Polo-Orient
It all culminates around the Thanksgiving table, when families gather to give thanks, reminisce and catch up on everyone’s activities. And the frosting on the cake (or the whipped cream on the pumpkin pie) this year was having weather that even though chilly, was sunshine and no snow on what could have been a white November 28 Thanksgiving.
Temperatures did require head cover and mittens when they dropped to 0 to 2 degrees just north of Polo with the highs in the 40’s and maybe into the 50’s briefly. But some days with no wind and sunshine spelled acceptable winter weather.
Spotting the bright orange of the deer hunters was pretty routine following deer season opening November 21. Sometimes one has to wonder if deer can read the calendar. How else do you explain seeing them routinely before the season opens and not finding them when you are looking for them with the bow and arrow or gun?
Gathering in Orient on Wednesday, Nov. 20 to celebrate De Schaefers birthday were Bonnie Boyd, Orient; aunt Sandy and Perry Schmidt and grandsons Cameron and Kayden Schmidt of Redfield; and Jack and JoAnn Schaefers. The Alaska Schaefers spent several days visiting her parents, Lloyd and Bonnie Boyd in Orient, before De and Bonnie went to Centerville to spend a few days with Sam and Doug Pugh, Rebecca and Sarah in Chancellor.
Recent overnight guests in the LeRoy and Donna Schaefers home were Carl and Marge Durfee of Navarre, Fla. Vic and Marion Martinmaas accompanied LeRoy and Donna Tuesday evening when they enjoyed a get-together with David and Glenna Martinmaas and Mern Coyle in Miller.
Father Murtha was in Polo Thanksgiving morning to celebrate Mass at St. Liborius for Thanksgiving Day.
Grant and Weston Martinmaas of Watertown visited Grandpa Vic and Grandma Marion Martinmaas the day after Thanksgiving and enjoyed playing several games of Sequence with them.
Tony and Brenda Schaefers, Ellis, Eva and Oliver of Littleton, Colo. arrived Wednesday and visited in the parental LeRoy and Donna Schaefers home through Thanksgiving weekend. Joining the group for Thanksgiving dinner were Scott, and Jennifer Gibson, Emily, Jake and Ally, of Miller; Tom and Sarah Schuster, TC and Tori of Bath; and Vic and Marion Martinmaas.
Chad and Trixie Schlechter, Xavier, Jake and Hannah, hosted Thanksgiving for her mother Patty Anderson, Redfield; Father Terry Anderson, Huron; Darrel and Joy Anderson, Redfield, and Xavier from Mitchell; Lornie Schlechter, Al and Tara Schlechter, Nick, Lindsey Trollope and Tyler Starman, Albion, Neb.; Ashley and Isabella Trollope and Ethan Hargens, Julie Holida, Joshua and Nathan, Hayti; Andy and Deidra Schlechter, Denae, Vonna Gail, Aleah and Terrell; and Father Chester Murtha.
Tony and Brenda Schaefers, Ellis, Eva and Oliver of Littleton, Colo. visited in the Vic and Marion Martinmaas home over Thanksgiving weekend. Saturday, Marilyn Burckhard of Aberdeen and Shawn and Joy Burckhard of Savage, Minn. visited in the Vic and Marion Martinmaas home. Chuck Martinmaas was an afternoon caller.
Rory Wieseler and Jamie Sternhagen from Rapid City came for opening deer season last weekend to the Jim and Marietta Wieseler farm. Jamie returned to Rapid on Monday and Rory stayed for a week.
Thanksgiving guests of Jim and Marietta Wieseler were Lanae Wieseler, Rapid City; Jerry and Laree Giovannettone, John and Lane, Sioux Falls; and Rory Wieseler, Rapid City. They visited with Rosemary Wieseler in Redmond, Mich. Jamie rejoined the group Friday evening. Saturday evening they had an early Christmas and on Sunday they celebrated Jim’s December 2nd birthday.
Darrell and Stella Foreman were joined by family for Thanksgiving. Their guests were Doyle and Kay Foreman; their children Cody, Madison and Kayla, Vermillion; Sherry Roth, Sioux Falls; Jennifer Roth and Matt Jenssen, Humboldt; Kristina Roth and Jason Jerimiason, Sioux Falls; and Sheila Foreman, Rapid City.
Home for Thanksgiving at the Jack Schaefers’ home were Colleen and Cory Leer, Milton, Fla.; Doug and Darla Schaefers, Danielle Phillips, Kiera, Keegan and Beau from Huron; Dixie Schaefers and Dustin DeWaard, Mitchell; Danae Schaefers, Milwaukee, Wis.; Camille Dunnick and Braden, Sioux Falls; Dean and Cherie Schaefers, Ft. Worth, Texas; Delmar and De Schaefers, Anchorage, Alaska; Carole and Jeff Stoecker, Jeremy and Chantel Stoecker and Aubrey, Tolstoy; Matt and Chelsea Stoecker and CJ, Sioux Falls; Darin Stoecker and Marissa Badger, Watertown; and Darwin Schaefers and Cristi Pfountz, Auburn, Wash. The 31 family members enjoyed their Thanksgiving dinner at the Ponderosa dining facilities.
Thanksgiving news continues to be in the making as calls/e-mails are received and will be in next week’s paper. Thanks to those who submitted.
The world can be pretty small sometimes. Like when you are gathered for a special occasion with children from Anchorage, Alaska, and across the room are also people from Anchorage. Ten days ago, Burton and Laura Anderson drove to Orient for supper with their guests, Mike Higgins and Jim Farrage from Anchorage, Alaska, and Kathy and Vic DePalma, Arcadia, Calif. Mike was originally from Wessington Springs and has been in Anchorage the past 20 years. Delmar and De Schaefers have been in Anchorage for 30 years.
That is almost as ironic as the Schaefers’ daughter Colleen and Cory Leer from Milton, Fla., arriving in Polo two days after Carl and Marge Durfee were here from Navarre, Fla. The two former Polo graduates and actually cousins, Marge and Colleen visit back and forth occasionally since they are only about 40 minutes apart in Florida. However, they just missed one another on the Polo visits, since Durfees were here Tuesday and Leers arrived Thursday.
Catholic Daughters will be meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at 3 p.m. at the Orient Community Center. Plans will be finalized for our annual Christmas letter mailing to military, adoptees, etc., and the December 11 annual bake sale in Miller.
The KCs will have their monthly meeting at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5 in Mary’s Room in Polo.
Thanksgiving is: families, food, fun