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Veterans Memorial Hospital will hold a Prepared Childbirth Education class (formerly called Lamaze) Saturday, October 8 from 8 a.m. to Noon in the Large Conference Room.

The Prepared Childbirth Education classes at Veterans Memorial Hospital are offered in one half-day session. Tours of the OB Department are available with these sessions as well.  These Prepared Childbirth Education classes are available for a  small fee and are offered every three months at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Pre-registration is necessary, as seats are limited. To register, email childbirth@vmhospital.com or contact Jayne McCormick, RN, Nursing and OB Manager at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Neil Becker by Linda Flatland, Randy and Lori Hover, Les and Ada Marie Kerndt, Dave and Laurie Martin, Chuck and Lois Votsmier and Diane Regan.

Memorials were also received in memory of Alton “Gene” Johnson by Mary Ann Hager, Gerald Pittmann and Danny and Sue Schlitter; and in memory of Marian Shafer by Bill and Beth Shafer, Linda Siegrist and Ed and Karen Stamper.

In addition, memorials were received for Cindy McDowell by John and Eileen Curtin, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Gwen Schroedel, Donelle Sherman, Virgil and Debbie Thorstenson and Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

A general donation to the Foundation was also received by David Schulte.

Arlene Beisker of Waukon will be celebrating her 95th birthday September 28. In honor of the occasion, cards and well wishes can be sent to her attention at the Good Samaritan Society, 21 East Main Street, Waukon, IA 52172.

Brea Benjegerdes and Dillan Boydston of Waukon announce the birth of their daughter, Knoxlynn Marie Benjegerdes, born September 12, 2022 at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. She weighed 6 lbs. 2 ozs. and measured 17-1/2 inches in length at the time of her birth. She joins siblings, Keaton Boydston (19), Alissah Boydston (18) and Brynn Benjegerdes (5).

Grandparents are Pam Benjegerdes of Waukon, Greg and Becky Benjegerdes of Waukon, and Tammy Hansen of Castalia.

The Waukon High School Class of 1982 will be celebrating its 40th class reunion September 23 and 24. Friday, September 23, classmates will meet at 1 p.m. at the old Heimer’s parking lot (currently First Baptist Church) to walk or ride in the Homecoming Parade. The float banner says “Go Indians from the Class of 1982!” Attend the game or go to AJ Steakhouse to socialize that night.

Saturday, September 24, gather at Green Valley Getaway at 5 p.m., drinks can be purchased, free will donation for pizza. Bring a lawn chair to relax on the lawn.

The Waukon Class of 1982 would also like to remember its classmates by sponsoring the lighting of the Black Hawk Bridge in Lansing Saturday. The class wants to honor those who could not celebrate the 40th class reunion with their classmates, noting they will always be remembered and their families are sent thoughts and prayers.
 

by Brianne Grimstad

Tuesday, September 13, Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon held the first of several scheduled public forums regarding the conversion from being a city-owned hospital to county-owned. The issue will be on the upcoming November 8 general election ballot for Allamakee County residents to vote on.

VMH Administrator Michael Coyle began the meeting with a presentation answering some of the most commonly asked questions regarding the conversion. Basically, the hospital is asking voters to approve a transfer of ownership of VMH from the City of Waukon to Allamakee County. If approved, being a county-owned hospital would allow for additional resources to help ensure the sustainability of the hospital.

Everyone is invited to join area youth on athletic fields across the nation Wednesday, October 5 in sharing their Christian faith with fellow students and the general public for this year’s Fields of Faith event. The local event is now in its 11th year and will start at 6:30 p.m. at the Waukon High School football field Wednesday, October 5, or in the Waukon High School gym in the event of bad weather.

Featured speaker for this year’s Fields of Faith event in Waukon will be Danielle Freitag, who is a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) from Minnesota who has overcome severe addiction and is a survivor of the commercial sex industry. Freitag is the co-founding executive director of Action169, an organization built on a foundation of prayer and committed to addressing commercial sexual exploitation and problematic substance use through Christ-centered prevention, intervention and holistic restoration care.

Students at Waukon High School have selected their Homecoming Court representatives for the 2022 celebration, with the coronation of this year's Homecoming Queen and King scheduled to take place at the "Burning of the W" pep rally scheduled for this Thursday evening, September 22, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Waukon High School gym. Pictured in the photo at right are this year's Waukon High School Homecoming Queen and King candidates from the 2022-2023 Senior class, including: Left to right - Front row: Queen candidates Grace Stegen, Berlin Troendle, Maggie Criswell, Jayden Knox; Back row: King candidates Cade Kelly, Milan Byrnes, Isaac Cooper, Noah Hatlan.

by Joe Moses

State of Iowa Auditor Rob Sand met with Allamakee County residents during a Thursday, September 15 town hall meeting held near the Allamakee County Freedom Rock in the Waukon City Park as part of his 100 Town Hall Tour. A small group of residents were in attendance for this morning meeting, the first of six such meetings scheduled for Sand that day with remaining stops in Clayton, Dubuque, Delaware, Buchanan and Fayette Counties.

Sand opened the meeting with discussion of the State of Iowa Auditor’s role and the importance of transparency. He discussed holding public institutions and various levels of government accountable. When questioned about what tools are available in holding government accountable, Sand responded that investigation and reporting to the public are the two most important tools used by his office in creating transparency and accountability.

Residents of the community of Harpers Ferry overwhelmingly passed a Public Measure imposing a 7% Hotel/Motel Tax in the community, effective January 1, 2023. Nearly 88% of the 66 voters who cast a ballot in the Tuesday, September 13 special election voted “Yes” - compiling a 58-8 margin in favor of the measure. Just under 27% of the 247 registered voters in the community cast a ballot in the special election.