News Center newsletter

by Joe Moses

The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 30 to address a full agenda of items, including the Tobacco Awareness Week Proclamation, setting a time and date for sealed bids for three dump trucks and discussion of the Pioneer Cemetery Commission. There were no public comments.

Prevention Specialist Jennifer Kimber and Tobacco Prevention Specialist Laura Albert with Helping Services for Youth and Families were present with a group of Waukon High School students to address the Supervisors regarding the Proclamation of Tobacco Awareness Week and the Great American Smokeout. Waukon High School student Abe Schwartz read aloud the proclamation detailing the dangers and statistics relating to tobacco use and secondhand smoke and that the proclamation calls upon individuals, businesses and organizations to raise awareness of tobacco issues. The Supervisors declared November 12-18 Tobacco Awareness Week.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2017 will be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 10, 11, 12 and 13, at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “A Christmas To Remember.” In addition to the nearly 60 decorated Christmas trees on display, this years’ event will again offer shopping opportunities on the silent auction.

Reservations are now being taken for the popular Saturday evening Wine, Cheese and Dessert Event, and the Noon luncheons. The luncheons are sponsored again this year by the Allamakee County Cattlemen’s Association and will be held Saturday, November 11 and Monday, November 13. A full meal will be served plus entertainment will be provided at both events.

Dr. David Schwartz was awarded an Iowa Hospital Association “Hospital Hero” Award Wednesday, October 11 at the Iowa Hospital Association annual meetings in Des Moines. Dr. Schwartz was nominated by some of his patients and their families. Their words were placed in the actual award announcement read at the event and quoted below:

“Dr. Dave Schwartz joined the medical staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital and the Mayo Health System-Waukon Clinic over 20 years ago.  Dr. Schwartz and his wife have been a vital part of the community ever since.”

Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing invites the public to a free album debut concert and hymn-sing this Sunday, November 5 at 1 p.m. The “If These Walls Could Sing” debut concert will be the final celebratory event of the year offered in honor of the 150th anniversary of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.

The new album, called “If These Walls Could Sing”, features 24 historic hymns of faith performed by former organist Douglas Shaffer on the church’s 1941 Reuters pipe organ. It was produced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the church this year. The carefully selected songs have resounded in the sanctuary since its founding by Norwegian immigrant in 1867.

Left to right - Front row: Rev. Debra Samuelson, Rev. April Uhlring Larson, Rev. Judd Larson, Rev. Terrie Rae Anderson, Rev. Donald Berg. Back row: Rev. Peter Samuelson, Rev. Laura Gentry, Rev. Diane Koschmeder, Rev. Kris Snyder. Submitted photo.

Weather permitting, the Lansing Lions Club will host a Ribbon Cutting Event this Sunday, November 5 at its recently completed playground equipment addition located in the park along South Front Street in Lansing. Early in 2016, a wooden piece of playground equipment was removed from the area over safety concerns. In August of that year the Lions Club, whose motto is "We Serve," decided the children of the area deserved more than four pieces of equipment. Thanks to great community support and grants from four foundations, trees, benches, a bicycle rack, a handicap accessible picnic table and a multi-activity piece of playground equipment in the shape of an old Mississippi Paddle Steamer has enhanced the only playground situated near the river. Year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of "Lionism," and the playground project in Lansing is an example of a Centennial Project. The public is invited to an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for November 5 at 3 p.m.

The Ferryville Tourism Council is inviting area residents and visitors to the fifth annual Fall Migration Day to be held in River View Park, right in the center of Ferryville, WI, at the observation deck overlooking the Mississippi River. Spotting scopes will be set up between 9-11 a.m. Saturday, November 4. This event showcases the many species of waterfowl that frequent the Mississippi Flyway during their annual Fall Migration. Some of the species to be seen include bald eagles, herons, egrets, tundra swans, white pelicans, many species of ducks and Canadian geese. Pool 9 on the Mississippi River traditionally is a stopping point for thousands of canvasback ducks.

First and second graders put the “A” for Art in STEAM this fall. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) partnered with the 21st Century Community Connections Learning Center (CCLC) Kids Club at West Elementary to offer a STEAM-themed after school program. Ten first and second graders met once a week for six weeks to participate in hands-on learning. They learned how to make their own scratch-off paper and experimented with marshmallow launchers. The youth also learned about chromatography and how a black marker is made up of multiple colors. Lastly, the youth made salt paintings. They observed how when placing the salt on wet paint, it will soak up the water but not the pigment, creating a unique picture. While painting they also learned if they were left or right “footed” when no hands were aloud (as pictured above).

The Waukon High School Music Department has selected "State Fair" as this year's musical production under the direction of Sarah J. Palmer and assistant director Louise Wild. Three performances are being planned for Thursday, November 2 at 7 p.m., Saturday, November 4 at 7 p.m., and a matinee Sunday, November 5 at 1 p.m. The performances will be held at the Waukon High School auditorium.

Imagine that it is the late Summer of 1946 on an Iowa family farm - the Frake family farm in Brunswick, Iowa to be exact. The Frakes are preparing to leave for the Iowa State Fair. Father, Abel (played by Nathan Smith), is confident his prize boar, Blue Boy, will win a blue ribbon, but neighbor, Dave Miller (played by Michael Benson), isn't so sure. He makes a $5 bet that something is bound to go wrong for at least one member of the family. Abel accepts the bet.

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) will once again be sponsoring a number of retreats for its students in November. Youth Frontiers, an organization from Minneapolis, MN, will host the retreats. Youth Frontiers is a nonprofit organization in existence since 1987. The group delivered over 861 retreats last year to over 130,000 students from 775 schools.

Youth Frontiers’ retreats act as a catalyst for students.  By taking an entire grade offsite (to Village Creek for ACSD students), Youth Frontiers challenges them to bring respect back to the hallways of the school. These retreats will focus on Kindness, Courage and Respect. Ultimately, students become engaged in making the school a place where students and teachers are respected and both are challenged to learn to maximize their full potential.