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Veterans Day story: Dr. Wilker of Creston recounts Vietnam
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VETERANS, pages 4 and 5A
ASP leader Riley earns Volunteer Leadership Award By JAKE WADDINGHAM
CNA staff reporter jwaddingham@crestonnews.com
When Creston Presbyterian Church started participating in Appalachia Service Project (ASP) in 1982, three volunteers made the trip to help the poverty-stricken area. The following year, it grew to five and has continued to grow to more than 50 volunteers in 2013 because of the effort of Creston Chamber of Commerce Volunteer Leadership Award winner Becky Riley. Riley, who has dedicated 33 years of service as a teacher and literacy coach for Creston preschool and elementary, started volunteer work through ASP as a youth in her hometown Washington, Iowa. “As a youth, I learned that I could actually make a difference,” Riley said. “When you’re a kid, you don’t realize you have the power to help somebody else.” ASP’s focus is to make
VETERANS DAY 2013
WILLING & ABEL Vietnam Veteran Denny Abel named 2013 Citizen of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce ■
By KYLE WILSON
CNA asst. managing editor kwilson@crestonnews.com
T
here is no better day for the following announcement. Today — Veterans Day — the Creston Chamber of Commerce declares the 2013 Citizen of the Year is Denny Abel of Creston — lifelong veteran and current quartermaster for Creston Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1797. “It’s very fitting for him to receive this honor (today),” said Ellen Gerharz, Creston Chamber of Commerce executive director. “He cares so much about the veterans in this community. He doesn’t care Gerharz when they served or what branch they served in. If they are a veteran in this community, he’s always been there to help them. I think most people — veteran or not — have had that kind of experience with Denny.” Abel — a 1967 graduate of Creston High School — served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1970.
Past Creston Citizens of the Year 2012 — Gary Borcherding and John Kawa 2011 — Martha Musmaker 2010 — Darwin West 2009 — Bob and Betty Jungst 2008 — Flossie Roberts 2007 — Jack Keuter 2006 — Vaughn Seckington 2005 — Dr. Robert Kuhl 2004 — Don Mosman
2003 — Ron Levine 2002 — Ken Hudson 2001 — Ed Ritter 2000 — Tim Kinkade 1999 — Ralph Edwards 1998 — Glen Weaver 1997 — Fannie Luther 1996 — Darlene Loudon 1995 — Galen Zumbach
living conditions warmer, safer and drier. As a leader in the program, Riley has worked on floor replacements, siding and roofing. “My priorities changed a lot from wanting to go and do it all to get the youth going,” Riley said. “The reason I go is to take kids from Creston so they can have that experience.” Volunteers do not have to have experience with the construction projects ASP completes. Riley, along with other leaders, help teach youth volunteers how to use the Please see RILEY, Page 10
Levi Eblen to receive youth volunteer award
Above left, Denny Abel of Creston, quartermaster for the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1797, has been named 2013 Citizen of the Year. Above right, Abel, 20, served in Vietnam as a tank driver for the U.S. Army.
Abel arrived in Vietnam in September 1969 as a member of the 17th Cavalry and spent about six months on tank missions. He was involved in more than a-half dozen firefights during those six months. He was honorably discharged by the military in October 1970, then returned home to southwest Iowa. Abel worked 34 years at Creston Feed and Grain before partially retiring in 2004. Since then, he’s dedicated his retired life to helping fellow veterans, “doing whatever is needed, whether it be mental or physical assistance or helping them find a job.” “Why do I want to give back to them? Because they are part of me,” Abel said. “Once a veteran, always a veteran. I don’t care if they served in a war zone
Riley
or carried water to the general, they did what the government wanted them to do. At this time in my life, I want to give back to veterans.”
By BAILEY POOLMAN
Driving veterans For the past five years, Abel has volunteered to personally take local veterans from Creston to their out-of-town doctors appointments at veteran hospitals in Omaha and Des Moines. He’s made more than 20 round trips. “Sometimes they are unable to drive,” Abel said. “Some can’t drive that far or are in too much pain to drive. Sometimes it’s an emergency type of situation. Sometimes they just want company.” One of the veterans Abel has helped is Schroeder 42-year-old Chad Schroeder of Creston — a U.S. Air Force veteran who served in Iraq, Afghanistan and Desert Storm. “I’m light sensitive and get migraines easily,” Schroeder
CNA staff reporter bpoolman@crestonnews.com
Levi Eblen shrugged off his jacket and sat down to an interview with the Creston News Advertiser, quiet, calm and composed, as he discussed volunteering for local organizations. Eblen, 18, was nominated for Creston’s 2013 Youth of the Year. “I was really honored. I appreciated everybody that sent in letters,” said Eblen. “My mom gave me a hug and said that she was so proud, but they (my parents) both said how proud they are and that they’re excited for me.” Eblen, a senior at Creston High School, is active in athletics, student government, Appalachia Service Project (ASP) and Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). “I try my hardest at school, I work hard at all my athletics, and I
Please see ABEL, Page 10
Eblen do volunteer a lot of my time within the community through ASP,” Eblen said. “So, we do a lot of community service, going around and helping people with that throughout our community.” However, Eblen gives credit to his parents, Mark and Peg Eblen, for his involvement in community service work. “It was just kind of how I was raised. My parents always taught me to do the right thing, and putting forth extra effort and working hard for things was just the Please see EBLEN, Page 2
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Volume 130 No. 108 Copyright 2013
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Contents
Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-9 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Deaths. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Heloise Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Local . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7-8 Veterans Day . . . . . . . . . . 4-5
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