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The Lawrence D. Anderson VFW Post #4117 and the VFW Auxiliary held an awards program February 8 for their annual youth essay contest winners. Refreshments were served following the awards program.

A total of 216 entries from fourth through sixth grades were received for the "I Love America Because" essay contest from students at St. Patrick's Elementary, East Elementary, and Waterville Elementary schools within the Allamakee Community School District. First-, second-, and third-place winners for each grade level read their essays and received awards.

The Waukon Fire Department would like to remind area residents to use extra caution when burning items during this time of year. The burning of yard waste, ditches and trash that becomes prominent during this time of year has made springtime an extremely busy period for the local fire volunteers in the past, and some extra caution and common sense can help alleviate that problem.

Wednesday, April 6 is the day designated as “Advocating Change Day” at the Iowa State capital. The day is designed specifically for individuals with disabilities and their families to become skilled at communicating with their state legislators and state elected officials and to attend a rally at the state capital advocating for services for Iowans with disabilities. The Governor’s Council on Developmental Disabilities is hosting the event.

The Boy Scout program was founded in 1910 to meet the needs and wants of younger boys eager to be scouts. The Cub Scout program, first known as Cubbing, was founded in 1930. The program was designed for boys ages 9 to 11 and based on Rudyard Kipling’s Jungle Book.

Allamakee County Democratic Chairperson Karen Pratte reports the next meeting of the Allamakee County Democrats is Saturday March 19 at 11 a.m. at Gus & Tony's in Waukon. All interested Democrats are invited to attend. The Governor's race is coming up next year, so there is much to discuss.

Methamphetamine (Meth) use is a growing concern within area communities, but few understand the effects of meth use or the dangers associated with its production. To help better understand this drug, a training session is scheduled for Tuesday, March 22 from 8:30-12 Noon at the Decorah Auditorium.

The cost for the training is $20 per person. This program will meet the mandatory requirements for drug test training for reasonable suspicion and more.

July 15, the Postville Visitor Center will be sponsoring a community concert at the Fine Arts and Civic Center in Postville featuring the Celebrate Iowa Singers and Jazz Band (formerly State Fair Players).

In order to provide this concert help is needed. Presently there is a need for someone who would like to be the “Host Family Coordinator”. This person will be responsible for seeing that host families are found for 43 members and staff who will provide an overnight stay and the morning breakfast. Working with the youth and staff will be a very rewarding experience.

In the 1930’s my parents bought a building lot from Happy Nipper, and my father, with the help of several friends and relatives, built a simple summer cottage on the banks of Harper’s Slough. Our family spent a part of 10 or 12 summers there. Dad commuted to work in Waukon every day. There were some interesting people who made their homes in the area and lived there year-round. Some of them became good friends of our family. Their children were our playmates. These sketches are a compilation of memories of several of us who lived through those ten years together.

To learn more about grafting, attend the Iowa State University Extension Pruning & Grafting Apple Trees Workshop Saturday, Apr. 2 in Cresco. Participants will receive two dwarfing apple rootstocks they will graft to a popular apple variety. Extension staff will provide all the training and materials.

Gardeners who sign up for the grafting workshop can also attend a pruning workshop free of charge. The cost of the pruning workshop is $5. The cost of the grafting workshop is $25. Additional apple rootstocks will also be available for $5 each.