The Palmer Quilters recently donated 30 new hand-sewn cloth gowns to be utilized by mammography patients at Palmer Lutheran Health Center (PLHC) in West Union. (From left) Radiology staff members Whitney Pagel and Megan Scroggins model a pair of the gowns, while Jayne Soppe, PLHC Radiology supervisor, accepts the gift from Palmer quilters Deb Thies (back), Deon Roys, Deb Mueller, and Marilyn Mihm. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

Quilters sew up donation project

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Palmer Lutheran Health Center (PLHC) Radiology/Mammography Department is bursting at the seams in appreciation of a heartfelt gift from a small band of local volunteers.

The Palmer Quilters recently donated 30 hand-sewn cloth gowns to be utilized by mammography patients at PLHC in West Union. Designed by Deon Roys, fellow Quilters Marilyn Mihm, Deb Mueller, Deb Thies, and Wanda Stepan helped create the pink-colored donations.

As part of the recently completed First Impressions report, Central City visitors voted downtown West Union as being both pedestrian- and automobile-friendly with an attractive appearance. It was noted that the residents clearly take pride in their town and are knowledgeable advocates for the community. The visitors also viewed the various construction sites in the community as a positive sign of progress. The residential tour also received excellent reviews as the guests admitted they would like to live here and shared an appreciation for the well-maintained homes and yards and active neighborhoods. (Mike Van Sickle photo)  

Positive 'First Impressions' of West Union

Megan Mohlis
Contributing Writer

Early this year individuals from the West Union community voted to be part of the “First Impressions” program. This program is designed to allow communities to partner up and anonymously send a small group of visitors to explore and gather an impression of the partnering town. The results of the first impressions are then written up and brought back to each respective community to share what first time visitors thought.

On Tuesday, Sept. 23, West Union residents were invited to hear what those results had to say. Jim Thompson, of Iowa Economic Development Authority and a business consultant for Main Street Iowa, made the trip to discuss the process and share his thoughts on the results.

For the project, West Union was partnered with Central City. On July 9 five anonymous visitors, ages 10 to 70, came to West Union for a first-time visit. With the visit documented from start to finish, each section of the First Impressions questionnaire was scored by the group with options ranging from 1-5 (1 being strongly disagree, and 5 being strongly agree) followed by a comments section.

Young and old alike won’t want to miss out on the opportunity to tour the University of Iowa Mobile Museum, which will be located near the Fort Atkinson Community Center from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, and from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28, during this weekend’s annual Fort Atkinson Rendezvous Days. (Courtesy photo)

'Rendezvous' to feature additional eras of Iowa history

The University of Iowa Mobile Museum will help allow visitors to travel further back to the time of Iowa pioneers during this year’s Fort Atkinson Rendezvous Days. The educational Mobile Museum will be located near the Fort Atkinson Community Center from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 27, and from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 28.

A sign indicating fundraising progress was recently placed at the site where an All Veterans Memorial is being planned in Wadena. Pictured with the sign are Wadena American Legion Post 631 members (l-r) Mick Leonhart, Retta Leonhart, Amy Fettkether, Dave Aylsworth, Becky Aylsworth, Kay Thomas, and Woody Thomas. A motorcycle and car cruise fundraiser is planned for Saturday, Sept. 27, all proceeds of which will go to the memorial.

Wadena cruise to benefit veterans memorial

Brian Smith
Contributing Writer
bsmith@fayettepublishing.com

Wadena American Legion Post 631 and Barney’s in Wadena will join forces to host a motorcycle and car cruise on Saturday, Sept. 27, as a fundraiser for the All Veterans Memorial project in Wadena. Rain or shine, the cruise will leave from Barney’s in Wadena at 10:30 a.m., with stops scheduled in Elkader, Edgewood, and Lamont before returning to Barney’s that afternoon. All proceeds from the event will go to the All Veterans Memorial.

            The idea for a veterans memorial in Wadena was initiated in the fall of 2013 by a group of supporters from Post 631. The Wadena Veterans Memorial Committee is currently made up of eight members, including George “Mick” Leonhart, Arietta “Retta” Leonhart, Milton “Woody” Thomas, Corrine “Kay” Thomas, Becky Aylsworth, Dave Aylsworth, Tim Klingman, and Amy Fettkether.

Nepali students attending classes at Upper Iowa University in Fayette this semester include Crystal Bohara and Sarad Giri. Crystal is wearing typical native dress of her country – something she might wear for Dasain, a festival that begins Sept. 24 and continues through Oct. 7. Sarad wears a hat that might also be worn during the festival. The two are pictured by the Peacock monument on the northwest corner of the Upper Iowa University campus. (Janell Bradley photo)

Nepalis travel 32 hours to Upper Iowa

Janell Bradley
Contributing Writer

Ask some of the 90 students on the UIU campus this semester why they'd travel to Fayette from Nepal to get a college education, and you might get a number of different answers. Or you might just find one common theme: Upper Iowa faculty care about their students.

Like their peers, Crystal Bohara, 19, and Sarad Giri, 20, knew they wanted an American college education.

Gus Kapnisis plans to reopen Gus & Tony’s Town House at its new location at 100 S. Vine in downtown West Union on Thursday, Oct. 2. The original Town House structure on N. Vine Street was destroyed by fire in May 2012. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

Anyone for a hot beef?

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

Unless unforeseen circumstances arise, home-style cooking is expected to return next week to downtown West Union. After receving passing marks from state inspectors, Gus Kapnisis plans to reopen Gus & Tony’s Town House at its new location on Thursday, Oct. 2.

Large views of downtown West Union are provided in one of the two apartments renovated  for building owner Dick Woodard as part of the community’s Multi-Family Housing Project. Tours of 11 of the 12 renovated apartments will be available on Thursday, Oct. 2. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

Doors open for Multi-Family Housing tours

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

The 12-apartment Multi-Family Housing Project in downtown West Union is ready for public viewing. The local project consisted of renovating the existing upper-story housing units of the Williamson (former bus barn) Building; two apartments in the former Union Drug building, located at the corner of Vine and Elm and owned by Dick Woodard; and four apartments in the Bank Block Building, owned by Steve and Pam Rogers.

Only vacant downtown second-floor apartments were eligible for the project funding. Apartments that are occupied or had been recently vacated were not eligible. Another stipulation was that 51 percent of the total units must now be available to low- to middle-income tenants.

Dr. Ronald Myrom has provided over 25 years of medical care to local residents such as Les Hawes of West Union. Dr. Myrom will be bestowed the prestigious Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) Hospital Heroes Award on Wednesday, Oct. 8. In recognition of this prestigious honor, Palmer Lutheran Health Center invites the public to join its staff in congratulating Dr. Myrom at a reception in the PLHC Boeke-Freed Education Center on Sunday, Sept. 28. (Courtesy photo)

Hospital 'hero' continues his rounds

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

It’s been six years since Dr. Ronald Myrom made an appointment with “retirement.” But of no surprise to his peers, he’s continued a stringent schedule of follow-up care to the benefit of the entire community.

For his selfless service, the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA) will present the prestigious Iowa Hospital Heroes Award to the longtime medical provider at the IHA Annual Meeting in Des Moines on Wednesday, Oct. 8.

A proud owner of her FFA jacket, Sue Massman smiles as she holds up her prized memorabilia. Having been the first female member of the South Winneshiek FFA chapter, the jacket will forever hold a special place in her heart.

Changing Small-Town History

Megan Mohlis
Contributing Writer

On April 2, 1940, the South Winneshiek public school system founded its own FFA chapter.  Opening the vocational-agricultural program up to only the male student body, females were expected to enroll in courses; such as home economics that were deemed more fitting. The program would remain this way for the next 30 years.

            Jump forward to the late 1960s, when times were changing. While the world focused on the more prominent happenings, such Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon, Sue Kuennen was about to change history in her own community.

In the fall of 1969, the South Winneshiek school board voted to allow girls to enroll in vocational-agriculture programs, including FFA. With school already in session, Kuennen was taking a home economics course, but the next day she marched into the school and had her schedule changed. By doing this, the high school junior became the first and only female to join the South Winneshiek FFA Chapter for the 1969-1970 school year.

Calmar’s Ashley Riehle (center) decided a year ago that it was important to her to put her name on the bone marrow donor registry because of the experience her family previously, has had with blood cancers. Her cousins Zach and Amanda Brummond both survived leukemia in their youth. (submitted photo)

Ashley Riehle: Giving a gift of life

Becky Walz
Contributing Writer

If you had the chance to save a person’s life, would you take it? Even if that chance was less than 1 percent?

Calmar’s Ashley Riehle will have that chance as a bone marrow donor.

At NICC’s Fall Fest 2013, the 2009 South Winn graduate and current Northeast Iowa Community College nursing student simply swabbed her cheek and completed paperwork to be listed on the national registry for bone marrow donation.