For the 14th year, Sioux Falls Children’s Home kids enjoyed Country Fun Day at the Grode Farm. It’s a special day to be outdoors, feed animals, touch seeds, eat awesome food, feel the joy of a farm and experience a large family.

The kids at CHS have had this privilege for over a decade because of the tremendous generosity of Ralph and Sylvia Grode and their family of 11 children and their spouses.

The Grode family gathers yearly for a reunion at the John and Connie Grode farm on 6 Mile Road east of Sioux Falls. And every year, Country Fun Day follows the reunion, with many family members staying to help host the event. Working together, they provide a delightful and meaningful opportunity for our students.

The event typically includes petting and feeding animals, hayrides, inflatables, swings and other farm events. There's even a “seed tent” where many different kinds of grains—from wheat, sunflowers and sorghum to corn, barley and soybeans—are displayed. The Grode family also plans, cooks, and organizes a delicious lunch. The younger students attend in the morning and the older students in the afternoon.