News
Lutheran Home families, employees help Food Pantry
Vinton Lutheran Home residents and their families joined employees in a food drive to collect items for the Vinton Food Pantry. The items were artfully stacked near the Christmas tree in the dining room, where residents could see the progress of the project.
The items will soon make their way to the shelves of the pantry and into the homes of area families. Angel Tree a success; remaining gifts to be available Sunday
Although donations for the annual Angel Tree program were down a bit from last year, the number of families participating also decreased.
"It worked out well," said LaNette Parker on Thursday morning, as she helped the last of the participating parents choose gifts for their children.
In addition to clothing, toys, dolls games and other gifts for children, participating families also had the opportunity to receive a weather radio flashlight and other emergency-preparedness items. Can drive to raise funds for Benton County 4-H service trip
Do you have redeemable cans/bottles that are taking up space and you need to make some room before the holidays?
We have the perfect solution for you – donate those redeemable cans/bottles to the Benton County 4-H Service Trip Can Drive this Saturday, December 21, at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Vinton from 9am-1pm. In February, Benton County high school 4-H'ers and non-4-H’ers will spend a weekend in Des Moines working with local shelters, feeding the homeless and various other tasks to help those in need.
Old Jolly's demolished; to become part of John's Qwik Stop parking area
The original Jolly's Pizzeria building is history.
The business recently relocated to Fourth Street, and John's Qwik Stop owner John Ketchen has purchased the property. The white building was demolished on Wednesday to make room for more parking area for the gas station/convenience store.
Santa, Kiwanis share Christmas with VS students
Several Vinton-Shellsburg students joined the Vinton Kiwanis Club for Christmas dinner on Tuesday, where Santa later arrived with gifts for the children. Santa also joined club members in visiting Tilford and Shellsburg elementary schools and presenting gifts to some children there. This is an annual project in which Santa and the Kiwanis have been sharing Christmas with area children for many years. Box tops bring Tilford PTO $8,000
In the past three years, approximately 80,000 box tops from a variety of local families and parents and grandparents of Tilford Elementary students have helped raise about $8,000 for the Tilford PTO
Virtually every product from a grocery store is eligible for the program, said PTO coordinator Meggan McNeil.
According to information McNeil has received from the Box Tops 4 Education program, the school is first in Iowa and third in the entire nation in the number of box tops collected. Second graders explore Shellsburg history
The students in Courtney Templeton's second grade class at Shellsburg Elementary came up with an inquiry question: "Who first started our community in Shellsburg and how has it changed?"
Then, they sought answers.
"They interviewed parents, grandparents, and members of the community," said Templeton. "They brought their information, photos, and books to the class and they created a mural of the changes. Angel Tree distribution set for Dec. 18-19
The distribution the Angel Tree gifts will take place this Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 18-19., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., in the old Dollar General store building on West 4th Street in Vinton.
For more information, call LaNette Parker at 319-521-1496.
Residents express concern over 'J-Turn' at Highway 218/30 intersection
There’s a new word that Benton County drivers are learning, and so far, it does not seem very popular:
J-Turn.
J-Turn is the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) term for its plans for a new re-design of the Highway 30/218 intersection south of Vinton.
The Vinton Lions Club recently heard a presentation on the proposed changes from Blairstown City Councilman Gary Biershenk. Amateur Radio Is a W.I.N. Win
There is an acronym I recently picked up (everyone loves acronyms right?) and it is WIN or “What’s Important Now”. It is a good perspective to have during good times and times of disaster.
We’re closing in on Christmas so let’s consider the WIN. We need to think about Christmas shopping, winter weather preparedness, shoveling snow, etc.