The West River Health Services Foundation raised an all-time high $2,741 at its 46th Annual “Perennial Plant Sale” on Friday, May 19th at the West River Ambulance Garage in Hettinger. Nearly 70 people were chomping at the bit all of twenty minutes before both the huge doors even opened to the Ambulance Garage on West Highway 12 at 2:00pm sharp. It was like bees coming home to their boxes. Local gardeners swarmed the seven tables -- full of 648 different perennials! There were so many perennials, that many of the same were placed on the ground under the tables – and brought up as the first people purchased the perennials they wanted. By 2:30pm, half of the perennials were already gone!
Barb West, the fearless leader of this growing annual event, was busy thinning out her own garden days before the event as well – bringing over 200 perennials herself, including white daisies, pink phlox, tiger lilies, variegated hostas, white mums, strawberries, cranesbill geraniums and more! Of course, there were 23 other donors of numerous perennials (of whom we are so appreciative of), who brought from three to 52 perennials each -- including awesome varieties, such as chives, rhubarb, purple rockets, seed potatoes, yellow yarrow, iris, peonies, columbine, sedum, lily of the valley, Ft. Larmie everbearing, small pine trees, lambs ear, pampas grass, pincushions, junipers, butterfly brushes, gaillardia, viola, hollyhock, dogwood bush, spider plants, peace lily, apple tree, aster bushes, gargania, hens and chicks, Stella D’Ore day lilies, morning glorys, bags of horseradish, autumn joy sedum, daffodils, and more! Don’t ya just love the names! We even had someone donate empty flower pots! It all counts here.
Barb’s busy crew, consisting of Angela Hughes, Doris Hoke, Leah Gunther-Marty, Camille Emelo and DeNae Henderson (and usually Jennifer Seamands, but she just had surgery), were super busy all morning long and into the early afternoon – accepting perennials from local gardeners, sometimes separating those plants, sometimes repotting them – and always displaying them on certain tables which were posted clearly. The goal was to have an identifying name with each plant – and these ladies did an amazing job! Thank you. Also, there were some early birds, who came in for a look, but don’t touch, preview. Of course, Barb and her crew were on call all afternoon long as perennial purchasers needed to know about certain plants and their abilities in sun or shade, how they’re planted, you name it!
Kaye McIntyre and Eva Knutson, longtime WRHS Auxiliary members and leaders, made sure that everyone left something as a goodwill donation for their perennial plant haul. They also did an amazing job. We’re not exactly sure what these ladies told the buyers, but the goodwill gifts for the perennials ranged from $5 to $200! Kaye and Eva could not believe the $50’s and $100’s that people gave! Overall, an all-time record, $2,741 was raised for the “Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship Fund” at West River Health Services Foundation. This scholarship is awarded each year to a local high school senior graduate from our service area, who is pursuing a healthcare degree. Marin Gonzalez from Mott-Regent High School is this year’s recipient. Last year and the year before, Naomi Salazar from Hettinger High School and Arial Engel from Faith, SD received the Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship.
Also on this day, two ladies from Dickinson came down to Hettinger for their first time – as they had heard of the amazing annual perennial plant sale here. They came early morning and received a short preview – look, but don’t touch – and then were sent to the Peacock Mercantile, KB Jewelers and Runnings to shop. They were back by 1:30pm wanting in, but had to wait until 2:00pm -- like everyone else. When they finally worked their way in, the butterfly bush perennial they really wanted was already gone. They mentioned it to one of Barb’s crew and heard that Kay McIntyre had one. Then Leah Gunther offered to dig another up for Kaye, if she’d give hers to the Dickinson gals. So kind! And thoughtful, here in Hettinger. Thank you Kaye and Leah. Then the Dickinson ladies purchased “Fun Run & Walk” Raffle Tickets, which yours truly was there selling, too. Thank you to all of these ladies. “Kind”a made our day.
Special thank you to all of the 24 donors of perennial plants. Without you, there is no sale, no scholarship, no fun! And thank you to all of the perennial purchasers – you really rang up the scholarship dollars this year. Heck, we might even be able to offer two or three Auxiliary Legacy Scholarships next spring! Thank you. Best wishes to you in your plantings – may they come up every year until you have to thin them out and bring them back to us. And thank you to West River Ambulance Service for allowing us to utilize their space for the day. We appreciate the location – as do our perennial donors and buyers. We hope you found that we left it clean and tidy. Thanks also to Cindy Ham and Beth Erickson for developing posters, taking photos and promoting the event on Facebook and wrhs.com. It certainly takes a village.
Lastly, thank you to those WRHS Auxiliary Members who came before us, in 1950, the 60’s, 70’s 80’s – people like Carolyn Van Wyk, Helen Lewis, Eva Knutson and Jan Sailer in the early years and Kaye McIntyre, Dana Andress, Peggy Gunther, Staci Miller, Christi Schmitz, Stacy Chadwick and more thereafter. You had this amazingly smart idea to offer perennials as a fundraiser (no expenses, just labor to dig them up) in front of the “Town Shop” on Hettinger’s Main Street back in the 1970’s (and eventually the American Legion Club followed by the Prairie Mercantile) and now, our WRHS Ambulance Garage. With the disbanding of our WRHS Auxiliary a few years ago, our WRHS Foundation has inherited your event. Thank you. We are grateful. Your Legacy lives on via our Auxiliary Legacy Scholarship.
The next event for the West River Health Services Foundation is their 35th Annual “Fun Run & Walk” event on July 4th. Everyone is welcome to register for the 3K Run or Walk around scenic Mirror Lake by going to wrhs.com or see/call Ted at 701-567-3666 and he’ll get you a registration form. Or maybe you want to purchase $2 Raffle Tickets to possibly win nine different prizes ranging from $600 cash to $150 Mizuno running shoes. Or maybe purchase $1 Bucket Draw tickets for ten prizes ranging from a $300 Hettinger Family Swimming Pool Pass to a $25 IGA gift card? No matter – all of the net dollars accumulated from Fun Run & Walk raffle tickets, bucket draw tickets, registrations and sponsorships will be given back to area nonprofits for healthy community activities. Onward!
By Ted Uecker, WRHS Foundation