News

The Vinton-Shellsburg FFA chapter attended the Iowa FFA Leadership Conference from April 21-23, 2013. We took 28 members and five chaperones to Ames, IA for this convention. While there we had many things going on, and had members on stage at every general session. On Sunday April 21, 2013, we arrived in Ames around 4:30pm. At 5:30 p.m. our chapter took the National Officer, Joenelle Futrell, out to eat at Hickory Park.

  On May 1, 2013 the Vinton Shellsburg FFA Chapter helped with the annual third grade ag day at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Members worked to teach sessions, be group leaders, and help serve lunch. We had members teaching and helping out with a variety of sessions including: Swine, Beef Cattle, Dairy Cattle, Goats and Sheep, Corn and Soybean, Horses, Farm Equipment, and Rabbits and Poultry.

Bethlehem Lutheran church will celebrate its centennial on Sunday June 9, 2013, with a worship service and a congregational meal. There will be an open house for the public on Monday, June 10. It was June 10, 1913, when 47 members signed the charter that established the Swedish Evangelical Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Those 47 people had good Swedish names like Anderson, Carlson, Bengtson, Gustafson, Hanson, Hoakanson, Johnson, Monson, Olson, Peterson, Bostrom, Lonn, Lindberg, Roseberg, Rosenquest, Sarin, Sevendahl and Skoog.

Former VS Middle Schoo. Mike Timmermans was the special guest at this year's Presidential Award ceremonies. Several students received Excellence or Achievement Awards. Click the links below for complete lists. Achievement Excellence

Two separate tree planting projects resulted in scores of trees being added to the Tilford campus and around the Benton County Nature Center last week. First, Laura Wagner of the Iowa DNR Trees for Kids program helped Mr. Frazier and Tilford students plant trees near the outdoor classroom.  Then on Saturday, many area 4-H members and leaders helped the Benton County Conservation Board plant trees around the Nature Center and its outdoor classroom area.

Fluffy, an 18-year-old cat, has been missing from First Avenue in Vinton since Saturday. If you see Flurry, please call the owners at 319-981-5532

Karl Smith and Dave Lang -- although their bands have been competing against each other for years -- have been the best of friends. They have congratulated each other several times when the two bands finished first and second in contests. And they stood side-by-side directing combined VS-Independence Pep Bands twice during this year's basketball season.

Music by the Schmidt Family Band (and dancing!). Getting soaked from the nozzle of the Vinton Fire Department's large truck. Refreshments. Face painting. Animal balloons. All this and much more was part of the TIlford PTO End of Year Party Thursday evening at the school.

The annual Vinton-Shellsburg Band Extravaganza and Middle School Art Show took place Wednesday evening at the Middle School. Amy Sharar and her art students welcomed parents and the community to see the projects they completed this year. Mrs. Sharar said that this year's new projects focused on "right brain" artistic thinking. This included self-portraits in pencil and drawings of flags.

This big, young lab was found roaming Keystone looking for his home. Please contact the Keystone Vet at 442-3452, ASAP, if he belongs to you. Thank you.