I've noticed a lot of churches around this area are celebrating being in service for a long time. Holden Church in Kenyon just celebrated 100 years, Trinity Church in Wanamingo will be celebrating the same on Sept. 29th. Now, as I look into the history marks of other churches in the area, I found a new landmark at Grace Lutheran Church in Dodge Center that I would like to bring to your attention.
Although Grace has been around for over 137 years now, there is someone who has been an integral part of the church and its parochial school for 50 years. Her name is Patty Marquardt, better known to all as Mrs. Patty.
Patty has been a teacher and Director of Grace Lutheran since 1973, when she got the call from Pastor John Schildwacher, asking her what she thought of opening a pre school at the church. Patty had attended school to become a teacher at Winona State University, graduated in 1969, and gone to work teaching English in Claremont High School for the 7th, 8th and 9th grades. She loved being a teacher in a small town, and the thought of teaching in Dodge Center appealed to her, so she jumped in with both feet, and she is still there.
"Being a teacher is like herding cats" is a quote I have heard about teaching the little ones more than once, so I asked Mrs. Patty why she became a teacher. "I had exceptional teachers at Dodge Center Public School", she said. "Right around 3rd grade, I realized that I wanted to be a teacher, and I've never regretted that decision. It was like a light came on in my mind, and never diminished. As I would teach, seeing the light bulb turn on in a child's mind was always a special moment. I love teaching here at Grace Lutheran. We have excellent teachers who are committed to the children. The parents are easy to work with because they chose to send their children here. We offer a Christian based approach to education, and the children get the individual education they need, because of our smaller classroom sizes. We work in small groups, so no child is left behind."
Mrs. Patty taught Sunday School along with the pre-school for awhile. The program they used for the pre-school kids was called ABeka, a Florida based curriculum for accelerated learning. This program is designed to hold the kids' attention with colorful pages and motivational learning. The pre-school program was so successful that the church decided to add a kindergarten program in 1981. In 1986, a new playground was added. In 1992, the 100th year of being a church was celebrated.
As the success of the school was being noticed, a first grade class was added in 1999, and a second grade class was added in 2000. In 2002, a third grade was added and 3 teachers were hired. As the school grew, so did the church. Outreach programs were begun, and more and more people were being served, not just by going to church, but by helping others in need.
The School's Silent Auction to raise money for new programs and equipment began in 2003. In 2006, a 4th grade was added to the curriculum. More programs were added to help others in the community. In 2014, members started going to Fair View Care Center in Dodge Center to sing after Easter breakfast. They held suppers for the first responders to show their appreciation. These are our Firemen, Sheriff's department, and ambulance crews that serve the community. In 2015, the first mission trip to Point of Grace in Kenya was established. In 2016 a 500 card club was started for the last Sunday of the month through the winter.
The church held its own through the ups and downs of our changing economy, and it is because of the dedication of the pastors and the members of the school and church. As you know, it takes a lot of time and planning to meet the budget requirements of any business, and churches have the same needs. Grace Lutheran has been doing the School Silent Auction since 2003, and recently added a new fundraiser-- That's My Pan---which will be held in October. Personal cake pans with lids bearing your name and a logo you pick out, so you always leave a pot luck with your own pan! They also make great Christmas gifts! For more info on these fundraisers, or to talk to the church about enrolling your child in a quality school program, please call Mrs. Patty at (507) 259-3106, and she will be glad to share the info with you!
