River Valley

Kerndt Brothers Bank has announced that the organization will be acquiring two new locations in northeast Iowa. Fidelity Bank & Trust locations in Waukon and Decorah will become the newest locations added to the Kerndt Brothers Bank line-up.
“We are very excited about these two particular locations,” stated Kerndt Brothers Bank President and Chief Executive Officer James Kerndt. “Our company has been a very active community partner in Waukon for over 30 years, contributing to numerous capital campaigns in that area. I also have personal ties in the Decorah community and have a deep-rooted love of that community as well. This seems to be a natural next step for our organization and fits well with our long-term strategic direction.”

The Lansing Summer Theatre Camp was held at Kee High School July 7 and July 9-11, culminating in a camp performance July 12. There were 32 campers ranging from third through eighth grades and 10 high school drama members serving as camp leaders. Each day of the camp revolved around a theme, such as Tearin’ It Up With Some Drama Day, CSI Investigation Day, Fiesta Day, Wipe Out Day, etc., with related activities of team building and theater skills. The campers were also grouped into performance categories of acting, mime, readers theatre, TV news and improvisational acting. High school camp leaders were in charge of directing each group’s performance for the Sunday, July 12 camp showcase for family and friends.

While the sun gave the sand dune walkers scorching heat during the GPS treasure hunts, it also raised the water temperature of the Mississippi River to a comfortable and cooling 78 degrees, and that made it even more inviting to the swimmers. Friends of Pool 9 organizers and volunteers staged their annual river adventure day for kids on the beach area north of Lansing Tuesday, July 14. The gathering included 180 kids, parents, presenters, and FOP9 volunteers.
Children were separated into age groups and identified as Tadpoles, Crawdads, Muskrats, Foxes, Otters and Eagles. The younger four groups (5-8 year-olds) rotated through five activity stations (many designed to get the kids in the water), while the older kids (9-13) went on a two-hour backwater canoe trip and an electronic (GPS) treasure search on the dune.

A summer hike to Sugar Creek Bluff will once again be part of the annual River Bluff Daze celebration in Ferryville, WI Saturday, July 25.  This hike will be co-sponsored with Mississippi Valley Conservancy as part of the Linked to the Land series and is sponsored by Mayo Clinic Health System-Fransciscan Healthcare of LaCrosse, WI. Participants should meet at the Ferryville Boat Landing on the north end of town. Access is from Market Street at the south end of the Cheapo Depot building. Treats and instructions will be available starting at 8:30 a.m. and then everyone will carpool to the trailhead off North Buck Creek Road.

by B.J. Tomlinson

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

A rustic recreated 1940s shantyboat, a daring river voyage, and a meticulous archive of river stories are all part of a multi-year art and history project being undertaken by artist Wes Modes of Santa Cruz, CA and entitled "A Secret History of American River People." Modes set sail last summer on the Mississippi River to collect the stories of people who live and work on the river from the deck of his homemade houseboat (seen in the photo accompanying this article). This year, he and his crew (and dog) have started near La Crosse, WI, where he left off last September and are slowly making their way downriver. The artist is looking for residents who recall the history of river communities to tell their stories in interviews for the project. Also, residents are invited to come see the shantyboat. He plans to be in the Lansing area this Sunday, July 12 through the following Wednesday, depending upon weather and river conditions.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

A crazy dream? A worthy goal? A willing friend? All of these components create the perfect opportunity for two young men to take the trip of a lifetime: to paddle the entire length of the Mississippi River to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
When Corey Smock of Decorah first told his mom, Waukon native and current Decorah resident Renee (Thune) Smock, that he wanted to canoe down the Mississippi, she was not enthusiastic. She said she might feel better about it if he found someone to go with him. The first friend that Corey asked, fellow Decorah High School graduate Lance Loney, said, “Sure, let’s do it!” Thus the planning began and Mom’s worries had to turn to support for her son’s adventure.

by B.J. Tomlinson

by Susan Cantine-Maxson