Last Saturday, November 25th, was a busy day for the children of Belle Plaine.  The Belle Plaine Community Development Corp. hosted Santa’s Workshop.  The kids made holiday crafts and reindeer feed and then frosted some holiday cookies.  This was held in the basement of the American

Making Reindeer Feed

Legion while a craft show was held upstairs.

Sisters and their Christmas hats

Before the Workshop, there was Lunch with Santa at the Library.  Santa was there to hear the wish list of any child who approached him (he can be kind of a scary guy to the little ones). The kids munched on hot dogs and cookies and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

The free movie this year was Smurfs.  As the people were coming out of the King Theater, they all seemed to have smiles on their faces.

Free horse drawn covered wagon rides were next on the agenda.  The team of Percheron draft horses were waiting patiently for riders to get out of the movie theater.  The horses were beautiful and had wonderful temperaments.  They are a pair of sister from the Victor area.  Their owner, a young man who is just 19, told me that he had been handling horses for as long as he could remember.  His grandfather was his mentor and inspiration for the joy he finds working with horses.  He told me that when he and his grandfather were at a horse sale several years ago and this team came up for bid, he was a little hesitant to bid on the huge animals, but his grandpa was sure they could be worked with and would make a fine team.  His grandfather has since passed away but the owner of

Riding in the wagon with Grandma!

these two horses informed me that he thinks purchasing the team was one of the smarted things his grandfather ever did.  The horses are so well trained that they can be right beside the railroad tracks and the train whistle will blow and the horses won’t even flinch.  As we were riding down 13th Street, a few cars didn’t want to go as slowly as the wagon was moving so they went around us and it didn’t faze the Percherons.

At 5 o’clock hot cocoa and cookies were served in front of the library as we gathered around the town’s Christmas Tree waiting for it to be lighted.  After a couple of false starts, the tree glowed with blue and white lights.  Everybody there sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and then we all headed home to get warm.

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS MEETING

November 29, 2011 at 9:00 a.m.

Benton County Board of Supervisors Room

1.        9:00 A.M.  Call to Order

2.        Review and approve minutes

3.        Approve vacation carryover for Marc Greenlee

4.        9:30 a.m. Kyle Helland Re: Brett Flickinger sub division variance  NW ¼ Section 16-84-11.

5.        Acknowledge receipt of annual manure management plan filed by Rick Selk

6.        Approve handwrite claims

7.        FY13 budget discussion/preliminary work

8.        9:45 a.m. Engineer-Request Handwrite for Security Bank for loan interst.  Approve 2011 Weed Commissioner’s Report. Set winter salt/sand price for cities for the 2011/12 Winter.

9.      11:00 a.m. – County Attorney re: Pending Litigation

10.     Supervisor Committee Reports

11.     New Business/Public Interest Comments

12.     Adjourn

Posted on November 28, 2011.

Top Left to Right: Rachel Blink, Jamie Rich, Jessie Simpson (In far right corner), Bottom Left to Right: Alexandria Brown, Katie Rich, Mitch Brehm, HLV

On November 15 at 7 p.m. I attended the SICL Conference Honor Choir Festival at BGM.  The guest conductor was Noel Fulkerson from Independence, Missouri.  All six pieces performed by the Honor Choir were beautifully done. Mr. Fulkerson had the students clapping and swaying to the music in the last two  pieces.  I left the concert feeling light and happy.  Though the concert was short, only about 1/2 hour in length, it was certainly worth the effort to attend.   Belle Plaine High School sent 14 students to participate in the Festival.  Sopranos:  Emily Coover and Melissa Stull.  Altos:  Kameo Pope, Sadie Andersen, Alexandria Brown, Jessie Simpson, Jamie Rich, Katie Rich, Rachel Blink, Miranda Pope, and Molly O’Brien.  Tenors:  Matt O’Brien and RJ Northup.  Bass:  Josh Hotz. Other schools in attendance where HLV, Keota, Sigourney, North Mahaska, Montezuma, English Valleys, Iowa Valley, Tri County, Lynnville Sully, and BGM.

Left to Right: Jon Dentel, HLV, Matt O'Brien, Josh Hotz

Top center: Emily Coover, Bottom center: Melissa Stull, Bottom right: Molly O'Brien

Benefits of Arts Education Experience by Janet E. Rubin, PhD

The arts engage students in ways that other subjects may not, providing ways into learning that complement learning styles and encourage creative risk-taking.  The arts are process-oriented, facilitate inquiry and promote self-expression.  Through the arts, children can see themselves as creators who value their own ideas and respect the ideas of others.  This gateway to learning helps them to understand that there is not always a right answer to a question or that there may be multile ways to address a problem.

The arts allow students to learn both from their successes and from their mistakes.  The positive results are tangible–both in terms of arts content learning and in the ability to understand and communicate meaning across discip0lines.  In addition, the arts can make positive social changes and open doors to knowledge.  Their talents are nurtured as their potential is realized.

TEN ARTS EDUCATION BENEFITS:

• Improves academic performance
• Results in better attendance and lowers dropout rates
• Levels the playing field for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic background
• Builds self-esteem
• Fosters self-confidence and self-expression
• Improves academic and performance skills for children with learning disabilities
• Improves literacy skills
• Fosters motivation
• Creates empathy for and understanding of others
• Improves oral and written communication skills

Howard, Bruce and John Gills, High School Today-The Voice of Education-Based Athletic and Arts Activities, Volume 4, Number 5, 2011: A Publication of  NFSHSA.

Over 37,000 individuals in the United Way of East Central Iowa’s six county service area are food insecure which represents 12% of the total population.  Food security is defined as having access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

More than 50% of food insecure individuals in the UWECI service area are at or above 185% of the Federal Poverty Line.  For example, a family of four earning $39,113 or more may simply not have enough income to meet their basic needs.  Recession may be the primary factor in food insecurity, as wages and poverty are intertwined with the problem.

Some of the federal programs such as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP-formerly known as food stamps- free and reduced-price school lunches and the Emergency Food Assistance Program that provide food assistance are at risk of being cut.

In Iowa, more than 1,160 local and regional emergency feeding organizations distribute food to those in need.

Political dynamics in Washington will likely challenge efforts to maintain adequate funding for food programs when the 2012 Farm Bill is written.  Faith-based and nonprofit organizations cannot completely fill the gap.  Federal programs are an integral part of assistance.