A total of 6 area individuals will be honored on Monday as recipients of the 25th annual Heart of Dakota Awards.
The awards are sponsored by the Britton Area Foundation and the Marshall County Journal. Winners will be recognized at a social and awards presentation set for the Britton Country Club on Monday. The social hour will begin at 5 p.m. with the awards being given out at 6:30 p.m.
Community members and especially past winners are encouraged to attend the event as they will be recognized.
Jill Zuehlke will receive the award for Community Involvement. Cari Price will be honored for the People’s Choice Award. Lisa Kann of Quarve Drug was named as the Customer Service winner. Keith, Kent and Karsen Holland of Holland Bros. Oil will be recognized as the Agribusiness winners.
Jill Zuehlke
Community Involvement
According to the person who nominated her, you will see this Heart of Dakota winner in Braves gear everywhere she goes and cheering the loudest…Go Big Red! You are sure to find her at the football field, baseball field, basketball court, track and arena. She doesn’t miss a moment to cheer on all athletes and give them pointers on not only the sport itself but how to be the best sportsman.
All of these attributes aptly describe the Community Involvement winner, Jill Zuehlke. Though she is originally from Hayti and a graduate of Hamlin High School, Zuehlke has been a full-blown Brave since she married into the area and moved here in the early 2000s.
Upon her arrival, she wasted no time before becoming involved in youth sports. She remembers running around the gym helping with Britton-Hecla basketball practice while pregnant with her first child.
Zuehlke explains that sports were always a part of her own upbringing as a kid with basketball being her favorite. As an adult, she still wanted to be involved in such activities and was thus a willing volunteer in many capacities.
She got increasingly involved when her son Jaxon was a third grader and started youth basketball and football. These days, she is still involved in those activities, plus plenty of others. She helps with youth archery plus has volunteered as a coach for the school’s track and volleyball teams. She was also an organizer of the newly revitalized Booster Club.
Zuehlke describes her role as a behind the scenes organizer and executer. “I help with scheduling, finding refs, planning events and organizing fundraising,” she said. Whether she is planning a football jamboree or convincing people to sit in a dunk tank at Harvest Days to benefit youth basketball, she is great in this role.
“Jill has a huge heart for the youth of our community,” said her nominator. “Her countless and probably thankless hours do not go unnoticed. Without Jill we would have a huge hole in youth athletics in our community and county. Because of her, our youth are great athletes and more importantly better people.”
For her part, Zuehlke says she enjoys giving kids the opportunity to not only compete but also learn and grow through sports. “It’s rewarding to help provide kids the option to be involved and learn the value of hard work and discipline,” she emphasized.
She attributes the success of the youth sports program in the area to great parental support. “They make my job easy,” she said. “Without all these great parents, we couldn’t make this stuff go.” She also gives a large amount of the credit to grandma Karen Zuehlke who is infinitely helpful picking up kids and helping her out as she balances her busy volunteer schedule in addition to working as a nurse practitioner at Marshall County Healthcare Center.
The Community Involvement Heart of Dakota Winners says winning the award was a pleasant surprise. “It was unexpected. I do this for the enjoyment of youth and sports and to help keep these programs rolling in our community,” she stressed.
Zuehlke is married to Brian and has four children who also love sports, Jaxon, Danika, Easton and Jerika. When she has a little time to herself, Zuehlke enjoys working out, spending time at the lake and relaxing.
Lisa Kann
Customer Service
For over 25 years, customers at Quarve Drug in Britton have opened their door to be greeted by the sunny smile and genuine caring attention that Lisa Kann delivers every day. It is because of this that Kann was named the Heart of Dakota winner for Customer Service and received two separate nominations for the award.
Kann, originally from Forman, has been in the Britton area for decades. Working various jobs through the years, she was invited to come aboard at the Britton institution that is Quarve Drug around 26 years ago by owner Cindy Bremmon. Kann explains this was shortly after her husband Clinton lost his leg in an accident, and she was looking for a change that would allow her the freedom to help him.
Through the next two decades, Kann became not just an employee at the drug store, but a fixture of the place. She is an invaluable asset to the store’s day-to-day operation. As one of her nominators noted, “Lisa is the one who orders the beautiful selection of Hallmark gifts that invite us into the store and who makes sure we always can find just the right birthday, wedding or sympathy card.”
In addition, she orders the store’s over-the-counter medicines and all the other items Quarve offers, from health and beauty, home and school supplies, gift items, toys, fabric and craft items and so much more that people in a small community depend upon.
Kann also posts charges, gets the mail, and delivers to patrons. And everything she does, she does with energy, enthusiasm and passion. The other individual that nominated her added, “Lisa goes above and beyond to help each and every one that enters Quarves…Or doesn’t enter as she will bring your items to you or run it out to your vehicle.”
The award winner herself loves that her job allows her to wear many hats. “My favorite part of the job is that I get to do a little of everything,” Kann said. “I don’t really like sitting still. I like to move around.”
When asked how she came about her stellar customer service chops, she said she learned as a child to be kind and gracious. “My mom was the type who would welcome anyone into her home,” Kann emphasized.
And all these years later, she has instilled that welcoming attitude at her place of work. “Lisa is the kind of gal who can laugh with you when you’re happy, grieve with you when things are tough, and cuss with you when the world is out to get you!,” one of her nominators stressed. “Her heart and soul are present with every single person she helps, and she helps everyone who walks into Quarve Drug.”
Kann said she enjoys the customer interaction and works to please the people who come through the door. “I try to notice the small things,” she said. "Little things can mean a great deal to people.” She explains that this means that she might spend a few minutes chatting with an elderly person while making a delivery or acting as a personal shopper for the homebound.
Kann added that after her husband lost his leg all those years ago, she became more aware of people’s need for help. In the end, the Customer Service Heart of Dakota winner shares the principle by which she operates- “Treat others as you wish to be treated.”
Cari Price
People’s Choice
This Langford-native has her hand in so many camps and dedicates so much of her time helping others, it is no wonder that the people around her felt she deserves an award. Cari Price, the winner of the People’s Choice Heart of Dakota Award, is a nurse, community volunteer and so much more.
Price admits that nursing was not her first goal as she thought about a career. She was pursuing radiology at SDSU when she experienced a complicated pregnancy that landed her newborn in the NICU. She says that certainly changed her outlook on things.
“That NICU experience and seeing what the nurses did there made me realize that is what I wanted to do the rest of my life,” emphasized Price. She went back to school at Sisseton Wahpeton Community College thanks in part to a grant from the PEO organization.
After working in Britton and a few other places, Price said she found a nice balance working at the Cancer Center in Aberdeen and as the Marshall County Community Health nurse, which she has been doing for around a decade.
In her capacity as Community Health Nurse, Price does much more than gives shots. She runs the WIC program, she promotes various health initiatives, she helped start a caregivers support group, and organizes Dental Van visits. Outside the office, she has taught helmet safety for the bike safety program and helped with babysitting classes.
For all healthcare providers, but especially Community Health folks, COVID was especially a stressful time, but Price served her community admirably. She was an investigator for the Department of Health, gave vaccinations, and educated on the ever-changing guidelines. Her nominators also added, “Cari was willing to answer COVID questions 24/7. She helped calm nerves and get people through the two years of uncertainties.”
When asked how she manages all of this, Price noted “I love our communities here in Marshall County. My goal is to help take care of others and work to fulfill the communities’ needs.”
Her nominators added, “Cari is one of those humble people who does what she can any way she can simply for the love of people.”
Though Price’s everyday occupation is a nurse, she is involved in so much more outside work. She is a member of Highlanda Lutheran Church where she is president of WELCA. During services, she acts as a lesson reader and helps with the altar candles. She also helps with children's activities and lessons during the year and at Christmas.
She helps organize the Langford Christmas Parade and Santa night. Along with her husband, Paul, she has hosted two foreign exchange students and has stayed very close to them over the years. She is also a devoted caregiver to her family and loves her dogs.
Her nominators summed up the life of this People’s Choice winner quite well: “Cari is one of those rare gems in the world who goes the extra mile - not for fortune and fame but for love — love of God, love of community, love of family and friends. Cari sees a need and does what she can to help.”
Holland Bros Oil Company
Agribusiness
The winner of this year’s Heart of Dakota Award for Agribusiness, Holland Bros. Oil Company, is a family-owned business that has been a staple in the area since 1970. What started as a fuel delivery service by Lowell Holland, father of recently retired owners, Keith and Kent Holland, it has gone through some changes through the years, developing new ways to serve the community better. Through it all, the attention to agriculture, farmers and producers has been an important part of the Holland Bros. mission.
Whether they are providing a sandwich or pizza for a farmer or truck driver to grab during a busy day or going out into the field for a producer who has broken down, they add to the agricultural stability of the area in many ways. Holland Bros. Oil currently offers on-site tractor tire repair, bulk fuel delivery, auto repair, hydraulic hose building and many other services. They also offer delivery on the farm.
Kent, who up until retirement operated the NAPA store portion of the business, explained the farm filters and hydraulic hoses they sold farmers became a significant part of the business through the years. “We also are open Saturdays and are able to order parts and have them the next day,” Kent explained. “Farmers definitely appreciate that.”
For such exemplary service, the parts store received several NAPA Five-Star Excellence awards over the years.
On the service side of the business, their assistance to farmers and ag producers cannot be measured. “We will go and fix tires any time of the day on the farm or in the field,” said Karsen, who purchased Holland Bros. this spring. They also offer 24-hour towing.
Keith who still drives the bulk fuel truck, spends a lot of time driving to farms. “We are happy that we can do that,” he said. “Whether its tires, fuel or parts, we know that farmers want to keep moving, and we’re glad to help them with that.”
For their part, their customers, whose letters of praise were included on the business’s nomination form, speak glowingly of the award winners.
KSP Farms said, “Holland Bros. Auto Center and NAPA have been providing our farm with great service for years. We are able to get all of our filters and many parts quickly and efficiently from Kent and his crew in NAPA. Keith, Karsen and the rest of the guys in the auto center have come out to the field many times whenever we need them. It’s important for us to have quick service so we can keep on farming, whether it’s in the middle of planting or harvest. We thank them for their great small-town service.”
“Holland Bros. Oil has been good to keep our farm going when we need them,” said Kurt Zuehlke. “They come out to the field or the farm when we need a tire repaired as soon as they can. They keep our vehicles running when we need servicing or repairs. They are very knowledgeable and get parts in fast if they don’t have what we need in store. The staff at Holland Bros. are very dependable when we really need them and are a great asset to our community.”
Nicole Stiegelmeier added, “As a wife of a farmer, I know they go above and beyond in helping clients, especially us farmers, with our “after hours” needs. They always give 100%!”
The Agribusiness winners said the award was unexpected but a nice acknowledgement. Both Kent and Keith agreed it is a perfect bookend to a great career at the business. Whether retired or still working hard for the business, all the Hollands are happy to do their part to keep farmers in the area busy and an important business in the area.
“The more services that we can keep in town the less chance we have of people going out of town to buy. It’s important to try and keep that business in Britton to keep the town growing,” said Keith.
