News Center newsletter

by Brianne Eilers

Recent visitors to Oakland Cemetery in Waukon may have noticed a change in the way the cemetery looks thanks to the dedication and hard work of Waukon residents Larry and Shirley Sharp. This year alone, the Sharps have cleaned and given new life to 731 headstones at the cemetery.

Shirley estimated they cleaned around 82 stones last year, and the couple didn’t know how many they have done altogether since they began doing this. The Sharps began dabbling in cleaning up old headstones about five years ago, starting with family grave markers.

“We noticed my dad’s stone was turning black,” Shirley said, and they wanted to know what they could do to fix that. Larry and Shirley contacted Stacey Gossling of Decorah, and learned how to properly clean headstones from her. The Sharps took their newfound knowledge and cleaned up the headstones of both Shirley’s and Larry’s relatives in cemeteries located in Iowa and Minnesota.

The Allamakee County Veterans Museum will observe Pearl Harbor Day Tuesday, December 7 by offering a program to the public in the Program Room of its new museum in the former Vet’s Club building in Waukon.

Tuesday, December 7 at 6:30 p.m. a video documentary will be presented about the Japanese air raid on the U.S. Naval and Air Bases at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Islands, which marked the entry of the United States into the Second World War.

The Pearl Harbor documentary will be preceded by a video that museum staff are calling “The last summer of peace in Waukon before the War.” It includes movie footage filmed in downtown Waukon in the summers of 1940-1941 by the Cote family for entertainment viewing in their newly opened Town Theatre on Main Street in Waukon.

The Waukon High School Choir will travel around the area on its 26th Annual Christmas Church Tour this Sunday, December 5.

The choir sings at seven churches each year. Those churches are selected based on a number of factors, including church proximity to the high school, accessibility for school buses, the physical size of the church, the membership size of the congregation, and whether the worship service is broadcast.

Under the direction of Sarah Bieber, the choir will be singing during the worship services at these Waukon area churches according to the following time schedule:

St John’s Lutheran
8:30-8:45 a.m.

Old West Lutheran
9-9:15 a.m.

First Presbyterian
9:30-9:45 a.m.

St Patrick Catholic
10-10:15 a.m.

First Baptist
10:30-10:45 a.m.

Zalmona Presbyterian
11-11:15 a.m.

Plans are being made for the Annual Lighted Holiday Parade to be held in downtown Waukon and scheduled for Monday, December 6, beginning at 6 p.m. The event coincides with extended Monday night business hours of some Waukon retailers, along with other events being planned that same evening.

The parade will begin with entries lining up around the East Elementary School playground before they travel Fifth Street NW south to West Main Street. Turning left onto West Main Street, the parade entries will venture to the stoplight intersection downtown, where they will then turn south on to Spring Avenue for one block before turning right on to First Avenue SW and heading west up to Sixth Street SW. The entries will then turn right and head north back to the East Elementary playground.

The Waukon Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its “Ringing in the Holidays” promotional event November 1 through December 12 of this year in an effort to keep business local for the holiday season. A drawing for prizes will be held Monday, December 13 for three winners of prizes of $25, $50 and $100 in Waukon Dollars.

Those shopping in local participating businesses during that promotional timeframe are invited to fill up as many $100 Punch Cards as they can with purchases from one or more Waukon Chamber of Commerce merchants found on the back of the punch cards. Participating merchants will punch or initial above the punch image to confirm the punch card’s $5 incremental value of purchase total.

During the month of November, Allamakee County Farm Bureau (ACFB) is collecting hats and mittens. Items will need to be new or gently used with no tears or holes.

The items will then be donated to the Allamakee County Relief Office. The Relief Office will then distribute the items to those in need in the local community.

A container will be placed in the ACFB office, located at 14 First Avenue NE in Waukon, where items can be dropped off. Hats and mittens of all sizes can be donated. ACFB office hours are Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Donations will be accepted until December 3.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors met Monday, November 15 for its annual meeting. Board President Heather Schulte called the meeting to order. Board members Tony Becker, Bobbie Goetzinger, Melanie Mauss, Kelli Mudderman and Heather Schulte were present. Also present were Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier, Board Secretary Michele Martin, Technology Coordinator Dave Ellefson and newly-elected board member Arla Wagner. Middle and High School Principal Dr. Sarah Updegraff joined the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Visitors included Liz Hill and Brea Baxter.

A program offering $2,000 scholarships is now open to Iowa high school seniors. Students not only have a chance at much-needed funds for college but can also learn ways to reduce college loan debt through the program.

Iowa high school seniors may register for the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Know-How between now and March 11. Once registered, students will receive instructions via email on completing two online modules and a related assessment.

Scholarships will be awarded to the students who score highest on the assessment or are determined through a tie-breaker. The two modules, Student Loan Game Plan and the Return on College Investment tool, are designed to help students and families determine maximum recommended levels of student loan debt and find ways to minimize the debt they need to repay.

Waukon High School student was last year’s winner

Calling all student artists in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now accepting entries for the 2022 Iowa Federal Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) art contest. While entering the JDS contest, students have the opportunity to learn about waterfowl and their habitat, and then create an image of an eligible North American waterfowl species. School groups and informal groups can enter this contest, or the student may enter individually.

Iowa entries for the 2022 Contest must be postmarked by March 15, 2022 and mailed to: DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge; ATTN: Junior Duck Stamp; 1434 316th Lane; Missouri Valley, IA 51555.

All information needed to participate can be found on the website: www.fws.gov/juniorduck.

VFW Auxiliary Gustave F. Kerndt  #5981 has announced the kick-off of the VFW Auxiliary’s annual Illustrating America art contest. Local students in grades K-8 can share how they view the world through their drawings and paintings while competing for national awards.

Students must submit an original two-dimensional piece of artwork. Coloring sheets, digital art and photography are not accepted. The entry must have been completed during the current 2021-2022 school year and the application must include a teacher or supervising adult’s signature in order to be complete.

Students begin by competing at the local VFW Auxiliary level. The first-place winner from each Auxiliary advances to the District competition with District winners advancing to the State competition. The contest consists of three grade divisions: K-2, 3-5 and 6-8. The State first-place winner in each grade division will be forwarded to Auxiliary National Headquarters.