SINGLE COPY $1.25 tax included he iller ress USPS 349-720T Vol. 138 No. 26 www.themillerpress.comM [email protected] Miller, Hand County,P SD 57362 Wednesday, Feb. 26, 20202020 Junior class planning Newly ordained Bishop Donald E. DeGrood visits Miller farm, craft, and ewly ordained Bishop Donald E. De- NGrood, of the Sioux Falls Catholic Dio- talent show cese, was in Miller on Friday, Feb. 21, to vis- The junior class of Miller it with patients and staff at the Avera Hand High School has come up with a County Memorial Hospital and Clinic, and to creative and fun way to benefi t celebrate Mass at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. community and raise funds for The Bishop’s fi rst stop in Miller was the the prom at the same time. They hospital where he and his traveling compan- are planning the Farm and Craft ion, Daryl Thuringer, Director of Parish Ser- Show, for Sun., March 15, from vices, met with hospital administrator, Bry- 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. in the Miller an Breitling, Dr. Michelle Turner and several Armory. In addition, the junior staff of AHCMH. While there he toured the class will be hosting the 9th An- facilities and learned about the unique needs nual Talent Show (usually held of rural medicine and staffi ng, and how in conjunction with the Farm those needs are being provided. and Home Show) at 3:30 p.m. Next, DeGrood received a hearty welcome that day. from several residents of the Courtyard Vil- There is no fee to get into the la Assisted Living Center. For the fi rst couple Farm and Craft Show, howev- of minutes he asked about the food, activi- er free will donations received ties, and what people liked best about living at the talent show, will go to the there, and received many favorable respons- Junior Class Prom. es. He raved about the beautiful facility, and According to junior class ad- before long, the group was laughing and visor, Lizz Engle, Farm and bantering back and forth, which eventually led to a game of guessing the bishop’s age. Craft Show is a combination of Vicki L. Prentice | The Miller Press | February 26, 2020 the Farm and Home Show and Guesses ranged from 25 to 55, and La- Vonne Puffer’s guess of 55 was exactly right. BISHOP DONALD E. DeGROOD, new bishop of the Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese, told congregants they would be tested, the Annual Craft Show, both of and encouraged them to act in faith, during Mass, Friday, Feb. 21, at St. Ann’s Catholic Church. which were cancelled because of When DeGrood was urged to guess Puff- winter weather. She anticipates er’s age, he guessed 82, before learning that It’s like a little family,” Carr enthused. Be- connection and deep trust with the Lord,” more than 40 vendors will be on she would be turning 96 the following day. fore their brief visit ended, Carr boldly pro- DeGrood said. “There’s lots of things that hand to sell their merchandise He also stopped by the lab area, where he claimed that she thought the bishop was can shake us to the core. The way to expe- or promote their business or or- was introduced to Norma Carr, who is said very handsome. rience peace is to enter into God with our ganization. to be St. Ann’s oldest member. Carr was de- As the bishop’s visit came to a close, hos- questions, fears and hesitations.” Donations received will be lighted that the bishop would take time out pital and clinic staff gathered for a photo When DeGrood learned Pope Francis was added to the funds the junior of his busy schedule to visit with her. with him. He chatted with them briefl y and appointing him as bishop, his fi rst response class has already raised through DeGrood told Carr she was a pillar of the concluded with a prayer of blessing. was one of surprise. Initially he had one their pizza sales and Halloween Church and asked her what she liked best A while later, DeGrood spoke to a full question: God what doyou want me to do? carnival last fall. about the parish. “I love being in the choir. congregation at a 5:30 p.m. Mass, on the He went to the chapel to pray. The public is invited to come topic of peace and trust. “Within 10 to 12 minutes, I had a very on out to support the vendors He told clear sense that and the junior class on Sun., his audience ometimes those tests are very God was invit- March 15. that grow- deep, but if we choose to be- ing me into this ing up as a “S very beautiful farm boy, he lieve when the odds are against us, gift of faith to never want- God will bless us,” he asserted. “It’s trust that what ed to be in He was tell- front of peo- in those tests of faith that we need to ing me would ple to speak, act in faith.” be fulfi lled,” so when the Bishop Donald E. DeGrood, DeGrood said. Lord called Sioux Falls Catholic Diocese He knew God him to be a would be with priest, he was fi lled with a lot him. of fear. As the objections came, DeGrood took Vicki L. Prentice | The Miller Press | February 26, 2020 “Much of my life I have them to the Lord, one by one, and as he dealt with fear. And I realized trusted, he was fi lled with God’s peace. COURTYARD VILLA residents chatted with the newly appointed Bishop how much that fear held me He told his Donald DeGrood, during his visit to Miller, last Friday. Pictured (l-r) are back from fi nding that close listeners they, Bishop DeGrood, LaVonne Puff er, Agnes Kolda and Susan Fulton with the bishop. 3 Former MHS music director, Leo Warnke, to be SBA Basketball, 13 inducted to Bandmasters Hall of Fame Vicki L. Prentice fects everyone else,” he said. interaction with his students. Leo Warnke, former band For Warnke, music is some- The hardest part, he admitted, leader at Miller High School, has thing he feels should be all-in- was keeping up with the stu- been selected for the South Da- clusive, and his goal has always dents. kota Bandmasters Association been to make music fun and en- “They stayed the same age, Hall of Fame. He will be hon- joyable for his students. but I got older.” ored at the annual All-State Band “Anyone that wanted a spot Warnke grew up playing trum- Concert in the Mitchell Fine Arts in the band could have one as pet in the Huron band and grad- Center, beginning at 4 p.m. on long as they contributed and did uated from Huron High School. Sat., March 28. Along with be- their best,” he asserted. “I want- He went on to receive his BA ing presented with a plaque at ed them to have a life-long love in Music Education from Huron the concert, a plaque with a pho- for music.” College in 1974. to and biographical data of each Warnke’s rapport with his stu- “My experiences in high M-H/H Wrestling, inductee, will be permanently dents was based on what he school and college band was 14 displayed in the National Music called a ‘democratic dictator- very positive, and I modeled my Museum in Vermillion. ship’ where everyone was al- own teaching from those experi- Along with Warnke, John lowed their own thoughts, but in ences,” he said. Colson, retired music profes- the end, he had the fi nal say. Ev- Warnke and his wife, Lynne, Inside: sor emeritus from South Dako- idently, the students respected have been married for 42 year, Top Stories 2 ta State University, will also be LEO WARNKE that because they often came to currently live in Brookings. added to the SDBA Hall of Fame. talk to him outside of class time. The couple has two children Public Notices 9 his contributions to high school Only those who have made a “I always had time and an ear who have followed their dad’s and community music. His most Classifi eds 10-11 signifi cant impact on band pro- for anyone who wanted to talk lead. notable honors include being grams in South Dakota, who are and nothing that was said left “Both kids played in SDSU’s Youth 12 named Phi Beta Mu Bandmaster retired after teaching for 15 years the band room.” Warnke said. Pride of the Dakotas and met of the Year in 2005, Miller High Sports 13-14 or more, are considered for the As he refl ects on his time in their respective spouses there,” School Athletic Hall of Fame, as Hall of Fame. Miller and the many memories, explained Warnke. “They were a contributor in 2016, Miller Cen- Warnke said his initial re- the one that stands out was the both quite musical; our daughter tral Plains Art Council Support- action to being chosen for the fi rst band trip. and her husband are both mu- er of the Year in 2002, and Miller Inserts: Hall of Fame was one of shock. The band traveled on a bus, sic teachers and our son still en- South Dakota Citizen of the Year. Kessler’s Grocer He received the news from Kel- which was dubbed ‘the blue joys playing drums in an alumni Warnke credits his own high li Vanoverbeke, band director at goose’ because it smoked so bad- drumline and on other occa- school band director, Leonard Arlington, on Saturday, Feb.