Talk of the Town: Jan. 12, 2022
BVSD Early Childhood Screening
Brandon Valley School District will conduct its annual Early Childhood Developmental Screening from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 27 at Brandon Elementary School.
Screenings are free for all children from birth to age 4 who live in the BVSD. South Dakota School for the Deaf will also provide free hearing screenings
Kindergarten screening for any child who is eligible to attend this fall will be held Feb. 28-March 11. Parents/guardians should contact the office of the school their child will attend.
To register for early childhood screening, visit brandonvalleyk12.sd.us/spec_serv or call (605) 582-3446.
‘Frost & Flannel Night’ is Friday
Brandon Valley Hockey Association invites the public to the ice at McHardy Park from 8-9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 14. Admission is $5 and skate rental is $2 Hot cocoa and s’mores will also be available.
Girls’ State Dessert Social is Jan. 15
Brandon American Legion Auxiliary invites the public to their Girls’ State Dessert Social beginning at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 15 at the Brandon VFW. The event will put the spotlight on the experiences of the Auxiliary-sponsored girls who attended South Dakota’s American Legion Auxiliary Girls’ State in 2021.
BVHA Ladies League is Wednesday nights
Brandon Valley Hockey Association Ladies League invites all women to learn and play ice hockey from 7-8 p.m. Wednesdays at the McHardy Park outdoor rink. The league is open to all levels of skaters/players. To learn more, visit bvhaladies@gmail.com.
January needs at the Brandon Food Pantry
January needs at the Brandon Area Food Pantry are saltine crackers, snack crackers, instant mashed potatoes, pizza crust mix, mustard, packaged cookies, instant oatmeal (10 count), and Stove Top Stuffing.
To make appointments for either pickups or donations, call 582-7001. The BAFP is open from 4-6 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Jan. 16 is next Military History event
Valley Springs American Legion will host Military History presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16. Former Brandon native, Nathan Abraham, will be speaking on his training and experiences as an infantryman with the 3rd Infantry Division during a 2011-12 tour to Afghanistan. The event is free and open to the public.
Wild Game Feed puts out call for donations
The Ed Polzine Wild Game Feed committee is accepting donations of wild game and live and silent auction items for its 2022 wild game feed and auction. To donate, contact one of the following committee members: Harry Buck at 366-0221; Stan Schoeneman at 366-7842; Jill Meier at 321-8423; or Todd Geerdes at 553-2786.
The wild game feed – held the Saturday evening before the Super Bowl – is Saturday, Feb. 12 at the Brandon VFW.
Jan. 16 is next Military History event
Valley Springs American Legion will host Military History presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 16. Former Brandon native, Nathan Abraham, will be speaking on his training and experiences as an infantryman with the 3rd Infantry Division during a tour to Afghanistan in 2011-12.
The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will also be served.
VS Legion Soup Supper is Jan. 21
Valley Springs American Legion will be serving up their first soup supper of the new year from 5-6:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21.
Chili, ham and bean soup, and a soup by Mindy will be the featured soups. There will also be chips, corn bread, and hot dogs for the kids.
Volunteers are welcome with preparations starting at 2:30 p.m. through cleanup (approximately 7:30 p.m.)
BVBA Bingo Night
The Brandon Valley Baseball Association will host the second of three bingo nights, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 at Tailgator’s. Eleven games of bingo will be played, with the final game of blackout for a $1,000 cash prize. The final bingo night will be held in February.
January sobriety checkpoints
A new year means another year of sobriety checkpoints held in South Dakota as a way to discourage people from drinking and then driving.
The monthly 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.
There are 15 sobriety checkpoints planned in different counties statewide during January. The counties are: Beadle, Brookings, Brown, Butte, Charles Mix, Codington, Davison, Jackson, Lawrence, Meade, Minnehaha, Pennington, Spink, Walworth 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.
Brandon Transit available to all
Brandon Transit is a public transportation service that is available to all. Services are provided from approximately 7:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Brandon Transit provides rides to medical and dental appointments, therapy, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living centers, nutrition sites, governmental offices, day care, preschool, employment, shopping areas, and grocery stores. The fee is $2 per ride or $4 round trip.
To schedule a ride, contact Brandon Transit at least one day in advance at 582-3553 between 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Monday thru Friday.
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.
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.
