As of Monday, Aug. 30, the South Dakota Department of Health’s website reports that approximately 61.8 percent of state residents 12 years of age or older have received at least one shot of the COVID-19 vaccines with 56.2 percent completing vaccination. Utilizing population data from data.census.gov and vaccination data from the South Dakota Department of Health, approximately 59.5 percent of the population in Sanborn County 10 years of age and older have received at least one shot of a COVID-19 vaccination and 55.8 percent have complete vaccination. Sanborn County has the highest population vaccinated among surrounding counties. The population of people 10 years of age and older vaccinated with at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in Jerauld County is 51 percent, Miner County is at 55.4 percent, Davison County is at 57.3 percent, Beadle County is at 54.5 percent and Aurora County is at 52.1 percent. Due to how data is reported by the Census Bureau on its website, the county population numbers utilized contain children 10 and 11 years old even though they are not able to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, making the county vaccination percentages in the report slightly lower.

…Read on in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!

Audra Scheel, of rural Jerauld County and Sanborn County 4-H youth program adviser, has earned the title of Woman Farmer/Rancher of the Year. She was presented the award at the Dakotafest in Mitchell by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem. This award is given to an outstanding woman who works tirelessly in and is wholly dedicated to agricultural business and farm operations.

Scheel and her husband, Jim, have run a livestock business and multi-crop farm near Alpena since 2004. They specialize in Maine-anjou, chi and Charolais cows, but they also have 80 head of club lamb-producing ewes and 100 head of Boer goats.

Scheel’s contribution to agriculture extends beyond her farm and family as she also serves as the 4-H youth program adviser for four counties: Sanborn, Aurora, Jerauld and Buffalo. She uses this platform to instill a passion for agriculture into the next generation.

The person who nominated Scheel for the award wrote that she “tirelessly and selflessly” gives her time and knowledge to her work and service.

“It’s truly just a very rewarding opportunity to be standing alongside some tremendous leaders in the industry and tremendous nominees as far as women in agriculture goes,” Scheel said after receiving the award.

Information for this story comes from the Mitchell Republic, 142nd year – No. 260 issue written by Hunter Dunteman.