Calmar Courier Newspaper

LARSON CONTRUCTION TO HOST FUNDRAISER FOR GIBBS FAMILY 

AT NATIONAL CATTLE CONGRESS IN WATERLOO, IOWA

WITH SPECIAL GUEST BRETT MICHAELS AND EM:HE DESIGNERS

WATERLOO – On Sunday, October 2, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” traveled to West Union, Iowa, to surprise the Audrey Gibbs and her six children with a door knock that changed their lives. Audrey Gibbs is a mother, widow, farm owner and maternal optimist. Her husband died in August 2000, but Audrey won’t let anything stop her from raising her children; not even her blindness or her battle with a potentially fatal disease. The “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” design team, Larson Construction and thousands of volunteers are building them a new home this week. 

In an effort to raise funds to pay off the Gibbs’ family mortgage, Larson Construction is working with National Cattle Congress in Waterloo to host a fundraiser.  “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” designers and special guest, Brett Michaels, will be at the event to show their support. This is just another way the community in Northeast Iowa is helping one of its own.

The event will be held this Thursday, October 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at National Cattle Congress, 257 Ansborough Avenue, Waterloo, Iowa, on the outdoor dirt track. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for bleacher seating or $100 for the VIP section. The VIP section will allow guests to watch the event from a special area and meet the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” designers and special guest, Brett Michaels. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

The event will be hosted by one or more of the show’s designers; Paul DiMeo, Tracy Hutson, Sabrina Soto and Jeff Dye, and Brett Michaels.

Scheduled events include a truck sled pulling exhibition by the Fantasy Truck Pullers, a lawn mower racing exhibition by the Central Iowa Lawn Mower Racing Association and a demolition derby exhibition put on by Chad Oldenburger. Following the event, a local band will perform.

There will also be an auction during the event. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase as well. Tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. Prizes include an exclusive tour of the Extreme Makeover home, autographed hardhat by Ty and the design crew and autographed T-shirts by Ty and the design crew. The drawing will be held Saturday, October 8; need not be present to win.

The public can help by making a monetary donation through the website www.joinextreme.com/iowa or make checks to Family/Build Fund, c/o BankIowa, PO Box 229, Independence, Iowa 50644. Funds raised will help pay for items for the family home, ongoing medical expenses and other costs.

The Emmy award winning reality program “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” now in its 9th season, is produced by Endemol USA, a division of Endemol Holding. It’s executive-produced by Brady Connell and George Verschoor. David Goldberg is Chairman, Endemol North America. The show airs Sundays from 7:00-8:00 p.m., CST on ABC.

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NICC Student Center Open House

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is inviting all community members to a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house for the college’s new Student Center on April 5. The ribbon cutting begins at 2 p.m., followed by an open house and tours of the new facility through 6 p.m. The events are free and open to the public.

Turkey Valley Fitness Center Continues To Make Progress

3-22-2011

On March 6 cabin fever was cured at Turkey Valley. The Turkey Valley student senate, led by Mrs. Patty O’Halleran planned and delivered a day full of fun during donkey basketball. Donkeys were brought in to assist students, teachers, alumni and community leaders compete in friendly games of basketball. There was no doubt that the donkeys determined the tone of the games. The gym was full and a constant flow of laughing was heard throughout the day. Proceeds from the day were presented to the school to help fund the Turkey Valley Fitness Facility being built this summer.

It would be nice to think that we all get physical exercise in our daily routines without having to plan for it. However, that is not reality. Many adults and children are sedentary. That may be due to technology at work or school, such as sitting at a computer all day or it may be by choice. In any event, it has been detrimental to our health as a whole. Research has proven that besides being physically fit, kids and adults concentrate better, are less emotionally stressed and are more confident if they participate in regular, vigorous physical activity.

The states have been challenged by the national government with “Healthy People 2020” and Iowa has challenged all of us to get healthy. One example of that is the “Healthy Kids Act,” which Turkey Valley has been very proactive in implementing. Soda has been replaced by healthy drinks in the vending machines and available snacks are made of healthy combinations, not empty calories. A new project for Turkey Valley this year was the successful 1st annual TV Community Garden. Students, staff and TV community members planned, planted and tended a large garden on the school grounds. During summer and fall, the produce was harvested and used for student snacks and incorporated into the school’s lunch program. These are just a few examples of Turkey Valley’s commitment to the health and well-being of students, staff and community.

The fitness facility will be available to students, staff and Turkey Valley community members. First, the fitness facility will be used to promote lifelong physical activity among children at the school. We intend to create a positive social environment with safe equipment that encourages students to use the facility to improve and maintain their physical health. Physical activity among children and adolescents has been proven to improve strength and endurance, build healthy bones and muscles, control weight, and reduce anxiety and stress and increase self-esteem. These benefits cross directly over to the classroom and lead to better learning and improved sociability. It also lowers the risk of developing diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and other health problems that progressively worsen over the course of a person’s lifetime if not prevented or treated.

In addition, the fitness facility will be open to Turkey Valley community members during specified times during the week, where we, the adults, can challenge ourselves and each other to get fit and stay fit. Physical activity has the same benefits for adults as it does for the children and adolescents. Regular physical activity can lessen or even resolve chronic health problems. In fact, even weight training in adults is important as it improves balance and helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

A fundraising committee was formed to raise the additional money needed for building this facility. Once the facility is complete, the committee members plan to continue to be involved in leading the wellness campaign among the Turkey Valley community. It is our vision that the adults in the school district will become role models and mentors to the youth of Turkey Valley. In many communities, physical activity programs exist but require transportation, fees or special equipment, which may limit participation. The Turkey Valley Fitness Facility is being built in a central location that will be convenient for students, their parents and community members. This facility will be available to persons within the school district regardless of abilities, disabilities and financial situations.

Construction of the new Turkey Valley Fitness Facility is planned to begin in May and be complete by September. The bidding process is planned to begin very soon. The facility will include areas for strength and endurance training, as well as group exercise. Funding has come from the school, the Turkey Valley Athletic Boosters and the generous TV community. It has also been an honor to be selected to receive funding for equipment from the Chickasaw and Fayette County Community Foundation Grants. Equipment will be high quality, purchased locally and will be safe and useful for those with physical limitations. Fundraising is ongoing for this project. Anyone interested in investing in the future of Turkey Valley please contact the school at any time.

Calmar Spring Clean Up--Saturday, May 7, 2011 from 8:00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M.

The City of Calmar will sponsor a City-Wide Spring Clean Up Day.  This year we will have a large roll off dumpster at the City Shop site.  The site will be monitored by city personnel.  Only items from residential homes in Calmar will be accepted.

During Spring Cleanup the following items can be brought to the dumpster with no cost to the homeowner:

1)  Furniture and household items without limit.  (Excludes, TV’s, computer equipment, and major appliances)

2)  Minor home remodeling debris, provided it is bagged, boxed or bundled, is no longer than 4 feet in length and that each bag, box or bundle does not weigh more than 50 pounds

3)  Paint cans containing dry paint with the lid removed.

The following items can be brought to the city shop site for disposal for a fee of $20.00.  Washing machines, clothes dryers, water heaters, furnaces, refrigerators, trash compactors, stoves, microwave ovens, freezers, humidifiers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, televisions, computer monitors, computers, printers (questions about other items call).

The city will also pick up items for people unable to haul these items to the city shop site. We will pick them up at the curb of your residence.  To have these items picked up call the city clerk at 562-3154 to make arrangements.  The following items will not be accepted:  vehicle tires, hazardous waste materials such as liquid paint, solvents, pesticides or herbicides.

The City Of Calmar reserves the right to reject any items brought to the site for disposal.

To make “SPRING CLEANING 2011” a successful community-wide program, everyone must cooperate and follow the simple guidelines listed above.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact City Hall at 562-3154.

City-wide garage sales are also that weekend so it will be the perfect time to clean house!