... that there was a photo story in a recent edition of the Cedar Rapids Gazette about the Palace Theatre in the downtown section of that city.
What caught my eye and jogged my memory, and perhaps has caused me to readjust my thinking, was the location in the photo of the large building next door, Yager’s men’s and boy’s clothing store.
I have always thought of my family as being middle class while I was growing up. I may have over-estimated. Perhaps we were lower middle class.
The fact that one day sometime just after WWII, my Dad bought suits for himself and me at that store jarred my feelings. Why would my Dad, who often had few bucks to spend and who was careful with where he spent those he did have, have driven to Cedar Rapids to make those purchases? We had a couple pretty nice men’s clothing stores in Waukon at that time.
When I was five years old I began the first grade in a small country school in Kansas. I did not know I was a kindergarten student in this rural school, or that my classmate was a pre-kindergarten. I only knew I was glad for Mrs. Gregory and I could go to school, even though she taught grades one through three. That was the beginning of my education in reading, writing, arithmetic and the spelling and vocabulary were tested every Friday.
by Jeremy Leitz, Allamakee County Executive Director 563-568-2148
Upcoming Deadlines and Important Dates
• May 15 – August 1: Primary Nesting Season - No Mid-Contract Management Activities on CRP acres
• May 31 - Marketing Assistance Loans for Prior Year Harvested Corn and Soybeans
• August 1 - ARC/PLC Sign-up
Twenty-six area women recently invested six weeks into learning about how to make their farming operations more successful. “While farm women have always been an integral part of agriculture, their role in managing farm operations continues to grow. That’s why Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) recently offered Annie’s Project to farm women in northeast Iowa,” says Melissa O’Rourke, ISUEO’s Farm and Agribusiness Management Specialist.
Annie’s Project is a farm management risk education program designed for women and facilitated by women agriculture professionals. O’Rourke describes Annie’s Project as a six-week program “intended to educate and empower farm women to be better business partners by managing and organizing critical information, improving decision-making skills, and networking with other farm women.”
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey encourages eligible farm owners to apply for the 2017 Century and Heritage Farm Program. The program is sponsored by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and recognizes families that have owned their farm for 100 years in the case of Century Farms and 150 years for Heritage Farms.
“These awards are an opportunity to recognize the hard work and commitment by these families that is necessary to keep a farm in the same family for 100 or 150 years,” Northey said. “If you consider all the challenges and unexpected obstacles each of them would have had to overcome during their life on the farm, it gives you a greater appreciation of the dedication and perseverance of each of the families being recognized.”
Several entities serving the Harpers Ferry area and Allamakee County overall received grant funding from the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) at the Tuesday, April 18 ACCF awards presentation. The City of Harpers Ferry Volunteer Fire Department received $6,000 for its Personal Firefighter Protection Equipment Replacement Project, the Harpers Ferry Area Heritage Society received $6,000 for its Oil Springs School Preservation Project - Phases I and II, the Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc. received $6,000 for the Harpers Ferry Family Splash Zone, and Upper Iowa River Alliance received $2,000 to complete and publish a new and improved Upper Iowa River Canoe Guide. Pictured above, left to right, are: Front row - Jack Heffern of the Harpers Ferry Fire Department, Wayne Hasek, Jane Regan and Jane Hasek of the Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc. and Harper Ferry Heritage Society, ACCF Board member Pat Cota and Theresa Gallagher of Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc. and Harper Ferry Heritage Society. Back row - ACCF Board member Betty Steege, Ron Steege and Robert Vavra of the Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc. and Harper Ferry Heritage Society, Josh Dansdill of Upper Iowa River Alliance, and Lindsey Deason and Paul Deason of the Harpers Ferry Boosters, Inc.
The Waterville Volunteer Fire Department received grant funding from the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) at the Tuesday, April 18 ACCF awards presentation. The Waterville Volunteer Fire Department received $20,000 for firefighter self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) and facemask equipment. Pictured above, left to right, are ACCF Board member Sheryl Evanson, and Roxanne Hawkins, Chip Lamb, Chief Loren Mitchell and Doug Kubitz of the Waterville Fire Department.
Several entities serving the Waukon and greater northeast Iowa areas received grant funding from the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) at the Tuesday, April 18 ACCF awards presentation. The Northeast Iowa Community College Foundation received $500 for Allamakee County STEAM Creation - Makerspace Summer Camp; and the City of Waukon - Wellness Center received $7,500 for improvements to the Waukon Softball Complex and Park Diamond. Pictured above, left to right, are ACCF Board member Diana Johnson, Erica Nosbisch of Northeast Iowa Community College, Kim Krause of the Waukon Park, Recreation and Wellness Department, and ACCF Board member Jarrod Olson.
Several entities serving the Lansing area received grant funding from the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) at the Tuesday, April 18 ACCF awards presentation. The City of Lansing Park and Recreation Board and the Lansing Lions Club received $10,000 for the Lansing Lions Playground Enhancement Project, and the Lansing Fire Department received $6,000 for Confined Space Equipment. Pictured above, left to right, are ACCF Board member Barb Winters-Kelly, Kelly Welsh of the Lansing Lions Club with Ada and Easden Welsh, Lansing Fire Chief Tony Becker, Tara Kolsrud of the Lansing Lions Club, and Leah Rohrer of the Lansing Lions Club with Lena Rohrer.
The New Albin Fire Department received grant funding from the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) at the Tuesday, April 18 ACCF awards presentation. The New Albin Fire Department received $6,000 for Personal Protective Equipment Compliance. Pictured above, left to right, are ACCF Board member Betty Steege, New Albin Fire Department Secretary Ellie Harmon, New Albin Mayor Josh Dreps and New Albin Fire Chief Jon Johnson.
Several entities in the Postville and greater Allamakee County areas received grant funding from the Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) at the Tuesday, April 18 ACCF awards presentation. The Postville Volunteer Fire Department received $14,500 for a new fire truck-tanker/tender, Northeast Iowa YMCA received $6,000 for YMCA of Northeast Iowa equipment, and the Allamakee County ATV/UTV Club received $1,000 for Allamakee County ATV/UTV trail signage. Pictured above, left to right, are: Front row: City of Postville Mayor Leigh Rekow, and Roxanne Hawkins, Chip Lamb and Marlene Blocker representing the Allamakee County ATV/UTV Club. Back row: Kevin Kohrs and Chief Jeff Bohr of the Postville Fire Department, Dennis Blocker representing the Allamakee County ATV/UTV Club, ACCF Board member Tony Gericke and Postville City Clerk Darcy Radloff.
The Allamakee County Community Foundation (ACCF) awarded $91,500 to area nonprofits Tuesday, April 18 at its annual grant award celebration held at Empty Nest Winery in Waukon. Many of those grant recipients are pictured in the photos surrounding this article.
The ACCF receives funds each year from the Iowa Department of Economic Development County Endowment Program. Seventy-five percent of the money received is granted out each year. The other twenty-five percent is maintained in a permanent endowment with the income to be distributed in future years.
The 2017 Waukon High School Prom is scheduled for this Saturday, April 29 at the current Waukon Middle School gymnasium. Doors will open at 7:15 p.m. to the public for the 8 p.m. Grand March, with seating available in the Waukon High School Auditorium. Following the Grand March will be the coronation of this year’s Prom King and Queen. Visitors are asked to exit the building after the coronation in order for students to start the dance. This year students will need to either attend the dance or participate in alternative activities in the Middle School/High School Library in order to attend the Post Prom event in the Waukon High School gymnasium. The Post Prom doors will open at 10:45 p.m., with activities, including games and the hypnotist, taking place from 11:30 p.m.-3:30 a.m. Pictured at right are the senior class Queen and King candidates for the 2017 Waukon High School Prom.
Sixteen-year-old Addison Schnuelle of Waukon in his Coulee Region Frost uniform. Submitted photo.
Addison Schnuelle (#17 in above photo), 16-year-old son of Adam and Tanya Schnuelle of Waukon, gets in on the action in a Coulee Region Sled Hockey League game this past winter. Despite being from northeast Iowa, where ice hockey is not readily available to watch in person or participate in, Schnuelle gave the new sled hockey league a try during its inaugural season this past winter and developed an excited interest in the game. Submitted photo.
by Amber Gericke
For a sport that isn't readily available in the immediate local area of his hometown or county of residence, ice hockey has recently provided 16-year-old Addison Schnuelle of Waukon a unique opportunity to be active and enjoy competition and camaraderie with his peers.
Addison is the son of Adam and Tanya Schnuelle of Waukon, and he can often be seen navigating the halls of Waukon High School in his wheelchair, as he is living his life with Spina Bifida. According to the Spina Bifida Association, Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect in the United States. Although a specific cause is still being researched, Spina Bifida occurs when a baby is in the womb and the spinal column does not close all of the way due to genetic and environmental factors that act together to cause the condition that can result in mobility and other body function difficulties, depending upon the severity of the condition.
Kee High School seniors Courtney Cooper and Spencer Colsch were selected as the 2017 Kee High School Prom Queen and King at the annual event held Saturday, April 22. Cooper was selected from a Queen court that also consisted of fellow seniors Jordyn Burroughs, Madelyn Gruber, Rachel Richards and Sierra Schobert. Colsch was chosen from a King court that included fellow seniors Danny Brennan, Logan Burroughs, Marshal Johnson and Johnathan Mooney. Photo courtesy of the Kee High School Yearbook.
