News Center newsletter

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2023 will be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 10, 11, 12 and 13, at the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilion. The theme will be, “Wishing You a Merry Grinchmas.”

The 2023 Fantasy Schedule of Events for this weekend includes:

“Tingle ‘N Mingle” Happy Hour
The Friday evening “Tingle ‘N Mingle” happy hour will be held November 10, from 5-8 p.m. This annual Friday night happy hour event is a special opportunity to meet socially with friends and co-workers after work. Many new hot and hearty hors d’oeuvres will be added this year, plus desserts, candies, and spirits will be served among the trees.

Each ticket includes all of the food plus two drink tickets. Tickets can be purchased now in advance at the main entrance of Veterans Memorial Hospital or at all local banks in Allamakee County. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.

The number of Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) in this area has dwindled over the years as licensed EMTs have retired. Allamakee and northern Clayton Counties are fortunate to have many emergency response services, but nearly all of them are in need of more EMTs on their service to share the call time, ensuring local emergency services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

NICC will be offering a face-to-face EMT Class in Waukon beginning in January. This class is not offered locally each year, so the fact it will be held in Waukon is a convenience for those wishing to take the course with little travel time. This is a 138-hour course which will conclude in May. Registration for the class must be completed prior to the orientation night January 8.

November 5-11 is observed as National Radiologic Technologist Week. The Veterans Memorial Hospital Radiology Department radiologic technologists are all cross-trained in a wide variety of x-ray services.  One of them is on-call, 24 hours a day.

The department offers Mammography, CT scanning, MRI, Ultrasound, Nuclear Medicine, Echocardiograms and Bone Densitometry, as well as all basic x-ray services. The x-ray equipment provides detailed pictures of all bones, plus fluoroscopy for pictures of organs inside the body.

X-rays taken at Veterans Memorial Hospital are able to be read by a radiologist 24 hours a day, seven days a week through Teleradiology, for quick interpretation, which can be especially helpful in the case of emergencies.

Those eligible and interested have until December 7 to enroll in or change Medicare drug plans for 2024 and are advised to not wait until the last minute. Remember, those who are on Medicare and don’t have drug coverage, or if the coverage they have is not as good as Medicare’s, they will face a penalty for each month they delay enrolling.

Those who have questions about Medicare drug coverage should call their local SHIIP counselor at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411. SHIIP volunteers are available to meet individually with anyone in the community who wishes to compare the Medicare Part D plans available for 2024.

Appointments are required. Call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411 to schedule an appointment. Anyone meeting with a SHIIP counselor will need to bring their Medicare card, current Part D plan card and a list of their medications from their pharmacy. SHIIP is a free, confidential service of the State of Iowa.

 The COVID vaccine is being offered in conjunction with flu shots at Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee Public Health. Flu shots are recommended for all those who have not yet received the vaccine, and they will be effective throughout the rest of the flu season.

According to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, flu vaccines are proven to help prevent millions of illnesses and have been shown to reduce the risk of having to go to the doctor by 40-60%. COVID-19 vaccines help protect by creating an antibody response without having to experience potentially severe illness or post-COVID conditions.  Although it is still possible to get sick after being vaccinated, flu and COVID immunizations are proven to help prevent severe illness, which can be lifesaving.

Sean and Samantha Larkin of Postville announce the birth of their son, Jamison Robert Larkin, born October 31, 2023 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 6 lbs. 8 ozs. and measured 19 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins three siblings, Jonah (11), Charlotte (3-1/2) and Alaina (1-1/2).

Grandparents are Becky and Greg Benjegerdes of Waukon, Shari and the late Al Brink of Lansing, Angie Anderson of West Union, and Bob and Peggy Larkin of Dorchester. Great-grandparents are Lucy Brink of Postville, Eleanor Underbakke of Burr Oak, Linda and Curt Gjere of Decorah, and Rose Larkin of Lansing.

Randy Merten II and Winter Merten announce the birth of their daughter, Elizabeth Merten, born October 30, 2023 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and measured 19-1/2 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins three siblings, Claire (7), Sophia (6) and Sabrina (4).

Grandparents are David and Andrea Bushman of Lansing, Tammy Merten of Arizona, and Dan and Syl Manning of Prairie du Chien, WI.
 

Upcoming Deadlines/Dates
December 4: Last Day to Return COC Ballots
December 15: Crop Reporting for Fall-Seeded Small Grains
January 31: Livestock Forage Program (LFP)

USDA to Provide More Than $3 Billion to Commodity and Specialty Crop Producers Impacted by 2022 Natural Disasters
The U. S Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide more than $3 billion to commodity and specialty crop producers impacted by natural disaster events in 2022. Eligible impacted producers can apply for financial assistance through the Emergency Relief Program (ERP) 2022. The program will help offset the financial impacts of crop yield and value losses from qualifying disasters occurring in 2022.

Good grain management can benefit bottom line and help prevent entrapment incidents

Keeping grain in good condition is important for a farmers bottom line by allowing them to sell high-grade grain and maintain all their marketing options. Good grain management has another major benefit: It can help prevent grain entrapment and engulfment incidents, since most of the incidents that happen every year involve grain flow issues due to grain spoilage.

Why aerate grain?
Aeration is used to cool grain in the fall and keep temperatures across the grain mass even throughout its storage life. Cool temperatures keep insect and mold activity low and increase the maximum allowable storage life of grain.

Last month, October 8, we had our Pumpkins in the Park event at Waukon City Park. We had a great day with beautiful weather, fun activities, and about 300 people from the community in attendance.

A special thank you to all those who came to the event and to all those who made the event possible including many of our local businesses for donating door prizes for this community event. We have a great community! We are already looking forward to next year!

As I welcomed people to Pumpkins in the Park, a woman came up to me and pulled out her wallet. She said, “How much do I owe you?” I said, “Nothing! This is a free event. We want to give you a pumpkin.” “Really?” she said. “Wow. Thank you so much!”

I understood this woman’s response because I feel the same way when someone - especially a stranger - gives me something for free. It is a complete shock. Why would you give this to me? I didn’t do anything for you, I don’t deserve it.