Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Serving O'Brien & Clay Counties
Donors needed for June 28 blood drive
Donors are needed for the Hartley community blood drive on Wednesday, June 28, from 12:30-5:30 p.m. at the Hartley Community Center. New donors are especially welcome.
Donation appointments are encouraged. Schedule yours by texting LIFESERVE to 999-777, calling (800) 287-4903 or visiting lifeservebloodcenter.org.
Food distribution at Trinity UCC
The Food Bank of Iowa’s mobile pantry program will be conducted on Wednesday, June 21, starting at 4 p.m. at Trinity United Church of Christ in Hartley. The program is available free of charge and geared toward individuals in need of food assistance.
Participants are asked to stay in their vehicles and line up on the east side of the parking lot. The food will be brought to you as you drive under the canopy.
Fireworks demo is June 16 at Solsma’s
Solsma’s Punkin Patch & Fireworks will host its annual free fireworks demo on Friday, June 16. Specials will be offered all weekend.
The business is located four miles west of Hartley. See the ad on Page 3 for more details.
HLC food pantry
Current hours for the food pantry at Hope Lutheran Church in Everly are Wednesdays, 1-5 p.m. Everyone is allowed to come in and pick out their food, but masks are required.
Red’s Catering menu
Red’s Catering in downtown Hartley will be serving four carryout specials on Wednesday, June 21 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m..
See the ad on Page 3 for more details.
Activities for adults, children at HPL
The Hartley Public Library will host a children’s story time on Monday, June 19, at 10:30 a.m.
The library will also offer a craft night for adults on Tuesday, June 20, at 6 p.m. Participants will make bottle cap sunflowers. To reserve your spot for this free program, call the library at (712) 928-2080.
Spanish language camp offered at HPL
A free immersive Spanish language camp will be held at Hartley Public Library, Monday, June 19-Saturday, June 24, from 8-11 a.m. This camp will be for children ages 4-10.
Teachers will use the Spanish language most of the day. Children will learn how to introduce themselves in Spanish, books will be read in Spanish and interactive learning games will be played.
Please contact the library at (712) 928-2080 to reserve a spot in the camp.
Register by June 16 for O’Brien County Pasture Walk
Beef producers and agribusiness professionals have until Friday, June 16 to register for the O’Brien County Pasture Walk near Paullina.
The pasture walk will be held Thursday, June 22 at the Dustin Puhrmann pasture east of Paullina, beginning with supper at 5:30 p.m. followed by the walk from 6-8:45 p.m.
“According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, most of the counties in northwest Iowa remain in moderate drought,” said Beth Doran, beef specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach in a news release. “Consequently, the Pasture Walk will concentrate on drought management and recovery.”
According to Doran, the walk will focus on plant productivity, cattle management and funding for pasture improvements. Plant productivity topics include fertilization, weed control, and pasture condition scoring. Cattle management will feature grazing protocols and cattle supplementation.
Participants should dress for the outdoors and pasture walking.
There is no cost to attend, but participants need to register for the program by calling O’Brien Count Extension at (712) 957-5045 by June 16. For more information and a map to the location, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/obrien/.
HLC food pantry
Current hours for the food pantry at Hope Lutheran Church in Everly are Wednesdays, 1-5 p.m. Everyone is allowed to come in and pick out their food, but masks are required.
Al Anon meetings
Al Anon meetings are held at the following locations each week:
Wednesday, 8 p.m., 511 Southmoor, Spencer; Thursday, 8 p.m., Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Royal; Sunday, 7 p.m., Sanford Medical Center, 118 N 7th Ave., Sheldon.
All are welcome to attend.
Regular hours at Royal library
Hours at the Royal Public Library are Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, 3-5 p.m .; and Tuesday and Saturday, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Virtual program for parents of preschoolers begins July 11
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Clay County is offering “Our Bookshelf,” a four-week virtual program for parents of preschoolers, on Tuesdays, July 11, 18, 25 and Aug. 1 starting at 7 p.m.
“Research shows that preschoolers who are exposed to lots of language through books and conversations have greater academic success,” said Sarah Dirks, Clay County Extension Adult Program Coordinator, who will be leading the virtual program.
“Our Bookshelf” focuses on a research-based reading technique called dialogic reading, which is designed to increase pre-reading skills in children aged 3-6.
For 30 minutes each week, parents will engage virtually with other parents in an interactive and informational session. During these sessions, parents will learn about planning for daily reading times, reading aloud, having conversations about language and books, and using literacy interactions to pave their child’s way for future success as a reader.
After participating each week, parents receive a book to share with their child and an accompanying parent reading guide.
“Our Bookshelf” is offered free-of-charge to all Clay County residents thanks to sponsorship from ISU Extension and Outreach Clay County.
To register for the program, visit https://go.iastate.edu/K3OFWH or call (712) 262-2264 by Friday, July 7. Space is limited, so registering early is recommended.
Summer meal program underway throughout area
As the school year comes to an end, the Iowa Department of Education this week released the location of the summer food program sites throughout the state.
Local sites included on the list are: East Elementary, 501 Normal College Ave., Sheldon, M-F, 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m .; Ocheyedan Town Hall, 869 Main St., Ocheyedan, M-F, 12-12:30 p.m .; S-O High School, 120 11th Ave. NE, Sibley, M-F, 11:45-12:30 p.m .; Johnson Elementary, 724 West 9th St., Spencer, M-F, 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m .; Fairview Park Elementary, 724 West 9th St. Spencer, M-F, 7:45 a.m.-8:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m .; Sioux Central High School, 4440 US Hwy. 71, Sioux Rapids, M-F, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
The summer food program was created to help ensure low-income students who rely on free or reduced-price meals during the school year don’t go hungry during the summer months. The Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), administered by the Iowa Department of Education, and operated by school districts and local organizations. Summer sites offer free meals for all children and teens age 18 and under.
Meals will be provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
ICGA to hold policy roundtables
Each year, the Iowa Corn Growers Association hosts roundtable meetings in local communities across the state to gather members’ insight and feedback on priorities. These meetings, held in each crop reporting district, allow ICGA members to come together, share a meal and discuss key issues impacting corn farmers.
Policies brought forward and approved at roundtable meetings go on to the annual ICGA Grassroots Summit on Aug. 28 for the ICGA delegates to debate for adoption into the ICGA policy book. This process enables the organization to take action in lobbying for and supporting sound policy development and pro-farmer legislation.
Roundtables are free for ICGA members, but registration is requested. A meal will be included at each session. If you can’t attend a roundtable but wish to present a policy resolution for consideration, please contact your local ICGA Board member.
The meeting for District 1, which includes O’Brien, Clay and Osceola counties, will be held on: Thursday, June 22 at 6:30 p.m., Waterfront Grille & Event Center, 610 Linden Dr, Arnolds Park.
