News Center newsletter

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, August 3, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Fewer than 4-percent of eligible blood donors actually take the time to donate blood.

The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) with blood and blood products.

by Beth Shafer, Growth and Development Coordinator, Veterans Memorial Hospital

This summer, our country is celebrating a special milestone - America’s 250th birthday. It’s a time to enjoy everything that makes northeast Iowa special while also reflecting on the values that have helped shape our nation for generations: freedom, service, generosity and neighbors helping neighbors.

Summer has always been a season that brings our communities together. Whether you’re watching a patriotic boat parade, cheering on runners at the Harpers Ferry Firecracker 5K, attending a local ballgame, enjoying a community meal or simply spending time with family and friends, these hometown traditions remind us what makes rural communities so special.

They also remind us that strong communities aren’t built only during celebrations. They’re built every day by people who look out for one another.

Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed and proven to be successful by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, the Dementia Friends initiative is now underway in Iowa and across the United States.

Increase your knowledge about dementia, learn what it’s like to live with the disease and helpful tips for communicating with someone who has dementia. This free Dementia Friends session will be held Monday, July 27, from 2-3 p.m. at the New Albin Public Library.

Registration is not required. Contact Bethany Schulte at 319-239-2902 or bschulte@nei3a.org with questions. Everyone who attends will leave with a new understanding of dementia that they can put into a practical action that can help someone living in their community. After attending, all participants will be considered a “Dementia Friend.”

Shannon Christensen and Tyler O’Neill of Waukon announce the birth of their daughter, Mia Patrice O’Neill, born June 25, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 7 lbs. 10 ozs. and measured 18 inches in length at birth. She joins siblings, Adrick (16) and Maryah (8).
 

Riley and Patricia Bennis of Harpers Ferry announce the birth of their son, Grant Scott Bennis, born July 7, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. He weighed 6 lbs. 13 ozs. and measured 20 inches in length at the time of his birth. He joins a brother, Benjamin Bennis (2).

Grandparents are Scott and Barb Melcher of Harpers Ferry and Jeff and Deb Bennis of Arizona. Great-grandparents are Zenalou Bennis of Minnetonka, MN and Marlene Dittell of Arizona.

Jacob and Myriah Dougherty of Waukon announce the birth of their daughter, Sylvie Kathryn Dougherty, born July 8, 2026 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 6 lbs. 15 ozs. and measured 19 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins a sister, Elsie (2-1/2).

Grandparents are Dave and Brenda Dougherty of Waukon and Lee Groth of Decorah. Great-grandparents are Al and Connie Leiran, Janice Dougherty, and Joan Moody, all of Waukon, and Duane and Shirley Groth of Decorah.

Deadlines/Dates
August 2: Primary Nesting Season Ends
August 12: Deadline to submit an SDRP application

Grazing Cover Crops: A Practical Tool for Feed, Soil Health, and Nutrient Cycling
Cover crops are already a valuable tool for protecting soil, reducing erosion, and improving water quality. When managed well, grazing those cover crops with cattle, sheep, or other livestock can add another layer of benefit, turning a conservation practice into a source of feed and farm flexibility. When planned correctly, cover crops can provide fall or early spring forage, reduce stored feed needs, protect highly erodible soils, and recycle nutrients back into the field.

Robert L. Livingston, 86, of Harpers Ferry died Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 8, 2026, at St. Ann’s-St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Harpers Ferry with Fr. Joseph Sevcik officiating. Burial will follow at St. Joseph’s Paint Rock Cemetery, Harpers Ferry.

Friends may greet the family from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services Saturday, August 8 at the church. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is handling arrangements.

Robert “Bob” Livingston was born November 9, 1939, in La Crosse, WI, the oldest child of Leo and Ruth (Ferring) Livingston of Harpers Ferry. Bob began school at St. Joseph’s one-room country school (located next to Paint Rock Cemetery) and graduated in 1957 from Waterville High School. At 17 years old, he joined the U.S. Army for two years - one year in the States and one year near Paris, France.

Debra Joan Taylor, 68, passed peacefully July 14, 2026, surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with glioblastoma. A Celebration of Life will be held Sunday, July 26 from 3-6:30 p.m. at Coffee On The River, located at 61 South Front Street, Lansing. All friends and family are welcome to attend.

Debra was born July 2, 1958, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI to Alfred and Jean (Swancutt) Miller. She is survived by her loving husband and best friend, Richard C. Taylor; her children, Melissa (Nick) Hammell, Justin (Carly) Taylor, and Amanda Taylor (Nick Zabeli); her cherished grandchildren, Isabelle Hammell, Leona Hammell, and Remi Zabeli; her sister Cheryl Ganske; along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, dear friends, and countless lives she touched throughout the years.

She will be missed beyond words and remembered with endless smiles.
 

Chrystal “Chris” Ellefson, 69, of Waukon passed away at her home in Waukon Thursday, July 9, 2026. No services are planned at this time, but a celebration of life will be held at a later date. Martin-Grau Funeral Home in Waukon is assisting the family.

Chrystal “Chris” Ellefson was born January 6, 1957, in Brooklyn, NY, to Robert and Nancy (Burr) Bertrand. The family moved to Wausau, WI, in 1959, and she attended St. Michael’s Elementary School and graduated from Newman High School.

Later on, Chris found her way to northeast Iowa, where she resided in McGregor; there she found lots of friends, including Betty Breitspecher, who became one of her best friends. She managed the Marathon station in Prairie Du Chein, WI, before relocating to Green Bay, WI, to manage the Marathon there. She also cleaned the Wells Fargo Bank branch in Green Bay. While there, she made many friends again, all the while riling up the Packer fans, being a die-hard Dallas Cowboys fan.