Community News

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center is hosting Domestic Violence Awareness Events during the month of October. In Iowa and around the world, October is a month to create awareness around domestic violence, using the color purple to symbolize the cause.

Throughout the month of October, one may notice local coffee shops placing stickers listing Helping Services’ 24/7 Resource Line (800-383-2988) on coffee sleeves and table tents with information displayed at area businesses to spread awareness around domestic violence.

Last year, the Helping Services’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center team of advocates and volunteers assisted 294 individual survivors of domestic abuse in the seven counties the team serves, including Allamakee, Bremer, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek. Staff and volunteers also answered 1,160 calls on the Center’s Resource Line and provided 131 transportation trips for clients.

The annual State survey of Northgate Care Center in Waukon has been completed, and after a week of inspection the survey team deemed the facility to have met the standards required by the State of Iowa. The Board of Directors at ABCM Corporation, owners and operators of Northgate Care Center in Waukon, notes that it is exceptionally difficult to receive a deficiency-free survey, especially with all the changing rules and regulations, and congratulates Northgate Care Center on its 14th deficiency-free inspection. During this survey, the environment of the care center, nursing, social work, activities, human resources, dietary and all other facets were inspected to ensure State requirements and standards are being met.

by Joe Moses

Friday, October 4, Allamakee County Emergency Management Coordinator Corey Snitker and Director Deanna Hageman of Northeast Iowa RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) filled seven totes with administrative supplies to be placed in each community within Allamakee County including Lansing, New Albin, Harpers Ferry, Postville, Waterville and Waukon, with one tote also designated for the Allamakee County Emergency Management Department.

Snitker and Hageman said that the purchase of administrative supplies and totes was made possible through the Regional Readiness Summit Idea Grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. The $1,500 awarded for the project allowed for the purchase of supplies that will be placed within each community and will be used for administrative purposes including volunteer receptions centers, incident command and emergency command posts.

The Allamakee County Emergency Management Agency would like to remind motorists of the upcoming Driftless Half Marathon Relay and 5K running events which will be taking place along the Mississippi River (highlighted in green on the map above) and in Lansing this Saturday, October 12. The half marathon and relay race will start at 7:30 a.m. near the intersection of Collins Ridge Road and the Great River Road (County Road X52) just north of Harpers Ferry and head north toward Lansing for 13.3 miles. Shortly after starting, the runners will turn right and run the length of Red Oak Road back to its more northern intersection with the Great River Road, continuing north on the Great River Road route until completing the race at the Lansing Sports Complex in Lansing. All runners should be off the course around noon.

by Joe Moses

The Waukon City Council met in regular session Monday, October 7 to address a full agenda of items including a downtown trash can proposal and estimate, the city manager’s authority to approve expenditures without prior approval of the city council and concerns relating to a subdivision development.
Mayor Pat Stone discussed the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Buddy Poppies Proclamation and read the proclamation aloud. Stone encouraged residents to support this cause through donations in honor of the sacrifices of the men and women who have risked their lives in the defense of this nation’s freedoms. The council approved the VFW Buddy Poppies Proclamation.

The Waukon High School Marching Band is pictured above with its new uniforms recently purchased through the generosity of contributors to an Adopt a Uniform fundraising campaign. More than 80 individuals, businesses and organizations (listed in the advertisement below) contributed to the campaign at a variety of different funding levels to help replace the previous uniforms that had been in use for more than 20 years. Submitted photo.
 

Meet and Greet event set for October 7

The City of Waukon recently hired Gary Boden as the new city manager in preparation for the retirement of the City’s first-ever city manager, Dean Hilgerson. Boden and Hilgerson were able to work together for several days allowing for a smooth transition for Boden in his position with the City of Waukon.

Instead of gifts for her birthday, Adelynn Connelly of rural Harpers Ferry asked for donations to Robey Memorial Library in Waukon. With the money she raised, she was able to work with Robey Memorial Library Director Cate St. Clair to pick out the books she would like added to the library’s collection.

Pictured above, left to right, are Adelynn Connelly and Cate St. Clair with just some of her book donations. Submitted photo.
 

Robey Memorial Library in Waukon is celebrating TEENtober October 1-31 with special events and programs spotlighting all the resources and activities available at the library and to encourage teenagers from around the area to read for their enjoyment.

TEENtober is a time to celebrate reading for fun while encouraging teens to take advantage of reading in all its forms - books, magazines, e-books, audiobooks and more. It is also an opportunity to encourage teens to become regular library users.

Robey Memorial Library invites teens, parents and other community members to participate in special programs and events during TEENtober. Teens earn a prize and an entry in to the $25 Amazon gift card drawing for program participation. TEENtober events include:

Friends of Yellow River State Forest will be holding a fall volunteer day from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon this Saturday, September 28. Volunteers should meet at the sawmill area, located at 729 State Forest Road, Harpers Ferry.

Volunteer day activities will include: assembling picnic tables, splitting and moving firewood, painting and planting trees. This is a family-friendly event and children are welcome with adult supervision. Volunteers are asked to wear sturdy shoes and be dressed for the weather and for working.

That evening the Friends group will be holding a free presentation about how Iowa was a key player in the state park movement in America and one of the early states to set aside special places of quiet beauty as parks.

How did a popular travel destination known as the Devil’s Backbone become Iowa’s first state park and who were the movers and shakers that made it happen? Come learn more at this program at 7 p.m. at the Waterville Community Center.