Posted 1/24/01
Jim and Phyllis Bohaty named RC Community Service Award recipients
By MaryHelen Swanson
Saying that their involvement in the community has been more fun than work, Phyllis Bohaty spoke as half of the duo receiving the Rush City Chamber of Commerce 2000 Community Service Award.
The other half is her husband, Jim.
ìAnd itís such a good way to get to know the town people,î she added during an interview at the Grant House last Friday.
The two of them live by the principle that you give back to the community some of what it has given you.
ìItís really a good home (Rush City), and really a good place to raise kids,î Phyllis went on.
Jim agreed when Phyllis said they were lucky to have lived in such a great community for the past 30 years. And, after talk that day about people living to 100 or more, he thought perhaps they would be looking forward to another 30 years in the Rush City community.
Both will be 70 this spring.
The Bohatys purchased the downtown hardware store in 1972 and moved to Rush City on Memorial Day in 1973. Jim, who is originally from Willow River, has been in the hardware business since 1955. For four years before that he was in the Air Force and served in the Korean War.
As we chatted, Jim realized heíd lived in Rush City longer than any other place heís hung his hat.
While Jim was getting into the hardware business, Phyllis, who became enchanted with nursing at age 15 when she had her appendix out, was studying and becoming a registered nurse. Her career started and ended with involvement in the Head Start program which she enjoyed immensely. From 1971-1997 she was the Head Start Health Services Coordinator at Lakes and Pines.
Phyllis came to Rush City from the Twin Cities area and thought she might miss the anonymity of the large masses. ìYou have to be in a good mood every day,î she mused, as she talked about small town living and meeting and greeting your neighbors on the street. But she wouldnít trade that small town togetherness for anything.
ìPeople who donít spend some of their life in a small town are missing something,î she went on. And Jim agreed.
He said in his dealings with people at the hardware store, which he still owns and operates, they find Rush City to be a friendly town.
What theyíve done to make it a better town.
Soon after they came to Rush City in the early 70s, they both became active in the schoolís Band Boosters organization.
Both of them were involved in the Spaghetti Festival, too, which was a popular summertime event in the early 70s that included such things as a kiddie parade and numerous family-oriented activities in the downtown park. The whole event was highlighted by a free spaghetti dinner. Many people came to town for this unique summer festival that was created because the local mill made the wheat that was used to make spaghetti.
Jim smiled as he fondly remembered that community celebration, remembering the work, but also all the fun that came with it.
Both Jim and Phyllis were on the original swimming pool committee and are now happy to see the city has accomplished a goal and has a good recreational facility to offer the people.
As business people, they belong to the Chamber of Commerce, Jim was president in 1974. Phyllis has also been active in the Womenís Club.
Both have been and continue to be very active in their church - First Evangelical Lutheran of Rush City - where they have been members since 1973.
Phyllis served on the church council for seven years, and on the building committee, and is now on the new church committee. Jim has served on the cemetery board and both of them are currently on the Visionary Task Force which is undertaking an ambitious project of interviewing every member of the congregation to get input on a number of issues, including how the church fits into the community.
Phyllis served eight years as president of the Shorewood Homeownerís Association, and Jim served 10 years on the Shorewood Sanitary District.
They are involved in the American Legion and Auxiliary, and VFW and Auxiliary.
Jim works on the Dateline (city newsletter), also.
The Bohatys also were strong advocates for bringing the new state prison to town and Phyllis continues to be involved as part of the community relations liaison group which meets with prison staff on a quarterly basis throughout the year.
They are proud, also, of their continuing involvement with the Bloodmobile.
ìThings donít just happen,î Jim said. He said successful projects come about when ìpeople get involved and follow through.î Thatís how permanent changes and improvements are made in a community. They both agreed thatís what has happened in Rush City.
Itís been interesting to see how the community has changed over these 30 years, Jim went on, making note, as a businessman, that some businesses have come and gone.
Both anticipate the next 10 years will bring many more changes to the community.
Congratulation opportunities
Folks can visit the Bohaty Do It Best Hardware store at 305 W. 4th St. in Rush City to congratulate Jim for his part of this award. You might find Phyllis there, too; she still does the accounts payable. But she is retired from nursing and finds that her life is much busier than before. However, as she said, itís all things she chooses to do now.
When asked about retirement, Jim, who was sort of quiet on the subject, said he would think about it if the moment was right. If that time comes, they still plan to stay in Rush City, although a trip to the Grand Canyon would please Phyllis, as would a trip to Washington D.C. for Jim.
Our visit over, both Jim and Phyllis wanted to convey to the Rush City community how very honored they feel with this award.
A banquet will be held in their honor Feb. 10 at the VFW in Rush City. Tickets are $8.50 per person. Call Loring Nelson at 320-358-4209 or Jim Ertz at 320-358-3666 ext. 11 to order tickets.
The evening will begin with a social hour from 6-7 p.m., dinner at 7 and a presentation ceremony at 8 p.m.
The Rush City Chamber has been awarding the Community Service Award since 1972. Previous recipients include (starting with 1972): James McGuire, Dr. John W. Olson, Henry Sommer, Adrian Robinson, George Schneider, Karle Hammargren, Orrin Olson, Clarence McDonald, Walter (Mike) Diers, C.E. Jacobson, John Ordner, Roy Carlson, Pat McGuire, Leola Boda, Betty Diers, Floyd Bates, Louis Perreault, Cliff Siljendahl, Esther Schoeberl and Millie Wendt (both in 1990), Leo Johnson, Bob Erickson, Dennis Frandsen, Phil & Helen Leier, Harold Lind, Ilene Olson & Bev Anderson, Bob Frandsen, and Loring Nelson in 1999.