August Area Happenings

School registration scene - As students remain affixed to their cell phones, dedicated parents take care of the hand-written details during recent Cherokee school registration exercises. Classes for the 2014-15 school year started on Thursday August 14th in Cherokee. (Photo by Paul Struck)

River Road Bridge - Work on the River Road Bridge replacement project in Cherokee, which detoured traffic on the popular thoroughfare for several months, neared its final stages in August. A large box culvert has replaced the aged, deteriorated bridge. (Photo by Paul Struck)

The residents at Sunset Knoll Care & Rehab Center in Aurelia enjoyed a "State Fair" theme in their August activities. On Thursday, August 7, the residents enjoyed a magic show by Cletus Heneke of Cherokee. Cletus has performed for the Cherokee County Fair in the past and is now retired, but he still enjoys entertaining from time to time. During the show, the residents enjoyed fresh cotton candy, which was spun by the staff. (Photo contributed)

... Cletus Henke (right), who entertained Sunset Knoll residents with his magic show on August 7th,is shown here visiting with one of the residents. During the first week of August, Sunset Knoll residents enjoyed ring toss and a chance to win prizes, and other guest presenters during the Knoll's "State Fair" month included Emma Ritz, who visited with the residents about canning and tasting homemade jelly; Loretta Rath and Phyllis Cuthrell, who made funnel cakes; and Mavis Yunge and Sue Reinert, who entertained with a beach - themed party. (Photo contributed)

Champion Grape Stompers - This group of ladies with Cherokee County connections won the Grape Stomp at the Iowa State Fair on August 10th. From the left, Jenny Rupp. Mandy Rupp, Beth Rupp of Cleghorn and Jan McMurrin of Quimby. Mandy and Jenny are Beth's daughters and Jan's nieces, and both Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn grads now live in the Des Moines area. (Photo contributed)

Up on the roof - In mid-August, workers were hard at it as they precariously perched on the steep roof of the historic Rick Angell Insurance Agency building at 108 S. 2nd St. in Cherokee in the process of replacing the existing roof. (Photo by Paul Struck)

American Legion Irvin Powell Post #283 Washta and Lyle W Barnes Post #398 Quimby were present for a Flag Raising at River Valley Elementary School in Washta on August 19th. Pictured, left to right, Rich Ravnsborg, John Perrett, Gene Keck, Jim DeWitt, Sam Jenkins, Michael Hanson and Arnie Dawson. A new flag was presented to Val Fuhrman, Elementary Principal, by Shirley Perrett Unit President, Quimby American Legion Auxiliary Unit #398. (Photo contributed)

In mid-August North Star Community Credit Union staff participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The staff dumped buckets of ice and water on their heads on August 19th in front of the credit union. They were challenged by fellow employee, Mary Berg, in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, which is using social media to raise money to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease. Left to right, front row, Jessica Halverson, Deb Erickson, Kristen Weiland, and Hayley Heims. Back row, President/CEO Jeff Hayes, Kallie Morrow, Julie Moye, Laurie Gerstandt, and Board Chair Ralph Semerad. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

After staff members of the Cherokee North Star Community Credit Union dumped buckets of ice and water on their heads they challenged Cherokee State Bank to participate in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

The students, teachers and staff at the Cherokee Middle School also participated in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. The students dumped buckets of ice and water on the heads of the teachers and staff in front of the school. The students were challenged to pay $1 for a chance to douse their teachers. The CMS then challenged Cherokee Washington High School and Roosevelt Elementary School to take the challenge next. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Ice Bucket Challenge - On Friday Aug. 21st, the Cherokee Middle School did the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. CMS faculty and staff had students pour ice water buckets over their heads in front of the school. Students paid $1 for a chance to pour a bucket over a teacher's head & faculty/staff has also donated money to ALS research. They raised $900 and one student, Winter Claussen, raised $562 during the effort. (Photo by Mike Leckband)

The teachers and staff members of the Cherokee Middle School had buckets of ice and water dumped on their heads by their students, who had raised funds for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Students who raised the most money for the challenge got to pick out which teacher or staff members they wanted to get wet. The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge is using social media to raise money to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as "Lou Gehrig's disease." (Photo by Mike Leckband)

Back to learning - The Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School first graders came to this school year ready to "dive into learning;" However, they started school during "shark week," as the classrooms of Connie Boekhout and Sue Miller-Laursen classrooms had a theme based on diving into learning this year. Unfortunately, Tyler Dobson got a little too close to one of the sharks. (Photo contributed)

Shark watch - Christian Vander Broek also got a little too close to a shark during "shark week." Connie Boekhout and Sue Miller-Laursen's classrooms had a theme based on "diving into learning this year." (Photo contributed)

'Dive into Learning' - Cully Mizner-Fundermann, right, and Lilly Kohn try to spear a snack during the recent the Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School's first grade "Dive into Learning" theme at the beginning of the school year. (Photo contributed)

Snack brake Kaiden Curtis and Dontrell McCray are pictured here taking their turn in spearing a snack during "shark week" at Cherokee Roosevelt Elementary School. The first graders arrived ready to "Dive into Leaning" at the beginning of the school year. (Photo contributed)

Story Hour crafts - Story Hour crafts kept the kids busy this summer at the Quimby Library. (Photo contributed)

Eager players - Laura Kohn, of the Cherokee County Conservation Department, shares a game and laughter with eager players at the Quimby Library summer program. (Photo contributed)

Quimby Library's summer program - Kerisa Pingel of the Cherokee Sanford Museum demonstrates a cool scientific experiment to Cole and Jadrien Mier at the Quimby Library's recent "Fizz Boom Read" summer program. (Photo contributed)

Prize winner - Jakob Bruning was the winner of a "Fizz Boom Read" book bag and two books, "Hop" and "Doctor Pig" from the Quimby Library's recent prize drawing. (Photo contributed)

Book winners - Colby Flewelling won two Lego chapter books, that he proudly displays, and a "Fizz Boom Read" book bag at the Quimby Library's prize drawing. Devyn Hember, not pictured, won a gift certificate to the Book Vine. (Photo contributed)

Bean bags - Children are shown here settling in for an afternoon library program at the Quimby Library. Front, left to right, Collin and Conner Hansen, Brodyn Goettsch. Back row, Sam Kirchner and Jacklyn Goettsch. (Photo contributed)