Historic renovation under way at former Burr Oak Mercantile
Past and present meld during Fort Atkinson Rendezvous Days
“As
Canvas tents flapped in the breeze, and costumed participants strolled the grounds of historic Fort Atkinson over the weekend during the 48th annual Rendezvous Days. Organizers said this year’s annual festivities marked the first since restoration work on the historic site was completed. Officials planned to replace flooring, establish water mitigation measures and replace windows in the former fort’s north barracks.
The Iowa Department of Natural Resources announced the fort was once again open to the
territory as the Winnebago people of Wisconsin were resettled in Iowa — organizers said the fort is a historically significant site in understanding the negative treatment of Native Americans. The fort was completed in 1842 and featured 24 buildings as well as a stockade wall. More than a dozen other buildings were constructed outside the fort’s walls. It was last occupied in February of 1849, and the state of Iowa took ownership of the property in 1921, establishing it as a state park.
Full article and many photos can be found in the October 3 Decorah Leader and online at decorahleader.com.
Gundersen Decorah Clinic is pleased to welcome Chris Winters, MD, general surgeon. Dr. Winters provides a broad spectrum of services including appendectomy, hernia repair, upper and lower GI, Caesarean delivery and more.
In addition to performing surgery at WinnMed in Decorah, he will also provide surgical services in Waukon, Cresco and West Union. He joins Gundersen Decorah surgeons Michael LaBelle, MD; Elleson Schurtz, MD and Phillip Yee, MD.
To schedule an appointment, call (563) 382-3140.
I look forward
care close to home.
A crowd gathered to witness the cannon demonstration near the center of the fort’s lot Saturday. A pair onlookers were invited to light the fuse after officials had property prepared the mock cannon round. (Decorah Leader photo by Seth Boyes)
Porter House to host graveyard art talk Oct. 17
Lindsey Row-Heyveld will present “How to Read a Graveyard: The Art of Phelps Cemetery” at both 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday Oct. 17 at the Porter House Museum — 401 W. Broadway Street in Decorah. The lecture, part of this year’s “After Dark” lecture at the museum, is free and open to the public. Row-Heyveld is an associate professor of English at Luther College, and she teaches courses on medieval and early modern English literature, Shakespeare and disability studies. She won a 2024 Midwest Award for Art-
ists with Disabilities for her work as a calligraphy artist.
Row-Heyveld is fascinated with Decorah’s own graveyard art. She honored persons buried in the potter’s field of Phelps Cemetery by researching their details and creating a calligraphic work of art featuring their names, even though many were buried without a marker. In 2023 and 2024, in connection with a class studying ghost stories, she produced a series of podcasts interviewing students about their month-long focus on a person buried in Phelps Cemetery.
Big Canoe Hands of Hope donates quilts to Aase Haugen residents
Big Canoe Lutheran Church’s Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Hands of Hope committee recently donated quilts to Aase Haugen for residents of the nursing home.
“We’re happy to donate to the residents if it will help bring them comfort and make them happy,” said quilter Sue Darling. “Our group made over 1,100 quilts and donated them to various organizations over the past two-and-half years.”
The church’s Hands of Hope quilters have donated to area nursing homes, hospice agencies, Helping Services and local fundraisers as well as benefits for local families, food closets and hospital OB units. They also donate quilts to several other locations across the United States,
including Montana Family fire victims, Pine Ridge Reservation near the Badlands, Global Health Ministries, Bremwood Youth Center in Waverly and Lutheran World Relief. Additionally, the young members of Big Canoe are given a quilt at baptism and another when they graduate high school.
“We like to find out what the graduates are interested in, and we make them something special,” said quilter Dee Wyatt. The material used to make the quilts is donated from area businesses and individuals and from across the nation.
“We receive donated fabric from a network that covers about 17 states,” said quilter Emma Thompson. “And, we are grateful for the (donations) which help us purchase batting
and other supplies.”
Nothing goes to waste — even the scraps are given to make rag rugs.
“We use every bit of what is given to us if we can,” said quilter Judy Shuros.
The members of this group donate not only their time and materials, but they also take on the cost of travel when delivering the quilts to their new homes.
“We are so grateful for talent and resourcefulness of this group of women,” said Patty Casterton, Aase Haugen vice president for business development. “A gift like this is not only comforting with warmth, but it is emotionally touching to know someone cares about your wellbeing.”
Craft Show
• MITTENS WOODWORK • SOAPS BAKED GOODS FUN CRAFTS + MORE! SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19 9:00AM2:00PM
Get ready to unlock your potential and thrive with professional development from Northeast Iowa Community College. You won’t want to miss these two exciting conference events.
Course #99237
Business Summit: Elevate the Everyday with Black Tie Moments Oct. 30, 9-11 am, Calmar Campus
Join renowned speaker Dustin James to explore key ways to transform mundane daily interactions into unforgettable “Black Tie” moments that leave a lasting emotional impact on clients and customers. Visit nicc.edu/businesssummit to learn more about Dustin and this event.
Course #98101
Brain Health Summit: Mindful Workplaces Beyond the Stigma Nov. 6, 9 am-Noon, Calmar Campus
Featured speaker Sam Eaton and representatives from NAMI Dubuque offer an enlightening perspective while providing essential knowledge on preventing suicide, understanding its triggers and implementing supportive measures. Visit nicc.edu/brainhealth to learn more about Sam, NAMI Dubuque and this event. Redefine the Norm with Professional Development
Pictured seated is quilter Dee Wyatt. Accepting the donation and pictured from left is Aase Haugen’s Patty Casterton with quilters Judy Shuros, Carol Maki, Emma Thompson and Sue Darling. (Photo submitted)
Decorah Parks and Rec walleye fishing clinic
Decorah Parks and Recreation will host a four-hour walleye fishing clinic at 4 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 17, beginning at Whalen Cabin in Phelps Park, Decorah. Anyone 18 years old and older is invited to participate in the event to learn about walleyes, knot tying techniques, tips on catching walleye and more.
Participants are required to have a fishing license, wear appropriate clothing, be able to drive to fishing sites and bring their own rod. Lures will be provided. Email parkrec@decorah.iowa.gov, or call the Park and Recreation office at 56332-4158 for more information.
Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging Plans Caregiver Wellness Day
Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging will host a Caregiver Wellness Day from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Oct. 22, at Northeast Iowa Area Community College’s Calmar Campus — 1625 IA-150 in Calmar. Guest speaker nurse and family caregiver Kim Wilmes will speak on her personal and professional caregiving journey. Exhibit tables from local community
vendors will also be available to provide information and resources. Treats, light refreshments and door prizes will be provided. This event is free, but registration is appreciated. Interested parties may contact Kristie Wiltgen at kwiltgen@ nei3a.org or 563-277-6021, or Kelly Kuennen at kkuennen@ nei3a.org or 563-277-6024.
Budwegs to speak during senior center program
The Senior Citizens Hospitality Center’s monthly program will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 11 at the senior center — 806 River St. in Decorah. Ward and Jacky Budweg travelled the world during a three-year 33,523-mile bicycle adventure
and will share their experiences during the Oct. 11 program. The event is free and open to the public. Visitors are welcome to stay for refreshments and fellowship following the presentation.
See page 8 for Decorah Leader subscription details!
RECREATIONAL VEHICLES
Luther College is diverting potential food waste in its cafeteria to make compost, and prepared food that was not served is being repackaged to serve food-insecure people in Decorah and surrounding areas.
This work toward the college’s Zero Waste goal is part of Luther’s Civic Sustainability Initiative. Since 2020, Luther has developed partnerships between student, faculty and staff groups and similarly minded organizations in the Decorah and northeast Iowa community.
“Food waste used to be the largest element coming from Luther’s Union and going into the landfill,” said Jon Jensen, director of the Center for Sustainable Communities which runs the Caf to Community program. “Composting is the best and most ecological way to deal with our food waste.”
Located in the Dahl Centennial Union, the Luther Cafeteria — commonly known as the caf
to the Luther farm.
Luther has also worked with the city of Decorah to compost its food waste. The city worked with residents to develop a sustainability plan, which includes the city being zero-waste by 2040. To achieve this goal, the city received a grant to reduce food waste in the Winneshiek County Landfill.
PERSONALS
buffet.
— is the resident dining hall. Notably, the Luther cafeteria has no trash cans. Instead, the cafeteria staff separates all compostable food waste and napkins in the dish room, where they are rinsed into a trough, sent into a pulper and collected in buckets. Compostable scraps created in the food preparation process, such as stems and
peels, are also collected by the cafeteria staff for composting.
Some of the food waste is taken to the Luther farm, which is on the edge of campus. There, Luther has its own compost pile for food waste. Student workers in sustainability collect compostable food waste from bins throughout campus as well as from the cafeteria and bring it
“As part of this grant, one of the community partners was Luther College,” said former city engineer Jeremy Bril. “The city is working with Luther to collect some of the food waste that Luther’s already collecting on campus.”
About twice a week, city workers come to collect food waste and take it to the city’s yard waste site. The city collects an average of 2,000 pounds of food waste from Luther.
The Caf to Community program also aims to ensure good food goes to people who need it — another way to reduce
Custodian
Full-time position at the Calmar Campus. Maintain clean, healthy, attractive buildings and grounds. Handle all assigned tasks in an efficient manner. Be able to work independently and use initiative in making decisions. Be prompt and reliable. Qualifications: High school diploma or equivalent. Should have knowledge in maintenance and operation of equipment, including floor scrubbers, vacuum cleaners, restroom dispensers, etc. Must be physically capable of lifting, scrubbing and painting. Must be able to clear background check of Iowa Abuse Registries. Please access https://nicc.peopleadmin.com to complete the application online. For more information about NICC and this and other position openings visit the NICC website at www.nicc.edu or Human Resources Office, 844-642-2338, ext. 1302
NICC is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
food waste. Organizers said the program not only strengthens Luther’s environmental sustainability, but also extends the notion of civic sustainability and builds communities of mutual support. Luther serves buffet-style food which is prepared in advance, and some of the food is left over and not served. Caf to Community volunteers collect this unused food and repack-
ANNOUNCEMENTS AUTOMOTIVE
CARDS OF THANKS
Thank You
Luther College cafeteria reduces food waste through community partnerships
age it into single-serving frozen meals. It is delivered to local pantries, such as the Decorah Community Food Pantry and Northeast Iowa Community Action. Caf to Community is a student-run program. Rising senior Owen Matzek has been the assistant manager of the program and will take over as manager in fall 2024.
We would like to express our thanks and gratefulness for the support from families, friends and communities for the loss of Marissa Engelhardt.
The cards, memorials, the beautiful messages, gifts, hugs, along with many other things that have given us strength through this unimaginable loss.
There are too many to thank but especially to WinnMed Ambulance Crew and the ER staff, Helms Funeral Home and Father Hertges. Marissa will be missed by many. We thank each and every one of you for your love and support. Rob & Stacy Engelhardt
For Sale: Pre-season special. Pickup load, cut & dried firewood. Delivered. $80. Call or text 940-745-0895.
Garage Sale: October 11th, 11 to 5, 12th 7 to 2, 13th 11 to 2 at 304 E Broadway, Decorah Household, puzzles, wine racks, lawn furniture, dishes, and much more! Some free, adding new each day, make an offer sale! 41-2-DL-pd-2
Farm/crop land for rent. 2 parcels; 30 acres, 115 acres next to each other. Average 79.05 CSR. 5 miles northwest of Decorah. Call Mike 319-721-5713. 40-4-DL-pd-9
Students and staff serve themselves at the Luther College Cafeteria’s
CELEBRATION OF LIFE: Fighting breast cancer for over two decades
Breast cancer is the second-leading causes of cancer-related death in U.S. women, and this year, approximately 310,720 women as well as 2,800 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer, according to information on breastcancer.org.
Margaret “Mugs” Walter opened and owned Margaret’s Boutique in downtown Decorah, and she clearly remembers deciding to help women with their breast cancer needs more than 30 years ago.
“Just before the first October we hosted programs at the store, I had both of my neighbor ladies, two of my best friends and a gal who worked for me get breast cancer,” Walter said. “I was so upset, and I just thought it’s nice to send a note to someone, but I wanted to do more than that. And, I felt that with the people I knew because of being in business, I could really do some good.”
Walter cleaned out her store’s lower level and set up tables and booths. She hosted breast cancer presentations with cancer specialists, pharmacists and other speakers every Saturday each October and helping women sign up for mammogram appointments — all with help from Winneshiek Medical Center, which is now WinnMed. Over time, local businesses noticed what Walter was doing and began financially support-
United States Cancer Statistics from the CDC
ing her endeavors to help women with their mammogram and breast cancer needs.
“It then occurred to me that we could do more and raise money, so we started doing free mammograms for under-insured and uninsured women,” Walter said.
Ultimately, she and others founded Celebration of Life as a nonprofit organization in 1998.
“I had a young lady from Cresco, who had two or three small girls, who was a very good customer of mine, and she had stage four cancer,” Walter remembered. “She came into the store all the time, and every time she’d come in, she bought a new dress. Every day, she’d get up, put on makeup and put on a fancy dress, and every time she came in, she and her mother and I would cry, because she was such a brave soul. I was overwhelmed by her strength, and she wanted her little girls to remember her. And, she looked at me and she said, ‘You know, Mugs, every day is a celebration,’ and that stuck with me, and that’s why I named it Celebration of Life.”
The nonprofit was well received, according to Walter,
and it eventually expanded its services to include not only women, but also men and children.
“Cancer touches everybody,” Walter said, estimating the nonprofit has helped thousands of people in its time.
This year is Celebration of Life’s biggest year ever for its “Fuel/Food for the Fight” program, which helps cover travel expenses for people during their cancer treatments. Walter said the organization typically helps 72 Winneshiek County residents through that program each year, but its helped close to 80 so far in 2024. Recipients are given gift cards for both fuel and food as well as a greeting
card informing them “Somebody in this community cares about you.”
“That says a lot about the community,” Walter said. “We couldn’t do it if it was just us, and we get a lot who pay it forward. After people have heard from us and their cancer is better or they’re feeling better, they’ll send us a check and note to let us know they’re paying their gift forward. It’s all so appreciated — especially the fuel assistance right now. I know people who have made 50, 60, 70 trips for their cancer. That’s a lot, and it’s scary.”
Walter said the Decorah community has been very generous in supporting Celebration of
Life through private donations and public fundraisers. Both South Winneshiek and Decorah High Schools hold events each year to benefit the nonprofit — as does Oneota Country Club,
the Oneota Community Co-op and others.
“People try to support us as best they can, and we couldn’t do it without them.”
Based on the most recent data available, in the United States in 2021, 272,454 new breast cancers were reported in females and in 2022, 42,211 females died from breast cancer.
From 2017 to 2021, about 2 in 3 female breast cancer cases were diagnosed at a localized stage, meaning the cancer had not spread outside the breast. About 1 in 4 female breast cancers were found at a regional stage (the cancer had spread to nearby lymph nodes, tissues, or organs), and 6% were found at a distant stage (the cancer had spread to distant parts of the body).
members include Stephanie Cenek, Andy Carlson, Brenda Dietiker, Janelle Halverson, Angela Hansen, Peggy Lensing, Deb Tekippe, Margaret Walter and Julie Wurtzel. (Photo submitted)
SATURDAY, OCT. 128:30 a.m. The Late Carleton
“Corky” Kittleson Collection & Others. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563-568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com
THURSDAY, OCT. 17 - 6
p.m. Real Estate Auction, 1017 Division Street, Decorah. Midwest Property Connections, 319-240-9984.
TUESDAY, NOV. 19 -
AUCTION CALENDAR
Sweeney Machinery Consignment Auction. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563-568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com
SATURDAY, NOV. 30Guns & Sporting Good Auction. Sale held at Sweeney Auction Center Waukon, Ia. Sweeney Auction Service Waukon. 563-568-2464. www.sweeneyauctionservice.com
