For ages 8 years and under, join us Sunday, April 2, beginning promptly at 3:00 pm, at the Will Baker Athletic Fields. Children find plastic eggs filled with candy or prizes and all egg hunters receive participation gifts at the close of the Hunt. The Easter Bunny will also be there so bring your cameras!
Many in the region know Molly Gallagher from her decade+ of teaching Iyengar Yoga (CIYT) in Decorah. But many may not know that Molly is a certified mediator – someone that, as a neutral third party, helps facilitate conversations to help find meaningful agreements. From court appointed cases, to intergenerational discussions, find out more about what this means on today’s show!
The Mediator’s role, as a neutral third party, is to help support each person throughout their conversation during mediation, and allow individuals more control over the outcome of their decisions, and can help to save money in legal fees. Mediation is an opportunity for an enhanced conversation about issues that clients want or need to discuss. The process of mediation can help clients gain clarity about themselves, their situation, and each other. It may also allow them an opportunity to arrive at a mutually agreed upon decision.
Molly mediates in the following areas: divorce, family, parenting disputes, business disputes, workplace conflict, real estate affairs, farm succession planning, and more.
Mediation is completely confidential, can save time and money, and fosters lasting and meaningful agreements. Let go of the stress and anxiety of seeing a person you’re in conflict with, or the potential of a lawsuit, so you can move on with your life
Decorah High School and Middle School have received $5000 of football equipment courtesy of the National Football League, the NFL Players Association and USA Football. The equipment comes from Decorah High School alumnus and current Denver Bronco linebacker Josey Jewell earning the NFL Way to Play Award as result of goal line tackle by Jewell in the Bronco’s week 18 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The NFL Way to Play initiative seeks to recognize the excellence demonstrated by NFL players who exemplify proper technique to make impactful plays. Jewell’s tackle of Chargers’ running back Austin Ekeler was chosen as an outstanding play demonstrating proper technique. A panel of former NFL Hall of Fame players, including Merril Hoge, Ronnie Lott, Willie McGinest, Orlando Pace, Michael Robinson and Bobby Taylor made the selection.
With the grant, Decorah Schools received new shoulder pads for the middle school program, helmets for the high school program and Tacklebar safety harnesses for grades 7-12. The purchases will help improve safety for all athletes involved in the football program.
Jewell made a visit to a recent morning weight room session to visit with some of the student-athletes who will use the equipment in the coming year. He commented, “I am honored to have been able to make a tackle that allows me to give back not only to the Decorah Football program, but also offers some financial support for all of the programs the students of Decorah Schools participate in. The foundation of being fundamentally sound in all of my activities was developed during my time in middle school and high school at Decorah. Those lessons have contributed greatly to the success I have been fortunate enough to have collegiately and professionally.”
Decorah High School and Middle School have received $5000 of football equipment courtesy of the National Football League, the NFL Players Association and USA Football. The equipment comes from Decorah High School alumnus and current Denver Bronco linebacker Josey Jewell earning the NFL Way to Play Award as result of goal line tackle by Jewell in the Bronco’s week 18 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The NFL Way to Play initiative seeks to recognize the excellence demonstrated by NFL players who exemplify proper technique to make impactful plays. Jewell’s tackle of Chargers’ running back Austin Ekeler was chosen as an outstanding play demonstrating proper technique. A panel of former NFL Hall of Fame players, including Merril Hoge, Ronnie Lott, Willie McGinest, Orlando Pace, Michael Robinson and Bobby Taylor made the selection.
With the grant, Decorah Schools received new shoulder pads for the middle school program, helmets for the high school program and Tacklebar safety harnesses for grades 7-12. The purchases will help improve safety for all athletes involved in the football program.
Jewell made a visit to a recent morning weight room session to visit with some of the student-athletes who will use the equipment in the coming year. He commented, “I am honored to have been able to make a tackle that allows me to give back not only to the Decorah Football program, but also offers some financial support for all of the programs the students of Decorah Schools participate in. The foundation of being fundamentally sound in all of my activities was developed during my time in middle school and high school at Decorah. Those lessons have contributed greatly to the success I have been fortunate enough to have collegiately and professionally.”
Denver Broncos linebacker and DHS alum Josey Jewell (center) with some recipients of new equipment made possible by the NFL’s Way to Play Award Initiative
Twenty-four Decorah FFA members participated in the District FFA Convention on Saturday, March 11th at Beckman Catholic High School. The chapter competed in eight leadership development events and three quiz contests. Two members also served as chapter delegates, and two members were balloted for Northeast District FFA office.
The four contests advancing to the state competition in Ames include the Treasurer’s Book: Anders Lovstuen – 1st place, gold rating; Ag Sales: Annika Brynsaas – 2nd place, gold rating; Job Interview: Jeramiah Rediske – 2nd place, gold rating; and Secretary’s Book: Addison Wemark – 2nd place, gold rating.
The chapter also competed in the following leadership development events: Chapter Website: Travis Nordheim – silver rating; Conduct of Meetings: Lyla Lovstuen, Rylee Averhoff, Karlie Einck, Thea Zidlicky, Jerikah Dodd, Annika Schmelzer, and Raleigh Lensing – silver rating; Public Speaking: Kayleigh Smith – silver rating; and Reporter’s Book: Morgan Moen – participation.
Ten members participated in the three quiz contests. Three participated in the Greenhand Quiz, which is an FFA knowledge exam. Kamryn Werges earned 1st place with a gold rating, Eden Scheidel placed 5th with a gold rating, and Karlee Bullerman received a silver rating. Three members also participated in the chapter quiz, an FFA and parliamentary procedure knowledge exam. Logan Frye placed 7th with a gold rating, and Kiele Eberling and Rashell Lippe received silver ratings. Four members participated in the Farm Business Management Test. The team of Morgan Moen, Justin Nierling, Addison Wemark, and Dalton Zidlicky placed 4th overall. Morgan Moen placed 9th individually.
Brody Courtney and Addison Wemark served as the Decorah FFA’s official district delegates and attended the Northeast District Business Session.
District Officer Election Results
Three Decorah FFA members ran for Northeast District FFA office. In February, Anders Lovstuen, Creed Monroe, and Travis Nordheim completed several rounds of interviews during which they took an FFA knowledge test. After the first round of selection, Creed Monroe was put on the ballot for Northeast District Secretary, and Anders Lovstuen was put on the ballot for NW Sub-District Vice President. At District Convention, both Creed and Anders gave a two-minute speech to delegates and answered two rounds of questions.
Creed Monroe was elected to serve as the 2023-2024 Northeast District FFA Secretary. He was officially installed at the conclusion of the District FFA Convention.
The Decorah FFA will now compete at the State FFA Leadership Conference on April 16-18, 2023 at Iowa State University in Ames.
Row 1(l-r): Thea Zidlicky, Lyla Lovstuen, Kiele Eberling, Karlee Bullerman, Eden Scheidel, Morgan Moen, Rashell Lippe
Creed Monroe was elected as the 2023-2024 Northeast District FFA Secretary. Anders Lovstuen received 1st place in the Treasurer’s Book at the district competition and advanced to the state competition.
Kamryn Werges received 1st place in the Greenhand Quiz at FFA Districts.
Did you know that tomorrow is Global Recycling Day? Global Recycling Day was created in 2018 to raise awareness about the value of our natural resources and how we can protect them by recycling more. It’s essential that people think about waste as resources when we look at the materials around us. Have a great weekend, and please remember to recycle those valuable resources!
In partnership with Winneshiek Energy District members, Kevin and Leslie Sand, our Green Iowa Americorps team created the Tiny Trees Initiative to make Decorah a little greener and help reduce the energy bills of Decorah residents through natural shade.
A large shade tree should be planted 20 feet or more from the house to maximize the shade benefit and ensure the safety of your home (source). If you think you have the space for a tree, the team will come to your home to help you pick a planting spot. Then we’ll come back and plant a tree in May.
If you are interested in having a juvenile tree planted in your front yard that will one day grow large enough to shade your house in the warm months, please fill out this form or call us at (563)-382-4207, ext 2
On this episode of “Rhymes With…” we feature Alayna Sobieniak and Lance Prado – owners and operators of the Root River Rod Company in Lanesboro, MN. (Alayna also works at Eagle Bluff in their outdoor pre-school program!).
The story of the Root River Rod Co starts where any good fly shop starts – with the founder and past owner Steve Sobieniak (Alayna’s Dad). We tell Steve’s story on this show, partly as a memorial to a really kind and fun fisherman and a world class split bamboo rod builder. An aggressive form of cancer took Steve to the great streams of the beyond in September of 2022, but his family is carrying on his legacy.
Alayna, Lance, and baby Finn (held in the pic above by Adelyn) joined us to record this show on site at Eagle Bluff in the late winter of 2023. Their young family is continuing on the legacy and community that Steve built through Root River Rod Co by continuing to offer a fantastic selection of fly fishing gear, tying supplies, guiding and float services, and bamboo rod specialties.
Find them on Parkway Avenue North in downtown Lanesboro – just across from Pedal Pushers and the High Court Pub – and tell them we sent you!
Luther College’s eighth annual Giving Day campaign was a “gnome-run” after raising more than $1.1 million dollars to support students.
“We are incredibly grateful to the generous donors who supported Luther on this day,” said President Jenifer K. Ward. “I also want to give a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated team of ‘gnomes’ who worked tirelessly leading up to and on the day of the event–and who were inspired by the stories that accompanied the gifts flowing in. It was truly a day on which the impact of a Luther education was on display, over generations and across the miles.”
On March 9, people from all 50 states showed their support of the college with more than 1,500 gifts totaling $1,100,901. These donations to the Luther Fund support students in many impactful ways. From scholarships to textbooks to off-campus study, it makes student learning possible. From student organizations to volunteer opportunities, it creates experiences that shape college students into active, engaged citizens. From campus improvements to landscaping, it ensures that students live in a safe and beautiful place that they’ll be eager to return to as alumni.
“The campus is still buzzing from such a high-energy day!” said Mary Duvall, vice president for development. “While we are thrilled about the total amount raised, the meaningful part to me is the people who made it possible. From parents, to alumni, faculty and staff, community members and students – all of these people joined to collectively make a difference at the college we all love.”
Mark your calendars! Giving Day 2024 is set for Thursday, March 7.
About Luther College At Luther College in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, students explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.
Decorah Public Library staff are hosting six book discussions in April. The groups are open to the public and newcomers are encouraged to attend. Anyone interested should call the library at 382-3717 to learn more or to reserve a book. Zoom links are available on the Library’s website or you can email ktorresdal@decorahlibrary.org to be added to any of the six groups’ email distribution lists. Funds for multiple copy sets were generously provided by Friends of Decorah Public Library.
For more information, contact Tricia Crary (Friday Book Group), Zach Row-Heyveld (Cookbook Book Group) or Kristin Torresdal (Happy Hour, History, and Speculative Fiction Book Groups) at 563-382-3717.
Ace of Spades
The Happy Hour Book Group will meet via Zoom Wed. April 12 at 5:15 p.m. to discuss FaridahÀbíké-Íyímídé’s “Ace of Spades.” Welcome to Niveus Private Academy, where money paves the hallways, and the students are never less than perfect. Until now. Because anonymous texter Aces is bringing two students’ dark secrets to light. Talented musician Devon buries himself in rehearsals, but he can’t escape the spotlight when his private photos go public. Head girl Chiamakaisn’t afraid to get what she wants, but soon everyone will know the price she has paid for power. Someone is out to get them both. Someone who holds all the aces. And they’re planning much more than a high-school game…
Evolutions in Bread
The Cookbook Group will meet on April 13 at 6:30 p.min the library’s mezzanine to discuss Ken Forkish’s “Evolutions in Bread.” If you want to craft artisan pan breads and rustic Dutch oven loaves at home with professional, consistent results, this is the book for you.Think crispy, crackly crusts and soft, airy interiors, just like from your favorite artisan bakery—except it came from your own oven. Approachable to the home baker, while still being chock-full of expert knowledge and all-new recipes, Evolutions in Bread covers same-day loaves, overnight cold-proof doughs, and classic levains. Forkish shares the secrets he has learned for making sourdough starter that’s more flour efficient while also exploring classic breads and enriched doughs, such as Japanese Milk Bread and Brioche.This is an excellent follow-up to Forkish’s James Beard Award WinningFlour, Water, Salt, Yeast.
Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan
The History Book Group will meet Thurs. April 20 at 3:00 p.m. on the 2nd floor of the library to discuss chapters 10-17 of Herbert P. Bix’s “Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan.” In this biography of the Japanese emperor Hirohito, Herbert P. Bix offers a look at the enigmatic leader whose sixty-three-year reign ushered Japan into the modern world. Bix shows what it was like to be trained from birth for a lone position at the apex of the nation’s political hierarchy and as a revered symbol of divine status. Influenced by an unusual combination of the Japanese imperial tradition and a modern scientific worldview, the young emperor gradually evolves into his preeminent role, aligning himself with the growing ultranationalist movement, perpetuating a cult of religious emperor worship, resisting attempts to curb his power, and all the while burnishing his image as a reluctant, passive monarch.
Demon Copperhead
The Friday Book Group will meet via Zoom Fri. April 21 at 2:00 p.m. to discuss Barbara Kingsolver’s “Demon Copperhead.” Set in the mountains of southern Appalachia, this is the story of a boy born to a teenaged single mother in a single-wide trailer, with no assets beyond his dead father’s good looks and copper-colored hair, a caustic wit, and a fierce talent for survival. He braves the modern perils of foster care, child labor, derelict schools, athletic success, and addiction. Through all of it, he reckons with his own invisibility in a popular culture where even the superheroes have abandoned rural people in favor of cities.
Too Like the Lightning
The Speculative Fiction Book Group will meet via Zoom Wed. April 26 at 5:15 p.m. to discuss Ada Palmer’s “Too Like the Lightning.” Mycroft Canner is a convict. For his crimes he is required, as is the custom of the 25th century, to wander the world being as useful as he can to all he meets. Carlyle Foster is a sensayer—a spiritual counselor in a world that has outlawed the public practice of religion. The world into which Mycroft and Carlyle have been born is a hard-won utopia built on technologically-generated abundance. And in this world, Mycroft and Carlyle have stumbled on the wild card that may destabilize the system: the boy Bridger, who can effortlessly make his wishes come true. Who can, it seems, bring inanimate objects to life…
“The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories:” “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species,” “State Change,” and “The Perfect Match.”
Following the Speculative Fiction Book Group, the Speculative Short Fiction Group will meet at 6:15 p.m. via the same Zoom link to discuss stories 1-3 from Ken Liu’s collection “The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories:” “The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species,” “State Change,” and “The Perfect Match.”
