Summer camp takes aim at Civil War history

 By Trudy Balcom

 “My wife says I should have been a teacher,” Andew Reichard says.
    Instead, the Mc Gregor man  is a busy father of three who works at Clayton County Recycling. He is actively involved with area kids as a T-ball coach and other youth activities. His wife, Karen, is the director of the Little Bulldog Childcare center in Monona.
    Reichard’s other passion besides helping kids, is Civil War history. Reichard gained an interst in history while growing up with his family in Beliot, Wisconsin. His father was a history teacher, and later a Veteran’s advocate.
    “We didn’t go to amusement parks, we went to museums and historic sites,” he recalled of his boyhood summer vacations.
     About two years ago he began taking steps to form a non-profit to operate a summer camp, which resulted in the creation of the McGregor Youth Historic Civil War Camp Inc.
    This summer he is ready to offer four camp weekends to area youth where they can learn about Civil War history by marching and learning drills, rigging up a stretcher, and cooking Civil War era foods among other activities.
    “Kids will play army, but there is more to it than that,” he explained. He will also discuss the issue of slavery and the roles of women in the war, among other things.
    The camp is open to boys and girls ages nine to 14. There is a limit of 12 to 14 children per camp session. Sessions run from Friday at five p.m. to Sunday noon, one weekend per month. Meals and equipment are provided, kids need only bring proper outdoor clothing and shoes, and of course, bug spray. The camp will be held at Pikes Peak State Park.
    The camp is meant to be educational and fun, and is not a strict historic reenactment. The kids will enjoy good food and a comfortable, safe camp atmosphere, unlike the real soldiers of the Sixth Wisconsin.
    Future camps may address different Civil War topics as the camp grows and develops. One thing Reichard has learned is that there is so much to know about this fascinating period of history and the people who lived it that there is always more to learn.

“The stories are endless,” he said.

Agriprocessors shut down in Federal raid

By Trudy Balcom

 .Agriprocessors, the largest employer in Allamakee County and the world’s largest glatt kosher meatpacking plant, was abruptly shut down when federal  Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents entered the plant at 10 a.m. yesterday. Two arrest warrants were served.
    One arrest warrant sought individuals involved in aggravated identity theft and the fraudulent use of Social Security numbers was served on Agriprocessors.
The second warrant allowed for the arrest of over 300 immigrant employees on civil immigration violations. Some ICE agents were also dispatched to the homes of employees in Postville.
    Dozens of federal, state and local officials were dispatched to the site of the Postville meatpacker, including ICE, Iowa State Troopers, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Iowa Department of Public Health, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Marshalls.
    Anxious expressions and a few tears marked the faces of Frightened Hispanic immigrant families gathered near the plant at St. Bridget Catholic Church, seeking refuge.   Of course, many people were seeking information about family members missing in the raid. Other were worried about house-to-house raids that ICE may have been conducting.
    About 300 people, including many children were inside the modest church at 5 p.m. yesterday, but they began arriving by late morning.  “People can stay here until we know that it is safe for them to return [to their homes], explained Sister Mary McCauley, who is pastoral administrator at the church.

McGregor Park Board seeks summer garden volunteers

According to Maria Brummel, the McGregor Park Board needs some help this summer. The beautiful gardens at Veteran’s Peace Park by the gazebo are in need of care.
    For many years, Alice and Rich Staples volunteered their time and efforts to care for the perennials at the park, but this year they are stepping aside.
    “We don’t want people coming into town to see a big weedy mess,” Brummel said.
    No one will have to do all the work. Brummel said the flower beds at the park can be divided among various individuals or organizations. The city will provide mulch, fertilizer and other supplies.
    In addition, other volunteers will be needed to water and maintain the urns at Riverfront Park and the planters at Triangle Park. For more information or to volunteer, call Maria Brummel at 873-3641.

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