By KATHY PAULSEN

Staff Writer

Life is hard. There is no way around that. It sometimes hands us things we don't really deserve, things we can't possibly understand. But despite how much our hearts are hurting, we have to find a way to believe that sometimes we're not supposed to understand. We just need to accept the circumstances and lean on the people who love us most.

One of the greatest gifts a person can give another is support. Our local communities have been kind and willing to help others when things get tough.

Tough is just one positive reference to describe little miss Dana Standke. Tough because she has taken a serious injury and still smiles and looks at the good things that have occurred instead of the bad.

Eleven-year-old Dana came to Minnesota from Nepal when she was just a baby. She lives on a farm north of Beaver Lake with her parents, Shelly Standke and Dan Enzenauer, and she loves it. So much so she is eager to take part in helping with chores and small jobs that need to be done on the farm, including taking care of the animals, feeding the chickens and picking eggs and such and is a happy influence on her family.

Dana said they currently have nine cats on the farm and she and one of the cats, who she named Max, have formed a special relationship and only likes her.

Dana stated she has considered becoming a veterinarian once she graduates from high school. In fact, Shelly, Dana’s mother said Dana has talked about being a vet since she was in kindergarten.

Things happened fast when Dana’s arm got tangled in the drive shaft of an auger while she was trying to help on the farm last November. Thank goodness Dana’s older brother, Andrew, was close by and quickly turned off the auger. The auger took a "big bite" off of Dana’s right arm. Yes, her right arm, and this spunky young lady will quickly tell you, "I'm lucky, as I am left-handed."

She will also tell you she had her first ride in a helicopter following her accident. Once the local medical team arrived on the scene, they called for a helicopter and Dana was flown to Rochester. She and her family are very thankful that we have a great crew of first responders and ambulance personnel here in our area.

Dana was in the hospital for about one month and was most grateful to be able to get back home to the farm on December 5, was just a couple of days before her 11th birthday.

While talking with Dana recently she mentioned one of the nurses on the helicopter with her has kept in contact with her since her accident. The nurse visited her in the Intensive Care Unit at St. Mary’s, as well as stopped later to see how she was doing while she was still in the hospital. The nurse still marvels at how this special young lady has dealt with her injury.

When the nurse came to see Dana in the hospital she was met by a smiling patient who expressed her delight in seeing her. Dana said, "I remember you." Dana and the nurse have become friends. She even stopped to wish Dana a happy birthday before she left the hospital.

Both Dana and Shelly mentioned how special the nurses and doctors were at St. Mary’s. One of her doctors, Dr. Dennison, learned that Dana really liked shrimp so he brought her a shrimp dinner from the Canadian Honker restaurant before she went home, which was a real treat.

We are glad to report Dana has been able to get back doing some of the things she liked to do before she the accident. She has been a member of the local Girl Scout Troop 47856 since she was in first grade and she was able to help her troop with their annual Girl Scout cookie sale at the end of February at Hy-Vee in Waseca.

Dana was able to return to school a short time after she got back home again and her teacher, Ms. Eckhardt, who is new to the district this year, was glad to have Dana back in her classroom again. Dana is in fifth grade this year and many of her friends were glad she was back at school again and have been eager to help Dana whenever needed.

Dana’s favorite activities in school are reading and math. She has been enjoying reading “The Hunger Games" series along with her other school studies.

Her family learned there was a story about a young gal who lost her arm as a result of a shark attack during a ski board accident and they were able to get a copy of "Soul Surfer" and watched the video while she was in the hospital.

Dana has had to undergo four surgeries on her arm since her accident in November and was really looking forward to being fitted with a prosthetic arm. She was both excited, but scared. She and her family are grateful for the help the Shriners have offered in regards to her being able to be get a prosthetic arm.

Dana was fitted with her new arm on Thursday, March 5, just three months since she first got home from the hospital. She has named her new best her prosthetic arm Bob. She will need to wear a shoulder harness, which will help her activate her new fingers. We hope that everything goes well for Dana and she will be able to keep smiling that beautiful smile of hers.

As stated in an earlier edition of our Star Eagle, a great group of people in our area have organized a benefit for Dana. Mr. Anderson, NRHEG Elementary principal, has a reputation for being the "best" and he too has been very helpful through this whole ordeal for Dana. Mr. Anderson offered to help design the flyer that has been posted in our communities regarding the benefit planned for Dana on March 22.

A pancake breakfast will be served and a free will offering will provide a great meal of pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage, juice, and coffee. The breakfast will be served from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the school in Ellendale that Dana attends. A bake sale will also be held in conjunction with the breakfast, as well as both a silent auction and live auction and a meat raffle.

It is hoped the people here in our communities will donate items for the bake sale, as well as for the live and silent auctions, which will help Dana’s family with expenses they have had to deal with that are not covered by insurance. Donations for the auctions can be dropped off at the First National Bank, at either of their locations in Ellendale or Hope. The live auction will get underway at 1, following the conclusion of the breakfast.

Please stop at the Ellendale School on Sunday, March 22 and wish Dana all the best as she continues to adjust to the new challenges before her.

If you are not able to attend the benefit, monetary donations would be greatly appreciated. They can be mailed to the First National Bank in Ellendale. If you would like more information about the benefit for Dana, please contact, Cindi Bartness at 507-456-6280.

 Life can be hard at times but one must remember..."One of the greatest gifts a person can give another, is support." — Anonymous.