Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary candy making Nov. 13, 2012

November 20, 2012

By Jolene Stevens Contributing writer

Sales of homemade caramels, fudge and peanut clusters will help the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary meet some needs of the Le Mars hospital. Volunteers gather at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ for candy making led by co-chairs Connie Toben, Betty Dutcher, Jean Gritzmaker and Ruth Kneip. Many of the candy makers and helpers are former hospital or local medical clinic employees or have family members who work at the hospital or are former employees.

These caramels will be hand-wrapped before being bagged for sale to fill orders or to be sold at the annual hospital auxiliary goodie sale Dec. 1 at Floyd Valley Hospital. (Jolene Stevens)
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Connie Toben (right) is joined by (from left) Elvia Nielsen and Vi Kellen as they stir up yet another batch of the traditional Floyd Valley Hospital holiday candies. Toben serves as one of the four project co-chairs for the annual fundraiser. (Jolene Stevens)
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Fresh ingredients stirred up in small batches help creative the creamy caramel sweets sold by the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary each holiday. This is the 26th year of candy making to raise money for hospital needs. (Jolene Stevens)
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After batches of caramel candy cool in pans, volunteers, including Jack Frus, of Le Mars, cut them into pieces to be hand-wrapped by other volunteers. (Jolene Stevens)
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Jack Frus, of Le Mars, pauses for the photographer during the caramel cutting. (Jolene Stevens)
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Candy making isn't complete without volunteers like Bob Kenaley, of Le Mars, turning pans of caramel into rows of ribbons and pieces to be wrapped. (Jolene Stevens)
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The individually wrapped pieces of homemade caramels are first neatly cut from ribbon-like rows by Jim Hopkins, of Le Mars. (Jolene Stevens)
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The flavor of these caramels and the dedicated work of the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary volunteers inspired a flavor for Wells Enterprises new ice cream, 2nd St. Creamery. The flavor is Copper Kettle Caramel. (Jolene Stevens)
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Pans of caramels are cut into strips and then squares by volunteer Jack Frus, of Le Mars. (Jolene Stevens)
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Florence Heimgartner (left) and Shirley Hanno are two of the volunteers helping to wrap homemade caramels for the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary's annual candy sale. (Jolene Stevens)
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Betty Dutcher (center) joins Florence Heimgartner (left) and Shirley Hanno (right) as they wrap caramels for the traditional Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary candy project. Dutcher serves as a co-chair for the project along with Connie Toben, Ruth Kneip and Jean Gritzmaker. (Jolene Stevens)
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Gene Toben, of Le Mars, carefully cuts long strips of caramel as a volunteer for the Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary. The strips will be cut into smaller pieces and hand-wrapped for the auxiliary's fundraiser. (Jolene Stevens)
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