n KRAMER continued from page 21 “It’s usually the older kids who are used to things being one way who are upset when they really like a product and we have to change the recipe or not offer it anymore,” she said. “For example, taking out the shake machines was a big deal for a lot of middle school and high school students. We just don’t have control over those regulations.” Kramer has tried to find other ways to treat the students, though. “We don’t really do desserts any more, so I have little paper trays that students can fill up with fruits and veggies if they are still hungry after their meal,” she said. “A lot of the older students, especially boys, are still hungry after their meal, so they will eat more fruit or lettuce to get them through. I think that’s a great habit for them to take into adulthood. So many kids don’t eat fruit and vegetables at home.” Because Kramer saw there was a need to expose children to more fruits and vegetables and that children were hungry in the afternoon, she sought to bring a Fruit and Vegetable program to the district. “The program provides a fruit or vegetable snack to elementary school students,” she said. “We really want to expose them to new foods they may not have seen before and get them in the habit of eating fruits and vegetables as a snack.” Kramer also started the very successful Summer Food Program that provides a free lunch to any children who show up. “The Summer Food Program is just fun,” she said. “The kids are so appreciative and the staff who work there during the summer say it is one of the favorite parts of their jobs. I love it because it’s a little more one-on-one with the kids than we get during the school n YANKTON COLLEGE continued from page 20 offered quality education in theology, drama, music and athletics. A Licensed Ministry Program was developed, training and graduating over 40 students to serve remote small churches within the UCC of South Dakota and North Dakota. Yankton College was offered the opportunity for a new home, as time went on, when the City of Yankton and the Yankton School District were building a new common-use facility and needed alternate financial assistance to fund a mini-theater. The YC trustees were approached and they approved to contribute funds for the 106-seat theater named for Yankton College. Office space was included in the arrangement and available on a 30-year lease through 2024. By entering the agreement, the board reasoned it offered the opportunity of a continuing association with education consistent with Joseph Ward’s goals and provided greater visibility in the community. It is thirty years since the campus doors suddenly closed and Yankton College continues with a vibrant existence! A nineteen member Board of Trustees gather twice a year to oversee the alumni relations, finances, scholarship awards, programming and legacy of Yankton College. Another nineteen make up the Alumni Advisory Board and meet concurrently with the BOT to assist with alumni outreach. A three-person staff manages the day-to-day operations and volunteers (mostly alums) assist with projects. Dr. Charles N. Kaufman currently serves as the fifteenth president. Alumni outreach is still emphasized. Living alums are fewer (the youngest are in their fifties) but the memories and connections from their “Yankton experience” continue to grow. This is evident 22 v HERVOICE MAY/JUNE 2014 year.” As a direct testament to how innovative she is, Kramer was recently recognized as one of only five nationwide School Nutrition Heroes by the School Nutrition Association and its philanthropic arm, School Nutrition Foundation. Kramer traveled to Washington, D.C., and was honored at a gala event in early March. “It was a very nice night, but the best part was we received $1,000 for the Sack Pack program,” she said. “I also ended up sitting next to the CEO of Jennie-O Turkey and we began chatting. Jennie-O ended up sending us coupons for turkey products to put into the Sack Packs.” In addition to the cash award, Kramer said the attention for the Sack Pack program and the Angel Fund means more to her than the recognition. “I have received several letters and congrats, and most of them have come with a donation to the Sack Pack or Angel Fund,” she said. “Raising awareness for the programs is really the best thing ever.” Being involved in the outreach programs is personally rewarding also, Kramer said. “There are so many great volunteers I get to meet with each week, and it is so much fun,” she said. “At the school I have great employees who help me and make me look good. It is the same with the boards and volunteers I work with it’s easy to look good when you have so many great people helping you.” Although Kramer is helping others, she said she is also getting just as much back. “When you get involved, you get back more than you’d ever imagine,” she said. n By Tera Schmidt when nearly 300 YC alums continue to attend the All-Class Reunions in Yankton every two years. 3000 alumni receive annual mailings; 1000 receive a monthly E-newsletter and a detailed website includes on-line shopping for YC apparel and souvenirs. The U.S. Federal Prison Camp is a camp(us) providing inmates a non-traditional education. It has been continually mindful of the 103-year history of YC and what it means to the alumni and the community. Inmates renovated and maintain the historic buildings. A representative from YC serves on their Community Relations Board. Campus tours are permitted every YC reunion complete with viewing a floral display on Observatory Hill designed to pay tribute to the college. By 2024, Yankton College should have a permanent home within the walls of the historic Mead Building, as part of a preliminary agreement with the Dakota Territorial Museum and the Yankton County Historical Society, answering pleas from alumni that YC continue a physical presence in Yankton for future generations. Historic documents, student records and college memorabilia will be on permanent display and there will be a procedure for administering YC scholarships in perpetuity. Today, Yankton College Forever is the banner that the trustees proudly wave - to which they examine ways to assure that YC does, indeed, live forever – long beyond the lives of the alumni. Hail! Yankton College! For more information, contact Jan at Yankton College by phoning (605) 665-3661 or visit www.yanktoncollege.org n By Jan Garrity