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Vocal Variety Show The High School Fall Vocal Variety Show has been moved to the following Tuesday, October 22nd at 7:00 PM in the high school gym. This is a change from the originally scheduled calendar date.
Kids Halloween Party Sheffield Area Community Club would like to invite all kids to a Halloween Party on Thursday, Oct. 31 at the West Fork Elementary School multi-purpose room beginning at 5 p.m. They will be taking group pictures of the kids before they eat so if we could please have everyone at the school ready to start pictures at 5 p.m. Sheffield Area Community Club will be serving hot dogs, drinks and a cookie to all and each child will received a reflective treat bag with a glow necklace. We are looking forward to seeing all the kids in their costumes.
Auxiliary Soup Supper On November 11 the Sheffield American Legion Auxiliary will be hosting a soup supper for the Sheffield American Legion Post. We invite all those who have served in our armed forces who have not joined our post yet to register and join us that evening. We also invite women who would like to be an auxiliary member to join us. If you had a spouse, father, grandfather or son who served in the military, you are entitled to join. If you are interested contact Lou Brown at 892-4404.
Shop Hop, Oct. 18 & 19 Shop your way through the Sheffield area on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 18-19, when eight local businesses host the community’s first ever Shop Hop. Pick up a free punch card from any of the participating businesses. Get it marked by all eight of the businesses over the course of two days, and you’ll be eligible for a grand prize drawing worth nearly $150 in merchandise and gift certificates. Participating businesses include: Chapin Station, Dugan’s Supermarket, Enchanged Acres, Forever Yours, Reborn in a Barn, Sew Heavenly Creations, Sheffield Family Pharmacy, and Tull’s New & Used.
Sheffield Craft Show, Nov. 2 Whether you’re looking for hostess gifts or stocking stuffers, you’re sure to find unique gifts during Sheffield’s 10th Annual Craft & Holiday Show on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2013. The show will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the high school gym. More than 30 vendors different will be offering their wares, from customized West Fork clothing to homemade jams and one-of-a-kind seasonal decorations. Consultants will also be in attendance from Beauti-Control, Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Wildtree and Tastefully Simple and Scentsy – just to name a few. “The Sheffield Craft and Holiday Show is a primary fundraiser for West Fork Girl Scouts from kindergarten through high school seniors,� says Nancy Retz, West Fork Girl Scouts Service Unit Leader. “Funds raised help offset costs for the West Fork troops, including Girl Scout day camp. Not only is this craft show great event, but it’s benefiting a worthy cause. We look forward to seeing you there!�
Sacred Heart Turkey Dinner Sacred Heart Parish in Rockwell will be serving their Annual Turkey Dinner on Sunday, Oct. 27. The buffet style dinner, including turkey, dressing and all the trimmings will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost for adults is $9, children 12 and under $6, and preschoolers may dine for free. Take outs are available for $9, and there will be delivery service for shut-ins only.
Genealogical Society, October 19 The Franklin County Genealogical Society will meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday, October 19, at the Franklin County Historical Building Library on the Franklin County Fairgrounds in Hampton. Guests are welcome.
Community Calendar
Saturday, Oct. 12 4-H Family Night at the Movies, 7 p.m. at the Windsor Theatre, Hampton Monday, Oct. 14 Your Money Your Future, 6-8 p.m., Franklin Co Extension office Tuesday, Oct. 15 AA Meeting at Zion St. John Lutheran Church, Sheffield, at 8 p.m. Sheffield-Chapin Retired Teachers Breakfast at the Village Court Family Restaurant, Mason City, 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16 CPAT: Aquatic, Forest & Roadside Pest Management, 9 a.m., Franklin Co. Extension office, pre-registration is required. Friday, Oct. 18 Flu Vaccination Clinic, Franklin Medical Center, Hampton, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 19 4-H Shooting Sports – Archery, 2:30 p.m., Franklin Co. Conservation Shed, Hampton Monday, Oct. 21 d West Fork School Board Meeting, 5 p.m. in Rockkwell Tuesday, Oct. 22 t. AA Meeting at Zion St. h, John Lutheran Church, Sheffield, at 8 p.m.
In this issue: Courthouse/Obituary ...................page 4 Public Notices ...............................page 4 Area Sports ....................................page 5 Classifieds .......................................page 6
Glow Run sees great turnout last Saturday in Sheffield By Nick Pedley Over 240 illuminated runners and walkers hit the streets of Sheffield last Saturday night for the first-ever Glow-in-the-Dark 5K Run/ Walk. The event raised over $2,900 for the West Fork High School after-prom festivities next spring. The total greatly exceeded the initial expectations of event coordinators Mary Schulz and Amber Weydert, who originally said they would be content if the 5K raised between $1,000-$1,500. “It went great. We had a really, really great turnout, the weather was wonderful and everyone had a lot of fun,� said Schulz. “It was really hard to even keep count of everyone there.� Schulz said there were more than 240 participants, and many people registered with young children in strollers and other family members. The event wasn’t timed, and people had the option to
run or walk the route which wound its way around the outskirks of town. It kicked off at 9 p.m. and finished up just over an hour later. Participants were given a neon T-shirt and a glow-inthe-dark necklace, bracelet and glasses when they registered. Police officers and other volunteers guided the pack through the streets and set up posts at each turn, but that didn’t prevent one minor hiccup from occurring. A group of high school cross country runners got ahead of the crowd a strayed away from the route momentarily. “It was just a minor hitch, no big deal really,� said Schulz. The race wasn’t timed, and there was a black light tent set up so people could take pictures with friends and family in all their glow-in-thedark garb. Both Schulz and Weydert were happy with the turnout, but they said the event would have been impossible without the backing
These glowing bodies in the Glow Run’s black light tent were from the Peil family of Coulter. Pictured are Cam, Evan, Cindy and Rob. (Submitted photo courtesy of Amber Weydert) of the entire community. unteers and police officers “We just want to give a huge that made this a great family thank you to all the race vol- event,� said Schulz.
Alley usage comes into question at Sheffield council meeting By Nick Pedley A dispute between neighbors about an alley topped an otherwise routine meeting of the Sheffield City Council Monday night. JC McCaslin came before the council and asked permission to park his camper in a plotted alley between Gilman Street and Thompson Street. According to McCaslin, he parked there until recently after Police Chief Ed Hanig asked that he remove it and get permission from the council. “I don’t know if I need a parking permit or if I need to stay off it or what, but I’ve been parking stuff on it since I moved there,� said McCaslin. The alley isn’t graveled, and a tree grows in the middle of its boundaries. McCaslin claimed it wasn’t a thru alley because the tree made it impossible to use if anyone were to actually drive on it. The council also seemed unsure about how to determine the alley’s true path because residential development has somewhat skewed its original design. “If it’s a thru alley, than there shouldn’t be a tree there, right?� Councilman Nick Wilson asked. One of McCaslin’s neighbors, John Hartman, was in attendance and expressed concerns over the camper. He said the alley is plotted so emergency personnel and have better access to houses during the event of a fire. “I’ve lived there for over 30 years, and I’ve never had a problem with that tree as long as they could get a firetruck through there,� he said. “Everybody’s been happy with that alley until now – because somebody wants to park their camper there.� Hartman claimed McCaslin’s
Fire Prevention Week
camper blocked access, but the council debated whether or not a firetruck could even make it through the plotted alley. “I think there’s several alleyways here in town that you couldn’t get a firetruck through,� said Mayor Jim Saylor. “As far as I can see, you couldn’t get a firetruck through there anyway.� Councilman Sean Cameron agreed, and didn’t think giving McCaslin permission to park in the plotted alley was the group’s decision to make. He said a land survey would be needed to figure out the plotted path’s exact boundaries. He felt that would lead down a slippery slope for other alleys throughout Sheffield, in turn costing money for both the city and residents. “I think we let our police department figure it out or work it out as neighbors,� Cameron said. “Otherwise, we’re going to be cutting down a tree and pouring gravel.� Cameron’s fellow councilmen agreed, and the group chose not to act on the issue. They told McCaslin and Hartman to either work out or ask Hanig to decide whether the parked camper was in violation of any code. Other business The council adopted a resolution that established a multi-hazard mitigation plan and approved the 20122013 urban renewal report. Additionally, they approved a transfer of funds out of the General Fund to the Debt Service Fund to bring the Debt Service Fund to a zero balance, per an auditor’s request. The group also set this year’s trickor-treat date and time for Thursday, Oct. 31, from 5:30-8 p.m.
The near-$3,000 sum raised at the run/walk pushed the parent-led committee’s total to around $7,000 on the year. Schulz and Weydert said the annual after-prom festivities usually cost between $8,000$9,000 to bring in entertainment and pay for prizes, and they didn’t think they’d need to host another fundraiser. Prior to the 5K, the afterprom committee hosted a pork burger tailgate and sold West Fork merchandise to raise funds. Schulz said the group plans to ask local businesses to donate the remainder of the amount needed to pay for the after-prom party, which other committees have done in the past. “This was a good little fundraiser, so we won’t have to do another one, hopefully,� said Schulz. “We’re so lucky in the West Fork community because the businesses and everyone are always so good about supporting things and helping out.�
School Conferences at West Fork School Conferences for preschool through high school will be from 4 to 8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 28 and Tuesday, Oct. 29 from 3 to 7 p.m. Preschool and elementary students in both the Rockwell and Sheffield buildings will have scheduled conference times with their teachers. Middle school teachers will be in the new gym and parents can meet with them as they become available. Teachers will be taking a meal break on Monday from 5 to 5:30 and on Thursday from 4:30 to 5 and will not be available during those times. High school teachers will be available in their rooms for conferences. Shared teachers will split their time between the Rockwell and Sheffield campuses. Mrs. Payton, Mrs. Gappa, Mr. Spurgin and Mr. Kudej will be in Sheffield 4-5:40 p.m. on Monday and 3-7 p.m. on Thursday. They will be in Rockwell 6-8 p.m. on Monday. Mrs. Otten will be in Sheffield 4-5:40 p.m. on Monday and Rockwell 6-8 p.m. on Monday and 3-7 p.m. on Tuesday. Mr. Curtis and Mrs. Scholl will be in Sheffield 6-8 p.m. on Monday and in Rockwell 4-5:40 p.m. on Monday and 3-7 p.m. on Thursday. Mrs. McLennan will be available 4-6 p.m. on Monday and 3-7 p.m. on Thursday. Mrs. Trewin will be available on Monday and Mr. Elling on Tuesday. The ICAN (Iowa College Access Network) will provide two presentations on Monday, Oct. 28. At 5:30 in the media center, juniors and parents are invited to the College Planning Night. This is the ideal opportunity to find answers to your questions about the college planning process. At 6:30 p.m. seniors and parents are invited to the Financial Aid presentation in the media center. This is a very informative meeting regarding financial aid for college - there will
be info on completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), types of financial assistance available as well as overview, tips and deadlines for the financial aid process. School will be dismissed at 2 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 28 and Tuesday, Oct. 29. There will be no school on Friday, Nov. 1. School conferences are an important source of communication between the teachers, students and parents/guardians. They provide an opportunity for parents/guardians to meet teachers and administrators, to ask questions and to hear about how each child interacts in the classroom. It is an opportunity to gain valuable feedback about the development of individual students. Most importantly, it sends a powerful message about how much parents and educators care about the education of each student. Even if it is only for five or 10 minutes, the time parents take to spend with teachers can have an enormous impact on their children’s attitude toward learning and success in the classroom, such as increased school attendance and higher academic performance. We encourage you to make every effort to attend the conferences. West Fork School Calendar Notices Friday, Oct. 18 End of Quarter, 2 p.m. dismissal Wednesday, Oct. 23 Professional Development, 2 p.m. dismissal Monday, Oct. 28 Parent Teacher Conferences, 4-8 p.m. 2 p.m. Dismissal Tuesday, Oct. 29 Parent Teacher Conferences, 3-7 p.m. 2 p.m. dismissal Friday, Nov. 1 No School Monday, Nov. 4 No School, Professional Development
West Fork Kindergarteners visited the Sheffield Fire Department for Fire Prevention Week, on Tuesday, Oct. 8. Visitors included: (front row, left to right) Prestyn Woodbury, Braydon Smit, Caden Stanbrough, Connor Lane, Andrew Atkinson, Bo Pals, (second row) Pam Meints, Mrs. McMahon, Ivy Hartman, Kyle Graney Jr., Wyatt Bonnema, Cale McKee, August Sasse, Addison Kreimeyer, Chase Showalter, Brylee Dickman, Mrs. Fullerton, Kaci Harper, (third row) Keira Huling, Kylin Johnson, Owen Schmidt, Dax Suntken, Eli Muhlenbruch, Trevor Sorensen, Porsch’e Lilly, Nathan Harlan, Blake Vorhes, Abby Shoning, Alec Hobbiebrunken, (firemen) Mike Barnes, Calvin Primus, JC McCaslin, and Todd Shreckengost. (JZ photo)