Sharon Flatequal, patient accounts manager at Luverne Community Hospital, was awarded the Henry Scholten & Company Business Employee of the Year Award at a special presentation Wednesday, March 7.

Flatequal is a 20-year employee at Luverne Community Hospital.

"Her dedication and enthusiasm for her work is exceptional," said hospital CEO Gerald E. Carl, when learning of the award.

Flatequal received recognition and a monetary award for being a self-starter, coach and business office cheerleader among her fellow workers.

She was also recognized for her exceptional talent of working with deadlines while still taking the time to assist other business staff and for being a team player.

The Henry Scholten & Company Business Employee of the Year Award was established to recognize an employee of a finance department (admissions, business office, communications, finance, information systems, medical records or materials management) in the Sioux Valley Hospitals & Health System.

The award winner's work must be of exceptional quality and quantity, and the person must also exemplify excellent relationships with patients, physicians and the public.

The selection is also based on attitude, reliability, personal appearance, initiative, and attendance - a model employee.

The Henry Scholten & Company public accounting firm established the award through an endowment with the Sioux Valley Foundation.

By Lori Ehde
Rock County's first ever Relay for Life isn't until June 15, but now is the time for interested teams and corporate sponsors to commit to the cause.

The Relay for Life kickoff meeting is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 8, in Grace Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall.

"We're hoping to get a lot of people to come," said co-chair Vicki Baartman. "If people are interested, we don't want to scare them away from this meeting. Just by coming, we're not going to sign them up."

The kickoff meeting will involve corporate sponsors, team captains and co-chairs to discuss the purpose and goals for the event.

Don and Betty Cashin, two local cancer survivors, have been named honorary co-chairs for the event.

The American Cancer Society suggests 15 for a first-time Relay for Life, but Baartman said local organizers hope to have 25 teams.

Cindy Arends, who is chairing corporate sponsors for the event, has already met with positive response from local businesses.

Corporate sponsors can get involved at three different levels.

-The Gold Level involves support at $1,000 or more,

-The Silver Level involves support of $750 or more, and

-The Bronze Level involves support of $500 or more.

So far, Arends said she has commitment from Luverne Community Hospital and Luverne Medical Center/Sioux Valley Physician Group at the Gold Level, and Jubilee Foods, Glen’s Food Center and Luverne Farm Store have committed support at the Bronze Level.

"We have had other smaller donations to date that are also appreciated," Arends said.

The Relay for Life has become the trademark fund-raiser for the Society, the world's largest non-profit health organization committed to cancer research, education and service.

The event in Rock County will be staged on the track and field at Luverne High School.

Relay for Life involves teams of runners and walkers competing against each other to raise the most money.

Teams of individuals representing corporations, hospitals, neighborhoods and families take turns on the track with at least one team member on the track at a time.

The Relay for Life is now held nationwide, and thousands of people participate each year to help fight cancer.

The event is most noted for its luminaries that glow in memory of individuals who have died from cancer or in honor of those who have survived cancer.

The paper sacks, containing sand and candles, are displayed around the track and are illuminated during a special lighting ceremony at dusk.

In December, local organizers mailed letters to area businesses announcing the event.

The letter also outlined several ways to get involved.

-Corporations, businesses and group sponsors are needed to donate advertising dollars to promote Relay for Life.

-Teams of eight to 10 walkers are needed to compete to raise money during the night of walking.

-People are needed who are willing to buy luminaries in memory of their loved ones who have died from cancer or to honor those who have survived cancer.

-Volunteers are needed to help with any part of this activity, from setting up to cleaning up, and to support Relay for Life by attending.

Arends can be reached at 669-2905. Baartman, 283-4119, and Janet Marshall, 283-4192, are co-chairs for Relay for Life in Rock County. Helen Saum, 283-4340, is the team recruitment chair.

By John Rittenhouse
A strong performance late in the game by Hills-Beaver Creek carried the Patriot boys to 61-48 victory over Ellsworth in the first round of the South Section 3A Basketball Tournament in Fulda Thursday.

The two Tri-County Conference foes battled to a draw at 34 in the first 23 minutes of the game. H-BC, however, picked up the pace in the final nine minutes while outscoring the Panthers 27-14 to win by 13.

The victory gave H-BC an 8-14 record heading into Saturday's quarterfinals in Luverne, where the eighth-seeded Patriots played No. 1 Southwest Christian.

Ellsworth, the tournament's ninth seed, ends the season with a 5-14 record.

Thursday's game was a tight one until H-BC took control with its late surge.

Trailing 24-20 at halftime, Ellsworth trimmed H-BC's advantage to one point three different times early in the third quarter before H-BC went on a 6-0 run capped by Matt Buck's field goal at 3:46 to open a 34-27 cushion.

Ellsworth, however, countered with a 7-0 run that ended with Curt Schilling nailing a pair of free throws with 1:43 remaining to knot the score at 34.

The score remained tied until H-BC gained a 38-34 lead with field goals by Lance Crawford and David Top in the final 35 seconds of the period.

H-BC followed its late surge in the third quarter by scoring the first six points of the fourth quarter to gain a 44-34 lead. The Panthers did trim the difference to seven points at 47-40, but H-BC outscored them 14-8 the rest of way to ice the contest.

The game started slowly with H-BC sporting a 5-0 lead five minutes into the contest. Ellsworth scored the next three points before the Patriots went on a 7-4 run capped by Top's field goal with one second left to make it a 12-7 game at periodÕs end.

H-BC expanded its lead to seven points twice in the second quarter only to watch the Panthers creep within two points (22-20) when Schilling hit a field goal with 30 seconds left. Brad Haak countered with a field goal for H-BC with 10 seconds left to make it a 24-20 game at the intermission.

"I don't think either team played really well in the first half," said Patriot coach Steve Wiertzema. "I thought we played pretty well in the second half."

Panther coach Ken Kvaale said the difference in the game was H-BC's work on the boards in the second half.

"I give them a lot of credit because they played hungry in the fourth quarter. It was a close game until the fourth quarter when they really came at us. They killed us on the offensive boards, especially in the fourth quarter," Kvaale said.

David Top and Lyle DeBoer, who netted seven and 11 points respectively in the fourth quarter, led the Patriots with 13 points each. Crawford and Matt Buck added 11 and 10 points. Buck had nine rebounds and three assists, while DeBoer added six rebounds and four assists. Haak added six rebounds for the winners.

Schilling, who had five rebounds and three steals, and Dean Moss scored 13 and 10 points respectively for Ellsworth. Travis Jenniges, and Josh Kramer snared five rebounds each. Brant Deutsch had three assists.

Box score
Ellsworth
Schilling 4 1 2-3 13, Jenniges 4 0 0-1 8, Kvaale 3 0 0-0 6, Moss 1 2 2-3 10, Chapa 0 1 0-0 3, Deutsch 0 1 0-0 3, Kramer 0 0 0-1 0, Peters 2 0 1-2 5.

Team statistics
Ellsworth: 19 of 53 field goals (36 percent), five of 12 free throws (42 percent), 26 rebounds, 16 turnovers.
H-BC: 21 of 41 field goals (51 percent), 19 of 32 free throws (59 percent), 29 rebounds, 15 turnovers.

-IEIC offered vegetable print painting.

-Head Start had painting.

-The Girl Scouts and Boys Scouts painted faces, and

-The American Cancer Society distributed information on Relay for Life.

Thursday's carnival wasn't the first of its kind in Rock County. A similar one was staged several years ago in St. Catherine Church.

Given Thursday's positive public response Kaczrowski said it[s possible the carnival could become an annual event.

-Luverne Fire Department demonstrated house safety tips.

-Little Lambs preschool had a construction paper fish pond.

-Child Care Resource and Referral helped kids make Lego necklaces and tissue butterflies.

-Rock County Family Service and the Sheriff’s Department offered fingerprinting and 911 forms.

-Rock County Extension had tips on nutrition and a food activity.

-Jubilee Foods allowed kids to build their own snacks.

According to sign-up sheets at the event, 38 dads, 46 moms and 68 kids attended the carnival.

Various children's activities were offered by representatives from area organizations.

-ECFE/School Readiness offered playdough and cookie cutters.

-Nobles-Rock Public Health had information on immunizations and car seat safety.

-Rock County 4-H supervised playdough activities.

-Heartland Express offered bus safety advice.

Luverne's Early Childhood Family Education hosted a Children's Carnival Thursday, March 8, in the Luverne Elementary School multi-purpose area.

The purpose of the carnival was to provide information about services available to families with young children.

Early Childhood Educator Nancy Kaczrowski said participation was much better than she expected.

"I am so very pleased," she said. "It was a fantastic turnout."

The Hills Community Club has scheduled 2001 Friendship Day for Saturday, June 9.

Organizers thank the past volunteers and ask for contributions of time and talent again this year.

Community members, churches, youth groups, clubs and businesses can help by sponsoring a booth or activity, donating to help fund an event or volunteering time.

In one hour of time a volunteer can help with the tractor pull, jump tent, parade route, bingo, concession stand or parade entries, according to event organizers.

Monetary donations help the Community Club defray the cost of trophies for the kiddie tractor pull, the cost of specialty groups for the parade, the cost of the jump tent and sumo wrestling rentals, and the cost of afternoon and evening entertainment.

To volunteer time or to sponsor an event, call Michelle Nelson at 962-3422. Donations may be sent to Hills Community Club Treasurer, RR 1, Box 39, Steen, MN 56173. Parade inquiries can be made to Brenda Plimpton at 962-3799.

The next Community Club meeting is Monday, April 2. Everyone is welcome.

By Jolene Farley
After some discussion Monday evening, the Hills-Beaver Creek Board of Education unanimously agreed to retain the services of Group II Architects for the high school locker room and possible fitness center project.

The board has been considering an addition to Hills-Beaver Creek High School. Building committee members can now begin meeting with Group II Architects to solidify building plans and arrive at a cost estimate for the project.

Group II Architects, Spitznagel Inc., and Hartman Architecture, all of Sioux Falls, made presentations to the board at the Feb. 26 meeting, hoping to be hired.

Superintendent Tom Knoll recommended the board hire Group II at Monday’s meeting. He said all references for both Group II and Hartman Architecture Inc. checked out. All parties the firms had done work for in the past would rehire them for future work.

Knoll never called references for Spitznagel, Inc., citing a lack of enthusiasm toward smaller projects as his reason.

The board and Knoll expressed concern the Hartman Group's presentation contained more information pertaining to construction management services rather than architectural services.

All board members agreed a construction manager wasn't needed for this project.

"If we didn't need one for the elementary (school) we don’t need one for this project," said board member Alan Harnack.

Group II Architects' extensive work in Minnesota was a deciding factor for the board.

"I like Group II also," Board member Ann Boeve said before she made the motion in their favor. "I like the fact they have done a lot of Minnesota schools."

All day every day kindergarten going well
Kindergarten teachers Michele Baker and Shelly Fischer updated the board on the switch to all day every day kindergarten.

Both teachers gave glowing reports on the virtues of the new schedule. "This year we have seen a great improvement, especially in Chapter kids," said Fischer.

The new schedule allows teachers to make changes to the curriculum for kids who need it, according to Fischer. Before, teachers had to very lightly touch on curriculum because the kids were in school only two or three days per week.

The teachers stressed to the board the importance of smaller class sizes. "These small class sizes really, really count. We are able to reach those kids who need our help," Fischer said.

Baker and Fischer plan to send out a survey at the end of the school year asking parents for their comments and concerns.