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HAMILTON COUNTY

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Human Slot Machine: A popular and fun event during Market Nights has been the Rotarian sponsored Human Slot Machine.

August 2026

2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM 505 2nd St. Webster City, IA

For more information, contact: Kim Peck; Prestige Club Coordinator

515-832-2520

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

Learn more about these exciting Prestige Club trips, ask questions, and get inspired to travel in 2027!

v.12 issue 8 | august 2026

OUR hometown PUBLICATION INFORMATION

CONTRIBUTORS PUBLISHER

GRANT GIBBONS

EDITOR

KOLLEEN TAYLOR

ADVERTISING

TREVOR CHRISTENSEN

GRAPHIC DESIGN

MICHELLE COLSHAN

STORY BY

KOLLEEN TAYLOR LORI BERGLUND

EVERY ISSUE : 8 City Scene

10 Landmarks 12 Savvy Senior 15 Parting Shot

3242 Ubben Ave, Ellsworth, IA (515) 836-4400

AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

The Wheel of Rotary connects the community By Kolleen Taylor

Service has been the focus of many area non-profit organizations, and serving the community has been the instrument for many of the wonderful attributes Webster City has today. For over 100 years, there have been community groups working together to create projects, address concerns, and make Webster City better. The last remaining service club active in Webster City primarily is the Webster City Rotary Club. There are organizations like the Chamber of Commerce who organize the business community to do projects to support the business community that continue to provide some of the events held in the community. But organizations like the Kiwanis who focused on projects with youth and education or the Jaycees, which organized younger adults to create activities and events that built leadership skills have quietly faded away. The Lions club which is still working in Stanhope and Williams has not had an active club for many years in Webster City, but many of the faithful step in and help with some projects in Webster City. So the Rotary Club of Webster City is the last of the service clubs. It is one of 35,000 clubs across the world, and has about 50 members. They currently meet each Monday at noon for lunch at the American Legion while the evening Rotary meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at various locations. In addition to their own projects the Rotary Club helps support other activities in the community. Arts R Alive received an assist from them as members served refreshments at the Sculpture opening this month. They parked cars during the Hamilton County Fair. They create fun with the Human Slot Machine at Market Nights and they serve an enormous amount of food each year at the annual Turkey Dinner fundraiser in October. The annual turkey dinner uses the proceeds to support other projects in the community. They step into the schools and help by honoring high school students each fall with the Youth Leadership banquet that recognizes both students from Webster City and the South Hamilton high schools.

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

For many years the Rotary cleaned up and mulched the Boulevard of Valor, and hosted Rotary youth exchange students, and sent local youth in exchange to other countries around the world. But there are many things that the Webster City Rotary Club does which is not easily seen. Some of their other local efforts are: • They donated $6,000 to remodel the Elks Building. • Have donated to WC meals on wheels annually since the 1980’s. • Provide a $500 scholarship for two Webster City High School seniors and one senior from South Hamilton. • Send and pay for at least two Webster City High School students to the annual week long Rotary Youth Leadership Academy. • Planted trees along Lewis Drive in Webster City with another planting scheduled for Fall 26’. • The club provides assistance in setting up and tearing down the Chamber of Commerce “Market Nights” each summer. • The club participated financially in the remodel and repair of the Webster Theatre. • Club members deliver Meals On Wheels every Monday

On a larger scale, the Rotary Club has used its leadership and financial resources to assist in other communities around the world. • After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the club organized an effort that raised over $60,000 in the community and Rotary District to fund a food bank in Sigishora, Romania to aid Ukraine refugees in that city. • In 2004’ after the worst tsunami in recorded history struck Indonesia, the club sponsored and served a community dinner that raised thousands of dollars for the International Red Cross to be directed to Indonesia Aid Relief.The club continues to be actively involved financially with the Ames Rotary Club and the Same’ Rotary Club of Tanzania and Rotary International to provide clean water to a rural area of villages by drilling wells and developing a distribution system. Over $300,000 was contributed by club members individually. • The eradication of polio worldwide has been a major focus of Rotary International since the 1980’s. Club members donate individually and also as a group each and every month. • The club in 1989 purchased and collected donated medical equipment from around the state with help from other Rotary Clubs. The equipment was delivered to a clinic and hospital in Puno, Peru. The need was discovered by an exchange student from the Webster City Club. The Webster City Rotary Club was first chartered May 1, 1920, and celebrated their 100th year in the midst of the Covid pandemic. With 106 years of service under their belt, an evening Rotary Club was organized as a satellite club in June 2016. Membership allows individuals to get involved with leadership programs throughout the city, and together are able to make a bigger difference in the projects they choose. There are some traditions the rotarians do at each meeting. They recite the Pledge of Allegiance at each meeting. They sing. And they recite the Four-Way test at each meeting. Its premise is not a dogma, but it guides members for ethics and the motto “Service Above Self”. Created in 1932 by Herbert J. Taylor, the Four Way test asks each Rotarian to examine his own actions, words and thoughts.

THE ROTARY FOUR WAY TEST Of the things we think, say or do: Is it the Truth? Is it fair to all concerned Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned? And according to treasurer Doug Bailey a fifth question should be asked: Is it fun? Working together, Rotary has led the communities where they serve into a better future. Most of the service clubs which have disappeared can also be reestablished. But the Rotary club has been here for the long haul, and shows no sign of going anywhere any time soon. And that is beneficial to all concerned. Current officers of the Rotary are Mark Ferguson, President, Monica Henderson, Vice President; Doug Bailey, Secretary/Treasurer.

AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

Books We Love

by Lori Berglund

To Never Forget

‘The Only Plane in the Sky’ tells impactful story of Sept. 11, 2001 Photo Courtesy of Clear Lake Fire Dept. Similar to the lights that illuminate the sky where the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center once stood in New York, the Clear Lake Fire Department has installed lights that shine up into the night sky from the memorial that includes a steel beam recovered from the North Tower.

We were all Frank Razzano that day. Like Razzano, we didn’t know what it meant, even what had happened, and we certainly didn’t know what was going to happen next. It’s been 25 years since that fateful day… a day that killed more than the attack on Pearl Harbor… a day we shall always remember. In 2001, Razzano was a Washington, D.C., lawyer in New York to prepare for a trial the following week. He was staying at the Marriott Hotel, Building 3, World Trade Center (WTC). He heard a tremendously loud bang, got up out of bed, pulled open the drapes and saw papers fluttering through the air. From his window overlooking Liberty Street, he could not see the North Tower, WTC. Razzano speculated that a strong wind off the harbor had blown out some windows. He was not concerned. He went back to bed to catch a little more sleep. Razzano’s story is one of so many personal accounts chillingly retold in Garrett M. Graff’s 2019 narrative: “The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of 9/11.” An expanded edition is due out this fall. (It can be hard to find, but well worth the hunt.) Scarcely 75 minutes later, Razzano was awoken again. He returned to the window, and this time saw balls of fire falling to the street. He turned on the TV, but still assumed that he had nothing to worry about; that firefighters would come and all would soon be well. What he didn’t realize was that, with the collapse of the South Tower WTC, he was effectively trapped in the Marriott as parts of the fallen tower pounded the hotel’s roof.

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

Several hours later, and after a harrowing escape led by Firefighter Jeff Johnson, Razzano was safely on a boat, leaving Manhattan when, looking back at the smoke-filled skyline behind him, he asked: “Where’s the World Trade Center?” Razzano had lived through it, first hand, but in the epicenter of it all, he had no idea that the towers had both fallen. He assumed only the tops of the buildings had been blown off. The idea that these two incredible towers had pancaked to the ground so quickly was unimaginable. It was all unimaginable… until it happened. That’s the way Sept. 11, 2001 was for many. For those who were there, they were in the dark, literally and figuratively. They didn’t have the Today Show or CNN to tell them what was happening. Even those close to power didn’t really know. As Mary Matalin, aide to Vice President Dick Cheney in 2001, told Graff, there was much she didn’t realize until she watched extended TV coverage on the first anniversary. “When I watched the coverage of the first anniversary, I couldn’t stop crying,” Matalin told Graff. “I was shocked. (At the time) we weren’t watching TV. We weren’t watching people jumping out of buildings. We didn’t see all the chaos that the American people were seeing.” As powerful as the video images of the 9/11 terror attack were and still are, the direct and candid words that Graff captured in this unique, narrative history, were even more powerful to me.

Let me tell you a few things about this book: • You may not sleep well. I had nightmares the first night I started this book, and thought, ‘Do I really want to read this?’ Yes, yes, I did. • You may wipe away a few tears away. How could you not? • You may find yourself humming old Alan Jackson or Toby Keith songs. Yes, Alan, I still know where I was when “the world stopped turning.” • You may resolve to put a good pair of walking shoes under your desk, to always know where the stairwells are in every hotel, and to put your kids’ shoes out where they are quick to find in the middle of the night. This is just a harrowing story. Graff does the impossible in getting out of the way as a writer and letting the words of the people who lived this nightmare tell their own story. Even the chaos of the day comes to life as the story unfolds across the country. As much as possible, Graff relates it in real time, as it happened. There are people who come and go only once or twice in the book, and then there are people like Razzano and Josephine Harris whose stories recur frequently. I won’t forget Josephine Harris, nor will the New York City firefighters who called her their “guardian angel” that day. They survived — they strongly maintain — because they put her wellbeing above their own. That’s what firefighters and law enforcement everywhere still do, every day. New York lost 343 firefighters, 23 police officers and 37 officers from the Port Authority. In all, nearly 3,000 people died that day in the attacks on New York, the Pentagon, and over the skies of Pennsylvania. And people are still dying. In 2025, the FDNY honored 39 members who died in the last year from 9/11-related illness. Read Graff’s book and you will understand why the filthy, smoky, and even chunky, air from that day is still killing people.

To pay tribute to the USS Arizona, one must travel to Pearl Harbor. But to pay tribute to Ground Zero, one can take a short drive to Clear Lake. Relics of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, have been distributed to all 50 states. In Iowa, the Clear Lake Fire Dept, is guardian of a 1,400 pound steel beam recovered from the North Tower of the World Trade Center. Located next to the firehouse at 722 Second Ave. N. in Clear Lake, the department has created a greenspace where visitors can sit in quiet reflection on stone benches surrounding the memorial. A memorial service is held each Sept. 11 and this year will include dedication of a new, life-size bronze statue of a firefighter.

The people in Graff’s book shared a story too important to ever forget. I was honored to read it — and I will remember.

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AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

CITY SCENE FALL HOME & PROPERTY CARE

Preserving Property, Protecting Neighborhoods As summer winds down and the first cool breeze of autumn sets in, August and September offer the ideal window for seasonal home maintenance. Taking time to prepare your home, lawn, and exterior structures before the cold weather hits doesn’t just protect your personal investment, it keeps our entire community safe, clean, and vibrant. Whether you are a longtime homeowner, a new resident, or a local landlord, proactive upkeep prevents costly structural repairs, keeps neighborhood streets safe for pedestrians, and ensures full compliance with municipal property standards. Yard Care & Leaf Disposal Maintaining your yard in late summer and early autumn sets the stage for a healthy lawn next spring while protecting our city’s infrastructure.

• Brush and Compost Site: Webster City residents can utilize local disposal sites for yard waste. Bring leaves and grass clippings to the compost site at 100 East Ohio St. Bring all brush or logs to the Tree & Branch Disposal Site at 2031 225th Street (Buxton). Please empty all bags before disposal. No plastic bags, garbage, or treated wood may be left on site. plastic bags, garbage, or treated wood may be left on site. • Annual Curbside Leaf Pickup Day: Toward the end of the season, the City provides one citywide curbside leaf pickup typically in mid-November. Exact dates will be announced on the city website and social

CITY SCENE 8

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

media channels closer to the event. When pickup day arrives, bagged leaves must be placed at the curb by 7:00 a.m., as crews make only one pass through town. Bags must contain only leaves or grass clippings—no sticks, branches, or trash. • Keep Streets & Storm Drains Clear: Never rake, blow, or sweep leaves into public streets, gutters, or ditches. Heavy autumn rains wash street debris directly into storm grates, creating severe blockages that cause localized street flooding and slick driving hazards. • Maintaining Weeds, Grass and Trees: Property owners are required to keep grass trimmed to no more than eight inches and regularly remove weeds. Late summer is also the time to inspect mature trees. Pruning dead or diseased branches prevents autumn windstorms or heavy winter snow from bringing limbs down onto roofs, power lines, or public sidewalks. Property Maintenance and Exterior Protection Proactive home maintenance is essential to protecting your property’s structural integrity and pocketbook. Neglected repairs become far more expensive if ignored until a sudden mechanical failure occurs in freezing weather. • Cleaning Gutters & Roof Lines: When gutters and downspouts become blocked with leaves and debris, rainwater cannot drain properly. This can lead to severe water damage on both interior ceilings and exterior siding. Clogged gutters also create prime nesting spots for birds, insects, and rodents.

ITY SCENE • Exterior Painting & Siding: Routine exterior paint touch-ups and siding repairs lock out harsh moisture, insulate against extreme temperatures, and prevent structural wood rot. • Sidewalks & Foundation Care: Inspect exterior walkways and foundation walls. Sealing concrete cracks prevents water from seeping in, freezing, and expanding, which causes tripping hazards and foundation damage over time. • Tackling Nuisances & Outdoor Debris: Storing broken furniture, appliances, construction scraps, or junked vehicles in open yards is prohibited under Section 32 of the Municipal Code. Keeping yards clean prevents pest infestations and maintains neighborhood property values.

Fall Maintenance Checklist

Yard and Landscaping: Keep your lawn healthy, beautiful, and code-compliant all season long. Trim & Weed: Keep grass under 8 inches and clear pesky weeds from flowerbeds and fence lines. Drop Off Yard Waste: Bring leaves and grass clippings to 100 East Ohio St, and bring brush/logs to 2031 225th St (Buxton). Prune Overhead Limbs: Trim dead branches that hang low over sidewalks or street sightlines. Exterior Structure: Protect your home’s envelope against harsh autumn winds and freeze cycles. Clean Gutters: Scoop out fallen leaves and debris so rainwater flows freely. Touch Up Paint & Siding: Seal peeling paint and repair siding to keep moisture out.

Seal Concrete Cracks: Fill hairline cracks in driveways and walkways to prevent winter trip hazards. Tidy Up the Curb: Store trash bins, lawn equipment, and yard clutter out of street view. Mechanical & Plumbing: Stay warm, save on energy bills, and avoid costly winter pipe bursts. Swap HVAC Filters: Replace furnace air filters (a good habit every 90 days!). Schedule an HVAC Tune-Up: Ensure your heating system runs safely before the first cold snap. Disconnect Hoses: Detach all garden hoses and drain exterior spigots. Shut Off Outdoor Valves: Turn off interior supply valves serving outdoor water lines. Safety & Comfort: Keep your family safe and snug as the temperatures drop. Check Windows & Doors: Inspect caulk and weatherstripping to block chilly drafts. Audit Life-Safety Alarms: Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors. Fresh Batteries: Swap in brand-new backup batteries in all ceiling alarms. Visible House Numbers: Ensure your street address is brightly lit and clearly visible for emergency crews. Taking a few weekends this season to clear your gutters, trim your trees, drop off your yard debris, and button up your mechanical systems will keep your property safe, warm, and ready for the cold months ahead. Thank you for doing your part to keep Webster City clean, safe, and beautiful!

AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

Landmarks

How well DO YOU know Hamilton County?

Look at these photos and see if you can identify these local landmarks.

Photo #2 JULY ANSWERS: Photo #1: Bench at Richard Carlson Garden Photo #2: Flower Pot at Richard Carlson Garden

Congratulations to last months winner Photo #1

Ray Kinnetz

Please include the name of the building icon on which the Landmark is located, your name & phone number.

Submit your entry

Submit your entry ktaylor@freemanjournal.net or deliver to The Daily Freeman-Journal at 720 Second St., Webster City, IA

Correct answers will be entered into a drawing for

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

2 FREE MOVIE PASSES to the Webster Theater

Grilled Bananas Stuffed with Marshmallows and Chocolate Squares Makes 4 servings

4 unpeeled ripe bananas 2 milk chocolate candy bars (Hershey’s recommended) 1⁄2 cup miniature marshmallows

1. Set the grill up for direct grilling and preheat to medium heat. 2. Slit each banana lengthwise through the peel, making sure not to cut all the way through. Open the peel and banana wider to form a pocket.

3. Unwrap the candy bars and separate the chocolate squares. Stuff each banana with marshmallows, followed by chocolate squares. 4. Grill for 5 to 8 minutes, or until marshmallows and chocolate are melted. Serve and enjoy. AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

SAVVY SENIOR by Jim Miller

Flu Shots for Seniors: What’s New This Fall Dear Savvy Senior, I always get my annual flu shot, but I never know whether I’m getting the right one. Can you explain which flu vaccine is best for seniors this fall and whether there are any other recommended vaccines I should get?

----Trying to Stay Healthy 12

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

Dear Trying,

Other vaccines

If you’re 65 or older, getting your annual flu shot is one of the most important things you can do to protect yourself during flu season. But with new vaccines and changing recommendations, many older adults aren’t sure which shots they need. The good news is that this fall’s advice for seniors is simple: Get an enhanced flu vaccine, and use the opportunity to make sure you are up to date on other important vaccines, including RSV, pneumonia, shingles and, depending on your health situation, COVID-19.

While you’re getting your flu shot, it’s also a good time to review your other vaccinations with your healthcare provider or pharmacist. The CDC recommends a one-time RSV vaccine for everyone age 75 and older, as well as adults ages 50 through 74 who are at increased risk for severe RSV illness. Medicare Part D covers RSV vaccines. Adults age 50 and older who have not received a pneumococcal vaccine should also consider getting protected against serious forms of pneumonia. The preferred options are Prevnar 20 (PCV20) or Capvaxive (PCV21). Most people need only one dose, and Medicare Part B covers these vaccines. If you have not received the Shingrix shingles vaccine, it is another important vaccine to consider. The two-dose vaccine is more than 90 percent effective at preventing shingles and the painful nerve problems that can follow. Medicare Part D covers both doses. COVID-19 recommendations have become more individualized in recent years, but older adults remain at higher risk for serious illness. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether an updated COVID vaccine is appropriate for you. Medicare Part B covers COVID vaccines.

Best flu shot for seniors Influenza can be especially dangerous for older adults. As we age, our immune systems don’t respond as well to infection, which is why people 65 and older account for most flu-related hospitalizations and deaths. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults 65 and older receive one of three enhanced flu vaccines instead of a standarddose shot: Fluzone High-Dose, Fluad or Flublok. Each of these vaccines is designed differently, but all produce a stronger immune response in older adults. Studies have not shown that one works better than the others, so there’s no need to wait for a specific brand. The important thing is to get one of these enhanced vaccines when it’s available. Also new for the 2026-27 flu season is Moderna’s mFLUSIVA, the first mRNA flu vaccine authorized in the United States. It is fully approved for adults ages 50 to 64 and has received accelerated approval for those 65 and older, pending additional study results. While mRNA technology could eventually allow flu vaccines to be updated more quickly to match circulating strains, adults 65 and older should continue to follow CDC recommendations and choose one of the three enhanced flu vaccines whenever possible. The best time to get your flu shot is September or October, but it’s not too late if you miss that window. Even a flu shot in November or later can still provide valuable protection. Medicare Part B covers one flu shot each flu season at no cost when it’s given by a Medicare-participating doctor, clinic or pharmacy.

Vaccine timing Flu, RSV, COVID-19 and other recommended vaccines can generally be given during the same visit. But if you’re concerned about temporary side effects such as fatigue, muscle aches or a sore arm, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about spacing them out. To find pharmacies and other providers offering vaccines near you, visit vaccines.gov.

our y d Sen nior se tions s que to

Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN

Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org

picture perfect

Wookie

Loved by Mary and Paul Sealine

Dacy Loved by Mary and Paul Sealine 14

OUR HOMETOWN | AUGUST 2026

Angus & Morty

Loved by Marcia and Joel Fritz

Jackson Loved by Gary and Michelle Crim

Parting

Shot

Photo by Kolleen Taylor AUGUST 2026 | OUR HOMETOWN