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The Waukon girls cross country team entered this past week as the 11th-rated team in Class 2A, according to the Iowa Association of Track Coaches, and competed in, perhaps, the largest meet field they ever will prior to postseason possibilities. Within that large field were also some of the best teams the Indians will face this season, as several top-10 rated teams in their respective classes were also part of that mix at Cascade, with the Indians finishing right up in that mix with a fourth-place team finish in the 18-team overall field with 140 team points.

The Indians were scheduled to host their own Waukon Invitational Tuesday, September 19. The cross country Tribe will then have more than a week to prepare for its next meet, which is scheduled for Saturday, September 30 at Cresco.

Top-rated Lady Hawks edge out two-time State Champion Central Elkader on Warriors’ home course

The Kee cross country teams had their busiest week of the season, competing in a pair of meets within three days of one another. One of those meets was likely the largest the Hawks will compete in during the regular season, the Starmont Invitational Tuesday, September 12, where the Kee girls slipped to fifth place out of 18 teams with a squad not quite at full strength, and the Kee boys placed 16th out of 19 squads. The Hawks then took part in the Central Elkader Invitational Thursday, September 14, the Lady Hawks returning to full strength to claim their third meet title in five chances so far this season and the Kee boys finishing in third place.

The Hawks were next scheduled to compete at the Waukon Invitational Tuesday, September 19. Kee will then participate in the Jesup Invitational Tuesday, September 26.

Seven Waukon High School (WHS) cheerleaders were among those nominated or who made the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) All-American Cheer Squad by attending NCA Summer Cheer Camp that took place at Village Creek Bible Camp, rural Lansing in early August. WHS cheerleaders Michaela Dehli, Ayonna McKithen, Taya Duehr, Jasmyn Enyart, Oonagh Ahouse, Aleah Howes and Allie Bieber were among those nominated on motion, technique, stunting ability, and other qualities the NCA staff is looking for.

Of more than 800 high school cheerleaders and dancers from across the country that will represent the camp brands of Varsity Spirit in the third annual Varsity Spirit Spectacular at the Walt Disney World® Resort in Orlando, FL from November 29-December 3 of this year, three WHS cheerleaders have chosen to attend this special event.

Hitting the road Friday, September 15 for the first time in its Eight-Player District 3 schedule this season, the Kee football team headed to the home of one of the District’s still unbeaten teams, Tripoli, a team that had outscored its first three opponents of this season by a combined 144-66 count and had racked up nearly 1,000 yards of combined offense in those first three games. Regardless of what had been accomplished by the high-powered Panthers in their previous games, the football Hawks had early opportunities to contend with Tripoli, but missed out on those opportunities and saw the game roll away to a 50-6 Kee defeat.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will be opening its new Monona Clinic this week, Tuesday, September 12. Dr. Andrea Venteicher will be the sole provider at the clinic until the nurse practitioner arrives in November. Then both providers will work providing family medical care at the clinic, which will be open five days per week.

“I am so excited to have this opportunity to serve the Monona area, in addition to my long-term patients from the Waukon area,” states Dr. Andrea Venteicher. “The positive energy and welcoming spirit I have already experienced from this community reinforced my belief that this clinic is needed and wanted by the area, and will be a huge success!”

The Monona Clinic will host four full exam rooms, allowing each provider to room patients in two rooms each. Tentatively, mornings will be reserved for acute patients with afternoons reserved for regular check-ups.  

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital, together with Elliott Jewelers of Waukon, will be hosting the 13th annual Women’s Health Day wellness event and salad luncheon Tuesday, September 26 at the Waukon Reception and Banquet Center. All ages are invited to attend this educational event, beginning at 11 a.m. with a wellness fair offering a variety of free health tests and information, and a salad luncheon and program held from Noon to 1 p.m.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, September 21. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month at the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner if chosen.  Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if choosing to eat dinner. Card playing will follow at 12:30 p.m. until approximately 2:30 p.m. Anyone wishing to stay and play cards following the Senior Citizens meal is more than welcome to do so. The cost is $3.00 per person with all proceeds going towards the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital.  Prizes will be awarded.

Anyone interested in attending, but preferring to play Bridge is also welcome to join in. It is asked that they come with their own table of four players, however.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Betty DeBuhr by JoAnn Peake, Marv and Marge Strike, Roger and Jeanette Ruegnitz, Jim and Margo Sweeney, Jim and Linda Ryan, Dave and Laurie Martin, Carl and Betty Christianson, Richard and Joan Leiran, Timothy and Camille Helgeson, Jane Butler, Marlys Leiran, Gayle and Carol Decker, Dale and Ann Rademaker, Dave and Gail Prestemon, Bill and Beth Shafer, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Kay Zimmerman, Bill and Shirley Schneeberger, Tom and Karen Regan, JoAnne Larson, Marian Smedsrud, Lois Evans, Russ and Mary Jo Meyer, Dean and Lynn Sorenson, Bob and Julia Rotach, Mary Anne Otting, Bernice Thies, Dr. Bill and Libby Withers, Jane Dietrich, Lucille Hanson, Jan Helgeson, RC Trucking-Bob and Carol Christianson, Dennis and Nancy Sweeney, Rick and Joni Voshart, Ed and Chris Laurerman, Jr., Roger and Lynn Ellefson, Dr.

An exciting new pilot project is bringing more fresh, local veggies and fruit to northeast Iowa preschoolers while supporting local farmers in the region. Three preschool sites participating in the Fresh Local Snack pilot project are NICC Child Development Center in Calmar, Rainbowland Preschool and Daycare in Fayette, and Waukon West Preschool and Waukon Headstart.

From August 21 to December 4, the Iowa Food Hub will deliver a fresh, local snack once a week to the sites (such as cucumbers, pictured at right). Teachers will serve the snacks and report on what fresh fruit and veggie items work best in the classroom. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will evaluate the results and see if the program can be continued and expanded in the future.

Gordy and Darlene Kaeser of Waukon will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary September 23 at the Waukon Golf and Country Club from 4-7 p.m. The couple was married September 24, 1967 at Glenwood Lutheran Church in rural Decorah.

They are the parents of  three children, Mark (deceased), Michael and Melissa. They have three granddaughters, Mackenzie, Marina and Madelyn. The couple requests no gifts.