Siouxlandlife 053115

Popular restaurant gets new look

Take care of your feet during the summer

Home ideas just made for you

A GUIDE FOR LIVING IN SIOUXLAND

A LAKES LEGEND PARK CELEBRATES ANNIVERSARY

TRANSPORTATION IDEAS THRIVE AT OKOBOJI

JUNE 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE IS ON THE WEB! VISIT WWW.SIOUXCITYJOURNAL.COM/SIOUXLANDLIFE

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Siouxland Life

Contents June

2015

Planes, trains and automobiles are obvious means of transportation. But when you’re in the Iowa Great Lakes region, you could try parasailing, cycling, a rollercoaster and a Slingshot. There are so many ways to enjoy Northwest Iowa’s treasure, you might need to take a trip just to try them all out.

This month, we take our annual visit to Lake Okoboji and learn what’s new (and what’s celebrating an important anniversary). Best of all, you don’t have to leave home to enjoy Siouxland Life’s venture.

28 Bird

watch You, too, can spot the species native to Iowa.

20 On the cover The Legend is one of the oldest rollercoasters in the United States. This year Arnolds Park celebrates 125 years and the coaster has its own anniversary to tout. Photo by Tim Hynds. features 4 HOME vintage glam 10 COLLECTION family memories 12 AT THE LAKES halo effect 16 AT THE LAKES life in Wahpeton 18 AT THE LAKES parasailing 20 AT THE LAKES Arnolds Park 24 AT THE LAKES Taxidermy 26 AT THE LAKES cycling 28 AT THE LAKES birding

30 32 34 36 40 42 44 45 47

32 A second act

What’s the next step for a retiree? Okoboji, of course.

AT THE LAKES Bill’s Bait AT THE LAKES second act AT THE LAKES a new option AT THE LAKES a familiar place AT THE LAKES sailing AT THE LAKES the Slingshot HEALTH foot woes HEALTH medical answers PARTING SHOT

Publisher Steve Griffith Editor Bruce Miller Editorial Dolly A. Butz, Tim Gallagher, Earl Horlyk, Ally Karsyn, Michelle Kuester Photography Tim Hynds, Jim Lee, Justin Wan Design Diane Cunningham Advertising Sales Nancy Gevik Advertising Design Kayla Fleming ©2015 The Sioux City Journal. Siouxland Life is published monthly by The Sioux City Journal.

For advertising information, please call (712) 224-6275. For editorial information, please call (712) 293-4218.

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Country flavor Beer Can Alley opens a new outlet in Okoboji.

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Home vintage

glam

Siouxland

house tour 10 things to love about a DIY, vintage glam haven

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Text by Ally Karsyn | Photographs by Jim Lee

Wonderful things come to those who wait. At least that’s true when pulling together an endearingly eclectic design with handpicked one-of-a-kind pieces.

After being lured in by the trappings of convenience and same-day delivery in the past, Christina Kennette committed to filling her family’s new home in Dakota Dunes with furnishings they can love for more than a few years. “I looked for a long time and a lot of it is custom,” she said. “I’m a bit of a DIYer.” Every room has a DIY project she can proudly point out from pillows and curtains to tables and chairs. “I save and splurge. That’s my motto,” she said.

Christina and her husband Greg, two engineers hailing from Canada, moved to Siouxland for CF Industries’ Port Neal expansion project last year. Since then, she has slowly added stunningly simple elements to each space, creating an overall feel that’s a little bit beachy and boho but totally glam.

1. Tranquil Retreat Everything happens here. Family time, play, leisure. One-year-old Isaac likes to cozy up on the cobalt blue velvet couch just as much as his mom. This is where she spends most of her time when she’s not working. Nothing is better than curling up with a hot cup of coffee to read

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design blogs or her favorite home decorating magazines from Canada while her growing son plays on the floor.

2. DIY Wall Art For two weeks, while Isaac was napping, Christina got creative with acrylic paint for a large-scale piece of DIY wall art, inspired by Gray Malin’s aerial beach photography. The coastal scene, dotted with red-and-white striped umbrellas, hanging above the fireplace is one of her favorite things in the house. She has never made a painting before.

3. Old Meets New The wingback chairs come from days gone just like the chaise lounge by the window. Christina found these promising pieces on Etsy, an online marketplace for vintage and handmade items.

She fell in love with a serene, subtle tie-dye print in muted shades of seafoam green and blue but needed something durable that could withstand a toddler’s antics. She had that fabric put on the backs while the seats are covered with a white. A bold choice? Not really, she said.

Before committing to the combination, she tested a swatch of the white Sunbrella outdoor fabric and could lift stains from red wine, coffee and mustard with a baby wipe.

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5 4. Neutral Palette “One of my favorite designers is Sarah Richardson. She’s a Canadian designer.

I love her style. She does a lot of the painted cabinets. I didn’t want to just do white, but I knew I didn’t want to do any sort of color. When I was first doing the design of the main area, I knew I wanted to stick with white, cream and gray,” Christina said.

5. Inside Nature The dining table, handcrafted by a carpenter in Rhode Island, features a slab top with a natural edge that highlights the contours and beauty of the wood.

Christina brought the dining chairs into this decade by replacing the foam and reupholstering them with white, bumpy leather. These were another Etsy find.

She also fashioned living centerpieces from succulents brought back from a brief vacation in Scottsdale, Ariz.

6 6. Vintage Vibe Luxe textures and patterns add depth and interest to the black and white master bedroom.

The vintage bench at the foot of the bed has been given new life with floral fabric by Ellie Cashman, an artist and designer known for her blossoming large-scale prints. And a Moroccan wedding blanket from the ’60s or ’70s hangs over the bed.

“I love vintage stuff,” Christina said. “I just think it brings some character in.”

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7. Hollywood Glam The acrylic console table in the master bathroom was built from another DIY idea.

“I like doing projects like that. I feel like it just makes it your home,” Christina said. And you’ll notice she adds a bit of glitz and glam to every room, even the bathrooms, with light fixtures: the jewelry of home décor.

8. Kid-Kind Design A kid’s room doesn’t have to sacrifice style for function. Look for pieces that do double duty like the colored buckets strategically placed on low-hanging hooks to toss toys in for easy cleanup. “Buckets and baskets are the best for kids,” Christina said.

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Siouxland Life

9. Common Threads Since the Kennettes are transplants to Siouxland, they have visitors fairly often.

“It’s nice to have a spot for them,” she said. Christina created an inviting guest room based on a multicolored fabric she bought on eBay. She made a Roman shade and throw pillows and added elements from there.

“I usually start with a fabric … and then I just build off of that,” she said. “It all comes together if you stick with the same color palette. I like to have every room a little bit different but still have the same common thread through the house.”

10. Outdoor Inspirations The dining room opens to a covered patio with a blackened privacy fence. The look was achieved through a Japanese technique, called shou sugi ban, which Christina saw on the DIY Network.

Torching the wood actually preserves it and makes it resistant to rot and pests.

Plus, it’s nearly maintenance-free.

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collection family

memories

Back in time

Vintage items bring back family memories for Woodbury County woman

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Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by Justin Wan

PIERSON, Iowa | A s a little girl, Vicki Hogeland was always dazzled by the shiny two-for-50-cents displays she’d see inside dime stores.

Whether they were salt-and-pepper shakers, juicers or random knick-knacks, she admitted to being intrigued.

“As soon as I saw something, I knew I had to have it,” Hogeland said. “I’ve been a collector ever since I was a kid.”

Indeed, much of the rural Woodbury County home she shares with husband Wes is devoted to collectibles.

Walking into her kitchen, your eyes immediately go to the vintage gadgets and utensils hung as decorations.

Venturing into her dining room, you’ll note Hogeland’s carefully curated collections of Frankoma pottery as well as hundreds of festive salt-and-pepper shakers she keeps in a glass display case picked up at Sioux City’s former Dean Drug.

“I love this case,” Hogeland said with a smile. “It probably once displayed hair dryers or men’s razors, but now it’s home to my shakers.”

Going into Hogeland’s living room, you’ll see art in addition to autographed books from predominately Iowa authors.

“I’ve always loved reading,” the University of Northern Iowa graduate said while thumbing through a signed copy of Nancy Price’s “Sleeping with the Enemy.”

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“Collect what you like, not what you think will bring in the most money. Also, try to learn about the history behind your pieces because half of the fun comes from the stories.”

“So, books are a great thing to collect.”

However, Hogeland’s most personal room doesn’t contain things she has purchased. Instead, it’s made of items given to her by family members.

“This is my 1920s room,” she said, showing off a first-floor bedroom. “I call it that because it contains the actual bed and dresser my grandparents had back in the ’20s.”

Not only that, the room also contains a grooming set her grandmother received as a high school graduation gift, the luggage her mom used as a Morningside College commuter student

Siouxland Life

and, even, children’s clothing that Hogeland, herself, had worn.

“I don’t consider myself a true collector because they tend to collect things of great value,” she explained, patting down a quilt that read “To Vicki, from Grandma Nafe, July 1956.” “I only collect things that matter to me.”

Hogeland admitted that collecting vintage items sometimes put her at odds with family members who grew up during the Great Depression or World War II. “When you personally experienced financial hardships or went through rationing like a lot of people did during the war, you put greater value on new things, not old things,” she said. “For

Collector Vicki Hogeland said her love of vintage items sometimes confused family members who grew up during the Great Depression. “My great-aunt thought I was nuts because I loved old things,” Hogeland said. “Eventually, she came around and bought me this vintage moonstone dish.”

myself, I prefer the things that have a story to them.”

Hogeland said she may have gotten the collecting bug from her mom, Dorothy Nafe, a thrift store aficionado, and her late dad, Dale Nafe, who collected vintage cars and machinery.

Hogeland’s husband, however, isn’t really a fan of the woolen bed cover that she received as a college gift.

“Wes hates the bedspread because he thinks it’s too hot and heavy,” she said.

“But it still brings good memories back for me.”

Heading back into her kitchen,

Hogeland pointed out pieces of Roseville in addition to her festively colored LuRay Pastels dinnerware before heading back to even more salt-and-pepper shakers.

“I like collecting salt-and-pepper shakers because they serve an actual purpose,” she said, showing off miniature china pieces shaped like angels, bunnies and, even, cobs of corn. “They may be pretty to look at but you can actually use ‘em.”

Surveying her well-maintained house filled with collectibles, Hogeland had some advice for people hoping to invest in vintage finds.

“Collect what you like, not what you think will bring in the most money,” she advised. “Also, try to learn about the history behind your pieces because half of the fun comes from the stories.”

This is certainly true for many of Hogeland’s unique items, which include an old chamber pot and transom window that she uses as bedroom art pieces or the department store mannequin she picked up from a friend.

“There’s still a lot of life in vintage items,” she said, smiling. “You just need a little imagination in order to make them seem new again.”

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at the lakes the

halo effect

West Okoboji boasts about

its beach

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WEST OKOBOJI, Iowa | One of the most popular public beach settings in the Iowa Great Lakes belongs to one of the smallest cities in this tourism epicenter.

Terrace Park Beach, formerly known as Green’s Beach, offers 1,200 feet of soft sand that extends well into the south end of West Lake Okoboji.

The beach is likely the main attraction for tiny West Okoboji, population 289.

“It’s got great sand and people come here for it from all over the place,” says Ed Rice, the city manager/city clerk for West Okoboji.

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Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

Photos of the beach and its funseekers decorate West Okoboji City Hall, a $500,000 structure constructed to help one of Iowa’s smallest municipal staffs serve a growing public.

Rice, a 28-year city employee, supervises Ben Umscheid, the only other city staff member. Together, these two pick up garbage and handle recycling duties for West Okoboji. The pair also remove snow, answer utilities issues for residents and maintain a park system that has grown from one municipal park to five.

The population grows, too. West

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Okoboji has nearly 400 housing units.

Rice uses a multiplier of five for those dwellings when estimating a head count each July.

Growth on the south edge of West Lake Okoboji has also occurred in home values. When Rice began serving the city in 1987, West Okoboji was no more than a quaint burg featuring seasonal cottages and the occasional home.

“We only have a few cottages any more,” Rice says, figuring the number of seasonal residences is less than 10. “We do have a few cabins and then some

Ed Rice, city manager at West Okoboji, Iowa, has worked for the city for 28 years. He plans to retire at the end of 2015. He’s seen the city park system grow from a single park to five parks.

A boater heads out on West Lake Okoboji.

multimillion-dollar homes. We’ve also added commercial sites.”

This might be the lone city hall in Iowa that’s adjacent to a brewery. West Okoboji City Hall is next to West O’ Beer.

“Another change is the fact construction goes year-round now,” says Rice, an Arnolds Park High School graduate who worked as a mechanic for 10 years before joining the city staff. “Crews now enclose a structure and have brick and stone work going on continuously.”

While most homes offer year-round occupancy, residents often split their time in West Okoboji with time spent elsewhere, be it Omaha, or Des Moines, or Sioux City, or the Twin Cities. That fact makes counting noses a bit problematic for the U.S. Census Bureau.

“The last Census count had West Okoboji at 289,” Rice says. “And the count before that (10 years prior) was 432. It’s not

West Okoboji, population 289, sees a surge in temporary residents each summer, drawn to Dickinson County by the Iowa Great Lakes.

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For information on becoming a vendor Ed Rice and Ben Umscheid make up the city staff for the City of West Okoboji, Iowa.

the first time we’ve fluctuated like that.

The problem is that the 2010 count was taken in April, and many of those people may have listed their other residence.”

Any road-use dollars the city lost because of a loss in population, Rice says, were offset in a rise in property valuation, as real estate in this burg keeps trending higher.

No matter how many people are living in West Okoboji, it’s up to Rice and Umscheid to serve them. According to Rice, it’s all part of their goal to keep their budget in line and the city’s tax levy low.

“Our levy is at $2 per $1,000 valuation for the city,” Rice says. “I think we’ve got the lowest in the state. We also have no debt.”

West Okoboji also has one of the best beaches in the state. The area was fenced 30 years ago in an effort to attract and keep young families with children returning to the south side of West Lake Okoboji.

“Before 1985, you could drive right down onto the beach,” Rice says. “There were people who would do that, and they’d get stuck. There were also times when beer cans were sitting all over down there.”

Gone are the vehicles and the beer cans, replaced by toddlers splashing and waving as boats ply the blue waters that line the north side of a tiny Iowa town.

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at the lakes life

in Wahpeton

You won’t

make waves in little Wahpeton Mayor contends residents like quiet

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Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

WAHPETON, Iowa | G enerally, when people talk of the Iowa Great Lakes, they reference Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Milford and Arnolds Park.

“That’s OK with us,” says Frank Joenks, mayor of Wahpeton, one of several burgs that operate in the shadows of their big siblings in Dickinson County.

“If we’re not on the radar, that’s OK,” Joenks continues. “The others can have the industry and those things. We want to keep it the way we are in Wahpeton, a quiet and peaceful town.”

Actually, the quietude may attract most of the residents to this burg of 341 residents, most of whom are likely, like Joenks, retired.

“We’ve got mostly retirees, half of which are snowbirds,” says Joenks, 78.

“I know a school bus comes into town and stops to pick up children, maybe from two families, but that’s about it,” he says. “We’re unique here, very quiet and secluded.”

Actually, one of the best ways to get to Wahpeton is by boat. There are several docks outside Kazzareli’s at Miller’s Bay, a top-notch restaurant that, like Wahpeton City Hall and dozens of homes here, stands just a few feet from the canals that come from the aforementioned bay, which extends into the blue waters of West Lake Okoboji.

“The developer who built these canals wanted Wahpeton to be the ‘Venice of Iowa,’” Joenks says. “I think the Depression hit him hard.”

Still, the canals stayed, allowing people like Frank and wife Rita Joenks to leave their home by boat and travel to West Lake Okoboji before entering East Lake Okoboji and then Minnewashta Lake and Upper and Lower Gar. “Lower Gar (lake) is the farthest I could get from home by boat,” he says.

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Frank Joenks, mayor of Wahpeton, Iowa, stands on a dock near Wahpeton City Hall, which was built in 1985.

Joenks has been mayor for eight years.

Siouxland Life

The Village of Wahpeton, Iowa, is east of Highway 86 in the Iowa Great Lakes.

Recreational trails can take walkers, runners and bicycle riders even farther from home. The trails that pass Wahpeton take recreational users all the way to Spirit Lake.

Home values have ridden lake and trail access, feeding the concept that quality of life tops the list when one chooses where to plant one’s stake. According to Joenks, home values range from $200,000 to beyond $1 million.

Not bad for a “village.”

The term brings a smile to Joenks’ face. “We sent out our newsletter from city hall and asked our residents how they wanted Wahpeton to be labeled,” he says. “They chose ‘Village of Wahpeton.’”

The moniker has a quiet connotation, perhaps. It also harkens back to the Village Store, which offered basic necessities a few years ago, things like bread, milk and eggs. It’s where the restaurant stands these days.

Wahpeton City Hall is still near a canal since it was built 30 years ago. In 1993, just two years after Joenks relocated to Wahpeton, flood waters reached the foundation. Even this year, those waters are but a few feet from the northeast corner of the structure. When it comes to city hall facilities in Iowa, this one has to be the closest to a body of water.

That claim to fame works for Joenks,

A water ski is attached to a tree on the shore of a canal that leads to Miller’s Bay at Wahpeton, Iowa, in the Iowa Great Lakes.

who quickly notes that Wahpeton is also home to two church camps, Lakeside Laboratories and Gull Point State Park.

By 2016, the little burg on the water will also have something else: A new Wahpeton water tower.

That development may enable the village to get away from the practice of purchasing water from Milford during July and August. Last year, for example, Wahpeton bought 1 million gallons during that stretch.

The new tower will be a visible sign of progress. Not that everyone needs to know about it, of course.

“We like it quiet here,” the mayor says with a smile.

Boats are docked mere feet from City Hall at Wahpeton, the Dickinson County village incorporated in 1933.

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at the lakes parasailing

Captain Tim Marler pilots the boat as Jimi Anderson of Spencer and Michael Nardiello of England go parasailing on West Lake Okoboji in Arnolds Park, Iowa, with Extreme Watersports.

The best view of Okoboji:

450 feet above the water

O

Text by Earl Horlyk | Photograph by Tim Hynds

OKOBOJI, Iowa | Growing up around Ruthven, Iowa, Tim Marler still remembers the summers that he spent around Palo Alto County’s Lost Island Lake.

Now as the owner of West Lake Okoboji’s Extreme Watersports, he realizes the best place to experience a lake isn’t by swimming in it.

Instead, Marler prefers to be 450 feet above the water.

“There’s nothing better than seeing Okoboji on a parasail,” he explained. “It’s a beautiful experience.”

Marler’s been taking thrill-seeking tourists parasailing every summer since 1994.

A harness connects up to three riders to a parasail, which is then connected to a commercial water sport boat that is driven by Marler or a member of the Extreme Watersports crew.

When the boat drives off, the parasail lifts off ... sending the passengers sky high.

Marler said parasailing isn’t permitted

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on particularly breezy days.

“If the winds is blowing above 15-20 mph, we can’t sail,” he explained.

But on a clear day with minimal winds, parasailing can be majestic.

In addition to a bird’s eye view of Lake Okoboji, Marler said passengers can see all of the sight of Spirit Lakes, surrounding cornfields and seven separate water towers.

“People think it will be noisy riding in a parasail,” he said, shaking his head. “Instead, it’s completely quiet. All you’ll hear is the motor of the boat and you’ll be lost in your thoughts.”

“I guess it’s all pretty Zen.” It’s also a way for people with special needs to experience the sensation of being over water.

“Since passengers are strapped in securely, we regularly take special needs kids parasailing,” Marler said. “They seem to love it.”

For some people, parasailing has become a yearly ritual.

Siouxland Life

High-flying fun

What: Parasailing at Lake Okoboji When: About 10 a.m. to sunset, weather permitting, all summer long Where: Extreme Watersports, Arnolds Park, Iowa Amusement Park, West Okoboji, iowa Cost: $75 per person and a liability waiver must be signed Contact: For information on parasailing as well as boat, water ski and wakeboard rental, call 712-332-5406

“I estimate a good 30 to 40 percent of our passengers come back for more,” Marler said. “They want the ride to be longer and they want to come back every year.”

As he prepared for his 21st season, Marler said the youngest parasail passenger he has taken was 3 and the oldest was 93.

“And they always say the same thing,” he said with smile. “The best way to see Lake Okoboji is from the seat of a parasail.”

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AT THE LAKES Arnolds

Park

ARNOLDS PARK AMUSEMENT PARK

CELEBRATES 125 YEARS

a

WITH MUSIC, TEA AND NEW ACTIVITIES Text by Dolly A. Butz | Photographs by Tim Hynds and provided

ARNOLDS PARK, IOWA | Arnolds Park Amusement Park will celebrate its 125th birthday with a spot of tea and other fun activities for the whole family.

“I think we’re going to be hosting some pretty good crowds this summer,” said Di Lorenzen, marketing and communications manager for Arnolds Park Amusement Park. “I think there’s a lot of people who haven’t been to the park in a while and we’re hoping that they come back and join us to celebrate the 125th.”

The park at 37 Lake St. will kick off the festivities June 13 with its first concert of the season. Georgia Satellites will play on Preservation Plaza. A sidewalk chalk contest for kids and activities on the green

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JUNE 2015

space will also be held. A parade will take place on June 14. Free ice cream and cake will be served after.

Spirit Lake Robotics will present shows at the amusement park on June 13 and 14.

Patrons can enjoy an afternoon tea party from 3 to 5 p.m. June 15. The cost is $125. All proceeds benefit the amusement park, which was saved from closure by the community back in 1999.

Arnolds Park Amusement Park is a nonprofit organization. All proceeds raised are re-invested into the park to add new activities and attractions.

“That is going to be an elegant tea with a lunch-in,” Lorenzen said. “It’ll be finger sandwiches and some petit fours desserts.”

She said vintage clothes, purses, jewelry and collectibles from the late 1800s and early 1900s will be on display.

“It’ll be decorated really elegantly, so it’s going to be a

SIOUXLAND LIFE

The Legend roller coaster and the Ferris wheel are a fan favorite at the Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

Below: Guests are welcomed to the park.

A pair of carousel horses at the Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

The carousel and Roof Garden were a popular spot in 1925.

As they ride the Legend roller coaster, visitors can see a sign that shows the point of no return.

There are plenty of rides for the whole family at the park.

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The Ferris wheel sends riders up into the air.

really fun affair,” she said.

LEGEND HITS 85 Patrons will have a chance to ride The Legend Roller Coaster, which will mark 85 years in operation this summer. The Legend is the seventh oldest roller coaster in the United States and the 13th oldest in the world, according to the National Roller Coaster Association.

Two seasons ago, Lorenzen said the park spent nearly $1 million renovating the wooden roller coaster. She said the ride is smoother and faster than it used to be.

“If you haven’t ridden it in the last year, you definitely have to come and check it out,” she said.

“It’s not that bumpy anymore.”

Other park staples that bring back a sense of nostalgia, Lorenzen said, are The Carousel, Kiddie Boats and Freddie the Fish.

“That’s why we’re keeping them,” she said. “When people come back they go, ‘Oh my gosh!

I remember ridding the little fish when I was kid’.”

New to the park is a mining attraction. Lorenzen said children

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SIOUXLAND LIFE

Operations manager Digger Nelson demonstrates a new sluicing attraction at the Arnolds Park Amusement Park.

will be be able to mix gem stones into sand and then mine them out. Harmony Park, interactive musical instruments scattered throughout the park, is also making its debut. The instruments, which were donated by Paul and Julie Hedberg, of Spirit Lake, require no skill to play.

“We’re really proud of the park and all the things that are left here for the future generations to continue to enjoy,” Lorenzen said.

“By coming to the park and riding the rides or buying a hotdog, you continue to flourish our park for future generations.”

Siouxland Life

june 2015

23

AT THE LAKES taxidermy

THE RIGHT STUFF

SPIRIT LAKE TAXIDERMIST PINS DOWN BEAUTY

t

Text by Ally Karsyn | Photographs by Tim Hynds

TOM MATUSKA KEEPS a dead fish above his desk. It’s perched on a shelf, broken pins and all. It’s not his finest work but it’s his first.

“It’s one of those things that’s not good enough to keep but too good to throw away,” he said, glancing at the stuffed, 30-inch longnose gar.

The owner of Matuska Taxidermy in Spirit Lake made the mount around the age of 10, when he was taking a correspondence course through the Northwestern School of Taxidermy in Omaha, Neb., founded by J.W. Elwood in 1903.

Following step-by-step instructions in a book, the young outdoorsman learned outmoded methods by mail.

In the past decade, taxidermy has taken on a new twist. It has gone rogue.

Three artists from Minneapolis debuted an exhibition of oddities in 2004.

One of the works by Sarina Brewer, titled “Goth Griffin,” was featured in the New York Times. The weird winged creature was crafted from road kill, combining a feral farm cat and a crow. She has made two-headed hatchlings, a panda squirrel and other artistic renderings from animal remains.

Brewer, along with Scott Bibus and Robert Marbury, established the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists, a group dedicated to lowbrow mixedmedia sculptures that incorporate taxidermy materials in unusual ways.

The idea was met with DIY enthusiasm, born out of the Great Recession, and spread to other cities in the United States and abroad.

The Morbid Anatomy Museum in New York offers taxidermy classes that have appealed to hipsters and women. In one class, students can learn how to make an anthropomorphic mouse with one head or two. The practice was made famous

by Victorian taxidermist Walter Potter, who posed kittens having a tea party and playing croquet, among other curious creations.

In a more conventional class, instructor Divya Anantharaman demonstrates techniques to preserve an English

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JUNE 2015

Tom Matuska works on a pheasant while teaching a class at the Northwest Iowa School of Taxidermy, which he established in 1984 as part of his studio in Spirit Lake, Iowa.

The most common mounts made at Matuska Taxidermy in Spirit Lake, Iowa, include regional fish, deer and game birds like this pheasant.

Sparrow, covering everything from proper skinning, fleshing, washing, tumbling and grooming feathers to re-attaching feet.

Matuska works in traditional taxidermy. The most unusual specimen he’s come across was fabricating Rocket Raccoon, a 3-foot-tall bandit-faced superhero for “Guardians of the Galaxy.”

And then there was last summer’s project: preserving Cisco, Kevin Costner’s buckskin horse from “Dances with Wolves” that died at the age of 33.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Most common critters include regional fish, deer and game birds.

Matuska was always fascinated with fish and admired the pretty plumage on the ducks his dad hunted. Yet, he went to college for art and biology with intentions of illustrating textbooks. He ended up getting into architecture and drawing buildings instead. That short-lived career took him out to Wyoming. The homesick draftsman soon returned to Jackson, Minn., to work at his father’s meat market.

Back in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, he picked up his childhood hobbies of hunting and fishing, which rekindled his desire to do taxidermy. He went back to school to learn the trade, and in 1973, Matuska began his taxidermy business in the basement of his home.

It’s grown to include a commercial studio, a school and a supply company.

Skeptics ponder his profession and think it’s an oxymoron, especially when he says he loves wildlife but spends his days handling pelts.

“People can’t quite figure that out,” he said.

Another thing that’s hard to wrap one’s head around is how it’s done.

He comes across couples at odds over displaying the sportsman’s “trophies” in the home. Sometimes the wives need to be convinced.

“We show them the tanned skins, which are like what you’d put in a fur coat,” Matuska said. “The hair is luxurious. It’s cleaned and shampooed and rinsed.”

The fine tanned hide is mounted over a Styrofoam mannequin that’s been molded to imitate lifelike mannerisms.

When the wives get a feel for what goes on behind the scenes, they’re usually pretty impressed, Matuska said.

Soon the deer head’s in the house.

Antlers adorn the walls. And pheasants are frozen in place, flying above the mantel.

Each mount displays a memory, beckoning tales of a great adventure, a big catch or a boy’s dream.

Tom Matuska began his taxidermy business in the basement of his home in 1973. It’s grown to include a commercial studio, a school and a supply company.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

JUNE 2015

25

at the lakes cycling

Cycling options abound in the Iowa Great Lakes

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june 2015

Siouxland Life

o

Drew Mills assembles a bicycle at Okoboji Expedition Company, in Okoboji, Iowa. The full-service bike shop will be opening a new bike rental office in Arnolds Park in the Queens Court shops.

Text by Dolly A. Butz Photograph by Tim Hynds

OKOBOJI, Iowa | More tourists are choosing to take in the sights and sounds of the Iowa Great Lakes by bike.

They can stay on paved recreational trails, take to the streets and highways or cycle gravel roads.

Taylor Huseman, owner of Okoboji Expedition Co., 1021 US-71, said sightseeing is more enjoyable on a bike than in a car. The full-service bike shop is opening a new bike rental office in the Queens Court retail corridor in Arnolds Park.

“We do a lot of bike rentals out of our shop,” he said. “People have said, ‘We’ve been up here for years and we’ve always wanted to rent a bike.’ They actually see more of the area.”

Seventy-five percent of cyclists participate in recreational cycling. Huseman said customers who haven’t been on a bike in a number of years will

prefer riding a hybrid, a cross between a road bike and a mountain bike. Hybrids have wider tires with a smooth tread, which he said is great for trails hardpacked with dirt and crushed limestone.

“They do have a front suspension so they can absorb shock pretty easily, but you can also lock that out so it doesn’t absorb shock. If you’re riding only pavement you’re a lot more efficient.”

Take a hybrid on a paved trail that runs around West Lake Okoboji. The trail, which was recently completed, offers unobstructed views of the water.

“You can make it all the way around without having to get on any sort of heavily traveled roads which is really nice,” Huseman said.

Cyclists can also find paved trails around Minnewasta Lake, Upper Gar Lake and Lower Gar Lake. The Spine Trail travels through Arnolds Park and into Milford, Iowa. Riding a road bike, which has narrow tires with a smooth tread on these trails, Huseman said, could cause problems, as runners and walkers also frequent them.

“Road bikes tend to travel anywhere between 18 to 22 miles per hour,” he said.

“You get on trails with corners like that and you’ve got people walking dogs and strollers. It becomes a little dangerous.”

Road bikers will prefer the 40-mile Swan Lake loop or the 35-mile Terrill loop. Huseman said cyclists will want to avoid Highways 9, 71 and 86.

“There’s a lot of different roads that you can take that aren’t heavily traveled in the area which is nice,” he said.

He said some parents of young children will hook a bicycle trailer up to their hybrid bikes so the kids can ride along.

“We’ve just seen a big push toward an almost healthier lifestyle – more families getting together and getting on bikes.

Instead of just the mom coming in and getting a bike, we might see the mom and dad,” he explained. “And then a year later, they say, ‘We want our kids to ride with us.’”

Cyclists looking for a more rugged experience, Huseman said, should check out gravel roads. Okoboji Expedition Co. also rents mountain bikes.

“In Iowa there are so many gravel roads and they’re less traveled, so people are starting to turn to those to ride because there’s less traffic,” he said. “Your chances of an accident are a lot lower on gravel than they are pavement.”

All rentals come with a helmet, which Huseman said is adequate protection for recreational riding on trails. Opt for shorts rather than pants, which could get caught in the bike’s chainrings.

Road bikers, Huseman said, will wear shoes that are clipped into the pedals

Provided Taylor Huseman, a native of Manson, Iowa, competes in the USA Triathlon Nationals in Milwaukee last summer.

and spandex shorts that are padded.

Bright colors, white, yellow or neon green, he said, are a must for anyone riding on the road. Taillights are also recommended, even for those cycling on trails.

Bring a water bottle which can be stored in your bike’s water bottle cage.

Before taking off, Huseman said you should familiarize yourself with the rules of the road: stop at all stop signs and be sure to use proper hand signals. If you’re turning right, put your right hand out.

“Most drivers will get the hint,” Huseman assured.

Siouxland Life

june 2015

27

at the lakes birding

Birding program

soars in popularity

o

with young and old Text by Michelle Kuester

OKOBOJI, Iowa | Few things are more relaxing than heading out on an early morning walk and bird watching.

That’s why the Dickinson County Nature Center has held a regular bird watching program, Birding on the Greens, for the past several years.

“It’s been a very popular program for us over the years,” said Kiley Roth, community relations coordinator for the nature center.

People of all ages come out to enjoy the program, which usually has between 15 and 40 participants during each outing, Roth said. There is no one demographic attending the program, either, she added.

“That’s one of the great things about this program,” Roth said. “It can be for kids, adults, families, grandparents will bring their grandkids. It’s fun for everyone.”

Participants meet and load up in golf carts at Brooks National Golf Club, 1201 Brooks Park Drive in Okoboji, which is next to the Dickinson County Nature Center. It takes place at 7 a.m. on the first Monday during each month from May to September.

The program is also a win-win for the nature center and the golf course. According to Roth, Brooks had an interest in becoming an Audubon-certified course.

d

A group heads out for Birding on the Greens.

Provided photos

A boy searches the sky for birds at Birding on the Greens.

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June 2015

Siouxland Life

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Participants search for birds during Birding on the Greens

In order to do this, they needed a current list of birds that live on the course to demonstrate that they were a good bird habitat. So, the participants for Birding on the Greens keep a current list for the course to send in, which keeps their Audubon certification active.

Charles Vigdal, a naturalist at the nature center, and Ed Thelen, local birder, take participants out to view and identify different birds.

“I like going out birding with Ed,” said Vigdal. “He knows not just what the bird is but characteristics about them and how to identify them in the future.”

It doesn’t matter if a birder has a lot of experience or none; everyone is welcome to take part in Birding on the Greens.

“We have a lot of birders who have never gone out before and it’s a good way for the new people to go out and meet people and learn a lot about it,” Vigdal said.

“It doesn’t matter if they don’t have any experience,” Roth added. “The birders that come along are a great help.”

Binoculars are needed, but the nature center will provide them if participants don’t have their own.

“It’s a pretty easygoing event,” Roth said. “We can provide binoculars and people can come and go if they need to.”

Weather can sometimes be an issue for the event, but often times participants will power through the conditions.

“We brave the weather most of the time,” Roth said.

Potential Birding on the Greens participants can check the nature center’s Facebook page at Dickinson County Nature Center to see if a certain event has been cancelled due to weather.

The program plays into the interest in birding in the Okoboji area, Roth said.

“Birding is so popular in this area especially,” she added. “It’s a relaxing hobby. The more people get involved, the more they enjoy it. It’s a good way for people to get outside and enjoy what Okoboji has to offer.”

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June 2015

29

AT THE LAKES Bill’s

Bait

Mabel Lockey has owned and operated Bill’s Bait since 1952. The business was started in conjunction with her husband, Bill Lockey, who was an avid Iowa Great Lakes fisherman until his death 16 years ago.

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JUNE 2015

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Bill’s Bait, on the west side of U.S. Highway 71 at Milford, Iowa, is just north of the highway’s intersection with 21st Street. The business, operated by Mabel Lockey, is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Bill’s Bait owner

hooked on

m

serving anglers Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

MILFORD, Iowa | Mabel Lockey sold her first night crawlers, or “nite crawlers,” as the sign suggests, back in 1952. She and husband Bill Lockey built Bill’s Bait along Highway 71 at the edge of Milford at the time.

“This was a corn field one year earlier,” Lockey says with a giggle. “We watched farmer Dick Scott plant his corn with a planter pulled by two horses.”

Thousands of cars, trucks, motorcycles and bicycles zip past on a cloudy Monday afternoon as Lockey embarks on her 64th year in the bait business in Milford, playing her role as businesswoman and red carpet provider for those visiting the Iowa Great Lakes.

“I’m 88,” she says with a wide smile.

“When you get older, time goes by faster because you’re going so slow.”

Bill Lockey, who worked in construction, was crazy about fishing. So crazy that he joined the U.S. Navy during World War II in his effort to avoid the U.S. Army.

“He figured he’d be drafted into the Army, so he joined the Navy first,” his

Mabel Lockey, 88, still opens the shop each day in her attempt to serve anglers and tourists in the Iowa Great Lakes.

wife says. “He wanted to be in the Navy, because that would give him a better chance to fish. And, he did. He fished in the ocean off his big ship.”

Bill Lockey came home from World War II in June 1946. Less than two months later, he and Mabel wed in Spencer, Iowa. Six years later, they built a home and business on the north edge of Milford, surrounded by milking cows and horses, farm neighbors all.

“I’d have supper ready for Bill when he came home from work at 5 o’clock,” Mabel says. “He’d eat and then head out to fish.”

She’d stay behind to serve the anglers who stopped by for bait, tackle gear and information on that week’s hot spots when it came to bites.

“Fishermen are happy people,” Mabel says. “And this was a fun business because you’re dealing with people who are happy. Maybe that’s why I’ve lived so long.”

Her life’s chief regret involves the life of her husband. Bill suffered from lung cancer and died on Sept. 30, 1999. He was 73.

Mabel kept the business and kept the name as homage to her late fisherman.

She kept stocking bait and finally raised the price to $3.50 per dozen for night crawlers.

The anglers she served decades ago as boys are now grandfathers themselves.

Some of them return to a brick-andblock business site that hasn’t changed a whole lot through the years.

“I noticed business really slowed in 2008 when gas rose to more than $3 per gallon,” Mabel says. “And people might not fish near as often as they did. A lot of them stay inside and play with technology.”

While revenue streams aren’t as healthy as they once were, Mabel likes the pace of life here. She rises not long after dawn, takes a few steps to the east and turns the sign at Bill’s Bait from “Closed” to “Open.”

“And then I just wait for customers,” she says, noting her “hook” is the “Open” sign and the fact she’s been in the same place, behind the same counter, working the same tourism mecca, since the Eisenhower Administration.

“People have said to me, ‘You mean your kids still let you work?’” she asks with a tone of disbelief. “I say to them, ‘I don’t tell my kids what to do and they don’t tell me.’”

Besides, she concludes, her health is fine. Her 1973 Ford pickup with 130,000 miles on it is just like her, still very much able to operate.

“I have my driver’s license until I’m 90,” she says. “My truck will have to last at least that long.”

And, very likely, so will Bill’s Bait. Just as long as Mabel Lockey can dig up a dozen “nite crawlers” for her paying customers.

“If Bill could have lived longer, I’d be happier,” she says as a pickup truck with boat in tow turns north at her corner.

“But he was too sick to live, so God is taking care of him now and that’s OK. “I’ve had a good life.”

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31

at the lakes second

act

Okoboji’s ‘Music Man’

puts down the baton

m

after 34 years Text and photographs by Tim Gallagher

MILFORD, Iowa | Greg Forney claps his hands and taps one foot, the tempo growing faster as a saxophonist climbs the scale.

It is the last week of the last year of Greg Forney’s 34-year teaching career.

Forney, director of a jazz band that has won four state titles, attacks the music like a rookie.

“It seems like he’s working as hard now as he did when I was a sophomore,” says Austin Kolegraff, a senior band member at Okoboji High School in Milford, the school Greg Forney helped establish as a musical force in the Iowa Great Lakes and beyond.

“He’s the foundation of our band program,” junior Samantha Wuebker adds.

“With him retiring, it’s like we’ve lost part of our family.”

Forney and wife, Julie Forney, the middle school director of bands at Okoboji, announced earlier this year they’d both accept the early-retirement package offered by the school district, a portion of the eight teachers doing so as the academic year comes to a close.

Greg Forney came to Okoboji from nearby Terril High School in Terril, Iowa, some 26 years ago. Julie was already at the middle school, prepping the musicians who would come Greg’s way.

The trouble? Not many did, initially.

“When I came to Okoboji, we were going to have 78 in band and 13 of them quit just as we got going (that fall),” Forney says. “And then it dropped even more, dropping to 48 after one semester.”

Forney, who had four jazz bands at Terril qualify for the Iowa Jazz Championships, seemed to have a reputation as a taskmaster precede him.

“I made them work,” he says of his bands.

But, that’s a total oversimplification.

Forney also had fun with his students.

He worked lessons about the bigger picture into his instruction. He knew there

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A sign that’s one decade old still has a spot on the door of Greg Forney’s office in the band room at Okoboji High School in Milford, Iowa. It says, “I wanna be made... into a band geek!”

Future plans Greg Forney plans to work as a substitute teacher in the Milford of Okoboji Community School District in retirement. He and wife Julie, both 34-year teaching veterans, opted to accept the school district’s earlyretirement package. They’ll both serve as substitute teachers in a variety of areas, not just music.

Greg Forney will also continue to play with the Dick Bauman Big Band in the Iowa Great Lakes and in the pit at the Okoboji Summer Theatre. would be give – and take – with academics, athletics and other fine arts activities as teachers and coaches often competed for the same students.

“You have to teach,” he says. “You also have to build relationships.”

Forney’s band program grew, reaching an apex of 85 students before settling back to about 60 these days. The jazz band, he remembers, claimed a thirdplace trophy in a local competition during one of his early years at Okoboji.

“The kids had never gotten a trophy before,” he says. “They were ecstatic.”

The jazz band earned a berth in the

Siouxland Life

1993 version of the Iowa Jazz Championships and placed 12th. In March, Forney’s last jazz band unit appeared in its 21st straight Iowa Jazz Championships. The band finished second in Class 2A, trailing only South Central Calhoun High School.

Okoboji won state titles in 1999, 2000, 2010 and 2011. The band added an astounding six second-place finishes.

“The kids were disappointed this year after getting second place,” Forney says with a slight shake of his head. “I told them to think if another team would have gotten to the state tournament and played in the state final and got second place. We’d be celebrating it.”

Forney’s point: It should be celebrated.

He’s gone about his work all these years as a celebration of sorts. And while carting home championship hardware makes for sterling scrapbook material, it’s the journey this educator cares most about.

“You earn your trophies at practice,” says a sign at the band room entrance.

“You just pick them up at the competitions.”

Another sign, faded after 10 years of service on an office door he’s about to close for good, means even more. He talks about the student who made the sign and how she’s an accomplished professional now, working in a field she loves (it doesn’t have to be music, mind you) and still showing the discipline she might have picked up, in part, at least, in this band room.

“I wanna be made... into a band geek,” it says.

Okoboji’s own “Music Man” steps back as if to take another glance at the sign.

He soaks it in for a few seconds and then continues on his way to the auditorium.

“There’s a concert tonight and one tomorrow,” he says. “I have to get things arranged on the stage.”

Just as he likely did as a rookie teacher, 34 years ago.

“The Legend,� Greg Forney, a longtime band director in Terril and Okoboji, Iowa, shows what students did to an old drum, turning it into a parting gift for the retiring educator.

Siouxland Life

june 2015

33

AT THE LAKES a

General manager Joe Wells works at Beer Can Alley, a new county-themed bar in the former Regal Beagle location along US Highway 71 in Arnolds Park, Iowa.

new option

YEE-HAW

a

COUNTRY BAR SADDLES UP AT THE LAKES Text by Michelle Kuester | Photograph by Tim Hynds

ARNOLDS PARK, IOWA | The lakes are alive with country music and lots of beer, thanks to the recent opening of Beer Can Alley. The bar and nightclub opened its doors May 7 and, according to manager Joe Wells and co-owner Ted Hawley, the area has been welcoming.

“We had a pretty busy first weekend and we were happy and hope everyone had fun,” Wells said.

The original Beer Can Alley is in Des Moines and the success of that location caused Hawley to look to the lakes for a second outlet.

“We had been looking in the area for quite a while and something came available and here we are,” he said. “Hopefully we can franchise in five years or so.”

“We really liked the location and what we were able to do with it,” added Wells.

The location was renovated completely to fit the bar’s signature rustic theme.

“We’ve got a lot of relaxed seating that can accommodate large and small groups,” Wells said. “We have a nice patio, a bar area for people who want to belly up to the bar and an open area for

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DETAILS Address: 290 US 71, Arnolds Park, Iowa Phone number: 712-790-4061

intermingling and dancing. The inside of the bar was completely gutted at the start.”

Garage doors along the walls that have the potential to open up in nice weather to the outdoor patio also make a large space for patrons.

“For people who want to come and party their face off, they can do that, and people who want to have a relaxed night at the patio can do that,” said Wells.

Country music in the form of recorded music and live entertainment is central to the bar’s atmosphere and for good reason.

“Country music really appeals to all ages,” Hawley said. “People age 21 all the way up to 80 and above were coming in and enjoying the music on our first weekend.”

With a name like Beer Can Alley, it

SIOUXLAND LIFE

might sound like all a customer can get is, well, beer. However, this location boasts a full-service bar complete with a specialty cocktail menu in addition to that large craft, domestic and imported beer selection.

“Tall boys are our signature drink option,” Wells said. A tall boy is a 16-ounce can of beer.

The facility also caters to a more sophisticated palate with a selection of wines and champagnes, as well.

The bar is complete with a retail shop next door selling Beer Can Alley insignia clothes and merchandise.

“We’re going to brand things with our logo and see what sells,” Hawley said.

“Hopefully people will like our merchandise.”

Regular customers in Des Moines think the country theme makes the bar special, said Hawley, and he’s hoping that translates to the lakes area.

“The fact that we are exclusively country is different,” he said. “There are a lot of great options in Okoboji and we are adding to that.”

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JUNE 2015

35

AT THE LAKES a

familiar place

TWO BOAT-SELLING SISTERS

LOOK TO THE PAST

s

TO RENOVATE AN ICONIC OKOBOJI RESTAURANT Text by Ally Karsyn | Photographs by Tim Hynds

SITUATED ON A BUSY highway between East and West Lake Okoboji, a recently reopened restaurant serves summertime comfort food, steeped in history.

The lakefront property was built in the late 1800s as a general store that

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JUNE 2015

once gathered mail, sold bait and stored boats. Eventually, it was turned into a fast food franchise and, most recently, the Fisherman’s Wharf.

After more than seven months of renovation, the eatery has reopened as the Okoboji Store.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

The owners, sisters Julie Andres and Susan Mau, went fishing for a new name and considered the Trestle, Zeke’s Place, Sea Ray Saloon and the Pontoon Spoon, among a slew of others. But the more they dug into the site’s historical significance, the more their choice became clear.

“We’ve got to go back to history and do it that way,” Andres said. “So history won the day.”

Through three generations, the Wilsons operated an Okoboji boat business and general store, a legacy that ended with two brothers, Fred and Zeke.

Today, the two sisters own both sites, now known as Mau Marine and the Okoboji Store. When they started remodeling the former general store, they decided to honor the Wilson family tradition and bring back the old-time feel of the local landmark.

S.E. Mills established the property with Louis Kellsen who intended to run a skating rink upstairs while Mills operated a livery on the lower level. Soon after completion the skating craze collapsed. Kellsen sold out and Mills opened the Okoboji Store, which housed the post office.

W.S. “Bill” Wilson bought the general store in 1888. He became a postmaster and managed the store while his sons, Oliver and Edward, operated Wilson Boat Works and a rowboat rental service, respectively. Edward’s sons, Fred and Zeke, were last in line to run the family business before it changed hands in the 1970s.

The historic site became home to a KFC restaurant for a time. Of late, Jerry

People dine at the Okoboji Store. Left: Okoboji Store owners, Julie Andres, left, and Susan Mau, bought the Fisherman’s Wharf in 2010. The restaurant underwent a massive seven-month renovation and reopened in May with a new menu and a new look.

Kurth owned and operated Fisherman’s Wharf there for more than a decade.

Andres and her sister bought him out in 2010. Kurth died of cancer two years later. Two of his longtime employees leased the building and continued to run the Wharf until last October, when

renovations began.

The new look features a convergence of vintage touches from the bar made from deconstructed crates to the booths that are reminiscent of the red leather seats in a classic Chris Craft wooden boat.

Siouxland Life

june 2015

37

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While spending every moment with your child is important, it’s also essential to take time for yourself. Take 20-30 minutes a day to relax and do something you would enjoy! Taking time for yourself allows the time you spend with your little one to always be quality time.

Additionally, if you can find a sitter, a relaxing massage can help melt away muscle tension! Remember – you have to take care of yourself so you can take care of your little one – or little ones! As usual, always feel free to come in and talk to us about you or your little ones’ postpregnancy aches and pains. We even have the perfect play area to stimulate your little one(s) mind!

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Siouxland Life

NEW HOME FOR SALE $189,950 733 Brentwood St. (Woodbury Heights) The Home Builders Association of Greater Siouxland’s Project Home This is a 1,556 sq. ft, 3-BR ranch with 2 baths, spacious master closet, 2-car garage, deck, stone accent w/vinyl siding, lots of ceramic tile, carpeting, vaulted ceiling, 9’ basement walls with large safe room, energy efficient products, sod & sprinkler system.

Contact the Home Builders Association if you’re interested in purchasing this home.

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Visit us online at www.siouxlandhba.com for a complete list of members or e-mail us at hbasooland@siouxlan.net

Cook Brandon Chomko pours fresh-made potato chips into a bowl in the kitchen of the Okoboji Store. The restaurant, formerly Fisherman’s Wharf, reopened in May with a new menu and a new look.

A black and white photo of horses and wagons waiting outside the old Okoboji Store spans the length of a wall.

The revamped restaurant, which seats 100 inside and 100 outside, will run yearround, serving casual lakefront fare with 16 beers on tap.

The new menu includes tasty appetizers like teriyaki chicken wings and homemade cheese curds, which are dipped in a batter made with local craft brew from West O Beer.

For the main course, signature dishes give a nod to history. The Store Burger is topped with gruyere cheese, sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions and a special sauce. Zeke’s Fish and Chips is made with bluegill, a popular Okoboji catch.

The Okoboji Store also has a kids menu stocked with standbys like macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and chicken strips. While they wait for their food, they can color an Okoboji Store postcard and have it mailed, postage paid courtesy of the restaurant.

For dessert, diners can get campfire s’mores.

Just like the old days, there’s something for everyone at the Okoboji Store.

3900 Stadium Dr., Sioux City, IA

712-255-3852

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creative-cabinetry.com Siouxland Life

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AT THE LAKES sailing The Okoboji Yacht Club’s Sailing School tailors its curriculum to nurture young sailors as they experience the thrill of sailing on Lake Okoboji, said program director Kirsty Thoreson.

SAIL AWAY

o

Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by David Thoreson

OKOBOJI, IOWA | Traveling around the country, Kirsty Thoreson gets double takes after telling people she runs a sailing school in Iowa.

“A sailing school in Iowa?” out-ofstaters will ask. “I thought Iowa had corn, not water.”

Thoreson will simply respond that the Hawkeye State has a long sailing history at Lake Okoboji and she has been teaching the next generation of young sailors at the Okoboji Yacht Club’s Sailing School for the past five summers.

“There’s nothing more invigorating than going sailing in the summertime,” she says. “Families have been doing it for years at the lake.”

And for many wannabe sailors, training starts at an early age.

The yacht club’s sailing school offers a pre-pram class for kids, ages 5 and under.

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“This class introduces very young children to the sport of sailing,” Thoreson explains. “They’ll enjoy face-painting, sailing crafts and explore a real-life pram (a small, utility dinghy).”

Even though the pram is landlocked on the lawn of the yacht club, kids will still need to bring a life jacket and be accompanied by an adult.

“Our pre-pram class is more about getting children accustomed to a boat without having to go into the water,” Thoreson notes.

Kids will be introduced to sailing at the Little Puffs Camp, geared toward budding yacht people, ages 6-8.

“Children will learn about sailing and boating safety during this class,” Thoreson says. “They’ll be taught the parts of a sailboat, rigging and the importance of wind and wave when it comes to sailing.”

SIOUXLAND LIFE

In other words, it will prepare them for the intermediate sailing camp, designed for kids ages 8-13. In this class, they’ll be taught how to handle a pram by themselves.

For older, more experienced kids, camps will teach requirements in handling dinghies like the Laser and BIC and racers like the Opti and X Boat.

Thoreson stresses safety over everything else.

“We have wonderful instructors who know sailing,” she says. “They makes things fun and educational.”

But, what about the people who didn’t learn about sailing as kids? Thoreson has already thought about that.

“We have class that we call ‘Ladies Learn to Sail,’ which is geared towards moms who want to learn the basics,” she says.

OKOBOJI YACHT CLUB PREPARES FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF SAILORS Dads, don’t worry. Men have also taken this introductory class in the past.

A few weeks prior to the start of the sailing season, Thoreson admits the Okoboji Yacht Club Sailing School has had to make some adjustments to its schedule.

“Families no longer spend the entire summer in Okoboji,” she says. “Instead, they’ll spend a week or two visiting Grandma at the lakes.”

In addition, soccer camps and science camps have further compromised children’s vacation schedules.

This means sailing camps and courses are offered in shorter increments throughout the summer.

“There may be more competition for your child’s time,” Thoreson says, “but our sailing school remains popular for families who love the water.”

That includes Thoreson who learned about sailing as an adult.

“Summer wouldn’t be summer if you

LEARN TO SAIL IN OKOBOJI Several types of classes are taught by the Okoboji Sailing School and class schedules are designed to be simple and flexible.

Classes for children ranging in age from under 5 to teenagers will be conducted between June 15 and Aug. 4. In addition, private lessons for adults and children will also be available.

Membership in the Okoboji Yacht Club is not required to participate in any of the Sailing School classes.

Contact the Sailing School at 515-229-7076 for more information. Availability for some classes are extremely limited and subject to instructor schedules, weather and other factors. didn’t have a chance to sail,” she says.

“It’s relaxing and invigorating. More importantly, it’s also fun.”

Children of all ages are introduced to boating and sailing safety during classes and camps held throughout the summer at the Okoboji Yacht Club.

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AT THE LAKES the

slingshot

IS IT A CAR? IS IT A MOTORCYLE?

NO, IT’S A SLINGSHOT!

s

Text by Earl Horlyk | Photographs by Tim Hynds

SIOUX CITY | Looking like a character straight out of a “Batman” movie, Tom Fountoulakis races his jet-black threewheeled motorcycle down a Plymouth County highway.

“Whenever I ride, I feel my heart beating and my mind racing,” the 52-year-old Sioux City man explained. “I feel the ultimate freedom.”

A few months ago, Fountoulakis purchased a 2015 Polaris Slingshot.

Part motorcycle, part car and part high-performance trike for self-admitted “adrenaline junkies” like Fountoulakis, the road-hugging Slingshot has been off the salesroom floor, according to Taggart’s Powersports’ Cam Taggart.

“We’ve had a waiting list since the first of the year,” Taggart said. “They’re new, eye-catching and people want ’em bad.”

This is in large part due to an ongoing marketing campaign orchestrated by Polaris, the Medina, Minn.-based motorcycle, ATV and watercraft manufacturer that makes the Slingshot.

“I remember seeing preview images of the Slingshot last year and thought it was the ugliest thing I ever saw,” Fountoulakis said with a chuckle. “That was before I saw it in person at a motorcycle show in Minneapolis.”

Then, he said, it was love at first sight.

“It really is a beautiful machine,” Fountoulakis said, wiping a smudge off of his base Slingshot, which included bucket seats, five-speed manual transmission and a 2.4 liter dual overhead cam engine. “It handles like nothing else.”

Taggart said the main audience for Slingshots are the 20-somethings and 30-somethings desiring “the new, new things” as well as the baby boomer wanting an alternative to the traditional twowheeled motorcycle.

While enjoying “new toys,” Fountoulakis said he mostly bought a Slingshot to please his wife Maria, who has a bad back.

“Long rides on motorcycles are too tough on my back,” Maria Fountoulakis admitted. “But the Slingshot is so smooth and comfortable, it feels like you’re riding in car, not a bike.”

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Tom Fountoulakis drives his Polaris Slingshot motorcycle on Highway 12 near his Sioux City, home. The motorcycles are manufactured at Polaris’ plant in Spirit Lake, Iowa.

That was certainly the case when the Fountoulakises took a spontaneous trip to Lake Okoboji in April.

“Tom had just gotten his Slingshot and I suggested we take it out for a spin,” Maria remembered. “We drove to Okoboji in the morning, had lunch, and made it home by early afternoon.”

“It was wonderful,” she said, smiling.

Married for 26 years, Maria said she has gotten used to her husband’s lust for life.

“I was the shy daughter of a Greek Orthodox priest while Tom was a guy with a big personality and a love for adventure,” she said. “Over the years, I think Tom’s rubbing off on me.”

Though Fountoulakis said, despite his love for high-octane machinery, he’s no daredevil.

“Riding in a fast car or motorcycle gives me a sense of control and skill,” he explained. “I know what I’m doing and

SIOUXLAND LIFE

enjoy the rush.”

One thing that Fountoulakis, the owner of a Sioux City cleaning firm, doesn’t like is routine.

“Yeah, routine is a killer,” he said. “If you’re in your comfort zone, you’re not challenging yourself.”

Which is why Fountoulakis wanted to be one of the first people to own a Slingshot.

“Tom wanted a black one because he thought a red one would be too flashy,” Maria said a laugh. “Tom didn’t realize that both colors of Slingshot will generate a lot of attention.”

Still, Fountoulakis didn’t seem to mind racing his sleek and modern Slingshot whenever he pleases.

“My philosophy has always been that you only live once,” he said, revving up the Slingshot’s engine. “You might as well enjoy the life that you have.”

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43

HEALTH foot

woes

FOOT WOES WILL PREVENT SOME FROM WEARING SANDALS, FLIP FLOPS

s

Text by and photographs by Dolly A. Butz

SIOUX CITY | Children run around barefoot in the summer and if they’re not careful, they’ll end up with sunburned feet or feet imbedded with foreign objects.

Gregory McCarthy, a podiatrist with Siouxland Podiatry Associates, said it’s not a bad idea to wear flip flops at the pool or beach. But he cautions against putting many miles on the squishy foam footwear. You’re bound to end up with foot problems.

McCarthy said overuse injuries tend to crop up in the spring and summer.

He sees plantar fasciitis, one of the most common causes of heel pain, tendonitis and stress fractures.

These problems result from walking around in flip flops and sandals that don’t provide stability or support.

“It’s frustrating for some people because they can see their friends wearing them and they don’t have problems, but they do,” he said. “A lot of that’s just due to mechanics or heredity.”

McCarthy said patients should stay away from wedge shoes too.

“Anything like that has a heel will thrust people’s body away toward the ball of their foot,” he said. “That creates a lot of pressure-related problems – callouses and something called Morton’s Neuroma, which is a pinched nerve.”

These kinds of shoes, McCarthy said, quicken the development of chronic problems like bunions and hammer toe. Surgery is the only cure for these bothersome deformities.

Achilles tendonitis can be alleviated with rest and heel lifts, which reduce tension in the tendon.

“Sometimes the way the foot functions, mainly like a pronation, that can create extra tension on the Achilles tendon,” McCarthy said. “So we’ll evaluate and determine whether somebody has that problem instead of just giving them a heel lift. We’ll actually give them types of inserts or special shoes that will help with that.”

Patients, McCarthy said, often think the sharp stabbing pain they feel in the inner part of their heel is caused by a heel spur. He said it’s actually plantar fasciitis. Special inserts and shoes

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Siouxland Podiatry Associates recommends good summer footwear options.

are prescribed first. Then McCarthy said medications, injections and night splints can be tried.

“Plantar fasciitis can lead to the formation of a heel spur but it doesn’t cause pain,” he said.

Patients suffering with sore, aching feet, should take a hard look at their footwear. Stability, McCarthy said, is key. If the shoe bends easily, when folded upside down or twists easily, it’s lacking adequate support.

“Trying to heal a condition, whether it’s a tendonitis or plantar fasciitis, requires alteration of what they wear,” he said. “It can be a struggle. Some people will have this condition chronically because they don’t follow orders. They want to wear what they want to wear.”

Nail fungus might keep some patients from wearing sandals this summer. Treatments aren’t always a quick fix, according to McCarthy.

If over-the-counter medication doesn’t cure cracked yellow or brown toenails, McCarthy said, patients will likely be prescribed an oral medication.

He said it could take six to nine months to eliminate the fungus.

SIOUXLAND LIFE

Podiatrist Gregory McCarthy performs a foot exam at Siouxland Podiatry Associates. McCarthy said spring and summer are busy times for the practice.

HEALTH medical

answers

‘DOC, I’VE GOT A QUESTION …’ answers to your medical questions There’s a hard piece of skin on my small toe that hurts when it rubs my shoe.

What is this? How do I fix it?

Calluses and corns are common occurences on feet, especially where you foot rubs against the lining of your shoe.

These growths are very similar, both resulting from hyperkeratosis – excess thickening of the outer layer of skin. Calluses are thickened layers of skin that form from friction, usually on the bottom of your feet. Corns are painful raised areas of skin that are formed in response to excess pressure on a bony surface.

Corns typically form on the top of feet.

Usually nothing has to be done about either of these unless they are excessively irritating. They can be removed by shaving down the area in your physician’s office, or you can try to soak them in warm water and gently rub with a pumice stone. However, if you have diabetes you should never tackle these areas on your own. Diabetic skin is much more prone to breaking down and can get easily infected. If you are a diabetic

Sweeten Dad’s Day!

and have any kind of sore on your feet you should be seen by your physician as soon as possible.

I know we’re supposed to wear sunscreen in the summer, but how do you keep it on your hands, particularly when you’re working with them. Is it OK to let that go?

Summer is a great time to go over some basic sunscreen pointers! Many of us in the midwest only wear sunscreen during the summer, when in reality we should be wearing it all year. Studies show that many types of skin cancers, including melanoma, can be greatly decreased by regular use of sunscreen.

Regular use of sunscreen can also decrease premature skin aging caused by sun exposure.

When applying sunscreen, an average adult should use 1 ounce of sunscreen to ensure sufficient coverage. That sunscreen should be reapplied every 2 hours while out in the sun. This means that a

MEET THE DOC Dr. Mara Groom grew up in a military family, living in several states and countries before finding her way to Wartburg College.

While in Waverly, she fell in love with Iowa and decided to hang around indefinitely. She went to medical school at Des Moines University and is now a first-year resident in family medicine. When she’s not at the hospital, Dr. Groom enjoys traveling, biking and shopping.

family of four could go through 16 ounces in a day at the beach easily!

The best option you have is to wear gloves while working outside. If that isn’t possible, try to buy a sweatproof sunscreen and reapply liberally.

WHAT KIDS OF HEALTH QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE? Submit your questions and they may be used in this monthly feature. Write to Siouxland Life at 515 Pavonia St., Sioux City, Iowa 51102.

Cancer’s Seven Warning Signs The following symptoms may be associated with cancer

1. Changes in bowel or bladder habits 2. A sore that does not heal 3. Unusual bleeding or discharge 4. Thickening or lump in the breast or any other part of the body 5. Indigestion or difficulty swallowing 6. Obvious change in a wart or a mole 7. Nagging cough or hoarseness These symptoms are not always a sign of cancer. They can also be caused by less serious conditions. Only a doctor can make a diagnosis. You should see your doctor for regular checkups. It is important to see a doctor if you have any of these symptoms.

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230 Nebraska Street Sioux City, IA 51101-1733 712.252.0088

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june 2015

Siouxland Life

PARTING SHOT By

Bruce Miller

WASTING A MORNING

ON FACEBOOK

i

I just wasted a morning looking at Facebook.

I didn’t mean to. I just thought I’d check it in case someone had messaged me. After responding to a friend request, I decided to look at the person’s pictures, just to make sure I knew who she was.

Apparently, she had a rather checkered past and was once a dancer. In Russia.

Very quickly, I discovered she did a little more than dancing and, perhaps, was “friendly,” not necessarily a friend. I tried to figure out how to un-friend her, but the folks at Facebook weren’t necessarily good at giving instructions that were useful.

Thanks to my new “friend,” I started getting more requests and some unusual pop-ups.

Some stupid video thing kept running, too, and I wasn’t quite sure how to avoid all these dumb quizzes.

“Which Disney character are you?”

I took that one four times until I realized they were on a loop and “anybody” could get Simba. It wasn’t just me.

A “like” on one of the photos I posted came from an old high school friend, so I spent 20 minutes looking at her page, checking out her friends and discovering what had happened to the kid who sat behind me in English. That prompted another scavenger hunt and a wallow in

“throwback Thursday” pictures that happened to include me. I tagged myself in the photos, just in case anyone wanted to find me.

While snooping, a bell rang on my computer and a Facebook friend decided he wanted to “chat live.” That chewed up another 10 minutes and led me back to his page to figure out who the heck he was. Immediately, I discovered he was friends with the Russian dancer, too, which could explain how I became so close in such a short period of time.

On his page, I spotted a video of “amazing wedding flashmobs.” Considering too many couples shouldn’t try something like this, I had to watch. It was fairly good, but not as good as the “beautiful celebrities who started out as ugly kids” slideshow that consumed even more time (damn pop-ups!). As soon as I got done with that, I looked at “birthday cake fails,” “Olive Garden’s secret recipes” and “foods that help you lose weight.”

A notice told me I hadn’t said “happy birthday” to three friends and that I had four events to attend today. I also discovered “six easy ways to clean the whole house in five minutes” (I need that), the “miracle solution to tough stains” (vinegar) and “how to organize your life.”

Because prom was last week, I decided to scan through 366 photos of teenage couples just to see who duped

her parents into letting her buy that revealing and inappropriate dress. I wasn’t disappointed. There were several that looked like they belonged on a Russian dancer. And, there were quite a few boys who looked like they were too young to be going out with girls that scantily clad.

Mother’s Day photos brought out the “like” in me (I’m a sucker for a good mom-and-kid picture) and reminded me I should message several relatives. They, too, had some interesting developments and their own share of problems. I told three of them I’d put in prayers for surgery/bad relationships/good grades and lied when I commented on photos of a new baby. (Sadly, all babies are not cute – see “beautiful celebrities who started out as ugly kids.”)

By the time I had finished trolling, I saw an ad in the corner for 40 percent off shoes. I spent another 10 minutes browsing the latest styles, bought a pair I probably didn’t need and realized I had now been added to the Cole-Haan shoe lovers group.

By the time I completed the transaction, I was alerted that three people had liked my choice, suggesting I was not only thrifty, but fashionable.

One of them, of course, was the Russian dancer but I think that’s how these Facebook friendships go. Once you latch on to someone, it’s hard to let her go.

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