Hobbies

Haak raises beetle cleaning crew (03/18/10)
Some people keep collections of preserved bugs as a hobby. Derek Haak, of Maurice, keeps live ones. Thousands of them. But the colonies of dermestid beetles Haak raises aren't just to look at. They've got a job -- a messy one. The beetles clean off animal skulls and bones so hunters like Haak can preserve them...

Auditions for 'The Hallelujah Girls' are next week (03/03/10)
Six women and two men are needed in the next Le Mars Community Theater's side-splitting comedy. Auditions for the "The Hallelujah Girls," are next week from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday, March 8 and Tuesday, March 9 at the Postal Playhouse. "The Hallelujah Girls" will run two weekends with a total of seven performances: Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25 and Thursday, April 29 through Sunday, May 2...

LCHS dance exhibition Friday (02/24/10)
Dozens of dancers will light up the floor in the Le Mars Community Schools Dance Exhibition Friday. The exhibition will be held at the Le Mars Community High School Gymnasium. The show will include performances of the LCS dance team's dances from this year, a co-ed dance with boys from the high school, solos performed at the state solo contest, and dances from four other teams...

Actor's ghost takes the stage in 'I Hate Hamlet' (02/18/10)
Hollywood actor John Barrymore was known as "one of the greatest" to play Hamlet in the 1920s. Barrymore's ghost will return Friday with the opening of the Le Mars Community Theater's production of "I Hate Hamlet." Actor Andy Linn, of Pierson, has taken on Barrymore's persona which he says is different than delivering lines in a more modern style...

Wolf to reveal design elements through flower arranging course (02/11/10)
Dennis Wolf has been arranging flowers for over 30 years. As a master level judge for flower arrangements, he used his skills to examine the flower arrangements during the Plymouth County Fair last summer. Wolf's time spent at that fair made him realize there was a need for basic flower arrangement training...

Got a hobby? 75 students present favorite activities (02/01/10)
What do Legos, hamsters and cake decorating all have in common? They are three of the many hobbies presented by 75 fourth graders at Kluckhohn Elementary School during their annual hobby fair. The hobby fair, now in its 13th year, is organized by Kelley Johnson, one of the fourth grade teachers who brought the idea to Kluckhohn. She has actually been doing the fair 17 years...

Try out for "I Hate Hamlet" comedy next week (12/21/09)
Auditions for the Le Mars Community Theater's production of "I Hate Hamlet" are next week. Tryouts are from 7-8:30 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 28 and 29 at the Postal Playhouse, 105 First St. N.E., Le Mars. Three women and three men are needed for the cast, and no preparation is needed prior to auditions...

LCS actors draw from experience in 'I Remember Mama' (11/10/09)
The year is 1910. In the spotlight is a Norwegian immigrant family, just scraping by in America. But the Hansons are not your average family. Before the curtain falls on Le Mars Community School's fall play "I Remember Mama," the audience will get tangled in the family's wayward family tree...

Play brings Helmers back to the stage (11/05/09)
Marilyn Helmers began acting in Le Mars Community Theatre productions 30 years ago. "In the early years there was hardly a play I wasn't in," said Helmers, who moved to Le Mars in 1959. That was before a medical condition sidelined her performances a few years ago...

LCS musicians selected for All-State Festival (11/03/09)
Thirteen Le Mars Community High School musicians have been chosen to be part of the 2009 Iowa All-State Music Festival with another five chosen as alternates. District auditions were held Oct. 24 at Storm Lake. Four students were selected for the All-State band...

Faber's hobby wine earns high rank (10/28/09)
A Le Mars man's wine, made from grapes grown in his backyard and fermented in his basement, was picked champion in its class last weekend. Wayne Faber entered his dry red wine in the Schleswig Wine and Bier Contest last weekend, an annual event for Schleswig, 45 miles south of Cherokee...

Quilters cut and stitch for wounded military personnel (10/06/09)
A one-time quilt project turned into a bit more for Becky Wiersma and a group of quilters from the Le Mars area. In May, 30 quilt tops were shown as part of the Red, White and Blue Challenge's American Hero Quilts project. Wiersma had heard of the project, which provides quilts for injured soldiers at Fort Lewis' Madigan Medical Hospital in Washington state and other military hospitals, from quilting friends on the Internet...

On the hunt: Geocachers storm Plymouth County in search of 'treasure' (09/28/09)
You might have bumped into them around town this weekend. People walking around looking down at a hand-held GPS unit in their palm. These 130 geocachers from across the Midwest were in a race against time. Competing in the Plymouth County Hike 'n' Seek Geocache, they had 24 hours to find as many tiny hidden objects at specific coordinates as they could...

A different kind of scavenger hunt in Plymouth County (09/23/09)
This weekend, Plymouth County will host an outdoor activity that maybe not too many people are familiar with. However, that is likely going to change as the sport of "geocaching" is gaining more and more popularity in the United States. Hillview Recreation Area near Hinton will host the Iowa Geocachers Organization's annual Hike 'n Seek event Friday-Sunday...

Art comes out of the woodwork in local show (09/11/09)
Joshua T. Adair fashioned a wooden desk in the 1830s. His great-great grandson John A. Adair restored the piece, which is currently featured in the "Around Town" exhibit at the Le Mars Arts Center. "I think he had that while he was a magistrate," John said. "He used the desk to do his work."...

Life Skills quilt auction sets new record (08/04/09)
The 13th Annual Life Skills Foundation Charity Quilt Auction broke a record Saturday, raising $14,695. This is the third year the auction, held in Century Hall on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds, has broken a record in the amount of money raised for persons with disabilities...

Auction gives $17,210 boost to Plymouth County Fair (08/03/09)
Auctioneer Bruce Brock worked the crowd Sunday afternoon to get fair goers to open their checkbooks at the 2009 Plymouth County Fair Auction. When the final "sold" was called, the auction items netted $17,210 for the fair board coffers. The auction, held in Pioneer Village, featured collectibles, a barn quilt, an appliquéd and machine quilted quilt, and 16 chainsaw wood carvings by A.J. Lutter...

Life Skills quilts features schools, tractors (07/29/09)
Thousands of stitches have put together colorful quilts for the 13th Annual Life Skills Foundation Quilt Auction. The auction will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Century Hall on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. More than 60 quilts, including pieced, appliquéd, embroidered, frayed, hand-quilted, machine-quilted and tied, all of various sizes, as well as crocheted afghans will be on the auction block...

Open shows move from Round Barn (07/28/09)
Visitors to the 2009 Plymouth County Fair will find the Round Barn Open Class displays in a new location -- the former 4-H Building. With the 4-H displays moving to the Hall of '84, open class Art Show, Creative Hobbies Show, Antiques and Collectibles, and Horticulture, Food and Preservation Show will move to the former 4-H Building...

Flower show gets new home at Plymouth County Fair (07/24/09)
"A Musical Tour Through Iowa" is the theme for the flower show sponsored by the Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club at the 2009 Plymouth County Fair. The flower show ,which for more than 20 years been staged in the "Round Barn" at the Pioneer Village, is moving to a new location...

Musical clues will help audience solve mystery (07/16/09)
Col. Mustard did it with the revolver in the ball room -- or did he? That's just one of the mysteries "Clue-The Musical" audience members will be asked to solve during the Le Mars Community Theatre's production starting Friday at the Postal Playhouse...

Arts Collage brings children to Medieval era (07/10/09)
Singing, acting, crafts, games. Children combined those activities and their imaginations to create and perform a Medieval-themed play during Arts Collage Camp this week at the Le Mars Arts Center. To capture the Medieval adventure, campers played games...

Hillview offers relaxation in nature, living history (07/02/09)
This is the fourth story in a series of places to have summer fun in Plymouth County. For more than 30 years, Hillview Recreation Area has been a nice getaway for those who want to escape into nature and relax. Whether it is camping, fishing, hiking, swimming or just spending a day with the family, Hillview, about 1 mile west of Hinton, has something for everyone to enjoy -- including observing the county's resident elk herd...

Ice Cream Days 2009 Schedule of Events (06/15/09)
THURSDAY, JUNE 18 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. "Cone Sculptures" crafted by area artists in various media for outdoor exhibit at The Arts Center, 200 Central Avenue SE. Sculptures will be auctioned to public bidders for private placement around Le Mars. 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Ice-cold root beer floats in the 1940's Miller's Leech diner, "Milestone Memories" exhibit of historic wedding dresses, five floors of history at the Plymouth County Historical Museum, 335 1st Avenue SW. Free admission...

Plymouth County 4-H establishes foundation (06/08/09)
The Plymouth County Extension Council has announced a new Plymouth County 4-H Foundation is being established. The nine-member Extension Council along with the Plymouth County 4-H & Youth Committee is organizing the 4-H Foundation that will offer long-time 4-H supporters and friends of 4-H a way to give back to an organization that has influenced them...

Dance Studio plans performance Saturday (06/04/09)
The Dance Studio of Le Mars and Sheldon will be presenting their annual performance at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 6 and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 7 in the Le Mars Community Middle School Auditorium. This year's performance "The Best of 25+ Rockin' Years" represents The Dance Studio's past 25 years of performances in Le Mars...

Dull has passion for community theatre (05/27/09)
One might say that Bonnie Dull has a love affair with the Le Mars Community Theatre. The 87-year-old Le Mars resident has been involved with the local theater group since its inception more than 40 years ago and just completed directing the latest production, "The O'Conner Girls."...

Schafer Park group seeks volunteer gardeners (05/26/09)
A drive past Schafer Park in southern Le Mars reveals a labor of love. A path winds through rows of bushes and flowering plants. Arrangements of pruned shrubs and flowers catch the sunlight. And all of this from the hands of a few generous volunteers...

Area quilters answer call to Red, White and Blue Challenge (05/20/09)
Local quilters will provide 30 injured military service men and women "hugs" as part of the Red, White and Blue Challenge's American Hero Quilts project. Becky Wiersma, of Le Mars, learned of the project -- providing quilts for injured soldiers at Fort Lewis' Madigan Army Medical Hospital in Washington state and other military hospitals -- through quilting friends on the Internet...

Seasoned actor debuts in Le Mars as grieving widow (05/14/09)
Le Mars Community Theatre's production of "The O'Conner Girls" is sure to mix tears with laughter. The dramatic comedy takes place in 1997 in Minnesota over the Christmas holiday. Tim O'Conner has died, and his wife and children have reunited to go through his personal effects. Those items lead to squabbles among family members and unusual insight into the life of the patriarch...

Quilters respond to Red, White and Blue Challenge (05/13/09)
Area quilters will come together Saturday at the Le Mars Arts Center to show their "hugs" for injured soldiers in the form of patriotic colored quilt tops and blocks. It's the "Red, White and Blue Challenge" which creates quilts to be gifted as "hugs" to injured soldiers at Fort Lewis' Madigan Army Medical Hospital in Washington state and other military hospitals...

Tour highlights new life for two historic buildings (05/08/09)
(Fourth and final in a series) Two buildings, a former church and a former high school, have been converted to new uses while still maintaining their historical significance in the community. A church building at 401 First St. S.W. is now a residence for Eric Wong, who purchased it from the Assembly of God Church...

Fabrication: Artist bends the rules of quilting (05/01/09)
You've never seen quilting like this before. Bright oranges, deep blues, burnt reds. Dreamlike images and stitching that defies straight lines. Jo Alberda's artwork, on display at the Le Mars Arts Center, combines simple designs with intricate and irregular stitched lines that run through and around the image like hundreds of rivers...

Rooted in the future: Club plants tree (04/27/09)
A new tree greets people at the south entrance of Le Mars Community School thanks to a local garden club which celebrated Arbor Day last Friday. The Floyd Valley Federated Garden Club planted an ornamental flowering tree near the new entrance to the addition on the south end of LCS...

Expert to introduce aronia berry crop to area (04/14/09)
Aronia berries and high tunnel gardening are the wave of the future in Iowa, one expert says. Dr. Eldon Everhart, horticulture specialist with Iowa State University (ISU), will lead an educational program on those topics Saturday, April 25. The event, sponsored by ISU Extension and Floyd Valley Hospital, will be from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m...

Power to the people: NIPCO turns 60 (04/07/09)

Le Mars woman keeps gardening tradition growing (03/31/09)
Lynn Bohnenkamp has gardening in her blood. "Grandpa taught me seed planting," the Le Mars woman said. "Mother always planted. We were always in the garden." Bohnenkamp's grandfather used to grow seeds using a lighting apparatus. "There would be like four levels of lights and trays," Bohnenkamp said. "He would plant his seeds in the washroom and I was always fascinated with that."...

Postal Playhouse lobby refreshed (03/12/09)
Rich tones, luxurious fabrics, stately chandeliers. The lobby of the Postal Playhouse, home of Le Mars Community Theater, has an inviting new look. Thanks to a $9,450 grant from Hotel/Motel Sales Tax revenue, the Le Mars Community Theater's board began a project last fall to restore the 1914 building's front lobby...

Piano students tickle ivories for high ratings (03/12/09)
Fingers flew across the black and white keys on the piano keyboard during the 2009 State Piano Festival held last month at Hull Western Christian High School. Four Le Mars Community High School students, Megan Dunn, Nathan Young, Jessica Kelly and Kristen Ahlers, participated in the competition. which is under the direction of the Iowa High School Music Association...

Middle school choirs present March concert (03/11/09)
The Le Mars Community Middle School choirs want you to tune in to their March concert "RadioMemories" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, in the Middle School Auditorium. The concert revolves around radio and the influence it has had on the music people listen to...

LCS board cuts $208,500, approves Cash Reserve Levy (03/10/09)
Decisions impacting students and district taxpayers were approved by the Le Mars Community School District Board of Education Monday night. The board approved a total of $208,500 in budget cuts and made the decision to implement the Cash Reserve Levy (CRL) to bring in $500,000 for the fiscal year 2010 budget...

Crimson & Black takes on the competition (03/10/09)
"Awesome" is how director Randy Ewing describes this year's Crimson & Black Show Choir at Le Mars Community High School. Since performing at the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce dinner in late January, the show choir has kept a busy schedule with the state contest and invitationals...

Local college advisor to teach at Donna Reed workshops (03/10/09)
What do a top Hollywood casting director, a Las Vegas vocal teacher, the "Supernanny" announcer and Le Mars college planner Jay Faber have in common? Six days this summer in Denison, Iowa. Faber, along with Hollywood and Broadway professionals, will be teaching courses at the 23rd Annual Donna Reed Festival's performing arts workshops...

Middle school choirs present March concert (03/10/09)
The Le Mars Community Middle School choirs want you to tune in to their March concert "RadioMemories" at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, in the Middle School Auditorium. The concert revolves around radio and the influence it has had on the music people listen to...

Local collector celebrates Barbie's 50th birthday (03/06/09)
Judy Hawkins owns 600 Barbie® dolls. The Plymouth County woman plans to add the new anniversary doll comemorating Barbie's 50th birthday, which is Monday, to her collection. Mattel introduced Barbie, the teenage fashion model, at the annual Toy Fair in New York, March 9, 1959, according to the website www.barbiemedia.com...

Red, White and Blue Challenge set for area quilters (03/03/09)
The Le Mars Arts Center is hosting a "Red, White and Blue Challenge" for area quilters this beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Organizer Becky Wiersma sees the challenge as a good way to get quilters involved in a very worthy cause: creating quilt tops that will be gifted as "hugs" for injured soldiers at Fort Lewis' Madigan Army Medical Hospital in Washington state and other military hospitals...

LCMS, Gehlen Catholic students selected for BVU Honor Band Festival (02/25/09)
Students from Le Mars Community Middle School and Gehlen Catholic Schools will take part in the 28th Annual Buena Vista University Honor Band Festival this Saturday, Feb. 28, in Storm Lake. The following students from Le Mars Community Middle School have been selected to perform in the festival: Ben Meis, oboe; Yashila Permeswaran, bassoon; Emily Ellefson, clarinet; Zach Kooistra, trumpet; Rodrigo Cobian, trumpet; Evan Richards, trombone; Karter Ewing, trombone; Tim Fett, baritone and Rebecca Luksan, percussion. ...

Salesman stuck in the middle of comedy (02/25/09)
Curt Sitzmann becomes an unwilling counselor in the Le Mars Community Theatre's production of "The Marriage Counselor." The comedy, which starts Friday, is the story of a traveling vacuum salesman, Sitzmann, who wanders into a marriage counselor's office by mistake and gets stuck between an arguing husband and wife...

LCS dancers plan Friday exhibition (02/23/09)
The Le Mars Community School dance team is hosting a dance exhibition Friday night at the high school gym. The performance, which begins at 7 p.m., will include performances of their dances this year, a co-ed dance with guys from the high school, and dances from four other schools' dance teams...

Artisans and craftsmen offered a spot at the Old Time Music Festival (02/23/09)
Artisans and craftsmen will have the chance to sell their wares to thousands of Le Mars visitors during the 2009 Old Time Music, Arts and Crafts Festival in Le Mars late this summer. The National Traditional Country Music Association, which sponsors the 34th Annual Old Time Music, Arts, and Crafts Festival, in Le Mars, Aug. ...

Related subjects