02 Broadcaster Press September 18, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com Community gets boost from Tanager Volunteer Day By Travis Gulbrandson travis.gulbrandson@plaintalk.net While there weren’t any classes in session Tuesday, the students at Vermillion High School managed to stay busy. That’s because it was the fifth annual Tanager Volunteer Day, which found the students taking part in a number of projects around the community – everything from painting houses and washing windows to sorting papers and working in classrooms. “You name it, we’re doing it,” said Lenni Billberg, high school social studies teacher who also serves as one of the event’s coordinators. “We’ve been doing it five years now, and it’s really grown. Each year we send about 500 kids out, and we’ve had nothing but positive results in our community.” The students are broken up into groups of 12-17 – which are overseen by teacher advisors – and sent to various organizations or individuals in the community who need assistance. Joanne Ustad, career program coordinator for the school district, said the students completed “50 or 60 projects” this year. Throughout the summer, Billberg contacts organizations who might be interested, while Ustad oversees individual contacts. “Once the organizations have us, it spreads from there,” Billberg said. “We have the senior center that we help every year, but this year we had a sign-up list for seniors who need assistance at their homes. I think we have 35 senior citizens that we’re helping in the community this year.” Freshmen Sowmya Ragothaman and Kylee Retzlaff were among those who assisted some of these senior citizens, spending the morning washing windows, carrying boxes, cleaning and weeding. Both girls said they liked the couple whose home they visited. “She was a really nice lady and she liked to talk,” Retzlaff said. “It was fun.” Ragothaman agreed, adding, “She was sweet.” Before the girls and their group left, the husband insisted they each take a handcarved bowl he had made, somewhere between eight and 12 in all. “He just laid them out … and we all took one,” Ragothaman said. Among the groups and organizations the students did projects for Tuesday were Bluff View Cemetery, the United Church of Christ, the Vermillion Arts Council and the local schools. “Absolutely everybody loves us,” Billberg said. “Sometimes the community is afraid of the younger generation because (they want to know) they’ll be responsible. But in reality, these kids are happy to be outside the classroom. They have a free day to do some fun stuff. “It’s not always fun to weed and paint, but you’re Classified Work! Call 624-4429. Why settle for just a slice When 100% of your retail market receives The Broadcaster. The Broadcaster is the primary medium successful businesses have used to reach their customers for over 50 years. Your Broadcaster carries more advertising than all other local media combined. And, like our customers, we continue to grow. Broadcaster VS. FORT WAYNE FRI, SEPT. 21 @ 7 PM VS. OAKLAND SUN., SEPT. 23 @ 2 PM Vermillion High School students put a new coat of paint on the fence at the Clay County Rodeo Grounds as part of Tuesday’s fifth annual Tanager Volunteer Day. (Photo by Travis Gulbrandson) with your friends, so you make it a game,” she said. “It works out really well.” Ragothaman and Retzlaff thought so, too. “The Tanager Volunteer Day is a really good idea, especially on this type of day,” Ragothaman said. “The weather is nice, it’s a great day,” Retzlaff added. “I like seeing everybody help.” Ustad said this is her favorite aspect, as well. “I hope that they see the reward of volunteering,” she said. Billberg said it’s clear that they have. After the second year of the event, a group of students came together to form a citywide clean-up day to take place after D-Days. VHS senior Chris Lubbers has taken part in the volunteer day all four years of his high school career. “It was kind of weird at first, because we didn’t really know what we were doing, but it’s usually pretty fun,” he said. “You learn a lot more about the community, especially the elderly people. You meet lots of new people, and it’s a good experience to help other people.” Lubber said the day also encourages students to take an active role in their community outside of the school. “It helps to start out volunteering,” he said. “Most people don’t have the opportunity to start unless they do this kind of thing first. Once you realize it’s not that hard, it’s not that big of a deal.” Billberg said that while the work itself is hard, the students love it in the long run. “If you go to graduation at the end of the year, every single speech by the students says, ‘I learned how to be a volunteer. I learned how to help out my community.’ “That’s how you know it was really fermented in them,” she said. Gary’s Tree Service Tree Trimming - Removing -Stump Grinding - Tree Moving - Hedge Work Licensed & Fully Insured Call Gary: (605) 670-1199 • Elk Point, SD 101 West Cherry Street, Vermillion, SD 605-624-8624 • 800-624-6690 www.vermillionford.com DONNY STEWART DAN VAN OSDEL TOM TAGGART 670-8682 202-0424 661-1320 5 – 2012 FORD FOCUS.........................................................starting at $15,995 5 – 2011 FORD FUSIONS...................................................starting at $16,995 3 – 2011 FORD TAURUSES...............................................starting at $23,995 2010 Lincoln MKZ, A.W.D., black, 20,200 miles.........................$25,995 2010 Lincoln MKZ, 87,000 miles............................................................$16,995 2010 Ford Mustang Convertible, 22,300 miles..........................$19,995 2010 Mercury Milan, sunroof, 3,500 miles....................................$21,495 2010 Ford Fusion SE, 38,000 miles.....................................................$17,995 2009 Ford Edge SEL, A.W.D., moon roof..........................................$21,695 2009 Ford Flex SEL, A.W.D., leather seats, moon roof, 74,300 miles...........$18,995 2009 Nissan Altima, leather/moon roof, 66,000 miles........$16,995 2008 Ford Edge Limited, 81,500 miles.............................................$19,995 2008 Ford Edge Limited, 39,000 miles.............................................$21,995 2008 Ford Edge Limited, 78,000 miles.............................................$17,995 2006 Lincoln Town Car, Signature Series, 74,000 miles ...$14,495 2005 Chrysler 300, 72,000 miles...........................................................$12,495 2005 Chrysler 300C, black, 92,400 miles.......................................$13,995 2004 Mustang GT Convertible, orange, 46,000 miles...........$15,995 2012 Chrysler Town & Country Touring, 24,700 miles.........$23,995 2011 Chrysler Town & Country Touring, 21,200 miles.........$22,995 2011 Jeep Wrangler Sport, soft top, 8,000 miles.....................$23,995 2010 Nissan Rogue, A.W.D., 20,500 miles......................................$22,995 2010 Ford Escape Limited, 59,000 miles.......................................$21,995 2009 GMC Sierra 2500 H.D., crew cab, diesel, 53,000 miles..........$38,995 2009 Ford F-150 Platinum, super crew, 6-1/2 box, 68,000 miles...........$30,995 2009 Ford F-150 Lariat, super crew, 6-1/2 box, 53,500 miles.........$30,995 2009 Ford Escape XLT, 62,000 miles..................................................$17,995 2008 GMC Sierra 1500, ext. cab, 49,800 miles..........................$23,995 2008 Ford Escape XLT, 44,900 miles..................................................$17,995 2008 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer, 50,500 miles....................$28,995 2005 Ford F-250 crew cab, Lariat, diesel, 66,000 miles....$24,995 2005 GMC Sierra 1500, Denali, crew cab, 97,600 miles....$18,995 2005 Chevrolet Trail Blazer Ext., 84,000 miles...........................$11,995 201 W. Cherry St. 624-4429 Many More To Choose From! Check Out www.vermillionford.com