Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism (ACED) unveiled a new postcard (pictured at right) at the ACED Annual Meeting hosted in New Albin Thursday, October 19. The meeting attendees were challenged by ACED Director Val Reinke to mail the postcard to a friend or family member outside of Allamakee County with an invitation to visit. Reinke commented, “Tourists and residents alike have inquired about a 'local' postcard and now we can finally offer one.”
This postcard was created to highlight and recognize Allamakee County’s top tourist locations, including Effigy Mounds National Monument (more than 80,000 visitors a year), Yellow River State Forest (more than 40,000 visitors a year), Driftless Area Scenic Byway (voted most scenic byway in Iowa) and Great River Road (36.2 miles through Allamakee County). This postcard design also matches the new display banners created for tourism and economic development events.
Unique training opportunity for Lansing Fire Department ... Members of the Lansing Fire Department take a moment for a photo before implementing a live house burn training exercise at a house located at 1151 Westgate Drive in Lansing Saturday, October 21. The house was being razed for future development opportunities and the property owners offered the house as an opportunity for the Lansing volunteer crew to further their training and experience. Pictured above as the home begins to burn are: Left to right - Front row: Kenny Johnson, Troy Hill, Tony Becker, Steve Darling. Back row: Jamie Rasque, Conrad Rosendahl, Chandler Quirk, Ben Verdon, Nick Hammell, Joe Manning. Photo by Julie Berg-Raymond.
Learn from the burn ... The house located at 1151 Westgate Drive in Lansing was used by the Lansing Fire Department as a live house burn training opportunity on a rainy Saturday morning, October 21 before the house was completely dismantled and cleared from the property for future development. Department volunteers were able to use the burning of the home to train in smoke-filled space rescue and firefighting, along with a number of other firefighting techniques for both interior and exterior situations. Surrounding photos by Julie Berg-Raymond.
by Julie Berg-Raymond
About two dozen people stood out in the rain one recent early morning, Saturday, October 21, to watch members of the all-volunteer Lansing Fire Department burn a house to the ground.
Firefighters call the exercise a “live house burn.”
It was a spectacular situation to witness - the disintegration of a building, as clouds of black smoke rolled from windows and tongues of flame consumed a long-standing structure with impossible speed; and plenty of cameras were on hand that morning to capture the event.
More importantly, it was an opportunity to witness friends and neighbors in this small town of Lansing practicing to do the work of everyday heroes.
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors proclaimed November 12-18 as Tobacco Awareness Week at its Monday, October 30 regular meeting. In attendance to discuss and witness that proclamation were: Left to right - Front row: Waukon High School students and SWAT (Students Working Against Tobacco) youth group members Tanner Mitchell, Abe Schwartz, Reed Kelly, Carson Wille and Luke Pladsen, and Helping Services for Youth and Families Prevention Specialist Jennifer Kimber. Back row: Allamakee County Board of Supervisors members Dennis Koenig, Larry Schellhammer and Dan Byrnes, and Helping Services for Youth and Families Tobacco Prevention Specialist Laura Albert. Standard photo by Joe Moses.
by Joe Moses
The Allamakee County Board of Supervisors met in regular session Monday, October 30 to address a full agenda of items, including the Tobacco Awareness Week Proclamation, setting a time and date for sealed bids for three dump trucks and discussion of the Pioneer Cemetery Commission. There were no public comments.
Prevention Specialist Jennifer Kimber and Tobacco Prevention Specialist Laura Albert with Helping Services for Youth and Families were present with a group of Waukon High School students to address the Supervisors regarding the Proclamation of Tobacco Awareness Week and the Great American Smokeout. Waukon High School student Abe Schwartz read aloud the proclamation detailing the dangers and statistics relating to tobacco use and secondhand smoke and that the proclamation calls upon individuals, businesses and organizations to raise awareness of tobacco issues. The Supervisors declared November 12-18 Tobacco Awareness Week.
26th Annual Christmas Fantasy ... Reservations are now being accepted for the Christmas Fantasy Saturday and Monday Noon Luncheons and the Saturday Wine, Cheese and Dessert event. Pictured is a scene from last year’s Friday Night “Tingle ‘n Mingle” event. The “Christmas To Remember” Christmas Fantasy will be held at the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilion Friday through Monday, November 10, 11, 12 and 13 and is sponsored by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Health Care Foundation. Submitted photo.
The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2017 will be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 10, 11, 12 and 13, at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “A Christmas To Remember.” In addition to the nearly 60 decorated Christmas trees on display, this years’ event will again offer shopping opportunities on the silent auction.
Reservations are now being taken for the popular Saturday evening Wine, Cheese and Dessert Event, and the Noon luncheons. The luncheons are sponsored again this year by the Allamakee County Cattlemen’s Association and will be held Saturday, November 11 and Monday, November 13. A full meal will be served plus entertainment will be provided at both events.
Iowa Hospital Hero Award presented ... Dr. David Schwartz (center) of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon was awarded an Iowa Hospital Association “Hospital Hero” Award Wednesday, October 11 at the Iowa Hospital Association annual meetings in Des Moines. Pictured with Dr. Schwartz, at left is Veterans Memorial Hospital Administrator Mike Myers, who also served this past year as the Iowa Hospital Association Chairman, and at right is Jim Kelly, retired NFL football player and keynote speaker at the event. Submitted photo.
Dr. David Schwartz was awarded an Iowa Hospital Association “Hospital Hero” Award Wednesday, October 11 at the Iowa Hospital Association annual meetings in Des Moines. Dr. Schwartz was nominated by some of his patients and their families. Their words were placed in the actual award announcement read at the event and quoted below:
“Dr. Dave Schwartz joined the medical staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital and the Mayo Health System-Waukon Clinic over 20 years ago. Dr. Schwartz and his wife have been a vital part of the community ever since.”
Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing invites the public to a free album debut concert and hymn-sing this Sunday, November 5 at 1 p.m. The “If These Walls Could Sing” debut concert will be the final celebratory event of the year offered in honor of the 150th anniversary of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church.
The new album, called “If These Walls Could Sing”, features 24 historic hymns of faith performed by former organist Douglas Shaffer on the church’s 1941 Reuters pipe organ. It was produced to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the church this year. The carefully selected songs have resounded in the sanctuary since its founding by Norwegian immigrant in 1867.
Left to right - Front row: Rev. Debra Samuelson, Rev. April Uhlring Larson, Rev. Judd Larson, Rev. Terrie Rae Anderson, Rev. Donald Berg. Back row: Rev. Peter Samuelson, Rev. Laura Gentry, Rev. Diane Koschmeder, Rev. Kris Snyder. Submitted photo.
Weather permitting, the Lansing Lions Club will host a Ribbon Cutting Event this Sunday, November 5 at its recently completed playground equipment addition located in the park along South Front Street in Lansing. Early in 2016, a wooden piece of playground equipment was removed from the area over safety concerns. In August of that year the Lions Club, whose motto is "We Serve," decided the children of the area deserved more than four pieces of equipment. Thanks to great community support and grants from four foundations, trees, benches, a bicycle rack, a handicap accessible picnic table and a multi-activity piece of playground equipment in the shape of an old Mississippi Paddle Steamer has enhanced the only playground situated near the river. Year 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of "Lionism," and the playground project in Lansing is an example of a Centennial Project. The public is invited to an open house and ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for November 5 at 3 p.m.
The Ferryville Tourism Council is inviting area residents and visitors to the fifth annual Fall Migration Day to be held in River View Park, right in the center of Ferryville, WI, at the observation deck overlooking the Mississippi River. Spotting scopes will be set up between 9-11 a.m. Saturday, November 4. This event showcases the many species of waterfowl that frequent the Mississippi Flyway during their annual Fall Migration. Some of the species to be seen include bald eagles, herons, egrets, tundra swans, white pelicans, many species of ducks and Canadian geese. Pool 9 on the Mississippi River traditionally is a stopping point for thousands of canvasback ducks.
First and second graders put the “A” for Art in STEAM this fall. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) partnered with the 21st Century Community Connections Learning Center (CCLC) Kids Club at West Elementary to offer a STEAM-themed after school program. Ten first and second graders met once a week for six weeks to participate in hands-on learning. They learned how to make their own scratch-off paper and experimented with marshmallow launchers. The youth also learned about chromatography and how a black marker is made up of multiple colors. Lastly, the youth made salt paintings. They observed how when placing the salt on wet paint, it will soak up the water but not the pigment, creating a unique picture. While painting they also learned if they were left or right “footed” when no hands were aloud (as pictured above).
