November Area Happenings

On The Hunt - Flowers donated by Grandma's Garden in Marcus helped freshen the air in the fourth grade classroom at Cleghorn. The task at hand was to find five main parts. Rebecca Jochims tackled a very different looking flower. (Photo contributed)

... Jordan Clark is pictured here working patiently, finding one flower part at a time... (Photo contributed)

... "I see it!" say Olivia Merino, Collin Law and Brynn Jones ... (Photo contributed)

... Pictured hard at work are Matthew Wahl and Taylor Florine. (Photo contributed)

Prairie Plants - Cherokee County Naturalist Laura Kohn recently spoke about plants in the fourth grade classroom in Cleghorn. Kohn explained to students how prairie plants were used during the pioneer times, and the students got some hands- on experience with plants from Martin's Access. Here, Kohn shows class members little blue stem, a grass found at Martin's Access... (Photo contributed.)

... Pictured here are students Carson Furhman, Paul Schmidt, Kristina Goth, Naturalist Laura Kohn, Molly Reuter, Danielle Buchanan and Marcus Hodges at the Prairie Grass program Kohn presented at the MMC Elementary school... (Photo contributed)

... Tyler Reuter is shown smelling wild ginger plant at the Conservation Department naturalist's program at MMC Elementary. (Photo contributed)

Four students from Cherokee Middle School were accepted into the Opus Honor Choirs this year. From left to right: Olivia Dagel, Anna Cox, Alexa Timmerman, and Natalie Peterson. (Photo contributed)

All-night Dancing - This dedicated group of River Valley Speech & Drama students took pledges and were among those dancing all night to raise money for their club at the RV High School in Correctionville ... (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Mother/daughter duo - ... The mother/daughter duo of Sheila and Kristin O'Connell dance to the popular song "YMCA" at the All-night Dance benefiting the River Valley Speech & Drama Club. Parents were there to help serve food and drinks to keep the kids going all night, and joined in on the fun. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Having a voice - The third grade students at Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary School in Marcus set up their own voting booth on Election Day, Tuesday November 6th, to allow the students to have a voice in our national election... (Photo contributed)

Confidential voting - ... Third grade students at Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elememtary crossed each person off as they voted to make sure everyone voted only once - thus taking precautions to ensure voting was confidential... (Photo contributed)

Making a choice - At the end of the day, students at Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn Elementary voted, and Mitt Romney was the choice of the pre-kindergarten through third grade students. (Photo contributed)

Total loss - Cherokee Fire and Rescue Department was dispatched to a 1 a.m. emergency call of a semi-truck that was on fire at O'Halloran International, located on the south side of Cherokee. Department officials stated that the fire was caused by high winds which knocked down a power-line and ignited the truck. No one was injured; however, the truck was considered to be a total loss. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Northwest Iowa Choral Directors Honor Choir - Cherokee Middle School eighth graders performed at the Northwest Iowa Choral Directors Honor Choir on Tuesday November 6th. The Honor Choir members are directed by Vocal Music Instructor Amy Sarchet. Pictured, left to right, Annie Bunkers, Clare Conley, Olivia Dagel and Fran Conley. Back row, Dax Johnson, Mason Timmerman, Kyle Johnson, and Dylan Kohn. (Photo contributed)

Top performers - Two Cherokee Middle School students performed with the Northwest Iowa Band Association Honor Band on Saturday Nov. 3rd in Storm Lake. Pictured are, left to right, Braydon Clyde (bass clarinet), Instructor Casey Kingdon, and Clare Conley (baritone saxophone). (Photo contributed)

Going batty - Laura Kohn (right), Cherokee County Naturalist, teaches the Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School second grade students about bats. Frankie Allender is the "student bat". (Photo contributed)

River Valley National Honor Society - Pictured at a November ceremony are all the members of River Valley High School National Honor Society, left to right, Jordain Volkert, Katie Reinking, Ethan Brown, Aaron Nicolaison, Jordon Droegmiller, Brianna Eades, Cheyanne Porter, Kennedy Zahnley, Alysa Georgopolis, Abbie Miller, Mason Alitz, Olivia Goettsch, Nathan Utesch, Brennan Reidemann, and Thomas Cobb. Absent is Mary Foley. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

New members of River Valley NHS - New members of the River Valley High School National Honor Society lit the candles recently at an induction ceremony in November. Pictured, left to right, are Katie Reinking, Aaron Nicolaison, Jordon Droegmiller, Kennedy Zahnley, Abbie Miller, Olivia Goettsch, and Thomas Cobb. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Color Guard - The Color Guard from the American Legion Post Grashoff McManus 390, left to right, Don Mummert, Tim Ireland, Mike Fry (behind flag) and Larry Reilly, prepare to present the colors at the Nov. 9th Veteran's Day program in Aurelia. Veterans Jim Nelson and Orville Winterhof stand behind the Color Guard... (Photo by Dan Whitney)

... The Alta-Aurelia Middle School Band, under the direction of Nikole Nuttall, played the Star Spangled Banner as well as a medley of patriotic songs at the Nov. 9th Veteran's Day program in Aurelia... (Photo by Dan Whitney)

The Alta-Aurelia Middle School Chorus, under the direction of Deb Peterson (at piano), sang "America the Beautiful" and "Bless the Troops" at Friday's Veteran's Day program in Aurelia. (Photo by Dan Whitney)

Alta-Aurelia Middle School student Jason Hinkeldey led the audience in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance at the Nov. 9th Veteran's Day program in Aurelia. The (Photo by Dan Whitney)

Veterans and their spouses are always invited to eat lunch in the school cafeteria following the Veteran's Day program at Aurelia, and veterans, left to right, Larry Reilly, Duane Buttenob, Albert Kreutz (standing) and Jim Nelson and his wife Dee partook Friday in the school's new cafeteria (Photo by Dan Whitney)

America the Beautiful - The Cherokee Middle School seventh and eighth grade band, under the direction of Casey Kingdon, opened this year's Veteran's Day Program at the school on Monday Nov. 12 with the song "America the Beautiful." (Photo contributed)

Veteran's Day Welcome - Cherokee eighth graders, from left to right, Alissa Lohse, Ariel Urra, and Liz Wulfsen, presented the Veteran's Day Welcome during the Nov. 12th Veteran's Day Program at the Cherokee Middle School. The students welcomed the crowd who had gathered to pay tribute to our area veterans. (Photo contributed)

What is a Veteran? Kelsay Parrott, Fran Conley, Samantha Conley, and Josie Kindwall presented "What is a Veteran?" at the Cherokee Middle School on Nov, 12th (Photo contributed)

Star Spangled Banner - During the Nov. 12th Veteran's Day Program at the Cherokee Middle School, the seventh and eighth grade chorus performed our national anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner," under the direction of Amy Sarchet (at the piano), (Photo contributed)

Who is a Veteran? - Members of Barb Kratz's sixth grade class read "Who is a Veteran?" at the Veteran's Day Program at the Cherokee Middle School. (Photo contributed)

Veteran's Day Poem Cherokee Middle School fifth grader Eleanor Chalstrom read a "Veteran's Day Poem" by Holli Rulli at the Cherokee Middle School's Veteran's Day program. (Photo contributed)

Guest speaker - This year's guest speaker at Cherokee Middle School's Veteran's Day Program was Veteran SSG. John Stange. (Photo contributed)

Color Guards - Color Guards from Correctionville, Cushing, Quimby, and Washta present the flags to the River Valley student body, faculty and guests at the Veteran's Day Program at the River Valley High School on Nov. 12. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

National Anthem - The RV High School Band, directed by Eric Flynn, plays the National Anthem as Kennedy Zahnley leads the audience in the song during the Nov. 12th Veterans Day Program in Correctionville. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Military family - River Valley School Superintendent Donita Joens shares her stories about growing up in a military family, and wishes Keith Rabbass "good luck". Keith will be joining the Armed Forces after Graduation in 2013. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Sharing a slide show - River Valley High School Student Council member Olivia Goettsch presents, "Because of You, Unknown Soldier," and shares a slide show she put together of Veterans who have served our country. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Sharing stories - River Valley teacher Brian Rose shared his stories and a slide show from his tour in Iraq during Monday's Veteran's Day Program at the River Valley High School in Correctionville. (Photo by Jolene Smith)

Confirmation held at St.Paul United Methodist Pastor Magrey DeVega, back, confirmed seven eighth graders as full members of St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Cherokee recently. The new members are, front row, left to right, Mitchell Stief, Tiffani Brown, Fran Conley, and Clare Conley. Second row, Allisha Fiedler, Tehhnesha Smith-Van Roekel, and Olivia Dagel. (Photo contributed)

Turkey visitor - Rod Parker of Parker Turkey Farm brought a special visitor to Kelly Pitts' second grade classroom at Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School in early November. (Photo contributed)

Morrow family honor - A $1,000 memorial check was presented to the local VFW Post #2253 on Veteran's Day by the Michael Morrow family in honor of Mike, who passed away on March 12 of this year. Presenting the check was Mike's brother Dan Morrow, accompanied by Mike's two oldest sons, Chad and Mike, his sister, Ramona Weins, and his very special friend Kathy Wittrock. Dan spoke of how proud Mike was to have been a Marine and Vietnam veteran and also serving as past Commander of VFW Post #2253. The veterans present were thanked for their service to their country and for all they do for their community. Accepting the memorial check was LeRoy Jenness of the Cherokee VFW. The funds will go to ongoing projects at the VFW. (Photo contributed)

WFD gets new equipment - The Washta Fire Department held a training exercise on using rescue equipment that they recently purchased with help of funds granted to them by the Cherokee County Legacy Foundation. The purchase included grain rescue tubes, along with related rescue equipment to be used in rescues involving grain entrapment. (Photo contributed)

Salute to '20' - An elementary school group sang the Star Spangled Banner before the ceremony and then lined up to spell out "20" in the road ditch after the November 21st Highway 20 Red Ribbon ceremony at Early, celebrating the recently completed 4-lane stretch from near Rockwell City to Early. (Photo contributed)