Community News Stories

DES MOINES, IA , May 1– Iowa is one of six states selected by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to take part in a pilot project that will provide financial assistance to farmers to address ephemeral gullies on highly erodible land. Other states in the pilot project are Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Idaho and Oregon.

State Conservationist Kurt Simon said there is an application deadline of June 21 for the $5 million available in Iowa through the pilot project. He said priority will be given to applicants with tracts that were selected for conservation compliance reviews in the past two years and received variances to address ephemeral gully erosion.

Simon said the pilot will provide financial assistance to farmers to implement conservation practices such as cover crops, no-till, buffer strips, terraces, grassed waterways and others.
Ephemeral gullies are those areas in cropland fields where small gullies appear after heavy rains. Tilling an ephemeral gully to close it leaves nutrient-rich topsoil vulnerable to erosion. Fixing the gullies with conservation practices protects productivity and water quality and allows farmers with highly erodible land to continue receiving USDA benefits.

Since the 1985 Farm Bill, farmers have been required to control erosion on fields that are classified as highly erodible. Each spring, NRCS conducts compliance reviews on a random selection of highly erodible fields to determine if erosion has been adequately controlled. A non-compliance ruling can affect benefits that farmers receive from USDA agencies, including program payments and Price Loss Coverage. If erosion control issues are identified during compliance reviews, farmers may be given variances, which provide time for farmers adjust and install needed conservation practices.

“Our advice to farmers is to work with your local NRCS staff to develop conservation alternatives that will address your erosion issue,” Simon said. “We are dedicated to working with farmers and ranchers to figure out ways for them to produce agricultural products in ways that are both economical to them and respectful of the resources. This pilot provides us with additional funding to do that.”

Youth Mentoring at Helping Services for Youth & Families is hoping you are hungry on May 15! This will be a rip roarin’ fun opportunity to enjoy a tasty meal and support area youth!

Plan to place your food order between 4:30-8:30 p.m. from Pizza Ranch in Decorah. Food can be delivered, carry-out, or dine-in. This event is a Community Impact Fundraising Event sponsored by Pizza Ranch. Youth Mentoring will receive 10% of all food sales from 4:30-8:30 p.m. For customers eating at the restaurant, they will be greeted by Youth Mentoring staff and participants.

Kathy Schwartzhoff, Mentoring Coordinator shares, “We are so pleased to be partnering with Pizza Ranch once again. Our very first mentoring event was held at Pizza Ranch 21 years ago. Things have come full-circle. Get your orders in or come in and say ‘Howdy’ to us at Pizza Ranch on May 15.”

All proceeds from this Community Impact Fundraising Event will support upcoming group events hosted by Youth Mentoring. Some of these events involve: a Pets and Vets event in May, attending New Minowa Players show “Mamma Mia” at Decorah High School in June, and going to Lidtke Mill in July.

Youth Mentoring in Allamakee, Howard, and Winneshiek Counties provides an adult mentor who spends a minimum of four hours a month with a youth. Currently, 40 youth are enjoying time with a mentor, and 28 youth are waiting for a mentor. For information on how you can be part of the excitement of mentoring at Helping Services, contact Kathy Schwartzhoff or Colinne McCann at (563) 387-1720, mentoring@helpingservices.org, or online at www.helpingservices.org/mentoring.

Serving families since 1973, Helping Services for Youth & Families is dedicated to responding to current health and safety needs of youth and families through empowerment, support, and education.

The Last Homecoming –The Final Roundup
Members of the extended North Winneshiek School community are planning a big party to celebrate the decades of North Winn. Plans are being finalized for The Final Roundup on Friday, May 10-Sunday, May 12, 2019 with activities for families and friends of the school.

The Alumni Celebration Committee formed to commemorate those 55 years of excellence with an all-school reunion weekend. Proceeds from the Last Homecoming—The Final Roundup will be used to establish a scholarship fund for a graduating senior at Decorah Community Schools and at Mabel/Canton School, who has a connection to North Winneshiek. Donations can be sent to North Winn Scholarship Fund at PO Box 241, Decorah, Iowa 52101 or made in person at the Last Homecoming.

On Friday afternoon, May 10, beginning at 3:30pm, current kindergarten through sixth grade students at North Winneshiek will welcome visitors to view the North Winn Timeline they have created with stories and memorabilia on display. Visitors will find supper at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, just down the road from North Winn at 1966 337th Street or at Barney’s at 3607 236th Ave in Burr Oak. At 6:30pm-8pm on Friday evening, there will be a kick-off for the weekend with classmates meeting in the NW gymnasium for group photos, reminiscing, viewing the Timeline and preparing for the Saturday events. Everyone is invited to bring materials to decorate mini-floats or tractors and wagons for Saturday’s festivities.

Running the Block, Saturday, May 11 will be a 4-mile fun run/walk, following the route that many NW athletes will remember fondly or painfully. Organizers Tricia Ryan and Tiffany  Dahlberg will begin check-in and registration at 7am and the walk/run fundraiser will begin at the softball diamond at 8am. Registration for the event is $25 (12 and under $5). Send  registration forms to Barney’s at 3607 236th Ave. Decorah, IA 52101 (Checks made out to N.W. Scholarship Fund) or http://www.north-winn.k12.ia.us or register on the morning of the  event.

The North Winn Benefit Tractor Ride will start on Saturday, May 11 at 9:30am in the South driveway at North Winneshiek with check-in beginning at 9am. Registration forms are available online at http://www.north-winn.k12.ia.us or at Barney’s, Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, Letterwerks, or the NW School office. Entry Fee is $15.00 per driver/rider age 16 or older. Ages under 16 $5.00. Sign up on event day $15, Under 16 $5.(Checks made out to N.W. Scholarship Fund) If you have questions, contact committee chairs Andy Hageman or Stacy Knight.

The 17-mile ride through Hesper and Locust will loop back to North Winneshiek, rain or shine, in time for the county’s largest and tastiest potluck dinner at noon in the North Winn.  cafeteria. Bring a dish to pass, table service, and a lawn chair. Lemonade will be available. Dishes can be delivered to the kitchen before the Fun Run/Walk or Tractor Ride.

The Last Homecoming Pep Rally will be held at 1pm on Saturday in the NW Gym. There will be introductions, cheers, songs, and the Spirit Stick. Classes are welcome to prepare and display tricycle and wagon floats for a mini-parade. The Pep Talk will be given by North Winn. graduate Dwight Seegmiller, CEO of Hills Bank in the Iowa City area. Members of the audience will be  invited to share brief reminiscences and join the choir to sing the NW classic “It’s Time for Moving On.”

Donations are being accepted at North Winneshiek for a NW Scholarship Auction to begin at 3pm on Saturday with auctioneer Steve Darrington. North Winn memoriablia, home-made  items, including a NW quilted wall-hanging, and valuable items will be sold in the auction. The auction will be followed by opportunities for group photos for classes, families and friends.

Attendees are welcome to bring photos and memorabilia to display on Friday and Saturday or sell on Saturday at the auction. There will be a Memorial Wall for displaying photos of past  North Winners.

Saturday evening activities will include a NW Benefit BBQ dinner at Barney’s in Burr Oak beginning at 5:30pm. The cost will be $8 for adults, Patty Snell will be the cook and her family will be serving with funds to go to the NW Scholarship Fund and Miaja Quandahl’s trip to DC Fund. Visiting and food will be available at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery until 7:30pm. From 7:30pm-11pm, there will be music at Barney’s by the North Winn favorite classic Country Cousins Band.

The weekend celebration will end on Sunday, May 12, 2019 with Brunch at Winneshiek Wildberry Winery from 10am to 1pm. This event is by reservation only by phone 563-735-5809.

The price is $11 adults, $5.50 11-yrs and under.

Members of the Last Homecoming Committee are chair Nancy Sojka; marketing Laura Smith, Beth Guizman, and Tiffany Dahlberg, Tractor Ride Andy Hageman, Brian Hageman, and Stacy Knight; Run/Walk Trisha Ryan and Tiffany Dahlberg; BBQ meal Tammy Brink and the Snell Family; Fund-raising Lisa Bullerman, Brenda Falck, and Tammy Brink; Auction Melissa Wicklund, Lisa Bullerman, and Andy Hageman; Merchandise sales Brian Peterson; Pep Rally Tammy Brink, Mary Arneson, and Melissa Wicklund. Information is available on the North Winneshiek School website: http://www.n-winn.k12.ia.us or contact Nancy Sojka at 563-419-1828.

DECORAH, IOWA – Run a 50K / 25K / 10K / 5K or kids 1Mi in a 470 million year old crater – 5 routes offer a gnarly challenge when you sign up for one of Decorah’s Driftless Discovery Trail Runs.

The 6th annual, Driftless Discovery Trail Run on June 1st, 2019 happens within the trail systems of Barnhart-Van Peenen, Palisades, Ice Cave Hill and Dunning Spring Parks. Those with a strong desire, craving, or undeniable urge to run trails will experience up to 5,500’ of total elevation gain. Sought after spoils are raffled off post-race thanks to The Decorah Hatchery, PIVO Brewery, Body Logics, Hibbett Sports, The Sugar Bowl and other supporters. Seriously, of all the paths you might take in life, make sure a few of them are the dirt trails of Decorah. You won’t regret it.

All 25K / 50K runners must register at www.DDTR.us by May 30th, NO exceptions. Stop by the Decorah Hatchery on Friday, May 31st between 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., register online or the day of to enter the 1M, 5K, or 10K. Proceeds benefit the Northeast Iowa Montessori School [NEIM], Decorah Park & Rec, and Decorah Human Powered Trails.

Contact the Kelly or Scott Searcy if you are interested in volunteering for this event. driftlessdiscoverytrailrun@gmail.com | 516.732.5751

LACE UP & GET LOST, it’s a vacation you don’t have too pay much for.

Register today: www.DDTR.us

For more information, please contact DDTR Coordinators by email at driftlessdiscoverytrailrun@gmail.com or visit us at facebook.com/driftlessdiscoverytrailrun

The Iowa Beef Industry Council is pleased to announce that May is Beef Month in Iowa. Governor Kim Reynolds has signed the May Beef Month proclamation in recognition of the importance of Iowa’s beef industry to the state’s economy. The Iowa Beef Industry Council is pleased to present the following proclamation.

Whereas Iowa is a major beef producing state with nearly 4.00 million head of cattle on January 1, 2018; and

Whereas the beef industry contributes greatly to our economy by generating in excess of $6.3 billion annually, and creating jobs for 32,317 Iowans; and

Whereas today’s beef is a naturally nutrient-rich food providing protein, iron, zinc and B-vitamins with more than 30 beef cuts that meet the government’s definition for “lean”; and

Whereas beef producers are the original environmentalists working to conserve the soil and making optimum use of natural resources; and

Whereas Iowa is a leader in the export of value-added agriculture products, shipping high-quality Iowa beef to other countries around the world; and

Whereas there is an ever-increasing need for better understanding of the benefits that the beef industry provides to all Iowans;

Now therefore, I, Kim Reynolds, Governor of the State of Iowa, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2019 as Beef Month in Iowa, and urge all citizens to appreciate the contributions Iowa’s beef industry continues to provide to our state.

The Winneshiek Medical Center Auxiliary recently awarded scholarships to seven local students pursuing health care professions at its annual spring brunch.

Receiving Auxiliary scholarships were Kasey Buchheit, NICC for Nursing; Marianne Stalberger, Chamberlain University for her Bachelor of Science in Nursing; Brooke Herold, Allen College for Nursing; Augusta Casterton, University of Minnesota – Rochester for Echocardiography; Brandi Hageman, University of Iowa for her Doctor of Pharmacy; and Payton Stock, University of Northern Iowa for Athletic Training.

This year, an individual wanted to honor long-time Decorah Clinic nurse, Mary Meyer, RN, by offering a scholarship in her name to a deserving student entering the nursing field. Kaleb Michel, attending Hawkeye Community College for Nursing, received this one-time scholarship.

The Winneshiek Medical Center Auxiliary offers their annual Health Career Scholarship to residents of Winneshiek County pursuing a health care profession. The applicant must be accepted into an accredited health career program to be eligible. Proceeds from the Auxiliary’s bakeless bake sale, spring brunch and holiday bake sale went toward the 2018 scholarship fund.

Cresco, IA | Rushford, MN (12:30 p.m. April 25, 2019)— MiEnergy Cooperative’s Operation Round Up Trust Board met in March and elected to donate $5,250 to the following local organizations:

• $500, Commonweal Theatre Company, Lanesboro, Minn., to support the Student Matinee performances which make field trips to the theatre accessible for all area schools.
• $500, Quilters for Veterans, Castalia, Iowa, for long-arm quilting of quilts to honor veterans.
• $500, Quilts of Honor, Spring Grove, Minn., for long-arm quilting of quilts to honor veterans.
• $450, Horse and Soul Ranch, Decorah, Iowa, to help provide program assistance to those in need.
• $450, Thunder Rode Inc., Decorah, Iowa, to help purchase a weatherproof, portable mounting block that helps wheelchair bound veterans get on to horses.
• $400, Bundles of Love, Chatfield, Minn., to help basic supplies for diaper bags given to families in need in Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties.
• $400, Norman Borlaug Heritage Foundation, Cresco, Iowa, to provide educational opportunities for high school students with a focus on environment and agriculture.
• $400, Riceville WA TAN YE, to assist with the removal of trees that are at risk of damaging the historic one-room schoolhouse.
• $300, Fillmore County DAC, Preston, Minn., to purchase supplies for an enrichment program.
• $300, Kindred Family Focus, Rochester, Minn., to help foster families in Fillmore and Winona counties with basic needs.
• $300, Lanesboro Arts, to support Surprise Sculpture, a summer art educational opportunity, for students.
• $300, Root Prairie Lutheran Church, Fountain, Minn., to help purchase an automated external defibrillator.
• $250, City of Spring Grove, to support the Spring Grove Area Active Living Trail Planning Project.
• $100, Howard County Energy District, Cresco, Iowa, to support energy efficiency related events.
• $100, St. Charles Trap Team, to help with expenses for establishing a team for students.

Operation Round Up is funded by donations made by members of MiEnergy Cooperative who voluntarily have their electric bill round up to the next dollar. About 1,800 members currently participate with the average donation being $6 a year per member.

The program is based on the idea that small change adds up. Currently, the program gives away about $10,000 each year to local organizations.

The Operation Round Up Trust Board chooses where the funds get donated and the amount of the donation based on an application process. The trust board members include: John Bronk, of Winona, Minn., president; Janelle Mahr, of Lime Springs, Iowa, vice president; Margaret Knutson, of Houston, Minn., secretary/treasurer; Larry Hafner, of La Crescent, Minn.; Allen Hanson, of Preston, Minn.; Arlene Hegge, of La Crescent, Minn.; Shannon Schmelzer, of Cresco, Iowa; and PerryO Sliwa, Decorah, Iowa.

Donations to Operation Round Up are tax deductible. Organizations receive grants through an application process. The next application deadline is August 15. To learn more about Operation Round Up or to round up your electric bill, visit www.MiEnergy.coop or call 1-800-432-2285.

MiEnergy Cooperative is a member-owned electric distribution cooperative and is the result of a merger between Hawkeye REC, of Cresco, Iowa and Tri-County Electric Cooperative, of Rushford, Minn. in 2017. It maintains 5,500 miles of power lines covering most of Fillmore, Houston and Winona counties in Minnesota and Chickasaw, Howard and Winneshiek counties in Iowa. The cooperative also serves small pockets bordering those counties. It provides electricity to more than 18,700 members in northeastern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota. MiEnergy is a Touchstone Energy Cooperative.

In recognition of Better Speech and Hearing Month in May, Winneshiek Medical Center is offering a free hearing screening on Friday, May 17. The screening is for people age 5 and older who are not currently being treated for hearing matters.

“Early detection of hearing loss is critical to preserving quality of life. We encourage anyone who has trouble hearing conversations in noisy environments, is unable to hear people talk without looking at them, or has a constant ringing or pain in the ears to consider making an appointment for this free screening,” says Cynthia See, Au.D., Mayo Clinic Health System audiologist at Winneshiek Medical Center Decorah Clinic.

Appointments are required for the free hearing screening. Call 563-382-2911 to schedule your appointment today. For more information on Audiology services at Winneshiek Medical Center, visit www.winmedical.org/Audiology

DECORAH, IA– Luther College Admissions will hold a Spring Open House on Friday, May 3, to give high school sophomores and juniors an introduction to Luther College.

The day includes a campus tour, an admissions workshop, complementary lunch, a trolley tour of Decorah and optional student life and music session.

The event’s schedule and registration are available at https://connect.luther.edu/register/grp-spring-open-house-5-3-2019.

Located in Decorah, Iowa, Luther College is a four-year liberal arts college that is nationally recognized for academic excellence, exceptional study abroad experiences, an outstanding music program and successful NCAA Division III athletics.

Learn more about Spring Open House and other Luther College visit events at: visit.luther.edu.

The Northeast Iowa Tourism Association has organized a self-guided Northeast Iowa Greenhouse Tour for April 26-28th

Join us Friday, April 26, Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, April 28th for the 2019 Northeast Iowa Greenhouse Tour! We have worked together with over 40 Greenhouses to bring you a weekend of fun.

Connect with local producers on a self-guided greenhouse tour across the seven counties of Northeast Iowa. Participating greenhouses will be selling produce, fresh flowers, shrubs, succulents, seeds, trees, and a variety of gardening supplies.

Participating Winneshiek County Greenhouses:

• River Root Farm | Decorah
• Humble Hands Harvest | Decorah
• Seed Savers Exchange | Decorah
• Decorah Greenhouses |Decorah
• Henzler’s Garden Shop | Decorah
• Canoe Creek Produce | Decorah
• Pinter’s Gardens and Pumpkins | Decorah
• Ladybug Landscapes and Decorah Floral | Decorah
• Benjegerdes Greenhouse | Postville
• G It’s Fresh |Calmar

Hours vary by location.

Will you soon be eligible for Medicare? Are you already receiving Medicare benefits and want to better understand your options? Do you help a family member with Medicare issues?

Winneshiek Medical Center is pleased to host a free “Welcome to Medicare” seminar on Monday, May 20 from 6-8 pm. This two-hour seminar, offered by the Winneshiek Medical Center Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors, will be held in WMC’s lower level conference rooms. The free seminar will cover Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, the prescription drug benefit (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance.

Registration is required by May 9. Please register online at www.winmedical.org/shiip or by calling 563-387-3036.

SHIIP is a service of the State of Iowa. SHIIP counselors are trained by the state and do not sell or promote any insurance companies, policies or agents. Winneshiek Medical Center is a local sponsor for SHIIP in Winneshiek County.

DES MOINES – In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of Iowa state parks in 2020, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources; the Iowa Arts Council, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs; and Iowa State University are bringing 20 artists to 20 state parks this summer.

From April through August 2019, faculty and graduate student artists from three of Iowa State University’s colleges — Design, Agriculture and Life Sciences, and Liberal Arts and Sciences — will each be matched with a state park, creating artwork that reflects their time as artists-in-residence.

“The 20 Artists, 20 Parks program highlights two important contributors to quality of life in Iowa — arts and the outdoors,” said Todd Coffelt, chief of the State Parks Bureau at the DNR. “By focusing on the unique natural and cultural aspects of our state parks, we are able to tell their story in a new and inspirational way.”

Paintings, sculpture, textiles and other art forms inspired by the park will be organized into an exhibit that will travel to at least three art venues in 2020. Additionally, each artist will return to his or her park to share a program about the artist-in-residence experience.

“We can’t wait to see what these 20 Iowa artists create through this unique collaboration to mark the state parks’ centennial,” said Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs Director Chris Kramer, who oversees both the Iowa Arts Council and the State Historical Society of Iowa. “The 20 Artists, 20 Parks program is such a creative and authentic way to celebrate our state’s art, history and natural beauty.”

“No other state better understands the intimate relationship between humans and the natural environment,” said Luis Rico-Gutierrez, dean of the ISU College of Design. “As we look to the future of that symbiotic relationship, Iowa State University artists and designers will invite the public to engage, enjoy and admire our state parks, and in the process pose insightful questions, imagine alternative futures and, of course, create beauty.”

Iowa’s park system began 100 years ago when Backbone State Park was dedicated on May 28, 1920, and has grown to encompass more than 70 parks and forests across the state. The DNR is planning a yearlong celebration highlighting the importance of state parks to the quality of life in Iowa, including outdoor recreation, historic preservation, arts and culture, and natural resources.
Parks selected for the arts project represent diverse ecological, geological and cultural experiences that make Iowa unique.

“We are thrilled to partner with ISU and the Department of Cultural Affairs to showcase Iowa state parks in such an impactful format,” said Coffelt. “We hope to engage Iowans and inspire new visitors to parks for the next 100 years.”

The 20 parks that are included in the new project are featured on the Iowa Culture mobile app, a free and interactive tool to discover arts, history and cultural destinations across Iowa. More information about how to visit the parks is on the app, which the public can download for free from Google Play and the App Store. Visitors can also find state park information on the DNR website.

Featured State Parks and Iowa Artists

• Backbone State Park, Dundee – Kimberly Moss
• Brushy Creek State Park, Lehigh – Austin Stewart and Omar De Kok-Mercado
• Gull Point State Park, Okoboji – Paula Streeter
• Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, Keosauqua – Nancy Thompson
• Lake Darling State Park, Mt. Pleasant – Rob Wallace
• Lake Macbride State Park, Solon – Firat Erdim
• Lake of Three Fires State Park, Bedord – Amy Harris
• Maquoketa Caves State Park, Maquoketa – Brent Holland
• Mines of Spain State Park, Dubuque – Joe Muench
• Palisades-Kepler State Park, Mt. Vernon – Celinda Stamy
• Pilot Knob State Park, Forest City – Christopher Yanulis
• Pikes Peak State Park, McGregor – Barbara Walton
• Pine Lake State Park, Eldora – Jennifer Drinkwater
• Rock Creek State Park, Kellogg – Anna Segner
• Stephens State Forest, Chariton – Clark Colby
• Stone State Park, Sioux City – Carol Faber
• Viking Lake State Park, Stanton – Olivia Valentine
• Walnut Woods State Park, West Des Moines – Deborah Pappenheimer
• Wildcat Den State Park, Muscatine – Kristen Greteman
• Yellow River State Forest, Harpers Ferry – Nathan Edwards

DECORAH, Iowa—Tattoos have never been more popular. In fact, today, almost one in three Americans has a tattoo. “Tattoo: Identity through Ink,” the exciting new exhibit opening June 1 at Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, will celebrate both the serious and sensational ways body art reverberates in our lives.
The exhibit is sponsored by Nick and Courtney Rowley, with community partners Brock’s Valhalla Tattoos and Toppling Goliath Brewing Co., and will run through April 26, 2020.
For more than 5,000 years, tattoos have been used to document the history of humanity one painful mark at a time. Spanning cultures and continents, tattooing has adorned European nobility and Native Americans, celebrities and Scandinavian sailors, punks and presidents, and seemingly everyone else in between.

Guest curator Lars Krutak, a Research Associate at the Museum of International Folk Art in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a scholar of body art and has authored four books on the subject of Indigenous body modification. Krutak also co-curated a similar tattoo exhibition that toured to the Field Museum in Chicago and the LA Museum of Natural History.

“Tattoos are so much more than decoration,” Krutak explains. “They are a powerful visual language of the skin, and, like texts, they permanently record memories, life stories, and personal achievements.”

Since it is a Vesterheim exhibit, of course there will be a Scandinavian connection, with celebrated artists like Norwegian Johan Frederik Knudsen and Norwegian-American Amund Dietzel, and the rise of a whole modern Neo-Nordic style of tattooing. But the exhibit will also examine the traditions of body ornamentation in other cultures and our connections to them through the tattoo traditions of indigenous peoples and other communities, past and present.

Its serious side notwithstanding, there’s no denying the exhibit has a hugely entertaining side too. Tattooing has made the journey from edgy to respectable, and Vesterheim will be making the most of it. Exhibit-goers will have the opportunity to design their own tattoos on silicone arms and hold an actual tattoo machine (with no needles, of course) to see how it feels.
The exhibition has given Vesterheim a chance to create new partnerships in the Decorah community. One of those partners is Brock Swenson, owner of Brock’s Valhalla Tattoos in Decorah. Swenson has established himself among the country’s leading and most sought-after tattoo artists, receiving international acclaim and winning some of the industry’s leading awards. In Vesterheim’s exhibit there will be a working tattoo station and, at a few times during the run, artists from Brock’s Valhalla Tattoo will be demonstrating their art live. Swenson has also created special artwork for the exhibit, including temporary tattoos.

Toppling Goliath Brewing Co., one of the premiere craft beer producers in the world, is launching a new brew, “Valkyrie Strike,” in conjunction with the exhibition. Brock Swenson designed the distinctive label, and the beer was brewed with a heritage Norwegian yeast strain called Kevik. A launch event for “Valkyrie Strike” is scheduled for Saturday, May 18, at Toppling Goliath’s beautiful new facility in Decorah. This event will be the first chance to try the new beer and get a sneak preview of the tattoo exhibit. Valkyrie Strike IPA bottles will be sold exclusively at Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. and Vesterheim’s Museum Store for one month. Members of the Toppling Goliath team will be present at the exhibit opening on June 1, and of course Vesterheim will be serving “Valkyrie Strike” then.

Vesterheim, the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center, in scenic Decorah, Iowa, showcases the best in historic and contemporary Norwegian folk and fine arts, and explores the American immigrant experience. This national treasure includes world-class exhibitions and 12 historic buildings. It is also a center for folk-art education, offering a wide variety of classes in authentic Norwegian folk art every year. For more information on the museum’s exhibitions, classes, events, membership opportunities, and ways to donate, check Vesterheim’s website at vesterheim.org, call (563) 382-9681, or write to Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, 502 W. Water St., P.O. Box 379, Decorah, IA, 52101-0379.

Winneshiek Medical Center honored nearly 110 active volunteers, including members of the Auxiliary Board, Foundation Board and Board of Trustees at the Volunteers: You “ARRRR” a Treasure appreciation event held at Nob Hill in April.

Professional inspiration and leadership speaker, Patty Hendrickson of La Crosse, Wisconsin, spoke to the group. She highlighted the different gifts each person brings to the table, and encouraged them to embrace the talents of each person. Patty provided a useful tip to help people feel welcome: to “act like a crescent roll, instead of a bagel,” meaning that if we physically stand in enclosed, circular groups, new people may feel awkward or unwelcome; conversely, if we stand with friends in a crescent shape, we extend an invitation to others.

At the event, thirteen volunteers were recognized for service milestones:

• 100 Hours: Karen Bergan, Sherry Bouska, Deb Tekippe
• 500 Hours: Jolyn Forman, Carol Gaard, Barb Jensen, Jim Sims, Vicki Steil
• 1,000 Hours: Mary Lou Snitker
• 1,500 Hours: Glendalu Wuest
• 2,000 Hours: Sharon Huber, Mary Jane Maly
• 3,500 Hours: Jerrine Jacobsen

Karla Bakken, volunteer coordinator at WMC said to the group, “Words cannot adequately express the gratitude that I, and everyone at WMC, wish to convey. Please know that your volunteerism is recognized, appreciated, valued and cherished. We are proud you have chosen to be one of us. Our patients, providers and staff all reap the benefits of you volunteering your time and making a difference.”

Winneshiek Medical Center volunteers are present in many areas, including the information desk, hospice, Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), Auxiliary Gift Shop, and at special events. Additionally, volunteers provide hand-crafted items for patients, help with mailings, share their gardening talents and provide for other needs, as requested.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities call the Winneshiek Medical Center Volunteer Services department at 563-387-3036.

What You Don’t See is a mobile training trailer designed to simulate a “typical” teenager’s bedroom, complete with all the paraphernalia and imagery one would expect to see but not to necessarily understand from today’s younger culture. In the room, attendees will learn the meanings of signs, symbols & clothing, common hiding spots and other precursors that can be a tip to otherwise unsuspecting parents.

This program educates parents and teachers of youth, primarily pre-teen and teenage at-risk youth, on the warning signs to identify potentially dangerous behaviors and lifestyle choices aswell as how to intervene for a more positive outcome on behalf of those young targets before their life choices become terminal decisions. Because drugs, violence and crime don’t discriminate by gender, skin color, religion or affiliation, this public awareness campaign literally touch Iowans from all walks of life.

At the conclusion of the experience, attendees are provided with valuable resources such as pamphlets, contact information for local law enforcement agencies, substance abuse counselors, specific informational brochures, and much more. The INOA believes this will allow parents and teachers to continue fighting on behalf of their youth with the information gained from the experience in addition to assistance from the resources being pledged towards the project from organizations such as the Office of Drug Control Policy, the Des Moines Police Department, and more.

DECORAH, Iowa— The 2018-19 academic year has marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Luther College Black Student Union. To celebrate this milestone, Luther has engaged in a yearlong celebration that will culminate with a BSU Reunion Weekend, April 25-28. Through four days of public events, the reunion weekend will bring the entire campus and broader Decorah community together to honor BSU founders and celebrate 50 years of BSU presence at Luther College.

Like many BSUs across America, the Luther College BSU was founded during a tumultuous time by students who craved a space to celebrate their culture and accomplishments and lift up black struggles. During the year 1968, Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, Robert Kennedy was assassinated, and race riots were ripping America apart; the Luther BSU was established that fall.
In honor and recognition of those founding pioneers and all of the students who have followed in their footsteps, the Luther BSU has worked in collaboration with several administrative offices, academic departments and programs across Luther’s campus to sponsor a yearlong series of film screenings, campus lectures, performances and forums. Many of these events have involved bringing black alumni to speak and engage with current students.

“These alumni visits serve as a way of highlighting the presence, contributions and achievements of black Luther College graduates as well as a way of promoting campus dialogue and conversations regarding best ways of recruiting, retaining and (most importantly) supporting racially underrepresented students at Luther,” says Guy Nave, Luther professor of religion and longtime faculty advisor for Luther’s BSU.

The BSU Reunion Weekend will include a biology colloquium, the Don Kemp Memorial Lecture, a one-woman performance, a book signing, Chapel and Sunday worship–all featuring Luther black alumni.

The weekend will also include a final screening of “Agents of Change” at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 27, in Valders Hall of Science Room 2016 on the Luther campus. A discussion following the film will be led by the film’s co-director and co-producer, Frank Dawson, who will speak to the making and significance of a film that honors more than 50 years of Black Student Union activism on historically white colleges and universities in America. Both the screening and discussion are open to the public with no charge for admission.

A BSU 50th Anniversary Gala event will be held the evening of Saturday, April 27, in the Dahl Centennial Union on Luther’s campus. The gala is open to the public and will begin with a reception and Luther student performance at 5:30 p.m. in the Adams Lounge. The reception will be followed by a semiformal dinner at 6:15 p.m. in Peace Dining Room with a cost of $35 per person and reservations required by Monday, April 22. The evening will conclude with a celebration at 7:45 p.m. in Marty’s. Dinner reservations can be made at luther.edu/alumni/events/bsu/reunion/gala-rsvp.

The Luther College Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Luther alumnus Kojo Amoo-Gottfried, during the Gala Dinner on April 27. Originally from Accra, Ghana, Amoo-Gottfried graduated from Luther College in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and has a master’s degree in business administrations from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. He is currently Vice President and Commercial Leader in Cargill’s Agriculture Supply Chain North America business and serves as board director for Partner in Food Solutions.
For a complete schedule of events for the BSU 50th Anniversary capstone event, visit luther.edu/alumni/events/bsu/reunion.

A national liberal arts college with an enrollment of 2,005, Luther offers an academic curriculum that leads to the Bachelor of Arts degree in more than 60 majors and pre-professional programs.

On March 1st the Oneota Co-op kicked off a member loan campaign to raise funds to finance a store remodel that is currently underway. Capital campaigns are used by consumer co-ops around the country to generate capital for projects while simultaneously offering their owners a chance to invest their money in a local business that is dedicated to serving the community.

The Co-op is thrilled to announce that through the support of member/owners the initial $520,000 goal has been exceeded and a final total of $600,000 has been raised which will completely finance the remodel.

“This is a huge accomplishment for the Oneota Co-op and for the community of northeast Iowa. Cooperatives throughout the world have been, and continue to be, a driving force in the communities that they reside,” says Brita Nelson, Oneota Co-op Board President

Since moving to its current location in 2008, the Co-op has seen annual sales increase by over $2 million and its number of member/owners (shareholders) has more than doubled to roughly 5,500. In any given year the Co-op estimates that 45% of these annual sales stay within a 100 mile radius of the store. Currently this equals roughly $2.3 million annually, with half of that being funds paid directly to local producers who sell their products through the Co-op.

The Co-op remodel is nearly 80% complete and a grand re-opening is being scheduled during the first two weeks of June. But don’t wait until then to stop and see the newly remodeled space.

Nate Furler, Marketing Manager for the Co-op adds, “We have been thrilled with the positive response of the community – both through the member loan campaign and reactions when walking through the front doors. We’ll continue to welcome each and every person into the store with a goal of sending them on their way happier than when they arrived.”
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About Oneota Community Food Co-op
Located in downtown Decorah, Oneota Community Food Co-op is a cooperatively-owned grocery store specializing in local, organic, and sustainably produced products since 1974. For over four decades, the Co-op has been the leading provider of whole foods at a reasonable cost, with an emphasis on organic, local and bulk foods. Stop in and see us at 312 West Water Street in Decorah, or online at www.oneotacoop.com.

The US Coast Guard Auxiliary Announces the Spring Boating Safely Course Schedule.

In Prairie du Chien on April 27, 2019 8AM to 5PM at the Prairie du Chien City Library 125 S Wacouta Ave. Prairie du Chien.

In Guttenberg on May 18, 2019 8AM to 5PM at the Guttenberg Marina and Visitors Center 715 S River Park Dr Guttenberg, IA

This 8 hour course provides basic training in the safe operation of watercraft including vessel familiarization, rules of the road, federal and state boating laws and safety on the water and is designed for ALL ages.

This course qualifies for the Wisconsin or Iowa DNR Boating Safety Certificate

NOTE: Boater education is required in Wisconsin for anyone born after January 1, 1989 to operate a vessel including a personal watercraft (PWC). In Iowa it is required of anyone age 12 to 17 years old to operate a boat of more than 10 horsepower or a PWC. Students must be at least 12 years of age to attend. Class starts promptly at 8AM, there is a $20.00 materials fee for the course. Bring your lunch as we will work through the noon hour.

Please pre-register by contacting, Joanie Dickerson at 608-996-2152, Art Sullivan at 319-290-6403 or any member of the Prairie du Chien Flotilla, US Coast Guard Auxiliary. Registration for the Guttenberg class may also be made by contacting the Guttenberg Marine and RV Center (563)255-1949

Think you are too old or experienced to take such a class? Think again, you can always learn something that could save a life; your family, yours or someone else’s.

Established by Congress in 1939 the US Coast Guard Auxiliary is the all-volunteer uniformed component of the US Coast Guard. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact A J Sullivan at 319-290-6403 or Roger Richter at 608-732-1253

New Minowa Players proudly presents “Almost, Maine” by John Cariani through special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc. on April 25-28 at the New Minowa Players Theatre.

“Almost, Maine” is a whimsical play that explores the question “What does it mean to love someone?” through a series of loosely-connected vignettes. The residents of the unincorporated Maine town of Almost fall in and out of love with each other and themselves as new love is kindled, old love flickers out, and relationships are transformed in the midst of a bleak Maine winter.

Directed by Aaron Kvale, “Almost, Maine” is comprised of a prologue, a four-scene first act, an interlogue, a four-scene second act, and an epilogue. The title refers to an imagined town in Northern Maine, named Almost, that doesn’t quite exist. Each scene consists of at least two main characters.

The Prologue features Pete (Sawyer Vanden Brink) and Ginette (Jordyn Hussain), sitting on a bench. The pair have been dating for a bit and try to move forward in their relationship with some uncertain success.

Act One begins with “Her Heart,” a scene that follows an out-of-town hiker, Glory (Cydney Weitzel), who has come to Almost hoping to see the northern lights. She sets up camp in the yard of a hometown native named East (Steven Holkesvik) who is a bit confused why she is in his yard.

“Sad and Glad,” spotlights Jimmy (Austin Olson) and Sandrine (Crystal Harrell). The couple dated a while ago and see each other at a local hangout. As they talk, Jimmy tries to reconnect with Sandrine. Their awkward conversation gets even more awkward as Jimmy creates much more of a scene than Sandrine wants as he tries to get the attention of a waitress (Violet Hatfield).

In the third scene, “This Hurts,” Marvalyn (Mina Sahir) meets Steve (David Mandez), an eccentric man who can’t feel pain, while doing her laundry. Together, they explore the things that hurt, the things we should be afraid of, and the things we don’t fear enough no matter how much they hurt us.

“Getting It Back,” has Gayle (Sheryl Scheffert) showing up at the door of Lendall (Rick Scheffert) intending to break up with him. She is in for a big surprise when she demands that he return all the love she has given him over the course of their relationship.

After an interlogue to check in with Pete and Ginette, the second act begins with “They Fell” featuring Chad (Hayden Carlson) and Randy (Billy Lange). During a routine weeknight hangout, Chad and Randy struggle to talk about their feelings and discover how much they value each other.

“Where It Went” shares the story of troubled married couple Phil (Adam Lenehan) and Marci (Molly Holkesvik) while out on a date skating in the woods. Marci is mad. Phil doesn’t know why. What follows is tense as both Phil and Marci finally vent their greatest frustrations with their marriage.

In “Story of Hope,” a woman named Hope (MaryBeth Specht) has returned to Almost to try to reconnect with her old boyfriend Danny (Jim McIntosh) after leaving his proposal to her decades ago unanswered.

“Seeing the Thing,” is the final full scene of Act Two, and follows the developing relationship between Dave (Sam Whitehead) and Rhonda (Aleesa Baakko). Dave is interested in her, but Rhonda doesn’t quite understand. Dave shares a painting to express his feeling and invites Rhonda to engage in some art interpretation. Rhonda isn’t quite sure what to do next.

The play ends with an Epilogue with Pete and Ginette seeing how their relationship evolves.

Performances will be April 25, 26, 27 at 7:30 p.m. and April 26 and 27 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets will be available at the Oneota Community Food Co-op and online in the near future. Sponsors for the show are: A & J Petersburg Agency, Decorah Bank & Trust, Family Table, Gallery of Tops, Iroc Web Design Services, Modish, Pizza Ranch, RocketDog Books, Rick and Sheryl Scheffert, and Singing Hammers Construction.