A youngster checks out a 1966 Chevrolet Chelleve at the forth annual Brooklyn Car Show on Sunday, June 9 at Landes Park. The show drew 163 cars, trucks of all kinds and brands.

​          Kay Maurer, daughter of the late Harold “Pie” Keller, of Clarence, Iowa, reflects after unveiling the new sign at Big Bear Creek on the north edge of Brooklyn in honor of her father during a ceremony on Saturday, June 8. “Pie,” who grew up in Brooklyn, was one of six Marines who carried the flag to the top of Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945 during the World War II Battle of Iwo Jima. Two years ago, the town of Brooklyn dedicated a moment located at the Flag Display in honor of “Pie” and three other Brooklyn veterans. Kay’s husband, Steve, is at right.

By J.O. Parker
 
        The weather was perfect for the annual Brooklyn Flag Festival, June 7-9.
      There was something for everyone from the Kiwanis Chicken Dinner, races at the Brooklyn Raceway, a town parade, kid’s inflatables and games in Landes Park and the annual Ruritan Car Show on Sunday.
     On Saturday evening, a concert sponsored by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce was held at the Southside Ballfield featuring Chad Brock with special guests Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys along with Jack Blake + South 35 Band.
        And new this year was a bridge dedication over Big Bear Creek on the north edge of town in honor of Brooklyn’s Harold “Pie” Keller.
         “Pie,” as he was called, was a life-long Brooklyn resident and 1939 graduate of Brooklyn High School. He was one of six Marines who made the trek up Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945 during the Battle of Iwo Jima and planted the American Flag at the peak. The iconic photo taken by Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal, which was actually of the second flag raising, became one of the most famous images of the war.
         His identity as one of the six Marine flag barriers came 74 years after Rosenthal’s iconic photo was taken thanks to Brent Westemeyer, an amateur historian from Johnson, Iowa who discovered that the number two man was actually Harold “Pie” Keller.
      The Marine in the number two position was originally identified as Pfc. Rene A. Gagnon. According to Westemeyer, Pfc. Gagnon contributed to the flag raising, but wasn’t actually pictured.
     Westemeyer spent more than a half dozen years researching photos, reading historical books and accounts of Iwo Jima and pouring over a Bill Genaust’s film from the Battle of Iwo Jima to correctly identify “Pie.”
       Westemeyer submitted his findings to the Marines who, in October 2019, announced that the number two man was actually “Pie.”
        “It all started when I watched the movie “Flags of Our Fathers” in 2006,” said Westemeyer, who was on hand at the bridge dedication dressed in a military P41 uniform, the same uniform that “Pie” would have worn at Iwo Jima. “The bridge dedication is icing on the cake and builds on what has already been done to honor “Pie.”
        A monument to “Pie” was dedicated in June 2022 and is stationed at the Brooklyn Flag Display on Jackson Street.
      Keller’s only living daughter, Kay Maurer of Clarence, Iowa, was on hand at the bridge dedication along with her husband, Steve, to unveil the new bridge sign.
       “With the statue of dad holding his rifle and now the bridge dedication, I’m so honored and touched that Brooklyn wanted to honor my dad again,” said Kay. “Dad was a humble man and was proud of his service to the country.”
       The idea to dedicate the bridge in honor of “Pie” came about earlier this year when Ruritan members Jim Foels and his wife, Elsie, drove by the William Heitsman Memorial Bridge in Victor.
        Jim said he told Elsie, “that Brooklyn needed to do that for Harold “Pie” Keller.”
        Foels said he presented the idea to the Ruritan Club and they voted to make it a project.
      “We went to the county Board of Supervisors and county engineers office for approval,” recalled Foels. “They gave us the OK. We are happy that the signs arrived in time for the Flag Festival and we could hold the dedication.”
       Following the bridge dedication, the Brooklyn Flag Festival Parade rolled along North Street, turning south on Jackson Street and ending at the Casey’s. The parade featured fire engines from Brooklyn, Malcom and Montezuma. There were all types of business floats including a hospital, swimming pool company, bank, drug store, ball players and much more from around the area.
     After the parade, families made their way to Landes Park for a fun day playing on a variety of inflatables, games and enjoying good food served by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, who was in charge of the day’s activities.
     “We are having a blast,” said Amber Thompson of her daughter,” Havannah, 5, “It’s a nice affordable family atmosphere.”
      “It’s nice getting to see a lot of people since it’s summer,” said Autymn Scott, a BGM student who was making snow cones with Taegan Anderson and Seth Follmer at the Madison Church of Christ booth in Landes Park. “It’s nice to get to know the community.”
        Gracie Gerard, a BGM Elementary student, said her favorite part of the day was making balloon animals and having a big sword fight.
        “My New Beginnings Church is here and my dad is the pastor,” said Gerard. “We (church members) are doing face painting and it’s really fun.”
       The Brooklyn Chamber also held a bicycle drawing for new boys’ and girls’ bicycles donated by Jasper Construction. The winners were Lydia Parker, 3, for the girls’ bicycle and Karsen Gritsch, 3, for the boys’ bicycle.
       “Everyone is having fun” said Heather Ochs, with the Brooklyn Chamber. “It’s all organized and a great day.”
       “It is a massive turnout,” said Jillian Miller who was offering 4FAM herbal tea-based Nutrition drinks. “Brooklyn is a great community.”
       “I’m thankful to work with Jillian and getting to meet the members of the community,” added Jodi Roozeboom, who was helping at the nutrition booth.
          “It’s nice weather and a fun day in the park,” said Casie Smith, who was watching her daughter, Cora, 9, get her face painted.
         Abby Slater, a senior at BGM this fall, said she loves being around all the people and getting her face painted.
           “I enjoyed racing a couple kids on one of the inflatables,” she said with a smile.
When asked if she won, Slater said “no.”
          “I really enjoyed the parade and being around all the people and getting my face painted,” said Rachelle Timm, who will be a senior at BGM in the fall and a friend of Slater.
         The Brooklyn Ruritan Car Show, held in Landes Park on Sunday, June 9, featured many cars and trucks from new to classics and beyond.
         Jeff Sears and his wife, Michelle, of Grinnell were at the show with their 1966 Chevrolet Chevelle Super Sport.
          “There are a lot of nice cars and good people,” said Jeff.
        Larry Weeks of Montezuma, who was joined by friends and fellow car enthusiasts, Ron Hensel and Bob Hamilton, said Landes Park is a beautiful location with nice facilities 
         Weeks brought his customized 1937 DeSoto to the show, saying that it never wins, but surprisingly he did get a top 40 award this year.
         “Not bad,” said Weeks. “It’s was a good show.”
        Rusty Clayton, who helps organize the Ruritan Car Show, said there were 163 cars and trucks on display with two from New Mexico and one from Pennsylvania.
       “Overall, this was the finest group of cars and pickups I have seen in a show of this size,” said Clayton. “We awarded 40 top winners and one best Chevrolet C10 award. The judges said it was a hard job due to so many fine entries. We are very thankful to everyone who entered and just came to look.”

        ​Six employees with Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company (GMRC) traveled to Greenfield on Friday, May 24 to help families cleanup and piece their lives back together following an EF-4 tornado that struck the community on May 21. Group members said the experience was heartfelt and humbling. Pictured are, from left: Dana Desrochers, Montezuma; Amanda Menninga, Newton; Ashley Millard, Des Moines; Traci Taylor, Malcom; Morgan Gallentine, Iowa City and Lindsey Warnick, Guernsey.

​By J.O. Parker
 
          It was a heartfelt and humbling day for six employees of Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance Company (GRMC) and one that they will never forget.
       Lindsey Warnick, Guernsey; Amanda Menninga, Newton; Morgan Gallentine, Iowa City; Ashley Millard, Des Moines; Traci Taylor, Malcom; and Dana Desrochers, Montezuma recently traveled to Greenfield to do their part to help residents piece their lives back together following the EF-4 tornado that struck there on Tuesday, May 21.
       “It was a very humbling experience,” said Desrochers. “We all saw the news stories and knew the tornado hit the town hard and wide, but until you see it firsthand, it's hard to comprehend.”
    The group left Grinnell early on the morning of Friday, May 24 to make the nearly two- hour trek to Greenfield.
      “When we came into town, it was stormy looking and there was just such an eerie feel,” said Desrochers. “I can't describe it. The smell in the air reminded me of our house fire (that my family experienced a few years ago).”
     “I'm sure the tornado caused electrical fires and they had places where they were burning what they could,” added Desrochers. “It just gave me chills.”
      When the group arrived in town, the Iowa State Patrol directed them to the Red Cross at the Catholic church where they were given rakes and directed to the fairgrounds to help there.
     “When we got there, someone had already cleaned the fairgrounds up, so we decided to set off just looking for people who looked like they could use our help,” said Desrochers. “We ended up helping two households in an eight-hour day.”
        The first stop was that of a single woman whose house was completely gone. Desrochers said the woman told them she was at work when the tornado hit and was thankful because she would have been buried in her basement if she had been home.
     “It was just full of boards, debris, and tree limbs,” said Desrochers. “Right behind her property was a mechanic's shop and vehicles were thrown onto her property, including an RV. With winds up to 175 mph, there were boards hurled into the ground at least a foot deep.”
      The team of ladies jumped right in with the woman’s brother and his coworkers, dragging limbs and boards to the curb and filling buckets and wheelbarrows with debris.
       Around noon, the group stopped for lunch and it was decided that they were going to move on to another home with less helpers.
     The group stopped at an older lady’s house, who Desrochers said seemed overwhelmed. She thanked them for offering to help, saying that her insurance agent was there and that she didn’t get hit as bad as others.
       The group then walked around the block and saw an older couple sitting on what was left of their porch.
      “Their daughter and granddaughter were out by the curb looking a bit lost so we offered to help them and their eyes lit up,” recalled Desrochers. “’That would be great’,” the daughter said.”
      Desrochers said the family told them that they had to have the things on the curb sorted by tree branches, household debris/trash and metal.
      “So, we began sorting,” said Desrochers. “We did so for a few hours and then they had help on the way with skid loaders and dump trucks to load it all up.”
        “Traci (Taylor) spoke with the owner of the property and she told her, in tears, that her neighbor and best friend a couple houses down was killed in the tornado,” Desrochers added. “So many are just thankful for their lives and know these things can be replaced.”
        The group ended their day by walking up a couple blocks and looking at the devastation and the path left by the tornado before returning to their vehicle for the trip home.
        “I’d seen pictures online prior to going to Greenfield, but pulling into town that day was indescribable and nothing that one could mentally prepare for,” said Taylor. “People were everywhere. They were organizing donations, cleaning up debris and running food around to helpers. It was pretty heart-warming to see. It reassures a person that even in some of the worst situations, people show up for you.”
         Desrochers said she noticed very few vehicles in town that were not totaled, and that she wondered all weekend where those people were staying.
         “Someone told us they had to clear rooms at the school for a triage for injured but they didn't say if they had set up hoteling stations as well,” said Desrochers. “I also didn't see many pets. I did learn that AHeinz57 Pet Rescue and Transport had visited the town and were helping many residents, even two misplaced baby raccoons.”
          Desrochers said she and the others were so thankful for an employer who allowed them to spend their workday volunteering in Greenfield.
        “I’m a busy mom, so after work hours get busy in a hurry with baseball games, practices and concessions stands,” she said. “To be able to do this during the workday was a definite yes from me and for the others.”
        Desrochers went on to say that she and her family have been on the other side of things when their house caught fire, “and the way people rally together is amazing.”
        “There is so much of a divide in the country right now and while you never want to see such a tragedy occur, it brings out and allows you to see the good in people,” Desrochers said.
         Taylor added that she and the group made a tiny dent in the cleanup efforts that day and that the team listened and hugged complete strangers, reassuring them that they will get through this.
         “Overall, it was an incredibly emotional and moving experience,” said Taylor. “I’m so grateful to work for a company that recognizes the importance of taking care of our fellow people and showing up for them in their time of need. It’s truly a prime example of “The Grinnell Mutual Way.”

        On Tuesday, May 21, 2024, Greenfield, was hit by a destructive tornado. The Grinnell Mutual community is heartbroken about the devastation and loss of life in Greenfield.
     The company has historic ties to Greenfield, where Grinnell Mutual was founded in 1909 as the Iowa Farmers Mutual Insurance Association. J.E. Brooks of Adair County Mutual Insurance Association was one of three committee members that filed Grinnell Mutual’s original articles of incorporation.
      The company thrived in Greenfield for 25 years under the leadership of Brooks, providing reinsurance to farm mutuals. In 1934, Brooks retired, and the company’s headquarters moved to Grinnell, where it continues to operate as Grinnell Mutual.
      Kenneth Stowell, long time secretary-manager of Adair County Mutual, is also linked to Grinnell Mutual. He served on the Grinnell Mutual Board of Directors from 1986 to 1995.
    To honor our roots and support the community that gave us our start, the Grinnell Mutual Group Foundation will donate $150,000 to help the community recover. The Foundation was established as the company’s charitable arm and has been supporting communities across its writing territory since 1987.
      To help with cleanup efforts, Grinnell Mutual is offering its employees eight hours of extra paid volunteer time off.
     “Our hearts and prayers go out to the community of Greenfield and everyone who lost family members, suffered injuries, or had property destroyed,” said Grinnell Mutual CEO Jeff Menary. “Grinnell Mutual is proud of our history, and Greenfield and Adair County Mutual have been a big part of that heritage. Now we hope to play a small part in Greenfield's recovery.”
      If you’d like to help storm victims:

• Greater Greenfield Community Foundation – Monetary donations
• Iowa Red Cross – Monetary and blood donations, volunteer opportunities

​      GMRC volunteers spent Friday, May 24 helping Greenfield residents piece their lives back together by cleaning up tree limbs, trash, household debris and metal from the EF-4 tornado that struck the town on Tuesday, May 21. The group also talked with town residents, gave hugs and encouragement that things will get better.

​        Traci Taylor, one of six GMRC employees, help with cleanup efforts in Greenfield on Friday, May 24, three days after an EF-4 tornado struck the town. “Overall, it was an incredibly emotional and moving experience,” said Taylor. “I’m so grateful to work for a company that recognizes the importance of taking care of our fellow people and showing up for them in their time of need.”

       Lindsey Warnick with GMRC helps with cleanup efforts in Greenfield following an EF-4 tornado that struck the town on Tuesday, May 21. Warnick was one of six GMRC employees who spent Friday, May 24 in Greenfield volunteering to help residents piece their lives back together.

​       Ashley Millard with GMRC helps with cleanup efforts in Greenfield following an EF-4 tornado that struck the town on Tuesday, May 21. Millard was one of six GMRC employees who spent Friday, May 24 in Greenfield volunteering to help residents piece their lives back together.

       GMRC employees survey the damage to Greenfield following an EF-4 tornado that struck the town on Tuesday, May 21. Six GMRC employees traveled to Greenfield on Friday, May 24 where they spent the day helping two families as well as sharing lots of hugs and encouraging words with those they talked with. ​

         The popular sport of bronc riding is part of a fun evening of rodeo action that includes bull riding, barrel racing at family-friendly events at the Battle for the Prairie Rodeo coming to Grinnell on Saturday, June 8. The rodeo is being held at Lacaeyse Trailer Sales, 4192 Highway 146. Doors open at 5 p.m. with rodeo action getting underway at 7 p.m. following by a concert featuring Cody Hicks and band. Submitted photo.

J.O. Parker
 
         It will be a night of bronc and bull riding, barrel racing and fun games for the kids and whole family at the first Battle for the Prairie Rodeo coming to Grinnell on June 8.
      The event is being held at Lacaeyse Trailer Sales, 4192 Highway 146, on the southside of Grinnell. Wildhorse Productions, LLC of Iowa City and Sandburr Rodeo Productions, Inc. of Lisbon are presenting the event.
     Charlie Isaacs, manager of Grinnell Theisen’s and his wife, Ashley, are the owners of Wildhorse Productions, LLC. Sandburr Rodeo Productions, Inc. is owned by Tim and Jayme Moore. The duo has been promoting rodeos together mostly in Eastern Iowa for more than five years.
      Together, the two production companies host rodeos in Marengo, Tiffin, West Liberty, Davenport, Coralville and Dubuque. Plans are also in the works to host a rodeo in Ottumwa this coming fall. 
         “I’ve worked in Grinnell for 10 years and bringing the rodeo here was a good opportunity to showcase the events that we put on,” Isaacs said.
          Gates open at 5 p.m. with a family free show that goes until 6:15 p.m. The show includes free pony rides, stick horse races and a meet and greet and autographs with the cowboys and cowgirls of Sandburr Rodeo Productions.
          The rodeo begins at 7 p.m. and includes Bareback Broncs, Barrel Racing, Saddle Bronc and Ranch Bronc.
           “What makes this rodeo unique is having a variety of events including Bareback Broncs, Barrel Racing, Saddle Bronc, Ranch Bronc, Bull Riding and Mutton Busting,” said Isaacs. “There will also be mini bronc and bull riding and junior barrel racing for the little ones. Another thing we do is boot race for little kids to give them a chance to get in the arena with Jooey the Rodeo Clown.”
           A bad boy/girl bull riding challenge between four contestants is also part of the fun at the event.
         Food trucks and food stands will be available and they include Paparonis, a Grinnell-based mobile Italian eatery, Hawaii Grill food truck, Bill-Do-BBQ truck, Katies Donuts, La Terraza Mexican Grill taco stand and Red’s Chill Grill along with a beer stand, all opening at 5 p.m.
          No outside food or drink are allowed on the premises.
       Montezuma’s Cody Hicks and band will close out the evening beginning at 9:30 p.m. and play until 11 p.m.
     Tickets are $15 in advance and are available at Theisen’s in Grinnell and Newton and also at wildhorseproductionsllc.com. Tickets are $20 at the door. Children age 3 – 12 are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Children age 2 and under get in for free.
        “We are fortunate to have Josh and Julie Lacaeyse with Lacaeyse Trailer Sales be the host for the Battle for the Prairie Rodeo,” said Isaacs. “We are blown away from all the local sponsorship support  to make this event possible.”
          For more information, visit wildhorseproductionsllc.com. 

        There will be plenty of bull riding and bronc riding at the Battle for the Prairie Rodeo in Grinnell on Saturday, June 8. Bring the whole family for an entertaining evening of rodeo action. Submitted photos.

      Grinnell High School senior Kinnick Johnson receives his diploma during commencement exercises on Sunday, May 26. Nearly 100 students were awarded diplomas. Johnson plans to attend Central College in the fall where he will play football for the Dutch.