On Memorial Day, 1945, the war in Europe had ended but the fighting in the Pacific continued.Lt. Gen. Lucian Truscott voiced remarks at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery at Nettuno, Italy. Turning his back on the assembled VIPs, he faced the rows upon rows of headstones and apologized to the 20,000 fallen Americans who had been laid to rest far from home. He was quoted as saying, “All over the world, our soldiers sleep beneath the crosses. It is a challenge to us – all allied nations – to ensure that they do not and have not died in vain.”

Many people today are struggling with the stress of everyday living, and many feel lonely, depressed, and sad, but whatever you are going through today, be encouraged to know that God is able to take care of you. When we research the Hebrew name El Shaddai, we discover that it means the all-sufficient one with all wisdom and authority - commonly referred to as Omnipotent. It’s very important to know that both optimism and pessimism are learned behaviors, which means that choosing our thoughts has everything to do with our attitude and how we view life. Here are seven areas where we can believe and know that He is waiting to fill us with His joy, peace, and contentment.

Recently, South Dakota had a fierce derecho roll - or blast - through much of the state, with 28 counties reporting damage. Even by South Dakota standards, this storm tested us.

Gregory County 4-H held its second quarterly county-wide meeting on Wednesday, May 18th, at the Burke Civic Center. At these meetings, all the 4-H clubs in Gregory County get together and have one big meeting, open to 4-H and non-4-H youth. This meeting was all about how to show small animals including cats, dogs, chickens, rabbits, and many others. Some of the members demonstrated how to show chickens and one member brought their dog and gave a presentation and demonstration of how to train a dog for the dog show and what a dog does during the dog show. Our next quarterly club meeting will be on Sunday, September 11th, from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. at the Burke Civic Center.

Since February 20th, 2022, the Winner Regional Health and Wellness Foundation has embarked on the Driven to Serve Campaign. The Campaign focuses on funding for a 3D Mammography for Winner Regional Health, with an initial cost of upwards of $300,000.00 for equipment and service agreement. Throughout the past few months, various avenues have been taken to secure the necessary funding to bring this to Winner Regional Health - from submitting grants, selling tickets for the new 2021 Jeep Renegade, to securing donations. The Winner Regional Health and Wellness Foundation is humbled by the generosity and support of the Tripp County Community Foundation for granting the Campaign $20,000.00 towards the new 3D mammography. This award is a clear example of the Tripp County Community Foundation focusing on how to positively impact the community through putting healthcare front and center. With their support, this moves the needle closer to making this a reality for the surrounding communities. The 3D mammography will allow for advanced breast cancer screening, and help guide appropriate treatment, while removing the need for unnecessary trips and added expenses traveling to Sioux Falls or Rapid City to receive similar services. The Siemens 3D mammography is state-of-the-art, providing a more comfortable experience right here in your community. As we move forward towards securing the remaining dollars for the equipment, we are hoping to have the new equipment here within the next couple of months. If you have any questions about the timeline or would like to support this mission, please contact Brady Kerkman at (605) 842-7231.

The recycling bins placed on the east side of city hall are an asset to the community, and individuals who recycle are helping the environment. Most people follow the rules, but please remove lids from plastic bottles/containers as these product need to be compacted into bundles.