The Harrisburg Bridge—Spring 2022 Edition

SPRING 2022

INSIDE Heart of Harrisburg . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chamber Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Middle School Boundaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Learner Interest Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

LEARNER INTEREST DAYS

Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Leading this table of future chefs is Alex Ritesman, HHS ProStart member and a student in the HHS culinary program. Fourth grader Izzy Pfeifle, left, said she “just loves cooking.”

Story on page 24.

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

Photo by Jon Klemme

1

PROUDLY GROWING IN AND WITH HARRISBURG. NOW HIRING PRODUCTION TEAM MEMBERS. Apply today at: ShowplaceCareers.com

2

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

3

CONTENTS

YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SANITATION COMPANY A family owned company serving customers in

Sioux Falls, Harrisburg, and Tea

Justin and Ruby Zuraff, owners, and their children

• Residential • Commercial • Recycling • Roll-Off Dumpster Rental

From the Mayor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 From the Chamber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Chamber Award Winners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 City Finance Director Retires . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Alumni Profile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Harrisburg Baseball Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Focus on Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 From the Superintendent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 HHS Event Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Learner Interest Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 HHS Activity Photos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Perspective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Harrisburg Business Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

ADVERTISERS American Electric Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 American State Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Arends Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Baker Audiology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Complete Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Edward Jones – Brock Aldrich . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Escape 605 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 First Class Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Harrisburg Family Chiropractic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Jim Dunham Associates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Jim’s National Transmission Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Kids R Kids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Mariner Wealth Advisors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Neighborhood Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Reliabank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 RightQuote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Roo’s Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Sanford Health . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Security National Bank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 ServPro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Showplace Cabinetry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 The Select Companies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Wermerson Orthodontics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

THE BRIDGE “The Bridge” is published quarterly by AGE Media & Promotion in partnership with the Harrisburg School District, the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce and the City of Harrisburg.

Age Media & Promotion | www.agemedia.pub PUBLISHERS Garrett and Mindy Gross, AGE Media | (515) 231-9367 EDITOR Bob Fitch, AGE Media | (712) 551-4123 | bob@agemedia.pub PHOTOGRAPHER | Jon Klemme ADVERTISING SALES Garrett Gross, AGE Media | (515) 231-9367 | garrett@agemedia.pub

roossanitation.com 4

© AGE Media & Promotion All rights reserved. Content in this magazine should not be copied in any way without the written permission of the publisher. Content in articles, editorial and advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by AGE Media & Promotion.

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

At FIRST CLASS DENTAL CARE we provide first class service and first class smiles.

We’re here to help you achieve your dream smile, whether that means a routine cleaning or beyond. We offer it all, including dental implants and ClearCorrect clear aligners to straighten teeth invisibly.

ClearCorrect clear aligners straighten teeth invisibly, without metal braces.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DR. BEECROFT TODAY! 6703 S Louise Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57108 605.271.9330 | FirstClassDentalCare.com THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

*This plan is only honored at First Class Dental Care. This membership is NOT a dental insurance plan.

5

IMPORTANT LOCAL CONTACT INFO CITY OF HARRISBURG 605-743-5872 | www.harrisburgsd.gov 301 E. Willow St., Harrisburg SD 57032

SO MUCH TO DO

City Administrator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andrew Pietrus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-743-5872 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Klipfel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-767-5078 Deputy Building Official . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brandi Savage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-767-5011 Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stockwell Engineers, Inc . . . . . . . . 605-338-6668 Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary McClung . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-767-5008 Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .605-767-7910 Mechanical Inspector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Steve Robertson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-595-3527 Parks and Recreation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Thurston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-213-1000 Police/Lincoln Co. Sheriff . . . . . . . . . . . . Non-emergencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-764-2664 Planning & Zoning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael McMahon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-767-5010 Public Works . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Toby Huizenga . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-767-0075 Utilities (water/sewer) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-743-5872

In March we will say “so long” to Mary McClung, our retiring city finance officer. But it is more important to say “thank you.” Her nearly 21 years of service to the residents of Harrisburg is admirable. She has been one of the most pleasant and hard-working individuals with whom I have served. Her talent and dedication to Harrisburg has been unwavering. I hope you get to read her story in this issue of The Bridge and, if given Mayor Derick Wenck the opportunity, thank and congratulate her in person. New to the city staff is Deb Harris who will replace Mary as the finance officer. Deb is from the Harrisburg area and brings over 15 years of experience in financial services and office management. We are excited to have her on board!

GENERAL CONTACT INFO FOR HOMEOWNERS

I am half-way through my term and there is still so much to do!

Anywhere you look in Harrisburg, there is a new development with buildings established or the earth is being moved in preparation of a new project. In 2021, the Planning and Zoning Department issued over 500 building permits with a total construction value of $78 million!

That’s nearly a hundred more than the previous year. The city collected approximately $2 million in cost recovery methods like platting fees, water and sewer connections, and impact fees for parks. Many of those projects have carried over into 2022 and there are more on the horizon.

CABLE TELEVISION SERVICES

Vast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-633-4567 Midco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-888-1300 Electricity, Xcel Energy (Zone 1 includes most areas) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-895-4999 Electricity, Southeastern Electric (Zone 2, Greyhawk Addition) . . . . . . 800-333-2859 GARBAGE SERVICES

Novak Sanitary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-338-7126 Waste Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-906-6039 A-Ok Sanitary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-331-1103 Bolte’s Sunrise Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-361-7936 RBS Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-213-3021 Roo’s Sanitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-498-1588 Sweeney Sanitation Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 605-630-1734 INTERNET SERVICES

WOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-633-4567 Midco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-888-1300 HughesNet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.hughesnet.com Natural Gas, Mid American . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 888-427-5632 TELEPHONE SERVICES

Vast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 877-633-4567 Midco . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-888-1300 Qwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-244-1111 COMMUNITY GARDEN 48 individual gardening plots are available to all Harrisburg residents for the price of just $35.00 per plot. Applications are available at www.harrisburgsd.gov.

HARRISBURG BASEBALL Information and applications can be found at www.harrisburgtigersbaseball.com.

TIGER SOFTBALL CLUB The TSC is a nonprofit organization providing softball for youth ages 5-16.

Registration is available at www.tigersoftballclub.com.

6

FROM THE MAYOR

Economic development continues to gain momentum. Tax revenues finished the year very strong. A significant amount of the city’s budget is drawn from that tax revenue, and we should be proud of the direction we are heading. Housing developments are filling in with tenants. Based on the building permits issued, we are projecting somewhere around 2,000 additional housing units over the next several years. That statistic supports previous population growth projections in the seven to 10 percent range.

This includes both single and multi-family homes across a dozen different developments throughout the city. If you are curious to know which development you live in or are adjacent to, visit the parcel browser on Lincoln County’s website at www.lincolncountysd.org.

As those developments are built out, so too must the infrastructure be improved that supports them. This spring you will see curbs and gutters replaced, sidewalks poured, and old and new roads paved. It is important to make room for new parks or trail space and additional services, too. The engineering staff, Parks & Recreation Board, and the Planning & Zoning Commission work closely with the City Council to prioritize projects and provide input on future planning. The Infrastructure Projects page on our website can be a good starting point if you are looking for more information on the various efforts across the city.

Project planning for 2023 and beyond is well underway for more recreation spaces, a community center, industrial park, and more. I am proud of what we have accomplished in our town, and you should be, too!

Let’s keep working together to make Harrisburg the best community we can.

Derick Wenck

Mayor Derick Wenck, City of Harrisburg CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

Anyone can get the job done, but doing it right is a different matter entirely. That’s why, at Security National Bank, we’ll dot the i’s and cross the t’s and take care of all the little things that impact your bigger picture. The details matter around here because you matter to us.

Member FDIC THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

SNBSD.com 7

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAMBER

FINDING THE HEART OF HARRISBURG This time of year, the proverbial heart gets a lot of attention. The aisles are glistening with red and pink, and the warmth of those colors coupled with the presence of hearts (candy, cardboard, or otherwise) breaks through the bitter cold of winter just a little bit. All Hallmark-inspired love aside, we at the Harrisburg Economic Development Corporation have been talking about hearts for quite a while now.

You may have heard mention of the work we’ve been undertaking for the past year — important work that will drive the future of Harrisburg’s economy and development for the next five years and beyond. Last year, we hired National Community Development Services — a well-known and impactful consulting firm that has led successful initiatives in communities across eastern South Dakota and the nation — to help us assess the needs in our community and create a plan of work for the next five years.

I’m pleased to inform you that after 15 business and community dialogue sessions with more than 80 participants and countless hours spent assessing their input, we are moving forward with a campaign to propel our economic development initiatives. The product of these discussions is the creation of a program of work that outlines 15 key activities which are the basis of Harrisburg’s strategic approach to growing our economy. The program of work is focused on three big tasks: Develop a 20-acre business park with essential infrastructure and up to 80 acres for future expansion; attract five companies to locate in or near Harrisburg; and create at least 175 new jobs either by adding new companies or by retaining and expanding current businesses. It’s no small feat, but the pieces are in place to achieve our strategic goals.

With the elements and goals within the program of work clearly defined, we set out to identify a way to describe this vision to our stakeholders. At one of our community dialogue sessions, someone shared a conversation he had previously had with a long-time Harrisburg resident. This lifelong Tiger said that Harrisburg has a distinct advantage over other Sioux Falls suburbs; we are at the heart of everything. Think about it—nearly all the major north-south roads in Sioux Falls run out to Harrisburg. Southeastern, Cliff, Minnesota, Western, and Louise Avenue all bring traffic in and out of Harrisburg like arteries and veins in a heart.

More importantly, though, I think if we truly are seeking the heart of Harrisburg, we need look no further than the people who call the Harrisburg community home. Whether connected through a residential address, a workplace, or the school district, the people of Harrisburg are the ones

8

who make this a great community. You are the heart of Harrisburg, and it is because of you and for you that we are undertaking this program of work and why we have named the plan “Heart of Harrisburg.”

Adrienne McKeown Like everything else, though, it’s going to take all of us working together to make it a reality. We are currently sharing our vision with members of the public and private sector and asking them to make an investment as we strive to raise more than $2 million to bring the Heart of Harrisburg program to life. It sounds like a big number, but the experts at NCDS have run an economic impact analysis, and the data shows that with a successful implementation of Heart of Harrisburg, the returns in our community are huge.

The total new jobs will result in new annual personal income of more than $17.5 million and new annual business output of nearly $67 million. It also translates into increased tax revenue of more than $100,000 for both the city and the county, and nearly $425,000 for the school district—much needed funds pumped into our economy to help alleviate the growing pains.

It’s an exciting time in Harrisburg. When I think of how much the landscape has changed in the 15 years that I’ve lived here, it makes my heart skip a beat to think how much more it will change in the years ahead. But no matter how much we grow, it’s the people who will keep this a place where others love to be—a place filled with small-town charm, a place filled with heart.

Chair of the Board, Harrisburg Economic Development Corp. & Chamber of Commerce

HARRISBURG CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Brandon Lane, Executive Director 605-777-9120 www.harrisburgsdchamber.com brandon@harrisburgsdchamber.com 220 S. Cliff Avenue | Harrisburg SD 57032

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

Economic Impact Analysis 2022-2026

GOALS & UTCOMES

FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIES Develop a Business Park

• 20 Acres suitable for business attraction plus 80 additional acres for future expansion

Job Creation Through Business Attraction, Retention, Expansion Workforce Development with Harrisburg School District

• 5+ Newly attracted or locally grown businesses

Downtown Development

• 175+ New primary jobs

Support Community Initiatives

17,562,096

87

31 Induced

Direct

Total New Jobs

Indirect

175

New Annual Personal Income

New Annual Business Output

293 TOTAL

$

66,865,475

$

Annual Tax Revenue Increases

New Annual Consumer Expenditures $4,455,670 • Housing $2,499,174 • Transportation $1,827,967 • Food $1,699,438 • Personal Insurance & Pensions $1,342,413 • Healthcare $742,612 • Entertainment $428,430 • Cash Contributions $414,149 • Apparel & Services $242,777 • Education

Lincoln County: $

104,362

City of Harrisburg: $

107,091

Harrisburg School District: $

424,597

State of South Dakota: $

887,084

RETURN ON INVESTMENT * Above impacts based on initial five-year strategies and partial build out of new business park to accommodate 5 new companies and 175 jobs. Additional development of the park over 10-15 years is projected to produce:

1,608 Total Jobs $75,659,266 in New Annual Personal Income $61,523,948 in New Annual Consumer Expenditures $223,789,939 in New Annual Business Output $1,538,633 in New Annual Tax Revenues for Lincoln County,

City of Harrisburg, and Harrisburg School District

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

Analysis Source: Economic Strategy Center IMPLAN Input / Output model for Lincoln County

9

AWARD WINNERS

DEVELOPMENT CORP. RECOGNIZES KLEMME, DUNHAMS AND THE SPLASH BARK Citizen of the Year Jon Klemme. Photo by Bob Grandpre.

The Harrisburg Economic Development Corp.

(HEDC) recently recognized two businesses and one individual for going above and beyond in serving the local community. The HEDC awards are intended to honor organizations and citizens who have made a significant contribution to our community through their excellence in professional and community leadership.

The Small Business of the Year Award was presented to Jim and Linda Dunham of Jim Dunham & Associates and Solutions Property Management. Adrienne McKeown, chairperson of the HEDC, said the Dunhams fully embrace small-town life. “Not only do the Jim and Linda live here, but they also recently opened a branch of their business in Harrisburg. They support the Chamber of Commerce by serving on committees and assisting at special events and giving their time to Community Cleanup Days,” McKeown said.

The Dunhams also financially support the Career and Technical Education program at Harrisburg High School; provided 150 bags of personal products to the Harrisburg Fire Department for families affected by fire; and are active in the Optimists Club.

Small Business of the Year Jim and Linda Dunham, Jim Dunham & Associates and and Solutions Property Management.

The Splash Bark by SDK was recognized as 2021 Large Business of the Year. Previously recognized as the Small Business of the Year, The Splash Bark has grown significantly over the past 14 years. They now employ more than 30 staff members, including some Harrisburg High School students.

As she presented the award, McKeown said, “Since opening their Harrisburg location in 2017, they have been energetic and enthusiastic supporters of the Chamber and the community as a whole. They have made significant and innovative investments in their business by creating a one-of-a-kind destination that draws visitors and tourism revenue from all over the country and even Canada into Harrisburg.” The Splash Bark also hosts a special Halloween event that is really

10

Large Business of the Year The Splash Bark by SDK.

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

“something to howl about,” in part because it gives others in the community an opportunity to showcase their businesses, too. The Splash Bark also donates time to speak to high school students about entrepreneurship and the journey of building a business.

The Harrisburg Economic Development Corp. recognized Jon Klemme as the Citizen of the Year. Klemme is normally not in the spotlight, but is instead taking photos which spotlight others. McKeown said, “In addition to photographing all the highlights of events throughout the community, Jon freely shares his artwork on social media so that all can have access to the memories. You may have spotted him at Harrisburg Days, Lincoln Country tractor drives, or capturing the beauty of Lake Alvin. You’ve certainly seen him documenting numerous Harrisburg School District events. Why does he do it? Because he just enjoys taking photographs and sharing.”

Two Sioux Falls Locations: 6801 South Minnesota Avenue | 7109 West 26th Street WermersonOrthodontics.com Dr. Chris Wermerson DMD, MS • Specialist in Orthodontics for children & adults • Braces - Clear Braces - Clear Aligners • Most insurances accepted • 0% financing available

Call 605-274-0555 to schedule your

FREE CONSULTATION!

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

11

Mary McClung, Harrisburg Finance Officer

FROM FARM GIRL TO FINANCE OFFICER:

MARY McCLUNG RETIRES AFTER 20 YEARS

By Bob Fitch

Mary McClung was raised on a farm south of Lake Alvin. There was no kindergarten when she was little and she started first grade in a country school. After completing second grade, the Dayton Township country school was closed. The former Mary Slack and her classmates made the trek into town to the one and only school building in the Harrisburg district. It included grades K-12 Her high school graduating class numbered 35. The graduation ceremony was in the old high school gym in the building which now is home to Liberty Elementary and the district’s administrative offices.

In other words, Mary was here in Harrisburg long before the town’s residential and commercial “big bang.” About nine months out of high school she married HHS grad Mark McClung.

They’ve been together for 43 years, raised two children, Nichole Drexler and Nick McClung, both of whom live in Harrisburg with their families. Nick works at Brandon Lumber Co. Nichole is a long-time teacher at Liberty Elementary.

Mark retired from a career as a contractor building homes in the greater Sioux Falls area. Mary said, “We have a spot out in Chamberlain that we lease four to five months of the year. Mark might be out there days at a time, but I don’t like to miss too many of the grandkid’s things.”

Mary previously worked for Western Surety (which became CNA), and then worked 10 years in the claims office of American Family Insurance.

12

After her time in the insurance world, she became the first full-time finance officer for the city of Harrisburg in 2001. The town’s population was 958. Mary had arrived just in time for the “big bang” that would propel the residential, commercial and industrial profile of Harrisburg sky high.

“Thank goodness we had some good board members and a mayor who could foresee things coming. There are critics out there who think they didn’t plan very well. It’s very hard to plan far ahead when things are coming at you so fast. The critics on social media who say ‘They had no foresight’ don’t realize the elected officials and staff were planning and did foresee what may be coming. But it came at us faster than anyone would have expected – it was such a compressed timeline,” Mary said.

When Mary joined the city staff, the lack of capacity of fresh water and sewer infrastructure basically limited Harrisburg to building only about 10 houses per year. Once the sewer lagoons were in operation – and anticipating the Lewis & Clark Regional Water System, which began flowing in July 2012 – the phrase ‘If you build it, they will come’ proved to be true. With the sewer CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

infrastructure and water supply in place, developers and builders lined up. “The minute we opened up the number of houses that could be built, we had developments from Green Meadows to Grayhawk to Harrisburg Homesites to Harvest Acres. All of a sudden, we had four developments going at one time and it was just crazy,” Mary said. “We’ve had some good developers over the years.”

“I thought I was coming into this ‘slack’ job with just one meeting a month, pay the bills and do payroll for four employees once a month. I was thinking ‘This shouldn’t be too difficult.’

Needless to say, the size and scope of things have escalated,” she said.

Seeing the Lewis & Clark water source project through was the culmination of years of work by the city council, mayor and municipal employees. “We built a couple new water towers. We’ll build another one soon,” Mary said. “Next was all the planning and preparation for the installation of the water reclamation project. We studied that issue for some time and came to the conclusion that it was in the city’s long-term best interest to stop pumping our partially reclaimed water to Sioux Falls and instead have a facility of our own to handle it.”

Mary said it can be difficult to explain to people why Harrisburg’s water rates are often higher than cities with larger populations. With fewer people/taxpayers in the municipality than cities such as Sioux Falls or Brookings, a large part of the cost of these very expensive basic infrastructure projects have to be borne by a relatively small group of homeowners and businesses.

“You have to weigh out the cost of water rates versus the advantages of what you’re getting here in Harrisburg. Our school system is such a draw – they have an amazing ability to provide hands-on learning and college credit in careers such as culinary, medical, farming, and construction,” she said.

Mary said it’s a strange dichotomy having the city of Harrisburg be smaller than the Harrisburg School District, in terms of both population and land mass represented. The school district’s broader tax base has allowed it to race forward on a constant expansion of its infrastructure (school buildings and related facilities). Meanwhile, the city has a lower tax base which sometimes struggles to catch up on its infrastructure needs (roads, sidewalks/trails, emergency services). She said the city of Harrisburg runs a tight ship: “If you look at other cities our size, our population – even Canton which is smaller – our staffing is very slim comparatively.”

For more than 20 years, Mary managed the city’s finances through this exciting, yet tumultuous period of unprecedented growth. Working with the City Council, mayor and city administrator, Mary helped to ensure municipal finances were in order and she’s proud that independent audits have affirmed the quality of Harrisburg’s work. As she winds down to retirement, Mary is in the process of training Deb Harris to take over as the finance officer.

Looking back, she remembers the city offices being at 305

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

Son Nick McClung, Mary and Mark McClung, grandson Kyle Drexler, daughter Nichole Drexler, grandson Carson Drexler, granddaughter Kenslee Drexler and son-in-law Jeff Drexler.

Main Street. The city still had its own police force at the time.

Finance, public works and police all had their offices in an area the size of the city’s current conference room. She had boxes of records stored under her desk and in the bathroom.

The police chief at the time lobbied hard for Harrisburg to be awarded one of the “Governor’s Houses” built at the Mike Durfee State Prison in Springfield. Even though using one of those houses for city houses was outside the scope of what those homes were intended for, the lobbying succeeded. “It was all set up like a house – we put the copier in the closet where the washer/dryer was supposed to be and a mini-fridge in the space where the fullsize fridge was supposed to go. It worked great,” she said. That structure is now Harrisburg’s food pantry.

“

Our school system is such a draw – they have an amazing ability to provide hands-on learning and college credit in careers such as culinary, medical, farming, and construction,” Mary said.

Finally, she helped pack the city’s bags for its move to its current location – which used to be a Food & Fuel convenience store. The city is quickly outgrowing this space as well.

“The city’s budget was very small 20 years ago compared to what we have now. I would have never believed our sales tax revenue would widely exceed our property tax receipts, which is the situation today,” she said. “Watching the city grow … sometimes I wish it would slow down a little … we moved at such a fast pace.”

Mary reluctantly agreed to do this story – she likes to stay out of the limelight. “No, I don’t want a retirement party. No hoopla, no nothing. I just want to go out in the sunset and just go.”

13

HHS ALUMNI PROFILE | NED HORSTED

BIG DREAMS FOR A LITTLE FARM

By Bob Fitch

Ned and Bobbi Jo Horsted

Two cities are quickly encroaching on their small farm, but Ned and Bobbi Jo Horsted have big dreams of feeding their future urban neighbors.

Horsteds’ farm – called Nom Nom Gardens – is situated between Harrisburg and Sioux Falls where rural land is being quickly gobbled up. When the two cities meet on Southeastern Avenue, residents will be welcomed by an acreage rich with fresh produce all year long. Ned and Bobbi Jo expect their farm will succeed by combining a love of locallygrown food, sustainable production practices, application of technology, and good old-fashioned hard work.

Often, the term “sustainability” is equated with old, labor-intensive farm practices. But Horsted’s are flipping that on its head with the combination of two modern practices – a geothermal greenhouse and aquaponic agriculture.

Inside the greenhouse at Nom Nom Gardens.

Be advised that while they take their business seriously, they want to ensure visitors have a pleasant experience. That starts with the name.

Bobbi Jo said, “The name is always funny for folks. I’m like a five-year-old and I call food ‘nom-noms.’ Ned didn’t think I was serious when I suggested that as a name for the business.” But Ned found the “Nom Nom” name fun.”

Six years ago, the couple moved to the farm and began building a geothermal greenhouse four feet below grade. “Geothermal” means “earth-

14

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

heat.” It uses air, not water or anti-freeze, to collect, circulate and store the geothermal energy.

A 2004 graduate of Harrisburg High School, Ned said they combine the geothermal greenhouse with aquaponics, a food production system that couples aquaculture (raising aquatic animals such as fish in tanks) with hydroponics (cultivating plants in water). The aquaponic system starts at the fish tank which includes hybrid bluegills. Fish excrement moves from the tank as a nutrient-enriched fertilizer and is then gravity fed into the chamber below the plants, allowing the roots of the lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, and celery to feed directly from the enriched water. The plants, in turn, clean the water before it is pumped back to the fish tank.

Unlike most small produce growers, winter is Horsted’s most productive season in the greenhouse. When consumers are at their crankiest from the long winter months, Ned and Bobbi Jo offer a healthy and delicious selection of fresh, locally-raised fruit and vegetables.

Bobbi Jo said lettuce, tomatoes, and strawberries are the winter-time staples grown in the greenhouse. They do come up short on strawberries regularly because their 5-year-old son, Dean, eats them faster than they can sell them. Nom Nom Gardens also produces seedlings for their customers to transplant into their gardens in the spring.

Bobbi Jo grew up in north Sioux Falls and Ned grew up on an acreage near Harrisburg. The couple met at the University of South Dakota’s D-Days celebration when Ned was enrolled at Augustana University and Bobbi Jo was enrolled at USD. Ned also serves as the executive director of the Cannabis Industry Association of South Dakota and as a recruiter for R&P Group, a recruiting firm specializing in Fintech, a new technology in financial services and payments. Bobbi Jo performs much of the plant care on the farm, especially in the outdoor gardens.

She gives regular tours of Nom Nom Gardens, and is involved in training and supporting others considering small-scale farming.

“Our greenhouse is more than produce,” Ned said. “It’s looking to the future and building a community where anyone can have access to good food every day, year round, no matter what time of year it is, regardless of location, weather or climate.”

Ned and Bobbi Jo Horsted’s son, Dean, with their flock of chickens.

Currently, customers are advised to call, text or email ahead to ensure Ned or Bobbi Jo are available and that the produce they’re looking for is in stock (www.nomnomgardens.com, 605-321-5603 or nomnomgardens@gmail.com).

If the weather and Covid cooperate in the spring, they’re also hoping to launch a farmers market on their property. “The farmers markets we have in the Sioux Falls area are amazing, but I feel like we always have room for more,” said Bobbi Jo. “We love sharing our space with others.” She wants to invite other produce growers plus local crafts people and people who make products such as jams and jellies.

In their outdoor garden, the couple has perennial berries, elderberry, rhubarb, corn, tomatoes, peppers, okra, beans, and wild flowers. “We have five acres that we’re going to slowly convert to wildflowers and native grasses,” she said.

OTHER THINGS IN THE WORKS OR BEING DISCUSSED FOR THE LONG-TERM INCLUDE: “We’ve planted an orchard right next to the chicken barn – we’ve put in apples and peach trees the last couple of years. That will be a really cool regenerative system where the chickens can go in and fertilize the trees and have apples to eat,” Bobbi Jo said.

It’s possible Alpacas may join the mix at some point.

One of their best kept secrets is that Nom Nom Gardens has an affordable venue for weddings and other events. The couple has a clean, decorated machine shed which is set up to host such events.

They have a license to serve beef and wine onsite.

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

15

HARRISBURG BASEBALL ASSOCIATION

REGISTER FOR BASEBALL UNTIL MARCH 16 Registration for the Harrisburg Baseball Association (HBA) is open for the 2022 summer season. Parents can go to www.harrisburgtigersbaseball.com to register for the league. Registration is open through March 16, but for best pricing, register by Feb. 28.

The purpose of the HBA is to help youth develop a love for baseball, teach sportsmanship and teamwork, and encourage kids to be outdoors and play. This summer marks the 11th year the HBA has been providing an opportunity for area kids to play baseball.

Over the past decade the community has grown and so too has the HBA. Last season, more than 1,000 athletes – both boys and girls – participated on 86 teams within the organization. The recreation teams start with rookies program for preschoolers, and levels progress for boys and girls leagues through the 6th grade. Competitive teams include the 9U-12U travel league, and then progress through 13U, 14U, 16U, Jr. Legion, and Varsity Legion levels.

The organization is run by a volunteer board of local community members and the HBA has two full-time employees, Kris Regas, director of player development, and Ryan Engels, director of baseball operations. Both Regas and Engels have experience coaching and training athletes at the professional level and both have experience working with MLB organizations.

Their background and knowledge is invaluable to properly training and teaching the game to all levels of the HBA. On March 11th, the HBA will have its inaugural Baseball Bash at The Meadow Barn from 7-11 p.m. The HBA is hosting this event to raise funds for Harrisburg’s Central Park. The

evening will feature live music from the band “Bad Neighbors,” appetizers, live/silent auction and more. Tickets are $75 each and are available on the HBA website.

The community has supported the HBA throughout the growth of the organization. Businesses and organizations can sponsor rec teams for $150 per team, which includes a company logo on the front of the jerseys. This year, the HBA expects to need at least 80 sponsorships to cover all of the rec league teams.

There are also sponsorship opportunities for signage on the outfield fence of both the main baseball field and two additional fields north of Liberty Elementary, and the HBA is also looking for donations of auction items for the Bash event. If you or your company are interested in any of these opportunities, contact Adrienne McKeown, director of operations, at adrienne.HBA@gmail.com to learn more.

At Harrisburg Family Chiropractic, At Harrisburg Family Chiropractic, we weare are dedicated dedicated totohelping you achieve your helping you achieve personal goals— combining skill and your personal goals—combining skill and expertise in chiropractic and massage expertise in chiropractic and massage therapy. therapy.

Ashley Mayland, DC Ashley Mayland, DC

For more information, visit For more information, visit www.harrisburgfamilychiropractic.com www.harrisburgfamilychiropractic.com Facebook.com/HarrisburgFamilyChiropractic

Call 605-767-7463 today to schedule your appointment.

W Willow Street, Harrisburg, 303 W303 Willow Street, Harrisburg, SDSD, 57032

Call (605) 767-7463 today to schedule Proudly serving the community of Harrisburg since your 2006. appointment.

16

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

Big Transmission problem or minor adjustment?

It takes an expert to know!

Call Jim's National Transmission Repair and Service today!

605.231.5884 free towing

(Within a 25-mile radius of facility)

Harrisburg Location 404 E Shadow Creek Lane, Harrisburg | www.jimsautotrans.com | 605-231-5884 THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

17

reliabank.com

C.J. HAM A L L- P R O F O O T B A L L P L AY E R

A BRIGHTER BANKING EXPERIENCE

Sioux Falls | Colton | Hartford | Humboldt | Tea | Estelline | Hayti | Hazel | Watertown 18

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

FOCUS ON HEALTH

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO MANAGE TINNITUS?

By Melissa Baker, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids Tinnitus is a condition that causes noise in the ear, often described as a ringing or buzzing. Tinnitus can be caused by many factors, including age, excessive exposure to loud noises and wax buildup in the ears.

The sound of tinnitus can vary from quiet background noise to an intense roar making it difficult to sleep at night.

HOW IS TINNITUS DIAGNOSED? Tinnitus can be diagnosed by an audiologist using various hearing tests. One of the most common ways to diagnose tinnitus is to conduct an ear examination, including listening with a stethoscope or special tuning fork for specific sounds in your ears that are only present when you have tinnitus. You may also hear different pitches and tones while not experiencing any pain. A visit to an audiologist will help determine if there’s anything blocking sound from entering one side of your head, which could indicate some form of hearing loss.

of dealing with symptom management. Relaxation techniques include meditation exercises, which can help reduce stress levels and encourage a better night’s rest. Be patient with the recovery process and remember that everyone is different.

Tinnitus can be a complex condition to manage, especially if it’s left untreated. However, there are numerous treatment options available for those who experience bothersome symptoms, so don’t lose hope.

For more information, contact Baker Audiology & Hearing Aids at 605-610-3466.

HOW CAN A HEARING AID HELP WITH TINNITUS?

Finally, suppose you are struggling to manage tinnitus symptoms after trying numerous treatment options. In that case, it’s worth visiting an audiologist who may recommend using a device such as a white noise machine in combination with other treatments, including counseling sessions. Allowing yourself some time to recover from chronic tinnitus symptoms is crucial. In addition, if you are experiencing pain, tinnitus can be very difficult to treat, so it’s essential to visit an audiologist as soon as possible.

TIPS ON MANAGING TINNITUS It’s essential to try your best to manage tinnitus symptoms which can be achieved by combining several treatments. If you’ve been struggling with managing tinnitus, consider using some form of sound therapy such as white noise or natural sounds during the day and also at night when trying to sleep. While it might not seem like the most appealing option, adding some background noise could help reduce bothersome tinnitus symptoms.

Additionally, ensure that you are getting plenty of rest every night because lack of sleep is often associated with chronic diseases, including depression. This will help improve your overall wellbeing too. Tackling stress levels is another excellent way THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

SECOND YEAR WINNER

21-22 WINNER

HEARING THE SOUNDS OF LIFE

Melissa Baker, M.A., CCC-A, FAAA

Hearing aids can help with tinnitus by amplifying soft sounds and reducing the volume of loud ones. This means that if you have tinnitus, your hearing aid will amplify more delicate noises while suppressing more audible noise to prevent them from experiencing any discomfort or pain caused by tinnitus. In addition, tinnitus is often associated with hyperacusis, so wearing a hearing aid might also help reduce this sensitivity.

We are an advanced hearing practice that specializes in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of hearing loss for all ages.

FREE HEARING SCREENING

UP TO $800 OFF A PAIR OF ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY HEARING AIDS* *Mention this ad.

Hours: Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm • Fri 9am-12pm 429 W 69th St • Sioux Falls, SD

605.610.2886 • siouxfallshearing.com 19

FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

PREPARING FOR EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, ESTABLISHING MIDDLE SCHOOL BOUNDARIES

Since the fall of 2020, the HSD Boundary Committee has analyzed building capacities and growth trends in our district neighborhoods in order to study the impact of the opening of Adventure Elementary and middle school enrollment trends.

This past fall, they reconvened to Superintendent Tim Graf discuss how to best update our school boundaries to include East Middle School, opening in the Fall of 2023.

Considerations included students’ current buildings, the programs they are enrolled in, and how to transition our future middle school population with the least number of building changes while keeping their elementary school populations together. Other important considerations are detailed below.

20

CONSIDERATIONS RACIAL & ETHNIC DIVERSITY A balance of racial and ethnic diversity between all middle schools. Equitable distribution of racial and ethnic diversity can have a significant impact on a learner’s sense of community and belonging, opportunity, academic and extra-curricular programs, staffing, community identity, social-emotional growth, inclusion, and overall school culture. This is achieved under the proposed three-school model, using demographic information that is currently available for analysis.

SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS A balance of socioeconomic status between all middle schools. Equitable distribution of socioeconomic status can have a significant impact on a learner’s sense of community and belonging, opportunity, academic and extra-curricular programs, staffing, community identity, social-emotional growth, inclusion, and overall school culture. This is achieved under the proposed three-school model, using demographic information that is currently available for analysis.

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

BALANCE OF OVERALL STUDENT POPULATION

UTILIZING ELEMENTARY GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES

A balance of overall student population between all middle schools, taking into consideration the potential for growth and the maximum capacity of each building. In addition to maximum occupancy, there are minimum and/or ideal grade-level enrollments that allow for an optimal learning environment.

Staff size, student-to-teacher ratio/class sizes, and course offerings/programming can all be affected by this.

Simplification of boundaries by utilizing elementary geographical boundaries. Minimizing the need to cross major intersections and roadways during morning and afternoon commuting to/from school can improve both safety and community cohesiveness.

ESTABLISHING CONTINUOUS K-12 FEEDER PATTERNS Establishing continuous feeder patterns K-12, allowing all students from a given elementary school to attend the same middle school and high school when/if possible. This strategy is effective but should be implemented while maintaining a balance of demographic and socioeconomic diversity, as well as the overall student population.

TRANSPORTATION LOGISTICS Consideration for transportation logistics and cost. Boundary changes have the potential to impact both the efficiency and cost of busing. In addition, special arrangements could potentially be made for students who are asked to attend a school outside of the attendance area in which they reside.

ESTABLISHING ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES Establishing attendance guidelines for families with younger siblings. Learners and/or their younger siblings impacted by boundary changes will either need to transition to a new school or be allowed to continue attending the school that they currently attend.

Recommendations were made to the school board in December, and can be found on the district website. The board took input at three regular school board meetings held in January, and a decision is expected to be made in February.

Tim M. Graf

Superintendent, Harrisburg School District

Personal Injury Family Law Probate and Estate Planning

605-254-2624

ARENDSLAW.COM

Joel Arends, Attorney at Law THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

21

THE BRIDGE

HARRISBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT

BULLETINS

SPRING SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

CHRISTENSEN GRABS TITLE

Scan the QR code to see the HHS athletic event schedule.

Follow Harrisburg High School on Facebook .

MARCH 3 7 p.m. HHS Choir Solo Night

APRIL 9 2 p.m. HHS Musical 7 p.m. HHS Musical

MARCH 5 7 p.m. HHS Vocal Concert

APRIL 15 No School

MARCH 6 5:30 p.m. Drama Club Banquet MARCH 11 End of the 3rd Quarter MARCH 14 7 p.m. Show Choir Home Show MARCH 17-18 No School MARCH 22 2-hour early release – Teacher in-service MARCH 25 6:30 p.m. Student Council Trivia Night

APRIL 18 No School APRIL 26 2-Hour Early Release – Teacher in-service

Connor Christensen

Connor Christensen won the Madden 21 Football Central Region Championship during the PlayVS Fall 2021 Season, The Madden Championship Series (MCS) is a series of competitive video game events using EA SPORTS Madden NFL 21 for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles.

KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION

The Harrisburg School District has implemented an online registration for parents/guardians with students that are new to the district. Online registration can be completed at bit.ly/HSDKinderReg. News briefs for The Bridge may be submitted to bob@agemedia.pub. AGE Media reserves the right to publish material based on space available, general newsworthiness and timeliness. The Bridge is published in February, May, August and November. Deadlines are the last day of the previous month.

APRIL 26 7 p.m. HHS Band Concert MAY 11 6:30 p.m.

Baccalaureate MAY 15 1 p.m. Graduation MAY 19 Last Day of School MAY 20 Teacher work day

HARRISBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT For all schools, call 605-743-2567 www.harrisburgdistrict41-2.org 200 E. Willow St., Harrisburg SD 57032

MARCH 28 7 p.m. Jazz Night

High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1300 W. Willow, Harrisburg

APRIL 8 7 p.m. HHS Musical

South Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 S. Cliff Ave., Harrisburg

North Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . 2201 W. 95th St., Sioux Falls Adventure Elementary . . . . . . . . 27220 472nd Ave., Sioux Falls Endeavor Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . 2401 W. 95th St., Sioux Falls Explorer Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . 4010 W 82nd St, Sioux Falls Freedom Elementary . . . . . 1101 Tom Sawyer Trail, Harrisburg

Scan the QR code to download the rSchoolToday App for iPhone.

Horizon Elementary . . . . . . 5800 S. Bahnson Ave., Sioux Falls Journey Elementary . . . . . . . . . 6801 S. Grange Ave., Sioux Falls Liberty Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . 200 E. Willow St., Harrisburg

22

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

When it comes to your to-do list, put your future first.

To find out how to get your financial goals on track, contact your Edward Jones financial advisor today.

POWER UP

DONE RIGHT, DONE ON TIME, DONE WITH PRIDE SINCE 1979.

Switch on success.

With American Electric Construction, you’ve got the right partner to make your next project soar.

RESIDENTIAL ✓ COMMERCIAL ✓ INDUSTRIAL ✓

605-336-8310

Brock Aldrich

FAP-1966E-A

Financial Advisor 225 Cliff Avenue 5 Harrisburg, SD 57032 605-777-1566

edwardjones.com Member SIPC

AMERIC ANEL E C T RIC C ONS T RUC T ION.C OM 301 Shadow Creek Place Harrisburg, SD 57032

• Water Damage Restoration • Fire Damage Cleanup • Mold Remediation • Carpet Cleaning • Duct Cleaning • Basement Finishing

[ CONTACT US ]

(605) 231-5854

servprowestsiouxfalls.com Adam Birger, Owner of SERVPRO of Sioux Falls Graduate of Harrisburg High School

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

23

CAREER EXPLORATION

SPARKING INTEREST IN FUTURE CAREERS

By Bob Fitch

Students at two elementary schools in the Harrisburg School District recently had the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities to learn about real world jobs. Freedom Elementary hosted “Learner Interest Day” on Jan. 25 and Journey Elementary hosted it on Feb. 4.

“Learner Interest Day is a career exploration event for our elementary learners,” said Breanne Lynch, career education coordinator with the Harrisburg School District. “We partner with local business and industry to showcase careers and pathways – everything from dance to construction and law enforcement to culinary arts.” Learners were able to visit with a current professional, hear about their career journey, ask questions, and participate in a hands-on project.

Colt Harder of Tessier’s Inc. explains his duties working on HVAC systems. All photos by Jon Klemme.

Lynch said research has shown children as young as age four are starting to “cross off” careers and skills. “Our hope is that by exposing them to a variety of pathways they will see how their strengths align with careers they may not have considered,” she said.

Recent Harrisburg High School graduate Colt Harder did an internship with Tessier’s Inc. when he was in high school and he now works part-time for the company and goes to Southeast Technical College. He talked to children about HVAC and the importance of skilled trade professions. Fourth grader Rylan Maeschen was absorbing the information. “He’s teaching us about heating and air vents. I want to be able to help out people with their houses.”

Fifth grader Jacob Hai connected his inquisitiveness with the careers at Tessier’s Inc. “I try to figure out how things work – like I wonder how my video game controllers work. He explained to us how the air conditioners on the rooftops work.”

Mr. Luke from Dance Gallery teaches students about dance and body movement.

Another group of students was mixing ingredients to simulate the process of cooking and baking. Fourth grader Izzy Pfeifle said, “I just love cooking. We’re making hot chocolate playdough.” Fifth grader Kennedy Wendling said, “I chose to be in this classroom because I love being in the kitchen, and cooking and baking. I like to make brownies at home. Today I learned to use two different types of cups to measure – one for the dry ingredients and one for wet.”

Jacey Artz, also in fifth grade, said, “I like different recipes and I like being in the kitchen. My favorite thing to make at home is chocolate chip cookies. I don’t need any help usually.”

Third grader Eleanor Dieve said she makes brownies at home by herself, but took home a new lesson on Learner Interest Day. “I learned you need math when you’re cooking. It helps to be able to add numbers together because you don’t always have the right size measuring cups.”

24

Jacey Artz, left, said her favorite thing to bake at home is chocolate chip cookies. Kennady Wendling, right, said she loves being in the kitchen. Both Jacey and Kennady are fifth graders at Freedom Elementary.

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

In the gym, fifth grade teacher DeeAnn Henjum was observing some of her learners taking part in a Tae Kwon Do class presented by Tiger-Rock Martial Arts.

“Today is about exposing them to many different avenues that may interest them.

They’re learning about things that they may not get to do in their regular life. We’re giving them a little taste of it.”

Companies and organizations taking part in the Learner Interest Days included: Harrisburg FFA; Paws Pet Resort; South Dakota Game Fish & Parks; Pulse Dance Studio; Tessier’s Inc.; Promise Sanford Research; Sanford FIT; HHS Culinary Arts; Sioux Falls Fire Rescue; Tiger-Rock Martial Arts; Dance Gallery; Dakota State University CybHER; Downtown Sioux Falls; SDSU Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management Program; and the Butterfly House & Aquarium.

During the Tae Kwon Do demonstration, Jaycie Cypher kicks and Maddy Jans absorbs the impact.

New Themes & Engaging Activities Every Week (605) 215-1341 • kidsrkids.com/prairie-hills 2201 W Trevi Pl, Sioux Falls, SD 57108

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

25

HARRISBURG HIGH SCHOOL WINTER SNAPSHOT

Morgan Lantaff wrestles during the historic first team dual meet for Tigers girls wrestling.

Korbyn Ockenga works to turn his opponent during the Tigers home team dual meet in January.

26

Photos by Jon Klemme

Maxwell Knutson battles for a rebound during the boys varsity basketball game.

Memory Surat shoots a free throw during the HHS Tigers girls JV basketball game.

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

Harrisburg Show Choir, Eclipse, kicked off their season in January with a preview night for family and friends.

HHS Concert Choir performs their annual winter concert.

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

HHS Pep Band plays at a Tigers basketball game.

HHS Concert Band performs at the annual winter concert.

27

The cast and crew of “My Little Titus Andronimus,” HHS Drama One Act Play.

28

Members of the first-ever HHS Tigers Girls Wrestling team: Back row: SuSu Kamara, Rhiannen Heimdal, Regina Stoeser, Emerson Skuodas, Morgan Lantaff. Front row: Addison Viox, Chloe Ellingsen, Destinee Wagner. Missing: Hannah Stagman and Paige Kooiman

HHS Cheerleaders show their Tiger spirit.

The boys basketball bench leaps up to cheer their teammates.

The girls basketball team is excited to see a Tiger sink three.

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

29

PERSPECTIVE

SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH & TAXES

OPERATION SISTERHOOD I spent some time this week in the concession stand with a kindergarten teacher.

It was time well spent.

Anyone who devotes her days to children under seven probably feels uncomfortable most of the time, as I imagine it is challenging to camouflage a halo in an everyday wardrobe.

Immediately I was Jane Klemme reminded of my days spent in kindergarten. My teacher was beautiful and she told me she was a mom, too.

I wondered how a person could be beautiful, a mom and a teacher all at the same time. She was also highly gifted in the art of applying a Band-Aid. Yes, when it came to teachers, I lucked out.

WE HAVE THE ANSWERS SPECIFIC TO YOUR NEEDS. Plan for retirement today with Matt, your Social Security expert.

MATT MATHIESEN President & Owner of Complete Benefits

Thankfully, it was not our goal to learn to read during our first year of school. We focused on getting up early,

Home | Auto | Life | Health | Business | Farm Pet crop insurance, and Petinsurance, insurance, crop insurance in in between. andeverything everything between.

605-582-8513

1408 E Cedar St Brandon, SD 57005 Contact usus Contact forfor a quote a quote today! today!

Scan QR code to visit RightQuoteSD.com

COMPLETEBENEFITSINC.COM 30

605-213-0024 • www.RightQuoteSD.com

605-213-0024 • RightQuoteSD.com CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

playing well with others, and coloring within the lines. While my classmates were learning to zip zippers and tie shoes, I was preoccupied. I found out that winter that our family was expanding. My mom was going to have a baby. Obviously this required diligent work on my part, as I was determined that this baby was not going to be a brother. I already had two brothers – one a little bit older and another a few years younger. That was enough boys, as far as I was concerned.

I went to work on Operation Sisterhood right away.

My first course of action was to seek help from a higher power. This was the obvious choice, as our primary kindergarten assignment was to memorize the Lord’s Prayer: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread (and a sister – please, please please)…”

Perhaps you scoff at my diligence in working toward an outcome of my choosing. Of course a baby’s gender is determined at the moment of conception, depending on an X or a Y chromosome. Well, our teacher introduced one letter per week and we were not going to do X or Y until late

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

April – so I was operating on a limited budget of knowledge and the Google search engine had not even been invented.

I had an unshakable five-year-old faith in my higher power.

Plus, one evening after supper, I wished upon a falling star.

I turned six that May and 10 days later my wish came true. A star was born and my parents named her Jill Lynn.

She was cute as a button, but oh boy, that girl could cry.

Many times we turned on the vacuum cleaner to drown out the noise. Eventually she felt better and she grew up to be the apple of our family’s eye. She was curious and adorable. She loved animals and was quite adept at refusing to accept other people’s limits on what she could do.

Years later, as an adolescent she was continuously up to hijinks and I wondered if another brother could possibly have driven me as crazy.

But as an adult, having a sister is one of my greatest joys.

If you are one of the lucky ones who has been blessed with a sister, drop what you are doing and give her a call. Share with her your favorite things about her and reminisce about the glory days of the sisterhood.

31

DIRECTORY OF MEMBERS AND BUYER’S GUIDE Local businesses invest in the community by supporting sports teams, school and youth activities, and the local tax base.

PLATINUM MEMBERS

ACCOUNTING, BOOKKEEPING, PAYROLL

BANKING / FINANCIAL SERVICES

Numbers & Such Prof. LLC (605) 595-5315 courtney@numbersandsuchprofllc.com

American State Bank (605) 444-6000 ryan.mulder@myasb.com

ADVERTISING

Black Hills Federal Credit Union (605) 937-4515 aprilm@bhfcu.net

Including mailing, marketing, printing, promotional

Fully Promoted (605) 274-0105 sfsd@fullypromoted.com Performance Press (605) 582-7070 info@performancepressinc.com PromoLogo USA (605) 578-0800 john@promologousa.com Sioux Valley News (605) 764-2000 SiouxValleyNews@vastbb.net Qualified Presort Service, LLC (605) 965-3200 brianshaw@qualifiedpresort.com Sisson Printing Inc. (605) 336-6136 denny@sissonprintinginc.com

AG SERVICES

Central Bank (605) 782-1818 awalsh@centralbankonline.com CorTrust Bank (605) 336-3900 tdehaven@cortrustbank.com First Bank & Trust (605) 978-3030 breanna.garbers@bankeasy.com First International Bank & Trust (605) 321-5615 JAPPel@fibt.com

Clean Ride Auto Spa/The Clean Bean (605) 306-2266 coffee@cleanrideautospa.com J & M Transmission & Auto Services Inc. (605) 368-2050 maryellen@jmtransmissionservice.com Jim’s National Transmission Service (605) 213-1313 jimsautotrans@gmail.com Noteboom RV (605) 743-4002 office.noteboomrv@gmail.com Valvoline Instant Oil Change (605) 321-9900 pnelsen@dakota.net

Security National Bank of South Dakota (605) 977-9000 gdybsetter@snbsd.com

One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning (605) 271-1419 kcd99@hotmail.com Select Companies (605) 743-4865 info@selectcompanies.co Showplace Cabinetry (605) 743-2200 heidi.bowers@showplacecabinetry.com

CELL PHONES

Creator’s Kids (605) 231-5520 stina@atysolutions.com Early Explorers Learning Center (605) 498-1541 teasupertitans@gmail.com Kids ‘R’ Kids of Prairie Hills (605) 215-1341 info@kidsrkidsprairiehills.com

CHURCHES

Including electrical, painting, plumbing

Harrisburg United Methodist Church (605) 767-2253 humc@harrisburgumc.com

360 Painting of Sioux Falls (605) 679-4957 tsaxer@360painting.com

NewDay Church (605) 368-9894 randy@sf-newday.org

Albers Electric, LLC (605) 366-9561 alberselectric@yahoo.com

Shalom Lutheran Church/Preschool (605) 767-5382 office@shalomlc.com

BHI Construction, LLC (605) 743-2152 accountspayable@bhi-construction.com

St. John Paul II Catholic Church (605) 988-3750 office1@jp2sd.org

B.J. Construction (605) 743-5167 JNBL@midco.net

CLEANING SERVICES

BUILDING

Dakota Radon Mitigation (605) 201-4704 mike@dakotaradon.com Fiegen Construction (605) 335-6000 lucas@fiegenconstruction.com G. A. Johnson Construction, Inc. (605) 361-8800 corey@gajci.com

32

KN Construction (605) 767-3500 lexie@nielsonconstruction.net

CHILDCARE

Reliabank (605) 306-2000 jeremyk@reliabank.com

AUTOS, RVs AND AUTO REPAIR

J.Wahl Home Inspection (605) 368-4650 jwahl@jwahlhomeinspection.com

Frontier Bank (605) 331-2889 traceyh@frontierbk.com

APARTMENTS, RENTAL PROPERTY

Solutions Property Management, LLC (605) 988-8496 Linda@yourrentalsolution.com

Janus Home Solutions (605) 743-4233 todd@janushomesolutions.com

Wireless World (605) 789-8722 phock@wirelessworld.com

Quoin Financial Bank (605) 275-5000 gharrell@quoinbank.com

Select Companies (605) 743-4865 info@selectcompanies.co

SILVER MEMBERS

The First National Bank in Sioux Falls (605) 782-5880 jmiverson@fnbsf.com

Bayer Crop Science (605) 743-5459 x 5604 erin.baker-daggett@bayer.com

Sawyer Pointe Apartments (605) 275-4245 info@residepropertymanagement.com

GOLD MEMBERS

Mustang Disaster CleanUp (605) 370-1990 devon@mustangdisastercleanup.com Merrill’s Window Cleaning, LLC (605) 951-1954 merrillswindowncleaningllc@outlook.com SERVPRO of Sioux Falls (605) 213-3303 White Glove Cleaning Services, LLC (605) 421-8078 whiteglovecleaningservice2017@yahoo.com CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

CLOTHING Ambush Apparel (815) 545-9634 garrett.ambushapparel@gmail.com

COFFEE Scooter’s Coffee Drive Thru (605) 271-0964 travis@scooterssiouxfalls.com The Clean Bean (605) 306-2266

COMMUNITY, SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS EmBe Avera (605) 362-9438 abakke@embe.org Harrisburg Area Food Pantry (605) 929-0599 harrisburgareafoodpantry@yahoo.com Harrisburg Community Foundation (605) 940-4393 info@harrisburgcf.org

Stockwell Engineers (605) 338-6668 jbrown@stockwellengineers.com

Schoeneman’s Building Materials Center (605) 213-1100 al.schoeneman@schoenemans.com

TSP, Inc. (605) 336-1160 lorenzenll@teamtsp.com

Including medical and fitness

EVENT SITES American Legion Post 45 & Auxiliary Unit 45 (605) 261-2621 axe@sio.midco.net Riviera Events and Catering (605) 413-8780 mattsapari8@gmail.com The Harrisburg Event Center (605) 366-0863 contact@harrisburgeventcenter.com The Meadow Barn (605) 370-2786 events@themeadowbarn.com

FAMILY FUN, ENTERTAINMENT

HEALTH Avera Medical Group Harrisburg (605) 213-8000 erica.arends@avera.org Evolve Chiropractic & Rehab (605) 767-1610 evolvechiropracticsd@gmail.com GreatLIFE (605) 213-1600 dustin.derry@joingreatlife.com Harrisburg Eye Care (605) 213-2020 info@harrisburgeyecare.com Harrisburg Family Chiropractic (605) 767-7463

drmayland@harrisburgfamilychiropractic.com

Harrisburg Community Library (605) 767-7910

Country Apple Orchard (605) 743-2152 morethanapples2021@gmail.com

Harrisburg Family Dental (605) 213-1230 Seth.schr@gmail.com

Harrisburg Lion’s Club (605) 201-9361 asjtimmer@yahoo.com

Dakota Entertainment (605) 331-1404 garner@dakotaentertainment.com

Heroic Fitness (605) 759-5083 mal.herofitness@gmail.com

Harrisburg School District (605) 743-2567 joanne.vermulm@k12.sd.us

Great Shots (605) 312-7950 jonathan.buckley@greatshots.golf

Harrisburg SD Optimist Club (605) 520-4158 harrisburgsdoptimist@gmail.com

Harrisburg Baseball Association (605) 978-2101 adrienne.hba@gmail.com

Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce (605) 336-1620

The Sandlot (605) 370-0507 thesandlotpark@gmail.com

Sioux Falls Rotary - South medevany@gmail.com

FOOD / GROCERIES

United States Postal Service (605) 743-2791 vicki.a.johnson@usps.gov

Dollar Fresh (605) 213-2222 amack@dollar-fresh.com

CONVENIENCE STORES

Fareway (605) 743-9071 u1781@farewaystores.com

Casey’s General Store (605) 743-5404 Friendlys Fuel Stop (605) 767-7561 Sioux Valley Cooperative (605) 886-5829 ap@siouxvalleycoop.com

DANCE STUDIO Pulse Dance Studio (605) 408-6246 pulsedanceteams@gmail.com

ENGINEER or ARCHITECTURE SERVICES Co-op Architecture (605) 334-9999 josh@co-oparch.com

Hy-Vee Inc. (605) 271-7171 cvenenga@hy-vee.com

GARAGE DOOR REPAIR PS Garage Doors of South Dakota (605) 743-3667 jlangenstein@psgaragedoorssd.com

GOLF Spring Creek Country Club (605) 743-2000 gsumma@sio.midco.net

GRAPHIC DESIGN Design Loft (605) 376-7430 jp.design@midco.net

EAPC Architects Engineers (605) 444-1600 leap.chear@eapc.net

HARDWARE, BUILDING MATERIALS

Infrastructure Design Group, Inc. (605) 271-5527 KariJ@infrastructuredg.com

Harrisburg Ace Hardware (605) 213-0600 frosin.acehardware@outlook.com

THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

Highest Health Chiropractic (605) 351-3517 outreach@highesthealthchiropractic.com Neighborhood Dental Clinic (605) 767-0285 sheitzler@neighborhooddentalcare.com Prairie Rehabilitation – Harrisburg (605) 767-3008 ljohnson@prairierehab.com Wermerson Orthodontics (605) 274-0555 info@wermersonorthodontics.com

INSURANCE AND/OR INVESTMENTS American Family Insurance Terra Koupal & Associates LLC (605) 361-2020 tkoupal@amfam.com Ascend Financial, Inc. (605) 553-9620 kris@ascendfinancial.com Brock Aldrich - Edward Jones 605-214-1079 Brock.aldrich@edwardjones.com Daniele Heyn - Aflac (605) 777-1566 daniele_heyn@us.aflac.com Casey Van Beek Innovative Employer Solutions (605) 321-6733 casey.vanbeek@ies-sd.com Lloyd Nickel Allstate Insurance Agency (605) 937-6500 lloydnickel@allstate.com Perspective Insurance (605) 444-6070 steveo@perspectiveinsurance.com RightQuote (605) 213-0024 amy.schulz@rqthatswho.com 33

Riverview Insurance & Investments (605) 498-0305 dpitzl@juffer.com Wade C Thomas Farmers Insurance Agency (605) 275-3935 wthomas1@farmersagent.com

INTERNET / CABLE TV

REAL ESTATE AND DEVELOPERS Kaylee Van Middendorp - 605 Real Estate (507) 220-1615 kaylee@605advantage.com Amber Ellingsen Realty (605) 360-6707 amberellingsen@kw.com

Subway (605) 213-1009 coleshawd@gmail.com

SANITATION SERVICES

Digit-All Technologies (605) 231-9000 clarissa@digitsf.com

Casey Hatch - Keller Williams Realty (605) 777-9090 caseyhatch@kw.com

Novak Sanitary Service (605) 338-7126 melissaw@wcnx.org

Midco (800) 888-1300 andrew.curley@midco.com

Codi Realty Group/My Home My Harrisburg (605) 370-9991 codi@codirealtygroup.com

Roo’s Sanitation (695) 498-1588 Roossanitation@gmail.com

Vast Broadband (605) 306-3043 jeffrey.larson@vastbroadband.com

The Experience Real Estate (605) 940-5544 Tiffany@TheExperience.com

SIGNAGE/WRAPS

Quality Telecommunications (605) 371-5475 kim@triviewquality.com

The Greg Doohen Realty Group Keller Williams (605) 215-2085 carrierandazzo@kw.com

LIQUOR Grains & Grapes Liquor House (605) 213-0182 grainsgrapesliquorhouse@outlook.com

MUNICIPAL SERVICES City of Harrisburg (605) 743-5872 contact@harrisburgsd.gov

Heather Nagel Real Estate (605) 360-7960 heathernagel@kw.com Infrastructure Design Group, Inc. (605) 271-5527 philG@infrastructureDG.com

Customeyez Design (605) 521-5239 customeyez@live.com Redline Wraps & Signs (605) 595-2023 redlinewrapssd@gmail.com

SPORTS EQUIPMENT, UNIFORMS Daubys Sports Center (605) 332-8041 brian-daubys@qwestoffice.net

TAXIDERMY

NAIL SALON

Jim Dunham & Associates (605) 275-8500 ashley@jimdunhamassociates.com

Diggers Taxidermy (605) 881-8474 kcnew6@hotmail.com

Serenity Nail Spa (605) 213-0147 serenitynailspa21@gmail.com

Julie Roth Real Estate (605) 740-0645 julieroth@hegg.com

TECHNOLOGY OR COMPUTER SERVICES

OFFICE EQUIPMENT

Misty Glen Mobile Home Community (605) 362-4705 mistyglen1@hotmail.com

A & B Business Solutions (605) 335-8520 johnny.noel@abbusiness.com Gordon Flesch Company (605) 221-0102 gwestemeier@glesch.com

PET CARE FACILITY SDK South (605) 743-5824 smokendakotakennels@gmail.com

PHOTOGRAPHY OR VIDEO SERVICES

NAI Sioux Falls (605) 357-7100 mmahlen@naisiouxfalls.com Solutions Property Management, LLC (605) 988-8496 Linda@yourrentalsolution.com Tim Allex Realty Group (605) 759-3996 clientcare@timallex.com

CMAC Production (605) 201-4609 cmacprod@yahoo.com

Van Buskirk Companies (605) 361-8211 kristi@vbclink.com

PROPERTY, LANDSCAPE AND LAWN MAINTENANCE

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE

All Season’s Property Maintenance (605) 743-5912 allseasons605@gmail.com Rudy’s Landscaping, LLC (605) 728-9399 rudyslandscapingsd@yahoo.com Yardscapes, LLC (605) 929-2000 SFYardscapesLLC@gmail.com

RADIO STATION Dells Empire Country (605) 842-3333 sschramm@gwtc.net

Welcome Sioux Falls (605) 799-5072 info@welcomesiouxfalls.com

RESTAURANTS B&G Milkyway Big J’s Roadhouse (605) 767-8000 bigjroadhouseBBQ@gmail.com CNC Food Factory, LLC (605) 322-5325 cncfoodfactory@yahoo.com Fresh Horses Saloon (605) 767-5908 patrick.miller1975@gmail.com Harrisburgers (605) 767-1900 harrisburgers@yahoo.com

34

Squealers Smoke Shack (605) 679-7675 Squealerssmokeshack@gmail.com

Big D Technology Solutions, Inc. (605) 271-9885 danderson@bigdtechnology.com ELBO Computing Resources, Inc. (605) 361-3720 kyle@teamelbo.com

TRAVEL AGENT Sioux Empire Travel LLC (605) 777-9781 tyson@siouxempiretravel.com

UTILITIES NorthWestern Energy (605) 978-2913 paul.mantz@northwestern.com Xcel Energy (800) 895-4999 eric.pauli@xcelenergy.com

WEB, SOCIAL MEDIA Firelink Online Media (725) 696-3473 mychelle@firelinkdigital.com

YOUTH SERVICES Boys & Girls Clubs of the Sioux Empire (605) 338-8061 rwimmer@bgcsiouxempire.org Junior Achievement of South Dakota (605) 336-7318 kelli.rogotzke@ja.org Pulse Dance Studio (605) 408-6246 pulsedanceteams@gmail.com Wings Gymnastics Academy (605) 271-8242 frontdesk@wingsgym.com

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY

Looking for a Place to Call Home?

PROSPECT TOWNHOMES Brand new high-end townhomes! Located on the East side of Harrisburg—just minutes from Freedom Elementary School!

3 Bed/ 2 Bath | 1,453 Sq. Ft.

TIGERWAY TOWNHOMES High-end townhomes, located on the edge of Harrisburg right off HWY 273.

Easy access to Harrisburg High School, Walmart, and right off 273.

Give us a call to schedule a tour or learn about our other locations!

(605) 743-4865 | selectcompanies.co | info@selectcompanies.co THE BRIDGE | SPRING 2022

35

SCAN QR CODE OR

TEXT “BRIDGE”

TO “855-659-3339” to get a copy of this publication mailed to your home each quarter.

An SMS platform developed by AGE Media and Promotion

By texting BRIDGE, you agree to receive promotional messages sent via an autodialer. This agreement isn’t a condition of any purchase. Terms and Privacy Policy can be found at www.age-texting.com. You may receive up to 4 msgs/mo. Reply STOP to end or HELP for help. Message & data rates may apply.

COMING SOON SANFORD HEALTH HARRISBURG CLINIC COMPLETION IN SUMMER 2022

This new 16,000-square-foot clinic, with room for eight providers, will be located at the corner of Cliff Ave. and Willow St. and will have a Lewis Drug store and pharmacy attached. Services will include: • • •

Family Medicine Children’s Women’s

• •

Lab, X-Ray & Ultrasound 3D Mammography

262-371-937 REV 1/22

36

CONNECTING THE HARRISBURG COMMUNITY