Backpack food programs provide nutritious, non-perishable, easy-to-prepare food to children to ensure they get enough food on weekends and holidays to avoid hunger when they can’t depend on school meals. In Woonsocket, the backpack program is supported through the fundraising and efforts of the St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Church Catholic Daughters of America (CD of A) and the Spirit of Faith Church.

When the St. Wilfrid’s High School Youth Group heard that the Catholic Daughters were asking for help with fundraising for the Backpack program, they discussed how they could help. The Youth Group had the opportunity to earn some money by cleaning up the Community Center after the Ducks Unlimited Banquet. They also discovered the opportunity to partner with Modern Woodmen of America and received a $250 donation to purchase groceries for the program. 

…See a photo in this week’s issue of the Sanborn Weekly Journal!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions brought on by it, the employees at the Sanborn County Courthouse had to make the difficult decision to cancel this year’s holiday open house and display of trees. In addition, the Woonsocket Community Club has decided to cancel Santa’s visit at the courthouse this year, as well.

The Sanborn County employees would like the public to know that they appreciate all the time and effort everyone has taken to make these things possible every year, and they hope they can continue with these much-loved traditions next year. 

However, they will still be having the regularly scheduled food giveaway on Wednesday, Dec. 2, and they will still deliver boxes of food for people to enjoy a nice meal for the Christmas and New Year holidays as they have in the past. It is important for everyone to stay safe and still have the opportunity to enjoy this year’s blessed holiday season.

On Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Sanborn County Sheriff’s Office received a few calls of things stolen out of vehicles around town throughout the day, and they received a call about a suspicious person riding around on a bicycle, which was later determined to also be stolen property. 

Members of the Sheriff’s Department searched for the suspect for a few hours and finally found the bike he was riding on outside of an apartment building by the baseball field in Woonsocket. At around 6 p.m., Jamie Nagel, 30, of Huron, was arrested and charged with petty theft, theft of mislaid property (for the bike that a child had left at the school), criminal entry into a motor vehicle and possession of drug paraphernalia, which are all misdemeanors. He was also charged with a felony of possession and ingestion of a controlled substance. 

Nagel is being held on bond at the Beadle County Jail in Huron.