Life’s Adventures Darla Heimes traveled to more places in the first 28 years of her life than many people travel in their lifetime. The kind, down-to-earth busy mother of six sat down with me one evening to explain her travels. Heimes was born in Kimball, SD, to Ray and Doris Janish. The second youngest of five girls, she loved their family farm and enjoyed helping her father with whatever chores he needed done outside. “It was a great place to grow up, I loved the farm, love the country,” she reflects. Her parents took the girls camping for a couple of weeks every August, traveling to a new location in the U.S. Their first camping excursions were in a tent camper pulled with a pickup and when they later graduated to a motor home her grandma came along. One staple in their travel locations was always a pool so the girls could go swimming. Heimes recalls a huge USA sticker map that they put on the back of their camper. They put a sticker on the map corresponding to each state that they visited and she recalls people commenting at their stops about their many travels. The family traveled so often that they hit many of the fifty states by the time Heimes had finished high school. After graduation, she took a semester of college at Black Hills State University in Spearfish, SD. Yearning to travel, she decided to switch routes and took the 12week International Travel Academy course in Rapid City. She spent the summer of that year working at the Custer State Game Lodge in Custer, SD and that winter at a ski resort in Keystone, Colorado. She had her sights on reaching a personal goal of traveling to all fifty states by the time she reached age 30. Darla Heimes & her family. Heimes was then able to connect with an Interexchange Program and found herself heading to Norway. She quickly felt at home with a very kind family that had raised beautiful Pyrennes dogs on their farm. They had 30-40 pens outside their house of beautiful show dogs, all named. Heimes’ love for the dogs remains to this day, a beautiful, friendly Pyrennes greets her own guests when they pull onto their place. “Norway is just beautiful,” she recalls. Her parents took the opportunity to travel to Norway to see their daughter. Because the There’s Only One Unique You! Just like you, your hearing loss is also unique! Work with our doctors to discover the most effective hearing device just for you. We offer several products and have extensive experience to make sure you get the hearing device that is just for you! Call us today! 605-665-0062 or toll free 866-665-0062 We’re H“ear” For You! EAR, NOSE & THROAT ASSOCIATES, P.C. 2525 Fox Run Parkway, Suite 101, Yankton 605-665-0062 • 1-866-665-0062 • www.entyankton.com 6vHERVOICEvMAY/JUNE 2017 Beth J. Beeman Au. D, CCC-A Todd A. Farnham Au. D, CCC-A