Bargender, Kalepp honored at chamber awards

By Neal Hogden

Two stewards of the community were honored at Saturday’s AbbyColby Crossings Chamber of Commerce annual banquet on Saturday, April 20.

Judy Kalepp was recognized for her work as the municipal court judge and as a longstanding member of multiple area businesses and organizations. She was given the lifetime achievement award.

Ryan Bargender was awarded the community service award for his role in the Abbotsford School District’s completion of the FEMA addition and the passage of a referendum earlier in April.

Kalepp

A woman that has served the communities of Colby and Abbotsford in many capacities was recognized for doing so with the lifetime achievement award on Saturday at the ColbyAbby Crossings Chamber banquet.

When chamber directors Kris O’Leary and Jenny Jakel went to Kalepp’s house to notify her she had won the lifetime achievement award, she said it took her totally by surprise.

“I was so surprised when they told me I was receiving the award. The first thing I was going to say when they came was ‘Who died?’ or ‘What happened?’ I had no idea I would be getting an award. I was very, very surprised,” Kalepp said.

Kalepp graduated from Colby High School and went to UW-Eau Claire for her bachelor and master’s degree in business education. Kalepp taught business classes at Auburndale High School starting in 1967 and going through 2004. She commuted from the Abbotsford area for 35 of those 37 years she taught in Auburndale.

After retiring from teaching, Kalepp worked for 13 years at the front desk of Rodeway Inn in Abbotsford. She also served on the Room Tax Committee at that time. Other positions she has held throughout the years have included working for the city of Abbotsford collecting water payments, filing and completing other clerical work,

See CHAMBER AWARDS/ Page 6

RECOGNIZING SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY - Both Judy Kalepp and Ryan Bargender were recognized for their contributions to the community at the ColbyAbby Crossings Chamber of Commerce annual banquet held on Saturday at the Abbotsford City Hall. Left: Kalepp (left) receives a plaque from last year’s award winner Brenda Wiese (center) and Jenny Jakel, who stood in for Dean Wiese who passed away in October. Right: Bargender (left) receives his plaque from Kevin Hanson who won the community service award last year.

STAFF PHOTOS/NEAL HOGDEN Chamber awards

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working as the secretary for Kurt Kalepp Excavating since 1997 and currently, serving as the municipal court judge in Abbotsford.

Kalepp is also a member of the Abbotsford Lions and has volunteered her time for their annual brat feeds, helped at First City Days, walked for Diabetes awareness, worked at pancake breakfasts and blood drives, and also helped create a new set of by-laws for the club.

Her work in the community and as a municipal judge has been something she has been more than willing to do and said she has no plans of slowing down any time soon.

“As long as I can, I’ll keep going,” Kalepp said. “I really enjoy doing the municipal court stuff.” Kalepp said she didn’t plan on being a judge but when the previous judge experienced health problems and passed away, she was appointed to fill the role.

“Dale Rachu was the mayor at that time and he was constantly after me saying, ‘Take that judge job,’” she said. “I like law. I taught a class in law. And here we are.”

Although, it wasn’t in her direct plans to become the municipal court judge, Kalepp said law has long been something that has interested her.

“When I was a high school student, I really thought about going into law, but I didn’t know if I could make it,” Kalepp said. “I went into teaching instead and ended up teaching for 37 years.”

She said she has loved her role as judge and said people often think of judges as the person handing out a sentence, but she enjoys a different part of the job. She said over the course of 11 years as municipal judge, she has officiated about 60 weddings for local residents.

People can see Kalepp out and about reading at Zion Lutheran Church in Colby on Sundays, helping with Abbotsford Lions Club events or walking her dog in Abbotsford.

Bargender

A familiar face to those with students in the Abbotsford School District was named the 2023 AbbyColby Crossings Chamber of Commerce Community Service Award winner. Ryan Bargender, District Administrator at Abbotsford was honored with the award at the AbbyColby Crossings Chamber banquet held at the Abbotsford City Hall on April 20.

Bargender was nominated for the award by area chamber members. They said their reason for nominating the school official for the award was the hard work put in by Bargender in getting the FEMA project funded and built.

Before Bargender could make an impact on the Abbotsford community, he served other communities as well. He received his bachelor’s degree from St. Cloud State University in Technology Education in 2001 and his master’s degree from Marian University in Educational Leadership in 2014.

Bargender’s service to the Abbotsford community began later in 2014 when he became the middle/high school principal at the school district. He had his sights set on becoming a principal and identified Abbotsford as a good place to start that was close to home.

“At the time, I had a goal of becoming a middle/high school principal and I was fortunate that Abbotsford took a chance on me,” Bargender said. “ I went to school in a small town and love the small town feel. I grew up eight miles east of Abbotsford and spent plenty of time in Abbotsford as a youth.”

He, along with his wife, Brooke, moved their family from the Athens School District to Abbotsford in 2016. They had two kids, Blake (now 18) and Tatum (17), at the time and in January of 2017, they adopted Gabriela who is now seven years old. However, his family was involved in the community much before Ryan and his wife Brooke came to Abbotsford.

Bargender’s great-grandparents, Elmer and Margaret Schraufnagel, lived in Abbotsford and were quintessential to the city’s success.

After serving as the principal of the middle and high school in Abbotsford for seven years, Bargender stepped into the role of district administrator in 2021, succeeding Sherry Baker and before her, Reed Welsh. Bargender quickly went to work making decisions that affected thousands of staff, students and taxpayers within the district.

He then completed his superintendent licensure program through Marian University in 2019 while working for the Abbotsford School District. He also previously taught at the Athens and Kimberly School Districts.

He said the decisions he made in the district administrator position affected a lot of people and that was something he had to get used to.

“The challenge when making decisions at the school district level or even in everyday life is to think big picture and determine how the decisions will affect everyone long-term,” Bargender said. “ It is impossible to make everyone happy but important to listen to everyone and consider their opinions.”

One of the projects Bargender took over when he was chosen for the role of district administrator was the funding and construction of some sort of weather shelter, using FEMA funds. Although the district was expecting nearly $2.2 million in federal funding, the estimated cost of the building was going to be $6.5 million.

To fund the project, the district needed to go to referendum as well as pull money out of its own savings. After successfully managing to pass a referendum and partially fund the project using district funds, the FEMA project came together. In the end, the School District of Abbotsford, as well as the city of Abbotsford gained four new classrooms, a community room to host meetings and events and a gymnasium that can withstand an F5 tornado.

“The school is the hub of the community. We want the community to utilize the building. The FEMA storm shelter is a great asset to the community and could save lives in the event of severe weather,” Bargender said. “The bar has been set high over many years regarding community involvement. It motivates me to see the work put in by local individuals and groups, including the Abbotsford Lions Club and VFW, to make the Abbotsford community better. It is also impressive to see how willing our staff and students are to help out the community.”

On top of the FEMA building, the district also passed another referendum earlier in April which will provide funding for replacing aging infrastructure, expanding facilities to meet increasing enrollment numbers and increasing security measures at the school.

During his time in Abbotsford, Bargender has helped in various facets within the community. He has volunteered his time as a AbbyColby Crossing Chamber Board of Directors member, the head coach of the Abby Merchants, Abby Heat youth baseball coach, Abby youth basketball coach, Marawood Conference Principal President and Abby flag football organizer. He has also worked as the AbbyColby varsity head baseball coach and has served as a co-athletic director within the school district.

He said it’s important for him personally to give back to the community that has been so willing to give to the school.

“I have a ton of pride in the Abbotsford community and school,” Bargender said. “It is important to me to give back to a community that gives so much to the school. A positive school-community relationship is crucial for both to be successful and we have that in Abbotsford.”

During his acceptance speech at the chamber banquet, he thanked a number of people, including his family, staff at the school and city.

“My wife, Brooke, and kids have inspired me to make our community a better place,” Bargender said. “They have made sacrifices over the years and assisted me in doing what I can to make a difference. The enthusiasm of school district staff and students to chip in and make our community better is an inspiration. The city of Abbotsford has been a great partner for the school, working together with the school to make our school-community better. I feel so fortunate to be a part of this ever giving community. I have been fortunate to have great parents and assistant coaches helping with youth teams. My parents instilled the value of hard work in me and it’s something that I am grateful for.”

Bargender continues to be ever present in the community and he said the award is just another example of how the school, community and the people within those areas help each other out.

“The community of Abbotsford is unique and that is what makes it special,” he said. “At school if there is ever a need of clothing or materials for a family, there is a tremendous outpouring of assistance. How does that not inspire you to want to give more? I am extremely gracious for the award. There are so many selfless individuals in the Abbotsford/Colby community deserving of such an award.”

ACCEPTING HIS AWARD - Jim Decker of Decker Automotive gives some remarks after accepting his business of the year award at the chamber banquet on Saturday.

STAFF PHOTO/NEAL HOGDEN