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www.driftlessjournal.com | news@driftlessjournal.com | 563-382-4221 | Tuesday, November 28, 2023 | Vol. 5 Issue 48
Noticing Nonprofits
Giving thanks for local non-pro fits and the big im pact they have on the community!
Thunder Rode: Local nonprofit healing through horses for 17 years By Zach Jensen Decorah’s Thunder Rode, which was founded in 2006, is celebrating Christmas Dec. 2, at the Elks Club in Decorah, and the organization’s executive director said the road since its genesis has been very rewarding. “I do this so I can give someone a chance to forget the rest of the world for a little bit, and be able to spend time with a horse,” said Nicholle Phillips, Executive Director and riding instructor. “Spending time with a horse can just make you feel better. For me this is my therapy.” Thunder Rode provides confidence building and rehabilitative training to individuals of all ages with special needs, within aspects of the equine industry. The program has no boundaries regarding developmental growth, program growth and learning potential for individuals, enhancing their abilities to live and work successfully within the community. “Sometimes, just being around horses is good therapy,” said Phillips, who’s been involved with equestrian/equine therapy for 26 years. “When I’m having a bad day, I go to the horse barn.” Phillps said Thunder Rode helps adults and children with special needs, at-risk youth, and more recently, relies on its horses to help military Veterans who struggle with PTSD. During equine therapy, activities such as grooming and taking the horses through an obstacle course are performed. There is no riding; instead, the focus is on the Veteran connecting with the horses and guiding them through the activities.”
Thunder Rode volunteer Elmer Hansen and participant Justin Berns spend time with Buddy the horse. (submitted photos) Combat Veteran and former U.S. Army Sergeant Brandon Drost, who suffered with severe PTSD for years, was a guest speaker at Thunder Rode about how equine therapy saved his life. “I’m one of those guys that tasted the barrel of a pistol too many times,” said Drost during his presentation, which was featured as part of an Iowa PBS documentary. “I lost a marriage. I lost a lot of my friends. I lost a lot of family. But, someone showed they cared and got me to go get help.” The help Drost received was from Trinity Equestrian Center in Eau Claire, Wis., a facility similar to Thunder Rode. “Horses almost show the same emotions as humans,” Drost said in the documentary. “And, horses, unlike humans, don’t have ulterior motives. They aren’t there for personal gain. They’re not there for themselves. We’re there together to help each other, and that’s worked for me. It’s my light on dark days.” Since his presentation at Thunder Rode, Drost has brought what he’s learned about the effectiveness of service animals to a less-remembered
Thunder Rode continued on page 2 Valerie Fox, late wife of Allamakee County resident Sam Fox, who was featured recently in the Driftless Journal, rides Sunny at Thunder Rode. The horse leader is Emma Bachelder and the side-walker is Tom Diggins.
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And to all a good night... A big crowd turned out for the annual Holiday Lights Walk-Thru the night before Thanksgiving at the light display area at Pulpit Rock Campground in Decorah. The light display runs through Christmas from 5 to 9 p.m. Santa will be there Fridays through Sundays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. until Dec. 17. A fireworks display in conjunction with Holiday Lights will be held Tuesday, Dec. 12, at 6:30 p.m. at the Decorah High School Football Field. All donations from the Holiday Lights events go directly back to Helping Services for Youth & Families to fund programs in Northeast Iowa. LEFT- Paisley and Maverick Worple of Cresco sat on Santa’s lap at the Holiday Lights event Wednesday night. RIGHT- AnDraya Olson and her mom, Cassie, from Waukon, were all smiles at the Holiday Lights festivities. (Driftless Multimedia photos by Roz Weis)
NICC terminating President Riedel hired in 2022, campus leader remains committed to school’s betterment By Zach Jensen The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Board of Trustees announced Nov. 20 it was terminating the employment of its president, Dr. Herbert Riedel. Reidel moved with his wife from South Carolina to begin his duties on July 1, 2022. Riedel stated, according to the law, he doesn’t intend to leave NICC at all. "The Board voted on Monday, Nov. 20, 2023, to begin termination proceedings. However, under Iowa law, I have the right to a hearing and I fully expect to be exonerated as details of the Board's actions become known. In particular, the same day of the Board's action, our accreditor announced that it will investigate the College and the Board for the manner in which I have been treated.” Riedel said he first became aware of “internal morale problems”, mostly pertaining to the school’s Human Resources office, in September 2022. However, when he tried to solve the problem, as the college’s president and following Iowa’s laws,
Riedel said he ran into more problems. “I also learned that Iowa had recently passed legislation designed to improve protections for Freedom of Speech and prohibiting certain mandatory training on concepts such as race and sex stereotyping, that the US or Iowa are based on systemic biases, that certain groups are inherently privileged, etc., and prohibiting discrimination on the basis of political ideology,” Riedel said. “Unfortunately, the College was not fully in compliance with these laws. My attempts to remedy this were met by resistance on the part of some administrators and some members of the Board, who did not agree with the legislation.” Having observed the school’s bias toward what Riedel described as “woke ideology”, the president said he tried working to ensure that NICC was open to everyone. “I worked towards better aligning the College with broader perspectives of Iowa's population and our legislature, so that everyone would feel welcome and valued at NICC,”
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he said. “Nevertheless, a small number of administrators, who were unwilling or unable to adapt to new leadership, were given voice under the cloak of anonymity to participate in a deeply flawed evaluation of my performance in May 2023.” NICC’s president said the Board’s evaluation of his work was favorable but that the school’s “old guard saw their influence waning.” “Key in these efforts were Executive Director Connie Kuennen and Board Chair Jim Anderson,” Riedel said. “A month after Ms. Kuennen was placed on paid administrative leave and a week after I informed the College Attorney and the Board of issues with Mr. Anderson, the Board placed me on paid leave.” On Nov. 24, Riedel said that as of that date, he’s not been given a reason for his termination, and he believes “there is no valid justification for my termination.” He said he is still
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