News Center newsletter

Fifteen 4-H youth participated in a Youth Leadership Retreat August 27 at the Driftless Area Education Center in Lansing facilitated by Morgan Bjerke, Allamakee County Youth Coordinator. The Experiential Learning Model emphasizes the use of life skills to learn content objectives. Through 4-H, this model emphasizes the importance of student involvement in the experiences or activities in each situation of the learning cycle. Students bring their own experiences and knowledge to the learning cycle. The 2017 Allamakee County 4-H Council Retreat was strategic in bringing the Experiential Learning Model to action with a focus on self-discovery through a self-personality assessment along with creating an understanding and application of working in a team. County 4-H Council members participated in team building activities, completed a self-personality assessment, worked on goals and plans for the 2017-18 4-H year and had time to explore the Driftless Area Education Center.

Scarecrow entries: Six entries, some of which are pictured in the top photo, took part in the Scarecrow Contest hosted by the Midwest Veterans of America during Waukon Corn Days Saturday, August 19. All participants received a Scarecrow medal created by Epic Wear of Waukon and presented by Ozzie Quandahl of Midwest Veterans of America. Entries were submitted by Hailey and Dakota Bechtel, DJ. Halverson, and Harper, Havanna, Hadalyn and Huxley Halverson. Submitted photo.

As part of continued Sesquicentennial Programming at Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, there will be a pair of programs held at the library within the next two weeks. Doors will open for each program at 5:30 p.m. with a light lunch, with a donation jar being in place. Actual programs will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 7, Barbara Kailean Welsh, Author of "Blazing A Trail: The Unconventional Life of Harriet Hosmer," will give a presentation. Welsh is bringing to life the character of a 20-year-old woman who, in 1851, raced up Mt. Hosmer in Lansing, thus resulting in the name of the Lansing landmark.

Many of the people of the area have only known her name, but such questions remain as to how that name happened to stay with Mt. Hosmer and what kind of a girl was she to be traveling on the river alone at the age of 20 in 1851. It is also known that she became a sculptor, but to what extent is her work known?

Community members are invited to give back and help save lives by donating blood Wednesday, September 6 from 2-6 p.m. at Kerndt Brothers Community Center in Lansing. To make an appointment or to learn more, download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Blood is a perishable product that can only come from generous volunteers. By donating blood, individuals can help make a difference in the lives of patients in their community and throughout the nation.

Completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire found at redcrossblood.org/rapidpass is encouraged to help speed up the donation process. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.

Experience the beauty of fall at Effigy Mounds National Monument by hiking with a Ranger on one of the monument’s south unit trails. Starting Thursday, September 7, these interpretive Ranger-guided hikes will take place Thursdays and Sundays in September, beginning at 1 p.m. The moderately strenuous three- to four-mile hikes will focus on the lifestyles of the American Indians who built the mounds between 2500-900 years ago. The tours will conclude at one of the park’s iconic effigy mounds and will last approximately three hours.

Visitors should wear sturdy walking shoes, bring plenty of water and are reminded to not bring their pets. Meet the Ranger at 1 p.m. at the Marching Bears trail access located across the railroad tracks off Highway 76, one-quarter mile south of the headquarters of Effigy Mounds National Monument. Sunday tours are subject to ranger availability. For more information call 563-873-3491, ext. 123.

Justin W. Patchin, Ph.D., professor of criminal justice at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Co-Director of the Cyberbullying Research Center, will be conducting a presentation on cyberbullying Monday, September 25 at the New Albin Community Center, beginning at 7 p.m.

Entitlted "Teen Technology Use and Misuse," Dr. Patchin's presentation will cover a broad overview of cyberbullying, including issues parents, educators, and teens need to know about how youth use and misuse technology to cause harm to their peers. The presentation will define and provide examples of cyberbullying and discuss the role of parents in preventing and responding to inappropriate online behaviors.  It will also describe many of the online environments popular among adolescents today and strategies to use to make sure they are used safely and responsibly.

At the August 21 Board of Trustees meeting at the Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Cresco Center, members received an update on organizational development programs the College has implemented for its employees.

Seth Gilbert, J.D., Ph.D., director of organizational development, shared how organizational development opportunities for employees at the College encompass personal, professional and procedural development, as well as faculty and stakeholder development. From 2016-2017, Gilbert conducted a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis among current employees and will combine the data it generated with the data collected from an environmental scan completed by other members of institutional effectiveness. Gilbert also introduced quarterly new employee orientation sessions and a Leadership Certificate program.

The 2017 season for the Waukon football team opened with a bang, as the gridiron Tribe made short work of Class 1A neighbor MFL/MarMac with a 56-0 triumph at home Friday, August 25. The game was a homecoming, of sorts, for former Waukon football head coach Tom Oppelt, who is now in his fifth year as head coach of the Bulldog gridiron program.

Behind an early tone set by senior standout Mitchell Snitker, the Indians bolted to a 50-0 halftime lead on the way to the easy victory. Snitker scored on the second play from scrimmage on a 48-yard touchdown run and then also on the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage with a 30-yard “pick-6” interception for a touchdown, all within just over a minute into the game and headlining a five-touchdown performance by the speedy senior on just five offensive touches in the game.

The Waukon volleyball team got its 2017 season underway in convincing fashion with a season-opening sweep of Postville at home Monday, August 21 by set scores of 25-9, 25-10 and 25-14. Although the Indians’ 25 kills and 26 ace serves indicate some of the type of success they had, what may have been even more impressive than what they did on their side of the net was what they did not allow the visiting Pirates to do in the match, stifling the Postville squad that had not won a single match all last season to just one kill and no ace serves in Monday’s match.

The Indians were next slated to host MFL/MarMac Monday, August 28 before playing in the Mabel-Canton, MN Tournament Saturday, September 2. The Tribe netters will then open Northeast Iowa Conference play at Decorah Tuesday, September 5 before playing in the Crestwood Tournament Saturday, September 9.

The Kee football season kicked off at home against a familiar and formidable foe in fellow Upper Iowa Conference squad Turkey Valley, who came off an undefeated 2016 regular season and begins this season with a top-10 ranking in the Eight Player class. Much like the Hawks’ season last fall, where a play or two here or there would have made a big difference, Kee football coach Chad Winters noted a small handful of plays could have resulted in a different result than the 48-36 Kee loss in the Friday, August 25 season-opener.

“We had our chances, but couldn’t get the big stops when we needed them,” Coach Winters said. “We had an opportunity to stop them on third- and fourth-and-long multiple times and didn’t do it. If we can get those stops, it changes the dynamics of the game.”