Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, shares God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. MCC envisions communities worldwide in right relationship with God, one another and creation.
Volunteer efforts make MCC fundraiser possible
By Carol J. Eisenbeis | For the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Sale
Freeman will once again be the site for what’s become an annual event designed to raise funds for Mennonite Central Committee. As a global nonprofit organization, MCC distributes resources and responds to needs throughout the world. Organized by volunteers, the 2023 South Dakota MCC Relief Sale is set to take place on the campus of Freeman Academy on July 22.
Food brings people together
The Pioneer Hall basement is a place where many have gathered around tables over the years. Whether it’s Schmeckfest-goers taking in the traditional German-Russian meal, Freeman Academy students gathering for lunch or a group convened for a celebratory wedding reception, food has frequently been the focus. And, on Saturday, July 22, the Pioneer Hall basement will again be decked out with a spread of tasty foods to be enjoyed.
There’ll be German delicacies like cheese pockets, stewed beef and sauerkraut. There’ll be hot dogs, sloppy joes and tamales; pie, ice cream treats and sno-cones. And, there’ll be a variety of salads, with taco salad as one of the favorites.
Enter Pauline Hofer. She’s the person responsible for the taco salads, not just this year, but every year since way back to when the MCC fundraising event was held in Sioux Falls. That’s when Hofer was handed the responsibilities first carried out by the late Martha Tschetter who earned a reputation as one of MCC’s biggest champions.
Ask Pauline about taco salads and she’s pretty matter-of-fact about it. “How hard is it to make a taco salad?” She has a point, yet Edie Tschetter – one of the event organizers – is deeply appreciative of being able to count on Hofer to have everything lined up for serving up taco salads, a task that’s become the responsibility of volunteers from Bethany Mennonite Church here in Freeman.
Taco-seasoned hamburger meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, taco sauce, corn chips (to accommodate for any wheat allergies), chopped onions and sour cream are the required ingredients for the taco salads. Hofer estimates the amounts needed, does the grocery shopping and assembles a small team of volunteers in the church kitchen. Together, they do the prep work, which also involves browning and seasoning the meat in a commercial kitchen. Hofer is quick to add that local restaurants have been very helpful.
On the morning of the event, one person arrives early to turn on the roasters for heating the meat. Hofer’s tip for easy clean-up involves using plastic roaster liners but cautions that newer roasters can get too hot and cause the liners to melt, a situation that they are intentional about avoiding.
A team of three works together to carry out duties at the taco salad booth. While Hofer has been diligent for years in making sure everything’s in place, you may or may not see her among the trio at Pioneer Hall. After all, Hofer is a grandmother who delights in cheering on her grandchildren in their events and notes, “Summers are busy and you never know ahead of time how state softball tournament schedules will play out.”
Hofer’s behind-the-scenes volunteer work is valued none-the-less and is a prime example of local community members dedicated and willing to do what they can for a greater good. As the saying goes, “One person can’t do everything, but everyone can do something.”
A passion for quilting
Joyce Palmateer of Topeka, Kansas, knows her way around a sewing machine. Over the years, this South Dakota native has become adept at whipping up dresses for her now grown daughters when they were little and formals for them when they were older. More recently, however, Palmateer has added quilting to her list of sewing specialties.
“Spangled” is the queen-sized quilt made and donated by Palmateer for this year’s MCC sale in Freeman. Fashioned with a black, cream and tan color palette, the quilt comes with two matching pillowcases and is one of just several she’s made in recent years for Freeman’s MCC fundraisers.
While Palmateer says she would love to teach anybody and everybody how to quilt, she herself is quite new to the craft. With no firsthand quilt-making experiences alongside a mentor in her younger years, it was in 2016 when in her fifties that a “Block of the Month” class in Topeka, Kansas, resulted in her passion for quilting. Now, seven years and more than 150 quilts later, she serves as an inspirational example to anyone who thinks it might be too late to learn something new.
The year-long quilt block class culminated with the instructor using her longarm quilting machine to transform the individual blocks into actual quilts. Palmateer was hooked and soon purchased her own longarm quilting machine. She’s since upgraded to a computerized longarm machine that makes its home in her cheery, window-filled sunroom. The machine enables her to use thread to create a variety of beautiful designs and it also provides for perfect stitching on each quilt.
Likely due to her family connections with those involved with MCC fundraisers, Palmateer has been in attendance at multiple MCC relief sales in South Dakota over the years. A 1978 graduate of Bridgewater High School, the former Joyce Hamm is the niece of the late Moses Glanzer who was known for the hundreds of loom rugs he crafted during his retirement years for the benefit of MCC.
A bidding plan Palmateer made years ago with another uncle of hers, the late Aaron Glanzer, is something she fondly recalls. The pair decided they’d bid each other up for one of the loom rugs on the auction block as a way to honor the artistry and volunteer work of Moses Glanzer. That gesture resulted in $1,000 for MCC and a very special loom rug for Palmateer. No doubt some pleasantly confused grins emerged from the master weaver himself as he sat among those in attendance while the bids continued to rise.
Palmateer’s passion for quilting is evident as she proclaims, “So much fabric; so little time!”
But what does she do with all the quilts she’s made? She gives them away, with each quilt including this inscription: Love you more. “God loves us more than anything,” she says, “and a quilt with that inscription is a great way to give them to someone special and spread the message of God’s love at the same time.”
And, that, after all, is what MCC is all about – an opportunity to share God’s love with others.
Changes over time
It was in the 1980s when fundraising efforts in the form of auction sales were first held in South Dakota to benefit Mennonite Central Committee. At that time, the sales were hosted by Mennonite churches from both South Dakota and Minnesota. Paired with food and anassortment of other features, the “Minn-Kota” festival was held at the Sioux Falls Fairgrounds for three years before relocating to the Sioux Falls Arena for a 22-year run.
Following a two-year hiatus to recalibrate, Freeman became the launching place for the South Dakota MCC Relief Sale in 2014. An overwhelming crowd forced a move from the Freeman Community Center - the 2014 venue – to Pioneer Hall in 2015.
If you’re going
Organizers for this year’s event have planned for a family bicycle ride the night before the MCC Relief Sale gets underway. The ride will begin at 7 PM on Friday, July 21 and all ages are welcome. Participants are asked to convene in the Freeman Academy parking lot.
Sale items and a food court will all be stationed in the lower level of Pioneer Hall on Saturday, July 22. Doors open at 9 AM, with a silent auction, food court and kids’ participation through My Coins Count all starting at 11 AM. Then at 1 PM, live auction bidding will begin, with the “Spangled” quilt by Joyce Palmateer among the limited number of featured items.
Food brings people together
The Pioneer Hall basement is a place where many have gathered around tables over the years. Whether it’s Schmeckfest-goers taking in the traditional German-Russian meal, Freeman Academy students gathering for lunch or a group convened for a celebratory wedding reception, food has frequently been the focus. And, on Saturday, July 22, the Pioneer Hall basement will again be decked out with a spread of tasty foods to be enjoyed.
There’ll be German delicacies like cheese pockets, stewed beef and sauerkraut. There’ll be hot dogs, sloppy joes and tamales; pie, ice cream treats and sno-cones. And, there’ll be a variety of salads, with taco salad as one of the favorites.
Enter Pauline Hofer. She’s the person responsible for the taco salads, not just this year, but every year since way back to when the MCC fundraising event was held in Sioux Falls. That’s when Hofer was handed the responsibilities first carried out by the late Martha Tschetter who earned a reputation as one of MCC’s biggest champions.
Ask Pauline about taco salads and she’s pretty matter-of-fact about it. “How hard is it to make a taco salad?” She has a point, yet Edie Tschetter – one of the event organizers – is deeply appreciative of being able to count on Hofer to have everything lined up for serving up taco salads, a task that’s become the responsibility of volunteers from Bethany Mennonite Church here in Freeman.
Taco-seasoned hamburger meat, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, taco sauce, corn chips (to accommodate for any wheat allergies), chopped onions and sour cream are the required ingredients for the taco salads. Hofer estimates the amounts needed, does the grocery shopping and assembles a small team of volunteers in the church kitchen. Together, they do the prep work, which also involves browning and seasoning the meat in a commercial kitchen. Hofer is quick to add that local restaurants have been very helpful.
On the morning of the event, one person arrives early to turn on the roasters for heating the meat. Hofer’s tip for easy clean-up involves using plastic roaster liners but cautions that newer roasters can get too hot and cause the liners to melt, a situation that they are intentional about avoiding.
A team of three works together to carry out duties at the taco salad booth. While Hofer has been diligent for years in making sure everything’s in place, you may or may not see her among the trio at Pioneer Hall. After all, Hofer is a grandmother who delights in cheering on her grandchildren in their events and notes, “Summers are busy and you never know ahead of time how state softball tournament schedules will play out.”
Hofer’s behind-the-scenes volunteer work is valued none-the-less and is a prime example of local community members dedicated and willing to do what they can for a greater good. As the saying goes, “One person can’t do everything, but everyone can do something.”
A passion for quilting
Joyce Palmateer of Topeka, Kansas, knows her way around a sewing machine. Over the years, this South Dakota native has become adept at whipping up dresses for her now grown daughters when they were little and formals for them when they were older. More recently, however, Palmateer has added quilting to her list of sewing specialties.
“Spangled” is the queen-sized quilt made and donated by Palmateer for this year’s MCC sale in Freeman. Fashioned with a black, cream and tan color palette, the quilt comes with two matching pillowcases and is one of just several she’s made in recent years for Freeman’s MCC fundraisers.
While Palmateer says she would love to teach anybody and everybody how to quilt, she herself is quite new to the craft. With no firsthand quilt-making experiences alongside a mentor in her younger years, it was in 2016 when in her fifties that a “Block of the Month” class in Topeka, Kansas, resulted in her passion for quilting. Now, seven years and more than 150 quilts later, she serves as an inspirational example to anyone who thinks it might be too late to learn something new.
The year-long quilt block class culminated with the instructor using her longarm quilting machine to transform the individual blocks into actual quilts. Palmateer was hooked and soon purchased her own longarm quilting machine. She’s since upgraded to a computerized longarm machine that makes its home in her cheery, window-filled sunroom. The machine enables her to use thread to create a variety of beautiful designs and it also provides for perfect stitching on each quilt.
Likely due to her family connections with those involved with MCC fundraisers, Palmateer has been in attendance at multiple MCC relief sales in South Dakota over the years. A 1978 graduate of Bridgewater High School, the former Joyce Hamm is the niece of the late Moses Glanzer who was known for the hundreds of loom rugs he crafted during his retirement years for the benefit of MCC.
A bidding plan Palmateer made years ago with another uncle of hers, the late Aaron Glanzer, is something she fondly recalls. The pair decided they’d bid each other up for one of the loom rugs on the auction block as a way to honor the artistry and volunteer work of Moses Glanzer. That gesture resulted in $1,000 for MCC and a very special loom rug for Palmateer. No doubt some pleasantly confused grins emerged from the master weaver himself as he sat among those in attendance while the bids continued to rise.
Palmateer’s passion for quilting is evident as she proclaims, “So much fabric; so little time!”
But what does she do with all the quilts she’s made? She gives them away, with each quilt including this inscription: Love you more. “God loves us more than anything,” she says, “and a quilt with that inscription is a great way to give them to someone special and spread the message of God’s love at the same time.”
And, that, after all, is what MCC is all about – an opportunity to share God’s love with others.
Changes over time
It was in the 1980s when fundraising efforts in the form of auction sales were first held in South Dakota to benefit Mennonite Central Committee. At that time, the sales were hosted by Mennonite churches from both South Dakota and Minnesota. Paired with food and anassortment of other features, the “Minn-Kota” festival was held at the Sioux Falls Fairgrounds for three years before relocating to the Sioux Falls Arena for a 22-year run.
Following a two-year hiatus to recalibrate, Freeman became the launching place for the South Dakota MCC Relief Sale in 2014. An overwhelming crowd forced a move from the Freeman Community Center - the 2014 venue – to Pioneer Hall in 2015.
If you’re going
Organizers for this year’s event have planned for a family bicycle ride the night before the MCC Relief Sale gets underway. The ride will begin at 7 PM on Friday, July 21 and all ages are welcome. Participants are asked to convene in the Freeman Academy parking lot.
Sale items and a food court will all be stationed in the lower level of Pioneer Hall on Saturday, July 22. Doors open at 9 AM, with a silent auction, food court and kids’ participation through My Coins Count all starting at 11 AM. Then at 1 PM, live auction bidding will begin, with the “Spangled” quilt by Joyce Palmateer among the limited number of featured items.
Efficiency, willingness to learn are key ingredients for making cheese pockets
By Carol J. Eisenbeis | for the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Sale
As a teacher by profession, it should come as no surprise that Lacey Friesen places a high value on lifelong learning opportunities. Friesen heads up the cheese pocket-making process for the annual Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) fundraiser taking place in Freeman on July 9.
What comes as a surprise, however, is the fact that Friesen had never before made cheese pockets prior to coming into a role that requires the making of fifty dozen cheese pockets.
So how did that happen?
“I can’t say no to people. I learned that from my parents,” says Friesen.
For learning to make cheese pockets, Friesen turned to local expert Susan Schrag for some lessons. After all, not everyone knows how to make cheese pockets and not everyone even knows what cheese pockets are. For those who don’t, it’s a traditional German food - verenika – that basically begins as a pocket of dough filled with a mixture of dry cottage cheese.
“Making cheese pockets is a process. But once you’ve made a few thousand, it gets easier and
easier,” quips Friesen.
Friesen’s earliest memories of helping out with MCC sales go back to the years when she was just a kid and the regional event was held in Sioux Falls. That’s when she and her younger brother, Dan, would serve as runners for their dad, Steve Graber, as he grilled chislic and brats for the food court.
Today, Friesen and her husband Lance are parents of three youngsters – Henry, age 7; Elias, age 5; and newborn Louisa. Certainly this busy mom must have some hacks in hand for tackling the task of preparing dozens of cheese pockets.
Doing things as efficiently as possible has always been a priority for Friesen. So when she saw her husband’s grandma, Mildred Hofer, cranking the handle of a noodle—making machine, Friesen’s own wheels began turning as she contemplated incorporating this gadget into the cheese pocket-making process.
Sure enough. Friesen has found that feeding individual balls of dough into the machine is not only efficient, but also provides for consistency of the dough. Sons Henry and Elias have fun helping out with this part of the process. Not having to roll out each circle of dough individually with a rolling pin has saved a lot of time. Even while involving her young boys in this process, Friesen is able to keep things moving along at an efficient pace.
Conquering the fifty-dozen cheese pocket challenge is not something that Friesen and her boys do on their own. She is quick to credit her mom Linda Graber, her sister Polly Waltner, and the team of volunteers they assemble for the mass production of cheese pockets. Friesen mixes up the dough in advance and the volunteers fill, fold and neatly seal the individual pockets that are then packaged by the dozen and frozen in advance of the sale.
Friesen is happy to teach others how to make cheese pockets. For those who’d prefer to skip the preparation steps, know that you can arrange to purchase ready-made cheese pockets directly from her.
Also know that you’ll be able to find at least fifty dozen cheese pockets – as supplies last – at the South Dakota MCC Sale set to take place at Pioneer Hall in Freeman on July 9.
Carol J. Eisenbeis has been involved with regional MCC sales in various ways over the years. Cheese pockets happen to be her favorite food to eat on-site at this annual event. And, when frozen cheese pockets are on the auction block, she’s sure to be among the most determined of bidders. All funds raised through this South Dakota MCC event are used to support domestic and worldwide relief efforts.
By Carol J. Eisenbeis | for the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Sale
As a teacher by profession, it should come as no surprise that Lacey Friesen places a high value on lifelong learning opportunities. Friesen heads up the cheese pocket-making process for the annual Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) fundraiser taking place in Freeman on July 9.
What comes as a surprise, however, is the fact that Friesen had never before made cheese pockets prior to coming into a role that requires the making of fifty dozen cheese pockets.
So how did that happen?
“I can’t say no to people. I learned that from my parents,” says Friesen.
For learning to make cheese pockets, Friesen turned to local expert Susan Schrag for some lessons. After all, not everyone knows how to make cheese pockets and not everyone even knows what cheese pockets are. For those who don’t, it’s a traditional German food - verenika – that basically begins as a pocket of dough filled with a mixture of dry cottage cheese.
“Making cheese pockets is a process. But once you’ve made a few thousand, it gets easier and
easier,” quips Friesen.
Friesen’s earliest memories of helping out with MCC sales go back to the years when she was just a kid and the regional event was held in Sioux Falls. That’s when she and her younger brother, Dan, would serve as runners for their dad, Steve Graber, as he grilled chislic and brats for the food court.
Today, Friesen and her husband Lance are parents of three youngsters – Henry, age 7; Elias, age 5; and newborn Louisa. Certainly this busy mom must have some hacks in hand for tackling the task of preparing dozens of cheese pockets.
Doing things as efficiently as possible has always been a priority for Friesen. So when she saw her husband’s grandma, Mildred Hofer, cranking the handle of a noodle—making machine, Friesen’s own wheels began turning as she contemplated incorporating this gadget into the cheese pocket-making process.
Sure enough. Friesen has found that feeding individual balls of dough into the machine is not only efficient, but also provides for consistency of the dough. Sons Henry and Elias have fun helping out with this part of the process. Not having to roll out each circle of dough individually with a rolling pin has saved a lot of time. Even while involving her young boys in this process, Friesen is able to keep things moving along at an efficient pace.
Conquering the fifty-dozen cheese pocket challenge is not something that Friesen and her boys do on their own. She is quick to credit her mom Linda Graber, her sister Polly Waltner, and the team of volunteers they assemble for the mass production of cheese pockets. Friesen mixes up the dough in advance and the volunteers fill, fold and neatly seal the individual pockets that are then packaged by the dozen and frozen in advance of the sale.
Friesen is happy to teach others how to make cheese pockets. For those who’d prefer to skip the preparation steps, know that you can arrange to purchase ready-made cheese pockets directly from her.
Also know that you’ll be able to find at least fifty dozen cheese pockets – as supplies last – at the South Dakota MCC Sale set to take place at Pioneer Hall in Freeman on July 9.
Carol J. Eisenbeis has been involved with regional MCC sales in various ways over the years. Cheese pockets happen to be her favorite food to eat on-site at this annual event. And, when frozen cheese pockets are on the auction block, she’s sure to be among the most determined of bidders. All funds raised through this South Dakota MCC event are used to support domestic and worldwide relief efforts.
Local MCC Sale hands baton to next generation
by Carol J. Eisenbeis
Jon Graber was just a kid when he landed the job of running freshly grilled brats and chislic from the grills to the serving lines at the Sioux Falls Arena. It wasn’t a paid position. And, it was one of those “it’s who you know” things that secured his involvement; his dad, Steve, was one of the grill masters.
Fast forward to 2018 and Jon Graber is serving his first term on the board of directors for the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale. Now married to local veterinarian, Dr. Liz (Hicks) Graber, and farming southeast of Freeman, Graber is volunteering his time with the same entity that he first became familiar with as a young child.
For Graber, experiencing the event from behind-the-scenes has been insightful. “The organization (involved in preparing) is incredible.”
Graber is a newcomer to a board that’s spent the past year planning for the benefit sale scheduled for Saturday, July 28. In addition to being involved in the planning stages for the annual event, his tasks also include helping to unload the truck and set up the day before the July 28 festivities take place.
Rounding up the “pie guys” is also Graber’s responsibility. A huge hit with auction-goers in recent years has been the chance to bid on – and take home – a pie baked by one of the locals. Certain to be another crowd-pleasing experience, Graber is happy to reveal that he’s secured some new “pie guys,” as well as a returning favorite for this year’s contest.
Technology is a challenge that the board has faced this year. Thanks to software programming designed by Paul Ortman, this year’s sale will allow patrons to pay for all of their sale purchases – with cash, check, or credit card – by simply registering for a free buyer number. All purchases from the various food and vendor booths and from the auction ring will be tracked in real time and can then paid for all at once.
What motivates Graber to take the baton and get involved with Mennonite Central Committee today after helping alongside his dad years ago? “You can go home with some nice home goods and donate to a great cause, if you choose. It’s all about food, fellowship, and getting together with people.”
You are invited to join Jon and others - both from the surrounding area and those who will travel an extended distance - to be part of the festivities hosted at Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy on July 28. The event will begin with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8 a.m. Additional activities and vendor booths begin at 9 a.m., followed by presentations by local historian Norman Hofer. The food court will open at 11 a.m. and a live auction will get underway at 12:30 p.m.
All money raised at the event will be donated to Mennonite Central Committee, a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches. The goal of MCC is to share God's love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605.925.7009.
by Carol J. Eisenbeis
Jon Graber was just a kid when he landed the job of running freshly grilled brats and chislic from the grills to the serving lines at the Sioux Falls Arena. It wasn’t a paid position. And, it was one of those “it’s who you know” things that secured his involvement; his dad, Steve, was one of the grill masters.
Fast forward to 2018 and Jon Graber is serving his first term on the board of directors for the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale. Now married to local veterinarian, Dr. Liz (Hicks) Graber, and farming southeast of Freeman, Graber is volunteering his time with the same entity that he first became familiar with as a young child.
For Graber, experiencing the event from behind-the-scenes has been insightful. “The organization (involved in preparing) is incredible.”
Graber is a newcomer to a board that’s spent the past year planning for the benefit sale scheduled for Saturday, July 28. In addition to being involved in the planning stages for the annual event, his tasks also include helping to unload the truck and set up the day before the July 28 festivities take place.
Rounding up the “pie guys” is also Graber’s responsibility. A huge hit with auction-goers in recent years has been the chance to bid on – and take home – a pie baked by one of the locals. Certain to be another crowd-pleasing experience, Graber is happy to reveal that he’s secured some new “pie guys,” as well as a returning favorite for this year’s contest.
Technology is a challenge that the board has faced this year. Thanks to software programming designed by Paul Ortman, this year’s sale will allow patrons to pay for all of their sale purchases – with cash, check, or credit card – by simply registering for a free buyer number. All purchases from the various food and vendor booths and from the auction ring will be tracked in real time and can then paid for all at once.
What motivates Graber to take the baton and get involved with Mennonite Central Committee today after helping alongside his dad years ago? “You can go home with some nice home goods and donate to a great cause, if you choose. It’s all about food, fellowship, and getting together with people.”
You are invited to join Jon and others - both from the surrounding area and those who will travel an extended distance - to be part of the festivities hosted at Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy on July 28. The event will begin with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8 a.m. Additional activities and vendor booths begin at 9 a.m., followed by presentations by local historian Norman Hofer. The food court will open at 11 a.m. and a live auction will get underway at 12:30 p.m.
All money raised at the event will be donated to Mennonite Central Committee, a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches. The goal of MCC is to share God's love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605.925.7009.
Marion couple finds joy in supporting July 28 auction event
by Carol J. Eisenbeis
From the meticulously finished strips of wood to the neatly stacked school supplies, it’s evident that a tremendous amount of care goes into all that Duane and Marlys Tieszen do.
For years, that caring spirit has led this Marion, South Dakota, couple to lend their time and talents to support the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) through local relief sales. On Saturday, July 28, Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy will be transformed into a sales venue featuring a range of foods, home goods, and activities. All money raised will go directly to MCC, an organization devoted to meeting the most basic needs of people throughout the world who find themselves in crisis situations.
The Tieszens’ initial involvement with the sale included selling tickets and helping in the food lines. Most recently, they’ve taken on the task of purchasing all of the supplies that will be used at the sale to fill 125 drawstring school kit bags.
School kits are MCC’s most requested item. The kits make their way to children in war-torn countries and disaster-stricken areas around the world, including Canada and the United States. Last year over 78,000 kits were shipped to help bring normalcy to children whose families have been forced to flee their homes or did not have enough money to buy the needed supplies. Each kit contains the following items: eight pencils, two ballpoint pens, a 12-pack of colored pencils, four 70-page spiral notebooks, a shatterproof (non-wood) ruler, one eraser, and one metal pencil sharpener.
Always on the look-out for quality items at a great price can result in the Tieszens filling half of their trunk, at times, and also doing some on-line comparison shopping. Finding some of the items can be tricky. After all, not just anyone sells metal pencil sharpeners. And, those who do can charge up to $4 each. This year, their attention to quality and cost landed them with the 125 needed sharpeners at a cost of just 32 cents each.
Children and others attending the sale can join in the fun of packing the drawstring bags with the supplies collected by the Tieszens. These kits are treasured items for the families that receive them and provide for a sense of normalcy for children in the midst of dire circumstances.
While the school kits are being assembled, the Tieszens will be seated among the auction bidders and enjoying the process. A woodworking craftsman by hobby since his days as a student at Freeman Academy, Duane has crafted numerous quilt racks and gliders for previous sales. This year, a porch glider, matching side table, an inlaid parquet-topped memory box, and a modern wood Christmas tree will be among his creations featured on the sale block. By the time each wooden slat is affixed to the remaining portion of the smooth-moving glider, Tieszen will have invested at least 80 hours and $200 in the project.
For those looking for some uniquely modern décor, the Tieszens came upon the idea for the wooden Christmas tree while visiting their daughter in Colorado. Duane recreated the tree he happened to notice by using cedar fencing and learning to precisely form his first wooden stars that stand out from the rest of the tree.
Is it difficult for the Tieszens to part with these exquisite works of art? Not at all. Both Duane and Marlys smile. Duane’s eyes twinkle as he notes that he already received his joy from building. “We’re just so happy that it’s doing so much good for others.”
The opportunity to bid on a variety of items like these and also assemble school kits will be available at the upcoming SD MCC Relief Sale on Saturday, July 28. Hosted at Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy, the day will begin with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8 a.m. Additional activities and vendor booths begin at 9 a.m., followed by presentations by local historian Norman Hofer. The food court will open at 11 a.m. and the live auction will get underway at 12:30 p.m.
This is a fundraising event for Mennonite Central Committee. A worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, the goal of MCC is to share God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information and a complete schedule, please visit sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605.925.7009.
Carol J. Eisenbeis recently retired from teaching
English language arts at Memorial Middle School
in Sioux Falls. She and her husband, Chris, live in the
Turkey Ridge Valley southeast of Freeman and are
the parents of four grown children.
by Carol J. Eisenbeis
From the meticulously finished strips of wood to the neatly stacked school supplies, it’s evident that a tremendous amount of care goes into all that Duane and Marlys Tieszen do.
For years, that caring spirit has led this Marion, South Dakota, couple to lend their time and talents to support the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) through local relief sales. On Saturday, July 28, Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy will be transformed into a sales venue featuring a range of foods, home goods, and activities. All money raised will go directly to MCC, an organization devoted to meeting the most basic needs of people throughout the world who find themselves in crisis situations.
The Tieszens’ initial involvement with the sale included selling tickets and helping in the food lines. Most recently, they’ve taken on the task of purchasing all of the supplies that will be used at the sale to fill 125 drawstring school kit bags.
School kits are MCC’s most requested item. The kits make their way to children in war-torn countries and disaster-stricken areas around the world, including Canada and the United States. Last year over 78,000 kits were shipped to help bring normalcy to children whose families have been forced to flee their homes or did not have enough money to buy the needed supplies. Each kit contains the following items: eight pencils, two ballpoint pens, a 12-pack of colored pencils, four 70-page spiral notebooks, a shatterproof (non-wood) ruler, one eraser, and one metal pencil sharpener.
Always on the look-out for quality items at a great price can result in the Tieszens filling half of their trunk, at times, and also doing some on-line comparison shopping. Finding some of the items can be tricky. After all, not just anyone sells metal pencil sharpeners. And, those who do can charge up to $4 each. This year, their attention to quality and cost landed them with the 125 needed sharpeners at a cost of just 32 cents each.
Children and others attending the sale can join in the fun of packing the drawstring bags with the supplies collected by the Tieszens. These kits are treasured items for the families that receive them and provide for a sense of normalcy for children in the midst of dire circumstances.
While the school kits are being assembled, the Tieszens will be seated among the auction bidders and enjoying the process. A woodworking craftsman by hobby since his days as a student at Freeman Academy, Duane has crafted numerous quilt racks and gliders for previous sales. This year, a porch glider, matching side table, an inlaid parquet-topped memory box, and a modern wood Christmas tree will be among his creations featured on the sale block. By the time each wooden slat is affixed to the remaining portion of the smooth-moving glider, Tieszen will have invested at least 80 hours and $200 in the project.
For those looking for some uniquely modern décor, the Tieszens came upon the idea for the wooden Christmas tree while visiting their daughter in Colorado. Duane recreated the tree he happened to notice by using cedar fencing and learning to precisely form his first wooden stars that stand out from the rest of the tree.
Is it difficult for the Tieszens to part with these exquisite works of art? Not at all. Both Duane and Marlys smile. Duane’s eyes twinkle as he notes that he already received his joy from building. “We’re just so happy that it’s doing so much good for others.”
The opportunity to bid on a variety of items like these and also assemble school kits will be available at the upcoming SD MCC Relief Sale on Saturday, July 28. Hosted at Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy, the day will begin with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8 a.m. Additional activities and vendor booths begin at 9 a.m., followed by presentations by local historian Norman Hofer. The food court will open at 11 a.m. and the live auction will get underway at 12:30 p.m.
This is a fundraising event for Mennonite Central Committee. A worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches, the goal of MCC is to share God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information and a complete schedule, please visit sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605.925.7009.
Carol J. Eisenbeis recently retired from teaching
English language arts at Memorial Middle School
in Sioux Falls. She and her husband, Chris, live in the
Turkey Ridge Valley southeast of Freeman and are
the parents of four grown children.
NATIVE AMERICAN QUILTING TRADITION PART OF SD MCC RELIEF SALE
Submitted by S. Roy Kaufman in behalf of Freeman Network for Justice & Peace
Handmade quilts are often featured in Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Relief Sales held in North America and this also holds true for the SD MCC Relief Sale. The quilt pictured was made by Margaret Zephier, a Yankton Dakotah elder from Wagner, South Dakota, and commissioned by the Freeman Network for Justice and Peace to be offered on the live auction at the relief sale on July 22, 2017 in Freeman.
Margaret’s name for this quilt is “Maze of Truth”. She says, “At the center is ‘you’ looking out at the world. You may go out in any of the four directions, but you always come back to the center. The quilt is done in earth colors.”
Margaret explains the significance of quilt making in Native American tradition this way: “The story I learned is that our people used to honor someone in the community by giving them a buffalo robe. When the buffalo were all killed, we needed to find another way of honoring people in our community. Some of our people learned to make quilts, perhaps from the Christian missionaries who worked in our community. The typical pattern for honor quilts is the star quilt.”
Margaret learned quilt making from her mother. As in Mennonite communities, Native women often gathered to work together stitching their quilts, and using the occasion to knit the bonds of their community as well. Margaret herself opened a quilt shop called Turtle Creations in Wagner, and makes quilts that have been commissioned.
Several years ago the Freeman Network for Justice and Peace established a fraternal relationship with the Wagner Area Horizons Team, a non-profit designed to facilitate multi-cultural understanding and relationships. This group is chaired by Vince Two Eagles, Margaret Zephier’s son. The two groups host each other in meetings once or twice a year.
You have the opportunity to see and purchase this quilt at the SD MCC Relief Sale on July 22, 2017 at Pioneer Hall on the Freeman Academy campus in Freeman, SD. The day begins with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8:00am with activities continuing throughout the day. Lots of good food will be available. The live auction begins at 12:30pm. This is a fund-raiser for Mennonite Central Committee, a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches that shares God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information you may check the website at sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605-925-7009.
Submitted by S. Roy Kaufman in behalf of Freeman Network for Justice & Peace
Handmade quilts are often featured in Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Relief Sales held in North America and this also holds true for the SD MCC Relief Sale. The quilt pictured was made by Margaret Zephier, a Yankton Dakotah elder from Wagner, South Dakota, and commissioned by the Freeman Network for Justice and Peace to be offered on the live auction at the relief sale on July 22, 2017 in Freeman.
Margaret’s name for this quilt is “Maze of Truth”. She says, “At the center is ‘you’ looking out at the world. You may go out in any of the four directions, but you always come back to the center. The quilt is done in earth colors.”
Margaret explains the significance of quilt making in Native American tradition this way: “The story I learned is that our people used to honor someone in the community by giving them a buffalo robe. When the buffalo were all killed, we needed to find another way of honoring people in our community. Some of our people learned to make quilts, perhaps from the Christian missionaries who worked in our community. The typical pattern for honor quilts is the star quilt.”
Margaret learned quilt making from her mother. As in Mennonite communities, Native women often gathered to work together stitching their quilts, and using the occasion to knit the bonds of their community as well. Margaret herself opened a quilt shop called Turtle Creations in Wagner, and makes quilts that have been commissioned.
Several years ago the Freeman Network for Justice and Peace established a fraternal relationship with the Wagner Area Horizons Team, a non-profit designed to facilitate multi-cultural understanding and relationships. This group is chaired by Vince Two Eagles, Margaret Zephier’s son. The two groups host each other in meetings once or twice a year.
You have the opportunity to see and purchase this quilt at the SD MCC Relief Sale on July 22, 2017 at Pioneer Hall on the Freeman Academy campus in Freeman, SD. The day begins with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8:00am with activities continuing throughout the day. Lots of good food will be available. The live auction begins at 12:30pm. This is a fund-raiser for Mennonite Central Committee, a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches that shares God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information you may check the website at sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605-925-7009.
VINTAGE DOLL BED COMES HOME
The South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Relief Sale auction is known for hand crafted items but this year's event brings an interesting story of one piece of craftsmanship to be offered at the auction. The story below is submitted by Ken Lohrentz of Lawrence, Kansas.
This doll bed was made by Jacob and Esther (Graber) Eisenbeis for their daughter, Lola Lohrentz. Lola was born in 1939, so it would have been made sometime in the early- or mid-1940’s. Lola would most likely have played with it with her cousins and friends. Jake and Esther lived on the family farm in the East Freeman community from the time of their marriage in 1932 until 1963, when they moved to Freeman where Jake began a very successful cabinet business. Making the doll bed by themselves as they did was indicative of their frugality and resourcefulness, especially at a time when the experience of the Great Depression would have been so indelibly imprinted on their experience. In addition to cabinets, Jake made many lovely grandfather clocks and other beautiful and sturdy pieces of furniture. Once he had a picture or plan to follow, he could make about anything he set his mind to.
At some time after our marriage in 1966, the doll bed came to our house. By then our two daughters had doll beds of their own that their grandfather Jake had made for them, which were very special bunk beds. They and our two granddaughters coming after them always enjoyed playing with those bunk beds. The old doll bed, meanwhile, got stacked away in our storage room where it languished until it came time to sell the family home last fall. Lola had passed on in 2012, so it fell to those of us who remained to share the family treasures and prepare the home for sale. The old doll bed was purchased by my sister, Ellen Voran, who made the decision to return the bed to its roots in Freeman to be auctioned at the SD MCC Relief Sale. She also made a Trip Around the World comforter that accompanies the bed.
As Lola did with so many of the things that were important to her, she left notes (as you can see on the bottom of bed which reads "my first doll bed made by Dad and Mom") as to who made the item, as well as for whom and when it was made. It is that note that enables us to share this story with you. We hope it will be a treasure to whoever is interested in taking possession of it.
You have the opportunity to see and purchase this treasure at the SD MCC Relief Sale on July 22, 2017 at Pioneer Hall on the Freeman Academy campus in Freeman, SD. The day begins with a pancake breakfast and bike race/ride at 8:00am with activities continuing throughout the day. Lots of good food will be available. The live auction begins at 12:30pm. This is a fund-raiser for Mennonite Central Committee, a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches that shares God’s love and compassion for all in the name of Christ by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. For more information you may check the website at sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com or call 605-925-7009.
South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale in the NEWS:
From wood to treasure scrap
By MCC Staff
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was written for aCommon Place Spring 2011. It has been updated to reflect the new location of the 2015 SD MCC Relief Sale planned in Freeman, July 25.
Pete Preheim’s passion for local wood started small. A veterinarian fast becoming an avid woodworker, Preheim, of Marion, S.D., admired some downed cedar trees as he made a call to a farm. The landowner told him he could have them, as long as he hauled them away.
Now, more than three decades later, many of the articles made by Preheim out of local and salvaged wood were staples of the Minn-Kota Festival for World Relief, a relief sale then held in Sioux Falls, S.D., that benefited the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
For the 25 years that the relief sale was held in Sioux Falls, Preheim donated handmade items, ranging from signature pieces such as eggs carved of 12 different kinds of local wood to boxes and chests. The 12 to 15 items he donated brought in some $2,500 to $3,000 annually for MCC.
“I guess we’re all put on this earth for a purpose—the purpose isn’t for myself; the purpose is to reach out,” Preheim says. “I’ve got an accountability to do something. This is my way I feel I can do that.”
The raw materials are simple—downed trees, freight pallets, old flooring—and reflect Preheim’s long-held belief in making good use of any materials on hand.
“Growing up with meager resources, you make do with whatever is available,” says Preheim, who was raised on a farm outside Marion. “You never throw anything away.”
In Preheim’s hands, scraps of wood become a shiny walnut bowl, an intricate marble game or a small chest—the finished pieces gleaming with subtle colors and grains of different kinds of wood.
Some items, such as sets of a dozen wooden eggs, he’s been making regularly for many years. The eggs, inspired by ones he saw his brother using to encourage hens to lay, bring in as much as $400 some years. Others are experiments—including a quilt-patterned puzzle of some 128 pieces, half walnut and half ash. In 2010, he created a marble game for the first time.
“My hope is there may be others who say, ‘I can do this too,’” Preheim says.
Even though the Minn-Kota Festival for World Relief in Sioux Falls came to an end in 2011, a new relief sale has begun in Freeman, S.D. The second South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale will be held July 25, in Pioneer Hall on the Freeman Academy campus. This sale celebrates the larger community, which includes the surrounding towns of Marion, Bridgewater, Menno and beyond. The sale remains focused on raising funds for the work of MCC, which includes worldwide development, education and peace projects. The sale will feature a variety of items, like quilts, foods and Preheim’s handcrafted items that will be sold at auction. The day begins at 8:00 am with a Bike Ride/Race and Pancake breakfast and includes the live auction at 12:30 pm. More information can be found at the website http://sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com/.
By MCC Staff
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was written for aCommon Place Spring 2011. It has been updated to reflect the new location of the 2015 SD MCC Relief Sale planned in Freeman, July 25.
Pete Preheim’s passion for local wood started small. A veterinarian fast becoming an avid woodworker, Preheim, of Marion, S.D., admired some downed cedar trees as he made a call to a farm. The landowner told him he could have them, as long as he hauled them away.
Now, more than three decades later, many of the articles made by Preheim out of local and salvaged wood were staples of the Minn-Kota Festival for World Relief, a relief sale then held in Sioux Falls, S.D., that benefited the work of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).
For the 25 years that the relief sale was held in Sioux Falls, Preheim donated handmade items, ranging from signature pieces such as eggs carved of 12 different kinds of local wood to boxes and chests. The 12 to 15 items he donated brought in some $2,500 to $3,000 annually for MCC.
“I guess we’re all put on this earth for a purpose—the purpose isn’t for myself; the purpose is to reach out,” Preheim says. “I’ve got an accountability to do something. This is my way I feel I can do that.”
The raw materials are simple—downed trees, freight pallets, old flooring—and reflect Preheim’s long-held belief in making good use of any materials on hand.
“Growing up with meager resources, you make do with whatever is available,” says Preheim, who was raised on a farm outside Marion. “You never throw anything away.”
In Preheim’s hands, scraps of wood become a shiny walnut bowl, an intricate marble game or a small chest—the finished pieces gleaming with subtle colors and grains of different kinds of wood.
Some items, such as sets of a dozen wooden eggs, he’s been making regularly for many years. The eggs, inspired by ones he saw his brother using to encourage hens to lay, bring in as much as $400 some years. Others are experiments—including a quilt-patterned puzzle of some 128 pieces, half walnut and half ash. In 2010, he created a marble game for the first time.
“My hope is there may be others who say, ‘I can do this too,’” Preheim says.
Even though the Minn-Kota Festival for World Relief in Sioux Falls came to an end in 2011, a new relief sale has begun in Freeman, S.D. The second South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale will be held July 25, in Pioneer Hall on the Freeman Academy campus. This sale celebrates the larger community, which includes the surrounding towns of Marion, Bridgewater, Menno and beyond. The sale remains focused on raising funds for the work of MCC, which includes worldwide development, education and peace projects. The sale will feature a variety of items, like quilts, foods and Preheim’s handcrafted items that will be sold at auction. The day begins at 8:00 am with a Bike Ride/Race and Pancake breakfast and includes the live auction at 12:30 pm. More information can be found at the website http://sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com/.
Schrag crafts quilt to benefit MCC by Joshua Faulkner
Donation for July 25 sale will support work Mennonite Central Committee
“It takes time and love to make a quilt,” says avid Freeman quilter Candace Schrag. Love, she has in abundance, but time is always in short supply. Candace and her husband, Vernon Bauermeister are planning a camping trip and she would like to have the quilt that is folded at her feet completed before they go.
There are many quilts that she needs to work on. Her daughter’s wedding quilt is 16 years behind schedule, but this one takes precedence. It’s for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Relief Sale in Freeman on July 25 and time is slipping away.
Quilting is her passion and you can see it on her face when she speaks. “I like the feel of the fabric on my fingers.” she says her eyes just a little watery and her smile omnipresent. After 40 years, quilting is more than just something for her to do with her hands. It’s an unbroken line linking generations of her family together. As a young girl she would help her grandmother, whose eyes were failing, by cutting patterns. Later her mother-in-law, who Candace describes as “a great quilter,” would fill in the gaps in her knowledge. Their knowledge and experience lives on in her hands and is passed to every quilt she makes.
Candace has taken many steps in her life journey but ironically has landed only a couple blocks from where she started. She was born and raised in Freeman. She went to school at Freeman Public and then went on to finish at Freeman Academy. Her mother, Mildred Schrag, ran a special education classroom out of Candace’s childhood home. Candace’s father, Ben J. Schrag, was a water well driller. She was the couples’ only child, as she says: “How do you improve on perfection?” It is a taste of her warm self-deprecating humor that makes it a joy to converse with her.
Doug Schrag, her first husband, who died in 2008, raised registered Shorthorn cattle on their farm in east Freeman. Their son now owns the farm and represents the third generation to work that land. “It’s fun when your kids take over from where you stopped and you watch it grow,” she says, beaming.
Candace is an easy person to talk to, a talent she made use of throughout her working years. She spent most of her career working in offices. As a receptionist for Central Farmers Cooperative in Marion S.D., she was in a perfect position to interact with the public. Candace would still be working but after her second husband, whom she married in 2012, had some health scares, she didn’t want to live with regret. “It’s my second chance, A God wink. If I was working I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this time.”
She was exposed to quilting from a young age but it wasn't until her first child was born when she was 22 that she made her first quilt. 44 years and more than 40 quilts later, she still enjoys the process. More than the process, she loves the people of the quilting community. “Quilters are basically nice people, they have a giving spirit.” she says succinctly. No matter where she goes, she can find a quilter and they have an instant bond. It’s because of this community that she doesn't fear for the future of quilting.
“The key is planting the seeds with the younger generations early and then cultivating any spark of interest you see, “ she says.
When completed, the quilt she's finishing, like several others she has worked on to be donated, will be auctioned off to benefit the MCC and the mission of relief, development and peace work around the world. The sale will be held on the campus of Freeman Academy in Pioneer Hall on Saturday, July 25. The event will start at 8 a.m. with the live auction starting at 12:30 p.m. For more information visit SDMCCReliefSale.weebly.com.
Donation for July 25 sale will support work Mennonite Central Committee
“It takes time and love to make a quilt,” says avid Freeman quilter Candace Schrag. Love, she has in abundance, but time is always in short supply. Candace and her husband, Vernon Bauermeister are planning a camping trip and she would like to have the quilt that is folded at her feet completed before they go.
There are many quilts that she needs to work on. Her daughter’s wedding quilt is 16 years behind schedule, but this one takes precedence. It’s for the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Relief Sale in Freeman on July 25 and time is slipping away.
Quilting is her passion and you can see it on her face when she speaks. “I like the feel of the fabric on my fingers.” she says her eyes just a little watery and her smile omnipresent. After 40 years, quilting is more than just something for her to do with her hands. It’s an unbroken line linking generations of her family together. As a young girl she would help her grandmother, whose eyes were failing, by cutting patterns. Later her mother-in-law, who Candace describes as “a great quilter,” would fill in the gaps in her knowledge. Their knowledge and experience lives on in her hands and is passed to every quilt she makes.
Candace has taken many steps in her life journey but ironically has landed only a couple blocks from where she started. She was born and raised in Freeman. She went to school at Freeman Public and then went on to finish at Freeman Academy. Her mother, Mildred Schrag, ran a special education classroom out of Candace’s childhood home. Candace’s father, Ben J. Schrag, was a water well driller. She was the couples’ only child, as she says: “How do you improve on perfection?” It is a taste of her warm self-deprecating humor that makes it a joy to converse with her.
Doug Schrag, her first husband, who died in 2008, raised registered Shorthorn cattle on their farm in east Freeman. Their son now owns the farm and represents the third generation to work that land. “It’s fun when your kids take over from where you stopped and you watch it grow,” she says, beaming.
Candace is an easy person to talk to, a talent she made use of throughout her working years. She spent most of her career working in offices. As a receptionist for Central Farmers Cooperative in Marion S.D., she was in a perfect position to interact with the public. Candace would still be working but after her second husband, whom she married in 2012, had some health scares, she didn’t want to live with regret. “It’s my second chance, A God wink. If I was working I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this time.”
She was exposed to quilting from a young age but it wasn't until her first child was born when she was 22 that she made her first quilt. 44 years and more than 40 quilts later, she still enjoys the process. More than the process, she loves the people of the quilting community. “Quilters are basically nice people, they have a giving spirit.” she says succinctly. No matter where she goes, she can find a quilter and they have an instant bond. It’s because of this community that she doesn't fear for the future of quilting.
“The key is planting the seeds with the younger generations early and then cultivating any spark of interest you see, “ she says.
When completed, the quilt she's finishing, like several others she has worked on to be donated, will be auctioned off to benefit the MCC and the mission of relief, development and peace work around the world. The sale will be held on the campus of Freeman Academy in Pioneer Hall on Saturday, July 25. The event will start at 8 a.m. with the live auction starting at 12:30 p.m. For more information visit SDMCCReliefSale.weebly.com.
Hofers lend creative support to MCC Relief Sale bu Joshua Faulkner
‘The good they do is evident,’ says Naomi Hofer of Mennonite Central Committee
Ted Hofer bends over a table saw at his home in Bridgewater, S.D. Sawdust spews from the table saw as he pushes yet another piece of oak through the spinning metal teeth. It’s not the first table he has made in 24 years of wood-working and it won’t be the last. He has a basement to fill with inventory before the arts and craft show circuit begins this summer. He claims this will be his last year but neither he nor his wife seem overly convinced. This is the life he knows and loves. Friendships have been forged and reputations cemented over the years and it’s hard to walk away from what you love.
On July 25, several of his donated pieces with be auctioned as part of the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee(MCC) Relief Sale in Freeman. The sale will be held on the Freeman Academy campus in Pioneer Hall with proceeds from the sale going to MCC’s efforts around the world offering relief, development and peace work. The Hofers feel strongly that MCC has a positive effect on the world. From her position working at the Et Cetera Shoppe in Freeman, Ted’s wife, Naomi, has seen firsthand what MCC does. “The good they do is evident,” she says.
Eighty-eight years might sound like a lot but it doesn't look like much on Ted Hofer. His wife claims the credit: “Don’t I keep him nice and young. He smiles when I say that.” He does in fact, smile and look young. The love between Naomi and Ted is clear. Their 68 year partnership has produced a large extended family that includes two sets of twin grandchildren. Ted and Naomi are partners in all aspects of their lives. It’s impossible to separate the two of them.
Ted talks, but not often. Naomi is the voice of the pair. When a piece of his white hair falls out of place, she is quick to put it back. They share glances of true affection. They are a team in life and in the business. Naomi can’t help but sell. As Ted tells the story of a woman who wanted him to make her a table and chairs for her children, Naomi is busy describing the special features he builds into the chairs to insure durability. It is clearly a role she is comfortable with and she is good at it.
They started their life together on a small dairy farm a mile north of Dolton, S.D. and it doesn't take long to realize just how much that farm means to the both of them. They are still farmers at heart. The subject of conversation never veers far from the farm. Their sons run it now and Ted and Naomi are just happy that someone from the family is working the same land they did. They understand that things change. Ted recently took a trip to see their operation and was amazed by the advancements that had been made. “We started with a two-row planter and now my son has a 34-row planter. Can you believe that? That’s how far we have come.”
Ted grew up in Dolton. Covering just 166 acres and with a population of 37, today it is little more than “a collection of houses,” he says. He learned a lot from his father but most of all, resiliency. Ted was raised in the “Dirty 30s”. Ted’s father lost the family farm and things were tight for many years. His father was able to eventually regain his footing and rent a farm that allowed him to re-establish himself. Born in Menno, S.D., Naomi is a proud graduate of the Freeman Academy Class of 1946. Her father felt it was important for her and her six siblings to all attend the Christian school.
In the first bay of the Hofer’s garage, hangs an aerial photo of their family farm. Trapped in time is the fading image of the home they raised their four children in. Most of the buildings in the picture have since been destroyed. The hog barn, the dairy barn, the house are all gone. Time affects all things but memory is persistent. “I can’t put it away.” Naomi says. “That’s a lot of memories,” adds Ted.
Ted might be thinking of putting his tools away but neither he nor his wife seem committed. He credits woodworking with keeping him in good health. For now, there are still plenty of chances to own one of his pieces. The South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale on July 25 will begin at 8 a.m. on the Freeman Academy campus in Pioneer Hall with the live auction beginning at 12:30 p.m. For more information about MCC and the sale go to sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com. Anyone interested in owning one of Ted’s creations, can contact him at 605-729-2630.
‘The good they do is evident,’ says Naomi Hofer of Mennonite Central Committee
Ted Hofer bends over a table saw at his home in Bridgewater, S.D. Sawdust spews from the table saw as he pushes yet another piece of oak through the spinning metal teeth. It’s not the first table he has made in 24 years of wood-working and it won’t be the last. He has a basement to fill with inventory before the arts and craft show circuit begins this summer. He claims this will be his last year but neither he nor his wife seem overly convinced. This is the life he knows and loves. Friendships have been forged and reputations cemented over the years and it’s hard to walk away from what you love.
On July 25, several of his donated pieces with be auctioned as part of the South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee(MCC) Relief Sale in Freeman. The sale will be held on the Freeman Academy campus in Pioneer Hall with proceeds from the sale going to MCC’s efforts around the world offering relief, development and peace work. The Hofers feel strongly that MCC has a positive effect on the world. From her position working at the Et Cetera Shoppe in Freeman, Ted’s wife, Naomi, has seen firsthand what MCC does. “The good they do is evident,” she says.
Eighty-eight years might sound like a lot but it doesn't look like much on Ted Hofer. His wife claims the credit: “Don’t I keep him nice and young. He smiles when I say that.” He does in fact, smile and look young. The love between Naomi and Ted is clear. Their 68 year partnership has produced a large extended family that includes two sets of twin grandchildren. Ted and Naomi are partners in all aspects of their lives. It’s impossible to separate the two of them.
Ted talks, but not often. Naomi is the voice of the pair. When a piece of his white hair falls out of place, she is quick to put it back. They share glances of true affection. They are a team in life and in the business. Naomi can’t help but sell. As Ted tells the story of a woman who wanted him to make her a table and chairs for her children, Naomi is busy describing the special features he builds into the chairs to insure durability. It is clearly a role she is comfortable with and she is good at it.
They started their life together on a small dairy farm a mile north of Dolton, S.D. and it doesn't take long to realize just how much that farm means to the both of them. They are still farmers at heart. The subject of conversation never veers far from the farm. Their sons run it now and Ted and Naomi are just happy that someone from the family is working the same land they did. They understand that things change. Ted recently took a trip to see their operation and was amazed by the advancements that had been made. “We started with a two-row planter and now my son has a 34-row planter. Can you believe that? That’s how far we have come.”
Ted grew up in Dolton. Covering just 166 acres and with a population of 37, today it is little more than “a collection of houses,” he says. He learned a lot from his father but most of all, resiliency. Ted was raised in the “Dirty 30s”. Ted’s father lost the family farm and things were tight for many years. His father was able to eventually regain his footing and rent a farm that allowed him to re-establish himself. Born in Menno, S.D., Naomi is a proud graduate of the Freeman Academy Class of 1946. Her father felt it was important for her and her six siblings to all attend the Christian school.
In the first bay of the Hofer’s garage, hangs an aerial photo of their family farm. Trapped in time is the fading image of the home they raised their four children in. Most of the buildings in the picture have since been destroyed. The hog barn, the dairy barn, the house are all gone. Time affects all things but memory is persistent. “I can’t put it away.” Naomi says. “That’s a lot of memories,” adds Ted.
Ted might be thinking of putting his tools away but neither he nor his wife seem committed. He credits woodworking with keeping him in good health. For now, there are still plenty of chances to own one of his pieces. The South Dakota Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale on July 25 will begin at 8 a.m. on the Freeman Academy campus in Pioneer Hall with the live auction beginning at 12:30 p.m. For more information about MCC and the sale go to sdmccreliefsale.weebly.com. Anyone interested in owning one of Ted’s creations, can contact him at 605-729-2630.