Qualifies in four events for State Meet ... Waukon boys track senior Braxton Stewart soars through the air on his way to one of his four second-place finishes and automatic qualifications for the Class 2A State Meet he earned at the Class 2A State Qualifying Meet at Osage Thursday, May 12. Stewart landed at 21’0.5 for his long jump runner-up finish, cleared 6’4” to finish second in the high jump, and also finished second in the 400 meter hurdles in 57.29 seconds and in the 400 meter dash in 52.82 seconds, earning a full schedule at this year’s season grand finale. View and find out how to purchase this photo and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this webpage.
The Waukon boys track has extended its 2022 season in eight events following its final team competitions of the year within the past week-plus. Following a fourth-place finish at their Northeast Iowa Conference Meet hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock Thursday, May 5, the Indians secured a second-place team finish at their Class 2A State Qualifying Meet at Osage Thursday, May 12, despite not winning a single event. The track Tribe secured five automatic State Meet qualifications with runner-up event finishes at that meet, and then had four other third-place finishes earn at-large bids based on Class 2A performances statewide for a total of nine State Meet qualifications in eight different events.
Qualifies in four events once again ... Kee girls track senior Haley Meyer will return to the State Track Meet in Des Moines one final time for her high school career in four events after her performances at the Class 1A State Qualifying Meet at Edgewood-Colesburg Thursday, May 12. Meyer won the 400 meter dash in a time of 1:00.40 to earn automatic qualification for the State Meet, and she also finished second in both the 800 meter run with her time of 2:22.83 and the 1500 meter run with her time of 5:03.16 to earn at-large individual bids. Meyer also joined forces with sophomore Mallory Mohn and the junior pair of Alaina Bakewell and Jaylyn Walleser for a second-place finish time of 1:54.02 in the sprint medley that also earned at-large State Meet qualification.
The final week of the Kee girls track squad’s team competition schedule proved fruitful as the month of May rolled on early, as the Lady Hawks crowned several Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) champions and also had those very same events - and then some - end up qualifying for the Class 1A State Meet. The Kee girls won four UIC titles in finishing fourth as a team at the annual UIC Meet Thursday, May 5 at Postville and then had those same four events, plus one other, qualify for the Class 1A season grand finale in Des Moines, helping the Hawks to a fifth-place team finish in that 14-team State Qualifying field.
The 2022 track and field season came to a close for all but two of its competitors this past week, as the Hawks competed in their two most important team meets of the season within a week’s time. The Kee boys finished sixth in the nine-team Upper Iowa Conference (UIC) Meet at Postville Thursday, May 5, crowning just one UIC event champion in senior Tyson Cota in the long jump. The Hawks then worked to extend their season as much as possible at their Class 1A State Qualifying Meet at Edgewood-Colesburg Thursday, May 12, doing so for two events on the way to finishing 11th in that 14-team field.
The two events that qualified for this season’s grand finale will both compete on the same day, Thursday morning, May 19, at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. Details of the Hawks’ State Meet schedule are printed on the Sports pages in the May 18, 2022 edition of The Standard.
4x800 win earns automatic State Meet berth ... The Waukon girls track team’s 4x800 relay foursome pictured above ran to an event victory at the Class 2A State Qualifying Meet at Osage Thursday, May 12, earning automatic qualification for the Class 2A State Meet with a tape-breaking time of 10:22.41. That crew included (left to right in the above photos) juniors Katerina Kovarik and Jayden Knox, and junior Paige Hansmeier and sophomore Mia Kurth, with all but Kurth making a return trip to the State Meet in the event after also qualifying last spring. View and find out how to purchase these photos and many more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this webpage.
The Waukon girls track team had its overall team season come to a close this past week, but for a handful of team members that season carries on to every high school track and field athlete’s ultimate destination of the State Track Meet. The Lady Indians first placed sixth in their Northeast Iowa Conference Meet hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock Thursday, May 5 before trying to extend their season as much as possible at their Class 2A State Qualifying Meet at Osage Thursday, May 12, where the track Tribe finished fifth in that 11-team scoring field and advanced five events on to this spring’s season grand finale.
Those five State Meet events involve nine track and field Indians who will now compete at that season grand finale at Drake Stadium in Des Moines Thursday through Saturday, May 19-21, two of those Lady Indians competing in a pair of events each.
Local EMTs making a difference in their communities ... National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week is May 15-21. National EMS Week honors the lifesaving care EMS providers offer nationwide, 24-hours a day, seven days a week. More EMTs are greatly needed in every community. EMTs Ben Ghelf of Lansing EMS (pictured in photo above), Darcy Mathis of both Harpers Ferry and Waterville EMS (pictured in center photo) and Sara Berges of Veterans Memorial Hospital-Waukon EMS (pictured in lower photo) explain why they chose to dedicate themselves to become EMTs and all the benefits it offers. For more information about local EMT service opportunities and classes, contact Jacob Dougherty, Paramedic, EMS Supervisor, or Cheryl Livingston, Paramedic, EMS Instructor, at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411. Submitted photos.
Darcy Mathis
Sara Berges
National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week is May 15-21. National EMS Week honors the lifesaving care EMS providers offer nationwide, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The area ambulance services that commonly arrive with patients at Veterans Memorial Hospital (listed in alphabetic order) include the Caledonia Ambulance, Harpers Ferry Rescue Squad, Lansing Ambulance Service, Monona Ambulance Service, New Albin Fire, Postville Ambulance Service, Waterville Rescue Squad, all in addition to the Waukon Veterans Memorial Hospital service.
VMH Family Wellness Fair returned May 11 after two-year absence ... The ‘annual’ Veterans Memorial Hospital “Family Wellness Fair” returned this year following a three-year hold due to COVID-19 regulations. Being last held in 2019, this annually-scheduled event was finally held again May 11 in both the hospital and the new Veterans Memorial Hospital Medical Clinic-Waukon location, which is pictured in the photo above. Information and activities were provided to area residents by nearly 40 agencies and businesses that serve Allamakee and northern Clayton counties. The event is held free of charge and is open to all members of the area communities. Submitted photo.
Family Wellness Fair entertainment ... Balloon artist Mike Chapman of Manchester returned to the Wellness Fair this year with his creative balloon art entertaining the youth as they exited the Family Wellness Fair. Submitted photo.
Hand washing demonstrated ... Pictured in the photo above from the Veterans Memorial Hospital Wellness Fair is Tara Reisinger, RN, Infection Control Manager at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon demonstrating correct hand washing procedures to stop the spread of germs. Submitted photo.
The ‘annual’ Veterans Memorial Hospital “Family Wellness Fair” returned this year following a three-year hold due to COVID-19 regulations. This annually-scheduled event was finally held again May 11 in both the hospital and new Veterans Memorial Hospital Medical Clinic-Waukon locations. A good number of attendees enjoyed the information and activities provided by nearly 40 agencies and businesses that serve Allamakee and northern Clayton counties.
Entertainment for the evening included special appearances by “Klyde Thinger” the Clown, and balloon artist Mike Chapman. In addition, a Waukon Fire Department fire truck and hospital ambulance were on site in the front entrance to the clinic for children to view. Face painting was offered as well.
Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will begin managing the current Postville Medical Clinic June 6 of this year with plans to reopen the clinic July 5 after some minor renovations are completed.
“We are very excited to offer complete family medicine including family practice, Obstetrics and behavioral health to the Postville area,” states Michael Coyle, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Veterans Memorial Hospital.
The new Veterans Memorial Hospital Postville Medical Clinic will offer clinic hours from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday each week. The clinic will remain open over the lunch hour for patient convenience, then close from 1-2 p.m. each afternoon. Dr. Thomas McMullan, current clinic owner and medical provider, will continue to see patients at the Postville Clinic two days per week.
The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, May 19, at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of the hospital. Masks will be required to be worn.
This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or has a friend or loved one with diabetes. For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call Angie Mettille, RN, at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation annual Three Person Best-Shot Golf Tournament is set this year for June 20 at the Waukon Golf and Country Club.
Teams of three will begin the day with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. and play 18 holes of golf. Breakfast rolls, lunch and dinner and prizes for everyone will be provided for a $75 donation.
All those interested in joining the event are asked to pre-register their team by calling the Waukon Golf and Country Club at 563-568-9939. For more information about the golf tournament, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
Gary and Jean (Howes) Gilbertson of Waterville will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary. Gary and Jean exchanged vows May 27, 1972 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon. A family vacation with children and grandchildren is being planned to celebrate the occasion.
They are the parents of Amy (Mark Jackson) Gilbertson of San Marcos, TX, Jessica (Adam) Krause of McCallsburg and Nick Gilbertson of Boone. They have three grandchildren, Nora, Mia and Henry Krause.
In honor of the occasion, cards and well wishes may be sent to the couple at 1508 Mayflower Drive, Waterville, IA 52170.
