Montezuma Braves Quarterback Brady Boulton hands off to Broox Stockman during a non-district home game against the Baxter Bolts on Friday, Oct. 11 . The win gives the Braves a 7-1 record heading into their last game of the season at Twin Cedars on Friday, Oct. 18. 

​      Gary and Tammi Quinlan appreciate all those who stopped at the Deep River Community Center on Sunday, Oct. 6 to enjoy a sliced pork meal and to raise funds and awareness of veteran suicide. The Quinlan’s, who are members of the Deep River American Legion and Auxiliary Post 296, are working to raise $25,000 by June 30, 2025 to place a billboard along I-80 to get the word out about the American Legion’s Be the One effort to stop veteran suicide and save lives. Gary is the American Legion 5th District Commander and Tammi is the 5thDistrict Auxiliary President.

​By J.O. Parker
 
      Getting the message out about making a difference in the lives of veterans is something  a Montezuma couple has taken to heart.
      Gary Quinlan, the American Legion 5th District Commander and his wife, Tammi, the 5th District Auxiliary President, are raising funds to have a Be the One billboard placed along I-80.
     Be the One is an American Legion movement to end the stigma of veterans asking for help. It is estimated that between 17 and 22 veterans or servicemembers take their lives each day.
     “That’s more than 6,000 annually,” noted information on the Be the One outreach. “The rate of suicide for veterans is more than 50 percent higher than that of non-veteran adults. As the Global War on Terrorism continues, there will be more veterans facing mental-health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (STSD).”
      “Veteran suicide is an epidemic,” said Tammi.
     The couple started the project last year and is working to raise $25,000 to place the billboard along I-80 somewhere between Newton and Victor. It will be in place for one year.
     As district commander and district auxiliary president, the Quinlan’s have been asked to tackle a project that helps veterans or a veteran’s organization. The Be the One billboard project is something the couple felt would make a difference in the lives of veterans.
      “This is something we are doing together,” said Gary.
      On Sunday, Oct. 6, the Deep River American Legion Auxiliary held a harvest luncheon to raise awareness of the issue of veteran suicide and to raise funds for the Quinlan’s project. The Quinlan’s, who reside in Montezuma, are members of the Deep River American Legion and Auxiliary Post 296. About 80 people enjoyed a meal of sliced pork with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner roll and dessert.
     Kim Dixon, American Legion Auxiliary Department of Iowa Vice President, made the trip from Oskaloosa to Deep River to support the Quinlan’s billboard project.
     “Be the One was started by the American Legion to raise awareness and prevention of suicide,” said Dixon. “It has become a project of the entire American Legion family. They chose the “Be the One” name because as members are asked to reach out to someone who we haven’t seen in a few days. It’s a veteran’s buddy check outreach.”
     “It’s a fantastic project,” added Dixon of the Quinlan’s efforts. “There are a lot of people who drive I-80 and it is going to raise awareness of veteran suicide. One veteran lost is too many.”
     Tammi said the goal is to raise the money by June 30, 2025. 
    Plans are in the works to hold a big fundraiser with music and food next spring to give the project a final push.
    Tammi said if there are funds left over, plans are to place smaller Be the One signage around the county and area.
    “It can be difficult to address the hard stuff,” said Jacki Bolen, a member of the Deep River American Legion Auxiliary and past president of the 5th District. “I’m proud of them for doing their best to get the word out to struggling veterans. This billboard will serve as a great reminder that there is help available. If one life is saved, it will be worth its weight in gold.”
    “Drawing attention to veterans suicide through the Be the One effort is critical,” said Ed Evans, Adjutant of the Deep River American Legion Post 296, who was at the harvest luncheon. “We needed to help our veterans who have experienced terrible events or losses that are hard to imagine unless you have been there as some of us have. Some of these veterans have gone through h---, struggle with health issues or cancer due to time spent in the military or lost a loved one. We need to help them.”
     “Anything that serves a veteran is worth it,” said Tammi.
    If you would like to make a donation to the Be the One billboard project, make checks payable to 5thDistrict ALA and send them to the Quinlan’s at P.O. Box 512, Montezuma.

​      Members of the Deep River American Legion Auxiliary Post 296 take a break from volunteering at the Harvest Luncheon held on Sunday, Oct. 6. The meal was a fundraiser for a project Gary and Tammi Quinlan are doing to place a billboard sign on I-80 for one year to give awareness to veteran suicide. About 80 area residents enjoyed a meal of sliced pork with gravy, mashed potatoes, green beans, dinner roll and dessert, at the event. Plans are in the works to hold a big fundraiser in the spring. The Quinlan’s are working to raise $25,000 to complete the project. 

     "Good Things are Happening" is a 224-page book of 75 columns through the life experiences of Iowa newspaper man J.O. Parker. The book is available on Amazon. Signed copies are available from the author at [email protected].

 ​By Debbie Parker
 
       Our Front Porch Books and Montezuma newspaper man J.O. Parker are excited to announce the release of Good Things are Happening, a 224-page book containing seventy-five of J.O.’s newspaper columns. 
       “This book is a testament that no matter your background or life experiences, anything is possible. All you have to do is take a step,” said Parker. “My hope is that these columns will inspire others to see the good in people and learn the importance of sharing their own life experiences.”
      The columns featured in Good Things are Happening were written between 2018 and 2024 while J.O. has worked as a freelance newspaper journalist.
      “The title comes from the ending of my columns where I always write, “Good Things are Happening,” said Parker. “The columns are written from my childhood memories and current life experiences. There are columns about going to church, spending time with family and my nephews, learning life lessons from my parents, modern day happenings, the county fair, the state fair, Old Threshers, Tulsa memories, meeting and talking with famous folks and inspirational interactions with farmers, family, friends and even angels.”
      Parker wrote his first column in July 1998 while working as the editor of the North English Record. He had been re-running columns from the former and late long-time editor, Carl L. Hogendorn, when a Recordreader suggested that he write his own column.
     His first column was about Texas BBQ after taking a trip to Van Buren, Mo. to attend a family reunion during the Fourth of July weekend that year. The BBQ vendor was set up in a motel parking lot where Parker and his family were staying. Parker stopped to visit and asked about Texas BBQ all while enjoying a tasty sandwich.
    Plans are in the works to release a volume two of Good Things are Happening in 2025. The book will feature some of Parker’s older columns.
    Good Things are Happening is available on Amazon. If you would like a signed copy, contact J.O. at [email protected].
     A book signing event will be held in Montezuma in the future and will be announced on Monte Journal once plans are in place.
About the author
      Parker, who is originally from Tulsa, Okla., is a graduate of Will Rogers High School and holds a BS in Ag Journalism from the University of Columbia in Missouri. He and his wife, Debbie, live in rural Montezuma.  
      Together, they have published two Iowa photography books, An ABC Photo Album of the Iowa State Fair and Family Reunion: Midwest Old Threshers, through their company Our Front Porch Books. Debbie is also the author of the popular Hope Series, which contains three books based in fictional Hope, Iowa and is also the author of a novella entitled Mister Christmas.
    The couple hosts the annual All-Iowa Writers’ Conference, which takes place the third Saturday in September, and is held in Montezuma.

      Kevin Gartman, Montezuma High School Business teacher, left, and Kelly O’Rourke, K-12 Principal at Montezuma, right, are shown with the awards they received last month at the Iowa Business Education Association (IBEA) Fall Conference last month. Gartman was named the Iowa Outstanding Secondary Business Educator and BEST in business awards and O’Rourke received the Distinguished Service Award to Business Education for his support of career and technical business education.

​By J.O. Parker
 
      Congratulations to Kevin Gartman and Kelly O’Rourke at Montezuma Community Schools after they received three business honors from the Iowa Business Education Association (IBEA) last month.
       Gartman, the high school business teacher, and O’Rourke, the K-12 principal at Montezuma, were both honored at the 2024 IBEA Fall Conference held Sept. 15-16 in Ankeny.
      Gartman was honored with the 2024 Iowa Outstanding Business Educator and BEST in Business awards while O’Rourke received the Distinguished Service Award to Business Education.
    The IBEA is the organization that oversees business teachers in Iowa, expands opportunities for professional growth and development, and works directly with the Department of Education to develop policies surrounding career and technical education opportunities.
      Gartman said he is thankful for students who care about learning and are willing to take chances in the classroom. He’s also thankful for teachers at Montezuma who are great at what they do as he has learned to lesson plan from them, learned about classroom management from them, has learned about how to grow a successful competitive organization from them, and so much more.
     “I'm also thankful for our administration that has enthusiastically supported our career and technical education department and has allowed our school to be at the forefront of financial literacy education within the state of Iowa,” noted Gartman. “Having the chance to be a part of a school that knows where we're going, has a plan to get there, and wants to be proactive rather than reactive is important and Principal O'Rourke and Rich Schulte (school superintendent) do a tremendous job with that.”
      “I have been blessed to walk into a school that has successful career and technical education departments with enthusiastic educators that want to push our kids to succeed at a high level,” said Principal O’Rourke. “Mr. Gartman has been on the forefront of financial literacy in the state and continues to provide unique opportunities to our students each year. I have the role of supporting his growth and giving him the time, resources and ability to continue to push the program forward.”