BVSD retired staff gather for annual dinner

An estimated 1,500 years of service and dedication to the Brandon Valley School District was rewarded Dec. 6 with a catered lunch – courtesy of the District.

Eighty of the 84 invitees of retired teachers, administrators, custodians, office and dietary staff gathered in the Friendship Room at Brandon Lutheran Church to enjoy a meal, entertainment and even a few door prizes before parting ways.

“I know most of those people that were there, and there’s such a huge amount of service there,” recognized Paul Lundberg, district business manager. “Approximately 1,500 years of service. That’s a heck of a lot of years of service and dedication.”

Superintendent Dr. Jarod Larson reiterated that during his address to the group.

“Upon a strong foundation, all great things are built,” Larson said, repeating those words a second time. “On behalf of the students you served, on behalf of the students currently served and on behalf of the students we will serve, I tell you, ‘thank you’ for your work and commitment which is the foundation our school district has been built on. The foundation we have built is a standard of excellence, and you were a strong, strong component of helping to develop our foundation. So, thank you.”

Bill Miller, one of four who organizes the annual luncheon with fellow former co-workers Marcy Stoltenberg, Robert Pool and Marlene Kriech, sent out 84 invites (assuming each invite was for two persons), with 80 confirming they planned to attend.

The 24-member Chamber Choir from the high school – under the direction of Terry Gullickson – entertained the former education staff with a variety of holiday numbers, followed by the meal catered by Tony’s and desserts prepared by Naome Poppe’s advanced foods class at Brandon Valley High. Following Supt. Larson’s address, came the door prizes.

“This year’s big prize,” Miller joked, “is Jack Lauer’s new Subaru,” which filled the room with some light-hearted laughter.

Two years ago, Lundberg was asked to address the group. It was then he learned the district retirees paid for their own meals. So, on Jan. 8, 2015, he wrote a letter to the BV Board of Education, requesting the district pick up the tab for the luncheon, which he said averages $1,000.

Miller said the retirees previously met at Pizza Ranch before moving to Brandon Lutheran.

“The room soon became too small for the continually-growing group,” he said. “It’s just a God-send that we’re able to come here.”

The retirees meet just one time a year with the exception of one year.

“One year there was a blizzard and school was called off, so we called this off too. It was a wash that year,” he said.