The East Poweshiek County Ambulance Service recently took deliver of a new emergency response vehicle and will soon be adding a new ambulance to the department fleet thanks to ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding through the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors. The Tahoe will be used for every day responses to move emergency providers to where they need to be. The Tahoe’s primary role will be as a paramedic response vehicle. The new ambulance, once it arrives, will replace a rig that is 20-years-old.

​By J.O. Parker

     The East Poweshiek Ambulance Service has taken delivery of a new response vehicle and soon will be adding a new ambulance to the department fleet thanks to ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) funding through the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors.
      The much-needed ambulance, which is slated for delivery in the near future, will replace a rig that is 20-years-old.
      “It was a must but without the funding it would have had to wait a few more years,” said Traci Smith with the EPAS.
      The Tahoe is an exciting new response vehicle that will be used in a couple different ways. It can be used for every day responses to move emergency providers to where they need to be. The Tahoe’s primary role will be as a paramedic response vehicle.
      Smith said Brooklyn, Grinnell and Montezuma were each given $300,000 to be used on EMS projects that tied to COVID-19. 
     “Improving response to emergencies was our goal with our funding by updating our ambulance and adding the Tahoe,” Smith said.
        Currently the East Poweshiek Ambulance is the only service with paramedics in the county.
       “EPAS wants to be able to assist other EMS agencies when able,” noted Smith. “When a patient needs a higher level of care than an ambulance service can provide, they can call for this unit to come meet them. This practice is called tiering and something that was quite common when we did have a full-time paramedic service in the county.”
      The new Tahoe has been named Medic 1 and will be available to respond from Brooklyn or Grinnell depending on availability.
      “One of our paramedics lives in Grinnell and when available will have Medic 1 there to be better positioned to respond to needs within the county,” Smith stated. “We have been working with the other EMS agencies within the county to arrange for the use of Medic 1 and hope we can provide service to whoever wants/needs it.”
          It should be noted that this service currently is not available 24/7.
         “Staffing of this vehicle is currently voluntary for our paramedics but we still feel Medic 1 will be an asset when it is available,” added Smith. “We are looking forward to providing this service.”

      Calling all bakers!
     The Grinnell Historical Museum is pleased to announce that it will be hosting The Great Grinnell Bake Off over the course of three Saturdays this summer. Join us on June 18, July 9, and July 23 at 10 a.m. at the Grinnell Central Park stage. 
    Bakers of any age or skill level are welcome. Vintage recipes from cookbooks owned by the Historical Museum will be provided two weeks before each judging date. Recipes will be available at the Drake Community Library, the museum’s website (www.grinnellhistoricalmuseum.org) and the museum’s social media pages (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter). 
     “No need to register in advance, simply bake your historical goodies at home and bring them to the Central Park Stage for judging,” noted a museum spokesperson. “Entries should arrive by 9:35 a.m. at the welcome table where contestants will be provided a number for anonymity.”
   “Local celebrity” guest judges will be present at each judging event and will score entries based on a provided tally sheet. After all three events, the person with the highest number of points will be named the winner of The Great Grinnell Bake Off. Bakers are not required to participate in all three events. Entries for single events are also welcome. 
    A special event will follow each judging event. On June 18, take a downtown historical walking tour of Grinnell. On July 9, tour the Grinnell Historical Museum at 1125 Broad St. On July 23, enjoy a garden party in Central Park as we celebrate our winner! Picnics and lawn games are encouraged.
Recipe for June 18
      The Great Grinnell Bake Off – Recipe for Week 1, June 18
      Ginger Snaps from Mrs. S. Cushman, Ladies’ Social Cook Book, 1891
      1 cup molasses
      1/3 cup butter
      1/2 cup sugar
      1 egg
      1 tsp. baking soda
      3 1/2 cups flour
    One cup of molasses, one-third cup of butter, one-half cup of sugar, one egg, one teaspoonful of soda, three and one-half cups of flour. Work this out into little cakes.
     Please bring at least three (3) ginger snaps on a plate to the welcome table next to the Central Park stage by 9:35 a.m. on June 18. The Great Grinnell Bake Off will begin at 10 a.m. Bakers of all ages and abilities welcome, no entry fee!
      Questions may be directed to grinnellhistoricalmuseum@gmail.com.

​     The Brooklyn High School Class of 1957 held its 65-year class reunion at the Michael J. Manatt Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, May 28 in connection with the BHS/BGM All-School Reunion. Pictured are, from left, front row: Ed Graham, Cedar Rapids; Darla Yount, Avon Park, Fla.; Jane Paul, Colorado Springs, Co.; A. Marie Keller, Brooklyn; Doris Gregory, Montezuma; Joyce Roshek, Altoona; Marlene Williams, Brooklyn. Back row: Gerald Weaver, Johnston; Clifford Yount, Avon Park, Fla.; Rodney Horrigan, Brooklyn; Steve Reams, Montezuma; Richard Akery, Blairstown; Dave Faas, Brooklyn and Harold Connell, Wichita, Kan.

​      BGM Elementary School students, from left, Daelya Fuchs, Zeke McClenathan, Natalya Turk and Alex Andrew, are shown with their new bicycles they won for participating in the Bikes for Books reading incentive program sponsored by the Poweshiek Lodge No. 174 in connection with the school. The program is for second and third graders at BGM. Presenting the bicycles to the students are Bill Dayton, back left, lodge secretary and Jim Mills, back right, worshipful master at the lodge.

By J.O. Parker
 
     Thanks to a reading program and the generosity of the Poweshiek Lodge No. 174 in Malcom, four BGM Elementary School students received new bicycles.
      This is the third year the lodge has sponsored the Bikes for Books, a reading incentive program for second and third graders at the school. Recipients of new bicycles are second graders, Daelya Fuchs and Zeke McClenathan, and third graders, Natalya Turk and Alex Andrew.
     BGM second grade teacher, Eric Pavey, said the number of books the students read depends on what grade reading level they have reached. Students reading at lower levels read more books because the books are shorter and students reading at a higher level read multiple chapter books.
     “Basically, we set goals based on the student abilities so that they are challenged,” Pavey said.
     “We feel so fortunate to have this partnership with the Poweshiek Lodge as an incentive for reading and also provide them an opportunity to win a bike,” said BGM Elementary Principal Mary Sherwood. “It not only encourages reading, but also teaches them to set goals, work towards those goals, and the satisfaction of reaching those goals.”
      Bill Dayton, lodge secretary, and Jim Mills, worshipful master at the lodge, presented the new bicycles to the winners at the school last month.
     “It’s a good program that gets the kids interested in reading,” noted Dayton. “One teacher commented that the program encourages kids who would not read to pick up a book and get interested in reading.”
       “They are so excited for the drawing and even if they don't win the bike, they are happy for their classmates that did win,” added Sherwood. “We hope the students realize they are all winners for doing the extra reading and reaching goals.”

By J.O. Parker
 
     Make plans to attend the 2022 Brooklyn Flag Festival where the dedication and unveiling of a life-size bronze statue to commemorate and honor the life of World War II Veteran Cpl. Harold “Pie” Keller will be one of the highlights of the three-day event.
        The dedication, which gets underway at 12 noon on Saturday, June 11 at the Avenue of Flags, will feature “Synergy Winds,” a woodwind quintet from the 34th Army Band of the Iowa Army National Guard who will be performing from the porch of the William Manatt House.
       “Pie” as he was known, was a life-long Brooklyn resident and one of the six Marine flag-raisers who fought their way to the top of Mount Suribachi on Feb. 23, 1945 during the Battle of Iwo Jima and planted an American Flag at the peak. The iconic moment was captured by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal.
       After being mis-identified in the photo for 74-years, the United States Marine Corps officially released findings in October 2019 that Cpl. Keller was indeed one of the six Marines in the iconic photo.
       Also being remember are three other Brooklyn Veterans who served at Iwo Jima. They are Don Ent, a Navy Corpsman; Robert “Bob” Dappen, Lt. US Navy; and Byard Braley, Cpl. USMC.
Flag Festival Parade
       The day gets underway at 10 a.m. with a parade that starts at the Brooklyn Community Estate and travels along Jackson Street. The parade will feature patriotic floats including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and an Iwo Jima float featured in the 2021 flag festival parade and hosted by members of the Ida Grove American Legion Post 61. Also featured in the parade is a group of five reenactors and historians from Omaha, “World War 2 Guys,” who will be dressed authentically in WWII US Marine uniforms to represent the flag-raising servicemen. Other military-themed parade entries include a Korean War Humvee, a two-star general, lots of color guards, patriot guard riders, Marines and a host of Legionnaires.
Patriotic candy bars
       More than 2,000 chocolate-covered nougat candy bars will be distributed to visitors of this year’s flag festival, using the exact recipe that a Brooklyn woman, Marie Kriegel Schulte, used during the war years when she mailed 30,000 bars overseas to servicemen. On the wrapper of each “Serve-a-Son” bar was a prayer for that soldier. 
Other activities
        New at this year’s Brooklyn Flag Festival is a carnival that will be entertaining to both young and old alike. The carnival will be located in the parking lot off business alley. The carnival opens at 5 p.m. on Friday, June 10 and again on Saturday, June 11 from 11 a.m. to Midnight. 
     Discounted pre-sale carnival tickets are on sale through Thursday, June 9 and are available at Bear Creek Insurance, Center Ground, First State Bank and Upfront Floral. Once the carnival starts on Friday, tickets are regular price.
      Other family activities include the Kiwanis famous chicken dinner, kid’s water fights, figure 8 races, food, beer garden, Re/Max hot air balloon tethered rides, bags tournament, pony rides, face paintings, pedal pull and Firemen’s Ball featuring the Blake Jack Band and Tyler Richton and the High Bank Boys.
       The third annual Brooklyn Ruritans Car Show is slated for Sunday, June 12 and will be held on the north edge of town.
Schedule of events
Friday, June 10
            11 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Kiwanis Chicken Dinner, Catholic church parking lot
            5 p.m. – Carnival rides start (located in parking lot off business alley)
            7:15 p.m. – Figure 8 Races at Brooklyn Raceway
Saturday, June 11
          10 a.m. – Parade (lineup on Mills Street @ 9 a.m.) Anyone in the parade will be eligible to win $50 in Brooklyn Bucks for the most patriotic float. Secret judges will be placed along the parade route.
            11 a.m. – Midnight - Carnival
            11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Kid’s Water Fights
            12 p.m. – Harold “Pie” Keller dedication (Avenue of Flags)
            1 – 4 p.m. – Pony rides; Re/Max hot air balloon tethered rides; kids activities (ring toss, face painting, etc.)
            1:30 p.m. – Pedal pull
            2 p.m. – Bags tourney (signup @ 1 p.m. in beer garden)
          8 – 12 p.m. – Fireman’s Ball downtown featuring “Blake Jack Band” and “Tyler Richton & the High Bank Boys.”
Sunday, June 12
          8 a.m. - Brooklyn Ruritan Car show - held on the north edge of town. Open to all cars, trucks, motorcycles, tractors, race cars and special interest vehicles. Registration is $20 per vehicle and takes place from 8 – 11 a.m. with judging from 11 – 1:30 p.m. Awards at 3 p.m.

Synergy Winds with the 34th Army Band to perform at the Harold "Pie" Keller Memorial dedication. Submitted photo.

      Synergy Winds is a woodwind quintet from the 34th Army Band of the Iowa Army National Guard. Their repertoire includes classical music, patriotic music, and even popular music. This group tends to perform for smaller, intimate venues where traditional chamber music is appropriate. They will be providing music before the start of the Harold “Pie” Keller dedication and monument unveiling at the Brooklyn Avenue of Flags at 12 noon on Saturday, June 11.

     A chocolate-covered candy bar, sent to thousands of soldiers during WWII, will be recreated and sampled by visitors at Brooklyn’s Flag Festival on Saturday, June 11. Yvonne Hawkins holds an original bar next to the scales used to weigh the 2-ounce bars. Photo by Carol Carpenter Hanson

By Carol Carpenter Hanson 
Historian with Brooklyn Historical Society

     This small Iowa town will celebrate its unsung heroes at its annual Flag Festival, June 11, the weekend before Americans mark National Flag Day. 
     The first unsung hero is Harold “Pie” Keller, a flag-raiser in the iconic photo taken at the Battle of Iwo Jima during WWII, whose identity was finally uncovered after more than 70 years. Three other Brooklyn area men will be recognized for their heroic service at Iwo Jima, as will all local men and women who are veterans of U.S. wars. 
     Also remembered will be a dedicated Iowa farm wife who sent around 30,000 candy bars to servicemen during World War II. Every visitor attending the Flag Day event will go home with a nougat and caramel, chocolate-covered candy bar in honor and memory of her. 
     A Brooklyn native raised on a nearby farm, Marie Kriegel Schulte was searching for some way she could support the war effort back in 1943. She was mindful that her friends and neighbors had sacrificed their sons and daughters to serve their country, but that she was 43, childless, and living on a country farm with her husband near Manly, Iowa. 
      When a neighbor came to her with a religious question from her soldier son overseas, Marie was inspired to reach out to more servicemen by sending them a prayer attached to a candy bar. 
      During those war years of stringent food rationing, it was difficult to get extra sugar and chocolate allotments, so she registered with the state and applied to the local rationing board with a well-thought-out plan. She named her bar, “Serv-a-Son,” designed a candy bar wrapper, and drove to Minneapolis to have it made. 
    Marie invited local mothers of servicemen to her home to begin her sales plan, which then spread by word of mouth: for 25 cents (including mailing) you could purchase a box of four bars and have them sent to the serviceman of your choosing. 
    Of course, this was a bargain even back in 1943, and for the next two years, Marie kept busy making one batch after another, each batch making 50 bars, by herself in her farm kitchen, until the war ended in 1945.
    The reward for her efforts was found in the letters she received, like: “I am out here in a fox hole alone with fire blasting above and at time all looks pretty dark. – Then I read my wrapper and! – all looks brighter.”
    Another young man wrote: “I cut my bars in bite size pieces to share. Then the fellows asked to see the wrappers – I passed them out and to date I still don’t have a wrapper – they just don’t get back to me.”
    After she and her husband retired from farming in 1965, they moved back to Brooklyn, where Marie had numerous relatives. She was the aunt of the late Doris Manatt & her brother, the late Dale Hawkins.
    Yvonne Hawkins, Dale’s wife, said they found the remains of Marie’s last batch of the nougat bars in her freezer, likely from the final time she made them one Easter for her nieces and nephews in the early 1970’s. The Hawkins donated a box of the now-hardened bars, plus the scales Marie used to weigh them, to the Brooklyn Historical Society, where they’ve been displayed for the past decade. 
    Marie died at age 100 years and 11 months, almost a year after fulfilling her wish to dance at her 100th birthday party at Brooklyn’s Brookhaven retirement home. She was a favored aunt among her many nieces and nephews, who wanted to honor her memory by funding the upcoming candy bar giveaway through the G.J. “Junie” Manatt Family Foundation.
    A grandniece, Mary Jo Thompson, said that after her family foundation contributed $12,000 for the candy bar project, she made numerous failed attempts to duplicate the chocolate-covered nougat bar. However, the “recipe” was only a list of the ingredients: egg whites, cream, dark syrup and sugar – but not the directions of how to combine them. 
    Finally, through a YouTube video, Thompson located a professional candymaker in Wisconsin experienced in recreating old recipes, and willing to try producing Marie’s bar. James J. Chocolate Shop in Lake Mills, Wisconsin will make 3,000 bars to be given away at Brooklyn’s upcoming Flag Festival event. 
    Thompson was even able to duplicate Marie Schulte’s candy bar wrapper, made from “glassine,” a smooth, glossy paper used during WWII due to the shortage of paper.
     The weekend of activities planned for the Brooklyn event will include a parade followed by the dedication and unveiling of a bronze statue of Harold Keller. Townspeople raised $75,000 for the life-sized likeness of Keller, which will stand near the town’s colorful, permanent display of 63 flags from all the states and military branches, and a 25 foot by 30 foot American flag.

Carol Carpenter Hanson can be reached at caranhan@gmail or 515-822-8635.

      Close-up of Marie Schulte’s candy bar. Photo by Carol Carpenter Hanson

     Marie’s prayer, written by Marie Schulte & sent to servicemen on each candy bar.

     Left, Marie as a young woman. Right, Marie Schulte, center; with sisters Marian Kriegel Powell, left; and Josephine Kriegel Hawkins Willett, right; in the 1970s.

    A recent replica of the candy bar wrapper designed by Marie Schulte, printed on “glassine” paper like those made during the war years, due to the paper shortage during WWII. 

      Marie’s story on wrapper

​Grinnell Police Sergeant Chris Wray places a wreath at the memorial while Grinnell Chief of Police Michael McClelland looks on during the dedication on Monday, May 16.

By J.O. Parker
 
      Members of the Grinnell Police Department honored two of its own fallen officers and paid respect to fallen officers from across Iowa and the country in a special memorial ceremony on Monday, May 16 during National Police Week.
      The two Grinnell Police Officers honored were Warren H. Binegar, 23, who was killed in the line of duty while directing traffic at an accident scene on Aug. 29, 1948 and Ralph W. Ogan, Jr., 34, who was shot and killed in the line of duty while investigating a burglary on Nov. 13, 1963. Officer Binegar had only been with the department for five days and Officer Ogan was a four-year veteran of the Grinnell Police Department.
      The event was held by the memorial to both fallen officers located outside the Grinnell Police Department. The memorial was dedicated in the fall of 2014.
     Also remembered was Prairie City Chief of Police Michael E. German who died of COVID-19 on Jan. 13, 2022.
     Grinnell Chief of Police Michael McClelland shared the history of the fallen officers and GPD Chaplain Nate Smith gave the invocation and benediction. Grinnell firefighter Jed Petersen performed “Amazing Grace” on his bagpipes and Grinnell High School student Olivia Mick sang the “National Anthem.” Detective Holly Coogler with the GPD rang a bell in honor of each fallen officer. 
     Members of the Ogan family were present and included twins Bob Ogan and his sister, Roberta Schnell, and her husband, Dale. Also present were Ralph’s great-grandson, Brady Ogan, and family members, Mike Ogan and Monica Ogan. A member of the Binegar family was unable to attend.
    “It was a very nice memorial,” Bob said. “Too bad Mom couldn’t be here for this. She loved the bagpipes.”
     “I am very proud and honored  to be part of recognizing our two fallen Grinnell Police Officers who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said Grinnell Police Sergeant Chris Wray, who placed a wreath at the memorial. “It is my hope that we never have to add another name to this memorial.  I also want to recognize the families of both police officers and the sacrifices they have had to make as well.”
      “This is the time to appreciate all that the police do for us to protect us,” said Jim White, a long-time Grinnell resident, former business owner and member of the Grinnell City Council. “These two Grinnell officers gave the ultimate sacrifice and their families went on without a husband, dad, grandpa, uncle, brother and friend. I just hope everyone never loses sight of the importance of these men and the sacrifices that they and their families made. We owe them a huge debt of appreciation.”
      “I'd just like to express that it's important for us to remember and honor the legacy of our fallen officers, as well as officers from Iowa and across the country, and that we appreciate the sacrifice that they and their families made for our city, county, and country,” noted Grinnell Police Sergeant Ben Smith. “We hope that this event can express that, and let those families know that they aren't forgotten.”