Name Change I
##25
mimitifiifltti'Al-L
690 00—00-00
is coming for
Rolla hespital
on October 1
On October 1, 2021, the name of
Presentation Medical Center, in
Rolla, will change to “SMP Health
St. Kateri.”
According to Aaron K‘. Alton,
President and CEO of SMP Health
System, the parentcompany of Pres-
entation Medical Center, “the name
change is part of an effort to update
the branding of our system and its
healthcare ministries in North Dakota
to more clearly reflect our nature as
a system as well as to emphasize our
Catholic heritage having its source in
the Sisters of Mary of the Presenta-
tion, who established their first hos-
pital in North Dakota in Bottineau in
1913.”
In addition to its North Dakota
ministries, the name of SMP Health
System will also change on October
1 to “SMP Health.”
SMP Health is a Catholic health
care system with 10 health care min-
istries located in North Dakota and
Illinois with its central office in
Fargo, ND. In central Illinois it op-
,erates a regional network, St. Mar-
' garet’s Health, comprised of two
. .. new» Theeigaifieaneeefihenew—name
hospitals and a home care agency.
for Presentation Medical Center was
explained by J .T. Kennelly, SMP
Health’s Vice President of Mission
and Formation.
‘ Kennelly said St. Kateri will be
under the patronage of St. Kateri
Tekakw‘itha, the “Lin of the Mo-
hawks,” the first and only Native
American saint. She lived in the sec-
ond half of the 17th century in what
is presently New York State. Her
family was killed by smallpox when
she 'was a small girl and she was
adopted by her aunt and uncle. The
smallpox left St. Kateri covered with
unsightly scars.
St. Kateri was baptized into the
Catholic faith at the age of nineteen
with the help of a Jesuit missionary.
As a teenager she showed no interest
in marriage. As a Christian, she took
a vow of chastity, which led to op-
pression from her. Mohawk tribe,
which she fled to join a native com—
munity of Christian converts. She of-
fered up fasting, penances, and
mortifications for forgiveness and
conversion of her Mohawk people.
St. Kateri died at the age of 24. It
is reported‘ that after her death, her
scars disappeared and her skin be-
came. radiantly beautiful. She was
canonized by Pope Benedict XVI in
2012 and is currently, the only Native
AmeriCan saint.
Chris Albertson, CEO of Presenta-
tion Medical Center, says that a paint-
ing of St. Kateri by lcoalartist Bennett
Brien has been commissioned by
SMP Health St. Kateri to be perma—
nently displayed in the hospital.
698 258
SMALL TOWN PAPERS
927 W RAILROAD AVE
SHELTON. WA 985M384?
A nose for cookies
, Rolette students took part in their annual homecoming class com-
petitions Friday afternoon. This partictrlar game involved getting a
cookie from forehead to mouth with no hands. For more on the events,
please turn to pages 8 and 9.
2017.
’90,
p . : MuSt-see in
The Star. .,
$58 million project ...‘...,.....Page 3' 1
‘A counting’ issuer............Page 4“
Big-bank donation .......,.....Page 6
Homecoming courts Pages 9, '20
Harvest considerations....-..Pa’ge 16 ,
,. e -_ 39,: ea ., H I” ‘95! (saggy-a- s;
September 27, 2021
Volume 134 Number 47
'Two Sections $1
Rolla, North Dakota 58367
aki‘
By Jason Nordmark
Of The Star
The death of a son is part of Gaillord Peltier’s life
every day. He grapples with it, contemplates it and
ultimately lives with it.
“We all deal with death differently,” Peltier said
to a crowd gathered for a Suicide Prevention Month
walk sponsored by Indian Health Service’s Depart-
ment of Health and Human Service. “Every day I
hurt. Every day is a struggle.”
Peltier was the featured speaker at the event and
did not hold back during an often emotional talk re-
lating the details surrounding the death of his son,
Adam Peltier, who committed suicide on August 24,
“I love talking about-my boy, even if he cannot be
here physically,” Peltier told the crowd. “My son is
on my mind every night when I go to bed and every
'V morningwhen I wake up.”
Unfortunately,‘the Peltier family is one of-many'
families in the area and state dealing with the same
’ tragedy.
1 According to 2020 data from the American Foun—
dation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the ninth
leading cause of death in North Dakota. For resi-
dents age 10 to 24 in the state, taking one’s own life
is the leading cause of death. ‘
In 2017, the year Adam died, more than three
times as many people died by suicide in North
Dakota than in alcohol—related motor vehicle acci—
dents.
‘ Gaillord talked openly about his son’s struggles
p’rior‘to his death, but he also took time to relay
Adam’s impact on others during his short life. The
youngmanulovedmusicand prowess on. both the
pow wow grounds"and‘basketball'cofirts across the
state. He also loved to hunt and filled a'once-in—a-
lifetime moose tag. v 1
“Adam also loved the Native ways,” Gaillord
said. “He would play his pow wow music for all his
friends. It was him saying ‘this is who I am.”’
Gaillord said the month leading up to Adam’s
death brought together a string of circumstances that
he thinks of often. One comment his son made about
having “nothing to live for,” was particularly alarm-
mg.
At the time, Gaillord was dealing with a serious
Dealing with death
Event promotes awareness of troubling tren
« .. slim-rum“
Gaillord Peltier talks about his son,
Adam, during a‘Suicide Awarenss‘ Month
event held at the Turtle Mountain High
School Track.
medical issue and preparing for surgery. The father
and son did get to talk, however, but Gaillord said he
couldn’t get a direct handle on what his son was
thinking.
“My son knew what he was going to do at that
time,” Gaillord said. “I’m saddened that I didn’t see
it and I’m going to struggle with it the rest of my
life.”
Recent studies have shown that suicide is be-
Trend
(Continued on Page 9)
Schoolalterspolicy after dealing with COVIDcase
By Jason Nordmark
Of The Star
The Rolette School Board altered
its COVID policy at a meeting last
week after dealing with a case earlier
this month. I
The new’plan, which passed unan-
im‘ously, mandates that students who
show symptoms of the disease while
in school must wear a mask while
waiting for their parent or guardian
to pick them up. ’
In addition, the new rule requires
symptomatic students to provide
proof of a negative COVID test 'or
show no symptoms prior to returning
to school. Prior to the approval of last
week’s plan, there was no mask re—
quirements, nor any requirement for
proof of testing.
“The is absolutely not a mask
mandate,” said Superintendent Wade
Sherwin during last week’s board
meeting, which included some .pa-
trons of the district in attendance.
in the school mask-free for three days
After 11 years as Rolette School su-
perintendent and'three decades in
education, Wade Sherwin resigned
from the post at the end of last
week’s sch-ool‘board meeting».
Sherwin will stay on the job until
December 31. ‘ '
In making the motion
Sherwin’s decision to retire, board you’ve done,” she said.‘
member Jim Odden said, “I’d rather ' '
not, but I know it’s what you want.”
Board president Ryan‘Pederson
accept
School Board President Ryan Pe—
Superintendent steps down, 5
COVIDpIays a roll in deCiSion
got .a little emotional in discussing
the superintendent’s departure. “It’s
going to be tough to find a replace-
ment who has as much heart for kids
as you.”
SUperintendent
Board member’ Lori Knudson also
expressed her appreciation for Sher-
win’s efforts. “Thanks for everything
(Continued on Page 7)
wear a mask. I would give a lot of lat-
itude to the administration and it’s
the responsibility of parents as well.”
Some of the discussion around the
issue revolved around when poten—
tially symptomatic students could re-
turn to school and steps those
families would have to take.
High School Principal Levi
Gourneau said if a student is sent
‘ home on ‘.a Tuesday and returns
Thursday without a negative COVID'
test, it could present issues.
“We can recommend, but not de-
mand, that kids wear a mask,” said
Gourneau, citing current school pol-
icy. However, he also brought up a
the “COVID scare” of a fewweeks
ago in which there Were 25 to 30 stu— .
dents potentially facing quarantine
for seven days. .
“This is what almost happened
and maybe at some point will hap-
pen,” Goumeau said earlier in the
“If it’s too co1d,wete11kids to put meeting before later adding that
“we
Sherwin lfiid 011} some} generalities after showing symptoms. He said the
terson offered support for the idea, on hats and gloves and boots,”
Peter-
Of the an 11191dent 111 Wthh a StUdent incident raised a lot of potential
quar- equating it to actions taken during son said. “Absolutely if
someone has
tested POSHIVe for COVID and Was antine issues for the district. winter
recess. (COVID) symptoms, they should
Policy
(Continued on Page 7)
Hospital
(Continued on Page 2)
Another wind toWer project inches toward possible Sale
By Jason Nordmark to relay information regarding a project that with a
potential buyer are currently ongoing. progress the last few years. Border
Power had to every company in the wind business but
Of The Star initially began in 2010. It was the first such “We have a
company that is interested in a signed agreement with a developer a few
this outfit came looking for us,” Rost said.
It’s steady as she goes, or at least as steady meeting in a couple of
years. COVID-19 and us,” Rost said. “We can’t release the infor—
years ago but the wind tower business went “It’s been kind of like a
roller coaster but I’m
as the wind blows, for officials in Rolette a standstill in progress were
two of the mation yet but this isn’t a fly by night outfit. into
decline and the deal fell apart. Rost said very optimistic.”
who are continuing to pursue a possible wind biggest reasons shareholders
haven’t met. It’s a big company and we hope to know the biggest
difference with this potential new The potential wind farm would be located
.
farm. Randy Rost is currently the chairman ,of more for certain in a couple
of weeks.” deal is the size of the company involved and Wind Towers
Border Power, LLC held an annual meet- Border Power. According to Rost,
although The negotiationsare the biggest step for— the interest it has
shown. C t. d P 7
ing with shareholders last month in Rolette nothing is official,
substantive negotiations ward for an endeavor that hasn’t had much “We
have spent time trying'to get letters ( on "we on age )
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