December 26, 2017 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says Gift Cards for Grandkids? By Daris Howard Interview Follow-up Dear Dave, What’s an appropriate amount for Dear Dave, gift cards to send each of our five What is the proper etiquette after the job interview process? I grandchildren for Christmas? recently had an interview for a sales management position. I’ve Liz sent a couple of follow-up emails in the last few weeks, and I know I’m still under consideration, but I’m not sure what to do now. Dear Liz, Krista How much do you spend on your grandchildren? Enough to make their Dear Krista, parents nervous! Next time, since you obviously have a sales background, Seriously, I think it depends on two things. First, are you two debt-free, or how about treating it like a sales call? If you’re on a sales call, at least able to provide gifts without and the customer needs to perform some due diligence before going into debt or hurting yourselves deciding, a smart salesperson will ask to schedule a follow-up. financially? There’s nothing wrong Ask if checking back on a certain day in the next week or two Dave with spoiling the grandbabies once in a will work. You don’t want to be obnoxious, but you want an while. But don’t use Christmas as an excuse appointment of sorts — a time frame — so you’ll know when to to lose your minds, blow your budget, or go follow up without being pushy. In this situation, I would recommend sending another email. into debt every December. The amount you spend on gifts? I would suggest making it reasonable, not over You want to walk right up to that fine line that separates bold the top, and relative to your income and that of the household in from obnoxious, because that’s one of things a good sales manager should be able to do. Respectfully tell them you underwhich the kiddos live. The second thing I wonder about is the ages of all the grand- stand the decision-making process takes time, but you need to children. I can’t imagine a four-year-old getting excited over a gift know when you can expect an answer. Use the idea that you’re a great sales person, and you’re card. So, if that’s the general age range we’re talking about, have some fun with it! Head down to the store, and really put some treating this as a professional sales call. And don’t be afraid to thought into these decisions. On the other hand, it might be just have a little fun with it. If you’re still under consideration, that the thing for a teenager — especially if you know where they like means they like you. You could even hint at the fact they don’t to shop and hang out. Older kids want to make their own deci- want to hire a sales manager who doesn’t know how to follow sions, so depending on the personality of the grandchild, a gift up! card might be the way to go. — Dave But if your grandkids are still little, please don’t give them gift cards. No, grandma. No! * Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and busi— Dave ness, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored seven best- RAMSEY selling books, including The Total Money Makeover. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 12 million listeners each week on 575 radio stations and multiple digital platforms. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. DPS Officials: Have Fun, But Be Safe During Holiday Season PIERRE, S.D. – In the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the South Dakota Department of Public Safety reminds people to remember to be safe as well. With so much happening, DPS officials say it is easy to forget about being careful. Col. Craig Price, superintendent of the Highway Patrol, says for those people traveling during the holidays, they will see more troopers out patrolling highways. “Our same safety reminders are as important now as they are during the rest of the year,” Price says. “Slow down, focus on your driving, don’t drink and drive, and wear your seatbelt. These four factors are consistently reported as contributing factors in many of the crashes the highway patrol investigates.” Last year, there was one motor vehicle fatality during the Christmas holiday and two during the New Year’s period. Since Sept. 1, there have been 37 motor vehicle fatalities in South Dakota and 24 of them were not wearing seatbelts. Highway Safety Office Director Lee Axdahl says a happy time can change quickly if someone is not wearing a seatbelt during a vehicle crash. “Too many families this holiday season will have a loved one missing from around the Christmas tree or the dinner table,” he says. “Don’t add to that sad list. Wear a seatbelt no matter how far you travel, get to your destination safely and make it a memorable season for all the right reasons.” Holiday safety is also important at home as well. State Fire Marshal Paul Merriman says home fires are more prevalent during the holidays. “With more lights, more candles, more cooking and more fireplaces being used, the chances of a home fire increase at this time of the year,” Merriman says. “Use holiday lighting safely, never leave burning candles unattended, practice cooking safety, and have a working smoke alarm on each floor, every sleeping area and each bedroom in the home.” DPS officials also encourage the public to be aware of possible changing weather conditions later this week. Those planning to travel should watch for latest forecasts and check road conditions by calling 511 or at http://www.safetravelusa.com/sd/. If traveling, practice safe driving techniques and pack a winter safety kit. Prices Best n Town! I For years now, Herb Collins has been helping Santa by donning the red and the beard and the tassels and waving to passing cars on Christmas Eve out at the Old Fort Road crossing. He takes a bag of candy along, in case anyone cares to stop, and he also takes his daughter Cindy along, because she’s always been his head elf. Cindy’s grown now and has helpers of her own, but this has been a daddy/ daughter event for a long time and neither sees any reason to quit. He had done it a few years and was wondering why he was doing it when one special Christmas Eve, as it snowed, he found his reason. While he and Cindy stood in full-blown elf gear alongside the road, a pickup pulling a moving trailer pulled up and stopped. Cindy brought the candy over to the truck and Herb reached his hands through the window to shake hands with the young boy and girl who were in there with their dad. Both kids were crying and grinning and grabbing his hands. “Santa,” the father said, “we’re moving across the country tonight, and the kids were sure you wouldn’t be able to find them since they were between homes.” Herb swallowed. “Now kids,” he said, “you know Santa will find you no matter where you are tonight.” “Really?” the girl said. “Why, sure. So you just be good and help your dad, and I’ll find you, don’t you worry.” “Oh thank you, Santa!” they said. Their father mouthed a silent “thank you,” and everyone waved as the truck went on down the road toward Christmas. It must have been the raw wind that made Herb wipe the tears away. “That made the whole thing worth it,” Herb says when he tells of that special night. “That’s why I keep going back out there.” Busch & B usch 14.99 30 Pk $ Light Black Velve $ t 15.99 1 .75 ML Smirnoff V odka $18.9 9 1.75ML Cooks Cha mpagne $6 .99 1.5 ML Bud & Bud Light $2 24 0.99 Pk., 16 Oz. Can s Cork N Bottle 1500 Broadway, 665-3881 We’ll Match All Local Advertising Prices! Together Forever Being a foster parent can be both a heartwarming and heartbreaking experience. That was the case with a nineyear-old boy who lived with us for whom I will use the name Charlie to protect his identity. Charlie and his two sisters were taken into foster care because of the harsh conditions in their home. Charlie had also endured a lot of abuse from his father. One day, my wife, Donna, was driving the van with Charlie in it among our own children. Suddenly, Charlie began to scream, scaring everyone. “That’s his house! He’ll get me!” Donna was panicked by the sudden outburst, and Charlie was shaking uncontrollably. Donna had Charlie lie down on the seat so whoever he feared wouldn’t see him. “Who will get you?” she asked. “My father will!” Charlie said. “That’s his house we just passed!” Donna promised Charlie she would protect him, and Charlie calmed down. That night Charlie showed us his scars where his father had burned him with a lit cigarette. One heartwarming part of the experience with Charlie was seeing the love he had for his two younger sisters. They were in another foster home about two hours away. He asked to call them every day. When September came, with our eight children plus one extra, we started planning and working toward Christmas. When we asked Charlie what he wanted for Christmas, his answer didn’t surprise us. “I want to be with my sisters and never be separated from them again.” I felt empathy for this little boy and wished we could have his sisters in our home, but it was out of our hands. And not long after we had this conversation, child care services called and said they were moving Charlie to another home. When a judge had asked Charlie ’s mother how often she came to visit him, she said it was too far away, so she hadn’t. We lived about a half hour from her and were willing to take Charlie to visit her, but she always said she was too busy. Despite this, the judge ordered Charlie be moved to a home closer to her. A home was located with a family who didn’t really want him, and it was hard to have him taken from us. One other sad part of being a foster parent is that once a child is moved from your home, you seldom hear how they are doing. But on the morning of December 26th of that year, as my family still slept, I sat down to read the paper. The headline said three children had died in a fire. I gasped when I saw Charlie’s name among them. As the story unfolded over the next couple of weeks, we learned that he and his sisters had been put back into the home with their mother and her boyfriend. During the week before Christmas, Charlie had shoveled every walk in the neighborhood to earn money to buy his sisters Christmas presents, the only ones they had. All of the neighbors loved the three children and were happy to help Charlie with his endeavors. But the mobile home they lived in was not clean, and on Christmas night, one of the heaters in the mobile home caught some clothes on fire, which in turn caught the home on fire. As the home burned, the children’s mother calmly walked to the neighbors to tell them the house was on fire, while her boyfriend saved his car. The neighbors rushed to pull the children from the fire, but the children died of smoke inhalation. Some in the community felt the mother and her boyfriend must have been high on something, as calm as they were, and wanted charges filed. But the mother and her boyfriend quickly left the area. We never told our children anything about Charlie until many years later. As I struggled with my grief for the loss of this little boy we had grown to love, the memory of his Christmas wish came back to me. As hard as it was to know he was gone, I wondered if God had granted Charlie ’s wish, and on Christmas day, had taken the three children to live with him, never to be separated again. “WHEN I WAS LOOKING FOR A JOB, I PUT THE CLASSIFIEDS TO WORK!” If Our Help Wanted Listings Have Hundreds Of Opportunities For You... you read this you know... advertising pays! • Full-Time • Part-Time • Permanent • Temporary Call the Missouri Valley Shopper at 665-5884 or stop by to place your ad today! 319 Walnut St. • Yankton MV Shopper MV Shopper 319 Walnut • Yankton, SD 605.665.5884 M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y PARTY Utica Hall 8:30 pm to 12:30 am Ring in the New Year with Live Music: Clay Creek Band $10 admission at the door Party till the ball drops and beyond at our biggest party of the year! Winter Is Here!! Do you have a garage, shop, calving facility, working chute or other uses (indoor or outdoor) for a poratable radiant heater? THIS IS THE HEATER FOR YOU! 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