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The
Official Newspaper of Anamosa, located in Jones County, Iowa
Anamosa News
Since 1855
 Thursday,
January 5, 2006 |
Ford
Recognized as One of 9 Who Care
by Michelle Phillips |
Anamosa
resident Gloria Ford will receive the 9 Who Care award at on January 28. |
ANAMOSA–When Gloria Ford, along with her late husband, Harold, began working
as volunteers for Camp Courageous; it was nothing more than a dream and a piece
of donated land. That was 33 years ago.
Today that land has been turned
into the largest year-round recreational and respite camp for individuals of all
ages, who have disabilities, and Gloria was there from the start. That is why
Camp Courageous Director Charlie Becker felt Gloria was a perfect candidate for
the KCRG-TV9 award, 9 Who Care.
“I was looking for someone who really
stood out.
Gloria was someone who really stood out as someone who has been
here since the inception and is still working here today,” said Becker, who
added that Gloria fit all the requirements for the award, including integrity,
honesty and commitment. |
“Charlie
called me into his office to tell me he nominated me,” Gloria said. “I
was dumbfounded.”
In the beginning Gloria and Harold worked to involve
the VFW and VFW Auxiliary in the camp, which was cutting edge at the time. The
couple, along with other volunteers, did anything that needed done. In recent
years Gloria has helped in the office and given tours of the camp.
“We
raised money and would have picnics and work at the camp. Mainly it was getting
the word out about the camp,” Gloria recalled. “I felt it was a very
worthwhile project, a necessary project.”
Becker said that because
of the group’s efforts, the VFW took the camp on as a state project, involving
VFWs from every county in the state.
“No one wanted to take it on,
but this group did,” he said.
In addition to time, Gloria said she
and Harold always made monetary donations to the camp.
“Sometimes
it wasn’t very much, but I don’t think we ever missed a year,”
she explained.
It seems fitting that Gloria plans to donate the $500 prize
from 9 Who Care to Camp Courageous.
Becker said that Gloria has done a
wonderful job spreading the word about the camp and over the years has introduced
Camp Courageous to both volunteers and campers. In his application for 9 Who Care,
Becker told this story: Gloria’s daughter, Sandy Pingle, works at Genesis
Development Center in Storm Lake, where she is program coordinator. Because of
her mom’s role at Camp Courageous, Sandy has introduced many individuals
with special needs to Camp Courageous.
One new camper, we will call her Missy,
came to camp for her first time. Missy was somewhat severely and profoundly disabled
and had never put more than one word together at once. Upon leaving camp, Sandy
asked Missy how she liked camp and Missy replied, “Camp go back!” The
staff stood there in amazement as Missy shocked them all with her words. Sandy
and Gloria mention how heartwarming it has been for them to watch campers like
Missy blossom after experiencing Camp Courageous.
Missy stuck out in Gloria’s
mind and she relayed the same story about Missy when she spoke of why she volunteers
at the camp.
“It’s just very touching,” she added.
Gloria said that the camp depends on volunteers, and Becker agrees.
“Time
is the most important thing anyone can give,” he said. “All of the volunteers
save the camp hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. It all adds up, every ounce
of work and every penny saved makes a difference to the camp.”
Gloria’s
volunteer work has not been limited to Camp Courageous. Over the year’s she
has been a Cub Scout den mother, worked with the Camp Fire Girls, the VFW Junior
Girls and was a Sunday School teacher. Currently she is involved with Wapsiketa,
volunteers at the Grant Wood Art Gallery, sews costumes for Starlighters II and
remains involved in Anamosa history as well as her church. She has also served
on numerous boards and committees.
Her work has not gone unnoticed and
she has received several awards for her volunteer work, including the Camp Courageous
Tall Pine Award and numerous VFW and VFW Auxiliary awards ranging from the local
to the National level.
Gloria said she would continue to do volunteer
work as long as se can.
“As long as I’m still able to drive
and can feel useful,” Gloria said.
Gloria, who is a lifelong Jones
County resident, will be honored with the 9 who Care award at a banquet at the
Cedar Rapids Country Club on January 28.
Gloria has three children, Sandy
Pingle of Clayhorn, Mike of Hiawatha and Blake of Ely. She lives in Anamosa in
the home she and Harold built in 1956.
Congratulations, Gloria, for being
named one of 9 Who Care. |
Ralph
Trumm of Onslow exhibited the winning pumpkin at the 2005 Pumpkinfest Ryan Norlin
Weigh-off. Trumm is the first Jones County resident to show a winning Pumpkinfest
entry. | As
with every year, 2005 saw its ups and downs and highs and lows. Here are some
of the more noteable things that took place in 2005:
January
•
Freshmen Legislators, Iowa House Representative Ray Zirkelbach and Senator Tom
Hancock were sworn in.
• Anamosa Journal-Eureka turns 150 years old.
•
The Area Substance Abuse Council kicked off their alcohol prevention program.
The county received a grant for $1.5 million dollars to fund the program.
•
A group of 21 Anamosa High School students took a trip to Washington DC for the
Presidential inauguration. |
•
Two Anamosa residents, Dyre Hanson and Ilene Stendel lost their lives in a residential
fire.
• The Jones County Board of Supervisors approved a land purchase
option for a new hospital.
February
• Anamosa High School
baseball coach, Byron Schlotterback received Coach of the Year and Anamosa Journal-Eureka
Sports Editor, Daryl Schepanski was given a media award for his coverage of baseball
at the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association Honors Banquet.
•
Rural Anamosa resident, Todd Twaachtman was killed in a motorcyle accident.
•
The Cub Scouts of America celebrated 75 years.
| 
One
of the paintings displayed by Mary Ann Peet in an art exhibit Wartburg College
in September. |
Olin
firefighters work to put out a house fire at 303 Trilby in March. Despite their
efforts, the home was a complete loss. | •
The Anamosa City Council amended its dog bite ordinance, which now removes a dog
from the city if it bites a person or animal twice without breaking the skin.
A dog can also be removed from the city it bites once, breaking the skin. The
revision to the ordinance came after a resident was bit when walking down an Anamosa
sidewalk.
• The Jones County Cattlemen held their 67th annual Beef Banquet
at the Berndes Center in Monticello.
March
• Oakland Raider,
and former Iowa Hawkeye, Robert Gallery donated $10,000 in Wheel of Fortune winnings
to Camp Courageous.
• The Anamosa Chamber of Commerce held its annual
Casino Night fundraiser at the Wapsipinicon Country Club. |
•
Saira Morgan was named Iowa’s Homecoming Queen.
• F&M Bank broke
ground on its new building.
• A semi truck spilled diesel along Highway
151 due to a punctured fuel tank.
• Several county communities were dealing
with wastewater issues, including Fairview and Oxford Junction.
• Plans
were finalized for the Wal-Mart Super Center.
• The abduction, sexual
abuse and murder of Jetseta Gage of Cedar Rapids prompted legislators to begin
revising Sex Offender Laws.
April
• People in Anamosa and
around the world mourned the death of Pope John Paul II.
• The Olin Consolidated
School District begins to weigh its options after lagging enrollment and improper
licensing and certification of teachers and the school’s superintendent rocked
the community.
• The Anamosa High School National Honor Society raised
money for homeless awareness, by spending time in boxes in the Family Foods parking
lot.
• KC Kiner was named Anamosa Chamber of Commerce Director.
•
The DNR released pairs of Trumpeter Swans into the wild at two Jones County sites.
May
•
The Anamosa Police Department moved to the old library building.
• Anamosa
High School art students were honored by the Anamosa Chamber of Commerce for the
banners they created replicating Grant Wood paintings.
• Olin announces
plans to host Relay for Life.
• The Carlton Hotel, an Oxford Junction
landmark, was demolished.
• Anamosa is featured as one of KWWL’s
One Tank Getaways.
• The Iowa legislative session dragged on when Republican
and Democratic leaders could not see eye-to-eye on a budget.
• The Anamosa
High School Building Trades Class held an open house to show off its first home
building project.
• Jennifer Fischer is hired on as the Jones County Economic
Development Director.
June
• Pizza Ranch announces plans
to locate in Anamosa.
• US Congressman Jim Nussle announces his plans
to run for governor.
• The 33rd Annual Grant Wood Art Festival was held
in Stone City.
• Former DNR Director Larry Wilson was honored for 21 years
of service at a ceremony at Muskrat Slew near Olin.
• A memorial motorcycle
ride was held in honor of the late Todd Twachtman.
• A kick-off party
was held for the 153rd Annual Great Jones County Fair.
• Monticello resident,
Richard Kromminga was killed when his ultralight crashed near Monticello.
•
Jones County Relay for Life was held in Olin. The event raised over $40,000 for
Cancer research.
July
• The Anamosa Journal-Eureka kicked
off its 2nd Annual School Supply Drive.
• Rebecca Boone of Anamosa was
chosen as a People to People Student Ambassador and traveled to Europe.
•
Anamosa’s Terry Cudworth won Nationals at the United States Tumbling Association
competition.
• The Morley Community Club celebrated 50 years. The club
is service oriented and began in 1955.
• Howard Wooldridge, a former police
officer, stopped in Anamosa on a cross-country journey denouncing drug prohibition.
•
Nextel/Wireless Solutions filed a lawsuit against the Jones County Board of Adjustments
over the erection of a cell phone tower outside of Monticello.
• A new
4-H food pavilion was completed on the Jones County fairgrounds.
• County
residents flocked to the 153rd Annual Great Jones County Fair.
August
•
The Olin Consolidated School District receives state funding to keep the school
open.
• Nels Scranton was involved in a stand-off with local law enforcement
at his Jones County home. Scranton was apprehended at the home.
• The
Anamosa Library and Learning Center began a fundraiser to restore a Civil War
Flag found when the library moved to its new location.
• The annual Olin
Jamboree was held, and attendees enjoyed tractor pulls, softball tournaments,
food and games.
• Charles Liston was named the new superintendent at Olin.
•
Opportunity Anamosa announced plans to get a municipally run telecom on the November
ballot.
• The Anamosa Journal-Eureka School Supply Drive yielded 10 boxes
of supplies and $450 in cash donations.
• Anamosa rescinds its contract
with City Administrator, Roy Ridener.
September
• The Anamosa
community was shocked to learn three men had been arrested on sexual offenses
for separate incidents that happened over the summer.
• Mary Ann Peet
displays her artwork in an exhibit at Wartburg College.
• Hurricane Katrina
hits the Gulf coast, and Anamosa residents rally their support through monetary
and donations as well as food, clothing and other supplies.
• Jones County,
Iowa Cares sent a truckload of items to Latimer, MS, a town the group adopted
after Hurricane Katrina hit.
• After some debate among members, the Anamosa
City Council voted to keep the noon siren.
• American Gothic returned
to Eastern Iowa, and was one of nearly 200 pieces of Grant Wood’s artwork
on display at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art.
• Anamosan, Sarah Corpstein
was crowned Miss Iowa.
• Eric Ulferts of Anamosa was killed in a tractor
rollover.
October
• Ralph Trumm of Onslow won overall biggest
pumpkin and set an Iowa record at the Pumpkinfest Ryan Norlin Weigh-off.
•
A house fire injured Michael, Katherine and Krystine Rommes and firefighter Chuck
Barnes.
• Two Anamosa men, Samuel Hess and Douglas Bruce, were arrested
in connection with a sexual assault in Anamosa.
• The Anamosa City Council
approved a wastewater study after previous testing by the DNR found that fecal
levels were too high in the Wapsipinicon River.
• The Anamosa Fire Department
celebrated 25 years at its current location.
• The Anamosa City Council
proposed changes to the city’s sex offender ordinance o include prohibiting
sex offenders from living within 2,000 feet of a public park, public playground
or public library.
November
• The Anamosa High School Video
Production class won second place in the Garst Seed Company Video competition.
•
Anamosa Community Schools Superintendent Carol Lensing announces she will retire
at the end of the school year.
• Anamosa residents voted to forma municipally
run telecom. They also voted in two new council members, Tom Swisher and Dan Young.
•
The Grant Wood Art Festival Committee met in Anamosa. The event will be moved
from Stone City to Anamosa in 2006.
• The annual Veteran’s Day Assembly
was held at Anamosa High School. A dedication for the Jones County Veterans Plaque
Project took place the same day at the Jones County courthouse.
• The
Anamosa City Council put in an application to be an overnight town for RAGBRAI
in 2006.
• Pat Callahan is hired on as the new Anamosa City Administrator.
December
•
The cities of Anamosa and Monticello had their day in court for a case involving
the Local Access channel. The cities dissolved their contract and District Court
Judge David Baker ruled that the cities would divide the assets of the cable channel.
•
Richard Bossard was killed when the vehicle he was driving rolled over on County
Highway X-44.
• The Anamosa Chamber of Commerce broke ground a festival
park to be located behind the National Motorcycle museum.
• The City of
Anamosa started to work on a comprehensive plan. The plan will help the city determine
priorities.
• Christian rock band, 4Him performed at Anamosa High School.
•
F&M Bank moved to its new location on Main Street.
• The Olin High
School Sparkling Spirits dance team wins first place in the state.
• A
ground breaking is held for the Hale Bridge. Work on the piers that will hold
the bridge began immediately.
• Robert and Roberta Plattenberger donate
a piece of land to the Grant Wood Trail Association. |
PO
Box 108, 208 W. Main Street, Anamosa, IA 52205
319-462-3511,
FAX 319-462-4540
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Anamosa Publications
Anamosa Journal-Eureka / Town Crier 2005
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