norwalk livingcoconut, and a can of sweetened condensed milk. “she used to make it every year...

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk Norwalk Living DECEMBER | 2013

LivingNorwalkdecember 2013

50211

magazine

NORWALK RESIDENTS SHARE THEIR CHERISHED CHRISTMAS-TIME RECIPES AND TRADITIONS

1973 PLYMOUTH BARRACUDAGARAGE

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HolidayNORWALK RESIDENTS SHARENOORWWAALK RESIDENTS SHARENORWALK RESIDENTS SHARENOORWRWAALK RESIDENTS SHARE

feasting

DECEMBER | 2013 Norwalk Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk

AChristmas

Gift ForAll.

Fellowship Community Church225 North Avenue, Norwalk

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SCAN FORVIDEO!Sat. & Sun.

December 14 & 156:00 - 8:00 pm

welcome By Shane Goodman, [email protected]

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk DECEMBER | 2013 Norwalk Living 3

LivingLivingIowaIowam a g a z i n e sm a g a z i n e s

Darren TromblayEditor515-953-4822 ext. [email protected]

Brooke PulliamAdvertising

515-988-7257 [email protected]

Nothing says Christmas like Spamwiches

M y mother was the youngest in her family, as was my father in his. I, too, was the youngest in my family. It’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Holiday memories for my older siblings consist of time at our grand-parents’ or our aunts’ and uncles’ homes, spending time with cousins and enjoying the season — playing games, watching football and eating everything in sight. My brothers and sister continue to share those recollec-tions each time we all get together. And, of course, they ask me if I remember. And, of course, I don’t. I was 2 years old, for Pete’s sake. By the time I was old enough to recall the holidays, the extended family traditions were over. My grandparents had passed on by then, and my much older cousins were out of their

homes and on their own. So growing up as the youngest, I missed out on much of these family times. Ironically, my wife, Jolene, was raised in a similar way. So what do you do when you don’t have traditions to recall? You make them up, and that’s exactly what we have done. On Christmas Eve, Jolene cooks up what has become a tradition for us — Spamwiches. Yes, a sandwich consisting of the famous Hormel Foods canned meat. And, yes, I thought what you are thinking, but they are actually quite good. Diced up with cheese and baked on hamburger buns in the oven, this specialty with roots dating back to 1937 has become a nice complement to the potato and broccoli cheese soups we have before Santa shows up. Throw in a bottle or two of sparkling grape juice, and you have the Goodman Family Christmas Eve meal. And you thought we didn’t know how to celebrate. In fairness to my wife, who works diligently preparing the holiday meals, we also fill our bellies with the traditional ham on Christmas day with all the fixings, but this just doesn’t seem to stick out in my memory like the Spamwiches do. Give it a try, and enjoy the holiday season! And, as always, thanks for reading.

Shane GoodmanPublisher

City State Bank

801 Main Street

Norwalk

Breakfast with

Santa! Saturday

December 14from 9–11am

Stop by for donuts,

hot cocoa

and to visit with Santa!

Norwalk Living magazine is a monthly publication of Big Green Umbrella Media, Inc., an Iowa corporation. Nothing may be reprinted in whole or in part without permission of the publisher. Norwalk Living magazine is mailed free of charge to every household and business in the 50211 ZIP code. Others may subscribe for $18 annually. Copies of past issues, as available, may be purchased for $3 each (plus shipping if required).

inside

5 Cover story

Holiday feasting

9 Faith

What Christmas is all about

10 Recipe

Cranberry cheesecake

11 Insurance

Are all agencies alike?

12 Calendar

A comprehensive list

14 City newsletter

Norwalk news

16 Health Q & A

Advice from professionals

20 Fitness

Ask the Anytime Guy

21 Education

Meet Stephanie Watson

23 Garage

Plymouth Barracuda

25 Chamber

News of local events

Page 5

Page 21

Page 23

ADDRESS: 414 61st Street Des Moines, Iowa 50312PHONE: 515.953.4822EDITORIAL: ext.304DISTRIBUTION: ext.301DESIGN: ext.313ACCOUNTING: ext.301FAX: 515.953.1394WEB: www.iowalivingmagazines.com

PUBLISHER: Shane GoodmanEDITOR: Darren TromblaySALES MANAGER: Jolene GoodmanACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Brooke Pulliam Julie Downing Dan Juffer Pete Gardner Christina Anderson Wendy Goodale Jen Reed KK O’Neill Jodi Gilson-Schrage Debra Prentice

DESIGN MANAGER: Celeste JonesGRAPHIC DESIGNERS: Karen Ericson Tyler NashEDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Kathleen SummyCONTRIBUTORS: Melissa Walker Dawn Sagario Pauls Lucas McMillanBUSINESS OFFICE MGR: Brent AntisdelDISTRIBUTION: Brent AntisdelDIGITAL: Lindsey Woody

Circulation and readershipaudited by

On the cover: Jeanne Fritz. Photo by Melissa Walker.

4 Norwalk Living DECEMBER | 2013 www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk

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ESTIMATES

feature Submit story ideas to [email protected]

Jeanne Fitzgerald holds the cookbook she and her sisters made for their

mother along with the cutter she uses to make almond crescent cookies.

Phot

o by

Mel

issa

Wal

ker

NORWALK RESIDENTS SHARE THEIR CHERISHED CHRISTMAS-TIME RECIPES

Holidayfeasting



A ny time Jeanne Fitzgerald wants to remember some of the food her mom made while she was growing up, she

turns to the family cookbook she and her sis-ters made for their mother. “Those are still the same recipes I make over and over again,” Fitzgerald says. Inside the “Family Secrets: Schmidt Family Recipes” cookbook are recipes for Extra Crisp Sugar Cookies, Texas Pecan Cake, Chow Mein Noodle Cookies and one of Fitzgerald’s favorites: Almond Crescents. It’s marked with a “Best of Show” and “Best Cookie” label because it is one of the family’s favorites, too. “We only make them for Christmastime,” she says of the Almond Crescents. Growing up, Fitzgerald and her two sisters would help their mother make the cookies. Even as adults, the three women joined their mother in her kitchen between Thanksgiving and Christmas to make the crescent moon-shaped cookies. Everything that was baked was stored on a shelf in the front hallway closet until it was time to share the baked goodies with neighbors and others. “That was something we always helped Mom with,” Fitzgerald recalls. Their mother,

Mary Schmidt, died about four years ago. The cookie dough is rolled out and cut with a round cutter with a hole in it, similar to a doughnut, and then the cookie is cut in half to create a crescent. “When my mom passed away, that was the one think I wanted was that cutter,” Fitzgerald says. Mary Schmidt also was known for the Texas Pecan Cake she would make. The cake, similar to the traditional fruit cake, would be made two weeks before Christmas and stored in the refrigerator while the flavors fermented. Schmidt usually made two dozen of the cakes, which contained dried fruit, pecans, flour, coconut, and a can of sweetened condensed milk. “She used to make it every year because it was one of her favorites, and she felt like she could get away with making it at Christmastime,” Fitzgerald recalls. “Sometimes she would give it away as gifts to the neigh-bors.”

Need to serve a large family leads Norwalk woman to recipeBetty Minella was looking for a dessert that would be easy to make and serve her growing family.

She liked pumpkin pie, but one pie was not enough for her three children and all of her grandchildren. Minella found an alternative that has turned out just as good: pumpkin pie bars. “It has oatmeal in the crust, and I love oatmeal,” she says. “It takes like pumpkin pie because it’s exactly like a pumpkin pie on top.”About 20 years ago, she came across the recipe in one of her cookbooks and started making it for Christmas Eve dessert. “I have three kids, plus grandkids, and it serves more people than a pie,” Minella says. Minella also makes a sweet potato crunch that she found a recipe for in another cook-book. “It’s really awesome,” she says. “It has pecans and brown sugar on the top, and it is so much better than canned sweet potatoes with whatever in them. My kids always want me to make it, and it’s something they would really miss if I didn’t make it.”

Ease of cookie recipe allows young to old to help in the kitchenEvery Christmas Eve, Debbie Putbrese and her family gather in the kitchen of her mother, Kathy Garton, or at whoever’s house where the celebration is being held, to make No Bake Cookies.


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It’s a tradition that began when Putbrese and her brother were children and made the cookies with their grandmother and moth-er. “We would help make them, and it’s tradition to this day,” Putbrese says of making the cook-ies. “My brother and his family, we all get together and make them to this day with all of our kids. Little kids can make it; people in their 90s can make it. It’s such a simple recipe.” Putbrese says her sister-in-law is the best maker of the cookies. “I don’t know what it is, but she does something to them that they’re not as mushy,” Putbrese says. When others make elaborate desserts, cookies and candies for Christmas, Putbrese says her fam-ily prefers to keep things simple. “We try to make Christmas really simple because we’re not big shoppers,” she says. “We try to really make it about the meaning of Christmas.”

Putbrese’s four children Marie, 19; Charles, 16; John, 15; and Lizzy, 13; have been making the cookies with her since they were old enough to stir the batter. Sometimes she lets them add sprinkles or coconut to the cook-ies to make them a little extra special. “It’s something they could help with immediately,” she says. “It wasn’t like making chocolate chip cookies, because there weren’t a lot of ingredients. It was easy to teach them the recipe and to learn to cook, be with the family and to start the joy of the process of being in the kitchen. At Christmas it’s all about the togetherness. That’s the way it is with our family. We’re more into (the baking) for the togetherness.” Marie, who is now in col-lege, asks for the cookies to be sent to her in care packages. And while the cookies are popular among the kids, Deb’s husband prefers her pineapple casserole at Christmastime.


Jeanne Fitzgerald is shown in this picture with her mother, along with the cutter she received when her mother died that she uses to make almond crescent cookies.


Phot

o by

Mel

issa

Wal

ker

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Debbie Putbrese’s children have always helped her in the kitchen, especially when it came time to make No Bake Cookies on Christmas Eve. From left, John, Charles, Marie

and Lizzy (bottom).

Each Christmas Eve afternoon the family gathers in the kitchen and makes double or triple batches of No Bake Cookies. “They are fought over because this is the only time we make them,” Putbrese says.

Jeanne Fitzgerald’s Almond Crescents½ pound butter1 pound of almonds, ground (1 pound bag with shells)1 cup sugar2 cup flourPinch of saltSquirt of lemon juiceMix all ingredients together. Roll out but not too thin. Cut dough out into crescent shape using cut-ter. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 to 10 minutes. Dip into powdered sugar.

Deb Putbrese’s No Bake Cookies2 cups sugar4 tablespoons cocoa1 stick butter½ cup milk1 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon vanilla3 cups oatmealBring to boil the sugar, cocoa, but-ter and milk for 1 minute. Then add the peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. Mix well. Drop batter in spoonfuls on to wax paper and let cool.

Deb Putbrese’s Pineapple CasseroleTwo 20-oz. cans of Dole crushed pineapple (drain but keep the juice)½ cup sugar1 tablespoon cornstarch1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese½ stick butter, cut in slices1½ sleeves of Ritz crackers, crushedIn a sauce pan over medium heat, mix sugar, juice and cornstarch until it forms a syrup-like consis-tency. Stir in pineapple. Combine pineapple mix from sauce pan with cheddar cheese in a casserole dish coated with nonstick spray. Top with Ritz crackers and spread slic-es of butter over the top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees



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A couple of years ago, some-one did a poll of 1,000 children ages 5-7 and asked

them whose birthday is celebrated at Christmas. More than a third of the chil-dren believed Dec. 25 is Simon Cowell’s birthday, the creator and host of TV’s “The X Factor.” (I checked, by the way, and it’s not.) So maybe it’s time to revis-it the Christmas story for those who have never heard it or have lost touch with what it’s really all about. The Christmas story centers around the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, but what no one knows for sure is when Jesus was born. We know neither the exact date nor the exact year of his birth (scholars estimate between 4 and 6 B.C.). We don’t know these things because the Bible doesn’t tell us; it only gives us the details surrounding Christ’s birth.

Apparently these are the things God not only wanted us to know but to focus on — not a date or a year. Prophecies made hundreds of years before his birth foretold of a baby boy born of a virgin in the city of Bethlehem who would become the only hope for sinful mankind. Every aspect of Jesus’ birth fulfilled one of these ancient prophecies. No human being could

have planned and carried out such an event. The author behind the Christmas story is none other than God himself. But why did He do it and why should any of us care? I submit that Christmas should be important to me, to you, to all of us, because it’s the celebra-tion of an act of love. Christmas is about God becoming a human being in the person of Jesus Christ. The true meaning of Christmas is this: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Jesus was God’s gift to us as the punishment for our sin. God is the ultimate gift-giver. The first “Black Friday” took place the day Jesus gave himself for us and died so everyone could have his or her sins forgiven and receive eternal life by believing in Jesus and what He did. That’s worth celebrating this year and every year. What to know more? Celebrate Christmas with Fellowship Community Church at one of our three identical Christmas Eve services: Monday, Dec. 23, 7 p.m. and Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2 and 4 p.m. For more informa-tion, visit www.fccnorwalk.org.

faith Submit story ideas to [email protected]

Fellowship Community Church225 North Ave.515-981-0699Services:Sunday: 8:30 and 10:30 a.m.Youth: 6 p.m.


Time to revisit the story of Jesus’ birth

Christmas — what’s it all about?By Pastor Rob Jones

Pastor Rob Jones is the senior pastor of Fellowship Community Church in Norwalk. The church was founded under his leadership in 1995.

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Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church LCMS515 Sunset Drive, Norwalk

9:00 AM Worship; 10:30 AM Sunday School

Everyone is invited to come and join in the worship of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as we celebrate this advent season.

Pastor Steve Klawonn

please join us forADVENT SERVICE

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER186:00pm LIGHT MEAL

7pm SERVICE TUESDAY, DECEMBER 246:00pm christmas eve service

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 259:00am christmas dayservice

10 Norwalk Living DECEMBER | 2013 www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalkKris Tracy is originally from Iowa and lives in Highlands Ranch, Colo.

T his cheesecake is full of Christmas flavors and is a dramatic ending to the big

dinner. I love the smooth textures, and the sweet tartness of the cranber-ries. The filling is borrowed from Rose Levy Beranbaum’s “The Cake Bible.” We like black walnuts in the crust, but pecans are wonderful too. Likewise, the brandy in the cran-berry topping is optional.

Cranberry cheesecake

Directions:In a food processor, crush the walnuts and graham crackers. Add the sugar and cinnamon. Transfer all into a medium bowl, drizzle in the melted butter. Mix until the crumbs look like damp sand. Line a spring form pan with parchment paper. Lightly butter the paper so it stays in place on the bottom of the pan. Pour the crumb mixture in the bottom of the pan and press lightly to make an even layer. To mix the filling, use the whisk attachment on your mixer. Starting with the cream cheese and sugar, whisk until blended. Add the corn starch and salt. Blend and then add the eggs one at a time until the filling is smooth and no clumps show. Add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix again. Mix in the sour cream until it is a light creamy color and smooth texture. Pour the filling into the spring form pan you have prepared with the crumb crust. In a large, deep baking pan (like a turkey roaster) center the spring form pan. Carefully pour hot water around the outside of the spring form pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. DO NOT open the oven, but turn it off and allow the cheesecake to stay in the oven for an additional hour. At the end of that hour, set the cheesecake on the counter top for one hour longer. Then the cheesecake should be refrigerated. For the topping, put the cranberries, water, sugar and brandy into a heavy saucepan. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the colored part of the orange rind and julienne into tiny strips. Mince the peel into fine pieces. Peel and slice the rest of the orange and add it and the peel to the saucepan. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil slowly. Stir the mixture from time to time. After 15 minutes, most of the cranberries will have burst and the mixture will look like loose jelly. Pour into a covered container and refrigerate several hours. The mixture will thicken as it cools. Spoon onto cheesecake to serve. Serves 16.

Holiday dessert delights with texture and taste

Cranberry cheesecakeBy Kris Ellis Tracy

Crust:1 sleeve graham crackers, crushed1/3 cup sugar1 teaspoon cinnamon1 cup toasted walnuts4 Tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened1 cup sugar1 Tablespoon corn starch

3 large eggs1 teaspoon vanilla3 Tablespoons lemon juice3 cups sour cream1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:3 cups of cranberries1 cup sugar1 cup water1/4 cup of brandy1 whole orange

recipe Submit ideas to [email protected]

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T o get the best deal on insur-ance, many people consult and insurance agent or bro-

ker. Did you know that there are different kinds of insurance agents and brokers — and the one you choose can make a big difference in the type of service you get and the choices you’re offered? Here’s the difference: Captive agents and bro-kers. Captive agents work with a specific insurance company, and as part of their business agreement with that company, they can offer company’s insurance products. That can put the captives at a com-petitive disadvantage as they only offer their company’s products. Independent agents and brokers. Independent agents and brokers can offer products from many insurance companies. This helps them better serve your inter-ests, as they can review multiple options to find a policy and rate that is right for you. Insurance rates vary from company to company. Independent agents can put togeth-er a customized insurance plan. If you’re ready to contact an independent agent to talk about saving money on car insurance, here are a few things to consider:

changed recently? Many factors determine auto insurance rates, not just vehicle year, make, model and body type. If you’ve recent-ly moved, gotten married, had a birthdate or experienced a similar life milestone, mention this to an independent agent. You may be eligible to save money on your car insurance. don’t always need the same level

of physical damage coverage on older cars as on newer ones. Lane Insurance helps you determine the value of the vehicle and when to consider reducing coverage.

vehicle that also needs coverage? If you have a motorcycle, boat or RV, you might save money by having it covered by the same company that insures your auto and home. Another plus to working with an independent agent is his or her ability to offer guidance for all your insurance needs — auto, home, life, health, business and more. We can customize a pack-age of policies just for you. At Lane Insurance, we repre-sent many A+ rated companies that offer extremely competitive rates such as IMT, Met Life, Allied, EMC, Auto Owners, Safeco, State Auto, Wellmark, Nationwide Life and Progressive. We are able to shop your rates within our agency for both new business and renewals, to insure you are get-ting the best rates available.

insurance advice By Mike Lane

Information provided by Mike Lane, Lane Insurance Agency, Inc., 1225 Sunset Drive, (800) 244-4608.


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Friday, Dec. 13 8 Girls/Boys Basketball at

Winterset, 4:15/4:30 p.m.

JV/V Girls Basketball vs. Grinnell,

4:45/6:15 p.m.

V Boys Basketball vs. Grinnell,

7:45 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 14 Community Chat, 9 a.m., City Hall.

ACT Test Date

HS Bowling at Pella, 1 p.m.

JV/V Girls Basketball vs. Boone,

3/6 p.m.

10/V Boys Basketball vs. Boone,

4:30/7:30 p.m.

Synchronized Lights & Live

Nativity Event, see holiday scenery

and listen to Christmas music from

your vehicle, free admission, 6-8 p.m.,

Fellowship Community Church.

Sunday, Dec. 15 Synchronized Lights & Live

Nativity Event, see holiday scenery

and listen to Christmas music from

your vehicle, free admission, 6-8 p.m.,

Fellowship Community Church.

Monday, Dec. 16 MS Wrestling Dual, 4:30 p.m.

JV Boys Basketball at Carlisle, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 17 Preschool Storytime, ages 3-6,

10:30 a.m., Norwalk Easter Public

Library.

Trash & Compost it! Pick Up-

West side of Hwy 28/Sunset Dr, 7 a.m.

Novel Year Book Club, film on

“Atonement” by Ian McEwan, 6-8 p.m.,

Norwalk Easter Public Library.

7 Boys Basketball at Ballard,

4:15 p.m.

V Girls/Boys Basketball at Perry,

6/7:30 p.m.

JV/V Wrestling vs. Ballard,

6:30/7:30 p.m.

NHS Vocal Music Holiday

Concert, 6 p.m., Norwalk Performing

Arts Center.

Wednesday, Dec. 18 Early Dismissal - Norwalk Schools

Take a Break, drop by and talk

with other adults and kids do age-

appropriate activities, 10-11 a.m.,


Trash & Compost it! Pick Up-East

side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive 7 a.m.

2nd-3rd Grade Book Club, 2 p.m.,


Thursday, Dec. 19 Toddler Time, ages 18 months- 3

years old, 10:30 - 10:50 a.m., Norwalk

Easter Public Library.

City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m.,

City Hall.

Card Games, “Dealer’s Choice,”

1-2:30 p.m., Norwalk Easter Public

Library.

Friday, Dec. 20 Early Dismissal - Norwalk Schools

Holiday Skating Show, $5

advance, $7 at door, call 371-8666

for reservations, 6-8 p.m., Ice Ridge

Skating Rink- Southridge Mall.

7 Girls Basketball vs. Winterset,

4:30 p.m.

7 Boys Basketball at Winterset,

4:30 p.m.

JV/V Girls Basketball at DCG,

4:45/6:15 p.m.

JV Wrestling at Indianola, 5:30 p.m.

V Boys Basketball at DCG, 7:45 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 21 First day of winter

V Wrestling at Pella, 10 a.m.

JV/V Bowling vs. Knoxville, noon.

Monday, Dec. 23 Norwalk Easter Public Library

Closes at 5 p.m.

No School

Tuesday, Dec. 24 Christmas Eve

City Offices Closed

Norwalk Easter Public Library

Closed

No school

Preschool Storytime, ages 3-6,


Library.


West side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive,

7 a.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 25 Christmas Day

No School


Closed

City Offices Closed

Thursday, Dec. 26 Kwanzaa

No school

Toddler Time, ages 18 months- 3

years old, 10:30- 10:50 a.m., Norwalk


Trash & Compost it! Pick Up-East

side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive, 7 a.m.

Water service disconnects

Tentative Planning & Zoning

Meeting, 5:45 p.m., City Hall.

Friday, Dec. 27 No School

calendar Submit event information to [email protected]


Tuesday, Jan. 7 Pre-School Storytime, ages 3-6,


Library.


West side of Hwy 28/Sunset Dr, 7 a.m.

8 Girls Basketball vs. Pella, 4:30 p.m.

7 Girls Basketball at Pella, 4:30 p.m.

JV Girls Basketball vs. Knoxville,

4:45 p.m.

V Girls/Boys Basketball vs.

Knoxville, 6:15/7:45 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 8 Early dismissal - Norwalk Schools

Take a Break, drop by and talk

with other adults and kids do age-

appropriate activities, 10-11 a.m.,



East side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive,

7 a.m.

Planning & Zoning Meeting,

5:45 p.m., City Hall.

K-1st Book Club, 2-2:45 p.m.,


Thursday, Jan. 9 Toddler Time, ages 18 months - 3



Pajama Storytime, all are welcome,

7 p.m., Norwalk Easter Public Library.

8 Boys Basketball vs. Knoxville,

4:30 p.m.

9/10 Boys Basketball vs. Pella

Christian, 6/7:30 p.m.

9 Girls Basketball vs. Pella

Christian, 6:30 p.m.

JV/V Wrestling vs. Pella, 6:30/7:30

p.m.

7th-8th Grade Band Concert,

7 p.m., Norwalk Performing Arts

Center.

Friday, Jan. 10 Teen Game Night, grades 6-12,

test your skills on Minute to Win

It challenges, 3:30- 5 p.m., Norwalk

Easter Public Library

Monday, Dec. 30 No school

Tuesday, Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve

No school

Preschool Storytime, ages 3-6,


Library.


West side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive, 7

a.m.

New Year’s Eve Party, call 371-

8666 for reservations, Ice Ridge

Skating Rink - Southridge Mall.

Wednesday, Jan. 1 New Year’s Day

No school

City offices closed


closed

Thursday, Jan. 2 No school

Toddler Time, ages 18 months- 3



Trash & Compost it! Pick Up- East

side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive, 7 a.m.

City Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m.,

City Hall.

Friday, Jan. 3 No school

Saturday, Jan. 4 Baby and Me Storytime, registra-

tion required, 9 a.m., Norwalk Easter

Public Library.

Wee Ones Storytime, ages 0-22

months, registration required, 9:30 a.m.,


JV Wrestling at DM North, 9 a.m.

JV/V Bowling Meet, noon.

NHS Show Choir Exhibition

Show, 3 p.m., Norwalk Performing

Arts Center.

Monday, Jan. 6 Water bill due

7 Boys Basketball vs. Newton,

4:30 p.m.

9/10 Boys Basketball at Knoxville,

6/7:30 p.m.

JV Boys Basketball at Indianola, 7

p.m.

View events and happenings from this community and others at

www.iowalivingmagazines.com

calendar Submit event information to [email protected]

www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk DECEMBER | 2013 Norwalk Living 13515-271-1854 1-800-44-DRAKE (ext. 1854)

HEAD START

For application details, please visit:

FREE SCHOOL READINESS PROGRAMfor children ages 3 and 4

OPENINGS STILL

AVAILABLE!

www.drakeheadstart.org

You can give her a Merrier Christmas!

Please give generously to the Red Kettle

campaign.

THE SALVATION ARMYin Des Moines


MAYOR’S MOMENT It sure doesn’t seem possible that four years have gone by, but they have, and so, with that, this will be my last article for the Norwalk Living magazine as Mayor. It has been a good four years with lots of initiatives accomplished, however, none of those would have happened without the superb staff at the City! They have been a great team by doing all the behind the scenes “leg” work so the Council can make an informed vote on the aforementioned projects. This team is led by Norwalk’s City Manager, Marketa Oliver, who has brought a wealth of knowledge and energy to Norwalk and has orchestrated a very supportive group that provides outstanding service to Norwalk residents. Let me list what I consider are the major accomplishments of the Council/Staff: Wright Road resurfaced (the top request by the public when I was running for mayor); a new Public Works facility that also doubles as the Norwalk Community School District Bus Barn that will serve the needs of Norwalk for years to come; a refurbished City Hall that makes a positive statement to businesses who are interested in locating in Norwalk as well as serving the citizens of Norwalk needs; Norwalk being selected as the “Most Affordable Community” in Iowa; complying with the federally mandated, but unfunded “Narrow Banding” requirement for communications; a professionally updated Comprehensive Plan which will allow Norwalk to meet the needs of up to 30,000 more residents in the next 20 years; the retention of Capital City Fruit in Norwalk even though they were being “courted” by many other communities; Hubbell’s past and present developments in Norwalk to meet the ever increasing housing needs of our growing community; Norwalk being selected to host the Des Moines Homebuilders Association’s 2014 Home Show; several joint ventures with the Norwalk School District to include the connection of all school and city facilities with fiber optics, sharing an Information Technology employee and signing a 28E agreement for HVAC maintenance; Hy-Vee selecting Norwalk to build a store; and Loffredo Fresh Produce deciding to expand their business in Norwalk, bringing 165 jobs immediately and plans to expand that to 250 within a couple years. All the above was only able to be accomplished through a team effort by the Staff and Council. After January 1, there will be three new members on the Council plus a new Mayor and I wish them the same continued successes that have been afforded Norwalk in the past. We have been told that once a community reaches a population of 10,000 (Norwalk is right there) that the larger businesses seriously start to look at expanding into that community and that sure seems to be holding true with all the development and inquiries taking place. It is with a degree of sadness that I complete my final Norwalk Living article, but I know that the future is very bright for Norwalk and I am excited to see what happens next! The holiday season is a time for giving, so I would encourage you to participate in the Norwalk Food Pantry by dropping off items at City Hall. In closing, I wish you all a very safe and happy holiday season as you spend time with family and friends. – Mayor Doug Pierce

CHRISTMAS TREE AND WINTER YARD WASTE COLLECTIONDECEMBER 30, 2013 – JANUARY10, 2014

SEE US ON THE WEB AT WWW.NORWALK.IOWA.GOVOR SCAN THIS QR CODE WITH YOUR SMART PHONE TO BE TAKEN DIRECTLY TO OUR SITE!

CITY HALL705 North AvenueNorwalk, IA 50211Phone: 515-981-0228Open 8:00am – 4:30pm, Monday – Friday

ADMINSTRATIVE SERVICESCity ManagerMarketa [email protected] ext. 2254

City Clerk/Finance OfficerJeff [email protected] ext. 2253

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Community Development DirectorJosh [email protected] ext. 2226

FIRE AND EMS SERVICES1100 Chatham AvenueNorwalk, IA 50211Emergencies: 911Non-emergency: 515-222-3321Administrative: 515-981-4316

Fire ChiefDustin [email protected]

POLICE DEPARTMENT1100 Chatham AvenueNorwalk, IA 50211Emergencies: 911Non-emergency: 515-222-3321Administrative: 515-981-0666

Police ChiefVacant

PUBLIC WORKS2626 North AvenueNorwalk, IA 50211Phone: 515-981-0228 ext. 2402

Public Works DirectorTim [email protected]

PARKS AND RECREATION1100 Chatham AvenueNorwalk, IA 50211Phone: 515-981-9206

Parks and Recreation DirectorNancy [email protected]

PUBLIC LIBRARY1051 North AvenueNorwalk, IA 50211Phone: 515-981-0217

Library DirectorHolly [email protected]

The holidays often include bringing in the new and disposing of the old. As you are shuffling things around, make sure to get your Christmas tree to the curb in time for collection. Christmas trees, just like yard waste, are collected from the curb and recycled into compost. Trees are picked-up on your regular garbage day between December 30 and January 10; they must have a Compost It! sticker attached. Stickers are sold at participating grocery stores and City Hall for $1.20. Please remove all decorations. This is also the last time any remaining yard debris is collected before spring. Use a Compost It! cart or bags or attach Compost It! stickers to generic bags to ensure your yard waste is picked up. For more information about yard waste collection, visit Metro Waste Authority at www.WhereItShouldGo.com or call 515-244-0021.

CITY OFFICESCLOSED

CITY OFFICES WILL BE CLOSED ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 24 AND 25

IN OBSERVANCE OF CHRISTMAS. CITY OFFICES WILL ALSO BE CLOSED ON

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 1, 2014.

WINTER WEATHER REMINDER With winter upon us, the City of Norwalk would like to remind residents of the ordinances that pertain to snow and ice. If you have any questions or concerns about the City’s snow ordinance, please do not hesitate to call City Hall at 981-0228. What are the rules regarding parking a vehicle on the street during the winter? City code states that it is unlawful to park on any street during the time of any snowfall (69.10). Any vehicle parked on the street during a snowfall faces the possibility of receiving a $35 parking ticket and/or impoundment. It is important to remember the times when you cannot be parked on the street and that the snow ordinance automatically goes into effect when snow begins to accumulate. This allows for timely removal of snow from the streets and is needed to maintain the safety of our main thoroughfares to get emergency response apparatus to residential areas expeditiously. What about my sidewalks during or after it snows? It is the responsibility of the abutting property owners to remove snow and ice accumulations promptly from sidewalks. If the property owner does not remove snow and/or ice accumulations within a reasonable time, the City may do so and ultimately assess the costs against the property owner for collection in the same manner as property tax. For purposes of enforcement, a reasonable time period is generally 24-hours after the snow or ice accumulations end. While the City realizes it can be frustrating to finish clearing your driveway and then have the plow come by, the snow removal policy adopted by the City Council indicates that snow placed in driveways by City plows is the responsibility of the property owner to remove. Snow from a private driveway may not be placed on or pushed across a City street.

Follow us!

DON’T FORGET!CITY HALL IS A NORWALK

FOOD PANTRY DROP-OFF LOCATION. WE GLADLY ACCEPT ALL

NON-PERISHABLE FOOD DONATIONS MONDAY–FRIDAY, 8:00am–4:30pm.

PARKS & RECREATIONUpcoming registrations and events can be foundon our website at www.norwalk.iowa.gov

EVENT – REGISTRATION DATESYouth Day Off: Sleepy Hollow December 30 – December 9 to December 20Youth Day Off: Movie January 3 – December 16 to December 27Coed Volleyball: 2nd season, January 6 – December 16 to December 27Men’s Dodgeball: January 5 – December 16 to December 27Lakewood Craft Club: January 9 – December 23 to January 3Fitness classes: January 6 – December 23 to January 3Wine Class: January 11 (new date) – December 23 to January 3Norwalk Family TKD: January 7 – December 23 to January 3Adult Ed Class: Jewelry January 16 – December 30 to January 10Lakewood Craft Club: February 6 – January 20 to January 31Adult Ed: Home Brew: February 6 and March 6 – January 20 to January 31Soccer: PK – 7th January 27 to February 7

TRASH AND RECYCLING COLLECTION HOLIDAY DELAYS Please note that trash and recycling collection will be delayed ONE day Wednesday, December 25 and trash will be delayed ONE day on Wednesday, January 1 for residents on the East side of Hwy 28/Sunset Drive. This delay will push your normal WEDNESDAY collection back to Thursday, December 26 and Thursday, January 2. More information on these delays can be found at www.mwatoday.com/collection-information/norwalk or by calling City Hall at 981-0228 ext. 2261.



health Q&A

A: According to a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, manual therapy is highly effective in treating patients suffering with neck pain and restricted range of motion. Neck pain affects 10 - 15 percent of people and is particularly common among middle-aged men and women. One hundred and eighty-three patients who had suffered with neck pain for at least a two-week period participated in a recent study, recently conducted in the Netherlands. The patients were divided into three treat-ment groups. Patients in the manual therapy group were adjusted in order to reduce restrictions in the neck’s range of motion; physical therapy patients participated in 30-minute exercise sessions two times per week, and patients who were under the care of a general practitioner were given advice on recovery, self-care, and ergonomics. Researchers found that the chiropractic group showed a success rate two times higher than the patients in the general practitioner group. Recovery rates were 68 percent among manual therapy patients, 51 percent among physical therapy patients and 36 percent for patients in the general practitioner group. Patients in the manual therapy group also had 50 percent less absences from work due to pain than the other groups and demon-strated better results in all outcome measures than the other two groups. Chiropractors commonly administer manual therapy in order to increase neck flexibility and to reduce pain.

Q: Can chiropractic care reduce my neck pain?

Information provided by blisstree.com/tips for healthy holiday travel, submitted by Ronda Montgomery, UnityPoint Clinic, 801 Colonial Circle, Norwalk, 285-3200.

Q: What are some tips for healthy holiday travel?A: If your holiday travel plans involve a boarding pass or ticket, they’ll also probably involve other peoples’ germs. Keep yourself and your fam-ily safe and healthy with these travel tips for the holiday season.

basic but think about the number of times you chew on a fingernail, lean on your hand or get your fingers near your mouth, it adds up.

substitute for actual soap and water. When you get a chance, wash your hands while traveling.

overhead compartments — if a lot of people touch them, they could still be carrying germs.

may help fend off illness.

immune system. You can also snack on antioxidant rich foods like apples and raisins while in transit.

funny about covering your nose and mouth, but it is not a bad idea. And if you have to sneeze, you need to be sure to use a tissue yourself. From the physicians and staff at UnityPoint Clinic at Norwalk, have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Information provided by Norwalk Chiropractic, 1228 Sunset, Suite B, 981-9208, www.norwalk-chiropractic.com.

Family Medicine at Norwalk 801 Colonial Circle | (515) 285-3200 Hours: Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PMSaturday: 8:00 AM - Noon (Urgent Care Only)

unitypointclinic.org

More Than AnswersTrue Understanding

Jason Brehmer, D.O. Bill Chase, M.D. Lori Miller, D.O. Patricia Newland, M.D. Andrea J. Silvers, M.D.

N

ORWALK

CH

IROPRAC

TIC

Call today! (515) 981-9208and make your appointment while they last!

Norwalk Chiropractic1228 Sunset Drive, Suite Bwww.norwalk-chiropractic.com

FOOD DRIVE

NEW PATIENTS, please bring in 10 non-perishable items December 1–17in exchange for an exam and x-ray(if medically necessary)ESTABLISHED PATIENTS, please bring in 10 non-perishable items December 16–18in exchange for treatment

A VALUE OF $250

Donate a minimum of 10 canned goods or non-perishable items and recieve

DECEMBER

All donations will be given tothe Norwalk Food Bank

health Q&A

Q: What are some nutrition tips for winter?A: Eating nutritiously in the winter months is just as important as the rest of the year. When you’re having one of your cravings there is a reason for it, and in the winter with fewer sunny days you going to need to eat high-quality carbs such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins and winter squashes. These carbs are what your body needs to restore you serotonin or what we know as the “feel-good” brain chemical. Also, studies have shown 1,000 mg of vitamin C daily may make your cold milder and possibly shorten it by half a day. A German study showed that a eating yogurt (with probiotics) may also shorten your cold by two days. Our winter produce may not be as exciting or colorful as our sum-mer produce, but we still have quite a few healthy choices to choose from. A few that are delicious and have serious nutrition in them are pomegranates, cranberries, citrus fruits, purple grapes and orange root vegetables. So eat away and have a healthy winter.

Answer provided by Dr. Michael O’Meara at Optometric Association of Warren County, P.C., 1228 Sunset Drive, Suite A, Norwalk, 981-0224.

Q: What causes color vision deficiency?A: Color vision deficiency, sometimes called color blindness, is the inability to distinguish certain shades of color or in rare cases, see color at all. Genetics provide the most common cause of color deficiency. This inherited condition is the result of an X-linked recessive gene passed from mother to son and affects both eyes. About 8 percent of Caucasian males are born with some degree of color deficiency, and while women usually only carry the gene, about 0.5 percent have some problems with color vision. Fortunately, inherited color deficiency tends to stay stable and does not lead to further vision loss. Ocular disease or injury to the optic nerve or retina can also lead to color vision problems. Some of these diseases include glaucoma, macu-lar degeneration and diabetes. Systemic conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, MS and leukemia can cause defects in color perception. Medications used to treat heart problems, high blood pres-sure, infections and psychological disorders can also affect color vision. Advancing age can make color vision become more difficult, as can expo-sure to certain chemicals such as fertilizers.

Information provided by Tami Dickeson, Norwalk Nursing and Rehab, 921 Sunset Drive, Norwalk, 515-981-0604.


CARLISLE 515.989.0889 55 SCHOOL STREET

INDIANOLA 515.961.5305 225 W. ASHLAND

NORWALK 515.981.0224 1228 SUNSET DR. #A

OPTOMETRIC ASSOCIATES OF WARREN COUNTY, P.C. SINCE 1965

ON-SITE SURGICAL CONSULTATION with(Indianola office)

Dr. CraigWinjum

Dr. Michael O’Meara

Dr. Jonathan Anderson

Happy Holidays

from

921 Sunset Drive NorwalkTake Highway 5 bypass to the Norwalk/Highway 28 exit. Highway 28 is Sunset Drive.

NNRC is on the right side of the road towards the south end of town.

515.981.0604

Our goal is to return our clientele to optimal independence.

Family participation is always encouraged!

NORWALK NURSING & REHAB“CARING FOR OUR COMMUNITY”

Physical Therapy Occupational Therapy

Speech TherapyLeisure Activities

Fast Track Rehab to get you back home!

health Q&A

Q: What’s the most efficient way to keep kids’ teeth strong?A: Drinking tap water is a good way to keep children’s teeth strong and cut down on both dental disease and costs, according to study results published earlier this year. More than 144 million Americans in more than 10,000 communi-ties drink fluoridated tap water on a daily basis. Fluoride is proven effective in helping prevent tooth decay. According to a study published earlier this year in the peer-reviewed journal “General Dentistry,” researchers found fluoridated public water supplies are a cost-effective way to protect children’s teeth. “Fluoride makes the entire tooth structure more resistant to decay and promotes remineralization, which aids in repairing early decay before damage is even visible,” says C.H. Chu, lead author of the study. Given that tooth decay affects children in the U.S. more than any other chronic infectious disease, any steps that help are welcome. Fluoride is a mineral that occurs naturally in many foods. Not only is it good for your teeth, it helps ward off osteoporosis, a disorder in which bones become porous and brittle. Talk with your dentist about the ben-efits of fluoride.


Information provided by Norwalk Family Dentistry, 1101 Chatham Ave., 256-9000.

out & about Submit photos to [email protected]

Newton Standridge, John Marmon, Debbie Marmon, Joe Desmond and Jan Sparks at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Gordon Iverson, Dorthy Hildreth and Connie Garrison at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Lisa Baker, Doug Raper, Dawn Chamberlain and Brad Hern at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Mark Smith and Myckell Robinson at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

See more photos online at www.iowalivingmagazines.com

1101 Chatham Avenue Norwalk

256.9000Donna Grant, DDS Maureen Winslow, DDS

www.norwalkfamilydentistry.com

cosmetic dentistry TMD implantssleep apnea family dentistry

May your

holidays be

merry and

bright!

E nthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it

with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. . .” (Ralph Waldo Emerson) This past month Norwalk lost a respected educator, coach and community leader, Dave Mineart. He put his whole soul into what he loved: teaching biology, coach-ing football and track and working for the good of the Norwalk and Warren County communities. He stamped his personality on every-thing he did, and his legacy ripples throughout the community in the lives of his former students, athletes and colleagues; I know this because I am one of them. Dave lived every day with pas-sion and purpose; it was who he was. In his high school and col-lege days as an outstanding athlete, serving as captain in four sports in high school and being a two-time college football captain, Dave was an Iowa Wesleyan College Athletic Hall of Famer, holding the record for football tackles for 37 years and for the javelin throw for even more. His passion for athletics and education continued as he left col-lege. Dave loved biology and loved teaching it more, sharing his passion with countless students. I person-ally remember Dave always took his class out to a wooded area to identify plants and birds in “their natural state.” The enthusiasm in his voice as we “trekked” through the woods (and in the 1960s, girls had to wear skirts to school) was impossible for even the most cyni-cal among us to ignore as we called out “cardinal,” “sparrow” or “war-bler” only to have Dave, with his signature hands-on-his-hips stance, ask us with a grin “Well, what kind?” He believed in, encouraged, pushed and nurtured us to be our best selves. As a coach, Dave stood well

above most. He was dedicated to his athletes, demanding their best in both practice and games, giving his best in return. In a volunteer “labor of love” he personally cleared and leveled several new practice fields for the junior high and high schools, devoting hours of work for “his boys.” The high school field bears the name “Mineart Field” in his honor. During the years, Dave’s teams won numerous conference and district titles in football as well as in track, and several young men were state track champions under his tutelage. For his long, success-ful career, Dave was named to the Iowa High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, retiring as one of the top 10 winningest football coaches. Dave Mineart wasn’t “just a teacher” or “just a coach;” he was the kind of person we wanted to be “when we grew up.” He was dedi-cated, full of passion, integrity and fidelity. As an educator and English teacher myself, I know that not everyone loves Shakespeare, but I hope my enthusiasm is a reflection of Dave’s because those kids I have touched are really the recipients of Dave Mineart’s legacy. He loved well, was loved and respected in return and will be sorely missed. A memorial fund benefiting the football, track and science programs in Norwalk and at Iowa Wesleyan College has been set up at City State Bank in Norwalk. Donations can be made to The Dave Mineart 12th Man Memorial Fund.

pets By Dr. Jen Emerson-Mathis

Information provided by Dr. Jen Mathis, DVM, CVJ, cVMA, CVPP of Family Pet Veterinary Centers, 421-4VET, [email protected]

Veterinary medicine, past and future

D uring the holidays I am reminded of family. My family consists of four veterinarians in three generations, which makes for interest-ing dinner conversation. More and more I realize I’ve learned a lot

from my father, but now he learns from me. Testing, treatment and preventative care have advanced the longevity and quality of life for our pets so we have more time to share with them. One recent discussion mentioned that a Labrador’s lifespan was 10 years and now is 13 - 15. Pets with bone cancer that in the past had a three-month survival are now surviving up to 18 months and with less pain. Dental care is crucial for our pets. Pets with bad breath live three years less than pets that get annual anesthesia for dentistry. Seventy percent of cats have constant mouth pain and 90 percent have X-ray visible arthritis by age 10. Many times there are no or only subtle symptoms. Acupuncture can stop pain and prevent the need for surgery. Anesthesia with blood work, fluids and advanced knowledge improves the health of our pets. Just this week I was asked why my response was different than other veterinarians including my own father. As veterinarians, we answer with the information we have. On certain topics my answers have changed due to new research. This is why I have become board certified; to have the letters to back up my desire to bring the best medicine to my patients even if my single voice is different from the crowd. For further information or questions, contact us or find us on the web at fampetvet.com.

Community mourns passing of Dave Mineart

In memoryBy Sheri Lane Florez

community Submit briefs to | [email protected]

Dave Mineart was a respected educator, coach and community leader.


NORWALK 981-0317 1611 Sunset Blvd. #800

DES MOINES 285-4114 1415 Army Post Rd.

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Q: I am a busy mother of three and usually do most of the cook-ing for the family. I commonly find that my kids do not eat their fruits and vegetables when I cook them. Do you have any sugges-tions for ways I can incorporate fruits and vegetables into meals so they will actually eat them?

A: You’re not alone. Many par-ents find it hard to feed their children the proper amount of fruits and vegetables. Let’s face it, most children will never choose a side of broccoli over a side of macaroni and cheese. So what can parents do? Begin by finding the foods your kids enjoy most, such as pizza, ice pops or des-sert, and then try adding in fruits

and veggies to these staples. For instance, instead of ordering a plain cheese pizza, try adding top-pings such as mushrooms, pep-pers, tomatoes, olives or even pineapple to increase their fruit and veggie intake. During the summer, ice pops can be a real hit for kids. Try mak-ing your own by adding strawber-ries, raspberries or blueberries to your favorite fruit juice and freezing in ice pop molds. If your family loves desserts, try adding whole fruit to the dessert or make a dessert from a fruit base. Yogurt parfaits, strawberry short-cake or even making your own ice cream out of frozen bananas is a great way to make dessert more healthful for the entire fam-ily. What about breakfast? Kids

Ask the Anytime Guyfitness By Joe Nguyen

love smoothies, and smooth-ies provide an easy platform for sneaking in whatever kinds of fruits and vegetables you have around the house. Try adding some greens to your smoothie, like spinach or kale, which have energy-boosting compounds to

kick-start their morning. I know what you’re thinking — you’re worried adding vegetables will make their smoothie taste bad. In reality, the sweetness of the fruit you add will disguise the bitterness of any vegetables, so add your veggies. The best thing about these tricks is your kids will never even notice their favorite foods have been redesigned and are more healthful with a handful of fruits and vegetables in each serving.

Joe Nguyen is the club owner at Anytime Fitness in Norwalk. To sub-mit a question for future articles, please contact the author at [email protected].

By Joe Nguyen, Anytime Fitness

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S tephanie Watson’s career took a brief detour before she eventually became an

English teacher in Norwalk. She went into college want-ing to be a teacher. But that was before observing one who was “really burned out from the sys-tem,” Watson says. She was told there was a lot of paperwork involved and things not related to teaching you had to do. So Watson switched gears. She tried journalism. “I wanted something for me that felt more fulfilling,” she says, a job that made a difference. She even dabbled in work relat-ed to teaching. But going back to teaching was always on her mind. So Watson began the Master of Arts in Teaching program at Simpson College. “Once I started at Simpson, I instantly knew that this is where I want to be,” Watson says. Today, she’s teaching English 9 and Advanced English 9 at Eastview 8/9. The Mississippi native says she loves many things about working in the Norwalk school district, including the wonderful people she works with, the supportive admin-istration and the kids and families. It’s those interactions with stu-dents that are her favorite part of the job. The interpersonal aspect of teaching really fits her personal-ity and makes her excited to go to work every day. “Teaching, like coaching, involves understanding another

person well enough to help them build on their strengths, increase their proficiency in areas of weak-ness and then establish a sense of confidence and self-efficacy so that the person can take the skills/ideas/perspective he or she learns in my classroom into the real world as life-long learners,” she says. Watson has high expectations of her students. “But then I try to balance that with a curriculum that is meaning-ful and relevant to my students’ lives and is relevant to them once they leave my classroom,” she says. If there’s one lesson that her students leave her classroom with, she hopes it’s a greater sense of how to examine, evaluate and inter-act with the world around them. “Overall, I want my students to be critical thinkers who can filter through what the world throws at them and then be able to develop and communicate their own sense of meaning to others,” she says.

education Submit story ideas to [email protected]

Stephanie Watson is an English instructor at Eastview 8/9.


The Norwalk Dance Team hosted the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Leeanne King, Ann Marvelli, Katie Steenhoek and Susan Sheber at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Anne Clark and Penny Hofmaier at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Kathy and KatieSue Hagar at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.


What do you like best about Mrs. Watson?

Mallory Murphy: “She helps us to ask questions and think deeply.”

Caitlyn Shipley: “I like that Mrs. Watson really gets deeper into literature.”

Andrew Kawano: “I like that she has made English interest-ing and fun.”

Cullen Donlin: “I enjoy the way she teaches English. She makes it fun.”

Teaching is “the perfect match” for her

By Dawn Sagario Pauls

Meet Stephanie Watson



out & about Submit your photos and captions to [email protected]

David Lester, Santa and Mayor Doug Pierce at the Norwalk tree lighting on Dec. 1.

Skyler Edwards decorates a cookie at the Norwalk tree lighting on Dec. 1.

Julia and Susan Sheber at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Deb Phipps at the silent auction table at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk

High School.

Amy Huston and Dianna Richardson at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk

High School.

Isabel Clark and Sydney Welch at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Lauren Joniak and Jessica Phipps at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Olivia Steenhoek and Julia Sheber at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.

Sarah Probst does Maria Beacom’s hair at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk

High School.

Madison Farrell and Taylor Pulliam at the Norwalk Fall Show on Nov. 23 at Norwalk High School.


Contact Darren at 953-4822 ext. 304 or [email protected] to recom-mend someone for an upcoming issue of “What’s In Your Garage?”

David Danielson and his 1973 Plymouth Barracuda.

Phot

o by

Luc

as M

cMill

an

what’s in your garage?

Car fire ignites Danielson’s passion for Plymouths

By Lucas McMillan

Plymouth Barracuda

D avid Danielson has owned Plymouth cars for most of his life, though if it wasn’t

for an electrical accident with a CB radio, his lifelong hobby may have turned out very differently. “My grandpa was a Chevy man,” Danielson says. “He drove a ’57 hardtop. He’d let me drive it up and down the alley behind his house, and I loved that car.” One day, Danielson’s brother drove the Chevy to a nearby for-est to go mushroom hunting. They had recently rewired the CB radio in the car, and when Danielson’s brother left it to go into the woods, something short-circuited and the car burst into flames. “When he came out of the woods, just about the only thing left of that car was its two front tires,” Danielson says. His brother bought a 1963 Plymouth Belvedere to replace the Chevy, and Danielson’s passion for Plymouths was born. Danielson, who was 12 at the time, struck a deal with his dad that would help him raise the money to buy his first car. His father said he would match every dollar Danielson raised from the ages of 12 to 16. Danielson ended up saving $1,500, and bought a 1964 Plymouth Sport Fury with his savings and his dad’s contributions.

From that point on, Danielson has owned a series of Plymouths, including 1967 and 1969 Plymouth GTXs and a 1967 Plymouth Belvedere. About 10 years ago, Danielson saw his current 1970 ’Cuda come up for sale, and he knew he wanted it. He’d owned a 1970 ’Cuda with a hood scoop when he was younger, but gave it up for a more family-friendly vehicle. “I’d had a 1970 ’Cuda before, but when I got married I had to get rid of it,” Danielson says. “But I’d always wanted to get another one.” Danielson traded his ’67 Belvedere for the ’Cuda, and set to work restoring it. He re-chromed the car’s bumpers, patched holes in the headliner and refurbished the car’s interior. He still plans on doing some work on the body, including possibly repainting the car either yellow or lim e-green. (“I hate to say it, but right now it’s painted Ford purple,” Danielson says.) He also might put a hood scoop on the car just like the one he had on his pre-vious 1970 ’Cuda. Danielson knows his car isn’t the most practical vehi-cle, but he enjoys it nonetheless. “The sound the motor makes really stands out,” he says. “It was built for drag racing, so it has more than enough power. It’s just a lot of fun to drive.”


HOWLING HILLS CANINE CAMPUS

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Ginger Plummer, Owner

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T here are so many ways to wish a person a joyous cel-ebration for Dec. 25, and

however you like to make that wish, the Norwalk Area Chamber of Commerce hopes everyone will take time to reflect on the mean-ing of Christmas for them and to enjoy time with family and friends. We had another wonderful time lighting the big evergreen tree on the corner of Main and Sunset Drive. Thank you to the Norwalk Choir students who came out to sing Christmas carols, to Fareway and Scott’s Foods for their dona-tions of hot chocolate, apple cider and cookies, to City State Bank for the use of its facilities and to the City of Norwalk for working with us to make this event possible. Today we will have our annual holiday luncheon at Fellowship Community Church which is spon-sored by City State Bank and is always a well attended event to hear updates from the city, school and Chamber personnel. Thank you to the church for hosting us, thank you to Scott’s Foods for catering the event and to City State Bank for sponsoring this wonderful holiday tradition.

As you plan for 2014, we would like to encourage you to join your local Norwalk Area Chamber of Commerce. If you feel you cannot do that at this time, we still encourage you to support us by attending the many events we will have in 2014 and become a part of your community you call home. There will be exciting things happening in Norwalk in 2014, so wouldn’t you want to be a part of that? Anyway, Merry Christmas Norwalk, and remember to Shop Local! Shop Norwalk, especially this holiday season.

chamber news Norwalk Chamber, 981-0619


Norwalk Chamber celebrates Christmas

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, Feliz NavidadBy Deb Mineart, Chamber director

Norwalk Area Chamber of Commerce

wishing everyone a

and remember to

SHOP LOCAL

CHRISTMASMERRY

out & about Submit your photos and captions to [email protected]

Heidi Hendrickson and Jordan Climaco at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk

Chamber at Echo Valley on Dec. 3.

Jenna Hill and Robin Wagner at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk Chamber at

Echo Valley on Dec. 3.

Tami Dickensen and Tracie Prince at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk


Andy Lent, Rep. Scott Ourth and George Meinke at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk


Eric O’Leary and Jason White at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk Chamber at


Dakota Zeiler and Joe Desmond at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk Chamber at


Jeff Schug, Senator Jullian Garrett and Dean Yordi at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk Chamber at Echo Valley on Dec. 3.

Katie Johnson-Martin and Jay Beyers at the Legislative Luncheon sponsored by the Norwalk


Mike and Chris Riter at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Bill Pirkle and Nicole Smith at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at

The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

AmySue Hopkey and Terry Rosonke at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place

on Nov. 15.

Steve Petson, Anne Petson, Vicki Cassady and Dennis Cassady at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall

Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

See more photos online at www.iowalivingmagazines.com www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk DECEMBER | 2013 Norwalk Living 25

classifieds To place an ad, call 515-953-4822, ext. 302



Joel Miller, Cody Smith and Amber Allen at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Carol Standridge, Pat Earlyfine and Denice Earlyfine at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Students from the Culinary Arts and Warriors Café program prepared and served appetizers, dinner and desserts at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The

Wright Place on Nov. 15.

Amber Allen and Kassidy Simmons at the Norwalk Chamber’s Fall Event at The Wright Place on Nov. 15.


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www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk Norwalk Living DECEMBER | 2013

DECEMBER | 2013 Norwalk Living www.iowalivingmagazines.com/norwalk

Happy Holidaysfrom all of us to all of you!

We have everything you need to make your favorite holiday dishes!

NORWALK

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GROCERY 981-4420 MEAT 981-4435

OPEN 8am–9pm MONDAY–SATURDAYCLOSED SUNDAYS AND HOLIDAYS

norwalk livingcoconut, and a can of sweetened condensed milk. “she used to make it every year...

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