The 2023 Lake Meyer Ice Fishing Derby was held Sunday, February 5. A record number of anglers, over 80 children and 120 adults, came out to try their hand at catching the biggest fish this year. Participants traveled to Lake Meyer from nine Iowa counties, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Congratulations to:
2nd Northern Pike: Mark Theisman of Decorah, 3.640 pounds
1st Yellow Perch: Trenton Voyna of Cresco, 0.160 pounds
2nd Yellow Perch: Daryl Lienhard of Cresco, 0.120 pounds
All youth and many adult participants went home with door prizes donated by local businesses and organizations. The proceeds from this event are used for improvements to Lake Meyer and equipment for education programs.
“We would like to thank all the participants who came out and the many local businesses and organizations who helped make the day a success. It’s great to see the community come together and share the tradition of ice fishing with younger generations,” said Ryan Wiltgen, derby organizer.
Missed the ice fishing derby? Looking for more fun ways to get outdoors this winter? The staff at Winneshiek County Conservation manage the county parks and trails year-round and wanted to share some tips for finding winter fun in Winneshiek County.
Explore the Winter Wonderland of Lake Meyer Park & Campground
Lake Meyer Park & Campground, located just off Highway 24 between Calmar and Fort Atkinson, truly has it all in the winter! Ice fish on the lake in the mornings or afternoons for the best luck catching bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, and black crappie. Hike, snowshoe, or cross-country ski on over three miles of snowy trails around the lake and through the woods. Enjoy a winter campfire at a fire ring in the campground and watch for rare songbirds at the bird feeding station outside the Winneshiek County Conservation office.
Ice Fish at Silver Springs Pond
Looking for a perfect spot to practice your ice fishing skills? Silver Springs Pond, located just outside of Ossian, is the best public park to visit for ice fishing this winter. Fish for bluegill, black crappie, and largemouth bass on this small pond. In fact, Silver Springs is known for quality fishing all year round. It is especially a fun pond for beginning anglers to practice their skills at in any season.
Get Moving in the Snow on your Winneshiek County Trail System
When snow conditions are right, the Trout Run Trail, a scenic 11-mile loop around Decorah, is groomed for cross country skiing. Start at the Decorah Fish Hatchery and travel north for flat, beginner-friendly ski tracks, or head south for hilly terrain better suited to intermediate and advanced skiers. If you would rather snowshoe, the Prairie Farmer Recreational Trail, a 21-mile stretch that connects Calmar, Ridgeway, and Cresco, is the perfect place to take a relaxing snowshoe hike through the countryside.
You don’t need equipment to get out on the trails this winter! If you choose to walk the trails at any of the county parks, be sure to bundle up in warm layers of clothing. Please stay on trails established for walkers and snowshoers to be respectful of those who groom the ski trails.
Learn more about winter recreation and programming with Winneshiek County Conservation at our website, www.winneshiekwild.com/, or by calling our office at (563) 534-7145.
Decorah Public Library is continuing the Coffee and Creativity program series designed to help build community while being creative. Participants can make simple craft projects while chatting over coffee from 10-11:30 AM on the first and third Tuesdays of the month.
The sessions will be led by Lea Lovelace, an arts educator with years of experience facilitating programs and activities in museums and arts organizations. Everyone is welcome to come make something, regardless of previous experience or artistic ability. On March 7, learn how to make braided bracelets. On March 21, turn your doodles into a meditative practice with Zentangle.
This program is free to the public and all materials are provided. For more information, please contact Zach Row-Heyveld at Decorah Public Library – zrow-heyveld@decorahlibrary.org or by calling 563.382.3717.
The Decorah Farmers Market is the best place to find local food and goods from Northeast Iowa’s small producers and artisans.
The outdoor market takes place May through October on Wednesday afternoons from 3PM to 6PM and Saturday mornings from 8AM to 11AM\, in the lower Oneota Community Co-op parking lot.
Join us on a guided walk through the park with activities and games along the way! Enjoy a campfire with hot chocolate and s’mores– we’ll bring the marshmallows and graham crackers, you bring the filling!
The junior/senior robotics club team from Decorah High School, named the Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men and Women, competed in their Super Qualifier, sub-state competition in Bettendorf on Saturday. Because of their performance, they are headed to the state competition. Team members who competed include Cody Carolan, Quin LaBelle, Justin Berlage, Nathaniel Myers, Montana Jump-Gerleman, Brock Christensen, Aiden Burroughs, Ethan Stravers, Nathan Swarbrick, and Travis Nordheim. The rest of the team–Junior Battle, Henry Weis, Peter Essa and Anders Lovstuen–were representing Decorah High School at a different event.
The robotics club competes in a worldwide competition known as FIRST Tech Challenge, a program that helps prepare young people for the future through STEM education while building leadership and collaboration skills. Each September, teams of 7th – 12th graders are given an obstacle course scenario played on a 12-foot square playing field. Teams then design, build, and program an 18 x 18 x 18-inch robot that they can both run autonomously and be driver controlled to accomplish as many of the scenario’s tasks as possible. This season’s course is named Power Play and requires teams to place as many of their colored cones onto different pole junctions in an effort to connect circuits of their color across the field.
In January, the team won its league championship and earned a spot in the Super Qualifier event. After their six qualification round matches at the Super Qualifier, the junior/senior team finished in third place going into the playoff rounds. This gave them the opportunity to choose two alliance partners to play with them going forward.
The team chose the 5th ranked team UBett from Bettendorf High School and 10th ranked Xcentrics from Xavier High School to join them. The alliance won their semi-final competition in two matches and advanced to the finals to play against the 1st, 2nd, and 9th ranked teams from Waterloo, Cedar Rapids and Pleasant Valley High School in a best of three series.
After winning the first match due to the other alliance having technical difficulties, the second match was a tight competition. The Decorah alliance would have only won by three points, but the opposing alliance accidentally knocked over a stack of 15 cones Decorah had made, incurring a 150-point penalty. The final score was 255 to 180, with the Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men and Women leading their alliance to victory. The team also received third place honors for the Control Award given to the team who best explains and uses sensors, programming, and autonomous functions in their robot design.
The Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men and Women will be joining 47 other Iowa robotics teams competing again at the Iowa State Championship on March 3rd and 4th at the Xtream Arena in Coralville.
The Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Men and Women pose with their trophy after the awards ceremony. Photo ID (l-r): Cody Carolan, Quin LaBelle, Justin Berlage, Nathaniel Myers, Montana Jump-Gerleman, Brock Christensen, Aiden Burroughs, Ethan Stravers, Nathan Swarbrick, and Travis NordheimCoach Ethan Stravers, Drivers Justin Berlage and Nathaniel Myers, and Human Player Nathan Swarbrick prepare their robot for a qualification match along with their alliance partners the Xavier Xcentrics.
A Group Improvisation team from Decorah High School was selected as a banner recipient at this year’s All-State Speech Festival held in Ames over the weekend. This is the first time that Decorah has won a banner in the area of Group Improvisation.
Cast members of the Group Improv team include Anders Lovstuen, Jack Sovern, Ansel Kowitz, Adam Jones, and Alex Irwin. They were directed by Molly Holkesvik, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, and Lyra McKnight.
Approximately 70 Decorah High School students made the trip to Ames over the weekend to perform at the festival at the Iowa State Center on the ISU campus.
Ten events were nominated as outstanding performances and joined other elite speech students from across the state to share their performances with a professional critic.
Each critic selects one performance at the end of the day and awards a banner to that entry, signifying them as “best of center” in that category. The banner winner, in the eyes of the critic, represents a state championship-quality performance that stands out above the rest.
The Group Improv team performed a draw about washing windows on the Empire State Building. The critic praised the group for their creativity, willingness to trust, and their ability to “gift” each other with ideas.
“We couldn’t be prouder of these students! They worked hard to create a fun, witty, creative story that everyone enjoyed. They proved how effective the art of improv can be with the right amount of patience, persistence, and balance,” remarked the large group speech directors Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, and Lyra McKnight.
A Group Improvisation team from Decorah High School was selected as a banner recipient at this year’s All-State Speech Festival held in Ames over the weekend. This is the first time that Decorah has won a banner in the area of Group Improvisation.
Cast members of the Group Improv team include Anders Lovstuen, Jack Sovern, Ansel Kowitz, Adam Jones, and Alex Irwin. They were directed by Molly Holkesvik, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, and Lyra McKnight.
Approximately 70 Decorah High School students made the trip to Ames over the weekend to perform at the festival at the Iowa State Center on the ISU campus.
Ten events were nominated as outstanding performances and joined other elite speech students from across the state to share their performances with a professional critic.
Each critic selects one performance at the end of the day and awards a banner to that entry, signifying them as “best of center” in that category. The banner winner, in the eyes of the critic, represents a state championship-quality performance that stands out above the rest.
The Group Improv team performed a draw about washing windows on the Empire State Building. The critic praised the group for their creativity, willingness to trust, and their ability to “gift” each other with ideas.
“We couldn’t be prouder of these students! They worked hard to create a fun, witty, creative story that everyone enjoyed. They proved how effective the art of improv can be with the right amount of patience, persistence, and balance,” remarked the large group speech directors Molly Holkesvik, Gabriel Twedt, Carrie Kauffman, Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, and Lyra McKnight.
The coaches added, “A big thank you to all involved in the fire truck parade, the ringing of the victory bell, and for packing the house at all our performances throughout the season. Saturday night was a true celebration of our entire speech team.”
DHS Group Improv team poses by the banner they were awarded – newly added to the trophy case. Photo ID (l-r): Anders Lovstuen, Adam Jones, Jack Sovern, Alex Irwin, and Ansel KowitzGroup Improv team and coaches outside the high school after arriving back home. Photo ID: Front row (l-r): Anders Lovstuen, Adam Jones, and Coach Lyra McKnight Back row (l-r): Coach Rachel Breitenbach-Dirks, Coach Molly Holkesvik, Alex Irwin, Ansel Kowitz, and Jack Sovern
Cristy Nimrod, head girls’ cross country coach at Decorah High School, has advanced as a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association (NHSACA) 2023 National Coach of the Year. Following a rigorous scoring process, she is now one of only eight national finalists for this distinction.
Nimrod has coached girls’ cross country at Decorah High School for twenty-one years, and her success is notable: 17 consecutive conference championships, 11 regional championships, 16 state appearances, and five state titles.
The National Coach of the Year will be awarded at the NHSACA National Convention in July in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Mayo Clinic Health System Family Medicine Physician Anna Mark, M.D., will begin seeing patients in Mabel every Wednesday starting March 1 in addition to her Decorah practice. Kirsten Wyffels, DNP, […]
As Luther College continues its work to make high-quality education accessible to all students, several generous donors are assisting in that effort in a big way. Recently, Luther received several major gifts, totaling $4.5 million, to help ensure that students have the financial resources they need to get the most out of their college experience.
New scholarships for students with high financial need
Bob and Dell Ann Sathe
Bob and Dell Ann (Kappus) Sathe, both 1968 graduates of Luther, made a $1 million pledge to the Robert and Dell Ann Sathe Scholars Endowments. The funds will help qualified, underrepresented students with demonstrated financial need. This critical financial aid can be applied not only to tuition but also the costs of study abroad and applied learning opportunities.
“This scholarship support is our way of saying thanks to Luther for helping us with a foundation for a good life and we encourage other alumni to join us in supporting Luther students,” said Bob.
The Sathes established the Robert and Dell Ann Sathe Scholars Endowments upon their 50th class reunion in 2018. Their new pledge brings their lifetime giving to $2 million. They have decided to award a portion of their gift immediately (as a way to jumpstart the funds) while also growing the endowments to ensure these opportunities continue in perpetuity. Their funds are supporting 32 Luther students this academic year.
An estate gift from Audrey Niemann of nearly $850,000 will create the endowed Audrey Niemann Scholarship Fund, which will also benefit qualified students with demonstrated financial need. The preference will go to students who would be unable to attend college without financial assistance. Niemann’s nephew, Todd Marken, worked at the college and her great-niece, Sabrina Marken, graduated from Luther.
The new Peace Fellows program
Lynne Sootheran and Kent Simmonds
Lynne Sootheran and Kent Simmonds, emeritus professor of philosophy, gave the college $600,000 to establish the Lynne Sootheran and Kent Simmonds Endowment for Peace. The endowment will support a new Peace Fellows Program that seeks to engage students, faculty, and the broader community in how best to practice peace, in all of its dimensions.
The endowment is designed to provide multiple student fellowships each year. Each fellow will receive funding to complete a project that addresses peace in any discipline of study. The endowment also funds a faculty Peace Fellow who will assist students in their investigations and direct their explorations together in projects that make for peace.
“It is our intent for the funds of this endowment to encourage serious study of peace in all its expressions: in natural and social sciences, in the arts, in physical activity, in skills aimed at practical professions, and in the studies of philosophy and religion,” said Simmonds. “In short, we want to encourage attention to peace in every classroom, every studio, every laboratory and every athletic enterprise, where persons are called to explore and develop the well-being of themselves and their surroundings. We express peace among us as we discover and nurture peace within us. We want to ‘study war no more.’”
Scholarships for future educators and student musicians
Barbara Lueder
Barbara Lueder graduated from Luther in 1970 and devoted her life to educating others. Through a generous pledge of $50,000, she is creating the Barbara Lueder Scholarship to support students who major in education or participate in music.
“The education I received at Luther College opened career opportunities while the music program continues to give me great joy. As I thought about my legacy, I knew I wanted to provide scholarships to assist today’s students interested in those areas,” said Lueder.
In addition, an estate gift of $2 million has also been designated to the Barbara Lueder Scholarship endowment.
Over the past three years, Luther College has raised more than $32.1 million in gifts, pledges, and planned gifts for student scholarships. This includes funding for current scholarships (which are awarded immediately) and endowed funds.
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.
