Whitewood

The Whitewood PTO is having their 2nd annual Soup Supper and Pie Auction Friday November 14th at Hale Hall. The Pie Auction is to begin at 6 pm

Available at the Whitewood Public Library are copies of the South Dakota Small Business Administration Resource publication is

On Sunday July 13th Whitewood held it’s annual end of the year baseball party in the park! The party was held at 4pm at Oak Park and was a fun event for both young and old! There were plenty of burgers and hotdogs for everyone as well as a wide array of salads and chips for everyone to enjoy! The big hit of this annual event isthe water fight that takes place after everyone has eaten. Now this water fight is not just for the kids as the adults are usually the biggest kids of all enjoying themselves during the water fight! This year was no different and nobody was able to stay dry during the festivities!

This year some of our local firemen brought up one of the fire trucks and they doused the crowd with water. The kids of course thought this was the best and kept asking for more!! This event will once again go down in the books as a huge success and everyone in attendance had a wonderul time!! Thanks to the coaches and all of the children that made this years baseball season a huge success!!

On Sunday July 13th several citizens of our community participated in a walking challenge. They met at the City Hall and walked up to Oak Park. This walking challenge is a way to help people think about getting healthy and walking towards this goal. The other purpose of the walk was to kick off the Horizons graduation party that was being held at the park. For the past two years Whitewood has participated in various activities with Horizons. Well on Sunday Whitewood had it’s farewell graduation party. There were young and old in attendance.

Whitewood has gained so much from it’s partnership with Horizons, SDSU, and the Northwest Area Foundation. Many citizens have gained a wealth of knowledge through leadership plenty trainings and other trainings that have been held over the past several years! Well yesterday Whitewood was presented with a check for $8500 dollars which will be spent somewhere in town for everyone to enjoy! It has not yet been determined where the proceeds will go, but it will go towards benefitting the entire community! Not only did we receive a monetary award, but Whitewood was also awarded with a new “Gateway” laptop computer and a new printer. The laptop and printer will be stored at the library for everyone to use. All of these awards were received because of the hardwork and dedication of many members of our community over the past several years while working on Horizons projects. Without these individuals contributing their time and effort Whitewood would not have been awarded these awesome awards!! So congratulate yourself if you’ve worked on any Horizons projects and also congratuate others who have done so. Whitewood should be very proud this was no small feat!!

Thanks also to Chuck Turbiville our legislator for attending this event! It was much appreciated. Also a big thanks to Carolyn, Karla, and Dean Lemme from SDSU for bringing us these fabulous awards!

Below are some pictures of this event! Enjoy! And THANK YOU, SDSU and Northwest Area Foundation for partnering with us and helping us achieve these WONDERFUL gifts!!

Whitewood Conservation Corps

Are you 14 years of age or older?  The WCC is looking for a crew to clean up  flood debris including brush and tires and other materials in areas designated by Ross Grant from the City Maintenance Department.  This will be a short term paid job.  Waivers must be signed and can be obtained at City Hall or the Library.  A date has yet to be set for the clean up project.  Questions can be directed to Lynn Hill, Whitewood Police Officer or Rea Weyrich, Library Director (269-2616).

POSITION AVAILABLE:  The City of Whitewood has an immediate opening with the Public Works Department for a temporary position.  Duties will include lawn cutting and light maintenance.  Must be 18 years of age.  Pay is $9.00 per hour.  Applications being accepted at City Hall through July 17, 2008. Must be available between 7:30 and 4:00pm.

WORKER BEES WANTED

VOLUNTEERS FOR

WHITEWOOD CHILDREN’S

SCHOLARSHIP FUNDRAISERS

TASKS:

SET UP TABLES AT EVENTS

SELL RAFFLE TICKETS

SERVE PIZZA AND WATER

TO HELPERS

ASSIST YOUNG CHILDREN

KEEP TRACK OF THE PROCEEDS

TEAR DOWN TABLES

CONTACTS:

Amy Barker                     269-2130

Millie Humphrey                269-2220

Kaity Parks                      722-6526        

What can we do to help reduce Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault in our community? 

·       Say “NO” to all forms of violence; physical, verbal, sexual and emotional.

·       Get help if you and your partner can’t resolve problems.

·       Set an example for children; Violence and abuse are not a part of family life.

·       Report all instances of abuse to the police.

·       Support education and prevention programs.

·       Don’t accept, support or promote violence.

Mary Koens.   

Midwest Assistance Program, Inc., offers communities and tribal nations a wealth of skills and approaches to help them creatively solve their problems, including:

Capacity building, Compliance, Disaster management, Management & finance, Operations & maintenance, Planning & development, And much more…

Studies, publications, identification of opportunities and alternatives, proposal development, funding agency navigation support, overseeing of construction, review of plans, preparation of cost estimates.

more information

For skateboard park fundraiser on Sunday June 29th. Contact Patty Karas or Deb Olson at April’s Place. They are having a bake sale Sunday afternoon to benefit the skateboard park and they need bake sale items to sell.

  A WALK in the cool morning breeze can start your day off right.

            WALK to the Whitewood ball field for some evening entertainment.  

                        WALK on your own or with your family or friends  all around town.        

Step towards the Whitewood Walking Challenge.  Walking logs and pedometers are available at the Whitewood Public Library. 

Join the community walks on 13 July and 23 August

 Horizons communities around the state have identified actions to address poverty in their community. Many have identified our cultural reliance upon personal vehicles as an impediment to thriving communities. There is little public transport in rural areas and safe-bike ways are forgotten.  Take the pledge to support the effort to reduce our reliance upon oil and to build healthier communities where people are at the center.

There are currently 2 city positions open with the public works department. See below for the descriptions of both of the jobs.

Job 1:

Position Available: The City of Whitewood is accepting resumes or applications for Public Works Director.  Minimum qualifications for Public Works Director include High School diploma/GED certificate, possession of valid driver’s license with a CDL-B recommended.  Knowledge of methods, equipment, and materials used in water/wastewater distribution and collections.  Considerable knowledge and experience in the practices and principles of civil engineering, construction, public works operations and public works maintenance.  Must possess or be able to obtain certificates required by State for Water Treatment I, Wastewater Treatment II, Collections I, and Distribution I. Salary DOE.  Send resume or application to City of Whitewood, 1025 Meade Street, Whitewood, SD  57793 with a  June 30, 2008 closing date.

Job 2:

IMMEDIATE OPENING:

The City of Whitewood has an immediate opening with the Public Works Department for a temporary position.  Duties will include light maintenance and lawn cutting.  Must be 18 years of age with a valid driver’s license.  Position pay $9.00 per hour.  Applications being accepted at City Hall.

On Saturday June 14th Whitewood had it’s first walking challenge with approximately a dozen people in attendance. The walking challenge is to encourage our citizens to walk 100,000 steps between now and August 23rd the last day of our challenge. We want to encourage people to get up and get moving!! Our next walking challenge will be held on July 13th at 1:30. Walking packets can be picked up for the library along with FREE pedometers. Go and check it out and please get walking. We want more people to attend our next walking challenge!! If you have any questions about this stop in at the library and talk to Rea as I’m sure she will be happy to give information about this.

On Saturday June 14th the 5th and 6th grade students of Whitewood Elementary went on their DARE fishing trip. The event was organized by our police chief Jerry Davidson as well as others. This fishing trip has been a tradition for the past several years and was delayed a bit due to the rains. Some students were unable to attend the event due to baseball and other obligations. However, the 25 or so students that were able to attend the event had a wonderful time. The event took place at Orman Dam and there was a lot of fishes caught!! Below are some pictures that were taken prior to the event!! I’m glad everyone had a great time!!

Five Whitewood, SD youth attended a Babysitting Beginnings Training sponsored by the South Dakota Cooperative Extension Service of Lawrence County.  Deb Rombough, Family and Consumer Science Educator, was the presenter.  The youth gained information and hands-on experience covering basic safety and first aid, how to make healthy snacks, important facts about ages and stages of children, babysitting responsibilities and the business facts, age appropriate activities and much more!  Each participant received a babysitter’s kit and a wallet card certificate of completion.  This program is a part of the Whitewood Babysitter Club project, a result of the Horizons project. 

Follow-up workshops will be available in the future.  Currently topics scheduled at the Whitewood Public Library include:

June 19 – First Aid Follow-up / Choking Safety – Ellen Jenter, County Health Nurse (10-11 am)

June 24– Developmentally appropriate activities for children / rainy day activities (2-3 pm)

July 10 – Basic Financial Education / Savings for Youth (10-11 am)

Please pre-register by calling Deb Rombough at the Lawrence County Extension Office @ 642-6200 or Rea W. at the Whitewood Library @ 269-2616.

last night at 6pm at the Whitewood libary.

Discussion items were:

• Updates to the strategic plan were discussed. Information was given to Carolyn our community leader on fundraising efforts of both the skateboard park committee and the scholarship committee. The efforts from these groups has definetely not gone unnoticed. Thanks everyone for their hard work!!
• Horizons II will soon be coming to an end. We will have our graduation event on July 13th at Oak Park at 2pm. We are inviting our entire community to attend this event as our community is being awarded with a laptop computer and a printer which will be stored at the library. We are also being awarded with a grant which will be given in September. There will also be cake served to celebrate this event!
• Carolyn advised us at the meeting that the book we made of our successes since beginning Horizons was a big hit! Thanks Mary for all of your hard work and dedication on this fabulous book!!
• Although, Horizons is ending we don’t want our committees to end! We want to keep the momentum going! We will always need people to be involved and work on plans to improve our community!!

From Jean Sneesby

Sorry to be late getting in the May meeting of the Whitewood Genie Meet….we met on Wednesday May 21st at the Whitewood Library and was thrilled with two batches of photos and history and stories about Whitewood.  One lady is allowing us to copy her collection and another lady just gave it all to us !!!  Thank you so much !!! The June meeting will be Wednesday June 18th - 1:30 at the Whitewood Library.  Anyone interested in family history or history of Whitewood is invited to join us.  If anyone who like help in getting started on your genealogy but you can’t make the afternoon meetings, please contact Rea at the Library and we can arrange to help you some evening.  Genealogy Humor:  My family coat of arms ties at the back - is that normal?  Hope to see you June 18th !!

This sounds like an excellent opportunity to win a bit of cash for a community project.  Check out the SDRE website at www.sdrei.org

And go to “Community Success Stories.”  There is a quick application to fill out and winners will have their stories posted on the site.

In our continued efforts of championing rural economic and community development, South

Dakota Rural Enterprise is compiling and sharing Community Success Stories. The success

stories that we receive will be posted to our website, and in doing so will become a celebration

and inspiration for other communities throughout the State. Each quarter we will choose one

success story from those submitted, and that program/project will receive a cash award of $250.

Please fill out all the following questions that may apply to your program/project.

Small Business Workshop Scheduled Individuals who are self-employed, business owners, office managers, bookkeepers, etc., may be interested in attending the South Dakota Small Business Workshops.  Workshop topics include SD Unemployment Insurance, tax and benefits, wage and hour laws, youth employment regulations, SD sales and use tax regulations, as well as contractor’s excise tax requirements. The workshop is scheduled for June 11 in Mitchell and will be repeated July 16 in Pierre and October 8 in Rapid City .  For more information contact the SD Dept. of Revenue and Regulations at 1-800-829-9188.  Workshop sponsors include the SD Dept. of Labor, Small Business Development Center , SD Dept. of Revenue & Regulations, and the Small Business Administration.

The Whitewood Challenge

A group of walkers is issuing a challenge to all Whitewood residents to walk 100,000 steps this summer.   On June 14 at 8:30 am the first short walk will take at place the Whitewood library to the flag pole to celebrate Flag Day.     Each walker will receive a free pedometer so they can determine their own walking gait.    A recording sheet and five walking tour brochures will be available at the end of the walk.     “This idea came out of the Whitewood Health Fair in April,” said Tammy Bourne.   “We talked to people about forming a group that would walk for heathy living and decided to put this together this summer.”     On July 13 there will be another full group walk from city hall to Oak Park where each participant will receive a free Whitewood t-shirt.   On August 23 the final group walk will take place with awards given to those who reach their 100,000 steps goal.    

“If you wear your pedometer all the time you can count the steps you take at work, shopping, gardening, just any place you walk”, said Rea Weyrich, one of the Challenge organizers.  ”100,000 steps sound like a lot but, depending on your stride, it works out to be less than 1500 steps a day between June 14 and August 23.”   A rough guide is there about  2,500 steps make a mile but each individual’s stride is different so the first group walk this Saturday will help determine what your stride is.

There is no formal registration for this Walking challenge just show up and be part of the fun.

Tom Cornwell from “Bug Songs” sang at the Whitewood Public Library. See below for more pictures from this event!

Hello everyone!

We had a meeting June 1st… Here are our thoughts  

The committee met with the following discussions:  Discussion on laminate poster board versus banner, they (the sign making people)cannot do laminate poster board but will make two banners for $50.  Discussion was also held on the Loaded Trunk basket and how to have the steering committee pay for trunk before the next phase of Horizon is done. Another dilemma is where do we store money; is there an account for horizons?

 Amy will go to next steering committee meeting and discuss issues with them.

 The committee is looking for more support from adults and children to help out. They can either serve on committee or just sell raffle tickets at various events in the area. We went over the list off names that have at one time or another worked with Horizons.  Please expect phone calls soon J

Discussion held on how to possibly get help selling raffle tickets; Amy will create a letter and propose it to the Whitewood Chamber by letter seeking local businesses to sell raffle tickets at their businesses

Next meeting is June 20th at Bullwhackers at 5:30 pm please bring your ideas and your appetite

       Summer activities  to write on your calendar

• June 5 - Baby sitting Class/Club starts 
• June 14 - 1st Whitewood Walking Challenge
• June 28-29 -  Whitewood Days
• June 28 - Poker Run
• July 1-31  - “Catch the Reading Bug” @ the Whitewood Public Library 
• July 7-10 - First Presbyterian Church Vacation Bible School
• July 13 -2nd Whitewood Walking Challenge
•  July 13 -  Whitewood Horizons Graduation
• July 28 -1 Aug - Immanuel Lutheran Church VBS Day Camp
• August 12 - 16 -  Butte/Lawrence County Fair
• August 18-22 - Black Hills Baptist Church Vacation Bible School
• August   - 3rd Whitewood Walking Challenge

Did we miss anything?  Is your event listed?  Send in your additions to the Blog address on the right hand side of the screen.

Immanuel Lutheran Church - 28 July - 1 Aug                     269-2104

Presbyterian Church -              7-10 July                                                                 6:00 pm  - 8:30 pm

Black Hills Baptist Church -     18 - 22 Aug                           269-2646                 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

BH Baptist’s theme for their VBS is ” Out Rigger Island”  and open for ages 4 yrs - 6th Grade.  A light supper will be provided.  Need a ride?  call 269-2646

Whitewood Beginning Babysitting Class  has been postponed one week 

                            to  Thursday 5 June from 9:30 - 11:30
 
Class conducted by Deb Rombough, Lawrence County Extension Agent, at the Whitewood Public Library.  Anyone wishing to sign up may call the Library at 269-2616.      Read this Previous Babysitting Club Blog  for more information.     previous date was 29 May.

 Deb Rombough - Beginning Babysitting -  5 June    9:30-11:30 am 

Deb Rombough -  Age Appropriate Activities on June 12 from 10-11 am

Ellen Jenter, County Health Nurse - on June 19 from 10-11 am

If anyone is interested in joining the scholarship committee, please contact Amy Barker at 269-2130 or Kaity Parks at 722-6526.  The meeting will be Saturday May 31  2pm meeting at the Diner:) Topics are distribution of raffle tickets, recruiting people to sell raffle tickets. We are looking for kids and adults. Sounds like a great day for pie and coffee:)

Great news! Our  word is getting out and people want to buy the tickets and help too!

The Summer Reading Program

at the

Whitewood Public Library

          27  MAY  -  “Bug Songs”  Sing & learn about bugs with Tom Cornwell         

                 2 June  -    Pick-up and start your reading log     

             2 July  -    Spin-a-Tale make giant spiders       

             9 July  -   Backyard Bug Hunt learn about bug collecting      

           16 July  -   There’s a Buzz @ your LibraryBHSU Yellow Jacket Mascot visits      

           23 July  -   Wings, Stings, & Leggy Things  use your imagination to make bugs     

          30 July -     Reading Bug Blast       end of program party 

Mondays - Puzzle Day – stop in anytime, do the puzzle and post a bug on the wall

Fridays - Quiz Day       – stop in anytime, do the quiz and pick a prize from the jar.

Wednesdays are Fun Days with Speakers, Crafts and games  from 10:00 – 11:30 

Prizes, make and take activities, treats are planned for your child.

Start your Reading log on 2 June to get a head start on winning prizes in July. 

This message is from Deb Olson:

Here’s an update on how the skating went on May 9th at Hale Hall.  We had 65 kids that skated and we took in $305 with the raffle and candy sales, and $200 with the admission.  So all in all we had a pretty good night.      Till next time,  Deb