Helping out the Greater Area Pantry by picking sweet corn at the Doug and Mary Lou Egeland farm recently were members of the Ossian Co-Champion 4-H Club and the Castalia Zion Lutheran Church Youth Group. Those picking were (front, l-r) Luke Davis, Logan Schnuelle, Tony Hanson, Anna Dietzenbach; (back) Sarah Schnuelle, Amber Schutte, Jenna Schutte, Ashley Davis, Mikayla Hageman, Katrina Hageman, Landon Schnuelle, Christopher Knutson. (submitted photo)

Pickin' for the pantry

Becky Walz
bwalz@fayettepublishing.com

It takes a village to raise a child, but it also takes a village to provide food for those who need it. 

Area food pantries are a great example of this. 

It does take a village to keep the pantries running – whether it is filling the shelves, ordering the food, serving on the board, being a volunteer, or being flexible enough to accept dozens of ears of sweet corn for the clients.

Here’s how the village works. 

Rural Ossian residents Doug and Mary Lou Egeland had 2½ acres of land that they could have mowed this summer, but instead they turned the soil into a productive crop of sweet corn for the food pantries to distribute. 

It all started with a scrappy string quilt. Nearly three years ago, Deanna Walvatne volunteered to help a 4-H group make a quilt for a project. After seeing their enthusiasm and excitement, she knew she wanted to continue to teach children how to sew. (Megan Mohlis photo)

Talent to Share: Sewing with Deanna Walvatne

Megan Mohlis
Contributing Writer

When Deanna Walvatne’s mother, Ursula Dumer, gave her daughter her first sewing lesson some 60 years ago, Deanna fell in love with the needle and thread. Her first machine, given to her by her mother, was known as a treadle, which was operated by applying pressure to a pedal in a rocking motion with the foot and heel. Excited to have her very own machine, the young seamstress quickly produced her very first doll blanket. After finishing her first project, Deanna was hooked and knew sewing was a hobby she would continue to enjoy.

By the time she was in college, Walvatne had begun to experiment with making her own clothes. After making several outfits, she and a friend decided to make themselves muumuus to wear around campus, which, the seamstress pointed out, was quite the fad 50 years ago.

Robyn Mihm (left) and Tara Hamilton are the "Princess Pickers" and have a room in the Turkey River Mall in Elkader where they vend their wares. The two have been friends for 30 years working for orthodontist Dr. Michael Hollen, who sees patients at the West Union Dental Clinic. (Janell Bradley photo)

'Princess Pickers' find new uses for old stuff

Janell Bradley
Contributing Writer
info@fayettecountynewspapers.com

Like Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz of “American Picker” fame, two local women have formed a similar partnership. And they aren't afraid to get their hands dirty or rummage through a discarded pile of "treasures," looking for items they can repurpose.

Robyn Mihm and Tara Hamilton have dubbed themselves the "Princess Pickers." While they think nothing of haggling with a seller over a possible antique or vintage piece of furniture, their taste in the goods they buy and sell leans toward shabby chic and French country.

Clermont's Tim Cummings recently had a visit with "The Bachelor" Chris Soules at the Fayette County Courthouse. (submitted photo)

Arlington farmer still needs a wife

Janell Bradley
Contributing Writer
info@fayettecountynewspapers.com

The Arlington area farmer whose face is now recognized about everywhere still needs a wife. But Chris Soules has teamed up with ABC to continue working on that in being named the next "Bachelor" of the reality show that will begin airing next January.

Soules made the announcement in the New York studios of Good Morning America, on Wednesday, Aug. 27, and later tweeted: "9 hours in airports/airplanes and 45 minutes of sleep to say Good Morning America, I'm your new Bachelor." 

Longtime resident, businessman, and community supporter Don Vandersee will serve as grand marshal for the Watermelon Days parade. Here Don (right) and his wife, Arleta, practice their wave in preparation for the event, scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 6, in Fayette. 

Vandersee to preside over parade

            Don Vandersee will serve as the grand marshal for 2014 Watermelon Days in Fayette. Vandersee, who has lived in Fayette for over 60 years, is looking forward to representing Fayette in the town’s annual celebration.

            “I found out about it a month or so ago when I was at the bank in town. Bobby Jo Larson came up to me and asked if I would be the grand marshal, and it just about brought tears to my eyes,” said Don.

Watermelon Days ripe with 'Opportunities'

Tabitha Merkle will pass on her crown to one of two candidates for Miss Fayette during the community’s Watermelon Days festivities on Friday, Sept. 5.

A community supper and ice cream social will actually kick off the weekend festivities at 5 p.m. Friday. In addition, Mayor Andrew Wenthe will present the Mayor’s Awards at 6:30 p.m., which will be followed by the coronation ceremony for Mr. & Miss Fayette and Little Miss & Little Master Fayette.

The 2014 Miss Fayette candidates are as follows:

Kitiara Aller is the 17-year-old daughter of Delmar and Marla Aller.

In school, the teen is active in the Art Club. In her spare time Kitiara volunteers at the Fayette County Food Shelf and the Thrift Store. She also enjoys reading, drawing, writing, and walking the Fayette trails.

A “shooter” fires at North Fayette Valley (NFV) staff members during ALICE training for NFV Middle School and Valley Elementary staff members at the local middle school on Tuesday, Aug. 26. The Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate program was led by Fayette County Sheriff Deputy and Valley graduate Ben McCready with the assistance of the West Union and Fayette police departments at the NFV high school and middle school and North Fayette/Valley elementary schools last week. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

ALICE provides lessons to school staffs

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

The masked shooter sprinted from classroom to classroom. Those teachers who were huddled behind bookcases or under desks were systematically executed. While others frantically scrambled to safely barricade their doors, a large number successfully managed to time an escape down a neighboring hallway or through an open window.

Fortunately, this wasn’t Columbine, Sandy Hook, or Virginia Tech. This was  ALICE (Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate/Escape) training at North Fayette Valley High School and Middle School, Valley Elementary and North Fayette Elementary last week.

Instead of a raving intruder leaving behind a trail of empty gun casings and lifeless bodies, Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy Ben McCready and members of the West Union and Fayette police departments followed behind a “shooter” armed with an air soft gun shooting rubber pellets.

Facility manager Cory Cannon (right) and Jeremy Massman, crop consultant, review a few of the products and services offered by the Crop Production Services staff at the company’s new office located on Armour Street in West Union. (Mike Van Sickle photo)

CPS global footprint steps into WU area

By Mike Van Sickle
News Editor
mvansickle@thefayettecountyunion.com

By personally visiting each customer, one farm at a time, Cory Cannon and the newly formed staff of Crop Production Services (CPS) in West Union have a goal of providing each producer with the best products and services in order to grow the healthiest crops and harvest the best yields possible.

Crop Production Services (CPS) was established in 1983, with its predecessors beginning operations as early as 1859. Its “global footprint” can now be found across the United States, Canada, South America and Australia.

Countywide effort needed to improve the grounds

Fayette County Agricultural Society volunteers and Fair Board members are currently fundraising for much-needed renovations to the Floral Hall and Bandstand on the fairgrounds in West Union.

All proceeds from a Pancake Breakfast scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 21, will benefit the Floral Hall. Serving will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Dance Pavilion, located on the fairgrounds. Cost is a freewill offering.

In addition, anyone wishing to contribute funds or in-kind donations to the project may contact Floral Hall superintendent Terry Landgaard at (563) 379-3393. An immediate need of the Floral Hall is the replacement of windows.

Meanwhile, Fayette County Fair Board member Justin Steinlage is heading the effort to renovate the fairground’s Bandstand. Anyone wishing to contribute funds or in-kind donations to this project may contact Steinlage at (563) 518-0104.

The fourth and fifth generations of the Becker family to run Becker Hardware stand outside the building where the business is located in Ossian. Ron (right) recently retired but still works part time, while sons Regan (left) and Ryan (center) are now co-owners of the family business.

Family business stands test of time

Brian Smith
Contributing Writer
bsmith@fayettepublishing.com

Though the products and services offered may have varied somewhat along the way, Becker Hardware has remained a fixture in downtown Ossian for 125 years. Joseph Becker, who started the business in 1885, was the first of five generations of Beckers who have owned and operated Becker Hardware, located on Main Street in Ossian.