friday, 6.7.13 press d news department: 5b sacred...

BY LAUREN HANSONUnited Way and Volunteer Services of

Greater Yankton

Since the 2009-2010 schoolyear, just four short years, Yank-ton Sack Pack has provided over45,000 packs filled with shelf-sta-ble, kid-friendly, nutritious foodto elementary school childrenwho are at risk of hunger overthe weekends.

Sack Pack, a United Way &Volunteer Services PartnerAgency, is a volunteer run organi-zation headed by Board Presi-dent Jill Wermers. Wermers, aYankton native, truly pours herheart and soul into the program.“She is a real go- getter and doesso much to make it all happen.Always running to schools, forphoto ops, making calls, writing,you name it - she does it. Her en-ergy is unbelievable and her pas-sion for the Sack Pack program isunstoppable,” says Carla Hum-mel, Sack Pack board member.

On Friday May 31, the last dayof Hunger Awareness Month, wewere honored to award a teary-eyed Wermers with the UnitedWay & Volunteer Services Volun-teer of the Month award during ameeting at her employer, AbilityBuilding Services.

We asked Jill to tell us aboutvolunteerism, in her own words.

I have lived here in the Yank-ton Area since: I have lived inthe Yankton community mywhole life.

I began volunteering: I havebeen involved in volunteeringmost of my life.

I continue volunteering be-cause: It is important to me to beinvolved in my community. Vol-unteering gives me the opportu-nity to stay connected to mycommunity.

I volunteer at: Sack Pack Pro-gram- I am the current presidentof the Sack Pack Board and havebeen involved in the programfrom the very beginning. A largepart of the Sack Pack Program isproviding community awareness,as well as helping to raise fundsfor this valuable program so wecan continue to provide easy toprepare, nutritious food to chil-dren in need in Yankton.

Relay for Life — I’m a commit-tee member and help with theplanning of the annual Relay forLife event. I also volunteer withthe Yankton Youth Wresting Cluband at my church when andwhere I am needed.

Approximate hours per yearthat I volunteer: I have neverbeen one to keep track of thehours that I volunteer. I have apassion for the organizations Ivolunteer for, so the time I spendsupporting these causes is irrele-vant to me.

Volunteer work is enjoyablebecause: One of the most enjoy-able parts of volunteering inYankton is the amazing supportthat is shown from the people

and business of our community. My best volunteer experi-

ence was: One of my best volun-teering experiences was in thefall of 2011. The Sack Pack Boardcould easily see that we were notgoing to have enough funds tocontinue to provide weekendmeals to all 3 of the elementaryschools we were currently pro-viding to. It was decided by theboard and the schools that wewould need to drop StewartSchool since they were the lastschool to be added. StewartSchool was told that we wouldprovide packs up until Christ-mas. This was one of the hardestdecisions we as a board had tomake. At our meeting in Novem-ber a couple of us said, “maybe a

Christmas angle will bless uswith a large donation and wewouldn’t have to drop Stewart.”Within days of this conversation,I received a phone call fromSioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether.Mike is also a Yankton HighSchool graduate and grew up inYankton most of his life. MayorHuether explained that he hadheard about our funding difficul-ties and wanted to know howmuch we would need to be ableto continue all three schoolsthrough the entire school year.When I gave him the amount,without hesitation, Mike said, “I’llhave a check in the mail today.”Hence we didn’t have to dropStewart School!

Mike then wanted to know

what it would take to add BeadleSchool, which was the last of theelementary schools that neededto be added. When I again gavehim what our budget would needto be, ($55,000.00), he came upwith the idea of challenging theYankton community to help raisethe funds. He and his wife Cindywould match dollar for dollar upto $25,000.00. The Yankton com-munity stepped up and in 4weeks we had over the$25,000.00 for a total of$27,500.00. The Sack Pack Pro-gram was presented with a checkfrom the Huether Family forevery dollar that was raised upand beyond the agreed upon$25,000.00. We now refer to theHuether Family as “Our Christ-mas Angels.”

The advice I would give tothose thinking about getting outthere and volunteering in theircommunities is: My best adviceto people is to get out and get in-volved! Volunteering is a greatway to connect with people andplaces that help make Yanktonsuch a great place to live andwork.

I would like to take this oppor-tunity to thank the Sack PackProgram Board of Directors.Carla Hummel, Vice President,Brenda Rueb, Treasurer, GigiHealy, Secretary, Deb Overseth,Volunteer Committee, ShawnaHatch, Fundraising/Publicity,Sandi Kramer, Menu Planning,Melanie Ryken, School Represen-tative, and Beau Marie Huerta,Committee Member. This awardwould not be possible withouttheir support and dedication tothe program.

For more information aboutvolunteerism in the greater Yank-ton area, please contact theUnited Way & Volunteer Servicesof Greater Yankton at (605)665-6766 or volunserve@iw.net.

MEET INGS

5B

Friday, 6.7.13ON THE WEB: www.yankton.net

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Jill Wermers Heads Up Sack Pack Program

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Jill Wermers is the Board President of the Yankton Sack Pack programand also volunteers throughout the community as well, including withRelay For Life and church events.

YANKTON REGIONAL AVIATIONASSOCIATION

Twenty-one members and guestsof the Yankton Regional Aviation Asso-ciation (YRAA) met on May 19 at 6p.m. for a potluck meeting in the termi-nal at Chan Gurney Airport. Partici-pants were from Crofton, Hartington,Randolph, Menno, Tyndall, Vermillion,Yankton and Connecticut. The meetingwas led by President John Lillevold.

The Big Friend/Little Friend YoungEagles Rally will be held on June 11from 5-7 p.m. in the terminal at ChanGurney Airport. The International

Young Eagle Rally will be held from 9a.m.-noon, on June 15 at the ChanGurney Airport. Pilot training is activeat the Yankton airport, and Dan Spechtrecently passed his check ride to earnhis private pilot certificate. LisaBierema recently soloed. Cole Steffenof Crofton will be participating in the Ad-vanced Air Academy in Oshkosh, WI, inJuly. The YRAA will pick up litter alongthe airport fence for Chan Gurney Air-port on May 25. The EAA 1929 FordTri-Motor aircraft will be coming toYankton on June 20-24 and availablefor rides on June 21-22-23. YanktonEAA Chapter 1029 is planning for the

aircraft visit. Francis Serr showed aPowerPoint presentation about the Ex-perimental Aircraft Association, YoungEagles Program, and Ford Tri-MotorTour and discussed the tour require-ments and volunteers needed for thetour stop at Yankton. A media flight inthe Ford Tri-Motor at Chan Gurney Air-port is planned for June 20 after the air-craft arrives from Quincy, Ill. The majorsponsor of the Ford Tri-Motor visit toYankton is Country Ford of Tyndall,plus donations from 11 individuals.

The next YRAA meeting is set forJune 16. For more information aboutthe YRAA, call 665-8448.

SACRED HEARTAWARDS

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Sacred Heart Middle School end of the year Awards Ceremony was heldon Thursday, May 16 at the Sacred Heart Community Center. Shownhere are Principal’s Citizenship Award winners (left to right): LaurenRezac, Alexis Rezac, Carissa Salvatori, Kristen Rezac, Maddie Binder,Principal Manning.

ELKS RECEIVE AWARD

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At the recent South Dakota State Elks Association meeting, YanktonElks Lodge #994 was presented the State Presidents Award and Cer-tificate. This Award is presented in recognition of sincere interest andnotable achievement in support of the South Dakota Elks Programsthrough the support of the Elks National Foundation. The Elks NationalFoundation supports many youth programs such as the scholarship pro-gram, Hoop Shoot program as well as veterans’ works and more.Pictured is Yankton Elks Lodge #994 Exalted Ruler, Ted Mickelson withthe award.

CHURCH KAH PACK

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Hillside Community Church of Vermillion recently packed over 2,500meals for children in need of our care at Kids Against Hunger. If yourchurch or youth group would like to learn more about how you canmake a difference in the lives of children, please visit www.kah.yank-ton.org.

CENTER BBQ AND DANCE

SUBMITTED PHOTO

The Center in Yankton held its annual BBQ and dance June 1 in theevening. Executive Director Christy Hauer said 135 people attended totake part in the festivities. The Bumblebees were the musical guests.Shown here are Charles and Mae Tieken.

Young Eagles Event AtChan Gurney Airport

A Young Eagles event will beheld at the Chan Gurney Airportterminal building on Saturday,June 15, from 9 a.m. to noon. TheYankton Chapter 1029 of the Ex-perimental Aircraft Association(EAA) are holding the 20th annualevent. The Young Eagles Programof the EAA has the goal of giving100,000 kids age 8-17 a free air-plane ride in 2013. The EAAachieved their previous goal offlying 1 million kids by December17, 2003, which was the 100th an-niversary of powered flight firstaccomplished by the WrightBrothers. The current total is 1.7million Young Eagles. The YRAAhas flown over 2,500 kids inYoung Eagle events at local air-ports including Yankton, Bloom-field, Gregory, Hartington, andVermillion over the past 20 years.

A parent of guardian must signa registration form that will beavailable at the registration deskin the airport terminal. Young Ea-gles receive a flight certificate,pilot logbook for free web-basedground school training (ages 13-17 years old), and their name isplaced in the world”s largest log-book at www.youngeagles.org.For more information contactSteve Hamilton at 605-665-8448.