The Freeman Public girls opened their 2022-23 basketball season at home against Platte-Geddes Tuesday night, Dec. 6 and lost to the Black Panthers 49-39. The Flyers will host Viborg-Hurley in a doubleheader with the boys Friday night, Dec. 9.

Moses Joseph Glanzer was born on Dec. 27, 1925 to Joe P. and Theresa (Kleinsasser) Glanzer on a farm north of Freeman, S.D. He died on Dec. 5, 2022 at Oakview Terrace with his family by his side. A funeral service was held Saturday, Dec. 10 at Hutterthal Mennonite Church of rural Freeman.

This photo tells the story of Freeman Public this week as a number of extra-curricular activities are planned. The Freeman High School girls open up their 2022-23 basketball season at home tonight against Platte-Geddes; the JV game is set to tip at 6:15 p.m., followed by the varsity girls. Freeman Public is also making plans for its Christmas concerts on Thursday night, with the K-6 program starting at 6 p.m., followed by the 7-12 concert at approximately 7:30 p.m. Watch this week's Courier for more information on upcoming concerts and athletic events.

A bright red bow helps decorate the lamppost in front of the Darrell and Renee Hartman home on Cherry Street. Christmas decorations have sprung up throughout our towns; The Courier will be using this space throughout the month to highlight the merriment. 

Thor Aanenson, a freshman at Freeman Public, presents "The Good News on Poverty" in the Non-Original Oratory division at the 2022 State Oral Interpretation Festival in Mitchell Saturday afternoon, Dec. 3. Aanenson received a superior for his data-driven and uplifting presentation, as did Freeman Academy's Jessica Paschal in Serious Reading and Menno's Lexie Hogeland in Storytelling. Also competing was Madelyn Anderson from Freeman Academy and Kaelie Derby and Maggie Miller from Menno. Watch for a full report in the upcoming issue of The Courier.

Freeman Academy oral interpretation coach Michelle Fink gives some last-minute instruction to Madelyn Andersen before her presentation of "Some people LIKE poetry" in the Poetry Reading category at the 2022 State Oral Interpretation Festival in Mitchell Saturday morning, Dec. 3. Andersen is one of a number of local students performing at the two-day event; Menno's Lexie Hogeland earned a superior in Storytelling on Friday and four others will perform Saturday afternoon: Freeman Academy's Jessica Paschal, Freeman Public's Thor Aanenson and Menno's Kaelie Derby and Maggie Miller.

Santa and Mrs. Claus make their entrance at the Freeman Community Center Thursday evening, Dec. 1 as part of the community's Hometown Christmas/Mistletoe Market celebration. The jolly couple (played by David and Bubbles Mensch) greeted children for more than an hour as people mingled in the space that was used by Freeman Public Schools until 2009, when the new Freeman Elementary opened. In addition to the chance for kids to meet with the Claus couple, Hometown Christmas featured a number of businesses selling their products, other family-friendly opportunities and a light meal.

Linda Von Eye, the office manager at The Courier, sorts toys for delivery to the Bethany Food Pantry. Dozens of toys, games, clothing and other items for children have been dropped off throughout the month of November and, with the help of the Freeman Police Department, will be dropped off at the Bethany Food Pantry Thursday afternoon for distribution on Dec. 2 and Dec. 16. This is the seventh annual Toy Box Toy Drive organized by The Courier.

JEREMY WALTNER - EDITOR & PUBLISHER A brand-new wrestling facility like The Hangar at Freeman Public certainly doesn’t equate to success on the mat, but it certainly doesn’t hurt in building energy for the program, and that’s what head coach Chris Sayler is seeing at the onset of his 15th year as a coach for the Rebels.

These four will help lead the Marion/Freeman Rebels on the mat this season, which starts on Saturday in Kimball. They are, from left, Freeman freshman Riley Tschetter, Marion sophomore Emma McConniel, Freeman senior Zac Sayler and Menno senior Owen Eitemiller. A wrestling season preview is printed in the Dec. 1 issue of The Courier.