Community. Ultimately, this word defines all of our rural towns and cities. A gathering place consecrated with decades of shared struggles, hard work, and celebrated success. Yet despite many great advances towards cooperation, we have a long way to go to truly reach community in our region.
As an economic developer, it is my privilege to visit our cities and to work for a brighter future. We have many awesome businesses and dedicated people in our cities, as you are well aware. Each city in our region has high hopes for future success. But that future requires collaboration. It requires community.
This region was built upon the belief that we all thrive when we work together. The shared joy when a community park was developed, the shared grief when a local restaurant suffered a fire. But more than anything else, this region has known success when its communities collaborated with each other, and triumphed over reliance on the self and state.
I am a mom, consumer and farm wife from Monona. Each week I make my way to the grocery store to pick up groceries for my family. This is a task I take pride in, but not one that I view as simple. Each week I am faced with a list a mile long and hundreds of options to choose from. This is a good thing, and one which leads me to say, “thank you, Iowa farmers!”
I am thankful for the ability to choose from a variety of products. I am thankful that farmers, like my husband, choose to implement different practices on their farms, raise different products, and utilize different technology, because that diversity assures choices for us all at the grocery store.
Kee High School Homecoming Royalty ... Kee High School seniors Annabelle Dibert (left) and Tucker Colsch (right) were crowned Kee High School's 2017 Homecoming Queen and King at the annual Homecoming pep rally held in the Kee High School gymnasium Friday afternoon, September 22. Additional photos of Kee High School's Homecoming festivities are featured on Page 16A of this week's issue of The Standard, along with coverage of the Hawks' Homecoming game with Dunkerton featured on Page 14A inside this issue. Photo courtesy of the Kee High School Yearbook.
Waukon High School Homecoming Royalty... Waukon High School seniors Abe Schwartz (left) and Lauren Elliott (right) were crowned Waukon High School's 2017 Homecoming King and Queen at the traditional "Burning of the 'W'" pep rally Thursday, September 21 at the Waukon High School gym. Additional photos of Waukon High School's Homecoming events are featured on Page 2A inside this week's print edition and e-edition, as well as coverage of Waukon football's Homecoming victory over Waterloo Columbus featured on Page 15A this week.
Charger ownership just the start of the similarities these two share ... Larry Graf of La Crescent, MN and Lyle Bodensteiner of Waukon (left to right) each stand by the 1968 Dodge Charger they own. Graf recently had restoration of his Charger completed by Bodensteiner's son, Brian Bodensteiner of Bodensteiner Body Werks in Waukon, and discovered that he shared a lot more in common than just ownership of a 1968 Dodge Charger with the elder Bodensteiner. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
by Joe Moses
Beyond being classic car enthusiasts, Lyle Bodensteiner of Waukon and Larry Graf of La Crescent, MN have shared similar paths in life, well beyond an interest in Dodge Chargers that has continued throughout their adult lives.
While having work done on his 1968 Dodge Charger by Brian Bodensteiner of Bodensteiner Body Werks in Waukon, Graf became acquainted with Lyle Bodensteiner, Brian's father who also owns a 1968 Dodge Charger. Bodensteiner described his current Charger as a replacement for a car he had owned earlier in life.
Graf relayed his story of purchasing his '68 Dodge Charger in the fall of 1967 when he was 22-years old. The car had a sticker price of $3,500, but he was able to buy it for $3,200 from the dealership in Red Wing, MN where he was employed. Graf said that he later sold the car for start-up money to begin an auto-body repair business.
More than 20 people attended a kick-off meeting for a countywide housing study for Allamakee County Wednesday evening, September 20. The meeting was hosted by the Allamakee County Housing Needs Assessment Countywide Task Force in order to launch the study, which is expected to take approximately nine months to complete.
The meeting was facilitated by Sara Neuzil of Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission. Recently, she has completed similar studies for Winneshiek and Clayton counties, the 7 Rivers Alliance and the City of Oelwein. The study invites stakeholders from Harpers Ferry, Lansing, New Albin, Postville, Dorchester, Waterville and Waukon to weigh in about both the challenges and opportunities facing people living in the area.
The City of Waukon recently created a City Manager position to assist the Mayor and City Council in a variety of areas. Dean Hilgerson was selected for the City Manager position following an extensive search and may be a new presence in Waukon City Hall, but has had a long career in management, finance and city government.
A northeast Iowa native, Hilgerson farmed near Gunder for 20 years following graduation from Valley High School. Hilgerson earned an associates degree in Accounting from Northeast Iowa Technical Institute (NITI) in Calmar, now known as Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC), and later earned a four-year Bachelors in Science degree in Business Management at Eastern Connecticut State University in Willimantic, CT through evening classes while employed as an Accounting Manager.
Family of new pastor at Lansing United Methodist Church ... Left to right - Front row: Rebecca and Davinia. Back row: Mado, Marcellina and Pastor Sedar Wembonyama. Photo by Susan Cantine-Maxson.
by Susan Cantine-Maxson
Lansing’s United Methodist Church recently welcomed a new minister and his family to their parish. Pastor Sedar Wembonyama and his family bring a new dimension to worship to the congregation because they have spent most of their life in the Congo in Africa.
Marcellina, the pastor’s wife, currently drives to Postville to work but would love to find something closer to home. The three daughters, Mado, Rebecca and Davinia all attend Eastern Allamakee schools.
Four years ago, they immigrated to the United States to Nashua, where they stayed with a friend who was a minister. For the first time, they experienced snow and Iowa winters. Marcellina liked snow but not driving in it, and the girls enjoyed playing in it.
The Lansing Lions Club Playground Project took a giant step forward this past weekend as more than 35 volunteers assisted with the installation of the facsimile of a Mississippi River Steamboat playground structure (pictured in progress below). The balance of the equipment is expected to arrive this Friday morning and by noon this Saturday the equipment, itself, should be installed. Further completion activity will include the need to place the 12-inch layer of wood chip base, benches, bicycle rack, sidewalks and a base for the handicap accessible picnic table under the playground shelter, and then the playground will reopen. Residents and visitors are asked to be patient and not cross the orange barrier fencing around the project which is in place for protection until the installation is complete.
Volunteers and community leaders are taking an active role in saving energy and adding beauty to Lansing by planting new trees. The local effort is part of the Branching Out program offered by Trees Forever and Alliant Energy.
"We're looking forward to working with tree experts at Trees Forever and the energy experts at Alliant Energy to make our community healthier, more vibrant and more energy efficient," said local project volunteer Stephanie Runkle.
Planting trees can reduce energy use by creating shade that cools the air and buildings, and by blocking cold winds. Trees also provide long-term health, economic, social and environmental benefits to the community.
Benjegerdes Machine Inc. ... Greg Benjegerdes of Benjegerdes Machine Inc. in Waukon talks to high school students, teachers and community members about how he started his business from the ground up. Submitted photo.
G&S Machine ... Gil Hunstad of G&S Machine in Waukon shows tour attendees how his advanced manufacturing machines work. Submitted photo.
Norplex-Micarta ... Alan Johnson of Norplex-Micarta in Postville talks to the group about high performance thermoset composites. Submitted photo.
In recognition of National Advanced Manufacturing Month in October, Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) sponsored advanced manufacturing tours in Allamakee County Thursday, September 14. The goal of the tours is to expose high school students, teachers and community members to high-demand, high-skill jobs that are found locally.
The 35-member group toured Norplex-Micarta in Postville, and Benjegerdes Machine, Inc. and G&S Machine, both of Waukon. Students from Waukon High School, Kee High School and MFL/MarMac High School attended, as well as members of Allamakee County's Business and Community Board.
