February 1, 2006

Eagle's Telethon raises over $38,000 for heart and cancer research

The 31st Annual Eagles Heart and Cancer Telethon was held last Saturday night at Bluff View Elementary School. A whopping $38,465 was raised, making it the most successful telethon the local Eagles have ever had.

The grand total includes the auction, pork roast dinner, raffle prizes, concession and all donations.

"What I find amazing is the number of people that are currently involved in putting this event on," said Eagle member Tom Nelson. "It really reaches out and touches everyone in the community.

Shelly Fulcher is the organizer of the Locks of Love donation that takes place during the Eagles Telethon. "This is by far the most we've ever collected," said Fulcher. She said that they received thirteen ponytails equaling almost 130 inches of hair. This hair will be sent to Locks of Love, which is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children 18 years and younger who are suffering from long-term medical hair loss.

Fulcher, who has donated her own hair five times, agrees with Nelson that on reason this benefit is so successful is because, sadly, there are so many people who have been affected by cancer or heart problems in some way.

Items auctioned at the Telethon included a pontoon rental from Boatels of McGregor, a duck decoy from Valley Fish and Cheese, an overnight package from Bridgeport Inn and a Weedeater Leaf and Snow Blower from Small Engine Doctors.

The entire proceeds of the event go directly to heart and cancer-related research. Nelson said that most of the money goes to University of Wisconsin Hospitals, as well as La Crosse's Gundersen Lutheran and Franciscan Skemp facilities.

Adult Education, Literacy Council in need of more awareness, students, volunteers and funding

There are many excellent services to be found at the Crawford County Administrative Building. A few of them, however, such as the Adult Education Program and the Crawford County Literacy Council, many people may not be aware of.

The Adult Education Program and the Literacy Council have each been up and running for several years. But they each are in need of more volunteers, students, funding and awareness within the county.

The Adult Education Program is located in room 125 of the Administrative Building and its services are coordinated with the Literacy Council and the Crawford County Job Center.

Adult Education is free to anyone 18 years of age and older and offers instruction in several areas including reading, writing, math, parenting skills, financial planning, resumé and cover letter writing, computer skills and English as a second language.

Adult Education enables people to prepare for their GED exams, expand their employment opportunities, and prepare for college, said Chris Foley of Prairie du Chien, who along with Chantel Hampton of Cassville, is an Adult Education instructor from Southwest Wisconsin Technical College.

"Adult Education doesn't just incorporate reading skills," stressed Hampton. "It needs to incorporate so much more in this technological world."

"It's such an important program," said Foley, who noted that the Adult Education Program and the Literacy Council are not only free, but confidential. Hampton and Foley said that Adult Education is designed for people who don't have much money so that they can get a job and become productive members of society.

Foley and Hampton instruct at the Administrative Building on Tuesdays and Thursdays and are aided by six volunteers.

Hampton and Foley said that the number of Adult Education students ranges from about 20 to about 60 depending upon whether area companies such as Cabela's are in their heavy seasonal employment mode.

"We're here to fill a need when there is a need for them," said Hampton about the Adult Education students. "We see them when it becomes a necessity for employment for them."

Currently, there are about 60 Adult Education students ranging in age from 18 to 70. There are four Literacy students ranging in age from about 25 to about 50.

"We are always looking for more," said Hampton, who noted that they get several student referrals from the Job Center, located in the adjoining room.

"It would also be so great if we had more volunteers," said Foley. "We're very open to tutoring."

In addition to more volunteers and students, Adult Education as well as the Literacy Council needs more money. Adult Education is grant funded and grants have been applied for through the Workforce Investment Act and Adult and Family Literacy. Adult Education is not a nonprofit entity, however, and is in need of a sponsoring organization. Under the auspices of a nonprofit organization, it would be much easier for Adult Education or the Literacy Council to obtain donations because the donations from businesses, organizations or individuals would be tax-exempt.

Other hurdles that Adult Education and the Literacy Council face include transportation and daycare issues for potential students. Foley said that grant writing expertise would also be greatly appreciated.

Foley, who is a member of the Crawford County Literacy Council, said that more money for the Literacy Council would also help provide more funding for the Adult Education Program. The Crawford County Literacy Council is part of the Southwest Literacy Coalition, which serves five counties including Richland, Crawford, Grant, Iowa and LaFayette. Funding is divided among the counties in accordance with how many students each county has. The more students, the more money.

For more information about Adult Education, potential students, volunteers or donors can contact Southwest Wisconsin Technical College at 800-362-3322, Ext. 2131 or (608) 822-2072 or www.swtc.edu. Also for more information about Adult Education or the Literacy Council, interested persons may contact Chris Foley or Chantel Hampton at (608) 326-1100 or (608) 822-3262 or at the Job Center at (608) 326-1132.

Harper's Ferry to be site of new condo development

A new condo development was recently announced for Harper's Ferry, marking the first development of its kind for this Northeast Iowa, area. Sandy Point Condos will be located on 7.5 acres of riverfront land located at Sandy Point Road on the south edge of town in Harper's Ferry. The project was considered at multiple meetings this fall and received final approval from the Harper's Ferry City Council on Thursday, December 22, 2005.

"The Harper's Ferry council was a pleasure to work with," said Mike Haley, one of the developers from Ankeny, Iowa. "They carefully considered the impact on city services, such as fire protection, and asked many excellent questions. They were fully committed to the community and its residents in their consideration of the project."

Haley's partner, Ty Kimble, who is a part-time resident of Sandy Point Drive in Harper's Ferry, added, "Harper's Ferry city leadership shared our vision for this unique property and the economic potential the project affords the community, now and in the future, especially considering the economic development currently underway in the McGregor-Marquette area just 10 miles south."

Sandy Point Condos will feature condominium units that enjoy deep channel river access, boat slips, boat storage, and a swimming pool. The project, with up to 100 potential units, is expected to build out over 24 to 36 months, with demand driving the construction schedule. Two- and three-bedroom units with direct river access will be available.

"The research my partner and I did for this project showed that it will be one-of-a-kind. Northeast Iowa is known for splendid scenery and quality of life. Even the Iowa Department of Tourism recognizes Northeast Iowa as one of Iowa's finest assets. We expect demand to be high and for construction to begin within a matter of just a few months," said Kimble.

Partners Haley and Kimble compare development of Northeast Iowa's Mississippi River to other water-based recreation areas such as Lake Okoboji in Northwest Iowa, Clear Lake in North Central Iowa, and even Lake of the Ozark's in southern Missouri.

"For a couple of decades now, baby boomers have demonstrated their interest in the quality of life water affords," Haley said. "I've seen first hand the tremendous development of Lake Okoboji. Boomers want water."

Kimble added, "Water offers recreational potential, but even more importantly, serenity. Boomers also want peace and quiet. The Sandy Point Condo location will offer serenity as well as water, with a view of the river in one direction, and high bluffs in the other. It's beautiful. It's one-of-a-kind."

The condos are expected to draw the most interest from people 45 to 65 years of age, the boomer generation described above by Haley and Kimble. Markets demonstrating the highest interest are expected to be Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Des Moines, La Crosse, Madison, and Rochester, as well as the rural areas in the region. A commute of two to four hours is considered to be ideal for weekend getaways, according to the partners.

The swimming pool is considered to be one of the key features of the development, patterned after several in the Lake Okoboji area. The swimming pool offers recreational options for those who would not enjoy fishing or boating, but want to enjoy the beauty and solitude of such a prime river location.

Pre-sales are being offered now, with the projected first 12 to 24 condos completed by mid-summer. To learn more about the Sandy Point Condos project in Harper's Ferry, visit the website hosted by Select Realty Associates at: www.sandypointcondos.net, or contact Cindy Luster of Select Realty directly at 563-880-1935.

Annual Bald Eagle Appreciation Day and Fisheree to be held this weekend in Prairie du Chien

Come out and enjoy the exciting natural resources of the Upper Mississippi River during Prairie du Chien Bald Eagle Appreciation Day! Prairie du Chien will be the site of Bald Eagle Appreciation Day activities scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 4. Activities will run concurrent to the 56th Annual Fisheree; bald eagle events will be centered along the Mississippi River on the grounds of the Wisconsin Welcome Center / Prairie du Chien Chamber, 211 S. Main Street, and the adjacent AmericInn Lodge and Suites. Complimentary hot beverages will be available at the AmericInn.

Bald Eagle Appreciation Day will offer outdoor viewing of bald eagles through spotting scopes and other educational opportunities for families and outdoor enthusiasts ñ including live bald eagle programs, eagle and raptor exhibits and presentations, children's craft activities, a 'hands on' life-size eagle nest building demonstration, eagle photographs, wooden eagle carvings and eagle paintings by Prairie du Chien Intermediate School students. A special display featuring the framed painting and incredible story of 'Freedom,' one of the largest bald eagles ever recorded in this region, will be located in the AmericInn lobby. Birding experts will be on hand at the primary event locations; short field trips to other bald eagle watching locations will take place if eagle activity is reported.

Live bald eagle (45 minute) programs will be presented by Mary Beth Garrigan, Director of the National Eagle Center in Wabasha, Minnesota, at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the lobby of the AmericInn. These bald eagle programs will be preceded at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. by a special presentation on the significance of the bald eagle to Native Americans by Chloris Lowe ñ a member of the Sky Clan of the sovereign Ho-Chunk Nation. Twice elected as the leader of the Ho-Chunk Nation, Chloris also held a position with the National Museum of the American Indian ñ Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., and taught current Native American Issues at the University of Delaware. Patricia Manthey, WDNR Bureau of Endangered Resources, will give a presentation on 'Eagles in Wisconsin" at 10 a.m. and noon.

Prairie du Chien is home to the largest concentration of wintering bald eagles in the lower 48 states. This weekend's event locations are within the heart of the 261- mile Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge, in close proximity to Prairie du Chien's La Riviere Park, Wisconsin's Wyalusing State Park, Iowa's Pike's Peak State Park, Clayton County Iowa's Osborne Nature Center and Effigy Mounds National Monument.

Winter hiking is available along miles and miles of trails within La Riviere Park, Wyalusing State Park, Pike's Peak State Park, Effigy Mounds National Monument and Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife & Fish Refuge. Each park has a significant number of ancient American Indian mounds that are situated along the trails, as well as magnificent bluff top views of the Mississippi River. For history buffs, two of Wisconsin's oldest National Historic Landmark sites are located within walking distance of the bald eagle day locations in Prairie du Chien ñ Villa Louis on St. Feriole Island and Ft. Crawford Medical Museum on South Beaumont Street.

Fisheree events

The Prairie du Chien Fisheree will be held Feb. 4 and 5, with the headquarters at Lakeview Marina Bar, three miles north of Prairie du Chien on County K.

Hours for the event are as following:

Saturday: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sunday: 7 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Registrations are being sold at Stark's Sport Shop, Lakeview Marina Bar and the Prairie du Chien Area Chamber of Commerce. Your registration will make you eligible for the Grand Prize Drawing ó a 14-foot flat bottom boat from Stark's Sports Shop ‚ó and many other prizes. In addition, you may purchase tickets for the Fisheree Raffle with prizes of $300 cash, $250 Cabela's gift certificate, trolling motor, $50 Wal-Mart shopping spree, fishing merchandise, weekend getaways and more.

Iowa residents many use their current year Iowa fishing license to fish in Wisconsin. (Note: Wisconsin fishing licenses are good through March 31, 2006, including non-residents.)

Fishing is open to any waters in the Prairie du Chien area. Register your 'freshly caught' fish at Fisheree Headquarters in the Lakeview Marina Bar for qualification or disqualification on the spot.

A $50 Stark's Sport Shop gift certificate will be awarded for the largest fish by weight in categories for: Pike, Walleye, Black Bass, Sunfish and Crappie. A seconds prize of $25 and third prize of $10 in Chamber Dollars will also be awarded in each of those categories.

Ice sculptures

As part of the Fisheree, Black River Ice Sculptures will also be on display for viewing. On Saturday, Feb. 4, Maurie Pearson's sculptures will be displayed at Commerce Court Mall at 10 a.m., Cabela's at 12:30 p.m. and the Sawmill Saloon at 3 p.m.

Additional sculptures will be on display throughout the community.

Plans emerge to bring a new look to Commerce Court Mall

At a Plan Commission meeting held Monday, Jan. 23, plans to re-do Commerce Court Mall from JGS Architects, Inc. were approved. The approval came from Prairie du Chien's Plan Commission and Design and Preservation Committee.

According to City Planner Garth Frable, the group wants to start working on the structures this February and is aiming to have the project completed by November.

The plans feature new entry ways and signage for all stores and stone work on the exterior as well as a sheltered walkway running through the parking lot.

Participants at last year's events pause to take a look at bald eagles on the Mississippi River. Photo courtesy of Effigy Mounds National Monument.

Pictured to the right are a sample of the plans by JGS. The top sketches picture a new look for True Value and the main entryway for the complex. The bottom sketch shows a new-and-improved Slumberland.

All plans may be viewed at the Prairie du Chien City Hall.