By Meredith Hines-Dochterman
The Gazette

Eileen Ahlberg (left) looks at a poster about her life with Andrew Fortmann. Fortmann, a senior at Iowa City West High School, made the poster as their final project in Gary Neuzil's sociology class. For three months, West students have met with Melrose Meadows residents to discover similarities across generations. Students shared their findings through presentations./ Photo by Meredith Hines-Dochterman, The Gazette

IOWA CITY — Dylan Carew and Jim Corwin have much in common.

They love sports, especially University of Iowa wrestling, and learned at an early age that you have to work for what you want in life. Both athletes, that’s what they did.

“There’s not really that much different between us,” Corwin said.

Some might think that Corwin being a resident at Melrose Meadows, a retirement community, and Carew, 17, a senior at Iowa City West High School, is a big difference.
They would be wrong.

For the past three months, Melrose Meadows residents and students in Gary Neuzil’s sociology class have met each week to exchange ideas and opinions on issues such as values, immigration, economics and family dynamics.

The project, Neuzil said, wasn’t designed as us versus them, but to give people of different generations the opportunity to find the common theme in a variety of topics.

“The outcome was a sense of wonderment,” Neuzil said. “You really saw a wonderful blending of ideas and connections.”

Brook Easton, Melrose Meadows’ marketing coordinator, helped organize the project.

“I was looking for something that was more of an oral history sort of thing,” she said.

Instead, the students and residents developed an intergenerational project, sharing aspects of their lives with one another. Teams spoke of first loves and life lessons, school dances and teenage pranks.

West High seniors Ben Joe Potter and Ani Vardanyan, both 18, learned about cherry bombs from their partner, Eldon Hans. They shared teepee stories with him.

“I know the residents, but the students uncovered things I didn’t know,” Easton said. “This was better than I imagined.”

West High senior Aaron Kepler said he wasn’t sure what to expect when he learned of the assignment.

“It was kind of awkward the first time, a little uncomfortable,” said Kepler, 18.

The residents stood on one side of the room, the students on the other. By the time the project culminated, students and residents readily sat together.

“I loved listening to the stories,” Kepler said. “What they did when they were our age, what we do now — it really hasn’t changed. We have a lot in common, although maybe we play our music a little too loud and drive a little too fast.”

Students and residents met one last time Tuesday night. One by one, students stood before the audience in Melrose Meadows’ wellness center to share what they learned from one another. Some students presented timelines; others, question-and-answer projects. A few had video and computer reports, showcasing the technology often mentioned as a big difference between generations.

“School was a lot harder back then because they didn’t have the technology we have,” said Andrew Fortmann, 18, a senior.

Eileen Ahlberg, a Melrose Meadows resident, told Fortmann she probably would have been a better student if she had the technology — a statement that was met with laughs.

“This was a neat project,” Ahlberg said. “It was surprising how often our thoughts were about the same.”

Easton and Neuzil said the project would continue next year.

“I think it was a great way to bring about history for these young people, giving them some perspective of where their ancestors came from and the world they grew up in,” resident Hans said.

Text by Meredith Hines-Dochterman
Photos by Chris Mackler
The Gazette

BROOKLYN, Iowa — Audrey Carlson and Barb Cummings missed the Brooklyn exit on Highway 63.

“We were way on the other side of the freeway and had to turn back,” Carlson said.

The friends stopped in Brooklyn for its Community of Flags attraction.

Standing underneath the flags fluttering in the wind, the two said they’re happy they added Brooklyn to their list of Iowa sites to visit.

“It is so impressive,” Carlson said.

Brooklyn launched its Community of Flags identity in the early 1990s. What began as a welcome for RAGBRAI riders evolved into a year-round attraction that changed the way people see the community.

Carlson and Cummings are just two of many visitors who make their way to this Poweshiek County community of about 1,400 every year. The two have Brooklyn connections. Carlson lives in Brooklyn Park, Minn. Cummings is from nearby Brook Park, Minn. The day after their stop, another Brooklyn visitor swung through town.

He was from New York.

He wasn’t the first East Coast Brooklynite to pay tribute to the Midwest’s Brooklyn. The Community of Flags Store guest book lists many borough signatures. Gersh Kuntzman, editor of The Brooklyn Paper, spent several days in the community last year.

“He called and said he wanted to visit Brooklyn’s sister city for the caucuses and we said, ‘OK,’” Mayor Loren Rickard said.

Brooklyn doesn’t have a hotel, so Kuntzman stayed with Rickard and his wife, Jodi. Making the trip with Kuntzman was a proclamation signed by Brooklyn President Marty Markowitz, calling Iowa’s Brooklyn “The official Brooklyn of the Midwest.”

The community receives a fair share of comments regarding its sister city. You can’t tell a Brooklyn Bridge joke that hasn’t been heard a million times. Still, people take the kidding in stride because they know their Brooklyn is special.

“We’re a very friendly community with a can-do attitude,” Rickard said. “If people see a need, they open their checkbooks and help.”

The Brooklyn Museum/William Manatt House is one example. The house is home to the Brooklyn Historical Society, but once was the town library. When the library moved out, society members were given one month to raise $50,000 to cover renovation costs and launch the museum.

“We raised $52,000,” said Mary Jo Thompson, vice president of the Brooklyn Historical Society.

The Michael J. Manatt Community Center is another example. The idea began with Michael J. Manatt, but the support of the community made it a reality. The community center opened in April 2008. In one year, it has hosted 42 events with more than 7,700 guests.

“It’s a facility that’s not only outstanding for the community, but also for the county,” said Lorraine Willett, city clerk.

Archie Kuntz of Brooklyn Raceway credits his hometown’s can-do attitude for making his dream of owning a raceway a reality.

“It’s been real nice for me, being local and knowing the people,” Kuntz said.

The races draw a mix of locals and out-of-town visitors. Kuntz tries to offer something for everyone.

“I like to tell people you come for the race and it turns into an event,” he said.

You could say the same thing about Brooklyn itself.

2009 The Gazette

By Meredith Hines-Dochterman
The Gazette

Talk to your kids about money and the economy/Stock photo by JupiterImages

The economy. Everyone is talking about it. At work. In the grocery store. At home.

Sort of.

Parents tend to avoid issues that could upset their offspring. Money is regarded as one of those “for adults only” topics, leaving kids in the dark as their parents wrestle to make ends meet. What parents don’t understand is they might be doing more harm than good.

“When parents worry, their kids worry,” said Amy Jackson, team leader for children’s services at the Abbe Center for Community Health in Cedar Rapids. “Children do listen to what adults say about the topic.”

For that reason, experts say it’s best to include children in discussions about money.

“It’s always smart to be honest with children — in accordance to their age,” said Kathleen Staley, assistant director/director of program and consultation services with the University of Iowa Counseling Service.

This doesn’t mean providing a blow-by-blow of bills and tax statements, but explaining to children that times are tough and, until times get better, there will be some changes.

“What experts suggest is one minute per grade level to explain it to them,” Jackson said.

Kathi Moss, financial wellness coordinator for Horizons, suggests families track spending, prioritize goals and make cuts where necessary. This process should include children. “It’s the only way they’ll buy into it,” Moss said.

It’s typical for young children to think money grows on trees or in ATMs. If they don’t understand why Mom and Dad can’t afford the Friday night tradition of pizza and a movie, they’ll continue to ask for it.

“Explain that there isn’t a lot of money for the extras,” Moss said. “At the same time, make sure not every extra gets cut, because then no one is happy.”

Still, talking and planning won’t make everything better. Some children will worry. They’ll require more reassurance from their parents that they’ll be OK. They’ll want to do something to help. They’ll want to talk more about the situation. All reactions are normal.

“Talk to your children as much as they need,” Staley said. “Make them part of the family unit that will come together and face tough times together.”

Jackson said if parents focus on the positives — they have a home, they have food — their kids will, too. If a child can’t stop worrying, contact their doctor or mental health professional.

“Adults need to make sure they build up their own support system,” Jackson said. “We focus on kids all the time, but adults need to have people they can lean on, too.”

Free fun

Ready to upgrade family entertainment options without breaking the bank? Here are a few money-saving ideas to get you started:

• Your local library is a one-stop shop for all kinds of entertainment, including books, movies and music. Keep an eye out on upcoming activities, including story times, movie events and special activities.
• Make game night a regular event. Choose a board game, pop some popcorn and enjoy time as a family. Trade games with friends, or set up a multifamily game night, to increase the fun.
• Explore the great outdoors. Call your local parks and recreation department for information about hiking and bike trails in the area.
• Visit the Iowa Cultural Corridor Alliance at http://www.culturalcorridor.org/for more free culture events in the area. 

© Gazette Communications 2009

Citywide garage sale season starting as weather warms

Lindsey Downes of Iowa City looks at children's toys for her 4-year-old daughter at a garage sale during the recent city-wide Coralville sale. More city-wide sales are coming up this spring and summer across Iowa.

By Meredith Hines-Dochterman
By The Gazette

CORALVILLE — Rebecca Williams jumped out of the passenger side of the car driven by her friend, Maggie Birk.

Williams grabbed a map of Coralville’s citywide garage sales while Birk circled the parking lot of the Coralville Recreation Center.

“She’ll pick me up and then we’re off,” said Williams, of Iowa City.

The pair couldn’t stay and chat — the first rule of successful garage sale shopping is be early.

“The good stuff goes fast,” Birk, also of Iowa City, yells from the driver’s window.

Garage sale season is upon us. Last week, several Eastern Iowa communities — Coralville, Ely, Marion and Swisher — held their annual citywide garage sales. More towns will follow suit through the spring and summer.

A garage sale is an opportunity to rid the home of items no longer wanted or needed. Or, as Bill Hook said, to finally allow him to use his garage.

The Coralville resident and his wife, Jessica, participated in Coralville’s citywide sales for the first time last weekend.

“That’s why we have so much crap — I mean, quality merchandise,” he said.

The Swack family of Coralville — Alan and Margaret, and their children Alexander and Rachel — also were first-timers.

“I’ve always wanted to do it,” Margaret said. “We had way too much stuff piled up, and I thought I’d try it.”

Children’s items dominated her sale, from clothing and videos to games and toys. Margaret’s sister, Sarah Breuwet of Urbandale, made the trip to help with the sale and rid herself of some of her 10-year-old twin daughters’ castoffs.

“Anything we don’t sell here, we’ll take to Urbandale and try to get rid of them there,” Margaret said.

Promise yourself you won’t bring items back into the house.

“I think we’ll be taking a big pile to Goodwill,” said Nicole Brenchley of Coralville.

5 tips for garage sale success

While the concept of a garage sale might seem simple — clean out a room, put price tags on what you don’t want and rake in some dough — there are tips for those who want their sales to succeed. Read on for advice from those who know:

1. Get the word out.  “You should put an ad in the paper, describing what will be in your sale,” said Caitlin Johnson of Coralville. 
2. Use the buddy system. “I’d definitely try to go in with a friend or a neighbor,” said Margaret Swack of Coralville. “If your town doesn’t do a citywide sale, try to organize a neighborhood sale. The more stuff you have, the more customers you’ll get.” 
3.  Be organized.  Have items priced and organized early. If you can set things up the night before, do so. Early-bird shoppers on the hunt for bargains think nothing of looking through your items before your sale begins. “We had buyers before 6:30 a.m.,” said Bill Hook of Coralville. 
4. Price items to sell. Denise Russell participates in Coralville’s citywide sales every year. Profits from this year’s sale will go toward her daughter’s wedding at Walt Disney World next month. Still, getting rid of the stuff takes precedence over profit. “You know how places can get cluttered,” Russell said. “This stuff just sits and collects dust, so if other people can use it, great.” 
5. Don’t forget change. You can never have too many dollar bills or quarters during a garage sale.

2009 Gazette Communications

By Meredith Hines-Dochterman
The Gazette

MONTICELLO – High school students in Jones County and surrounding areas will have the chance to get a jump-start on their future.

Chris Riemenapp of Hazel Green, Wis., cuts a board in the lobby/atrium of the Kirkwood Community College Jones County Regional Education Center as construction continues on the new building in Monticello. The center is expected to open in August. Photo by Jim Slosiarek.

The Kirkwood Community College Jones Regional Education Center will open in August, providing all the programs available now, plus new college credit options for high school upperclassmen.

Doug Herman, Monticello’s city administrator, called Kirkwood’s expansion a big part of the city’s future.
“You think of a community college as serving people after high school, but this also will bring high school juniors and seniors to the mix,” Herman said.

Kirkwood has had several career academy programs available to high school students to help them make plans for life after school. Three years ago, leaders from Kirkwood and Jones County high schools discussed how the programs could be expanded.

“We knew districts were facing declining enrollments that would result in less funding,” said Kristy Black, director of Jones and Cedar counties for Kirkwood Community College.

That conversation was the first step of the Kirkwood Community College Jones Regional Education Center. The 32,000-square-foot facility will offer nearly a dozen career academy programs for high school students, in addition to the continuing education and college programs available now.

Career academy programs range from an architectural construction academy and graphics academy, to an arts and science academy for students who plan to pursue a four-year degree. The center also will offer advanced high school math and science classes.

Schools and students shared input on program areas, as did local business leaders.

Limestone is stacked, awaiting to be mortared in place, as construction continues on the Kirkwood Community College Jones County Regional Education Center in Monticello. Photo by Jim Slosiarek.

“Students will have the opportunity to attend college, at no cost,” Herman said.

Black said the facility’s location, on the south end of Monticello, made it possible to offer the program to high school students beyond Monticello and Jones County. In all, eight high schools will take advantage of the program — Monticello, Cascade, Maquoketa Valley, Springville, Central City, Anamosa, Oelwein and Midland.

The schools will send a combined total of 200 students to the Kirkwood Community College Jones Regional Education Center every day. Some schools also will send teachers to lead classes at the center.

“There is such a high level of collaboration between the schools and Kirkwood,” Black said. “That partnership led to the new building.”

© Gazette Communications 2009

By Meredith Hines-Dochterman
The Gazette

MONTICELLO — Java Jones opens its doors at 6:30 a.m. weekdays. The coffee shop’s first customers aren’t far behind.
A group of men, most of them retired, meets every day. They’re gone by the time a group of women comes in at 9 a.m. Retired nurses meet on Tuesday; church ladies meet on Thursday.

First street in downtown Monticello. Photo by Cliff Jette.

Then there’s the lunch crowd. City Administrator Doug Herman can be found at a booth most days. Then again, his wife is the owner.

“Free lunch,” Doug Herman said. “It’s a perk.”

Another perk, according to Leann Herman, is the opportunity to serve the people of Monticello.

“I’ve met so many people that I wouldn’t know otherwise — retired people, business people,” she said. “People are so kind. They are always so grateful they have a place to go.”

That kindness is returned by the staff. Employees know their regulars. If someone doesn’t come in, they find out why. They’ve been known to make house calls with soup — a little way to show they care.

“We’ve made all these connections with people who need connections,” Leann Herman said. “It’s a special thing.”

Java Jones owner Leann Herman is reflected in a display case of old coffee cans at the coffee shop in Monticello. Photo by Jim Slosiarek.

Going the extra mile for a neighbor in need is common in Monticello. The Jones County town of about 3,800 embraces small-town friendliness. Mail carriers pull their truck aside and offer to take your letters to the post office. Store owners greet customers by name. People wave hello from their cars – even if they don’t know you.

“It’s a friendly, intelligent community,” said Wanda Elmegreen, a Monticello resident for more than 40 years. “It’s caring, but not nosy.”

Lifelong resident Joanne Schenck called Monticello a great place to raise a family, with plenty of recreational activities, including The Great Jones County Fair – Iowa’s third-largest county fair — or tubing down the Maquoketa River.

“We used to go canoeing every weekend,” Schenck said.

Monticello is home to several Fortune 500 companies (Georgia Pacific and Star Building Systems, a division of NCI Building Systems) and the second-largest branch of Kirkwood Community College. Its downtown area has several locally owned and operated restaurants and retail stores.

“You don’t have to go more than a couple of miles to do what you want to do,” said Bob Chronowski.

Chronowski and his family moved to Monticello nine years ago. His business, Home Furniture Gallery of Monticello, has been part of downtown for 11 years. When his family decided to relocate, Chronowski said they were welcomed with open arms.

Boston area native Bob Chronowski owns Home Furniture Gallery in Monticello with his wife Connie. Photo by Jim Slosiarek.

“The community has been very progressive in the improvements it’s made,” Chronowski said, citing the new library, aquatic center, and high school track and football field. “It showed it was a good community to move into, to want to be a part of.”

“It’s a peaceful community,” said Cassie Covington, a lifelong resident. “The fair is awesome. We get people from way beyond where I think they should be coming.”

The city’s Fourth of July celebration also draws a crowd, with hundreds showing up for its annual parade that lasts nearly two hours.

Still, Covington said it’s Monticello’s familiarity she appreciates the most. She knows the customers who come through her line at Family Foods and jokes with them as she rings up their purchases.

“That one always gives me a hard time,” she said, pointing to Mike Connelly.

Connelly, a 23-year Monticello post office employee, said it’s part of the job.

“Someone has to keep them in line,” Connelly said with a laugh.

Recent Monticello High School graduate Jacob Null said camaraderie adds a lot to his hometown — so much that he doesn’t plan to move to a bigger city someday.

“I’ll probably settle in a community like this,” Null said. “It was good for me.”

© Gazette Communications 2009

Volunteer Ray Eserhaut of Tipton researches the underground railroad in the library of the Cedar County Attic. The Cedar County Attic is a new museum dedicated to the history of Cedar County and it is located above Ms. MollyÕs in downtown Tipton. (Brian Ray/The Gazette)

By Meredith Hines-Dochterman
From The Gazette

TIPTON — Nicole Hamilton pushed the double stroller down Cedar Street.

The sun was out, giving the illusion of a pleasant spring day.
 
Then the wind blew.

“It’s pretty chilly,” Hamilton said.

And probably not the best day for a stroll, but the children were eager to be outdoors, if only for a few minutes.

“I promised them yesterday we’d go for a walk,” Hamilton said. “I’m regretting it now.”

Luckily, home was just a block away — a benefit of living in Tipton. It’s never far to where you want to go, whether it’s a trip to the grocery store or a night at the movies.

When they are asked to summarize Tipton, “convenient” is the first word out of people’s mouths.

“I think Tipton is one of the few towns of this size that, if you wanted to, you’d never have to leave town,” said Ron Petersen, a Realtor with Jan Dendinger Real Estate.

The main street area has many restaurants and stores. Family Foods is down the road. Hardacre Theatre, Cedar Lanes Bowling and the library offer entertainment possibilities.

The town of about 3,200 people is centrally located between Cedar Rapids, Davenport and Iowa City, making Tipton a popular destination for those who work in a bigger city but don’t want to live there.

Diane Wallick and her husband, Jeff, moved to Iowa 13 years ago for his job. The couple scouted towns within a 300-mile radius of Moscow, Iowa, searching for the place to raise their family.

“What pulled us to Tipton was the library,” Wallick said.

And that was before she was hired as a part-time employee.

Wallick knows nearly everyone who wanders the bookshelves. While knowing your neighbors is common in small-town Iowa, it’s something Wallick, originally from Los Angeles, appreciates.

“It’s something I think about constantly, just how neat it is to walk down the street and wave to 15 people or go to the grocery store and greet everyone by name,” Wallick said. “I don’t know if people who have lived here their whole lives realize how special that is.”

Patti Leibbrandt said the town’s friendliness made it easy for her to feel part of the community when she moved to Tipton from Oregon in 2002.

“I like the small-town atmosphere,” she said.

Yet, some aspects of Tipton are anything but small, particularly the Hardacre Film & Cinema Festival.

Iowa’s first — and oldest — independent competitive film festival was organized in 1996. Director Will Valet said the festival is one of the reasons he and his family moved to Tipton in 2001.

“If a community is able to pull off a film festival like this for so many years, I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” Valet said.

Last year’s festival received more than 200 entries from around the world, with 22 shown during the two-day festival.

The festival is partnered with Tipton’s Ridiculous Days, a celebration that benefits the town’s retailers, who discount items to ridiculous prices.

Pam LaRue, owner of Ms. Molly’s Gifts & Collectibles, is familiar with Ridiculous Days. Yet her retail business has taken a bit of a back seat to her non-profit venture — Cedar County Attic, a collection of the county’s history as provided by the community.

It opened in late August.

“We’re not a typical museum, where you donate an item for display and never see it again,” LaRue said. “Our items belong to the family that they came from. We want the people of Cedar County to feel like this is theirs, that they can come up here and it’s an extension of their home. We’re just the guardians of it.”

Cedar County Attic, located above LaRue’s shop at 421 Cedar St. in the former Wm. Beaver Post No. 110, consists of a research library, a small room showcasing artifacts and a sitting room for public use.

LaRue is interviewing residents of all ages, compiling their memories for an oral history of Cedar County.

“I want people to be able to remember what life was like in Cedar County, at any age in any time,” LaRue said.

Contact the writer: (319) 398-8434 or meredith.hines-dochterman@gazcomm.com

Gazette Communications, 2009