Vernetta Waltner

Schmeckfest draws national attention, said Vernetta Waltner, president of the Freeman Academy Auxiliary, which sponsors the ethnic festival.Coincidentally, Waltner is the granddaughter of Celia Flyginger, who headed the Freeman Junior College Auxiliary when the first Schmeckfest was held.
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The influx of so many visitors has required the helping hands of the entire community and region, Waltner said.In turn, the festival has built community bonds, she said.

Schmeckfest has come a long way since that first one-evening event in 1959, she said.

"I was 5 years old at the time, and I only remember standing in line," she said."I don't even remember the eating, just all the people."

The Auxiliary members realized they had started a new tradition, Waltner said."It grew immediately," she said.

Now, Schmeckfest draws national attention and thousands of visitors, Waltner said."We have busloads of people coming from Minnesota, Iowa and Kansas.We have (alumni) classes at the academy that treat it like a reunion," she said.
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But Schmeckfest has shown its ability to innovate over the years, Vernetta Waltner said.She pointed to the introduction of the musical after years of holding a variety program and even a basketball game as part of Schmeckfest.

Pankratz truly has invested in future generations with his donation, one of the largest in school history, said Vernetta Waltner, the school's development director.
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"Doc (Pankratz) said, if it was going to be a $2 million project, he would put up half," Waltner said.
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Pankratz is one of many generous donors for the school, opened around 1900, Waltner said.
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Sterling Hall represents the first facility construction on campus since the 1960s and the first construction for activities since the 1940s, Waltner said.
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To make room for Sterling Hall, the Industrial Arts building was razed after last year's Schmeckfest, Waltner said.
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The Sterling Hall groundbreaking was held last May, Waltner said.Spring and fall rains, combined with construction delays, prevented the facility from meeting its Jan. 1 completion target date, she added.

However, a basketball game was played in the gym last month so the seniors could say they had one contest in Sterling Hall, Waltner said.
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In fact, Freeman Academy has already been put into the rotation for hosting district basketball tournaments because of the new gym, Waltner said.
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Because Sterling Hall has no stage, kitchen or dining room, the school graduations and Schmeckfest musical and meals will continue to be housed in Pioneer Hall, Waltner said.
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Waltner emphasized that the Schmeckfest proceeds support Freeman Academy's general operation and are not used for the Sterling Hall fund drive.The school is still accepting donations for the activities center, she said.
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Sterling Hall reflects the dedication which has kept Freeman Academy strong for more than a century, Waltner said.

The school has struggled to find space for music and theater events, particularly during basketball season, said Vernetta Waltner, development director for Freeman Academy.It will also be used for community events.

"We're hoping that the community will be able to find a lot of use for it," Waltner said.

"We have been looking at building a facility like this for about a year," she said.

Vernetta Waltnervwaltner@freemanacademy.orgDevelopment

Vernetta Waltner, Athletic Dir.

vwaltner@freemanacademy.org PO Box 1000

605-925-4237 Freeman, SD 57029

GETTYSBURG

Vernetta Waltner, Athletic Dir. 44159 274th Street

vwaltner@freemanacademy.pvt.k12.sd.us 605-925-4237

The mercury is rising in the Freeman Academy fund-raising thermometer, as development director Vernetta Waltner and principal-athletic director Nathan Epp show off the progress on the Sterling Hall activities center.
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The Legacy Campaign forms part of an overall long-range plan for Freeman Academy, said Development Director Vernetta Waltner.

"We are hoping to increase our enrollment to 120 to 140 students.The board has accepted that as a five- to six-year goal," she said.
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Once they see the campus offerings, parents of the daycare children may eventually decide to enroll their pre-school and elementary students at Freeman Academy, Waltner added.

While the Legacy Campaign focuses on the long-range future, the campaign will see a major improvement when the Sterling Hall activities center opens later this year.

Freeman Academy alumnus Dr. Duane Pankratz has committed to covering half of the estimated $1.7 million cost of the project, Waltner said.
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That's why the fund-raising campaign for the center is known as ÔHorns and Hoops'," Waltner said.
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Pioneer Hall, which now houses athletic events, will be used as a secondary gym facility and upgraded for plays, fine arts and the annual Schmeckfest, Waltner said.

Waltner emphasized that the Legacy Campaign will not replace ongoing fund-raising or the Schmeckfest, a major fund-raiser which brings thousands of visitors to campus.

"Schmeckfest will still play a huge part of our operating budget," she said.

For further information about these plans, contact Development Director Vernetta Waltner at (605) 925-4237.