Community News

submitted by Cristina Smith

The 2017 Mission Trip taken by First Baptist Church of Waukon June 2-18 to Brazil proved to be a wonderful and positive experience for the 13 members of the mission team. Those team members included Steve Kiley, Deb Kiley, Kari Roney, Claire Beyer, Sidney McQuade, Nathan Smith, Morgan Van Ruler, Michael Smith, Brenna Smith, Aislinn Goettel, Jacob Smith, Pastor Duane Smith and Cristina Smith.

The mission team began fundraising one year in advance and prepared a 45-minute presentation of drama, music, puppets and translated testimonies in the Portuguese language under the direction of Pastor Duane and Cristina Smith. Cristina Smith, carrying dual citizenship with the countries of Brazil and the United States due to being born to missionary parents in southern Brazil, taught the mission team Portuguese phrases, lyrics to Christian songs, and aided each member in preparing their salvation testimonies.

Pictured above are the Judges' Choice Award (purple ribbon) winners in the Open Class Building from the 2017 Allamakee County Fair. Left to right - Front row: Bailey Schafer, Garden & Baked Goods Age 11-18; Dallas Tilleraas, Garden & Baked Goods Age 5-10; Mary Donnadiew, Arts & Crafts Adults. Back row: Bev Bakkum, Textiles & Fabrics; Carol Goettler, Antiques & Collectibles; Jane Miene, Flowers-Blooms; Charlotte Christianson, Flowers-Plant or Arrangement; Julie Wood, Agricultural Products; Diana Davison, Arts & Crafts Age 11-18; Hannah Teslow, Arts & Crafts Age 5-10. Submitted photo.
 

The Iowa Jersey Cattle Club (IJCC) selected three award winners at its Summer Picnic hosted recently by Bernie and Rachel Bakker of Alvord. Grace Howe, daughter of Matt and Rachelle Howe of Waukon, was the recipient of two of those three awards, including the Iowa Jersey Youth Achievement Award and also being crowned as the 2017 Iowa Jersey Princess.

The Iowa Jersey Youth Achievement Award, the IJCC’s highest honor, is given annually to a Jersey youth that owns one or more Registered Jerseys™, is between 16-19 years of age as of January 1, and is a junior member of the Iowa Jersey Cattle Club. This youth must show depth of Jersey experience, in addition to participation in other community activities.

The Waukon Wellness Center offers a wide variety of group exercise classes daily to accommodate every age and fitness level, with some classes beginning as early as 5 a.m. for the early birds, and others ending between 6-7 p.m. “Weekend Warriors,” a cycling class, is also offered every Saturday morning at 7 a.m. for those who desire that little “extra.” Classes are instructed by experienced, local “talents” (pictured at right), all of whom are certified in their specialty, with many instructors having multiple certifications in numerous specialties.

At present, Waukon Wellness Center is fortunate to have instructors specializing in, and currently offers, the following classes: Cycling, Zumba, Zumba Gold, Cross Train, Barre, Beyond Barre, Pilates, Stretch & Strengthen, Kickboxing, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), and multiple Yoga varieties.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, August 7 to address a variety of matters, including Aveka noise and odor concerns, the Green Valley Bridge project and a review of the Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®) visit to Waukon. Mayor Duane DeWalle called the meeting to order with approval of the current agenda and minutes from the July 17 meeting.

The Public Hearing for a seven-year lease of a Johnson Vacuum Sweeper VT651-D on a Freightliner M2 Chassis for a total lease of $290,176.04 was opened and closed without any written or verbal comments. The Resolution for the Johnson Vacuum Sweeper lease agreement for seven years was approved later in the meeting at a total lease amount of $290,176.04 for the street sweeper. The Public Hearing for the Sanitary Sewer Collection Spot Repairs Project was also opened and closed without any written or verbal comments.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, July 31 to address a full agenda of items, including a First Reading of an Ordinance to establish a Pioneer Cemetery Commission, Consideration of a new hire for the Victim-Witness Coordinator position and a Des Moines Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) recap.

Chairperson Larry Schellhammer called the meeting to order with the current agenda and the meeting minutes of July 24 being approved. Supervisor Dan Byrnes was present with Supervisor Dennis Koenig not in attendance due to a scheduled absence. The Supervisors moved into Public Comment with discussion of RAGBRAI in Allamakee County.

The annual Kid’s Archeology Day at Effigy Mounds National Monument will be held this Saturday, August 5 from 1-3 p.m. at the Visitor Center. All ages are invited to participate in the events, which will take place rain or shine and are free of charge. A variety of activities offer kids the opportunity to learn about the past by trying their hand at decorating clay, basket weaving, fur trade era beaded bracelets, spear throwing with an atlatl (as pictured above) and American Indian games. Kids visiting Effigy Mounds can also participate in a Junior Ranger program by picking up a Junior Ranger Book and completing age-appropriate activities to earn a new wooden Effigy Mounds Junior Ranger badge.

A program about Quilts of Valor was presented at the Allamakee County Fair Thursday, July 20 by area quilters. Allamakee County 4-H member Diana Davison reviewed her Quilts of Valor Citizenship 4-H project and Sue Lynch from Prairie du Chien, WI of the Northeast Iowa Quilters’ Guild shared quilts from the guild made for the Quilts of Valor presentations. Grace Murphy and Meg Schaller of Waukon showed a quilt made locally for presentation. At the end of the program, Quilts of Valor were awarded to Gene Scott and Dr. Alden Wiley, residents of Northgate Care Center. Additional Quilts of Valor created by Waukon quilters are being displayed in downtown Waukon in the Waukon Economic Development Corporation (former Tierney’s) building at the stoplight intersection. Pictured above, left to right, at the Quilts of Valor presentation are: Front -  Gene Scott, Grace Murphy, Dr. Alden Wiley and Sue Lynch. Back - Chad Wikan and Allison Schulte of Northgate Care Center. Submitted photo.

Numerous Allamakee County 4-H members had the projects they were exhibiting at the Allamakee County July 19-23 selected for advancement to the Iowa State Fair to be held August 10-20 in Des Moines. Some of those State Fair exhibitors are pictured at right: Left to right - Front row: Katherine Hagen, Allie Bieber, Katelyn Leiran, Samantha Berryman, Neva Peterson. Middle row: Katelyn Monroe, Denzel Decker, Andrew Mellick, Abbie Brainard, Victoria Waters. Back row: Daytona Miller, Diana Davison, Miranda Reinhardt, Devin Bieber, Abby Wiemerslage. Not pictured: Teddy Holthaus, Sam Jacobs, Emma Palmer, Natalie Byrnes, Cheyanne Troendle, Ashley Liddiard, Tessa Rubendall, Austin Schutte, Carley Sweeney, Madalyn Palmer, Maddy Waters. Submitted photo.
 

The Allamakee County Veterans Services Office has received a shipment of specially-published books in honor of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. The initial limited shipment of books is being made available to any veteran who served in a “Boots on Ground” capacity in Vietnam or as “Brown Water Navy” on the inland waters of Vietnam. The book is also available to any surviving spouses of these specifically-listed veterans.