Four Elements of Music. Four Directions. Infinite Possibilities!

Music Medicine combines ancient wisdom and modern science. During this fun, interactive event, you will explore the four elements of music: rhythm, melody, harmony, and silence and discover how these elements relate to medicine wheels used by indigenous people of North America. No experience necessary. Everyone is welcome! This is a gift economy event. Details here.

Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a fellowship of people whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships. The only requirement for attending our meetings is a desire for healthy and loving relationships – with ourselves and with others.

Not sure if you are co-dependent? Some patterns are:

– using indirect communication, such as hinting, to try to head off conflict (real or imagined);

– becoming resentful when our advice, help, or gifts are declined or unappreciated;

– not expressing our own feelings, beliefs, or opinions when they differ from others;

– have difficulty admitting a mistake, or re-hashing old mistakes over and over;

– perfectionism;

– perceiving ourselves as totally unselfish and dedicated to the well-being of others, and wishing others could see how much we do for them…

The list of patterns goes on.

We invite you to explore what it is like to LIVE life rather than to merely survive life. There is hope for a new day with CoDA! It is suggested that newcomers try six basic meetings before deciding if CoDA is right for them.

We also have an in-depth discussion on Sundays from 4:00-4:30pm to which anyone is welcome. (The basic meeting starts immediately afterwards, and both occur at NE Iowa Peace & Justice Center, 119 Winnebago Street.)

All attendees are anonymous. Who attends and what is said stays absolutely confidential.

Director Jennaya Robison welcomes you to the Luther College Gospel Choir , a choir focused on bringing peace, justice, and joy through music.  We rehearse Sundays from 5-6pm whenever Luther is in session, in the Choir Room at the Jenson-Noble Hall of Music.  Come whenever you can–there is no registration, no obligation, and no experience necessary. The group is open to ALL singers high school through adult (including staff, faculty, community members.)  There will be some performance opportunities, but singers don’t need to feel obligated to attend performances that don’t fit in their schedules.

Aase Haugen to host “Legal and Financial Planning
for Alzheimer’s Disease” presentation by the Alzheimer’s Association at June
Caregiver Support Group meeting

Northeast
Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) is partnering with the Alzheimer’s
Association to provide the program “Legal and Financial Planning for Alzheimer’s
Disease” at its monthly caregiver support group meeting, to take place on Monday,
June 17, at 10 am in the executive boardroom of Aase Haugen Nursing Home. This
one-hour presentation is free and open to the public.  

NEI3A
facilitates a monthly caregiver support group meeting at Aase Haugen, which
meets the 3^rd Monday of every month at 10 am. All caregivers of
elderly or disabled persons are welcomed and encouraged to attend. If
interested in the meeting and need more information, please contact Kelly
Kuennen, Family Caregiver Specialist at NEI3A, at 563-277-6024.

Join JOan for lively stories, songs, and finger plays in the Public Program Room of the library. Then stay and play for an additional 1/2 hour. Toys courtesy of Friends of Decorah Public Library.

Children 18 months to 3 years of age with an adult caregiver. No registration necessary.

A NEW program for tween boys entering 5th through 8th grades. Disconnect from technology and build positive friendships… collaborate, make, learn, and explore!

Use your creativity and coordination. Build an amazing structure during this open play program at the library or try one of our engineering challenges.

Pre-registration required at:

https://www.decorah.lib.ia.us/event-directory/unite-keva-planks

7:00-8:15 p.m. at the Methodist Church, 302 W Broadway St, Decorah, IA

We are a meditation practice and study group that gathers each week for a variety of meditation teaching videos/readings, group discussion, and guided and silent meditations. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to come and go weekly as fits your schedule. (There is no requirement to attend every week.)

We generally use curriculum from Tergar, an international meditation community dedicated to making the practice of meditation accessible to the modern world. We sometimes add in teachings from other meditation teachers connected to Tergar. The meditation and study is based on Buddhist teachings, but is presented in a secular manner and suitable for people of all faiths, as well as both beginning and experienced meditators.

We have relatively comfortable chairs for our meditation, but you are always welcome to bring a cushion or mat or anything you’d find more comfortable, and there will be space to sit on the floor if you wish.

The group is volunteer led. We are grateful for the use of the space at the Methodist Church. Please bring a couple dollars donation for the church if possible, but it’s not necessary.

Together we are learning the essentials of meditation. It’s easier than you think!

In meditation we explore the landscape of the heart and mind with awareness. What we discover is a true and lasting happiness that does not depend on the outer conditions of our lives. With this relaxed, spacious approach to meditation, we learn to use every experience in life as an opportunity to awaken.

Contact us for more information:
Becky Idstrom 563-379 9446 and beckyidstrom@gmail.com
Alicia Trout 563-419-7610 and alicia.jw.trout@gmail.com

Bring your Clean Energy Qs to Java Johns this Tuesday 

Join the Energy District staff this Tuesday, June 18th for an informal coffee hour at Java Johns. Bring your questions relating to:

*Renewable Energy
*Energy Efficiency for your home, farm, or business
*Local Energy Happenings
*Farm Energy Planning
*Carbon Footprint Calculating
*The Energy District Movement across Iowa

No need to register for this coffee hour. See you there!

Families are invited to come to Decorah Public Library on Tuesday, June 18th, 2019 at 1:00pm for an interactive science program with the emphasis on fun!

Join us for Absolute Science, an exciting educational program aimed at children of all ages to become engaged in the world of science through demonstrations and experiments.

The scientists of Absolute Science LOVE volunteers to help conduct their experiments, so come ready to explore STEM hands-on! Take part in dry ice explorations, fantastic foam experiments, and so much more!

Part of our Summer Reading Program, this event is free and open to the public. Sponsored by Friends of Decorah Public Library, Decorah United Methodist Church Trust Fund, and Marion E. Jerome Foundation.

Seating is limited, so pre-registration is required at:

https://www.decorah.lib.ia.us/event-directory/absolute-science-2

Make everyday a fiesta!

Join us at the Oneota Community Co Op Kitchen to create healthy and colorful Mexican dishes that are delicious and simple to make.

For middle-school aged girls entering 5th to 8th grade. 

Pre-registration is required at:

https://www.decorah.lib.ia.us/event-directory/connect-in-the-kitchen-for-tween-girls-viva-mexico

Tuesday, June 18 at T-Bocks underground, Decorah – come, invite others, to the mentoring social to meet current mentors, socialize, become inspired to mentor, and to enjoy free appetizers! *drinks available for purchase

June 18th Midsommer/Saint Hans 

Norwegian Tales and Songs 

6:00 p.m. at McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita 

Celebrate Midsommer/Saint Hans eve with a picnic-style supper at McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita. This is located a mile west of Decorah out past Twin Springs Park, a lovely short drive in the country! The evening will include Norwegian tales and songs. Please reserve by emailing pchasvold4@msn.com or call 563-379-3916. Cost of $15 may be paid at the door.

Come join the Decorah Running Club. We leave from Nordic Chiropractic (right next to Don Jose’s) every Tuesday night at 6pm! All runners welcomes! We start and end together but you can run your own pace or even walk/run. We do different routes each week!  For more info find us on facebook at: Decorah Running Club or call Dr. Laurie at 563-382-1099

AGE: Everyone

DATES: June 18-20

TIMES: Tuesday – Thursday, 6:30pm

COST: $15

LOCATION: ArtHaus Studio Courtyard

Sponsored by DECORAH BANK & TRUST in cooperation with Decorah Parks and Recreation

On TUESDAY, JUNE 18, slide into summer at the Decorah Municipal Pool! This free, family fun night will be from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, and will include free pool admission, a bouncy house, face painting, and other fun activities. Popcorn will be given away and pizza and other refreshments will be available for purchase.

Two great songwriters reunited! Namoli and Aimee met in Decorah back in 2007 and found an instant musical connection and friendship. It’s a true rarity to have them both in the same room and it promises to be a great night of song-swapping, stories, laughter and unbridled musical joy. Come share it! 

The St. Lucas Historical Society is pleased to invite you to learn what several outstanding museums and heritage societies are doing to preserve and celebrate their cultural heritage, particularly for the younger generations.

Workshop Details

This all-day Workshop will be held on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at the German American Museum in St. Lucas, Iowa. Workshop registration and coffee begins at 8:00 AM, the program runs from 9:00 AM to Noon, luncheon from 12:00 PM to 1:15 PM, program from 1:15 to 4:15 PM and the informal reception from 4:15 to 5:30 PM.

Carl Most, secretary of the Society, notes “The overall aim of the workshop is to honor the many cultural groups who shaped the history of eastern Iowa and to foster a greater amity and understanding among all of us who are their living descendants”.

Workshop Speakers

We have invited several key groups to share their efforts in preserving and celebrating cultural heritage. The following organizations intend to participate with speakers and some with displays in the Workshop:

• Ashley Pourier, the curator of the Cultural Heritage Center and Museum at the Red Cloud Indian School, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, speaking on “Red Cloud Heritage Center: A Continuum”.
• Jennifer Kovarik, the registrar and head of Youth Education, the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, Decorah, Iowa, speaking on “Vesterheim Cultural Heritage Preservation Initiatives”.
• Kelly Lao, the executive director of the German American Heritage Center and Museum, Davenport, Iowa, speaking on “Highlights in Preserving and Celebrating German Cultural Heritage and History”.
• David Muhlena, the director of the Library, National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, speaking on Czech and Slovak Cultural Heritage”.
• LaNisha Cassell, the executive director the African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, speaking on “Freedom: Relevance and Social Justice in Preserving African American History”.
• Felicite Wolfe, the curator for the African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, speaking on Bringing Vision to Life Through Exhibition”.
• Connie Kosshatka, the head of the organizing committee for the Czech Days Fest, Protivin, Iowa, speaking on “Celebrating Forty Years of Czech Fest Days: Keeping Heritage Alive”.
• Eileen Tlusty, the director, Family History and Documentation Center, Czech Heritage Partnership, Protivin, Iowa, speaking on “Czech Cultural Immersion: Masopust, Concerts, Language and Living in the Czech Republic”.
• Mildred Kjome, the president of the Decorah Genealogy Society, Decroah Iowa, speaking on “Destination Decorah: the Norwegians Come to Town”.
• Father Paul Breza, the founder and director of the Polish Cultural Institute and Museum, Winona, Minnesota, speaking on “Polish Cultural Heritage and History: Keeping It Alive”.
• Kurt Croell, the president of the Annual Irish Festival, Lawler, Iowa, speaking on “Reviving and Sustaining Irish Heritage: Eat, Drink and Dance”.
• Louise Ulrich, director, and teammates from Swedish American Museum and Historical Society, Swedesburg, Iowa, on “Preserving and Celebrating our Swedish Heritage”.
• LaRaw Maran, Professor Emeritus from the University of Illinois at Urbana, Champaign, Illinois, speaking on “Glimpses of Preserving Germanic Cultural Heritage in the Upper Midwest”.
• Russell Baldner, German linguist and historian, affiliated with the German American Museum, St. Lucas, Iowa, speaking on “The War Within: World War I and the Assault on German Identity in Iowa”.
• The German Language Department of the University of Iowa has sent the “Exhibit on Germans in Iowa History” for exhibit during the Workshop and for the summer. This exhibit has been displayed at several museums across the State of Iowa.

“The comparative examination of the role of cultural heritage in our lives may yield many interesting commonalities and approaches for cultural heritage preservation, sustainment and celebration in the 21st Century,” states Clair Blong of the Workshop program committee.

Why Participate?

You may ask “Why participate in this Workshop”? “The June 2018 Workshop drew 175 very curious persons to learn about “Hidden in Plain Sight: The Native American Presence in Northeast Iowa,” states Joyce Moss, vice president of the Society. “The Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin sent two renowned leaders to keynote the morning and afternoon sessions of the Workshop. These keynoters and other speakers generated a tremendous amount of public interest and press visibility for Native American historical issues and contemporary challenges.”

“We think this June 19th Workshop on cultural heritage preservation and celebration can also generate a great deal of interest”, Clair states, “We like to think of this Workshop as a ‘Chautauqua’ like experience; the adult education movement of the 19th and 20th centuries as a midsummer enlightening stimulus for the curious of mind in the Northeast Iowa area and the tri-state region”.

“The Workshop is strongly supported by many highly motivated volunteers from the community, across Northeast Iowa and other states”, Clair notes. “They are the mainstay for the success of this event.”

“Consider volunteering for the event, it a great way to build personal ties, increase happiness and foster community spirit”, says Virginia Manderfield, a register nurse and founding member of the Society.

Workshop Registration.

Early registration is vital for planning purposes. To pre-register for the Workshop online, go to our website stlucasmuseum.org and complete the registration form. To register by phone, call 563-778-2710 and leave your contact information, that is, name, phone number, and email address.

The Workshop event is supported by free-will donations. Donations will help cover the cost of printed programs, lunch, refreshments and snacks, audio-visual recording, photography, public address equipment, and related conference room and speaker expenses. The luncheon is a matching fund event sponsored by the Catholic Order of Foresters. The proceeds of the luncheon and the Forester matching funds will go toward the new HVAC in the chapel/auditorium.

For much more information about the St. Lucas Historical Society, see its Newsletters at stlucasmuseum.org.

Co-Dependents Anonymous (CoDA) is a fellowship of people whose common purpose is to develop healthy relationships. The only requirement for attending our meetings is a desire for healthy and loving relationships – with others, and with ourselves.

Not sure if you might be co-dependent? Some patterns are:

– thinking we can take care of ourselves without any help;

– difficulty making decisions, or second-guessing the decisions we made;

– believing we are unworthy;

– trouble setting boundaries – yet feeling resentful when others overstep those unstated boundaries;

– fear expressing our own opinions;

– offering advice or help without being asked;

– losing rest – or even sleep – worrying or obsessing about others and their problems;

– harshly judging ourselves and others… The list of patterns goes on.

We invite you to explore LIVING life rather than merely getting through life. There is hope for a new day with CoDA! It is suggested that newcomers try six basic meetings before deciding if CoDA is right for them.

We meet Wednesdays from 1-2pm at the Lingonberry, enter at 218 W Water Street. All attendees are always anonymous. Who attends and what is said stays absolutely confidential.

Let your imagination run wild! Stop by the Public Program Room of the Library to create, have fun, or try something new. The masterpiece you take home is entirely up to you!

For children 6 – 9 years of age. No registration necessary.

Oneota Film Festival is beginning to plan the 2020 Festival events and film collections. OFF meets monthly at the Northeast Iowa Peace & Justice Center, 119 Winnebago St., Decorah, IA 52101

Nancy Sojka, the OFF President, is searching for enthusiastic board members to contribute to the planning for next year. Join the ten-member board in selecting films, hosting screenings throughout the year, and continuing the excellent programming you have come to expect from this independent film festival. Contact Nancy at nsojka@gmail.com.

We invite you to bring in your poetry, or prose, or spoken word! Add it to the Word Salad. “Locally sourced. sometimes fresh.” Three minutes per person. You can sign up at the door at 6:45, show at 7:00.

June Melby is the author of My Family and Other Hazards, a memoir about her family’s miniature golf course. As a performance poet, she has been seen at the Knitting Factory and CBGBs in New York, LA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and poetry slams in Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and London.

Before and after the open mic, join us for vinyl night! Every Wednesday, bring your favorites and enjoy a few drink specials.

Come to the Courtyard and Cellar on Wednesday Nights, bring your records to share and discover new music with your fellow audiophiles!

June Melby is hosting a monthly open mic, every 3rd Wednesday of the month. She invites people to bring in their poetry, or prose, or spoken word. Add it to the Word Salad. “Locally sourced. sometimes fresh.”

Unlike the poetry slam, prose or stories are welcome, and we might even get comedy. Three minutes per person. You can sign up at the door at 6:45, show at 7:00.

This event will include a segment of “found poetry.” This segment will invite people to read something, like the back of a cereal box, as a poem, appreciating the words of it even if it clearly was never intended to be a poem. So you could bring in a grocery list you find lying in the parking lot. A page of abandoned homework from the library wastebasket. Or instructions for assembling some plumbing. She encourages people to “keep their eye out” and bring in a random thing to this segment.

June Melby is the author of My Family and Other Hazards, a memoir about her family’s miniature golf course. As a performance poet, she has been seen at the Knitting Factory and CBGBs in New York, LA Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, and poetry slams in Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam, and London.

Before and after the open mic, join us for vinyl night! Every Wednesday, bring your favorites and enjoy a few drink specials.

Calling all builders! Preschool and kindergarten aged children are invited to join us in the Public Program Room of the Library to build, create, and play.

For children 3 – 5 years of age. No registration necessary.

We have the Legos. You bring the imaginations! Join us for open play in the Public Program Room of the library.

For children 6 – 9 years of age. No registration necessary.

The History Book Group will discuss Patrick Radden Keefe’s “Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland” at 6:30 p.m. Thurs. June 20th on the 2nd floor of the library. Multiple copies available at the library.

In December 1972, Jean McConville, a thirty-eight-year-old mother of ten, was dragged from her Belfast home by masked intruders. Her abduction was one of the most notorious episodes of The Troubles. The violence affected not only people like McConville’s children, but also members of the Irish Republican Army embittered by a peace that fell far short of the goal of a united country. “Say Nothing” chronicles the conflict in Northern Ireland and its aftermath. 

For more information, contact Carmen
Buss (Friday Book Group) or Kristin Torresdal (Happy Hour and History Book
Groups) at 563-382-3717. Carmen can also be reached at cbuss@decorah.lib.ia.us. 

The Friday Book Group will meet at 2:00 p.m. Fri. June 21st on the 2^nd
floor of the library to discuss Rachel Kadish’s “The Weight of Ink.” The library does not carry multiple copies.

Set in London of the 1660s and of the early twenty-first century, “The Weight of Ink” is the
interwoven tale of two women: Ester Velasquez, an emigrant from Amsterdam
who is permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi; and Helen Watt, an ailing
historian with a love of Jewis history. Helen is summoned by a former student
to view a cache of seventeenth-century Jewish documents newly discovered in his
home during a renovation. Enlisting the help of an American graduate student,
Helen embarks on one last project: to determine the identity of the documents’
scribe, the elusive “Aleph.” 

For more information, contact Carmen
Buss (Friday Book Group) or Kristin Torresdal (Happy Hour and History Book
Groups) at 563-382-3717. Carmen can also be reached at cbuss@decorah.lib.ia.us. 

Join us at the first annual Driftless Yoga Festival!

Attendees of the first annual Driftless Yoga Festival in Decorah will gather at multiple locations throughout the region for a weekend of yoga, cycling, local food and drink, and activities designed around yoga, connection, and movement.

The event kicks off on the Summer Solstice, Friday, June 21st, with yoga at Luna Valley Farm, followed by the option to stay on and enjoy wood-fired pizza and local craft brews. Participants will register and receive Sanga Bags filled with inspiration to explore area businesses. Saturday morning will begin with optional Sunrise Yoga and take attendees on a series of available experiences at locations throughout the community that include Reefuel, B. Fit Studio, Phelps Park, Malanaphy Springs, Oneota Food Co-op, The Healing Shack, and The Yoga Room. Sunday’s events will wrap up the action-packed weekend with a morning yoga class at Carl Selland Park and a Community Potluck at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company.

The Driftless Yoga Festival features notable Midwest practitioners including Molly Gallagher, and Dr. Libby Abbas of Decorah, Brent Aronsen of Des Moines, Moya Matthews of Minneapolis, and many more. The organizers hope this is just the first year of an annual event that could further cement Northeast Iowa as a rare Midwest destination teeming with both great natural beauty and endless opportunities to reset, relax, and recreate.

The event is sponsored by Reefuel, Luna Valley Farm, Inspired Media, Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, Letter Werks, and Still Life Creative.

Join the Northeast Iowa Dairy Foundation in celebrating the 10th Annual Breakfast on the Farm!

The event will be held Saturday, June 22, 2019 from 8:30 am – Noon at Iowa’s Dairy Center located south of Calmar. We’ll be serving up a delicious breakfast of Dad’s Belgian Waffles and sausage complete with dairy products including butter and whipped cream, yogurt, cheese, milk and of course, ice cream! This event is sure to be our biggest and best one yet with lots of activities to keep your family busy all morning including:

• Guided tram tours of Iowa’s Dairy Center and NICC Beef Center
• Hand milk a cow
• Scavenger hunt
• Petting zoo
• Story Time with the Dairy Princess
• Farm themed yoga
• Cow and tractor inflatables
• Corn pools
• Robotic milking demonstrations
• Agriculture education exhibits
• And more!

Breakfast on the Farm will be held rain or shine. Donations are accepted the day of and parking is available on-site. For more information, visit our website and Facebook event. See you there!

Dragonfly Books is thrilled to partner with the Winneshiek Farmers Market and the Oneota Community Food Co-op to present a cooking demonstration with award winning cookbook author Beth Dooley and renowned food photographer Mette Nielsen. Dooley and Nielsen will prepare food from their new cookbook Sweet Nature at the Winneshiek Farmers Market on Saturday, June 22 at 10:00 AM.

Everyone is invited to meet Dooley and Nielsen, sample their delicious creations using local food from the Winneshiek Farmers Market, and pick up a copy of their new cookbook Sweet Nature: A Cook’s Guide to Using Honey and Maple Syrup. This free event is sponsored by Dragonfly Books, the Winneshiek Farmers Market, and the Oneota Community Food Co-op.

Burr Oak’s Annual Laura Day Celebration!

Come celebrate the life of famed author, Laura Ingalls Wilder, and her time in Burr Oak, Iowa. Saturday’s events include free Children’s pioneer games, craft demonstrations and hands-on activities; Story Time Under the Trees; Checkers Tournament; Parade at 12 noon, Wagon Rides; The GrassRun Bluegrass band performing two sets; Stage Show – “Quilting with Laura Ingalls Wilder” by Linda Halpin; Raffles; Food Tent and so much more! Tours of the Masters Hotel every half hour (admission charged).

AGE: Everyone

DATE: Saturday, June 22

TIME: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

INSTRUCTOR: Frances Garst-Kittleson

COST: $75

LOCATION: ArtHaus Studio

Root to Rise Community Yoga is an all-levels alignment based
class that cultivates connection, curiosity, and balance.  Join us for a practice that allows you to
pause, breathe, and move with intention. 
You can expect variations, repetition, and guidance towards a peak pose
to both meet you where you are at and help you play the line of growth.  When you are deeply rooted you are able to
expand out into your life with renewed energy and vitality.

We carry inside us the wonders we seek outside us.  –Rumi

The Dead Horses are returning to Luna Valley Farm on Saturday, June 22nd for an evening of music under the summer solstice moon. Last time Sarah and Daniel played here, their music was so magical, there were shooting stars over the stage! Join us for what is sure to be a downright dreamy evening.

Tickets are $15 in advance / $20 at the gate (unless sold out).

Farm gates open at 5pm and we will be selling wood fired pizza before the show and local beer, cider, wine and soda throughout the entire evening. No BYOB.

At fifteen, Dead Horses frontwoman Sarah Vos’ world turned upside down. Raised in a strict, fundamentalist home, Vos lost everything when she and her family were expelled from the rural Wisconsin church where her father had long served as pastor. What happened next is the story of Dead Horses’ stunning album, My Mother the Moon, a record full of trauma and triumph, despair and hope, pain and resilience.

Blending elements of traditional roots with contemporary indie folk, Dead Horses writes music that is both familiar and unexpected, unflinchingly honest in its portrayal of modern American life, yet optimistic in its unshakable faith in brighter days to come.

Described by NPR Music as “evocative, empathetic storytelling,” My Mother the Moon earned a spot in No Depression’s “Best Roots Music Albums of 2018” list, and Rolling Stone Country declared the Wisconsin-based duo an “Artist You Need to Know.”

Listen: deadhorses.net/music

Don’t miss a chance to take a whirl around the schoolhouse. The quintessential event on a summer’s evening in northeast Iowa. Waltz, polka, schottische, two step or just smile and take it in. Bring a water bottle and wear your dancin’ shoes.

Stop by from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. in Vesterheim’s Bruening Visitor Center, 502 W. Water Street, to learn a tune, share a tune, jam with us, or just come to listen.

Bring any instrument you play and join in. This informal music collaboration is great fun for all levels and happens the fourth Sunday of each month.

Drop in whenever it works in your schedule. No charge. Recording device advised.

For more info contact Martha Griesheimer at mgriesheimer@vesterheim.org.

Join the 2019 Driftless Safari and enjoy exploring some of the natural, cultural, and historic treasures of Winneshiek County!

Driftless Safari is a long-term scavenger hunt that runs from Memorial Day until Halloween. The program is free and open to anyone that loves to explore and wants to experience some of the special places of Winneshiek County.

To participate, visit any Winneshiek County library during their operating hours to pick up a free map and guidebook.

The purpose of Driftless Safari is to help residents of and visitors to Winneshiek County engage in healthful physical activity, to increase awareness of and connections to the natural, historical, and cultural environments of Winneshiek County, and to foster a sense of community engagement and environmental stewardship in participants.

The 2019 Driftless Safari is made possible through the generous support of the Center for Sustainable Communities at Luther College, Sugar Bowl Ice Cream Company, the Winneshiek Soil and Water Conservation District, Winneshiek County Conservation, and the public libraries of Winneshiek County.

Rosemalers from throughout the United States will gather at
Luther College, Decorah, IA, June 24-27, 2019 to study and practice the Norwegian
decorative folk art of rosemaling.

“Rosemalers Coast to Coast (RCC) is excited to host the second
rosemaling convention in Decorah,” Founder and Board President, Lois Mueller, enthusiastically
notes. “After hosting a successful convention in Decorah in 2018, attendees
were so impressed with the community of Decorah, Vesterheim, and the classes that
they encouraged the board to consider offering another convention in Decorah
the following year. The board listened! With less than 12 months to plan the
next convention, the board immediately began making plans for the 2019 convention
and now we are only eight weeks away from our second convention.”

The convention offers four full
days of classes for all levels of painters including a pre-beginning class
taught by RCC board member and talented rosemaling instructor Nancy Odalen. New
this year is a pre-convention event at the Giants of the Earth Heritage Center
in Spring Grove on Sunday, June 23 sponsored by the Center and the Sons of
Norway, Valheim Lodge of Spring Grove. Joining convention attendees on the bus
will be guides from the Winneshiek County Historical Society who will share the
rich history of Decorah and Winneshiek County. There will also be behind-the-scenes
tours of the special collections at Decorah’s Vesterheim Norwegian-American
Museum and an evening reception at Vesterheim and the annual banquet on Tuesday,
June 25, evening at Luther College following the membership meeting at 5:45pm
in Marty’s. The Coulee Region Rosemalers are organizing Make It Take It classes
which are scheduled on Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon. Vendors will be available
to purchase painting supplies and wood crafts from recognized wood crafters at
Luther College during the convention. The association will host its annual
meeting during the convention on Tuesday afternoon.

Convention attendees will have the first opportunity to purchase
the 2019 Rosemaling book published by RCC. The book will be released at the “Evening
at the Museum” reception. Artists featured in the new book will be available to
autograph books. This year RCC members will have the opportunity to select
artwork for the 2020 book.

If you are a seasoned Rosemaler
or have always been interested in learning Rosemaling, there is a class for you
at the 2019 Rosemaling Coast to Coast convention. This year’s talented pool of instructors
include: Gold Medalist Lois Mueller (WI), Gold Medalist Andrea Herkert (WI),
Nancy Odalen (WI), Lori Larkey (OR), Diane Edwards (CO), Kristen Birkeland (UT),
Kim Garrett (MN), Lise Lorentzen (MD) teaching both oil and acrylic classes.

Register today by visiting www.rosemalingcoast2coast.com
for the full convention schedule, list of classes, and registration form. If
you have any questions about the convention or membership, contact Lois Mueller
at nordic@mhtc.net or Nancy Odalen at
naodalen@charter.net.

The purpose of the Rosemalers
Coast to Coast, Inc. is to celebrate the art of rosemaling through a national
organization that assists, supports and enriches the artistic activities of the
individual while strengthening the rosemaling community through newsletters,
articles, books and biennial conventions. For more membership information,
visit us at www.rosemalingcoast2coast.com
or on Facebook. Contact President Lois Mueller at nordic@mhtc.net with any questions about the
association.

Feed your inner maker! Join Eric Sovern from Cardboard Robot for hands-on workshops at the library.

UNITE is a new program for tween boys entering 5th through 8th grades. 
Separate registration for each date is required:

– June 24th – http://ow.ly/PSPn50uCiBf

– August 5th – http://ow.ly/TYvQ50uCiJz

– August 19th – http://ow.ly/Fi2Q50uCiLk

DGA JUNE MEETING Monday, June 24. 7 pm in the Senior Center. Cam Forde will present a program about the 1893 Columbian Exposition (World’s Fair) in Chicago. Cam has collected memorabilia from the Columbian Exposition and will bring us a display of the items relevant to her talk. Many Winneshiek Co. residents attended, traveling by train from Decorah to Chicago.

Satisfy your sweet tooth. Join us at the Co-op Kitchen classroom to make insanely easy no-bake desserts!

For middle-school-aged girls entering 5th through 8th grades. Pre-registration is required at:

https://www.decorah.lib.ia.us/event-directory/connect-in-the-kitchen-for-tween-girls-just-desserts

Join Ms. Nicki for stories, gamers, and fun at Phelps Park! In the case of inclement weather, this program will be held at the library.

For children 3 – 5 years of age. No registration necessary.

The Decorah Municipal Band performs Wednesday, June 26, for Music in the Park in downtown Spring Grove, Minnesota, at 6:30 pm. The band is under the direction of Jim Fritz and Merlyn Finley. Bring a friend and find a cozy place to sit and enjoy the live music! More at decorahmuniband.org.

The Decorah Municipal Band performs Thursday, June 27, for Lawn Chair Night in front of the Winneshiek County Courthouse at 7:00 pm. The band is under the direction of Jim Fritz and Merlyn Finley. Bring a friend and find a cozy place to sit and enjoy the live music! More at decorahmuniband.org.

The second annual Dorian Choral Retreat will be held June 28-30 at Luther College.  Spend a summer weekend in a community of song!  All people who enjoy singing are welcome to attend this weekend of choral rehearsals, breakout sessions, and social events.  This event is open to anyone – no need to be a graduate of Luther, or to be currently or recently singing in a choir. Rehearsals and sessions will be led by Luther College choral faculty and by invited, nationally known choral musician guests.   Registration fees vary based on housing choice.  Visit our webpage for more details and to enroll! 

The Dorian Choral Retreat, now in its second year, will be hosted this summer at Luther College June 28-30.

This event is available to all who are interested and at least 19 years of age. There is a fee of $125 with no on-campus housing over the course of the retreat, or $175 for a single, air-conditioned room Friday and Saturday night on campus. A $10 discount is offered to people who are coming with a roommate. Registration for the event can be found at https://www.luther.edu/music/dorian/summer-camps/adult-dorian/enroll/.

The Dorian Choral Retreat is ideal for Luther alumni, music educators, church musicians, career musicians and folks who just love singing. The goal of the weekend is to be a musical retreat, a way to recharge batteries, an opportunity to take a break from everyday life and a time to explore Decorah and Luther College.  In its inaugural year, over 200 singers from 19 states participated.

The retreat will be led by Luther College choral faculty, including Dr. Andrew Last, director of choral activities. Last is part of a vibrant choral program at Luther that includes three choral faculty, nearly 500 singers, five choral ensembles, numerous regional and national American Choral Directors Association convention performances, and an annual presentation of the Christmas at Luther performances.

Learn more about the retreat at: https://tinyurl.com/choralretreat.

Luther is home to one of the largest collegiate music programs in the nation, with five choirs, three orchestras, three bands, two jazz bands and more than 800 student musicians. Luther students participate in large ensembles, faculty-coached chamber groups, private lessons and master classes. Nearly 275 music majors study music theory, ear training, history, education, composition, jazz, church music and performance.

Donating blood is safe, simple and it saves lives. It takes just one hour to make a life-saving blood donation, which will impact the lives of up to three different hospital patients. You can make a difference in your community by helping to maintain the local blood supply when you donate blood with LifeServe Blood Center.

Give your life-saving gift at the upcoming blood drive at Winneshiek Medical Center on Friday, June 28 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm on the lower level of the medical center.

Appointments are recommended, but walk-in donors will be worked into the schedule as time allows. To schedule an appointment, go online to www.lifeservebloodcenter.org or contact Marketing & Communications 563-382-2911 or at communityrelations@winmedical.org. 

The LifeServe Blood Center requires all donors to provide identification, such as your Blood Center donor card, driver’s license, etc. Eligible donors must be at least 16 years of age, in general good health and weigh at least 120 pounds.

Red cross blood drive

Friday June 28 noon/6pm.  S

tone Ridge community church

1111 Montgomery ST. Decorah

Open: Friday, June 28 through August 3

Hours: Monday – Saturday 1-5

Location: ArtHaus Gallery

Sponsored by: Decorah Bank and Trust Company

Take home some pottery, fine jewelry, paintings and prints while supporting local talent and the livelihoods of your creative neighbors!  This 5-week pop-up shop will take the place of ArtHaus’ Nordic Fest Art Fair and will be open for guests throughout the month.

Mike McAbee quit his job as a trucker in 2000 and has been traveling the Midwest to perform ever since. He is a talented musician, but that doesn’t stop him from mixing in silly songs about peeing outside. This is a show you won’t want to miss! $5 cover charge.

Date: Friday, June 28

Time: 7:30 pm

Cost: Donation for ArtHaus adult programming

Location: Dunning’s Spring Park

Join ArtHaus instructors and other artists in an event geared toward raising funds for adult programming at ArtHaus.  The Plein Air Fundraiser consists of an evening painting, sketching, or creating in the medium of your choice amid the elements of nature.  Easels, paper, and some supplies will be provided for those wanting to experiment outside their own materials.

Decorah Parks and Recreation is partnering with local yoga instructors to offer free yoga in the park!

Join Mikah Jaschke with Root to Rise Community Yoga 10-11am on June 29th for a wonderful free yoga class. Bring a yoga mat or towel and join us in the green space west of John Cline Elementary School. No previous experience necessary and no need to register, just show up.

This program is sponsored by Gundersen Health Clinic and Winneshiek Medical Center.

Musician, poet and bicycle advocate Ben Weaver, along with ceramic artist Anna Metcalfe, will lead a Group Bicycle Ride on the Root River State Trail from Lanesboro to nearby Whalan, MN beginning at 10:00 a.m. on June 29. The journey will include a mid-ride stop with Ben and Anna at the gazebo in John Whaalahan Park in Whalan for a musical performance and exchange of stories while enjoying morning tea & snacks. Please arrive early as the group will depart promptly from the Lanesboro Visitor Center, 100 Milwaukee Rd, at 10:00 a.m. The group will arrive back in Lanesboro around 12:00 p.m. (noon).

This is a free-will donation / pay-what-you-can event. Space is limited and advance registration is helpful for planning purposes. Click here to REGISTER IN ADVANCE! Registration includes agreement to the safety and liability release forms, which you can also view and download here. This document is automatically sent to participants in the confirmation e-mail as well.

This event is happening in conjunction with an evening Film Screening & Concert, “Music for Free on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route” with Ben Weaver, at 7:00 p.m. at the St Mane Theatre. Click here to learn more and purchase tickets to the evening film & concert.

As an artist that has traveled by bicycle around Lake Michigan and the length of the Mississippi River, Ben Weaver is exceptionally motivated to take risks as a community builder by putting himself into new and different situations for authentic community engagement that draws upon his experiences in order to bring new perspectives and a renewed sense of energy and urgency to the work and lives of Lanesboro area community members.

This event, as well as the film & concert later in the day, offer community members an opportunity to continue dialog around the issues and ideas explored during Ben’s previous visits to Lanesboro. Reflecting on his upcoming visit, Ben shares, “I am excited to return to Lanesboro. It will feel particularly meaningful to reconnect with the community whose members have helped inform my own process of story collecting and sharing.” Ben adds, “The importance and value of unification through diversity has been an ongoing topic of discussion between myself and the people of Lanesboro each time I have visited. I am curious to see how that will continue to evolve in connection to this new project of mine.”

Artist Anna Metcalfe‘s community-engaged “Upstream” project is a decade-long investigation of the waters of the Upper Midwest that reflects her abiding connection with water. With a background in clay, Metcalfe is interested in how social engagement is endemic to craft and how it can be a conduit for social and environmental change. Her work investigates relationship to landscape and water through community storytelling and personal narrative.

Metcalfe is returning to Lanesboro, following her Tea & Conversation events in Gateway Park this past September, to join Ben Weaver in helping build connections and share stories between both neighbors and strangers within a watershed through tea drinking, a simple and a universally-understood action that will serve as the mechanism by which stories are collected and shared.

Decorah, IA – – As part of the Waukon Harley-Davidson family picnic day on June 29,
2019, Stilettos on Steel (Upper Iowa Chapter), a national, all-female
motorcycle riding group, is hosting a benefit luncheon for Thunder Rode. Thunder
Rode is a therapeutic horsemanship program for individuals with special needs. Lunch
is from 11 am – 2 pm and is a free-will donation with food provided by Waukon
Harley-Davidson located at 208 Hwy 9 SW, Waukon, IA.

Stilettos on Steel’s passion is to unite female motorcyclists of all skill levels for friendship,
support, and peer-to-peer or professional learning opportunities that will make
them safe, knowledgeable, strong and street smart motorcycle operators and to promote
an image that feminine women possess the mental and physical skills needed to
operate and own a motorcycle.

Thunder Rode serves residents from Allamakee, Howard and Winneshiek Counties, IA and Fillmore County, MN.  The current service
offerings are Sports Therapy, Iowa Thunder Youth Empowerment, and Tri-state Thunder
Vets – service for Veterans.  Proceeds
from the benefit enable Thunder Rode to assist all who can benefit from the
program, whether or not they can afford services.

For any questions, please contact Waukon Harley-Davidson at 563-568-3471.

Lanesboro Arts presents “Music for Free on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route,” a film screening and concert event with artist Ben Weaver at the St. Mane Theatre in downtown Lanesboro on Saturday, June 29 at 7:00 p.m. Ben is a Saint Paul-based songwriter, musician, poet, letterpress artist, cyclist and outdoor adventure advocate that is returning to engage with the Lanesboro area community following a pair of outreach events in 2017 and a mini-residency in 2018. His film “Music For Free…” is a beautiful journey down the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, exploring wilderness, what it means to be wild, and examining the common denominators that unify all humans who share this planet.

Ben, along with ceramic artist Anna Metcalfe, will lead a Group Bicycle Ride on the Root River State Trail to nearby Whalan, MN beginning at 10:00 a.m. on June 29. The journey will include a stop with Ben and Anna at the gazebo in John Whaalahan Park in Whalan for live performances and the exchange of stories while enjoying morning tea & snacks.  Please click here to learn more and register for the Group Bicycle Ride with Ben and Anna.

Adventure films often position the athletes as the heroes. Ben Weaver has always felt this approach leaves out an important part of the story. The part about the people who helped along the way. “Music for Free…” follows Ben’s journey as he pedaled 3,000 miles in June 2018 from Banff, Alberta, Canada to Antelope Wells, New Mexico, U.S.A, with filmmaker Keenan Desplanques in order to tell a different kind of adventure story. Stopping in the communities along the way, Ben gave free performances and offered thanks to the people who continue to support the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (the longest mapped, off-road bikepacking route in the world) and its riders. Ben believes mountain vistas and overcoming physical challenge are not nearly as inspiring as listening to a stranger tell their story, and in it, hearing your own. If “Music for Free…” had a chorus it would be this: The people are the heroes.

For Ben, an artist is a person who believes in the impossible. They are the representatives of awe, the kinds of people who set off into the storm with no matches. Artists are the ones who lay down on the ground and wrestle with the wolves, metaphorically and sometimes literally.  Artists keep the truth of a spirit breathing, constantly in pursuit of an energy, a source, a language larger than the sum of our petty concerns. For Ben, it’s about reciprocity, a way of listening and sharing, observing and making for more than oneself. The artist makes visible for a moment the potential of the human spirit for those who may not otherwise be able to see it.

The film screening & concert on June 29, as well as the Group Bicycle Ride earlier in the day, offer community members an opportunity to continue dialog around the issues and ideas explored during Ben’s previous visits to Lanesboro. Reflecting on his upcoming visit, Ben shares, “I am excited to return to Lanesboro. It will feel particularly meaningful to reconnect with the community whose members have helped inform my own process of story collecting and sharing.” Ben adds, “The importance and value of unification through diversity has been an ongoing topic of discussion between myself and the people of Lanesboro each time I have visited. I am curious to see how that will continue to evolve in connection to this new project of mine.”

Please note:

• The St. Mane Theatre box office will open at 6:00 p.m. the day of the film & concert. Tickets will also be sold in-person beginning at that time.
• New in 2019: Each ticket purchased with a bank card will be charged an additional processing fee of $0.99. Patrons can avoid this processing fee by paying via cash or check in the Lanesboro Arts Gallery, or before the show in the St. Mane Theatre lobby.
• If you are unable to purchase tickets online or need additional assistance, you may try calling 507-467-2446 to purchase a ticket over the phone during business hours. Tickets are also sold in-person during business hours at Lanesboro Arts Gallery.
• We will have a list of the names of tickets buyers at the box office beginning at 6:00 p.m. If the buyer and their guests arrive together, no physical receipt or proof of purchase is needed in order to be admitted to the event–we will have a list!
• Alternatively, attendees can also present a printed copy of the ticket PDF the ticket buyer was e-mailed or simply pull it up and present it on a smart device.
• Lanesboro Arts is committed to accessibility for all people. Learn more about our access services.

Decorah’s own Maritza is coming back for an outdoor show at The Courtyard! $5 cover charge.

About Maritza:
Named for a river in Bulgaria, Maritza was born during a jam session among Pine Wilson and friends in 1998 in Decorah, Iowa. Pine’s love for Eastern European music and folk dance was the impetus for the band to take shape. Maritza’s repertoire includes evocatively beautiful melodies forged in the passionate history of Europe and Russia, lively Jewish wedding dance horas and frailachs, Gypsy (Romany) music, and twisting rhythmic line dance tunes from Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia and Greece.

We’re hosting a field day with Practical Farmers of Iowa, with sponsorship from Decorah Bank and Trust, to talk about the process of revitalizing our family farm.

Started in 1888, our farm faces many challenges as we look to the future.  It’s no longer possible to farm a relatively small acreage in a “status quo” way and be profitable, so we’ve had to diversify and experiment.  Come learn about how direct marketing, pasture based meat production, and running antique equipment is helping us sustain our farm for the fifth generation of our family. 

This event is open to all, with lunch at noon, followed by the field day and a tour of our antique equipment collection. Please RSVP for lunch at the link below to help us plan!

AGE: 9 – 12 years

DATES: July 1-3

TIMES: Monday – Wednesday, 10am – 2pm

Register by May 18: $60+ $35 materials ($5 an hour)

Register after May 18: $70 + $35 materials ($6 an hour)

LOCATION: ArtHaus Studio and Ludeking Farm

Everyone is welcome to attend to help advocate for our climate in a bi-partisan, respectful and effective manner. Meetings are held the first Monday of every month, 5:30-7 PM. Attendees are welcome to bring a sack supper. To learn more, click on the link below, or email neiaclimate@gmail.com.

Dragonfly Books invites everyone to a free ticketed event, an Evening in Conversation with Chris and Emily Norton, on Monday, July 1 at 7:00 p. m. at Carrie Lee Elementary Auditorium in Decorah.  Chris and Emily will be discussing their upcoming book The Seven Longest Yards (Zondervan, 2019) . This moderated conversation provides attendees a unique opportunity to hear from Chris and Emily a week before the book is published! This event is hosted by Dragonfly Books, Decorah’s independent bookstore. 

Chris Norton won the hearts and admiration of people across the nation with his faith, courage and determination on his inspiring journey from his spinal cord injury playing football as a Luther College freshman in 2010 that left him with only a three percent chance of ever standing again to walking across the graduation stage with fiance Emily at his side in 2015. Chris’s CaringBridge posts demonstrated his remarkable positivity in the face of overwhelming odds, the importance of hope, and the power of prayer, as did the memoir co-authored with his father The Power of Faith When Tragedy Strikes.

This current book continues their uplifting story of partnership and faith in God which have continued to guide them through his ongoing physical challenges and her battle with depression and anxiety to their next walk together down the wedding aisle and into their new life after welcoming 5 adopted girls and 17 foster children into their home and hearts.

If you would like to guarantee an autographed copy of “The Seven Longest Yards”, tickets are available for $29 (the cost of the book plus tax) at https://chrisnortondecorah.brownpapertickets.com/ or in store at Dragonfly Books. Free tickets to guarantee a seat are available at Dragonfly Books.

To learn more about this and other events at Dragonfly Books, please visit www.dragonflybooks.com , or contact us at events@dragonflybooks.com or 563-382-4275.

Decorah Parks and Recreation is partnering with local yoga instructors to offer free yoga in the park!

Join Libby Abbas with Reefuel 10-11am on July 6th for a wonderful free yoga class. Bring a yoga mat or towel and join us in the green space west of John Cline Elementary School. No previous experience necessary and no need to register, just show up.

This program is sponsored by Gundersen Health Clinic and Winneshiek Medical Center.

AGE: 4 – 6 years

DATES: July 8-11

TIMES: Monday – Thursday, 9am-2pm

Register by May 18: $100+ $25 materials ($5 an hour)

Register after May 18: $120 + $25 materials ($6 an hour)

LOCATION: Crave Dance Studio and ArtHaus Studio

Join Joan for lively stories, songs, and finger plays in the Public Program Room of the library. Then stay and play for an additional 1/2 hour. Toys courtesy of Friends of Decorah Public Library.

Children 18 months to 3 years of age with an adult caregiver. No registration necessary.

Everyone is invited to celebrate with local author David Faldet as he talks about his new novel King on Monday, July 8 at 7:00 PM. Books are for sale now at Dragonfly Books!

More information to come.

How do we achieve resilience in the Upper Iowa Watershed?

The Upper Iowa River Watershed Resiliency Plan, which was developed by the Upper Iowa River Watershed Management Authority and their partners, seeks to improve and protect ground and surface water quality; reduce the risk to and impact of flooding to social, economic and ecological systems; and build human and landscape resiliency. It is a comprehensive plan that calls us all to action and it sets the stage for success.

Join Ross Evelsizer, Watershed Planner from Northeast Iowa Resource Conservation and Development, for a program discussing how increased flood frequencies, repeated damage to public infrastructure, changing precipitation patterns, and water quality concerns impact the future of Winneshiek County residents.

Hear about how these issues are being addressed by the Upper Iowa Watershed Management Authority and how you can be involved!

Sliding scale ($5-$15) for donations accepted. NEIPJC appreciates your support in bringing quality programming to Northeast Iowa and beyond.

Join Ms. Nicki for stories, gamers, and fun at Phelps Park! In the case of inclement weather, this program will be held at the library.

For children 3 – 5 years of age. No registration necessary.

Dragonfly Books welcomes Iowa author Claire Lombardo with her debut novel The Most Fun We Ever Had on Thursday, July 11 at 7:00 PM. Everyone is invited to this free event.

“Everything about this brilliant debut cuts deep: the humor, the wisdom, the pathos. Claire Lombardo writes like she’s been doing it for a hundred years, and like she’s been alive for a thousand.”
–Rebecca Makkai, author of The Great Believers

Claire Lombardo is a fiction writer, teacher, and Post-It enthusiast.  Claire is a 2017 graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and has been the recipient of an Iowa Arts Fellowship, a Sun Valley Writers’ Conference Fellowship, and a Key West Literary Seminar Scholarship. She is currently an adjunct professor of creative writing at the University of Iowa, and she also teaches fiction writing at the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio. Her short fiction has appeared in, among others, Barrelhouse Magazine, Little Fiction, and Longform. Her short story, “I Only Want to Talk About the Nice Things,” was one of 2016’s Best of the Net, and was #1 on Longform’s 2015 fiction list.

Claire has worked as a paralegal, a nanny, a temp, and a staff writer at a woodwind non-profit. She is not a woodwind musician. She has half of a master’s degree in social work. Born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, she now lives in Iowa City, where she is at work on a second novel.