Area youngsters have a photo taken with Santa Claus at the 2021 Christmas Traditions in Brooklyn. Santa will be at the Michael J. Manatt Center from 9 - 11 a.m. and 12 - 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3.

​    Brooklyn’s Christmas Traditions 2022 Downtown is slated for Friday – Sunday, Dec. 2-4. Sponsored by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, the three-day event includes a number of family-friendly holiday activities, including the community theater production of “Elves & The Showmaker” and a visit by Santa. Events are as follows:
Friday, Dec. 2
7 p.m. – Community Theater: “Elves & The Showmaker,” at the Opera House
Tickets available at: www.brooklynoperahouse.com
Saturday, Dec. 3
8 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Vendor Show, MJM Center
9 a.m. – Storytime – Brooklyn Library
9 – 11 a.m. and 12 – 2 p.m. – Pictures with Santa and Free Goodie Bags, MJM Center
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Kids Activities
10 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Sleigh Rides, Downtown Grinnell
1 p.m. – Christmas Movie, Opera House
5 p.m. Tree Lighting and Caroling, Brooklyn Community Estates
7 p.m. – Community Theater: “Elves & The Showmaker,” Opera House
Tickets available at: www.brooklynoperahouse.com
Sunday, Dec. 4
1 p.m. – Community Theater: “Elves & The Showmaker,” Opera House
Tickets available at: www.brooklynoperahouse.com

​      Members of the Grinnell High School Cheer/Dance Team competed at the ICCA State Championships at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Jacobson Building, on Saturday, Oct. 29, where the team finished fifth in the cheer/dance coed division. Pictured are, from left, front row: Madie Fenner, Zaria Luckett, Haley Moyer, Cailyn Grabe, Monica Gruman. Back row: Coach Sarah Dahlby Albright, Kimber Stark, Justin Durr, Will Dahlby Albright, Sophia Louden, Madison Hey, Ketsia Kiphanzu, Ava Morris, Coach Marissa Pronschinske, Coach Jordyn Moyes.

By J.O. Parker
 
       Members of Grinnell High School Cheer/Dance team have been working hard and it is showing as they have earned some top hardware in recent competitions.
       The team competed in three competitions in October and brought home first, second, fourth and fifth place honors in two divisions - cheer/dance coed division and in coed stunt competitions.
Following is the breakdown of their season:
       • The Spartan Challenge at the University of Dubuque, Oct. 16, where the team placed first in the cheer/dance coed division.
     • The Triton Challenge at Iowa Central Community College, Oct. 23, where the team placed fourth in the cheer/dance coed division. The coed stunt team, which did not compete a week earlier at the Spartan Challenge, placed second. The cheer/dance team also won the sportsmanship award.
       • ICCA State Championships at the Iowa State Fairgrounds, Jacobson Building, Oct. 29, where the team finished fifth in the cheer/dance coed division.
      “This is the second highest placing ever and our only placing in coed, which is unclassed,” noted cheer coach Sarah Dahlby Albright.
       Grinnell’s coed stunt team finished the championships with a second place finish, the highest placing in any event at the state cheer level.
        “It’s also the only time we’ve ever taken a coed stunt group to state,” said Dahlby Albright.
Cheer/dance team history
       According to Dahlby Albright, the Grinnell Cheer/Dance team finished in sixth place in Class 3A in 2021 and third in 3A in 2019.
    “We have only taken one other stunt group, it was all-girl and placed fourth in 3A in 2019,” Dahlby Albright said.
       Before 2019, the Grinnell Cheer/Dance team finished anywhere from 13th to seventh place.
“This is my ninth year taking teams to state and I don't believe they competed at state before I started, and I know they didn't place higher than fifth if they did,” noted Dahlby Albright.
     Jordyn Moyes and Marissa Pronschinske, choreographer and coach, helped Dahlby Albright coach the cheer/dance team.
Routines
     Cheer/dance is a 2.5 minute routine consisting of a one minute cheer, 1.5 minutes of music, stunts, jumps and tumbling throughout. We don't have much tumbling, so we need to make up for that with our stunts and motions.
     “We placed third in the stunt division at state and had 0 safety deductions, so we were very proud of that,” said Dahlby Albright.
       Coed stunt group performs a 1 minute routine with one base, one flyer, and one assist.
      “It is the goal to have the assist help as little as possible to score maximum difficulty points,” noted Dahlby Albright. 
Roster
      Seniors: Justin Durr (first year competing); Monica Gruman (third year competing - we did not compete in 2020); Madison Hey (second year competing)
      Juniors: Will Dahlby Albright (first year competing - was alternate last year); Sophia Louden (first year competing); Haley Moyer (second year competing); Kimber Stark (second year competing)
      Sophomores: Madie Fenner (second year competing); Cailyn Grabe (second year competing); Ketsia Kiphanzu (second year competing); Zaria Luckett (first year competing)
      Freshman: Ava Morris (alternate, first year competing)
      Stunt team: Senior Justin Durr – base; Junior Haley Moyer – flyer; Junior Will Dahlby Albright - base  assist

​      The Grinnell High School Cheer/Dance Stunt Team are, from left: Will Dahlby Albright, Haley Moyer and Justin Durr. They finished second, the highest placing at any event at the state level.

     The Grinnell High School Cheer/Dance Team coaching staff are, from left: Marissa Pronschinske, Sarah Dahlby Albright and Jordyn Moyes.

      The Grinnell Tigers wrapped up the 2022 football season with a 5-5 record and a first round playoff game loss to ADM, 56-0.
       Five Tigers received first team honors in Class 3A, District 5 while three players earned second team and three players earned honorable mention honors. In addition, Grinnell’s Gene Blalock was named the Defensive Line Most Valuable Player (MVP) for District 5.
       Following are the first, MVP, second and honorable mention players:
First Team – (Each team gets to pick one player for each district win)
Solon  – Blake Timmons, Sean Stahle, Brett White, Aiden Doyle, Ben Kampman, Oaken Foster
Grinnell – Gene Blalock, Tryston Stark, Oliver Louden, Carson Penyich, Brady Coffman 
Washington – Brayden Hartman, Ethan Patterson, James Strabala, DaShaun Westhpal 
Fairfield – Max Weaton, Tate Allen, Myles McEntee
Keokuk – Liam O’Donnell
WBND – Hayden Vandenberg, Caden Schwenker

​Most Valuable Players – District 5
MVP – Blake Timmons, Senior, Solon
Offensive MVP – Max Weaton, Senior, Fairfield
Offensive Line – Brayden Hartman, Senior, Washington
Defensive MVP – Brett White, Junior, Solon
Defensive Line – Gene Blalock, Senior, Grinnell
Special Teams – Grant Knipper, Junior, Solon
 
Second Team
Solon – Adam Smith, Mac McCarty, Brayden Moore
Grinnell – Kinnick Johnson, Dom Clayton, Ethan Walker
Washington – Zander Laws, Evan Van Der Molen, Kasen Evans
Fairfield – Bode Hoskins, Tallon Bates, Cason Miller
Keokuk – Diego Garcia, Brenton Hoard, Aiden Derr
WBND – Brady Heuvelmann, Jordan Nupp, Quincy Collins
 
Honorable Mention
Solon – Mason Scott, Grant Wilson, Marcus Richard
Grinnell – Jared Andrews, Broc Heishman, Jack Hoopes
Washington – Kaisen Rude, Nick Dittrich, Clayton Streeter
Fairfield – Carter Moore, Sam Weaton, Luke Konczal
Keokuk – Emerson Glasgow, Malachi Douglas, Chase Eckland
WBND – Emry Watson, Carsen Jones, Dylan Kipp
 
Coaching Staff of the Year - Solon

       The Grinnell Lady Tigers Volleyball team finished the season with an 11-21 record for the 2022 season. Three players have been recognized with all-conference honors.
       Senior Bailey Strovers received second team all-conference honors while seniors Gretta Dodd and Ashley Hollingsworth received honorable mention honors.
        Following are the Little Hawkeye all-conference honors:
First Team
Brynn Bishop, DS/L, Indianola, Junior
Aspen Nelsen, OH/S, Indianola, Sophomore
Tori Runyan, S, Indianola, Junior
Noelle Sutcliffe, OH, Norwalk, Junior
Maleah Walker, OH, Oskaloosa, Senior
Addy Janssen, DS/L, Dallas Center-Grimes, Junior
Katie Scheckel, S/OH, Pella, Freshman
Chloe Huisman, S/OH, Pella Christian, Sophomore
Kadence Ahn, OH, Newton, Junior
Second Team
Kailey Peters, MH, Indianola, Senior
Camryn Overton, OH/RS, Indianola, Sophomore
Grace Dehmer, L/DS, Norwalk, Junior
Lucy Roach, L, Oskaloosa, Senior
Jill Janssen, S/RS, Dallas Center-Grimes, Senior
Haily Leinbach, OH, Dallas Center-Grimes, Senior
Mia Warner OH, Pella, Senior
Cara Veenstra, MH/OH, Pella, Senior
Bailey Strovers, MH, Grinnell, Senior
Honorable Mention
Dana Blake, OH/L, Indianola, Sophomore
Macy Wente, OH/RS, Indianola, Junior
Samantha Aagard, MH, Norwalk, Senior
Elizabeth Iverson, S, Norwalk, Sophomore
Presley Blommers, S, Oskaloosa, Senior
Gracie DeRonde, OH, Oskaloosa, Sophomore
Sydney Meints, MH, Dallas Center-Grimes, Senior
Macee Reiling, DS/L, Dallas Center-Grimes, Junior
Bryn Higginbotham, MH, Pella, Junior
Jasmine Namminga, RS, Pella, Senior
Ema Zula, OH/S, Pella Christian, Junior
Chloe Swank, L, Newton, Sophomore
Delaney Woollums, OH, Newton, Sophomore
Gretta Dodd, MH, Grinnell, Senior
Ashley Hollingsworth, S/RS, Grinnell, Senior

      The Brooklyn Opera House will be hosting a holiday community theatre production of “The Elves and The Shoemaker” from Dec. 2 - 4. As a cornerstone of the community since 1911, the opera house provides a place for the community to gather and celebrate the local arts.
    “The Elves and The Shoemaker" is a set of fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm about a poor shoemaker who receives much-needed help from two young helpful elves. The elves choose the shoemaker as their host because he possesses all of the elfin requirements to become a host, which is human kindness and a generous heart. They all work together to persevere through difficult times, and even win over the heart of the greedy landlord, Gertie. 
      A family-friendly show, this production includes a cast of four and is only one hour long. 
     “Community theatre continues to be an opportunity for the local community to come together and play an active role in these productions,” said Laura Manatt, General Manager of the Brooklyn Opera House. “The play will feature four community members, including two new cast members from North Liberty and Amana. We look forward to celebrating their talent.”
      “This is a sweet show that reminds us a bit of human kindness can make a huge difference,” said Deborah Kennedy, co-director of this upcoming production. “After the show, there will be an opportunity for the audience to meet the cast, get autographs and take photos. The last page of the playbill will include a page for autographs.”
      The cast include the following: 
●      The kindhearted shoemaker– Rob Hanlon, Brooklyn
●      Gertie, the heartless landlord– Molly Clayton, Brooklyn
●      Magical elf #1 – Sedona Helmke, North Liberty
●      Magical elf #2– Conner Crozier, Amana
      Tom Milligan is the director of this production. 
     The show will be held Dec. 2 - 3 at 7 p.m. and Dec. 4 at 1 p.m. Tickets $10 for adults and $5 for students. If tickets are still available the day of the show, you may purchase them one hour prior to show time at the Michael J. Manatt Community Center (MJMCC) entrance. Thank you to the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) for making this community theatre production possible. 
    Please visit https://www.brooklynoperahouse.com/events to purchase tickets and for more information.

      Key Cooperative is the recipient of the 2022 Poweshiek County Friend of 4-H award. Corey Latcham, right, with the Poweshiek County Extension Council, presents the Friend of 4-H honor to Dan Dunsbergen, location manager at Key Cooperative in Grinnell during the annual 4-H Award Day on Sunday, Nov. 13. 

​By J.O. Parker
 
     Key Cooperative is the recipient of the 2022 Poweshiek County Friend of 4-H award. Dan Dunsbergen, location manager in Grinnell, was on hand to receive the honor on behalf of the company at the annual 4-H Awards Day held at Key Cooperative on Sunday, Nov. 13.
      The Friend of 4-H is an annual award recognizing a person, group or business that helps the Poweshiek County 4-H program through providing resources, volunteers and working to make 4-H a better organization.
       “We appreciate the honor and recognition, but it is all about the kids,” said Dunsbergen.
       This award has been given to community leaders such as Montezuma School District, Three Sister’s, Emily Klein, Poweshiek Farm Bureau, Brownells, Grinnell Herald and numerous others. This year, Key Cooperative is joining this outstanding group of leaders. 
     Key Cooperative is a member-owned, rural Iowa cooperative serving agriculture producers. They have locations in 13 communities and six counties, Key Cooperative provides Agronomy, Energy, Feed, and Grain with a small-town, yet professional feel. They have been serving Poweshiek County for more than 100 yearsby providing feed, grain storage, crop information, and numerous other agricultural services for the people in Poweshiek County. We have had numerous 4-H alumni employed by this organization. 
       “We are pleased to acknowledge that over these years Key Cooperative has supported 4-H’ers behind the scenes as well as face to face,” said Haley Princehouse, Poweshiek County 4-H Youth Educator. “They are best known for serving an annual meal on Friday nights at the Poweshiek County Fair for the 4-H Exhibitors, parents and families. In addition, they have supported programs such as the ag safety day and workshops for youth with presenters, donations, facilities, and most of all volunteers.”
         “The partnership that our 4-H program has with Key Cooperative is very valuable and we are grateful for all that they do for us,” added Princehouse. “Thank you Key Cooperative and we look forward to many years of continuing these partnerships.”