Friends and family gathered at the Prindiville Farm on the south side of Rutland on Sunday, July 4, to celebrate the birthdays of Uncle Sam, age 234, Dennis Prindiville, age 91, and Gwendolyn (Prindiville) Young, age 90. Three of Gwen’s sons: John; Harold; and, Vincent; were on hand to help host the event. Dennis and Gwen both were born and grew up on the farm and attended school in Rutland, graduating from RHS in 1937 and 1938, respectively. They are both U. S. Army veterans of World War II. Dennis served in the battle-scarred Co. I of North Dakota’s 164th infantry in the desperate fighting on Guadalcanal in 1942 and 43, where he contracted malaria. After recuperating from malaria back in the States, he was assigned to another infantry outfit and was sent into the fighting in France following the 1944 D-Day invasion. He is one of the few Army personnel who served in combat in both the Pacific and European theaters of the War, and lived to tell about it. Gwen served in a Women’s Army Corps’ war information unit in North Africa in 1943 & 1944. She met and married her husband, the late John Young, also an Army soldier, in Algiers, during the War. Gwen returned to the farm from her winter residence in Arizona a little later than usual this Spring, arriving in Rutland during the first week of June. Dennis, who now resides in Spokane WA, has been at the farm since June 24. Dennis and Gwen are members of what has been termed “America’s Greatest Generation,“ and their home town salutes them for their service to community and country. That generation lifted the nation out of the Great Depression of the 1930’s; defeated the Facist tyranny of Germany, Italy & Japan; and, defeated Communism and the Soviet Union in a Cold War that spanned 4 decades; all the while building the greatest economic engine for human prosperity in the history of the world. Those are some pretty tremendous accomplishments, but, Dennis and Gwen are from Rutland. Could you expect anything less? Happy Birthday to Gwen and Dennis, and many more!
Bituminous Paving of Ortonville MN began paving work on a 3 mile stretch of County 10 south of Rutland & 2 miles of County #7 east of Havana on Wednesday, June 30. The work included patching some damaged areas in the existing blacktop, laying a leveling course of hot mix bituminous paving and then putting down a 2 inch maintenance overlay of hot mix. This project was originally scheduled for the 2006 construction season, but was put on hold by the County Commission due to a shortage of funds. The work is being completed this year with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, better known as the Obama Economic Stimulus Bill. Upon completion of the Sargent County project on Thursday or Friday of this week, Bituminous Paving will commence laying a maintenance overlay on 12 miles of North Dakota Highway #32 from Forman to the North Dakota/South Dakota State Line, another project funded with Federal stimulus dollars. Employees of another construction company, Mark Sand & Gravel of Fergus Falls, have started on a project that will install new blacktop on North Dakota Highway #11 from Hankinson to 3 miles east of the Rutland corner. That project, too, is funded with ARRA funds. Folks in other parts of the country might call these projects “Pork Barrel Spending,” but out here, where the rubber meets the road, we call it “Bringing Home The Bacon!”
Quentin Hoistad of the Sargent County Park Board announced last week that a $500 donation has been received from the Ashley Lions Club, with the funds dedicated to the pavilion at Silver Lake. The donation is part of the Ashley Lions’ regular distribution of charitable gaming proceeds.
Chuck Sundlie was home from Marmarth ND on Wednesday and Thursday of last week for a brief respite from the rigors of the western ND oilfields. Chuck has been employed by Cowpoke Trucking of Marmarth, hauling water to and from the oil field drilling rigs. Kim and Aden were also up from Elk River. According to Chuck, the hours are long and the work is brutal, but the pay is good.
Earl & Rene Cramton are the proud owners of a new Snapper O turn clearance riding lawn mower with a 50 inch deck width. The new mower, a Snapper, was purchased from former Cayuga businessman Pete Kiefer. Pete was the Snapper dealer in this area for many years, but retired last Fall at age 90, while he is still young enough to enjoy retirement. He had a few new mowers in inventory and is giving some real good deals on the final closeout of the business. Since last Fall, Pete and his spouse, Verna, have been residing at the Beverly Ann Assisted Living Center in Lisbon. Their daughter and son-in-law, Pam & Keith Hoistad, live nearby, on a farm between Lisbon & Milnor.
Three days of hot wind from the southwest plus the growing crop took a lot of moisture out of the topsoil last week, but a rain early on the morning of Sunday, July 4, was just what the doctor ordered, according to some of the local farmers. Brad Wyum reported that his rain gauge indicated .8 of an inch in Rutland, and Kim Rasmussen reported .6 of an inch at his farm west of Havana. Amounts were greater to the north, with an inch at the Tom Wyum farm 5 miles north of Rutland and 1.6 inch at Milnor. Another .3 of an inch of rain was received here on the evening of Tuesday, July 6, followed by a nice day with drier air and milder temperatures.
Kim Rasmussen stopped in at the Rutland Café on Sunday morning, bound for the Minnesota Lakes country and an Independence Day holiday visit with children and grandchildren. Kim stated that he has been sharpening up his poker skills in preparation for the big poker tournament coming up at the Dakota Magic Casino near Hankinson later this month.
Mark & Kathy Wyum and Bill & Pam Gulleson of this community drove over to Lake Melissa MN to spend the 4th with Kathy & Pam’s brother, Tim Harris, at his summer residence there. Bill was back in Rutland on the evening of the 4th, and was pleased to find that absolutely nothing had changed in his absence.
New Rutland resident Katie Fenger is helping out, part-time, at the Rutland General Store and Café. Mrs. Fenger became the bride of Pastor Justin Fenger of this community on June 26th.
A sizable delegation from Rutland stopped by the Four Seasons Healthcare Center in Forman on the afternoon of Monday, July 5, to help Irene Anderson of this community celebrate her 93rd birthday. Irene hosted a coffee and birthday cake lunch at the Four Seasons dining room from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. At one point, Irene, age 93, Evelyn Kraig, age 91, Borghild Lee, age 96, Hazel Preble, age 90, Dennis Prindiville, age 91, and Gwen Young, age 90, were all seated at the same table, their cumulative age representing more than half a millennium of community history. The Rutland community extends best wishes and a Happy Birthday! To Irene Anderson.
The Rutland City Council held its regular monthly meeting at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 5 in the City Office at the Rutland Town Hall with Mayor Narum, Auditor Hoistad and Aldermen Arneson, Christianson, Mahrer and Siemieniewski present. Also in attendance were Rutland Park Board members Hal Nelson & Jen Christianson; City Engineer Les Norton of KLJ Engineering; and, City Attorney Bill Anderson. The Council reorganized as required by State law. Mike Mahrer was re-elected as President of the Council; Doris Hoistad was re-appointed as City Auditor; Les Norton of KLJ was re-appointed City Engineer; Bill Anderson was re-appointed City Attorney; and, The Teller was re-appointed as the City’s official newspaper. For the next two years Alderwoman Siemieniewski will hold the portfolio for the Town Hall; Alderman Mahrer will hold the water and street portfolios; Alderman Arneson will hold the equipment and maintenance portfolios; Alderman Christianson will hold the sewer and park portfolios and Mayor Narum will have the landfill and garbage portfolios. The major item of business for the evening was the acceptance of bid and awarding a contract to Morris Seal Coat and Trucking of Morris MN for a repair and seal coat project for the City’s streets. The successful bid for materials and labor was $129,945.50, about $41,000.00 lower than first estimates. The Council also approved a construction engineering contract with KLJ in the amount of $13,000.00. Mayor Narum reported that the water tank maintenance work has been completed by Maguire Iron of Sioux Falls, but that the new epoxy coating on the interior of the tank has to cure until July 10 before the tank can be refilled with water. The new epoxy coating and other maintenance work done last week should extend the life of the tank for several more decades. The next meeting of the Rutland City Council is scheduled for Monday, August 2, at the Rutland Town Hall.
The Rutland Community Club met at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, in the Rutland Town Hall. Club vice-president Paul Anderson called the meeting to order. 2010 Uffda Day Chairperson Lori McLaen reported on planning and progress for this year’s event, now about 90 days down the road. Lori stated that there will be some scheduling and location changes for some of the regular Uffda Day activities. She also stated that the Uffda Day committee is considering the purchase of a large tent to afford additional room for demonstrations and other activities. In other business, club members approved the payment of bills, discussed the rules, or lack thereof, for use of Community Club owned equipment, such as electric roasters, and approved a contribution of $500.00 to the Sargent County Envirothon Team which will be competing on the national level this month. The next meeting of the Rutland Community Club is scheduled for Tuesday, August 3, in the Rutland Town Hall.
Postmaster Ione Pherson departed Rutland on Thursday, July 1, bound for McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, to spend the Independence Day holiday weekend with her youngest daughter, Shelly, who is undergoing advanced training at the base. Ione reports that they did some touring in New York City, where they took in the Broadway musical “Promises, Promises,” and also enjoyed the Atlantic Ocean on the Jersey Shore, a popular East Coast vacation area. Ione returned home on the evening of Tuesday, July 6. Postal Clerk Rebecca Christensen filled in for Ione at the Post Office during her absence.
Speaking of vacation trips, Shawn Breker of this community is experiencing the vacation trip of a lifetime this Summer. He has sent, via e-mail, this most recent report of his activities in Australia.
“Starting transmission: Wed, July 7th @ 2:00pm. The highlights since I last wrote, other than the education of course, were the Sydney Opera House and wine tasting tour in Hunter Valley. The Sydney opera house was amazing! The play was hilarious and Opera house was beautiful at night. Pictures will be up soon on Facebook- stay tuned. The 4th of July was spent wine tasting. Our group of 50 got picked up outside our college at 7:30am and before getting to the wineries, we stopped at a zoo where we got to see wallaroos, kangaroos, koala, bats, snakes, spiders, and a giant tortoise named Hugo. It’s illegal to hold a koala in New South Wales so we took pictures next to one. We fed the wallaroos and kangaroos who were very soft, friendly, beautiful animals.
We faxed our bus’s order to Subway on the way to our first winery and ate just before we started drinking. We visited 3 of the 109 wineries in Hunter Valley:1) Golden Grape Estate; 2) Lindemans & Rosemount Wines; and, 3) McGuigan Cellars. We tasted many types of wines at each place, they include: Crisp Whites, Chardonnay, Fruity Whites, Fruity Reds, Full Bodied Reds and Dessert. At the second winery, they taught us about how to judge wines. There are three distinct features to wine: color, smell, and taste. You are to hold a glass of wine at the stem since you want to see the wine (color) and in order to drink it at the right temperature (your hand would release heat into the wine). The shape of the glass plays a key role. A certain amount of air should be let in (via swirling the glassed wine) to interact with all the flavor/scent since the wine has not been exposed to oxygen for 5-20 years. Finally, one needs to let in air while you sip the wine to expose the flavors of the wine more fully. I am now a professional and can’t wait to test my skills in the US. Much of our group bought wines to send home or bring back in our luggage. PS- Mom and dad, you might be in for a surprise! The wineries slashed their prices on many wines since we were a group. I think our students enjoyed too much wine on the way back home on the bus. Let’s just say the bus driver stopped along side the road for people to go #1. Shifting gears, we have a 3000-5000 Word report and PowerPoint presentation due next Wednesday, July 14th. My group of three is comparing the household installment of Photovoltaics (PV) systems in three different parts of the US- Alaska, Montana, California. The University of New South Wales is the leading university of research in PV systems in the world. Almost everywhere in Australia, you will see the utilization of solar panels for either hot water heating or general electricity. It will be a fun project. One last thing, change all your light bulbs to compact fluorescents (CFLs). We learned in class that a smarter light bulb will save your pocketbook and the environment. Check out the comparison between Thomas Edisons incandescent to a greener technology: Future events include: Friday @ 2:30pm- surfing at Bondi Beach Friday @ 7:00pm Rugby match in Sydney Sunday @ 1:10pm Australian Rules Football game. Hope ya’ll back home got that oil leak fixed. Talk again soon. Cheers! Ending transmission: Wed, July 7th @ 3:25pm. Shawn A. Breker, EIT University of New South Wales, AU.”
For more than 3 decades, this area has had the good fortune to be served by two dedicated medical professionals, the husband and wife team of Drs. Rup and Vani Nagala of Oakes, Recently, it was announced that Dr. Rup Nagala has been selected as the National Rural Health Association’s 2010 Practitioner of the Year. He joined the Oakes Medical center in 1978 and has since owned and operated it as Southeast Medical Center. Dr. Rup was instrumental in making state of the art diagnostic equipment such as U/S, MRI, CT Scan & other services available to the people of this area. He is Board Certified in Family Practice, Geriatrics, Sports Medicine and Phlebology. Southeast Medical Center has grown under his supervision and expertise to be one of the largest healthcare networks in the southeast region of North Dakota, by establishing a network of rural clinics in Oakes, Ellendale, Forman, Gwinner, LaMoure, Lidgerwood and Lisbon. Dr. Rup has also provided leadership in the construction of the areas first assisted living center in 1996, a new hospital in 2007 and a dialysis center in 2008. The Rutland community extends its thanks to Dr. Rup Nagala for his 32 years of dedicated service to the people of this community and this area, and congratulations on being named the National Rural Health Association’s 2010 Practitioner of the Year. A well deserved recognition for a dedicated professional.
Last Winter, Joe & Patty Breker of this community were members of a group that traveled to Peru on a Church sponsored tour. While there they met Wilder Benites of the city of Chimbuti, Peru, a man who, through his friendship with North Dakota native Father Jack Davis, has spent a considerable amount of time in North Dakota over the past several years. This Summer, Mr. Benites is employed at Edgley ND by the Mathern Construction Company of that city. During his visits to the States, Mr. Benites does some public speaking and presentations on his native country. Joe Breker has arranged for Wilder Benites to meet with people in the Rutland community at an event scheduled to be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, at the Nordland Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Rutland. The public is invited to attend. Mr. Benites met a number of people in this community during a visit here earlier this Spring, and his presentation promises to be most interesting.
Back in 1885, Norwegian homesteaders in Ransom Township, many of them originally from the province of Nordland in Norway, established a Lutheran congregation that first held its services in the members’ homes and later in country schools. In 1908, the Nordland Lutheran Congregation built a new church building in the town of Rutland, and that structure has been the congregation’s home for the past 102 years. This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, July 10 & 11, Nordland Lutheran Church of Rutland will observe its 125th anniversary with several events, including: a pie and ice cream social at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, to be followed by music and a light supper, also at the Fellowship Hall; worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday; a dinner at the Rutland Town Hall at Noon on Sunday; and, a program at the Church at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Nordland Congregation has been an integral part of this community since its earliest days. Rutland congratulates Nordland Lutheran Church on 125 years of Christian service in this community.
Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Mexico, the massive oil spill from BP’s runaway well continues, inflicting tremendous damage upon the ecology, environment and economy of the region. Across the world many learned individuals are putting their minds to inventing a method to shut the well down, and that includes the Assembled Wise Men at the Round Table in the Rutland General Store. One member of the faculty recently reported on one device, a contraption called a “wedding ring,” that holds great promise for bringing the disaster to an end. It’s pretty complicated, though, and you’ll probably have to attend a session at the Round Table to find out how it works. Even in disaster, there is humor.
Well, that’s it for this week. For more information about Rutland or Rutland folks, wherever they may be, stop by the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com. Check out Rutland’s blog and Facebook page, too, while you’re at it.
The Rooster Crows – July 9, 2010
Friends and family gathered at the Prindiville Farm on the south side of Rutland on Sunday, July 4, to celebrate the birthdays of Uncle Sam, age 234, Dennis Prindiville, age 91, and Gwendolyn (Prindiville) Young, age 90. Three of Gwen’s sons: John; Harold; and, Vincent; were on hand to help host the event. Dennis and Gwen both were born and grew up on the farm and attended school in Rutland, graduating from RHS in 1937 and 1938, respectively. They are both U. S. Army veterans of World War II. Dennis served in the battle-scarred Co. I of North Dakota’s 164th infantry in the desperate fighting on Guadalcanal in 1942 and 43, where he contracted malaria. After recuperating from malaria back in the States, he was assigned to another infantry outfit and was sent into the fighting in France following the 1944 D-Day invasion. He is one of the few Army personnel who served in combat in both the Pacific and European theaters of the War, and lived to tell about it. Gwen served in a Women’s Army Corps’ war information unit in North Africa in 1943 & 1944. She met and married her husband, the late John Young, also an Army soldier, in Algiers, during the War. Gwen returned to the farm from her winter residence in Arizona a little later than usual this Spring, arriving in Rutland during the first week of June. Dennis, who now resides in Spokane WA, has been at the farm since June 24. Dennis and Gwen are members of what has been termed “America’s Greatest Generation,“ and their home town salutes them for their service to community and country. That generation lifted the nation out of the Great Depression of the 1930’s; defeated the Facist tyranny of Germany, Italy & Japan; and, defeated Communism and the Soviet Union in a Cold War that spanned 4 decades; all the while building the greatest economic engine for human prosperity in the history of the world. Those are some pretty tremendous accomplishments, but, Dennis and Gwen are from Rutland. Could you expect anything less? Happy Birthday to Gwen and Dennis, and many more!
Bituminous Paving of Ortonville MN began paving work on a 3 mile stretch of County 10 south of Rutland & 2 miles of County #7 east of Havana on Wednesday, June 30. The work included patching some damaged areas in the existing blacktop, laying a leveling course of hot mix bituminous paving and then putting down a 2 inch maintenance overlay of hot mix. This project was originally scheduled for the 2006 construction season, but was put on hold by the County Commission due to a shortage of funds. The work is being completed this year with funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, better known as the Obama Economic Stimulus Bill. Upon completion of the Sargent County project on Thursday or Friday of this week, Bituminous Paving will commence laying a maintenance overlay on 12 miles of North Dakota Highway #32 from Forman to the North Dakota/South Dakota State Line, another project funded with Federal stimulus dollars. Employees of another construction company, Mark Sand & Gravel of Fergus Falls, have started on a project that will install new blacktop on North Dakota Highway #11 from Hankinson to 3 miles east of the Rutland corner. That project, too, is funded with ARRA funds. Folks in other parts of the country might call these projects “Pork Barrel Spending,” but out here, where the rubber meets the road, we call it “Bringing Home The Bacon!”
Quentin Hoistad of the Sargent County Park Board announced last week that a $500 donation has been received from the Ashley Lions Club, with the funds dedicated to the pavilion at Silver Lake. The donation is part of the Ashley Lions’ regular distribution of charitable gaming proceeds.
Chuck Sundlie was home from Marmarth ND on Wednesday and Thursday of last week for a brief respite from the rigors of the western ND oilfields. Chuck has been employed by Cowpoke Trucking of Marmarth, hauling water to and from the oil field drilling rigs. Kim and Aden were also up from Elk River. According to Chuck, the hours are long and the work is brutal, but the pay is good.
Earl & Rene Cramton are the proud owners of a new Snapper O turn clearance riding lawn mower with a 50 inch deck width. The new mower, a Snapper, was purchased from former Cayuga businessman Pete Kiefer. Pete was the Snapper dealer in this area for many years, but retired last Fall at age 90, while he is still young enough to enjoy retirement. He had a few new mowers in inventory and is giving some real good deals on the final closeout of the business. Since last Fall, Pete and his spouse, Verna, have been residing at the Beverly Ann Assisted Living Center in Lisbon. Their daughter and son-in-law, Pam & Keith Hoistad, live nearby, on a farm between Lisbon & Milnor.
Three days of hot wind from the southwest plus the growing crop took a lot of moisture out of the topsoil last week, but a rain early on the morning of Sunday, July 4, was just what the doctor ordered, according to some of the local farmers. Brad Wyum reported that his rain gauge indicated .8 of an inch in Rutland, and Kim Rasmussen reported .6 of an inch at his farm west of Havana. Amounts were greater to the north, with an inch at the Tom Wyum farm 5 miles north of Rutland and 1.6 inch at Milnor. Another .3 of an inch of rain was received here on the evening of Tuesday, July 6, followed by a nice day with drier air and milder temperatures.
Kim Rasmussen stopped in at the Rutland Café on Sunday morning, bound for the Minnesota Lakes country and an Independence Day holiday visit with children and grandchildren. Kim stated that he has been sharpening up his poker skills in preparation for the big poker tournament coming up at the Dakota Magic Casino near Hankinson later this month.
Mark & Kathy Wyum and Bill & Pam Gulleson of this community drove over to Lake Melissa MN to spend the 4th with Kathy & Pam’s brother, Tim Harris, at his summer residence there. Bill was back in Rutland on the evening of the 4th, and was pleased to find that absolutely nothing had changed in his absence.
New Rutland resident Katie Fenger is helping out, part-time, at the Rutland General Store and Café. Mrs. Fenger became the bride of Pastor Justin Fenger of this community on June 26th.
A sizable delegation from Rutland stopped by the Four Seasons Healthcare Center in Forman on the afternoon of Monday, July 5, to help Irene Anderson of this community celebrate her 93rd birthday. Irene hosted a coffee and birthday cake lunch at the Four Seasons dining room from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. At one point, Irene, age 93, Evelyn Kraig, age 91, Borghild Lee, age 96, Hazel Preble, age 90, Dennis Prindiville, age 91, and Gwen Young, age 90, were all seated at the same table, their cumulative age representing more than half a millennium of community history. The Rutland community extends best wishes and a Happy Birthday! To Irene Anderson.
The Rutland City Council held its regular monthly meeting at 8:00 p.m. on Monday, July 5 in the City Office at the Rutland Town Hall with Mayor Narum, Auditor Hoistad and Aldermen Arneson, Christianson, Mahrer and Siemieniewski present. Also in attendance were Rutland Park Board members Hal Nelson & Jen Christianson; City Engineer Les Norton of KLJ Engineering; and, City Attorney Bill Anderson. The Council reorganized as required by State law. Mike Mahrer was re-elected as President of the Council; Doris Hoistad was re-appointed as City Auditor; Les Norton of KLJ was re-appointed City Engineer; Bill Anderson was re-appointed City Attorney; and, The Teller was re-appointed as the City’s official newspaper. For the next two years Alderwoman Siemieniewski will hold the portfolio for the Town Hall; Alderman Mahrer will hold the water and street portfolios; Alderman Arneson will hold the equipment and maintenance portfolios; Alderman Christianson will hold the sewer and park portfolios and Mayor Narum will have the landfill and garbage portfolios. The major item of business for the evening was the acceptance of bid and awarding a contract to Morris Seal Coat and Trucking of Morris MN for a repair and seal coat project for the City’s streets. The successful bid for materials and labor was $129,945.50, about $41,000.00 lower than first estimates. The Council also approved a construction engineering contract with KLJ in the amount of $13,000.00. Mayor Narum reported that the water tank maintenance work has been completed by Maguire Iron of Sioux Falls, but that the new epoxy coating on the interior of the tank has to cure until July 10 before the tank can be refilled with water. The new epoxy coating and other maintenance work done last week should extend the life of the tank for several more decades. The next meeting of the Rutland City Council is scheduled for Monday, August 2, at the Rutland Town Hall.
The Rutland Community Club met at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 6, in the Rutland Town Hall. Club vice-president Paul Anderson called the meeting to order. 2010 Uffda Day Chairperson Lori McLaen reported on planning and progress for this year’s event, now about 90 days down the road. Lori stated that there will be some scheduling and location changes for some of the regular Uffda Day activities. She also stated that the Uffda Day committee is considering the purchase of a large tent to afford additional room for demonstrations and other activities. In other business, club members approved the payment of bills, discussed the rules, or lack thereof, for use of Community Club owned equipment, such as electric roasters, and approved a contribution of $500.00 to the Sargent County Envirothon Team which will be competing on the national level this month. The next meeting of the Rutland Community Club is scheduled for Tuesday, August 3, in the Rutland Town Hall.
Postmaster Ione Pherson departed Rutland on Thursday, July 1, bound for McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, to spend the Independence Day holiday weekend with her youngest daughter, Shelly, who is undergoing advanced training at the base. Ione reports that they did some touring in New York City, where they took in the Broadway musical “Promises, Promises,” and also enjoyed the Atlantic Ocean on the Jersey Shore, a popular East Coast vacation area. Ione returned home on the evening of Tuesday, July 6. Postal Clerk Rebecca Christensen filled in for Ione at the Post Office during her absence.
Speaking of vacation trips, Shawn Breker of this community is experiencing the vacation trip of a lifetime this Summer. He has sent, via e-mail, this most recent report of his activities in Australia.
For more than 3 decades, this area has had the good fortune to be served by two dedicated medical professionals, the husband and wife team of Drs. Rup and Vani Nagala of Oakes, Recently, it was announced that Dr. Rup Nagala has been selected as the National Rural Health Association’s 2010 Practitioner of the Year. He joined the Oakes Medical center in 1978 and has since owned and operated it as Southeast Medical Center. Dr. Rup was instrumental in making state of the art diagnostic equipment such as U/S, MRI, CT Scan & other services available to the people of this area. He is Board Certified in Family Practice, Geriatrics, Sports Medicine and Phlebology. Southeast Medical Center has grown under his supervision and expertise to be one of the largest healthcare networks in the southeast region of North Dakota, by establishing a network of rural clinics in Oakes, Ellendale, Forman, Gwinner, LaMoure, Lidgerwood and Lisbon. Dr. Rup has also provided leadership in the construction of the areas first assisted living center in 1996, a new hospital in 2007 and a dialysis center in 2008. The Rutland community extends its thanks to Dr. Rup Nagala for his 32 years of dedicated service to the people of this community and this area, and congratulations on being named the National Rural Health Association’s 2010 Practitioner of the Year. A well deserved recognition for a dedicated professional.
Last Winter, Joe & Patty Breker of this community were members of a group that traveled to Peru on a Church sponsored tour. While there they met Wilder Benites of the city of Chimbuti, Peru, a man who, through his friendship with North Dakota native Father Jack Davis, has spent a considerable amount of time in North Dakota over the past several years. This Summer, Mr. Benites is employed at Edgley ND by the Mathern Construction Company of that city. During his visits to the States, Mr. Benites does some public speaking and presentations on his native country. Joe Breker has arranged for Wilder Benites to meet with people in the Rutland community at an event scheduled to be held at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 14, at the Nordland Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall in Rutland. The public is invited to attend. Mr. Benites met a number of people in this community during a visit here earlier this Spring, and his presentation promises to be most interesting.
Back in 1885, Norwegian homesteaders in Ransom Township, many of them originally from the province of Nordland in Norway, established a Lutheran congregation that first held its services in the members’ homes and later in country schools. In 1908, the Nordland Lutheran Congregation built a new church building in the town of Rutland, and that structure has been the congregation’s home for the past 102 years. This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, July 10 & 11, Nordland Lutheran Church of Rutland will observe its 125th anniversary with several events, including: a pie and ice cream social at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, to be followed by music and a light supper, also at the Fellowship Hall; worship service at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday; a dinner at the Rutland Town Hall at Noon on Sunday; and, a program at the Church at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday. The Nordland Congregation has been an integral part of this community since its earliest days. Rutland congratulates Nordland Lutheran Church on 125 years of Christian service in this community.
Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Mexico, the massive oil spill from BP’s runaway well continues, inflicting tremendous damage upon the ecology, environment and economy of the region. Across the world many learned individuals are putting their minds to inventing a method to shut the well down, and that includes the Assembled Wise Men at the Round Table in the Rutland General Store. One member of the faculty recently reported on one device, a contraption called a “wedding ring,” that holds great promise for bringing the disaster to an end. It’s pretty complicated, though, and you’ll probably have to attend a session at the Round Table to find out how it works. Even in disaster, there is humor.
Well, that’s it for this week. For more information about Rutland or Rutland folks, wherever they may be, stop by the community’s internet web site at www.rutlandnd.com. Check out Rutland’s blog and Facebook page, too, while you’re at it.