Heritage can be a word of great value. And for the Rapidan Heritage Society, so is community.
“This is one of the greatest places in the world to grow up,” stated David Pongratz, president of RHS. A lifelong Rapidonian, Pongratz discussed the role of the group. “We want to preserve the history of Rapidan and the surrounding area, as well as be a community leader.”
At 7 p.m. Friday the group is hosting a community event at Heritage Hall to address suicide and mental health awareness. It’s a topic that hits home for many. Pongratz noted that a number of years ago he found an individual on his property who had died by suicide.
“If we can just help one person, it would be beneficial enough,” said Pongratz.
The presentation will be given by Colleen Stegenga, licensed clinical social worker and founder of Embracing Change Counseling Services. Stegenga stated the discussion will be beneficial for both individuals facing mental health concerns as well as for those who would like to offer encouragement and support to others.
Among the topics discussed will be symptoms of depression and signs that someone is struggling. Stegenga will briefly touch on the QPR training program. The acronym stands for “question, persuade, refer.” Asking questions, Stegenga recognizes, can be awkward, and the training can help people become more comfortable with it.
Also to be addressed are the unique challenges rural community and farm families faced, which Stegenga is aware of from her own South Dakota upbringing.
“I grew up on a dairy farm southwest of Mitchell,” she stated. “That farm has been in our family since the late 1800s.”
Stegenga noted many farmers have grown up with the mantra of pushing through challenges or pulling one’s self up by the bootstraps. Stigma, she stated, can be a big thing in rural communities, though as she sees it, mental health should be addressed just as physical health is. “It should be one and the same, and there should be no shame, because we’re all human.”
A farmer himself, Pongratz can quickly compile a list of everyday tasks that can cause stress — weather, markets, input costs, the physical risks that can be involved with farming.
“Farm numbers go down every year. Farmers get older every year,” he noted. “Some of us should have retired 10 years ago; we’re still farming. And there’s a lot of reasons behind that.”
While Pongratz said there can be a whole host of things that may bring discouragement, he also said, “Agriculture’s in my blood. I can’t stop; I don’t want to stop.”
And as a farmer would help another when they’re stuck in the field, he said community does the same amid personal struggle.
“Still, these small communities work together. When somebody’s hurting bad, and this is a bad hurt, they need support. They need somebody to be there,” Pongratz said.
The efforts by the Rapidan Heritage Society to build community are additionally evident in their ongoing events. Every first and third Saturday morning of each month, the group hosts “Coffee Saturday.” Coffee, tea, hot cocoa and goodies are served at Heritage Hall, which is the former site of St. John Lutheran Church.
RHS Vice President DeLayne Nelson shared those mornings give members of the community, as well as the surrounding area, an opportunity to meet one another, catch up on the news or get some advice. While smaller communities can be at risk of losing their identity when businesses go by the wayside, he stated the heritage society brings some of that back. “It’s been a very good, worthwhile cause.”
Mike Ziegler agrees. A lifelong resident and board director of RHS, he shared the society is keeping the history from fading. “It’s been a good thing. The community’s starting to get back to what I even remember it as as a young kid.”
Heritage Hall has event space, which can be rented out for parties, class reunions, club meetings and more. In addition, it houses a gift shop and a museum. For Kerry Ziegler, chair of the funding committee, she’s been able to learn more about what life used to be like in Rapidan through the society’s offerings.
Also a lifelong resident, she said Rapidan has been considered a bedroom community as far back as she can remember. But there was a time when there were more businesses, such as a mill, gas station, even a hotel. It’s important to both Kerry and Mike that next generations also know about Rapidan’s history.
Fundraisers, such as the Build Your Own Taco lunch, assist the society with the cost of maintaining Heritage Hall while also promoting community.
For Julie Nelson, RHS events are what helped her meet more people. Originally from Le Sueur, she felt a bit like an outsider when she moved to the area. “When I first started going there, it was a way for me to get involved in the community and just meet my neighbors basically, because I didn’t know anybody.”
Today, Julie serves as the heritage society’s treasurer. “It’s really nice to go there and meet people,” she stated.
Heritage Hall is located at 55209 190th Street. As it’s an unincorporated community, the city address is Mankato.
The presentation on suicide and mental health is expected to last about an hour. Attendees do not need to sign up in advance, and it is open to anyone. To learn more about the event and Rapidan Heritage Society, visit rapidanheritagesociety.org.