Community News

This year marks the 43rd year that Helping Services has served communities of northeast Iowa. Originally opened as the Decorah Information Center in 1973, the variety of programs and services offered has changed throughout the years due to new needs, issues and realities that families experience. This year marks a continued evolution for the organization, as it is embarking on a new name and logo heading into 2017.

The organization is pleased to announce that Helping Services for Northeast Iowa will now be known as Helping Services for Youth & Families. Helping Services’ Executive Director Carson Eggland remarks, “While this is a small change, it is important to note the name now says exactly what our team has been doing since 1973. We are here, in your community, to help and serve youth and families.”

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, November 21 to discuss a full agenda of items including RV and trailer parking, an electric franchise rebate and the third reading of the Storm and Surface Water Drainage System Utility Ordinance. No comments were heard or read during Public Comments.

Under Departmental Reports, Street Department Superintendent Keith Burrett discussed that his department is ready for the winter season. Recreation and Wellness Director Jeremy Strub indicated that this is a slow time program-wise with the transition from fall to winter activities, but things are picking up with use of the Wellness Center.

The Waukon High School Choir will make its 22nd Annual Christmas Church Tour Sunday, December 4. The annual tour allows choir members to serve the community by singing several pieces of music at various church services. At each stop, the choir takes a freewill offering. The proceeds of these collections will be donated to the Allamakee County Relief Office, the Allamakee County Food Shelf, the Backpack Program in the Allamakee Community Schools, the Northeast Iowa Community Action Group and the Waukon Community Meal program. If bad weather prevents safe travel, a cancellation announcement will be made through the usual school-closing channels. Should a cancellation happen, the tour will not be rescheduled for a later date.

Under the direction of Sarah (Bieber) Palmer this year, the choir will be singing during worship services at these Waukon area churches:

Jake Bollman of Waterville recently underwent the third open heart surgery of his life at the age of 23 and is said to be recovering well. At his annual check-up earlier this year, it was discovered that he had a previously repaired heart valve that was once again leaking and that the left side of his heart was swollen.

Bollman had the option of replacing the valve with one taken from a pig or receiving a mechanical valve. The valve from the pig option would only last six years and likely require another open heart surgery to replace again, so he opted for the mechanical valve in hopes that this would be his last open heart surgery.

However, with the mechanical valve, Bollman will have to be on a blood thinner the rest of his life and will continue to require numerous laboratory blood draws and doctor visits over the next several months. A benefit event is being planned for this Saturday, November 26 to help him pay for medical expenses and medication costs.

Madisyn Frye, three-year-old daughter of Kayla Frye of Cresco and granddaughter of Todd and Lauri Kaeser of Rossville and Dean Frye of Decorah, was injured in a farm accident Sunday, November 6 when her hand was caught in a grain auger. She was airlifted from Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon to Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, where she immediately underwent surgery to reattach her hand. She now faces a long road of rehabilitation and physical therapy.

The three-year-old's friends and family describe her as a very strong yet loving little girl who loves to chase chickens at her grandparents' farm. Although being laid up in a hospital bed was difficult for her, the surgery reportedly went well and she continues her recovery at home.

by Brianne Eilers

Elliott Jewelers, located on Main Street in downtown Waukon, has been a familiar business in the community and surrounding areas for 55 years now, making it the oldest retail business in Waukon. It has evolved from humble beginnings to be a recognized and respected name in northeast Iowa and the tri-state area for jewelry and jewelry repair. Dick Elliott opened his first store in Waukon in 1961, but the story actually begins a few years earlier than that.

In 1959, Dick attended Bradley University’s watchmaker school for about a year and a half to complete the program. He then moved on to an apprenticeship with Spaight Jewelry in Cedar Rapids from 1960 to 1961, after which he took a board test at the state level to be certified. In March of 1961, Dick moved back to Waukon. He got married to the former Shirley Hahn and opened his first store, a watch repair shop, above the B&B Clothing Store.

Plans are being made for the tenth annual Lighted Holiday Parade in downtown Waukon, scheduled for Monday, November 21, beginning at 6 p.m. The event coincides with extended Monday night business hours of Waukon retailers.

The parade will begin at the East Elementary School playground and travel Fifth Street NW south to West Main Street. Turning left onto West Main, the parade entries will venture to the stoplight intersection, where they will then turn south on to Spring Avenue for one block before turning right on to First Avenue SW and heading up to Sixth Street SW. The entries will then turn right and head north back to the East Elementary playground.

Helping to keep kids warm, the Waukon Knights of Columbus offered community support with two donations of six new coats of various sizes each to the Allamakee County Relief office and St. Patrick's Thrift Store. Funds for “Coats for Kids” were raised from donations at Knights of Columbus breakfasts. Pictured above, left to right, are Knights of Columbus members Pat Bresnahan, Chuck Votsmier and Bob Larkin, Becky Hawes from the Allamakee County Relief Office,  and Knights of Columbus members Msgr. Cletus Hawes, Lawrence Benda, Kai Becker. Submitted photo.
 

Dolan Jones, son of Gregg and Maura Jones of Waukon, has achieved Boy Scout’s highest rank, Eagle Scout. Jones is a member of Boy Scout Troop 64 under the leadership of Scoutmaster John Troendle and charter organization VFW Post 4117 in Waukon.

Only four percent of Boy Scouts are granted this rank after a lengthy review process. The requirements necessary to achieve the Eagle Scout rank take years to fulfill.
Community members are invited to attend an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, where Jones will receive his award, this Sunday, November 20 at 2 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Waukon.

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, November 7 at the Supervisors' boardroom to address a variety of topics, including the Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission Agreement, discussion of a request to quote County insurance and the Partnerships for Success grant contract. There were no comments heard or read during the Public Comments portion of the meeting.