Category: Community

Welcome to “Rhymes With Lansing” – a mini-series of podcast shows featuring just a few of the amazing folks that call Lansing, Iowa home. Recorded in the Spring of 2024, these shows represent a snapshot in time of life in one of Iowa’s great, rural, Mississippi River towns. Find the intro show to this series here.

Melissa & Nick Hammell are both business owners (and spouses!) on Main Street in Downtown Lansing, Iowa – and so much more. Melissa started Simply Salon several years ago, now located in the same building, above The Safe House Saloon, which Nick runs alongside a crew of craft beer and pizza slingers. 

As anyone that has lived in a small town can tell you (population 951 at last count…) being a part of the community means wearing a lot of different “hats”. And my, the hats that Melissa and Nick wear and have worn! From being parents, to running 2 businesses, to being mayor (!), volunteering with the Fire Department, and more. This couple knows what it means to be part of their community. But the best part about small town life – you can be a part of the community too! Listen in to hear about life in Lansing – on this episode of “Rhymes With Lansing”!

Photo Courtesy of Walking Space

Welcome to “Rhymes With Lansing” – a mini-series of podcast shows featuring just a few of the amazing folks that call Lansing, Iowa home. Recorded in the Spring of 2024, these shows represent a snapshot in time of life in one of Iowa’s great, rural, Mississippi River towns. Find the intro show to this series here.

Andrew Boddicker is the Executive Director of Main Street Lansing, as well as owner of Walking Space – which provides opportunities for long distance walking retreats in the Driftless Region. 

On this show we talk all things Lansing, Iowa – “Where Main Street Meets the Mississippi”. Lansing continues to be a lively, creative, rural town in the very NE Corner of Iowa – just across the river from La Crosse, WI and mere miles from the Minnesota state line. 

Main Streets Lansing provides a framework for the town to continue finding paths forward to flourish on several fronts – from physical improvements, to funding opportunities, helping connect volunteers with projects, and so much more. 

Andrew and his husband Ian Zahren have lived in Lansing for several years, chaired Lansing’s RAGBRAI end host committee, both taught public education, and dedicated years to rural Iowa and beyond. 

Check it all out and listen to the entire conversation – then go visit Lansing, Iowa – one of Iowa’s best kept River Town secrets! 

Rhymes With Lansing is being made possible by the generous support of the Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative and Dairyland Power, with additional support from Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism. A special thank you to Lansing Office Works for hosting the recording of these shows – find Lansing Works on Main Street for co-working, meeting, and commercial kitchen space –www.lansingofficeworks.com
To find out more about Lansing Iowa – where Main Street meets the Mississippi visit www.lansingiowa.com

“Rhymes With…” is a companion podcast project of Inspire(d) Media – find us online at www.iloveinspired.com

Original music for the “Rhymes With Lansing” series by Benji Nichols. 

Erin Cubbon, Naturalist, Allamakee Co Conservation

Welcome to “Rhymes With Lansing” – a mini-series of podcast shows featuring just a few of the amazing folks that call Lansing, Iowa home. Recorded in the Spring of 2024, these shows represent a snapshot in time of life in one of Iowa’s great, rural, Mississippi River towns. Find the intro show to this series here.

Driftless Area Education & Visitor Center

Erin Cubbon is a naturalist for Allamakee County Conservation, based out of the amazing Driftless Area Education & Visitor Center, on the south end of Lansing. Join us to hear her tails of critters, rivers, and culture from the Upper Mississippi River Valley (and beyond!). 

Better yet, catch Erin in action at the Driftless Visitors Center – or hear the many tales -and tails- from working with students young (and young at heart) from across the region via educational opportunities. 

Check it all out and listen to the entire conversation – then go visit Lansing, Iowa – one of Iowa’s best kept River Town secrets! (Did we mention the Driftless Visitors Center is FREE!?)

Rhymes With Lansing is being made possible by the generous support of the Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative and Dairyland Power, with additional support from Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism. A special thank you to Lansing Office Works for hosting the recording of these shows – find Lansing Works on Main Street for co-working, meeting, and commercial kitchen space –www.lansingofficeworks.com
To find out more about Lansing Iowa – where Main Street meets the Mississippi visit www.lansingiowa.com

“Rhymes With…” is a companion podcast project of Inspire(d) Media – find us online at www.iloveinspired.com

Original music for the “Rhymes With Lansing” series by Benji Nichols. 

Baby Rattle Snakes at the Driftless Visitors Center in Lansing, Iowa!
(No, really, they’re adorable!)

Maryann Baldwin, Lansing Entrepreneur

Welcome to “Rhymes With Lansing” – a mini-series of podcast shows featuring just a few of the amazing folks that call Lansing, Iowa home. Recorded in the Spring of 2024, these shows represent a snapshot in time of life in one of Iowa’s great, rural, Mississippi River towns. Find the intro show to this series here.

Maryann Baldwinn’s story is one of building community and seeing opportunities when they’ve presented themselves. From an early background in broadcasting, a career in media and marketing took her across the country – until she and her husband found the Lansing area in 2013.

Her work in mentoring local entrepreneurs, supporting city and community agencies, volunteering on boards like Main Street Lansing, and running the coworking space, Lansing Office Works (or “The Works” as it’s known) shows just a few of the gifts that she shares with her community.  

Maryann and Benji recording at Lansing Office Works, April 2024

In a Community Builder feature from the “Summer 2022” issue of Inspire(d) Magazine, Maryann says “The way I see it, I’ve just created a garden. I provide the sunlight and fertilizer and water, and then I stand back and let it happen. Everything is connected, and it’s so fun to watch things grow.”

Grow, indeed – as Maryann continues to help along the next generation of entrepreneurs, business owners, and community leaders in Lansing and the greater area. Find out more or get details on how you can use the Lansing Office Works coworking space on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis (or rent their commercial kitchen!). A huge thanks goes out to Maryann for hosting us at Lansing Office Works to record this series of shows. 

Rhymes With Lansing is being made possible by the generous support of the Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative and Dairyland Power, with additional support from Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism. A special thank you to Lansing Office Works for hosting the recording of these shows – find Lansing Works on Main Street for co-working, meeting, and commercial kitchen space –www.lansingofficeworks.com
To find out more about Lansing Iowa – where Main Street meets the Mississippi visit www.lansingiowa.com

“Rhymes With…” is a companion podcast project of Inspire(d) Media – find us online at www.iloveinspired.com

Original music for the “Rhymes With Lansing” series by Benji Nichols. 

Lansing, Iowa – Courtesy, Driftless Visitors Center

Welcome to a special mini-series of shows we’re calling “Rhymes With Lansing” – bringing you stories from “where Main Street meets the Mississippi” in Iowa’s very NE Corner. Located in Allamakee County, Lansing is a town of almost 1,000 people ideally tucked into a wooded valley along the Mississippi River. 

Photo Courtesy of Main Street Lansing

On this show, we introduce the series, take a walk around town to meet a few local business owners, and hear a little bit about what makes this small town such a unique place. 

Horsfall’s Variety – Lansing, Iowa – Photo Benji Nichols

Special guests heard on this introduction episode include:

Paul Horsfall Jr – Horsfall’s Variety
Dave Jansen – Lansing Hardware
Wendi Wilson-Eiden – Coffee on the River
Stan Fullerton – Lansing Transplant
Jeni Grouws – Musician, Avey/Grouws Band

Thee OP, Lansing Iowa – Photo, Benji Nichols

Join us as we roll out five new “Rhymes With Lansing” shows in the coming weeks – and better yet, start planning your trip at www.lansingiowa.com

Coffee On The River – Lansing, Iowa

Rhymes With Lansing is being made possible by the generous support of the Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative and Dairyland Power, with additional support from Allamakee County Economic Development and Tourism. A special thank you to Lansing Office Works for hosting the recording of these shows – find Lansing Works on Main Street for co-working, meeting, and commercial kitchen space –www.lansingofficeworks.com
To find out more about Lansing Iowa – where Main Street meets the Mississippi visit www.lansingiowa.com

“Rhymes With…” is a companion podcast project of Inspire(d) Media – find us online at www.iloveinspired.com

Original music for the “Rhymes With Lansing” series by Benji Nichols.