and insurance costs, you can rest assured we’ll be looking for ways to make things work," said Superintendent Vince Schaefer.

oApproved bids for district vehicles. A Grand American Blue Bird 72-passenger bus will be purchased for $56,317, including $4,500 for a trade-in.

Three vehicles will be purchased from Papik Motors. A four-door Chevy Impala will cost $16,500 including $3,699 for trade-in of a Ford Taurus. Two suburbans will be purchased for the combined price of $55,400, including $285 apiece for the additional towing package.

oAgreed to work with the Rock County Land Management Office on ordering trees through the government CRP program. The trees will be planted along the border of the new school property to the north and west of the campus.

oTabled action on bid dates for the heating, cooling and ventilation project at the high school-middle school. Separate bids will be accepted for the asbestos removal related to the project.

The board met in special session Monday afternoon to set those dates, after acquiring information that was not available Thursday night.

Bid opening will be March 6 for asbestos removal, and March 13 for HVAC and electrical work.

Al Hartz prefers to stay out of the spotlight, but it was unavoidable Tuesday as he received the first ever Rock County Employee of the Year Award.

As a highway department mechanic, Hartz doesn’t have a 9-to-5 job. He usually works the same odd hours as other crews that plow the roads.

"We’re pretty much fair game in the winter," Hartz said. "But it was almost a blessing on Sunday not to have to watch the Vikings play."

According to Hartz, he’s not the only employee who should get recognition. "There’s a lot of dedicated people here."

Although Hartz’s job title is mechanic, he completes other duties such as budgets and spec writing. He’s been employed by the county for 18 years.

Employees of the Rock County Highway Department said in a nomination letter, "What is very admirable of Al is that he is always very attentive to the needs of not only the Highway Department, but also the needs of other county departments. Al is very conscientious of his work and always strives to do the best work possible. … His accommodating nature makes him a pleasure to work with."

Rock County Engineer Mark Sehr said, "Since my arrival in 1996, the RCHD has gained the responsibility for the routine maintenance of the Rock County Sheriff’s vehicles, Rock County Heartland Express vehicles, and Rock County Land Management vehicles. This program has been successful through the coordination and efforts of Mr. Hartz and other RCHD personnel."

Evan Verbrugge said in his nomination letter, "Every time I or someone from the Sheriff’s Department brings our squads in for something to get fixed, he gets it done right away and does not complain about it.

Yesterday I went in to make an appointment with Al for an oil change for today. This morning I went into the shop for the appointment. Al was busier than a rancher trying to herd bumblebees over the Rocky Mountains, and Al said he would take care of it and that it wouldn’t be a problem."

Highway Maintenance Supervisor Walter Stearns also nominated Hartz. He said, "Al is an inspiration to the entire Highway Department and myself. … Al does an exceptional job of coordinating and cooperating with all Rock County Departments to get the job done. He has sacrificed lunch and dinner breaks to get equipment back up and running. I feel that dedication of this caliber deserves recognition."

The Employee of the Year was voted on by Rock County Board members. Other nominees this year were Pam Nelson of Family Services and Deb Den Herder of the Extension Office.

The board spent at least two weeks reviewing the nominations to make the decision, which they admitted was not easy.

By Sara Quam
Treatment of Luverne's murky waters may become more clear with help from a long-term study.

The University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, under the direction of Scott Korum, is studying denitrification in groundwater near the Rock River and Wastewater Treatment Plant. Allen Schlag, a researcher at UND, installed equipment to test for denitrification Monday.

"We've been looking at how aquifers can naturally remove some contaminants," Schlag said.

Denitrification is the natural conversion of nitrate to harmless nitrogen gas. It benefits water consumers by naturally removing nitrates from ground water.

The city hopes the study - that will continue for almost three years - will offer insight about the water before it reaches the treatment stage.

UND has a grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to assess the denitrification capacity of aquifers.

Nitrates, the most-common groundwater contaminant, can come from fertilizer and human and animal waste but can also be found when sod is freshly-tilled.

Another portion of the study includes three sites in North Dakota. Schlag said comparing the sites will "help researchers and water managers understand differences in the water chemistry of North Dakota and Minnesota aquifers with similar geologic histories but different geologic compositions."

Schlag said nitrates make a useful subject to study because some organisms use them like oxygen. "When there's no more oxygen, bacteria can use nitrates to breathe and continue to eat other contaminants."

The city's ongoing issue with water treatment has been that the aquifers are shallow and that Luverne has many more wells than most cities its size. The city has more wells to monitor as the water has less soil to filter through before entering the cityÕs treatment plant.

"The study is significant to the city because the test sites are so near the wells," Schlag said.

Schlag hypothesizes that Luverne's water will have a lower denitrification rate than ones in North Dakota. That's because North Dakota's sites in the Red River Valley have water that is usually filtered through sedimentary deposits containing higher levels of organic carbon and a mineral called pyrite - which support the denitrification process. Luverne's aquifer contains more igneous and metamorphic base, which do less of the filtering work.

Schlag will visit the test site several times over the next few months to initiate the experiment and train representatives from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture who will gradually assume sampling duties.

Of the two wells in Luverne, one will be left in its natural state to monitor natural water changes and the other will have increased nitrate content to observe how it affects the natural water chemistry.

At the end of the study, a report with findings will be available.

Schlag has a master's degree in geology, with an emphasis on hydro-geology, and he lectures at UND.

By Sara Quam
The Green Earth Players are setting the stage for an old standard in a new location.

"Annie," the musical, will open tomorrow night in the Luverne High School Little Theatre for the first time after almost 20 years of being at the Palace Theatre.

Morgan Bosshart, daughter of Don and Wendy Bosshart, Luverne, is a newcomer to the stage, and, at age 12, plays Annie.

Although she's not exactly used to acting, Bosshart said the role wasn't a stretch. "We both have a similar personality so it wasn't that hard once I memorized the lines," she said.

Singing such well-known songs as the ones in "Annie" can sometimes pose a challenge to actors, but Bosshart isn't bothered by that. She's grown to appreciate the script and music.

"I think my favorite part of the play and my favorite song is 'Together at Last,'" she said.

As for her new, bright red hair, Bosshart said, "It doesn't bug me that much."

The cast, led by Bosshart, and made up of many new, young faces, will be ready to break its leg ... as the sun comes up tomorrow.

Tickets available:
Feb. 9, 10, 11 and 16, 17, 18
Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m.
Sundays, 2 p.m. - all at the Luverne High School Little Theatre
Box Office: Carnegie Cultural Center, 205 N. Freeman, at 283-8294 or for information 283-2765

By Lori Ehde
The Elementary School Library was a busy place Wednesday when Luverne second-graders came in from the noon recess.

Wednesday marked the first day of the Bookin' Buddies reading program, and 41 students paired up with local volunteer adults to delve into a 45-minute reading session of their favorite material.

Bookin' Buddies was started through Rock County's Big Buddies program to provide children one-on-one mentorship with adults.

The idea was inspired by a similar program in the Twin Cities called the Power Lunch program involving Supreme Court justices.

In addition to positive mentorship, students receive critical reading experience, according to Julie Wynia, Big Buddies program coordinator.

"A lot of kids in the second grade are just starting to read," she said. "Research has shown that now is the time to hit them with this sort of thing. The more you make it fun, the more enjoyable it is for them, and the more they'll want to read later in life."

She said 70 adults have volunteered to read during their noon hour on Wednesdays. That includes those who have agreed to do it every week, and those who have agreed to do it on a part-time basis.

Volunteers include working professionals, retired seniors and stay-at-home parents.

Wynia said she was pleased with volunteer response. "I thought we'd try to get enough volunteers to read to one second-grade classroom, but we have enough for two," she said. Second-graders involved so far are those in Cathy Rust's and Carol Goehle's classes.

"In the fall, we hope to get all classrooms filled."

She said part of the reason for the volunteer positive response may be the structure of the program.

"It's a set period of time, and it's not in the evening, so it doesn't take away from family time," Wynia said.

The same students and readers are matched for the duration of the program, which will continue until mid-May.

Librarian Lorna Schoeneman helps partners choose appropriate books, but volunteers can also bring their own favorites along.

Interested volunteer readers can call Wynia at 283-8685, ext. 4.

By John Rittenhouse
Hills-Beaver Creek slipped to 0-2 in the Tri-County Conference boys' basketball race when it received a 59-50 setback at Edgerton Public School Friday.

The Flying Dutchmen opened a four-point lead by halftime and fought off all H-BC challenges in the second half to win by nine points.

The game was a tight one throughout, but H-BC had trouble putting the ball in the basket on a consistent basis in a game that was decided by shooting efficiency.

"We're just not shooting the ball very well right now," said Patriot coach Steve Wiertzema. "We shot 31 percent from the floor and 44 percent from the line. You can work as hard as you want, but you still have to get some baskets now and then."

H-BC played through its shooting woes while battling the flying Dutchmen to a draw at 13 in the first quarter, but Edgerton opened a 29-25 lead by halftime and led by four (38-34) entering the fourth quarter.

The Flying Dutchmen outscored the Patriots 21-16 in the fourth quarter.

Darin and Lyle DeBoer turned in solid performances for H-BC. Darin DeBoer netted a team-high 14 points and registered three assists. Lyle DeBoer canned four three-point shots for 12 counters. He also charted six rebounds and three assists.

Matt Buck led H-BC with 11 rebounds. Lance Crawford and Brad Haak collected six caroms each.

Box score
D.DeBoer 2 3 3-3 14, Fransman 0 0 1-2 1, Haak 3 0 1-6 7, L.DeBoer 0 4 0-0 12, Top 0 0 3-5 3, Crawford 2 0 0-2 4, Buck 3 1 0-0 9.

Team statistics
H-BC: 17 of 55 field goals (31 percent), eight of 18 free throws (44 percent), 34 rebounds, 17 turnovers.
Edgerton: 22 of 54 field goals (41 percent), five of eight free throws (63 percent), 20 rebounds, 10 turnovers.

The chances of Hills-Beaver Creek capturing a Tri-County Conference girls' basketball title were damaged Thursday night.

The Patriots traveled to Ellsworth for what was an important league game for both teams.

When Ellsworth came out on top of a low-scoring, 32-28 decision, H-BC's hopes of securing a league crown were dismantled.

With the loss, the Patriots slip to 2-2 in the league. They trail both Ellsworth (2-0) and Southwest Christian (3-0) in the league standings.

H-BC does have one game remaining with each team above them in the standings, but the leaders have yet to play each other, so catching both schools is basically impossible.

H-BC played well enough to beat Ellsworth defensively, but it couldn't get the job done on the offensive side of the court as the Patriots were limited to 25-percent shooting from the floor.

"I thought both teams played well defensively. In all honesty, neither team played well offensively. In large part, the reason for that was the play of the defenses," said Patriot coach Tom Goehle.

H-BC led 6-4 at the end of the first quarter before falling behind 17-14 by halftime.

The Patriots used an 8-6 scoring edge to trim the difference to one point (23-22) by the end of the third quarter, but Ellsworth's 9-6 scoring advantage in the final eight minutes of play gave the Panthers a four-point win.

Erin Boeve scored eight points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Patriots. Shanna Tilstra and Becky Broesder picked up six rebounds each.

Box score
H-BC
C.Tilstra 0 0 2-2 2, Olson 1 0 0-0 2, Sandstede 0 0 0-0 0, Rentschler 1 0 1-2 3, S.Tilstra 1 0 0-0 2, Broesder 1 0 1-5 3, DeNoble 1 0 0-0 2, Boeve 3 0 2-2 8, DeHaan 2 0 0-0 4, Arp 1 0 0-0 2.

Team statistics
H-BC: 11 of 44 field goals (25 percent), six of 11 free throws (55 percent), 35 rebounds, 22 turnovers.
Ellsworth: 13 of 47 field goals (28 percent), six of 15 free throws (40 percent), 36 rebounds, 15 turnovers.