The Wright County
Monitor
Sports Pages 10 and 11 New Holmes Baptist Church Pastor Page 14
Goldfield Dam Project accepting donations to replace old Dam
The old River Park dam, originally built in 1936 By: Clae Goater The Goldfield Dam Project is currently accepting donations to replace the old wooden dam with a rock arch rapids. The project is seeking monetary donations, as well as donations of rock for building material. Rock arch rapids are made up of several rows of large boulders are embedded into a rock ramp. These rows of boulders form a series of steps, which creates pools. Joe Skinner, the man who started the Goldfield Dam Project, pointed out that these rapids are built in such a way that the boulders do not shift much during freezing and thawing, and that they have had great success with these rapids in Minnesota. Rock arch rapids were originally designed for conservation purposes. They allow fish to move freely up and down the river even when the water is low, while still blocking enough of the water to function as a dam. “A low-head dam does not allow fish to go upstream except for when it’s flooded. With these rock arch rapids, they can go upstream practically year-round,” said Skinner. Besides being ecologically sound, rock arch rapids are also safer than traditional dams. Low head dams create recirculating current, which can drag swimmers and boaters under the water. Rock arch rapids do not create recirculating current, which also helps prevent riverbank erosion. Skinner believes that replacing the dam with a rapids will attract visitors to the park. Rapids are good for recreation, providing a fun ride for tubers and kayakers. It’s safe to walk out onto the rapids structure, so fishing enthusiasts could walk right out into the pools if they choose to. “It’s just going to be a really, really great change down there in the park. I’m sure that it would draw people down there,” Skinner said. “There are already a lot of people who come in from outside the county to go down there.” The Goldfield rock arch rapids will be made up of three or four pools, covering about 100-150 feet. It will begin about 60-70 feet about the current location of the dam, and end around where the rocks end below the dam. All the work will be done on city property in the River Park, and the water level in the Boone will not be affected. “We’re not changing the water level. It’s going to stay the same as it has been since the original dam was built,” said Soenen. “Some people are going to be concerned that we’re going to change the water level. “ The City of Goldfield has set up a trust and agency fund for the project, so any monetary donations are tax-deductible. If, for whatever reason, the project is not completed any donated monies will not be refunded. Instead, the donations will go towards to Goldfield’s city park. The project is also looking for rocks and boulders of all sizes. Greg Soenen, one of the people leading the charge to replace the old dam, said that the project will require approximately 30-40 truckloads of gravel. “We’re looking for big piles of rock that farmers have accumulated,” said Soenen. “There’s about 50 percent of the material already there.
Its been dumped in there over the years.” So far, the Dam Project has already received donations amounting to about $2,000, and have located one person willing to donate a load of rock. Considering that the project has not really begun advertising their donation drive, it’s off to a good start. “Almost everybody I talked to is positive about the project. They want to see the thing improved here,” said Soenen Skinner and Orville Steffenson began working to replace the 79-year-old dam about a year ago, and they’ve made a lot of headway in that time. Early on, Skinner hit a lot of roadblocks with the project, and he credits Soenen for getting the project on the right track after a lot of dead ends. “It kind of died down. Every corner I turned, I hit a brick wall. I couldn’t seem to make any headway,” Skinner said. “The next thing I know, Greg is on board and knows the DNR … He’s kind of a dam saver. Things really started moving when Greg got on board, and when city hall got involved.” As of now, the DNR has nearly completed the designs for the rapids. Skinner, Steffenson, and Soenen are working to secure a grant from the DNR, which would cover up to 50 percent of the $70,000 project. They are also looking into getting money through county and the Wright County Charitable Fund. The project has received letter of support from the City of Goldfield, the county supervisors, the Goldfield Commercial Club, the Goldfield Women’s Club, and the Wright County Conservation Board. The conservation board is interested in the dam, at least in part, because they are considering listing the upper portion of the Boone River as a designated water trail. The lower part of the Boone, from Webster City to the Des Moines River, is already listed as a water trail. “(The conservation board was) pretty excited about it. They (are) talking about working towards designating that as a waterway, starting next year. They’re thinking about putting some type of canoe access up by Isaak Walton,” said Soenen. “We have two accesses here in Goldfield. They’re just dirt now, but hopefully as this thing gets built, we can improve them too. There will be one just above it and one just below it, so if people want to shoot the rapids in their kayaks, they can just keep going down. Possibly towards Eagle Grove, there could be a couple more canoe accesses put in as well.” “The thing just keeps growing. It looks like there’s a real good possibility that within a few years we could have the whole Boone River through Wright County listed as a designated water trail. That means that the Iowa DNR promotes it for tourism on their guides and brochures,” Soenen said “The rapids might end up being the centerpiece of the upper Boone.” If you are interested in donating to the Goldfield Dam Project, donations are accepted at Goldfield City Hall. If you have questions on the project, you can contact city hall at 515-825-3613 or Orville Steffenson at 515-825-3422.
144th year Number 37
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Official newspaper of Wright County
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Trees for the Cemetery keeping cemetery evergreen By: Clae Goater Clarion’s Nancy Duitscher is working to keep the Evergreen Cemetery looking good with the Trees for the Cemetery program. Through donations and volunteer work, Trees for the Cemetery has replaced planted 27 trees in the cemetery over the past two years. For $60, you could donate a tree, and have it dedicated to the memory of a friend, loved one, or your graduating class. “We just have so many trees that are dead or dying that need to be replaced. It will take years to replant them all. ” Duitscher said. “I think we have one of the most beautiful cemeteries in Iowa, and we just need to keep it that way. If people don’t support the cemetery, than we won’t have an evergreen cemetery.” Duitscher began Trees for the Cemetery because she feels a personal connection to Clarion’s cemetery. “My dad died in 1968, and from then on, this was an important place for me. And then I had a classmate, Jack Smith, who died in Vietnam in 1970. Since then, I’ve thought we need to honor Jack somehow,” Duitscher said. “I talked to my class of 1967, and we planted the tree to honor Jack.” Since then, the classes of 1958, 1952, and all the classes from 1960 to 1969 have donated trees. Several families have also donated trees. The trees are marked with an American flag that has the name of person the tree is dedicated to on it. Duitscher is looking into getting bronze plaques for the trees, so there can be a more permanent monument. When a family dedicates a tree to a family
member, Duitscher tries to place the tree as close to the person’s gravesite as possible. Since spots are firstcome, first-served, the chances of getting a tree close to your family member’s grave are better the sooner you make a donation. “If families would like to honor their family, then we need to get their donations so we don’t take that spot with a class tree,” Duitscher said. “The class trees can go anywhere, but the families want their trees close to where their monument is.” Duitscher does not know what kind of trees they will be planting this year. “We try to diversify the trees, so if a disease comes through, we’re not going to lose all of the trees,” Duitscher said. “Last year, we planted all black hills spruce. This year, I’ll be looking for a different type. We have to be careful with our selection of trees, to make sure they’re good and they will last. “ Planting and caring for the trees is done on an entirely volunteer basis. Bill Drury and members of the classes that have donated trees kept the trees water. Gary Robb lent his time and his backhoe to the project last year, to get the trees planted. This year, Larry Maasdam has offered to help plant the trees. Trees for the Cemetery has also received support from the City of Clarion. “The city is working with us, so if they have the money, we can cut down one of the old trees that are dying so we can get a new tree close to that,” said Duitscher. The cemetery is a cause near and dear to Duitscher’s heart. “I get emotional when I think about this. I’ve even put in my will $1000 towards the cemetery for
trees, just to maintain it and keep it beautiful,” said Duitscher. There’s a lot of work ahead for the Trees for the Cemetery Program, but Duitscher’s upbeat about the project. “We have our work cut out for us. But we have time. Time is on our side. And we have a lot of classes. We have all the 70’s to go, the 50’s,
the 80’s the 90’s. We have a lot of classes to go,” Duitscher said. “Hopefully, they’ll be willing to give us $60.“ If you’re interesting in having a tree dedicated, volunteering, or just asking some question about Trees for the Cemetery, call Duitscher at 515-532-2431.
Nancy Duitscher is working to get new trees for Clarion's Evergreen Cemetary. Above- Duitscher standing next to the first tree planted as part of the Trees for the Cemetary program, which is dedicated to the memory of her classmate Jack Smith.
Caregiver support group available A new support group for caregivers is being offered at the Clarion Wellness and Rehabilitation Center on the second Thursday of each month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. The program hopes to educate and provide resources to caregivers, and allow them a safe space to express themselves. The program is a collaborative effort between the Alzheimer’s Association, the Wellness Center, Wright County Hospice, and Iowa Hospice. “Several people over the years have told us that caregivers need support,” said Carla Kem, Director of Social Services/Community Relations at the Wellness Center. “Caregivers can be somebody that is caring for somebody in their home, or they could be caring for someone in a facility, or it could be somebody who provides care to someone through a contract. We though we’d work together and present different topics and hopefully give them
support that they need. “ Each meeting will include a short, 15-minute presentation on a topic, then allow time for group discussion. Upcoming topics to be discussed include: “coping with uncertainty,” “community resources,” “caregiver stress and the holidays,” “activities for persons with dementia,” “when hospice is a good alternative. “ “We’re going to present about 15 minutes of information, and then it will just be sharing. If they have anything else they want to talk about as a group, we’ll be open to that. If they have any questions, we’ll be happy to answer them,” said Linda Klehm, Administrator at Wright County Hospice. The Wellness Center will provide respite care during the meetings, so caregivers can bring in their dependents. The respite care includes activities. This month, Monte Leichsenring will be holding a sing-along. Refreshments will be
provided for people attending the meeting, and there will be a door prize given away at each meeting. Everything said at the meeting will be treated as confidential, so people should feel safe expressing themselves. Providing care for a loved on can be a very trying experience. The stress of caring for another can be fatal, and caregivers oftentimes die before the people they are caring for. The value of unpaid family caregivers in the United States is estimated at $71.5 million. “It’s a legitimate issue that caregivers don’t have enough support. I think we tend to look at the person who has the disease and think they’re the victim, but it affects everybody in the family,” said Amy Von Bank, Program and Events Coordinator with the Alzheimer’s Association. “Even professional caregivers, to do that day-in, dayout is a challenging role. I think it’s
The Wright Wellness and Rehabilitation Center is now holding caregiver support groups on the second Tuesday each month, organized through the Wellness Center, Iowa Hospice, Wright County Public Health and Hospice, and the Alzheimer’s Association. Pictured above (left to right): Amy Von Bank, Program and Events Coordinator with the Alzheimer’s Association; Carla Kem, Director of Social Services/ Community Relations for the Wellness Center; Linda Klehm, Administrator for Wright County Hospice; and Cheryl Johnson, Hospice Coordinator for Wright County. Not pictured: Jodi Ricklefts, Program and Services Coordinator for the Alzheimer’s Association
really important that those people receive support, because you’re a better caregiver when you’re taking care of yourself. “ Caregivers are presented with many challenges. Many times, caregivers face financial hardships, because they can’t work as much or because they’ve lost the income of the person they are caring for. It also causes strain on relationships, and can make it difficult to lead a fulfilling life. “There can be some isolation, because it can become a fulltime job. There’s often a lot of guilt,” said Von Bank. “I think there’s often a feeling that you’re not doing good enough. What is the right thing to do? What is the wrong thing to do? A lot of times they don’t know the resources available to them.” Reaching out for help can often be difficult. Caregivers come in all ages, genders, and backgrounds, and some people have a harder time asking for support than others. “There can be a stigma associated with reaching out. People may view it as complaining. They don’t want to be a complainer, they don’t want to be a burden, so instead they keep that inside,” said Von Bank. “It’s not necessarily who we think of as a caregiver. It’s not necessarily a mom. It may be an adult child, it may be a son, it may be a husband who never was a caregiver in the home who’s suddenly thrust in the role of a caregiver. They especially don’t reach out for help. “ If you choose to come to a meeting, there is no obligation to attend regularly. Drop in whenever your schedule allows, or when the presentations seem particularly informative. If you cannot attend the meetings, but still need support, you are welcome to call one of the following numbers any time. “I think we’d all be willing to meet with them outside of the group if they want. Our goal is really to be there for them,” said Klehm. For more information call any one of the following numbers: Carla Kem – 515-532-2893, Hospice of Wright County- 515-532-3461, Alzheimer’s Association Helpline- 1-800-272-3461, or the Iowa Hospice Helpline- 1-800-467-7423. You can also visit the county’s website at www.wrightcounty.org.