Talk of the Town: August 11, 2021
BTA’s Big Apple Open
Doubles Tennis Mixer
The Brandon Tennis Association will host the 2021 Big Apple Open Doubles Tennis Mixer on Friday, Aug. 27 at the Brandon Valley Community Tennis Complex. Check in and warm up is from 6-6:30 p.m. and short set doubles matches (men’s, women’s, mixed doubles) will be played from 6:30-9 p.m.
Cost is $10 per person. To register, sign up on the BTA’s Facebook page or text (605) 359-6677
Coffee with the Council
Coffee with the Council is scheduled from 9-10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 at Kingbird Coffee, 509 N. Splitrock Blvd. Brandon city council members will be on hand to discuss topics of concern for city residents.
Ben Clare UMC ice cream social
Ben Clare United Methodist’s annual ice cream social (and supper) is planned from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14 at the church, 26762 Ben Clare Ave., Valley Springs. Bouncy houses will also be available for kids’ play.
BVHS schedule change days set
Schedule change days for Brandon Valley High School students are Monday, Aug. 16 for juniors and seniors and Tuesday, Aug. 17 for sophomores and freshmen. Appointments are required and students must present a schedule change form signed by a parent/guardian. Visit the BV School District website, brandonvalley.K12.sd.us and go to the high school link to sign up for an appointment.
Valley Springs Legion meetings
Valley Springs American Legion meetings will be held Monday, Aug. 16 at the Post Home. The Sons of the Legion meet at 6 p.m., followed by the Legion meeting at 7 p.m.
Pillow cleaning service at BLC
Brandon Lutheran Church will serve as the host site for a pillow cleaning service from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 17. All types of bed pillows – feather, foam, down, fiber fill, etc. – may be cleaned.
Brandon Area Prayer Breakfast is Aug. 20
The Brandon Area Prayer Breakfast is planned for Friday, Aug. 20 at Brandon Valley High School. A light breakfast will be served in the commons from 6:30 to 7 a.m., followed by the 7 a.m. program in the Performing Arts Center.
Sharing the message this year is Trenton Bass with Game Plan 4 Hope.
Tickets are $10 each or $75 for sponsorship of a table. Students are free, courtesy of event sponsors.
On Sept. 8, 2017, Bass suffered a serious and life-changing neck injury while playing football for Hills-Beaver Creek. He will share his message, “Faith and Friendship in Adversity: The Trenton Bass Story.”
Tickets are $10 each or $75 for sponsorship of a table. Students are free, courtesy of event sponsors.
Sioux Falls to host VA Show & Shine
Sioux Falls VA will serve as the host site for the VA Show & Shine from 5:30-8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 18. The show is open to all vehicles and cycles. There is no entry fee and dash plaques will be awarded for categories, along with door prizes.
To pre-register, visit surveymonkey.com/r/VF67FVK by 4 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16.
The Big Red Rawkit Riot Band will perform and food trucks will be on-site.
To learn more, email Jamie.maxymuik@va.gov or call 336-3230, ext. 6851.
Brandon Area Prayer Breakfast is Aug. 20
The Brandon Area Prayer Breakfast is planned for Friday, Aug. 20 at Brandon Valley High School. A light breakfast will be served in the commons from 6:30 to 7 a.m., followed by the 7 a.m. program in the Performing Arts Center.
Sharing the message this year is Trenton Bass with Game Plan 4 Hope. On Sept. 8, 2017, Bass suffered a serious and life-changing neck injury while playing football for Hills-Beaver Creek. He will share his message, “Faith and Friendship in Adversity: The Trenton Bass Story.”
Tickets are $10 each or $75 for sponsorship of a table. Students are free, courtesy of event sponsors.
VS Legion BBQ on tap for Aug. 20
Valley Springs American Legion will be serving up a BBQ fundraiser from 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20. Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, barbeques, calico beans, chips, coleslaw, condiments and drinks are on the menu. Proceeds will be directed to the South Dakota Honor Flight program.
We Salute ALL Veterans Ball being planned
Brandon VFW Post 4726 is organizing the First Annual Military Ball, planned for 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23 at the Post Home. All veterans and a guest are invited for a night of food, dancing and fun. Tickets are $40 per person, which includes a catered meal, deejay and silent auction. The event is formal and a limited number of tickets will be sold.
August sobriety checkpoints announced
Ten sobriety checkpoints in eight counties are planned throughout South Dakota during August.
The monthly checkpoints, held at various times and locations, are designed to discourage people from drinking and then driving. The checkpoints are funded by the South Dakota Office of Highway Safety and conducted by the South Dakota Highway Patrol with the help of local law enforcement.
August checkpoints are scheduled for the counties of: Beadle, Brown, Codington, Davison, Lake, Lincoln, Minnehaha and Yankton.
Officials remind drivers not to drink and drive regardless of whether there is a checkpoint planned in their county. People who have been drinking are urged to designate a sober driver or take an alternate form of commercial or public transportation.
Splitrock Lutheran seeks donations of kids’ books
Splitrock Lutheran Church is collecting lightly-used or new children’s books for ages toddler through sixth grade for the foundation, Live Like Cat. The foundation donates books to various learning institutions. The program was established after 19-year-old Caitlyn Carmen, a special education major at the University of South Dakota, died as the result of a car accident. Her family started the foundation to carry on her legacy.
Books should be brought to the church.
Communicate with the city
City of Brandon utilizes a text messaging service to keep the public in the know. To sign up for this service, text “Brandon” to 33222 for notification of snow alerts, water conservation alerts, water main breaks, street closures, etc.
Text “Brandonpool” to 33222 for pool opening and closing dates, closures due to weather, etc.
When registering, auto correct tends to add a space. Subscribers to this service will receive a return message saying, “Welcome to…”
To register, type 33222 in the text message as the number and then type the “Keyword” above in the message line of the text, just the word not the quotations. Residents will need to subscribe to each one for notifications of all three, and may opt out at any time.
Farmer’s Market open weekly in Brandon
The Farmer’s Market in Brandon is open for the season in Brandon from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays in the parking lot at 515 N. Splitrock Blvd. The event features local vendors, food trucks and live music every Saturday through October.
‘In the Bag’ Cornhole Tourney set for Sept. 11
Brandon Valley Hockey Association is staging their second annual “In the Bag” Cornhole Tournament (two-person teams), beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 11 at Bottoms Up in Corson. Cost is $35 per person. Cash prizes for first and second places will be paid out.
To learn more, go to the BVHA’s Facebook page.
TOPS open to all
The Brandon chapter of TOPS, “Take Off Pounds Sensibly,” meets at 9 a.m. Mondays at Brandon Lutheran Church, 600 E. Holly Blvd. Participants should park in the east parking lot and use the main entrance, far right door. Once inside, turn right and follow the positive and uplifting conversation.
TOPS is for both men and women, and the group’s purpose is to encourage, motivate and support one another.
Brandon Senior Citizens
The Brandon Senior Citizens meet at 12:30 p.m. every Thursday at the VFW for Bingo, cards socializing and coffee. All seniors are welcome.
Al-Anon meetings in Brandon
Al-Anon meets from 8-9 p.m. every Tuesday at Brandon Lutheran Church, 600 E. Holly Blvd.
