Hometown
Lifestyles
SEPTEMBER 2014
It’s in her
NATURE
Jenna Pollock Also inside: Pelzer and Estherville a good fit
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
2
Welcome to this edition of Hometown Lifestyles! We’re working to bring you stories about friends and neighbors, civic leaders and business people. It’s good people doing great things in Emmet County. In this issue, we bring you features on Max Pelzer, a long-time Estherville resident who has made his impact on community service while practicing law in this town for 54 years. We have a story on Emmet County Naturalist Jenna Pollock, who has made her presence known in just two years in the community, teaching youth and others all about the wonders of nature. In addition, the accomplishments of the Friends of Fort Defiance are featured.
The lodge at Fort Defiance State Park, built in 1930, remains a focal point of activities for visitors today.
Specialized Pharmacy Services Hy-Vee Pharmacy Solutions is your complete source for specialized pharmacy services. We combine high-quality clinical care with the support, care and counseling needed to treat chronic, complex medical conditions.
Hundreds of generic prescriptions for $4 With a deep commitment towards the health and wellness of our customers, Hy-Vee is pleased to offer generic prescriptions for just $4 for a 30-day supply and only $10 for a 90-day supply.
NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY. AT THE HYVEE PHARMACY 712-362-5551
We invite our readers to share ides for future stories or just send us your thoughts about this publication to editor@esthervillenews.net.
Trying to eat healthier? Just diagnosed with diabetes or another medical condition that requires a special diet? Estherville Hy-Vee has a person that can help you. Greta Farley, registered dietitian, Greta Farley is at the Estherville store on Mondays and Thursdays. gfarley@hy-vee.com FEEL FREE TO CONTACT GRETA WITH QUESTIONS 712-362-7246
1221 Central Ave. Estherville
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
Pelzer and Estherville a good fit BY DAVID SWARTZ MANAGING EDITOR
M
ax Pelzer and Estherville have been together for around 54 years and it’s been a good match for both him and the
town. During his years of practicing law, the 83-yearold lawyer has been a consistent supporter of the community through his involvement in various organizations and as attorney for county and city throughout the years. Among his current associaIO AX ELZER tions, he is president of the Birth: Nov. 23, 1931 Iowa Lakes Community Married: Bonnie Kruger College, a long-time Kiwanis member and member of the on July 10, 1955 Children: Mark, Sherry, United Methodist Church. Pelzer arrived in Estherville Scott, Todd PLUS Eight in 1960 after completing his grandchildren and two undergraduate and graduate great-grandchildren Occupation: Lawyer – studies for a law degree in five years at the University of also has served as Emmet County Attorney as well as Iowa. Pelzer, who had served in city attorney for the comthe Navy for four years, got a munities of Estherville, late start in college, but Ringsted, Dolliver and Gruver wanted to finish quickly. “I figured it out that I needed 22 credits per semester,” he said. College officials were skeptical about his schedule at first. “But once they saw I was serious, they helped me,” he said. After receiving his law degree, Pelzer began looking for a community to begin his practice. “I went all over Iowa before I decided on Estherville,” he said. “ Once I was part of the community, I felt a need to support it. Also I had two children at that time and the school system was really great.” One of the first clubs he joined was Kiwanis, which recently celebrated its 75th year in Estherville. He took his turn as president and board member. “When we had a winter sports festival here, Kiwanis was a really big part of it,” he said. “We built big ice sculptures and it was always 20 below. Doc (Richard) Lepird would bring in his
B :M P
See Pelzer on Page 5
3
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
4
It’s in her
NATURE
Pollock brings enthusiasm to naturalist position and contacts with schools and care centers and got BY MICHAEL TIDEMANN - STAFF WRITER For 15 years, Emmet County has had a naturalist the word out about the Nature Center and county — someone who goes to schools and organiza- conservation. tions to tell them about the wealth of natural histo- Areas of particular interest in Emmet County to her are Native American History and the dragoon ry our county provides. For two years, Jenna Pollock has filled the role of trails. She’s also fascinated by Peterson Point and Fort Defiance — both of which offer a lot of rich naturalist — and quite admirably. history that’s not well known. “That’s definitely A Volga native, Pollock graduated from Luther College in Decorah with a degree in psychology and social welfare The Emmet County Nature Center is located west — skills that help in working with the of Wallingford and just south of Wolden public and meeting their needs. Campground. The phone is (712) 867-4422. But it was growing up on a farm that To learn more about programs and events the really piqued her interest in nature and Nature Center offers, go online to: http://emmetinstilling that same interest in others. countyconservation.com/naturecenter.html During her junior year at Luther, Pollock saw an ad for a summer naturalist for Clayton County. “I applied on a whim and I got hired and I loved something that needs to be shared so it doesn’t fall by the wayside,” she said. it,” she said. She was hired back the next summer and was just With wellness always a key to nature education, wrapping the season up when she saw a full-time Pollock would like to see the trails by the Nature Center used more. So she’s started a geocaching person was needed in Emmet County. Now if you’ve ever been in extreme northeast program where people can look for items by geoIowa, you realize it doesn’t look anything like graphic coordinates on a GPS device. Iowa at all — unless of course you’re from Through a grant from the Emmet County extreme northeast Iowa. Pollock’s home haunts are Community Foundation, the Nature Center recentpart of the Driftless Area that cuts a long slice ly bought snowshoes that Pollock looks forward to through western Wisconsin, a bit of Illinois, north- using during Survival Day — usually held in eastern Iowa (some say as far west as Mason City) January or February. and southeastern Minnesota. It’s a land of rolling Pollock has also brought the NASP archery prohills and limestone bluffs and escarpments that gram to Emmet County. Through the program, resembles the Black Hills of South Dakota or youth in schools learn hands-on archery skills. Her first year here, Pollock thought the Inghamnorthern Arkansas. High Lake complex was underutilized. So she “The closer I got to out here, I thought, ‘This is started drumming up interest in canoeing the lakes. really flat,’” recalled Pollock. The Nature Center now has six canoes capable Northeast Iowa hill country lends itself to smaller of holding up to three people. They were bought fields — and smaller farming operations. Bee locally from Kilpatrick Marsh and Field. The keepers and organic farms there are probably as canoes are available through camping season, usucommon as corn and soybean farmers here. ally May through October, with the $10 per perPollock was ready and raring to start the job, son daily rental going toward maintenance and though. Interestingly, on her first field trips she upkeep. saw some different plants than what grew in her As summer now turns to fall, Pollock finds herarea. self busy again with schools and church groups. She got to know the plants, though — and the And don’t miss the Creatures of the Night Hike people. She worked hard at building connections 6-8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14 at the Nature Center.
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
5
Community service has been a big part of Max Pelzer’s life
PELZER Continued from page 3 tractor and we made the sculptures out of slush ice. Once we got first prize for a Mickey Mouse sculpture.” Kiwanis used to meet in the Gardston Hotel. Pelzer said the group’s membership has been steady throughout the years. “It used to be more formal and we were served by waitresses,” he said. “We then moved to the old Elks building for a few years and then to the VFW.” The group used to consist of only men. “We would have a Queens’ Night where we invited the ladies.,” he said. “All the new officers would make speeches. Another time, Doc Lepird invited us out to the farm where we took rides on a wagon pulled by his Belgian horses. “It was an evening out for the ladies and the club.” Pelzer also was a member of the Estherville Junior Chamber of Commerce or “Jaycees” One of his first awards for community services was presented to him by that group.
Max Pelzer, sitting cetner, along with Dr. Richard Lepird, left, and Dr. Steve Rose, standing, all have been with the Esthervile Kiwanis Club for at least 50 years. Photo by David Swartz
Pelzer was also on the ground floor of the incorporation of the Iowa Lakes Community Foundation. His office took care of the paperwork to get it started. “Anyone who wanted to give money did,” he said. “The scholarship is a separate fund. What’s earned in interest is used for the
TAMMY FREDERICKSEN REALTOR
712-209-0836
real people. real results. real estate.
Looking for a new nest?
Your Northwest Iowa Agent I look forward to working with you!
There is so much to choose from. I can help you find it. I can also assist you in selling your current home. Call or come by today.
302 W. 2nd St. N.
614 W. 6th Ave. N. 4 bdrm, 2 car garage, cute, motivated!!!
MLS # 14-834
4 + bdrm, 3 bath, shed, 2 car garage, fenced yard
MLS # 14-243
3780 130th St. 6 acres, surfaced road, 4 bdrm, outbuildings, ‘Listing agent Char Cooklin’
333 W. 2nd St. N. 3 bdrm, office, secluded, 4 car garage, .84 acres
MLS # 14-667
1108 Oak Hill Road MLS # 14-759
4 bdrm, 3 bath, 3 car garage, fireplace, 1.24 acres
MLS # 14-685
Multi-Million Dollar Producers
1306 18th St. Suite C TAMMY FREDERICKSEN Spirit Lake, Iowa REALTOR
scholarships.” Pelzer said only one scholarship has a sunset period of 25 years. The other scholarships are interest-driven, which include the Sanborn, Albee and Hinsch scholarships to name a few. “I’ve been on the board all these years and am currently president,”
Pelzer said. “We meet four times a year and have an annual meeting in November. “We do need more people in the foundation. Pelzer’s work with the foundation also led to his being honored by naming the college’s student center after him. Pelzer also has been involved in his church—the United Methodist Church—holding various leadership positions. “I also taught seventh grade Sunday School for seven years,” he said. With time, Pelzer has begun letting go of some of his activities. “I think I’ve been a member of every community club except Elks or Rotary,” he quipped. Pelzer has enjoyed living in the community for the past 54 years. Although the loss of the John Morrell’s plant in the 1980s hurt the town, Pelzer sees the future as brighter. “I was born in the Depression and lived through one,” he said. “I think Estherville is over the hump and the town will survive—it’s a good town.”
712-336-3405
NWIowaRealEstate@gmail.com • VISIT ONLINE AT CARLSON-SANDERSON
- Personalized Services - Numerous Activities - Home Style Meals - All on One Level - RN Supervision - Medication Administration - Care Level Determined By Needs
- 5 Different Apartment Sizes (AC & Heat Included) - Housekeeping/Laundry Services - 24- Hour Staffing Onsite - In Room Emergency Response System - Respite In Furnished Apartment
Recipient of the 2014 Customer Experience Award from Pinnacle Quality Insight
Call 712-336-3553 • 1819 23rd Sreet Stop in for a Tour!
“Experience the Spirit of Welcov” www.welcov.com
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
SNAP SHOTS Photos by Estherville News staff
6
SEPTEMBER 2014
Flag football
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
7
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
8
3 basic cooking methods you should know
F
ace it, most of us tell you, it is a lot easier (especially those than I had expected). in my generaThank goodness my tion) have very college education limited cooking skills. We involved food science all know that homemade and culinary education! food is healthier than For those who did not prepackaged food or gain the experience of restaurant food, but food preparation most do not know where through either formal About the Author: Greta to start. training or from their Farley is the Registered Taking a frozen meal family, here are the three Dietitian for Estherville out of a box and popping most important cooking it in the microwave is the and Spirit Lake Hy-Vee methods to get you extent of most people’s stores started on your way to culinary knowledge. I will cooking healthy, practiadmit that I used to be cal meals: that way; when I was asked to sauté an Roasting onion during my first college cooking o The basic principle of roasting class I had no idea how to do it. My involves placing food in your oven at friend Katie had to show me (and let me various temperatures in order to not
For a Brighter Future . . . NorthStar Bank & Agency
NorthStar Bank
NorthStar Agency
Hometown Locally Owned Offers Full Service Banking Services
Hometown Independent Agency Offers Full Service Insurance Products Insurance Products are not a deposit, not FDIC Insured, not insured by any Federal Gov’t agency Not guaranteed by the bank , may go down in value.
Estherville 712-362-3322 712-362-2641
Armstrong Ringsted 712-868-3500 712-866-0671
NorthStar Agency Estherville- 362-2606 Ringsted- 866-0220
only c o o k the food, but to enhance its flavor and texture. I was not much of a vegetable eater until I learned how to roast vegetables. Below is the basic roasting method for vegetables. Note that the method will change slightly from vegetable to vegetable based on how dense it is. 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees 2. Wash and cut the vegetables 3. Mix about half a pound of vegetables with about 1 tablespoon of oil (olive or canola for example) and any spices of your choosing (such as salt, pepper, garlic powder, etc.) 4. Place the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet (hint: line the baking sheet with foil for easier cleanup) 5. Roast in the oven for about 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the vegetables are tender but still crisp Sautéing o Sautéing is a form of cooking that uses a hot pan and small amount of oil to cook the food quickly. When sautéing, be sure to use an oil, such as canola or sunflower, that has a high smoke point; otherwise your oil will start to smoke. Again, I will focus on sautéing vegetables but meat can easily be sautéed as well. Sautéing is great for summer cooking when you do not want to heat up your kitchen with the use of your oven, and for making a meal that is quick. Here are the basic sautéing steps for vegetables: 1. Wash and cut the vegetables 2. Heat a pan to medium-high heat, wait a minute and add about 1 tablespoon oil 3. When the oil is hot, add the vegetables to the pan (Note: the time it takes the vegetables to sauté depends on how dense they are. For example, an onion will take longer to sauté than a mushroom).
4. Stir the vegetables as they start to brown in the pan 5. Add flavoring of choice, such as salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Mrs. Dash seasoning, etc. 6. Your vegetables should take about 5 to 7 minutes to cook; if the vegetables can be cut easily with a spatula, they are ready Broiling o This is probably the most underutilized cooking method in your kitchen. Your broiler is basically an upsidedown grill that is located inside your oven. To use it, you’ll need to move your oven rack to the highest possible position and turn on the “broiler” knob or digital keypad. Broiling is a great way to add texture to the top of a dish (such as a casserole) and to quickly cook a protein source (such as fish). Fish is a very healthy protein source and is easy to cook; the problem is that most people do not know how to cook it! Here are the basic steps to broil fish in a jiffy: 1. Preheat the broiler 5 minutes prior to using 2. Rub oil (such as olive or canola) on both sides of the fish (such as tilapia) fillet 3. Season both sides with your choice of flavor such as lemon pepper 4. Place the fish on a foil-lined broiler pan; the broiler pan will allow for faster cooking than a roasting pan 5. Place the fish under the broiler about 4 inches from the heat 6. Broil for about 6-8 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
Dinner Date Menu
Dinner Date menus Oct. 1-31. Meals served at 11:45 a.m. in the Senior Citizen Center at 4 N. Seventh St. Milk and coffee served with each meal. Take-outs are available. Reservations must be made before 12:30 p.m. the day before you plan to dine by calling 712-362-7018. Oct. 1: Cookʼs choice Oct. 2: Taco Salad, corn or corn salad, plums, royal brownie, tomato juice Oct. 3: Crunchy baked fish, parsleyed potatoes, creamed peas, fruited pudding, raspberry lemonade Oct. 6: Chicken tortilla bake, beets or layered lettuce, hot fruit compote, chocolate chip bar, OJ. Hymns and Hers. Oct. 7: Crab or tuna salad, potato salad, corn salad, cranberry-pear crisp, WW roll, raspberry lemonade. Oct. 8: Shepherdʼs pie, asparagus, apple raisin salad, royal brownie, WW bread. Oct. 9: Baked chicken, baked potato, three-bean salad, cranberrypeach crisp, tomato juice. Oct. 10: Roast beef, potatoes w/gravy, carrots and broccoli, applesauce jello, OJ.
Brussels sprouts, WW bread, tapioca pudding, OJ. Oct. 17: Pork loin chop, potatoes w/gravy, squash, WW roll, apple crisp. Oct. 20: Tater tot casserole, tossed salad, apple slices, oatmeal fruit bar. Oct. 21: Chicken salad sandwich, potato salad, tomato spoon salad, melon cup, raspberry lemonade. Oct. 22: Fish nuggets, roasted red potatoes, lima beans, strawberryrhubarb crisp w/ice cream, WW bread. Oct. 23: Turkey roast, potatoes w/gravy, spinach au gratin, blushing pears, tomato juice. Oct. 24: Egg salad sandwich, macaroni salad, copper pennies, royal brownie, OJ.
Oct. 27: Cookʼs choice. Oct. 28: Meat loaf, baked potato, peas, angel food cake, strawberOct. 13: Salisbury ground beef, ries. mashed potatoes, peas, mixed fruit, Oct. 29: Tuna and noodles, peas, raspberry lemonade. Birthday day. creamy cole slaw, cinnamon Oct. 14: Cookʼs choice. apples, raspberry lemonade. Oct. 15: Lemon herb chicken, rice Oct. 30: liver and onions or beef pilaf, dill baby carrots, strawberry patty, boiled potatoes w/gravy, and banana gelatin, tomato juice. mixed vegetables, peach crisp, OJ. Oct. 16: Sloppy Joe on WW bun Oct. 31: Baked chicken, baked or crunchy Pollock, potato wedges, beans, asparagus, apricots.
Letʼs Go Shopping! Saturday, November 8th, 2014
Cost $37 per person
Includes: Deluxe Motorcoach Transportation and a full day of Shopping at the Famous Sign Up By Mall Of America!
October 31, 2014.
Autumn In Duluth & The North Shore Monday, September 29th, 2014 Through October 2, 2014. TOUR HIGHLIGHTS • Enger Park PRICE PER PERSON: • Skyline Parkway REGULAR PRICE CASH PRICE • Vista Fleet Grand $539.00 • Naniboujou Lodge DOUBLE: $549.00 • Gooseberry Falls State Park • Hinckley Fire Museum
9
Patchwork Quilt “Public Service Information Articles for the Elderly” - Elderbridge Agency on Aging
WHAT IS ATRIAL FIBRILLATION? Normally, your heart con‐ tracts and relaxes to a reg‐ ular beat. Certain cells in your heart make electric signals that cause the heart to contract and pump blood. These elec‐ trical signals show up on an electrocardiogram (EKG) recording. Your doctor can read this EKG to see if these signals are normal. In atrial fibrillation (AF or AFib), the heart’s two small upper chambers (atria) of the heart don’t beat the way they should. Instead of beating in a normal pattern, the atria beat irregularly and too fast, quivering like a bowl of gelatin. It’s important for the heart to pump properly so your body gets the oxygen and food it needs. You can live with AFib, but it can lead to other rhythm problems, chronic fatigue, heart fail‐ ure and — worst of all — stroke. You’ll need a doc‐ tor to help you control the problem.
Elderbridge Agency on Aging strives to provide accurate information, from reliable sources, on health issues and other topics of interest to the older population we serve in North Central, Northwest and Central Iowa. Call 1-800-243-0678 if Elderbridge can be of service to you. Here are some of the symptoms you may have if you have atrial fibrillation: o Irregular and rapid heartbeat o Heart palpitations or rapid thumping inside the chest o Dizziness, sweating and chest pain or pressure o Shortness of breath or anxiety o Tiring more easily when exercising o Fainting (syncope) Atrial Fibrillation can be treated in many different ways, depending on the underlying cause of your AFib and your level of dis‐ ability: n Sometimes AFib can be corrected with an elec‐ tric shock to change the beat of your heart back to normal.
This information was taken from a fact sheet entitled “What is Atrial Fibrillation?” on the website www.heart.org. Call 1‐800‐ AHA‐USA1 (1‐800‐242‐8721), or visit www.heart.org to learn more about heart disease. For information on stroke, call 1‐ 888‐4‐STROKE (1‐888‐478‐7653) or visit the website www.StrokeAssociation.org
n You may take medi‐ cines, such as beta block‐ ers or antiarrhythmics, to help return your heart rate to a normal rhythm. n You may take medi‐ cines, such as digitalis, cal‐ cium channel blockers or amiodarone to help slow your heart rate. n You may need surgery, a pacemaker or other pro‐ cedures. The risk of stroke is about five times higher in people with AFib. This is because with AFib blood can pool in the atria and form blood clots. To reduce your stroke risk, your doctor may prescribe drugs to keep blood clots from forming. Two exam‐ ples are anticoagulants and antiplatelets such as aspirin and warfarin. More recently a drug called dag‐ ibitran has been approved, and may also be pre‐ scribed. Always tell your doctor, dentist and phar‐ macist if you take aspirin, warfarin or dabigitran. If you have any unusual bleeding or bruising or other problems, tell your doctor right away.
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
10
THERAPY VITAL TO GOOD SAM PROGRAMMING The therapy department at Estherville Good Samaritan Center is a vital part of the programing that is provided to the residents of the facility, as well as, community memberʼs for rehabilitation of orthopedic, neurological and complex medical issues. Over the last five years the facility has teamed up with Prairie Rehabilitation who provide physical, occupational and speech therapy services along with the nursing services at the facility. The facilityʼs staff and therapy department provide the most up to date practice techniques for physical disabilities in the area for both inpatient and outpatient populations. Therapy is provided in a spacious area including a large therapy gym and kitchen area that allows for the preparation of the patients skills before they return home. We have two separate therapy treatment rooms to allow patients to be treated in privacy. There is also a separate speech therapy space for the treatment of patients with speech and cognitive issues. Patients are usually seen by all members of the therapy team when they are admitted to the facility. Our therapy team is made up of Physical Therapists, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapist and Certified Occupational Therapist Assistants as well as Speech Language Pathologists
to handle any patient needs in the area of skilled rehabilitive care. Physical therapy focuses on the treatment of weakness, balance issues, stiffness, pain and falls. The therapist will work with the patient to devise a program that is goal oriented and meets their specific needs. They use a wide variety of treatments including: strengthening, balance, neurological and orthopedic manual therapy techniques to assist the patient in reaching the goals the therapist and patient agree upon. The program is set up this way so the patient is able to return to the highest possible level of function with limited pain and disability. Physical therapy also has a wide variety of physical agents such as ultrasound, diathermy, electrical stimulation and manual therapy techniques to reduce pain, decrease swelling and improve mobility after an injury or surgery. Occupational therapists have similar training as the Physical Therapist, but have a special focus on restoration of upper extremity control, functional skills such as dressing oneself, transfers, fine motor skills, and adapting to one environment as needed to allow for the patient to care for themselves. Occupational Therapists also assist with preparation for the patient to return home, with home safety evaluations and
The therapy department in Estherville Good Samaritan Center is also open to see people from the community who may need outpatient physical, occupational or speech therapy services. The department is open 5 days a week from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. and can be contacted at 712-362-3522. home modification recommendations for family and loved ones. Speech therapy is highly focused on several areas. If the patient has any communication issues our Speech Therapists will work with the patient to train and assist them with their speech and communication skills. If the patient is having swallowing issues, the Speech Therapist will evaluate the swallowing function and work with the dietary staff to make sure the patient is set up with the proper diet to allow the patient to eat without difficulty. Finally the Speech Therapist, will work with improving or adapting their surroundings for patient who have cognitive issues and will work with all those who are concerned to make sure the patient is at the best ability to function in their environment.
We’re your local pharmacy with a tradition of great service, so you always get the friendly, courteous attention you deserve. We RENT, SELL and SERVICE Your Oxygen and Home Medical Equipment.
5
522 Central Ave. • Estherville • 712-362-3154 Toll Free 1-888-663-3154
SEPTEMBER 2014
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
Help with projects is always welcome. Individual or family memberships in the Friends of Fort Defiance are $10 and may be sent to: Friends of Fort Defiance, P.O. Box 314, Estherville, IA 51334.
11
Happy trails again! Friends group makes great strides at park By Michael Tidemann - Staff Writer
I
n the 1930s, Civilian Conservation Corps workers came with shovels and rakes, empty pockets and high hopes, to work on Iowa’s parks and public areas. With unemployment as high as 40 percent, the federal government created the CCC and the Works Projects Administration to give people jobs — in the case of the CCC, at a dollar a day and room and board and clothing. For some of them, it was a great improvement over what they had known on the farms they had grown up on, now blown away along with the rest of the Dust Bowl. Many of the public projects still visible in Iowa were the result. Bridges, schools and state parks were the beneficiaries of the workers’ long hours and hard labor. A prime example is Fort Defiance State Park. The 1930 lodge was built to resemble the blockhouse of Fort Defiance which was actually sited at
South Sixth Street and First Avenue South. Besides the lodge, CCC workers built many of the other features still visible in the park. Two of the more unique ones — and almost forgotten — are two north-facing rock amphitheatres overlooking School Section Creek and on the north edge of the west parking lot where the Friends of Fort Defiance finished the Whitetail Ridge interpretive trail last year. Other features are throughout the park, including boulder rings. A trail remains where once stood a tobaggan run where revelers cruised up to 84 miles an hour. The Friends group, formed by Iowa Lakes Community College environmental studies professor Gary Phillips, a national authority in the environmental studies field, formed in 2006 with the express purpose of preserving and protecting the park and making it accessible to current and future generations. The group has benefitted from grants from the Emmet County Community Foundation, Iowa Department of
Natural Resources and donations of money, manpower and equipment by many people and businesses throughout the community. The current president and past president is John Wittneben and Phillips, also past president, is current vice president. A big impetus for the Friends group forming was a six-inch rain in May 2005 that devastated several of the 1930s-era trails, totally washing out the top surface of a main trail west of the lodge, leaving boulders in its wake. The same rain event weakened the understructures of bridges along School Section Creek, making one nearly unusable. Friends members met the following spring and decided to form a group. Phillips presented a series of talks on the park’s natural history and its unique flora and fauna. The group published a brochure promoting the park through a grant from the Emmet County Community Foundation. Many projects followed, including repairing and painting picnic tables, bank stabilization along School Section
Creek, building trails that were later topped with landscape fabric and crushed limestone, electrical upgrades in the campground which were actually a collaborative effort with area contractors. Another community foundation grant helped the group place concrete picnic benches throughout the park — something that will likely last as long as the park has visitors. And most recently, the group, with the DNR buying materials, reroofed and stained the supports of the picnic shelter. With parks throughout the state strapped for cash, Fort Defiance State Park was no different. What was different was that the group stepped in, and with the assistance with innumerable individuals, groups and businesses the park looks far different than it would otherwise. Probably the biggest labor infusion came from Phillips’ environmental studies students who resemble a platoon on a mission whenever they tackle a project. As a result, visitation and park use has increased several fold.
SEPTEMBER 2014
AveraHolyFamily.org
ESTHERVILLE NEWS/ESTHERVILLE, IA
12