2 Broadcaster Press May 24, 2016 www.broadcasteronline.com Memories Of The 2011 Flood by Gov. Dennis Daugaard: where the water was draining through the dam. I spent hours in the EOC, assisting in the Pierre/Fort Pierre area response, while Lt. Gov. Matt Michels coordinated efforts in the southeast. We walked the levees, to ensure the berms of earth and rock were solid; we rode in dump trucks to monitor traffic so it flowed as efficiently as possible; and we helped our neighbors carry their possessions to higher ground. I remember the frustration we felt as the water-flow peak estimates changed from 85,000 cubic feet per second, to 110,000 cfs and ultimately to 160,000 cfs. The previous peak release from the 50-year-old Oahe Dam was 59,000 cfs. Things looked grim but there was no time for doubt. There was a noticeable feeling of relief when the National Guard arrived. They worked for 96 consecutive days on 12- to 15-hour shifts. It was the largest in-state deployment since the 1972 Rapid City Flood. Prison inmates also pitched in. At one point, the National Guard members and the inmates started a competition to see which group could fill the most sandbags. I can still see the faces of the state and local emergency response officials, mayors, county commissioners, and the individuals from the Red Cross and Salvation Army who worked so tirelessly. I remain grateful for the long hours they labored. I will never forget the crews who worked so hard to construct the levees. In just a few days, they did a job that would normally take months or years. It is hard to believe that it has been almost five years since the Missouri River flood. I first received word of the escalating water releases from the Oahe Dam on a Tuesday as I was on my way back from Chicago. We had been visiting with Bel Brands about doing business in South Dakota, and in a matter of moments our focus shifted from business recruitment to how we would manage the rising waters. At the time I had no idea that flood response would be our primary focus for the next several weeks. The Army Corps of Engineers told us the releases would be at record-high levels and it was uncertain how long they would continue. My kids had planned to come to Pierre that Memorial Day weekend to relax. After hearing the news I called them to cancel our plans. They came to Pierre anyway and spent the weekend filling sandbags with my wife Linda. The following days were a flurry of activity. In short order we opened up the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), blocked one lane of Interstate 29 for use as a haul road, and asked the citizens in some areas of Dakota Dunes and Fort Pierre to evacuate. We watched as Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters placed one-ton helibags of sand in and around places like McCook Lake, Wynstone and Yankton. I recall flying over Lake Oahe and seeing the big whirlpool that formed Wanamaker, SESDAC, Inc. Employee of the Month They constructed earthen berms that held back the Mighty Missouri for several miles. As crews were building the levees, there were times they could see the water rising and did not know if they could finish in time; but they kept on going. Most of all, I remember the volunteers. People from all over the state came to help. They came by the busload. They filled thousands and thousands of sandbags to protect homes, businesses and loved ones. They brought food, drink, comfort, encouragement and hope to the crews. At one point, I met a retired woman living in Pierre who didn’t know if she’d get her house sandbagged in time. She lived on her own and was struggling. Before the water arrived a group of young volunteers showed up just in time and got the job done. There are many similar examples up and down the river. South Dakota had had disasters before – tornadoes, blizzards, fires and floods. We always have joined together to help our neighbors recover and move forward. But this flood was different. We had never been given so much advance warning. Thousands of South Dakotans joined together to avoid a disaster. Many homes were damaged, and some were destroyed. Still, we did all we could, and thanks to our efforts, a great deal of property damage and human suffering was avoided. As high as the floodwaters rose, South Dakota rose higher. I am just as proud today as I was five years ago. If Treat yourself. We’ll help you find that special something. You Read This... You Know Advertising Pays! Call the Broadcaster at 605-624-4429 or stop by to place your ad today! 201 West Cherry St Vermillion, SD 624-4429 e-Elect R Kelsey Collier-Wise City Council, Central Ward ? Vote June 7th! COURTESY PHOTO Pictured above is Jodi Wanamaker, Direct Support Professional, center, Sandra Vargas, Assistant Director, right, and Gerry Tracy, Executive Director, left Jodi Wanamaker, Direct Support Professional, was selected as the SESDAC, Inc. May 2016, Employee of the Month. Jodi has been a part of our organization since August, 2013. Jodi was nominated for the award by her fellow co-workers, based on her dedication to her job and the people she supports. Co-workers had the following compliments written in their nominations for Jodi…”Jodi is very uplifting and gives praise to both staff and people supported. She is a wonderful person with a positive personality.” Jodi and her family currently reside in Vermillion, SD. Gilman Scholarship Recipient Working in Peru VERMILLION -- An interest in nutrition and anthropology has earned Christina Bushinger a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to travel to Peru this summer and participate in an internship at Potato Park, a conservation organization dedicated to preserving native potato diversity and traditional agricultural knowledge. Bushinger, an anthropology and international studies major from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, who will begin her junior year at USD this fall, is one of more than 1,150 American undergraduate students from 377 colleges and universities across the U.S. selected to receive the prestigious scholarship, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Gilman scholars receive up to $5,000 to apply toward their study abroad or internship program costs. Bushinger is studying on a USD faculty-led trip to Lima and Cuzco where she will take part in an intensive Spanishlanguage program and explore local Peruvian culture. At the end of the course, she will begin her month-long internship in Potato Park, a land reserve outside of Cuzco dedicated to preserving hundreds of varieties of native potato varieties and home to 6,000 indigenous Quechua who manage the land and share their traditional knowledge. “I will be working at an office job promoting the concept of food as a basic human right,” she said. “But I’m sure I’ll be going out into the park and talking to the indigenous farmers about their practices and getting to know them.” Bushinger said her interest in the connections between food, international development and poverty emerged from observations about the marketing of foods in the U.S. “You see a lot of fast food marketed but fruits and vegetables aren’t,” she said. “Just look at the basic pricing of things: hamburgers are $1 and salads are $8. It’s something I’ve been passionate about for a long time.” After earning her undergraduate degree, Bushinger hopes to join the Peace Corps and eventually earn a master’s degree in nutrition or the anthropology of food. Before leaving this summer on her first trip out of the United States, she was practicing the language. “I’ve been talking with my friends who speak Spanish, listening to podcasts -- basically, I’ve been living in Spanish,” she said. If you don’t get the word out about your business, no one else will!!! I’ve been so honored to serve the Central Ward on our City Council for the last four years. We’ve been able to accomplish so much: • Creating better communication between city & citizens • Enhancing our community • Supporting sustainable policies I would appreciate your vote on June 7th, or you can vote early at the Clay County Courthouse! C&R Construction •Road Building •Dirt Hauling •Gravel Hauling •Ditching 605.677.9888 or 605.624.2287 Paid for by Kelsey Collier-Wise Your New Home At... Westbrook Estates Located On West City Limits Road • AUTOMOTIVE COLLISION REPAIR • PAINT • FRAMEWORK • GLASS REPLACEMENT HOURS: M-F 9AM-6PM SAT 9AM-12PM 1205 CARR STREET • VERMILLION • 605.670.0471 BlainesBodyShop@gmail.com Travel Opportunity Adventure Awaits 2510 Wynn Way • $169,800 927 sq. ft. on main, 2 bedrooms, 1 bath, main floor laundry, 3 stall garage, appliances included. Lots Available From $24,900-$26,900 Additional Homes Available $164,800-$198,800 Additional Floor Plans Coming Soon! ankton Area Progressive Growth Economic Development 416 Broadway • Yankton, SD • 664-5555 Lisa Williams Randy Kussman Stacy Schramm Norene Gibson Deb Specht Dan Specht Jill Ward Rupiper Tours LLC is looking for applicants interested in becoming a tour manager. Agricultural back ground is a plus. Travel time would be limited to Jan, Feb, March, June, July or Aug. You would be required to lead at least two 14-day tours per year. Training is available. Please send resume or contact via email only: Rupipertours@outlook.com