Celebrate the 2018 Rural Dakota Pride Honorees during Farmers Union Day at the State Fair

John & Marie Condon, Winner

John & Marie Condon of Winner are among the South Dakotans who will be recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union for giving back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award which will be presented during a ceremony held at the South Dakota State Fair on the Freedom Stage at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 1. All are welcome to attend.

John and Marie Condon have been 4-H volunteers for more than two decades. Their son, KC, likes to tease them about their dedication.

 “He says he graduated from 4-H in 11 years, but John and I must have flunked because it’s 22 years later and we are still involved,” Marie says.

 Of all the 4-H projects he participated in, shooting sports was the area that KC enjoyed most. So, when there was a need for volunteers, John and Marie became certified shooting sports instructors.

 “We saw that it was so good for the kids and that they needed volunteers,” Marie says.

 John adds, “It teaches kids safety. They have to learn safety before they can participate. I know firearms are dangerous. But, if they are handled right, they aren’t.”

 From the beginning, KC excelled, qualifying for state and national competitions. Marie and John did more than tag along. Since 2006, they have served as range officers for the national muzzle loader event.

Amy Hofer, Doland

Amy Hofer of Doland is among the South Dakotans who will be recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union for giving back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award which will be presented during a ceremony held at the South Dakota State Fair on the Freedom Stage at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 1. All are welcome to attend.

Like most working moms, daycare is essential. But in Doland, the closest daycare was 20 miles away. So, Amy Hofer, mother of two sons 5 and younger, decided to do something about it.

 She garnered community support and wrote a grant to the Governor’s House program for a building, which the community received. Today, her sons are among the 75 youth enrolled in the city-owned daycare.

 “In a rural community the size of Doland, everyone needs to play their part. This was the part I could play,” says Hofer, who grew up in Sioux Falls, but moved to Doland nine years ago, after marrying a local farmer.

 Not out to change the community of 200, Hofer is focused on volunteering to help enhance local opportunities for families like hers. Currently, she is working to revitalize the city park of which the first phase is a splash park and public restrooms

Diana Runge of Wessington is among the South Dakotans who will be recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union for giving back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award which will be presented during a ceremony held at the South Dakota State Fair on the Freedom Stage at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 1. All are welcome to attend.

The line between family and community members is quite blurry for Diana Runge. “I have family, but my community is my family too. I can’t distinguish between family and friends.”

 She explains that her community has stood by her family in good times and the worst of times. As a young mother, her oldest son, Ryan was diagnosed with cancer. Within seven months she was burying her 14-year-old. Her youngest child was only 1.

 “The community was here for us. You can’t die with him, so I chose to survive,” explains Runge, who now that her children are grown, pours her time into serving her community.

 She is an EMT, president of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, organizes a group to plant flowers in the park and recently, when their local church was closed, she founded St. Joseph’s Angels, a group that helps organize funeral meals and raise money to give to community members in need.

Joe Schnell, Lake Preston

Joe Schnell of Lake Preston is among the South Dakotans who will be recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union for giving back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award which will be presented during a ceremony held at the South Dakota State Fair on the Freedom Stage at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 1. All are welcome to attend.

A volunteer EMT for more than 35 years, Joe Schnell has helped Lake Preston citizens at times when they are most in need.

 Schnell recalls one particular emergency where a man’s heart stopped. He and the ambulance crew had to conduct CPR and shock a patient six times on the way to the hospital. “By the time we arrived, he was up and talking to us. I get a good feeling every time I see him walking around – knowing that I had the privilege of being there to make that big of a difference.”

 Today, he is an EMT trainer, sharing what he’s learned with others in his community who want to give back by serving on the volunteer ambulance crew.

 “I enjoy sharing the knowledge of what I’ve learned and being able to see other people achieve their dream of becoming an EMT,” Schnell explains. “It’s rewarding when you find out that someone you trained, helped save someone.”

Roger Deiter, Faulkton

Roger Deiter of Faulkton is among the South Dakotans who will be recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union for giving back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award which will be presented during a ceremony held at the South Dakota State Fair on the Freedom Stage at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 1. All are welcome to attend.

When his adult daughters, Shauna Remily and Chelsea Odden decided to return to Faulkton to raise their families, Roger Deiter decided it was time to become even more involved in his community.

 “It hit me, how important it is to have a community for my daughters to come back to. I give back to try to make Faulkton a place that accommodates everyone – from people who want to retire here to those who are raising young families,” he explains. “A place that makes people want to come home.”

 When the community needed to provide more housing opportunities, the Deiter family gifted farmland for the housing development. When the local golf course and football field needed work, Deiter donated his time and equipment. 

Tim Holzer, Arlington

Tim Holzer of Arlington is among the South Dakotans who will be recognized by South Dakota Farmers Union for giving back to their communities with the Rural Dakota Pride Award which will be presented during a ceremony held at the South Dakota State Fair on the Freedom Stage at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 1. All are welcome to attend.

Nearly 40 years ago, when Tim Holzer moved to Arlington, he and his wife, Tammy, didn’t know anyone. Today, there isn’t anyone Tim doesn’t know.

 “I made an effort to get involved in the community and just plain make this our home,” Holzer explains.

 First he joined the local bowling league. Then, he joined the volunteer fire department. He helped establish Dollars for Scholars scholarship fund, is a volunteer driver for the Arlington Ambulance, served on the Arlington City Council and is an active member of the Arlington Sons of the Legion.

 Early in his career, volunteering was about the only way he could get to know people. During the work week, he was out of town working as an insurance claims adjuster. Today, he continues to work in the insurance industry, but in his current role, he gets to stay in town.

 This just gives him more time to volunteer.