The annual awards banquet isa time to celebrate the previ-ous year’s accomplishments of

each person supported by NHTC.On Sunday, January 27, nearly 400people supported, family, friends, andstaff gathered at the Spearfish HolidayInn & Convention Center for a ban-quet and celebration. A power pointpresentation showed individual pic-tures of each person supported andevents and activities in which theyparticipated. During the banquet, wealso remembered our five friendswho passed away in 2012. Thesefriends include: Robert Noziska,Kassie Worsech, David Cox, RachelWidow, and Joe Panek. Buck Long,the 2011 Achiever of the Year, gavethe blessing before the meal. To cele-brate the people supported, each

name was read while presentations ofachievement statements were made.Additionally, two people supportedreceived special awards. Diane Rose,was recognized as the Achiever of theYear, and David Long received theSpirit of NHTC. Throughout its 37years, NHTC has developed a num-ber of meaningful partnerships with

areas businesses. This year we wereproud to present Dr. Jonathan Reth ofSpearfish Family Dentistry with theCommunity Patron Award and Greggand Sarah Dittman of Black HillsPure with the Employer of the YearAward. Thank you to everyone whoattended and made this annual eventspecial for those NHTC supports.

38th Annual Awards Banquetwww.nhtc.org Our goal is to help others reach theirs. Spring 2013

Black Hills PureEmployer of the Year

Dr. Jonathan RethCommunity Patron

Diane RoseAchiever of the Year

David LongSpirit of NHTC

New Directions is published four times ayear for friends of Northern Hills TrainingCenter, a nonprofit organization that pro-vides vocational and independent livingservices to empower adults with disabilities,encouraging all to strive for their ultimatepotential in all aspects of their lives. Permis-sion to copy articles is granted, when appro-priate credit is given. NHTC does not givelegal or tax advice. For this information,contact your attorney or tax advisor.

NHTC Board of DirectorsShawn Rost, President

Greg Kruskamp, Vice PresidentKaren Bridges, Secretary/TreasurerEd Furois, Don Aaker, Russ Graesser

Fred RomkemaChief Executive Officer

Linda WilliamsChief Operations Officer

Dean ReuerInformation Technology

Mackenzie Aalbu, RNDirector of Nursing

Chris DavisNHTC Public Relations

Peg HolmquestAdministrative Assistant

Sandra NelsonChief Financial Officer

Shelly BakebergAccounting Specialist

Gary PummelProgram Manager, Tinton

Ryan AalbuProgram Manager, Harvard

Laura WendlandDirector of Service Coordination

Deb LeigeQuality Management Coordinator

Dan CrossStaff Development Coordinator

Julie LewandowskiVocational Aide

Cheryl Rohlf and Amy MackProgram Mangers – Residential

April GaleaNHTC Connections Program Manager

Administration, Workshop625 Harvard Street

Spearfish, SD 57783-1897605-642-2785 Fax: 605-642-5069

Email: romkema@nhtc.orgWebsite: www.nhtc.org

NHTC Connections522 W. Jackson 605-569-0987

Housing730 Harvard 605-559-0201

Cypress Suites 605-559-01411005 Canyon Street 605-717-10051015 Canyon Street 605-717-1015

King Street Apartments 605-645-6022815 34th Street 605-717-8150

Ryan Road Apartments1620 Ryan Road 605-717-1620

Hill Street ApartmentsHill Street Main Floor 605-717-7287Hill Street Supervised 605-559-0363

Northern Hills Training Center New Directions ✵ www.nhtc.org2

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If you are a member of Facebook, view the NHTC Facebook page by searching for Northern Hills Training Center.

Message from the CEOBy Linda Williams, COO

Aristotle tells us that we are the sum ofour actions and motivation. His wordsresonate with me personally. I appreciatethe premise that an individual’s cumula-

tive actions can result in a fantastic end product. At NHTCwe have taken this even further. We have taken action thisyear and we have done so collectively and I can only paytribute to the outcome. We have had a remarkable year andthe organization has grown from strength to strength.

I have been fortunate this year to learn a great deal. I havelearned that NHTC is the sum of all our actions and thateach person supported, staff members, parents, the com-munity, and the Board of Directors have all acted togetherto further enhance and develop motivation and excellenceat NHTC.

I have seen our BOD give focus and knowledgeable expert-ise to provide solid financial and strategic direction. I havewitnessed families and the community, give selflessly andenthusiastically in a fellowship and supportive role. We aregrateful for the positive and motivating role that they haveplayed this year.

I have learned that the staff at NHTC is a remarkable groupof individuals whose collective actions deserve our thanksand admiration. We need to find the words to thank a staffmember and to pay tribute to their actions and motivationfor the guiding and nurturing role that they play on a dailybasis in the lives of the people they support.

We are all destined to make choices and those choices dolargely control our actions. I am most fortunate and grate-ful that NHTC is filled with so many motivated peoplewho make positive choices, which ultimately lead to somany meaningful and productive actions.

NHTC NORTHERN HILLSTRAINING CENTER

Congratulations are in order…Blue Diamond Award Winner

3Northern Hills Training Center New Directions ✵ www.nhtc.org

Carl Edwards retires.Congratulations to Carl Edwards

on his retirement after working at

NHTC for 35 years. Carl served as

our Admissions Coordinator and

Information Technology guru and

was very involved with Special

Olympics. We wish him the best.

Chris, Kari and Dana Donating

Letters We LikeFrom United Blood Services… The patients and families

who benefit from the recent blood drive will be forever grate-ful for all of your hard work on this community service.United Blood Services would like to thank you for coordinat-ing the Northern Hills Training Center blood drive on No-vember 15, 2012. Our appreciation goes out to the NorthernHills Training Center as well as the volunteers who offeredtheir assistance with this drive, and special thanks are in orderfor every blood donor who set time aside to give the ultimategift of life… we were able to collect 40 units.

2012 Fourth Quarter:

Nominees:Courtney Collins, DSP at Cypress

Christina Adams, DSP at 1015 Canyon

Ron McArthur, Maintenance

Corny Klein, Maintenance

Sierra Herren, DSP at Ryan Road

Nick Harford, PTA

Christy Ballert, DSP in Monitored

Aaron Velez, DSP at Ryan Road

AshleyWientjesAshley was nominated while working at Hill Street-Congregate.

Northern Hills Training Center New Directions ✵ www.nhtc.org4

Holiday Fun

With the intent of making “activity” fun, the NHTC Wellness Com-mittee has purchased items for an Activity Box. Items include: hulahoops, jump ropes, hand weights, fit

balls, medicine ball, inflatable bowling set, tram-poline, and inflatable balls. The box is locatedin the lunch room and is available during lunch,coffee breaks, and when BHSU student, JordynJohnson, comes weekly to lead a variety of ac-tivities. “Spring into Fitness” activity items havealso been purchased for each residence. Purchaseof these items was made possible through a grantfrom the South Dakota Department of Health.

Activity Box

Above: Presents under the treeRight: Darla and JackieBelow: Ugly sweater contestants

Above: Santa visits NHTCBelow: Harvard 2 decorations

Northern Hills Training Center New Directions ✵ www.nhtc.org 5

Annual Banquet

Left to right: Patty and Heidi; Gerad and Valerie;

Tashina and Matt; Hula hoop basketball

Clockwise from left:

Kevin and Sarah

Dan and Pal

Cypress residents

Sarah and Alisha

JC and Diana

Jackie Juhala was appointed byformer Gov. Michael Rounds tothe Planning Council on Devel-

opmental Disabilities. Her appoint-ment began July 1, 2010 and willcontinue through June 30, 2013.Jackie serves on a committee whichreviews proposals for grant fundingnot covered by other organizations.Jackie is also a member of PeopleFirst, a civic organization which offerspresentations on the rights and lan-guage of people with disabilities. Peo-ple First meets at NHTC on the 2nd

Tuesday of each month. As a memberof Spearfish United MethodistChurch, Jackie will take part in an ad-vocacy service on Sunday, March 3.

JoAnne Cleveland was also appointedby Gov. Rounds to serve on the Plan-ning Council on Developmental Dis-abilities. She also serves on the SouthDakota Coalition of Citizens withDisabilities. In her roles on thesecommittees, JoAnne participates inDisability Awareness Day at the statecapitol. This year, she will be joined

by Eric Bowers and Alisha Hanson,who are member of the SouthDakota Advocacy Council.

6 Northern Hills Training Center New Directions ✵ www.nhtc.org

Help savepostage andprinting costs!Receive NHTC’s newslet-ter, “New Directions” byemail or read it on-line.Either option is availableby visiting www.nhtc.orgBe sure to let Peg knowif you no longer wish to have the newslettersent to you at yourpostal address. holmquest@nhtc.org or605-642-2785, Ext. 201.

Local Advocacy News…

The Special Olympics Steer-ing Committee was createdto get NHTC; Spearfish

Schools; Special Olympic coaches;and Myles Kennedy, Chairman ofthe Special Olympics South DakotaBoard of Directors, together to shareideas and updates. Myles shares whatis going on at the state level and therest of the committee shares what iscurrently taking place with the localsports teams.

SpecialOlympics

Josh Steinhauer and Ammee Schwender areparticipating in Partners in Policy Making, asix-month program which teaches parentsand self-advocates the power of advocacy tochange the way people with disabilities aresupported, viewed, taught, live and work.They are supported in the program by Voca-tional Aide, Julie Lewandowski. These threeindividuals will graduate in April.

Top left: Josh with Governor Dougaard. Bottom: The governor poses with the class.

Partners in Policy Making

Northern Hills Training Center New Directions ✵ www.nhtc.org 7

UpcomingEvents

Builder ($1000-4999)Bob & Neeley Fox

Sustainer ($500-999)OSLC Quilters

Advocate ($150-499)David & Carole Cuny

BHFCU-Roger HeacockBoyd Waara

Friend ($50-$149)Doyle Odell and Deby

Clara ChristensenMarcella GundersonMick & Jane Dowdy

Thomas GormleyElizabeth BenningJytte & Jim Bowers

Jorge & Shirley JohnsonGene & Diane Haivala

Neighbor ($1-$49)Joanne Coyle

Bill & Pat Ohnemus

Thank YouFor Thinking

Of NHTC& donating to NHTC,

Friends of NHTC Foundation &

NHTC Connections:

Our SaviorsLutheran Church

for providing space for our Christmas party

OSLC Quiltersfor thirteen quilts

Michelle Clarkfor stocking caps

Yvonne’s Yarn Shopfor winter hats

Avera and Rapid Regional

for conducting the health screen forNHTC’s Avera enrollees

Northern Hills Area CASA

for t-shirts

Black Hills Power and BHSU

for basketball game tickets

Thank you to our donors:November 14, 2012 - January 14, 2013

February 13“Diabetic Medication & Reducing Risks” Presentation

February 21Parent/Guardian Group Meeting

February 24Polar Plunge for Special Olympics

March 2-3NHTC at the Spearfish Optimist Home Show

May 11NHTC Run & Ride

www.giveblackhills.org

New way to donate:To donate online, visit:

625 Harvard Street • Spearfish, SD 57783-1897

Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit No. 51

Spearfish, SD 57783

Are We Connecting?Please let us know if we need to correct or deleteyour address on our mailing list. Contact Peg at605-642-2785, ext. 201 or email your addresschanges to: holmquest@nhtc.org

This transit agency is committed to providing non-discriminatory service. To request more information or to file a discrimination complaint, contact this transitagency or the South Dakota Department of Transportation at (605) 773-3574.

NHTC Run & Ride

Or contact Chris Davis at 642-2785 x232 or davis@nhtc.org

Register Online at:www.raceit.com

Saturday, May 118:30am

at Northern HillsTraining Center