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Jan. 24, 2001
RANDOLPH — Margaret Weyhrich has been a valuable asset to the success of Jerry’s Hilltop Café, west of Randolph, over the years. This month, Mrs. Weyhrich, 75, was honored by the Nebraska Restaurant Association as Nebraska’s Foodservice Employee of the Month. Weyhrich has been an employee of Jerry’s Hilltop for the past 19 years.
Jan. 24, 2001
RANDOLPH — Mr. and Mrs. Barry Caster and Megan of Omaha were weekend guests of Geraldine Caster, Mr. and Mrs. Marvern Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Paul Schnieders and Virginia Brown.
Jan. 24, 2001
RANDOLPH — Chapter P.E.O., met Monday evening, Jan. 15 at the home of Mrs. Russ Jensen. Fifteen members answered roll call. Mrs. Brad Stapelman, president conducted the regular meeting. The program “Our Founders,” was presented by Mrs. Ralph DeLong and Mrs. Allen Burbach.
Jan. 25, 2006
HARTINGTON — U.S. Senate candidate Peter Ricketts made a campaign swing through Cedar County last week.
Ricketts has already visited two-thirds of Nebraska’s 93 counties in an effort to greet people prior to the May primary election. Ricketts met with community leaders and businesspeoplewhileinHartingtonWednesday. He also took time out of his schedule for an interview with Randolph Times Editor Rob Dump.
Jan. 27, 2011
RANDOLPH — Mel Spader is a walking, talking advertisement for Randolph’s TeamMates mentoring program.
Those that know him and have worked alongside him to start the local TeamMates chapter describe him as being positive, passionate and persistent.
“He felt so strongly that this is something that he wanted to bring to Randolph. It was hisdetermination(thatgottheprogramgoing) and he did a lot of the legwork,” said LaDonna Leiting, current TeamMates Board secretary.
Leiting was behind Spader in those early dayswhenthechapterandboardwereformed in October 2002, along with Lisa Linville and Pat Dominisse.
“Thosethreewomen—they’reprettymuch the ones that made it work,” Spader said.
Spader served as a substitute teacher at Randolph High School and saw the need firsthand: some students could use a positive adult influence in their life.
“I don’t care if you’re the top of your class or the bottom, you still need a mentor,” Spader said “Every kid needs somebody outside the family that cares.”
He researched some other mentoring programsbutultimatelylandedonTeamMates, originated by former Husker football coach and Dr. Tom Osborne and his wife, Nancy.
The Osbornes started TeamMates in 1991 with 22 University of Nebraska-Lincoln football players paired with Lincoln middle school students. The program has now expanded to serve more than 10,000 students through 170 school-based chapters in five states.
Spader has been a mentor since the program began, with many years being paired with two students. Unfortunately, this year he had to resign due to ongoing health concerns and the implications of potentially being exposed to COVID-19.
At 80 years old, it was his goal to be the oldest mentor in the state.
