Trooper Ted L. Benda, 37, of rural Decorah succumbed to his injuries Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center in La Crosse, WI from an automobile accident while on duty with the Iowa State Patrol Thursday, October 14. Public funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 27 at 11 a.m. at the Waukon High School with Fr. John Moser officiating. A private burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Waukon. A public visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday, October 26 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Waukon.
Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements. In lieu of flowers, plants and gifts, memorials can be directed to the Ted Benda Memorial Fund set up at FreedomBank in Waukon.
UPDATE: IOWA STATE PATROL ANNOUNCES TROOPER TED BENDA'S PASSING
The men and women of the Iowa State Patrol and Department of Public Safety are heartbroken to announce the loss of one of our own, Trooper Ted Benda ISP #313. Trooper Benda was involved in a single-vehicle crash on Thursday, October 14th while in route to assist the Clayton County Sheriff's Office with a wanted suspect. He succumbed to his injuries today, October 20, 2021.
Trooper Benda joined the DCI in 2005, assigned to the Special Enforcement Operations Bureau in Marquette. He transferred to the State Patrol in 2016, assigned to District 8 in Mason City and most recently working out of the District 10 office in Oelwein. He is not only a valuable part of the Department of Public Safety, but he was more importantly a loving husband, father, son, and brother. Trooper Benda leaves behind his wife, Holly, and their four young children along with many family, friends, and colleagues.
Rehabilitation Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital ... October is National Physical Therapy Month. Pictured is the Rehabilitation Department at Veterans Memorial Hospital. This staff works with people of all ages, helping them to reduce pain and regain strength, independence and health, assisting patients within the hospital, patients in the hospital on a skilled level of care, as well as outpatients and in the patient homes. Pictured above, left to right, are Amy Robinson, PT, Rehab Director; Sara White, PTA; Alana Gavin, DPT; Amy Ghelf, PTA; Tami Gebel, OT; Brad Krambeer, Athletic Trainer; Shelly Valley, PTA and Athletic Trainer; Steven Mazzafield, SLP; Laurel Hagensick, PT; Melissa Clarke, OT; Austin Troendle, DPT and Athletic Trainer; and Dacia Johnson, Office Manager and Rehab Technician. Submitted photo.
October is National Physical Therapy Month. The Rehabilitation staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital works with people of all ages, helping them to reduce pain and regain strength, independence and health. The Healthy Lifestyles Rehabilitation Center at Veterans Memorial Hospital is fully equipped for all rehabilitation patients with 17 weight machine stations, tread mills, exercise bikes, NuStep and eliptical machines. The six treatment rooms allow one-on-one evaluation and treatment with a therapist.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month at VMH ... October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pictured is some of the Veterans Memorial Hospital X-ray Technologists who are encouraging women to “get their pumpkins smashed” during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pictured above, left to right, are radiology technologists Keisha Coon, Kelly Baxter, Kathy Hager, Amanda Leiran, Renee Stokman and Danielle Ferring. Not pictured is Siobhan Kurth. Veterans Memorial Hospital was the first to offer 3D mammography in northeast Iowa. Digital mammography has many advantages, including a 41% increase in the detection of invasive breast cancers, a 29% increase in the detection of all breast cancers and a 15% decrease in women recalled for additional imaging. Submitted photo.
Breast cancer is the leading cancer diagnosed in women in America. This year, more than 250,000 women will learn for the first time that they have this disease and more than 40,000 women will lose their lives. However, when breast cancer is detected early and treated promptly, suffering and ultimately the loss of life can be significantly reduced.
Women are encouraged to ask their doctors and other health care providers about mammography screening. Mammography (an x-ray picture of the breast) is the single-most effective method to detect breast changes that may be cancer, long before physical symptoms can be seen or felt. Early detection, followed by up-to-date treatment, provides women with better chances for long-term freedom from the disease. But mammography screening must be done routinely.
Auxiliary to host Masquerade Sales and Pillow Perk ... The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will hold its annual Masquerade Sale and Pillow Perk Monday, October 25. The Masquerade Sale offers a wide variety of stocking stuffers such as jewelry, scarves, hair accessories, leggings, lunch bags, mittens, hats, flashlights, billfolds and more, all for only $5 each. The Pillow Perk cleans, sanitizes and gives feather pillows new ticking. Both events will be held on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Everyone should enter the lower level doors to attend these events. Submitted photo.
The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its annual Pillow Perk this year Monday, October 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Kraft Pillow Service will be on site to make old pillows look like new.
Everyone is encouraged to bring in their feather pillows to the Pillow Perk to be cleaned, sanitized and given new ticking. Foam and Dacron pillows may also be renovated by this process. People are also encouraged to bring in their feather beds and have them made into new pillows.
Everyone is instructed to enter the hospital through the lower level loading dock entrance and to have their pillows in plastic bags marked with their name when they drop them off. Directional signage will be located on the street right outside that door.
The planning of the 2021 Christmas Fantasy is underway and decorators and silent auction donors are needed. The format of the event was changed again this year to keep the event COVID-19 safe with decorations and lighted displays being set up outside on the Allamakee County Fairgrounds. Only the silent auction items will be displayed inside the Pavilion.
This year the theme for Christmas Fantasy will be “Baby It’s Cold Outside,” which is fitting for an outdoor Fantasy. A drive-through of lighted displays will be out in front of the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilion for anyone wanting to drive through or walk through evenings during the event, which will be held November 18-22. Any type of outdoor lighted display is appropriate such as a tree, a wreath, a lawn ornament, an outlined item, a blow-up decoration, etc.
Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health continues offering a series of community Flu Clinics over the next few weeks at the following locations in Allamakee County:
Wednesday, October 20: Walk-In Clinic at Harpers Ferry Community Center, 9-11 a.m. Wednesday, October 20: By Appointment Only at Veterans Memorial Hospital, 1:30-6 p.m. Call 563-568-5660 to schedule an appointment. Friday, October 22: Walk-In Clinic at Lansing I.C. Church Parish Hall, Noon-3 p.m. Wednesday, October 27: Walk-In Clinic at Veterans Memorial Hospital, 9-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4 p.m.
COVID-19 vaccines and other vaccines may be administered at the same visit, on the same day. For example, COVID-19 vaccines can safely and effectively be administered the same time as the flu vaccines.
Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will be offering the next recertification course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMS, etc.) Monday, November 1, beginning at 5 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.
There is a small fee to attend and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask, if they have one. Upon successful completion of the class, the participant will receive an electronic card certifying them as a BLS Healthcare Provider for two years.
Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required for the class to be held. All participants will be required to physically distance during the class and wear a mask. They will also be screened at the hospital main entrance when they enter the building.
The Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Clinic holds a special ‘sick child’ clinic every Monday morning beginning at 7 a.m. This special clinic time is meant to help accommodate parents who have had a child under the weather over the weekend and wishes to have them seen by a medical provider prior to beginning work Monday morning. It also helps to know if children are well enough to attend school or need to be kept at home.
Evening appointments are also offered Thursdays until 7 p.m., again for the convenience of those working during the day. The Veterans Memorial Hospital Medial Clinic is then open from 8-5 p.m. all other days, Monday through Friday.
The hospital’s urgent care clinic also remains available Monday through Friday evenings, from 5-7 p.m., and on weekends and holidays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., for use when the clinic is closed.
Call the clinic at 563-568-5530 for questions and to schedule an appointment.
The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) recently shared the following points to help explain the newly approved COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and help individuals see if they meet the requirements.
A third dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is explained as follows:
• Recommended for moderately to severely immunocompromised individuals at least 28 days AFTER receiving the second Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
• Meant for people who have not built strong enough immunity after completing the initial vaccine series.
• Individuals who have any of the following:
- Organ transplant.
- Immunosuppressive therapy.
- High dose corticosteroid use.
- Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies.
