​      The Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce is excited to host its annual Jingle Bell Holiday event on Friday, Nov. 17 from 5 - 8 p.m. This event will again feature activities in Central Park and highlight Grinnell’s small businesses as the holiday shopping season approaches. 
       Starting at 5 p.m., the Winter Farmers Market will open in the Hotel Grinnell Ballroom and business open houses begin. At 5:15 p.m., activities in Central Park begin. Michelle’s Dance Academy will perform, followed by the lighting of the decorations in the park.
        Steppin’ Out Dance Studio will perform a closing number before sending attendees out to explore the rest of downtown.
       Beginning at 5:30 p.m., Santa will arrive at Grinnell State Bank and meet with kids and photos from Cory Hall Photography will be available to purchase. Carriage rides in Central Park will also start at 5:30 p.m., with riders being picked up and dropped off at the corner of 4th Avenue and Broad Street. DJ Cox will have music in Central Park from 5 - 8 p.m.
       Many businesses and organizations will be hosting activities, refreshments and open houses that evening. Visit the Grinnell Chamber website at: www.grinnellchamber.org/en/events/jingle_bell_holiday/ for more detail.

  BGM Elementary hosting Veterans Day event
     The public is invited to join BGM Elementary School students and staff at a Veterans Day event on Friday, Nov. 10 at 1:30 p.m. in the elementary gym.
 
Brooklyn Ruritan Club hosting Veterans Day supper
    The Brooklyn Ruritan Club is hosting an appreciation supper honoring area veterans and active service military families on Wednesday, Nov. 15 with a meet and greet at 6 p.m. followed by the meal at 6:30 p.m. at the Michael J. Manatt Community Center. 
For information, call 641-522-4464 or after 6 p.m. call 641-522-7052.
 
Deep River American Legion Post 296 Auxiliary hosting supper
    The Deep River American Legion Unit 296 Auxiliary invites you to attend the annual Veterans Day Supper and Program on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 5:30 p.m. in the Deep River Community Center. A free pork loin supper will be served.
      There will be a program with district, post, unit and squadron leadership present and some awards will be given. A silent auction and a few live auction items will be held in an effort to raise funds to send girls to Girls State and offer scholarships.
 
Grinnell Veterans Day Ceremony to be held at Elks Lodge
     The Grinnell American Legion and VFW is hosting a Veteran’s Day ceremony on Friday, Nov. 10 at 10:30 a.m. at the Elks Lodge and Hazelwood Cemetery.
 
Grinnell Hy-Vee serving free breakfast to veterans on Nov. 10
     In honor of Veterans Day, Hy-Vee stores will host a free dine-in breakfast on Friday, Nov. 10, from 6 – 10 a.m. for all veterans and active-duty military members. Additionally, veterans and service members will receive 15 percent off grocery purchases all day on Nov. 10. Our Veterans Day Breakfast is just one of the many ways we honor our country's heroes.
 
Grinnell Middle School Veterans Day Assembly
     All community Veterans are invited to attend the 7th annual Grinnell Middle School Veterans Day Assembly on Friday, Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. at 132 East St. South, Grinnell. 
     Join us for a time of celebration and reflection featuring the music of the Grinnell Middle School Bands and Choirs and a guest speaker.
     A reception will follow in the GMS Library. Veterans are welcome to bring a guest. No RSVP necessary.

Montezuma Schools hosting Veterans Day event
      In honor of all veterans, the public is invited to attend a Veterans Day event at the Montezuma High School gym on Friday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m.
 
Montezuma American Legion hosting Veterans Day meal
      The Montezuma American Legion Post 169 and Auxiliary along with the VFW will be holding their annual Veterans Day Supper in the Montezuma Memorial Hall on Saturday, Nov. 11 at 6 p.m. to honor all Veterans. Ham and potatoes will be furnished and attendees are asked to bring a dish to share and their own table service.
      The guest speaker is Lorn and Marianne Heyne, who will be sharing their story of life in the Air Force. Boys State and Girls State representatives will also give a presentation.
     The VFW will have awards to present by Rachel Bru and the American Legion and Auxiliary will have award presentations as well as the “Fifth Grade Flag Essay Contest” from Mrs. Minner’s class. The public is invited to attend.

     Charles L. and Ruth M. Ranfeld of Victor and their family are shown with representatives of the Iowa Department of Agriculture on Thursday, Aug. 17 during the presentation of Century Farm Award at the Iowa State Fair.

​      Three Poweshiek County farm families were among 191 families from across the state of Iowa to be honored with a Century Farm Award for ownership of the same farm for 100 or more years. The presentation was held on Aug. 17 at the Iowa State Fair.
       Charles L. and Ruth M. Ranfeld of Victor were recognized with a Century Farm Award this year. The land is located in Lincoln Township has been in the Ranfeld family since October 1923 when 170 acres was purchased. Today the farm consists of 83 acres.
      The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in conjunction with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation established the Heritage Farm Program for farm families that have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more. The program began in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial Celebration, when more than 5,000 certificates and farm markers were distributed across Iowa at local ceremonies.

​      Three Poweshiek County farm families were among 191 families from across the state of Iowa to be honored with a Century Farm Award for ownership of the same farm for 100 or more years. The presentation was held on Aug. 17 at the Iowa State Fair.
       Lidtka Farm Inc. (Randy and Janet Lidtka) of Grinnell were recognized with a Century Farm Award this year. The land is located in Chester Township has been in the Lidtka family since March 28, 1922 when 280 acres was purchased. Today the farm consists of 200 acres.
      The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in conjunction with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation established the Heritage Farm Program for farm families that have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more. The program began in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial Celebration, when more than 5,000 certificates and farm markers were distributed across Iowa at local ceremonies.

     Members of the Hanssen Farm family of Grinnell are shown with representatives of the Iowa Department of Agriculture. ​

   Three Poweshiek County farm families were among 191 families from across the state of Iowa to be honored with a Century Farm Award for ownership of the same farm for 100 or more years. The presentation was held on Aug. 17 at the Iowa State Fair.
   Hanssen Farms (Steve and Cheryl Hanssen) of Grinnell were recognized with a Century Farm Award this year. The land is located in Sheridan Township has been in the Hanssen family since March 1920 when 80 acres was purchased and remains the same to date.
   The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in conjunction with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation established the Heritage Farm Program for farm families that have owned at least 40 acres for 100 years or more. The program began in 1976 as part of the Bicentennial Celebration, when more than 5,000 certificates and farm markers were distributed across Iowa at local ceremonies.

​      Susan D. Pickhardt, middle, is shown with representatives of the Iowa Department of Agriculture on Thursday, Aug. 17 during the presentation of Heritage Awards at the Iowa State Fair.

​     Three Poweshiek County farm families were among 144 families from across the state of Iowa to be honored with a Heritage Award for ownership of the same farm for 150 or more years. The presentation was held on Aug. 17 at the Iowa State Fair.
     Susan D. Pickhardt of Malcom was recognized with a Heritage Award this year. The land is located in Sheridan Township has been in the Pickhardt family since 1872 when 80 acres was purchased. Today, the farm is 68.26 acres.
     The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship in conjunction with the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation established the Heritage Farm Program for farm families that have owned at least 40 acres for 150 years or more.

By J.O. Parker
 
       Poweshiek County Conservation Director, Mark Vavroch, retired on Friday, Oct. 13.
     Vavroch joined the Poweshiek County Conservation Board as a Park Ranger/Naturalist in 1987. He was named director in 1990 and has held that position since.
     “I inherited a park with aging infrastructure, limited funding and no staff,” recalled Vavroch of his early days as director.
      Thanks to partnerships with the City of Montezuma, Frank Brownell, Poweshiek County Pheasants Forever Chapter, Greater Poweshiek County Foundation, Ahrens Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, National Wild Turkey Foundation (NWTF), Izaak Walton League, Poweshiek County Sportsman’s Association (PCSA), Grinnell Audubon Society, Poweshiek County Alliance, Iowa DOT (Enhancement Funds), Lions Clubs and a great Poweshiek County Conservation Board (PCCB), that all changed.
     Diamond Lake Park encompasses 670 acres of land and features a 90-acre lake in partnership with the City of Montezuma. In addition, the county conservation board oversees six wildlife areas encompassing another 1,800 acres.
County Conservation History:
       Vavroch explained that two major fires occurred in downtown Montezuma around 1950, and the city had barely enough water to fight each blaze. Diamond Lake was created in response to this need for a more reliable water supply for the City of Montezuma. 
       The lake was built in 1953, and it is still being used as a city reservoir today with the county conservation managing adjacent land for recreation.
      In November 1956, the Poweshiek County Conservation Board was founded. It was one of the first 16 counties to establish a county conservation board in Iowa.
        The first meeting of the board was Jan, 28, 1957.
      In 1958, the Poweshiek County Conservation Board and the City of Montezuma signed an agreement allowing the board to acquire and develop land around the lake as a county park. This arrangement still exists today, and that relationship between city and county government continues to help grow a strong local economy for Montezuma and Poweshiek County.
Highlights of Vavroch’s 30 plus years with the PCCB:
       • Budgets 1990 - $126,000 and now 2023 - $462,000. 
     • Camping fees – 1987 - $7/night for an electric site and the total camping revenue for that year was $7,300. Last year the camping fee was $20/night (and will remain at $20), and the total camping revenue was $102,000.
      • Land Acquisition – Vavorch has been involved in 18 land acquisition projects during his tenure, which have added more than 1,100 acres to county conservation. This has essentially doubled the amount of land managed by the PCCB. The projects were funded by Iowa DNR Wildlife Habitat Stamp grants, Iowa DNR REAP grants, Federal Land and Water Conservation Grants and Pheasants Forever.
      • Fish Habitat Grants – Nine lake/pond projects were funded by Iowa DNR Fish Habitat grants, and two lake restoration projects were funded by the Iowa DNR, which include the Diamond Lake Spillway and the Diamond Lake Watershed Assessment project.
      • Iowa DNR Marine Fuel Tax and infrastructure Grants funded $60K, for the boat ramp/dock and north shower house.
New Facilities Built at Diamond Lake since 1990:
        • Foster Center (headquarters/meeting facility – naturalist programs)
        • Three new restrooms and two shower houses and fish cleaning station
        • Three new shelter houses
        • Added 360 acres for development and watershed protection. 
        • Added a new 33 site campground (four-year project) – updated electrical 2X (fuse)
        • Two hard surface trails (Stagecoach Trail – 2002 and 2010) Resurface 2020.
        • Concrete boat ramp, dock, and kayak launch
         • Asphalt over lays on park roads     
         • New playground equipment
         • New shop and a shop addition
Last year’s Projects:
      • Completed new Stagecoach Trail restroom – funding for the project came from a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant (2020) and ARPA funding from the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors - $150K project.
       • Watershed Assessment – Board hired Shive-Hattery to complete the work as part of the lake restoration project. This was made possible due to a 75-percent cost share with Iowa DNR Lake Restoration program.
        • Long Term – Heavy rains in August 2010 led to an influx of common carp into Diamond Lake. The carp eliminated the aquatic vegetation disrupting the fish habitat and food base for other game fish. An Iowa DNR Lake Restoration grant was awarded to the Poweshiek County Conservation Board in 2015 to modify the Diamond Lake spillway with a 10 foot drop box to prevent carp from entering the lake in the future. 
       The lake restoration project involves draining the lake, eliminating the carp, removing excess silt, and deepen the shorelines. Due to the City of Montezuma utilizing Diamond Lake for its water source, the city has to find a new source of water during the project.
        The city considered four options for an alternative water source. However, only one option was feasible, and that was to drill a deep well.
       “Currently, the City of Montezuma is working with an engineering firm to design the well, and they are exploring granting opportunities for funding that well project,” noted Vavroch.
        2024 – alternative water supply (well) to be completed.
        2025 – Diamond Lake – Lake Restoration Project begins at yet to be determined date.
      When asked what his top accomplishments were as director, Vavroch said the partnerships that he has built with organization and funding sources he’s worked with over the years.
        “In this field, you can’t complete large projects without good partners who help and fund these projects,” noted Vavroch. “Many partners were involved in the purchase of land north and east of Diamond Lake, which allowed the board to expand the recreation amenities of the park, including the new campground and facilities, trails, additional hunting opportunities and watershed protection for Diamond Lake.”
        As for retirement, Vavroch and his wife, Julie, have moved to Red Rock Lake near Pella.
       “We plan to enjoy the trails and birding around Red Rock and the views of the lake off our back deck,” he said.
        Tylor Nelson has been hired as the new Poweshiek County Conservation Board Director.

    The BGM Drama Department presents, “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon,” a two act play slated for Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 11 at 1 p.m. in the BGM Auditorium.
Directors for The Brothers Grimm Spectaculation are Nathan Johnson and Julie Giblin. Acting coaches are Josh Gerard, Rob Hanlon, Rachel Lakose and Jeff Britts. Kim Hawkins is in charge of props and costumes.
Show Synopsis
     “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” by Don Zolidis is a hilarious and fast-paced comedy that reimagines the classic fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm in a wildly entertaining way. In this zany play, two narrators attempt to retell all 209 of the Grimm brothers' stories in a single evening, with the help of a small group of actors. However, they soon find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of tales and resort to mixing, merging, and sometimes even making up stories on the spot. The result is a madcap journey through familiar fairy tales like Cinderella, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel, all presented in a riotous and unpredictable fashion. "The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon" is a whirlwind of comedy, chaos, and creativity that leaves audiences laughing and amazed by the sheer audacity of this fractured fairy tale extravaganza.
Cast
      Narrator 1 – Emily Britts; Narrator 2 – Megan Hanlon; Actor Plinky Plie – Abby Smith; Girl – Lexi Williams; Enchantress, Hansel, Little Red – Kyla Andrew; Rapunzel, Snow White, Cinderella – Lorelai Gerard; Prince 2, Frog Prince, Wolf – Isaiah Williams; Gretel – Kaylin Hatfield; Audience member / Woodcutter – Sam Spooner; Princess, Talking Fish, Grandma – Shadlee Hazelwood; Dwarf 2, Prince 1, Father, Chet – Kadon Folkman; Devil, King, King 2 – Graysen Berry; Witch, Witch 2 – Haley Pierson; Crab Person, Handless Girl – Elexa Breault; Dirt Merchant, Mother, Queen – Abigail Wadhams; Walk, Crab Person – Harrison Hershey; Raven – Raven Hawkins; Johannes, Crab Person, Rumpelstiltskin – Tristan Taylor.
Tickets
       BGM students will present “The Brothers Grimm Spectaculathon” on Friday Nov. 10 and Saturday Nov. 11 in the BGM Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students and may be purchased online at: http://our.show/bgmdramadept/2023fallplay.