Farmers Union 2015 Rural Dakota Pride Honorees

August 24, 2015 – By #South Dakota Farmer Union

Each year, South Dakota Farmers Union recognizes individuals who give back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award. To meet the 2015 honorees, attend the recognition ceremony held Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. on the Freedom Stage at the S.D. State Fair.

Bob Glanzer, Huron

As a boy, Bob Glanzer dreamed of becoming a world champion bull rider.

 Although, as he puts it, during his rodeo career he ‘was never a big threat in the rodeo world,’ today, Bob’s rodeo passion serves as a conduit to encourage young cowboys and cowgirls to grow in their faith.

 “I want my life to count for and glorify Christ,” says Bob, who has taught calf roping to aspiring rodeo athletes in the past and is still actively involved in Cowboys for Christ Rodeo Bible Camp for more than 20 years. Bob served as co-chair of National High School Rodeo and National Little Britches Rodeo, along with giving his time to numerous other service organizations.

 Each week, Bob and his wife, Penny, also lead a Bible study and host an annual chuck wagon feed at Our Home, a rehabilitation program for Huron-area youth who have been impacted by drug, alcohol and sexual abuse. “I think many kids are missing a very important dimension in their life that is faith. We work to help them understand that there is more to life than fulfilling your passions or emotions with drugs, alcohol and other abuses.”

 When he looks back on the impact that his faith has had on his life, the retired ag-loan officer says faith in God helped him find focus and direction. “Faith was always important in my family, but I didn’t make it my own until I was in college. That’s when I made a commitment and decided my life would reflect this commitment through my service to youth, community and church.” Retired only three years, Bob fills his days with volunteer service and spending time with his children, Sally Burkholder and Tom Glanzer, and five grandchildren. In 2015, he published his first book, You Can’t Unring the Bell, a compilation of columns he has written for Prairie Tracks magazine.

Donna Kubik, Hamill

When an April blizzard kept farmer Donna Kubik home from the State 4-H Leader’s Association meeting, she knew there had to be a better way of doing things.

So, the new 4-H Leader’s Association President (elected in absentia) set about organizing conference call meetings to encourage increased participation from the 20-member board.

“When I was first on the board, we had to drive long distances to attend the meetings. This was not only expensive, but time consuming,” explains the 17-year leader of Hamill Hustler 4-H Club. “4-H leaders are busy people. We have jobs and families. Today, we schedule our meetings for 9 p.m. Sunday night and keep the meetings to one hour.”

Kubik’s can-do attitude is evident in a number of things she gets done in a day. She helps run the family’s farm and hunting lodge with her husband, Steve; helps organize fundraisers for their church and to cover camp fees for Tripp County 4-Hers.

“I feel like we all have a responsibility to give back to our communities because they give us so much.”

Donna was first introduced to 4-H through her now grown sons: Troy, Bruce, Tyler and Trent.

She was impressed by the organizations’ scope and ability to provide youth with leadership and life skills.

“4-H provided my children with opportunities to explore different avenues of hands-on learning ­ whether it was wood working, showing livestock or speaking ­ 4-H gave them a public stage where they could be successful.”

As her sons matured in their 4-H careers, Donna was right beside them. “The moments I am most proud of are those times when I witnessed my boys help younger 4-Hers.”

Ken Lindblad, Huron

Each Christmas, more than 134 Huron families receive enough food to feed their family during the 10-day Christmas vacation thanks to the 67-year-old Salvation Army Christmas Basket Program.

“I truly believe that if it wasn’t for the generosity of people who donate to this program, there would be families who would not have Christmas,” says Ken Lindblad, who has been the program organizer since 1979.

To raise enough funds to feed more than 450 individuals, each Christmas Ken organizes a telethon over four evenings, which features 20 talent groups.

In 2014, the telethon raised $58,000. “It’s the only one of its kind,”explains Ken of the fundraiser he inherited when he began working as a KIJV radio DJ and continued organizing when he transitioned careers to work as the Beadle County Veterans Service Officer in 1995.

Ken is quick to explain that the Christmas Basket program would not succeed without the almost 300 volunteers and nearly 1,000 folks who pledge. “It’s not all me. I’ve been told I’m just the glue that holds it all together.”

Retired since July 1, 2015, Ken plans to continue his involvement as program organizer.  Introduced to public service as a youngster working at his family’s Wolsey filling station, Ken says he has always enjoyed working to make his community a better place.

“I love South Dakota and this community. I know this may sound cheesy, but I want to make a difference and this program is one way I can do that.”

As a three-time cancer survivor, he feels called to give back. “I always felt like I need to give of myself because I’ve been given a second and third chance at life for a reason.”

Ken is married to Debbie. The couple has two grown children and three grandchildren.

Lyndee Fogelman, Piedmont

Driving past Piedmont Park on her way home from work, nurse, Lyndee Fogelman, noticed that instead of playing on equipment, children were wrestling around on the grass.

She wasn’t surprised. The old equipment was well past its prime and no longer user-friendly – the wooden climbing tower was a sliver-hazard, the slide no longer met code and there were only two swings.

The newest member of the Piedmont Park Board, she had her mission. “When I was approached to join the board I told them I would serve with purpose,” Lyndee explains. “I don’t like to waste my time or others’ just talking about things. I’m not into politics. I’m into works.”

Thinking it would take at least three years to raise the $24,000 necessary to invest in new equipment, initially, the group developed a three-year playground improvement plan. Lyndee and the other board members began asking community members for donations. The city pledged to match all donations up to $8,000 each year. Within three months the entire goal was met.

In May 2015, Lyndee and her husband, Brandon, a volunteer fire fighter, helped organize a Community Build Day. Community members came out to install the new equipment. Thanks to in-kind donations from local business owners with access to excavating equipment and landscaping bark, the finished playground was not only fun, but beautiful.

A few weeks after its completion, a devastating storm left the park a mess. On their own accord, community members returned to the park in droves to clean up.

“This park is the heart of our community. It’s a place to gather and gives kids something to do to keep them out of trouble in the summer,” says Lyndee, who has two daughters, Grace, 11, and Avery, 9.

Steve & Carol Smith, Groton

Since 1938, the community of Groton has hosted the Carnival of Silver Skates. The on-ice themed musical performance, featuring school-age children from the community, is the longest running outdoor skating show in South Dakota.

For several years now, Steve and Carol Smith have been actively involved on the event’s planning committee and a few years back, when the city’s skating rink was moved from the center of town to the edge of town, they worked with other community members to organize fundraising events which raised more than $60,000 in one year for a new warming house.

“This event is very important to our community,” Carol explains. “We knew if the show was going to continue, we needed a new warming house.”

Growing up in families where giving back to church and community was a priority, when the Smiths married in 1984, they wanted to make service to others a focus for their own family.

“We both believe that the community is only as good as the people who live in it and give back,” Carol says.

Along with the Carnival of Silver Skates, the two professionals (he’s a veterinarian, partner and co-owner of Groton Veterinary Clinic and she’s a pharmacist) spend their after-hours time volunteering for several church and other community activities together with their six children: Samuel, 22; Marah, 21; Luke, 19; Erin, 16; AnneMarie, 15; and Isaac, 13.

“We were raised to build people up, not tear them down,” Steve says. “Anything we can do to further a good cause, we will do.”

He points out that because of their busy work schedules, volunteering together is a fun way to spend time together as a couple. “Volunteering gives us an opportunity to get away from work and spend time doing something we both enjoy and believe in.”