Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Hartley American Legion Cmdr. Roy Wohlert recently presented a longevity award to Howard Borchard (right) for 60 years of membership in the local post. Borchard served in the Army from 1952-54. He was actually supposed to receive his 60-year certificate last year, but the presentation was delayed due to the pandemic.
Hartley American Legion Cmdr. Roy Wohlert recently presented a longevity award to Allan Dacken (left) for 50 years of membership in the local post. Dacken served in the Army from 1966-1968.
Volunteers needed to deliver meals
Community Memorial Health Center is looking for volunteers to help deliver Meals on Wheels to local residents. If interested, call Linda at (712) 728-2428.
Great response at Hartley blood drive
Over 150 lives will be saved thanks to the 50 units of blood that were collected during the drive held Aug. 25 in Hartley.
According to LifeServe Blood Center, 47 persons registered to donate, including four first-time donors. The support of the Hartley community for the drive is appreciated.
The next scheduled blood drive in Hartley will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 20. Go online to LifeServe Blood Center's website or call (800) 287-4903 to schedule a donation appointment.
Places in state fair coloring contest
The coloring skills of young artists from across the Midwest were put to the test in the coloring contest judged prior to the start of the 2021 Iowa State Fair. Their work was displayed in the Animal Learning Center.
Madison Fritz, of Hartley, placed second in the 9-10 year old division.
Exhibits breeding beef at Iowa State Fair
The FFA breeding beef show was held Thursday, Aug. 12, at the 2021 Iowa State Fair in Des Moines. Among the exhibitors was John Vander Veen, of Hartley, who showed the Reserve Champion Foundation Simmental Heifer.
Local exhibitors shear to please judges
Nolan Abel, of Linn Grove, won first place in the senior division of the sheep shearing contest judged at the 2021 Iowa State Fair. Abel also won best pen and fastest time.
Doug Abel, of Royal, also fared well in the contest, winning the shearing title and best pen in the golden age division. He also had the second-fastest time in the golden age division and placed fourth in the senior shearing contest
NWI fishing report
Offshore fishing for bass has been very good lately. The panfish/perch bite has been excellent. Area lake levels are lower, making launching and loading boats more difficult. Be careful when backing trailers down ramps as many boaters have been backing off the end of ramps with longer trailers. If at all possible, attempt to load your boat without power loading it onto the trailer.
East Okoboji Lake: The water temperature was 77 degrees last Thursday. Many anglers have had success with slip bobbers/spoons and vertical jigging and drop shot fishing. A great bluegill/crappie/yellow bass bite can be found trolling weed lines. Many anglers have observed high catch rates with a lot of sorting.
Black crappie, fair. Crappie are hard to target specifically, but can be caught mixed with other panfish. The bite has improved in and around docks and hoists. Bluegill, good. Bluegill are biting like crazy. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Pumpkinseed, good. Fun and easier to catch from most docks. Use a small hook, bobber and piece of worm.
Lost Island Lake: Black crappie, fair. Bluegill, fair. Walleye, fair. Yellow perch, fair.
Minnewashta Lake: Panfishing has been good for anglers trolling weed lines. Vertical jigging is improving. Black crappie, fair. A nice crappie bite can be found with a little movement around the lake. Bluegill, fair. Pumpkinseed, good.
Silver Lake (Dickinson): Walleye, fair. Try using slip bobbers and finding weed lines.
Spirit Lake: The water temperature was 77 degrees last week. The yellow perch bite has improved with the walleye bite starting to slow down.
Walleye, fair. Bite is hit-or-miss at dusk, but the day bite is improving. Many anglers have started to fish in shallower water with slip bobbers along weed edges. Yellow perch, fair. Best bite is morning until 11 a.m. and mid-afternoon. Depths vary depending on the time of day. Move often to find fish – schools are smaller and sporadic.
West Okoboji Lake: The water temperature was 76 degrees last week. Many anglers have been most successful with trolling, but jigging and casting have also been very good. Offshore fishing for bass has been great.
Black crappie, good. Crappie have been very picky lately, but can be easily caught if you aren't afraid to switch things up. Can also be caught frequently while picking through other panfish or have been found around weed edges.
Bluegill, good. Bluegill are biting like crazy with fish up to 10 inches seen. Jigging, casting, and slip bobbers are working well. Leeches or worms and a simple bobber setup work well. Walleye, fair. Walleye have been hard to target, but many anglers have been catching them while fishing for other species.
RSVP Looking for Volunteers for the Pen Pal Program
Northwest Iowa RSVP, a volunteer program for individuals 55 or above, is looking for volunteers to connect with students through letters as part of the local Pen Pal program.
Pen Pals benefits students by allowing them to practice the art of letter writing, increase literacy skills, build positive intergenerational relationships and improve school-related engagement. In addition, volunteers exercise their minds, boost happiness levels, and connect socially with a different generation by sharing life stories and lending a listening ear. During the 2020/2021 academic year, RSVP volunteers in Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Kossuth and Palo Alto counties connected with 274 students through the Pen Pal program.
RSVP needs many volunteers this year to sustain and expand the current Pen Pal program. Volunteers will receive a project orientation and written information about the student pen-pal. Each volunteer will write three letters during the school program. In addition to writing letters, RSVP will host a finale Meet and Greet, an in-person event lasting about an hour for students and volunteers to meet one another. Adjustments to the Meet and Greet plans will be made to fit any potential pandemic restrictions.
Pen Pal Volunteers may write to a student in any of the schools served by Northwest Iowa RSVP volunteers, even if the school is in a different county than them. The pen pal project is also ideal for snowbirds who migrate to warmer southern locales during the winter. Students love receiving letters about their pen pal's travels or winter destination, as well as personal anecdotes and stories.
The first batch of letter-writing is in the fall semester and begins in September or October and ends before the holidays; this serves Fairview Elementary in Spencer, Forest Ridge in Estherville and North Union Elementary in Swea City.
The second timeframe is in the spring semester, typically beginning in January, February or March and ending in March, April or May. The spring semester timeframe serves Lucia Wallace Elementary in Algona, Bishop Garrigan Elementary in Algona, Estherville-Lincoln Central Elementary in Estherville, North Union Elementary in Fenton, Okoboji Elementary in Okoboji, Sacred Heart Elementary in Spencer, Spirit Lake Elementary in Spirit Lake and West Elementary in Emmetsburg.
RSVP hopes to have enough volunteers to expand the Pen Pal program into Harris-Lake Park in Lake Park, Iowa Great Lakes Lutheran in Spencer, Graettinger-Terrill Elementary in Graettinger, and LuVerne Elementary in LuVerne for this upcoming academic year.
If you'd lilke to participate, call Dawn Bernhard at (515) 295-8522 or email at [email protected]. Also, if interested in joining a Fall Semester program, please get in touch with Bernhard by Friday, Sept. 3.
