Holidays

Le Mars couple's daughter claims fame as New Year's baby (01/08/10)
Madalyn Kerkmann became a local celebrity Wednesday. She was the first baby born in 2010 at Floyd Valley Hospital. Almost 24-hours old Thursday afternoon, Madalyn was content to lie quietly sucking her pacifier in mom Megan's arms while dad, Casey, sat close...

Christmas tree pickup begins Monday (01/08/10)
The City of Le Mars is planning to start its annual Christmas tree pickup Monday, weather permitting. "Depending on what happens this weekend, we'll start at 7 a.m. Monday and continue until we've covered the whole town," said Le Mars Public Works Superintendent Steve Hansen...

Hospital Christmas dinner a success despite wintery weather (12/28/09)
Despite heavy snowfall, snow covered streets, and blowing and drifting, a healthy crowd still attended Floyd Valley Hospital's Christmas meal last Friday. Kathy Massey, dietary manager at the hospital, estimated about 90 people including hospital staff, were served...

White Christmas: Le Mars gets wrapped under 13-17 inches of snow (12/28/09)
Pounded with more than a foot of snow and whipping winds, Le Mars hunkered down for a very merry blizzard this Christmas. "The snow just kept coming and coming," said Fire Chief Wayne Schipper, who also serves as the city's chief of emergency operations. "But everything went smooth here."...

The Mighty Nish guarantees to keep dancers on their feet (12/28/09)
Thursday, Le Mars will bring in the new year to the sound of rock 'n roll with guitars, drums and an accordion. That's right, an accordion. Hailing from Harlan, Iowa, the Mighty Nish Band will be playing its show from 9 p.m., New Year's Eve, to 1 a.m., New Year's Day for the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce New Year's day celebration...

Daycare has kids thinking of others for Christmas (12/26/09)
During the holiday season, it's easy to get caught up in exchanging gifts with friends and family, especially for children. One Le Mars daycare provider, however, is challenging the kids she cares for to "think outside the box" and give back to others...

When life was simple: For Weber, Christmas was always about family (12/23/09)
Editor's Note: This story is the fourth in a weekly series looking back at life decades ago and remembering a time when people's lifestyle was very different than today. In today's world, Christmas has become largely about consumerism. Just turn on your television and count the holiday commercials trying to sell you something that you "absolutely, without a doubt, need" to put under your tree. ...

Churches hold Christmas Eve, Day services (12/23/09)
Churches in Le Mars and the area have set Christmas Eve services and Christmas Day services to celebrate the birth of Jesus. The following list includes those churches which have shared their service information. Christmas Eve Family Worship with Communion, 4 and 6 p.m...

Storm brewing: Meteorologist discourages Christmas travel (12/22/09)
Travelers planning to leave Plymouth County this Christmas may likely be stuck. A major winter storm is expected to blow into northwest Iowa and surrounding areas Wednesday and continue through Christmas Eve (Thursday) and into Christmas Day (Friday)...

FVH hosts free Christmas dinner for all (12/22/09)
The staff of Floyd Valley Hospital in Le Mars is inviting anyone interested to share a free Christmas dinner with them in the hospital cafeteria. Christmas dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 25. "Each year the hospital invites those who would otherwise be alone to share dinner with the hospital staff," said Kathy Massey, FVH's dietary manager. ...

A handmade, homemade Christmas (12/21/09)
Santa's legendary elves aren't the only ones busy in their workshop this Christmas season. Quite a few gifts under the tree this year -- everything from boxer shorts to sweet banana bread -- will be made by the hands of the giver. Jackie McMillan, of Le Mars, said handmade gifts are more personal and have special meaning...

Groups rush to bring cheer to families in need (12/17/09)
The Christmas packages are coming in at the Christian Needs Center in Le Mars. The food and clothing pantry is staying just ahead of families' needs this Christmas season. "We're doing okay," said director Jess Larson. As of Monday, all the families and individuals on the center's adopt-a-family list had been adopted...

Stanton #4 grads look back on school days, county-style (12/17/09)
Editor's Note: This story is the third in a weekly series looking back at life decades ago and remembering a time when people's lifestyle was very different than today. And you think it's been cold the past week? Imagine running backwards in 20-below-zero weather a mile and a quarter to get to school...

FVH hosts free Christmas dinner for all (12/16/09)

A Yuletide 'Yes': Pioneer Village Christmas makes for perfect proposal (12/15/09)
The Pioneer Village Christmas is a place of magic and memories. With glowing lights, soft music and holiday sweets at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds, there are a plenty of smiles to be found. But perhaps none so bright as those of Eric Peterson and Kayleen Nickel -- a couple for whom the place now holds a very special memory...

Pioneer Village Christmas readies for weekend activities (12/10/09)
Pioneer Village Christmas will hold its second and final weekend of activities Saturday and Sunday evening, open from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. New this year are displays in the Round Barn, with the live nativity performed twice each evening at the barn's entrance. Displays of Santas, snowmen, lighted ceramic village pieces and animated Christmas figures are inside...

Museum to host 'Tree Skirts and Tea' (12/04/09)
After completing a record-breaking "Great Garage and Bake Sale," the Plymouth County Historical Museum is preparing for its annual holiday open house, "Tree Skirts and Tea," Sunday. The open house at the countywide museum in Le Mars will feature a program at 2 p.m. in the Music Room about historic Christmas tree skirts...

Remsen's Olde Fashioned Christmas celebration Monday (12/04/09)
Join the City of Remsen as we celebrate the sights and sounds of Christmas season during our Sixth Annual "Olde Fashioned Christmas" Monday, Dec. 7. Participating Remsen businesses will be opening their doors to welcome visitors from 5:30 p.m. - 8 p.m. with refreshments and drawings...

Main Street holds Silent Auction (12/03/09)
The Le Mars Main Street Silent Auction Event offers an opportunity to do some holiday shopping while helping to beautify downtown Le Mars. The silent auction began Nov. 25 and ends at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 11. It offers 60 items ranging from gift certificates to Chamber Bucks, merchandise to specialty gift items...

Pioneer Village Christmas opens Saturday (12/03/09)
Pioneer Village Christmas will open for two weekends of holiday fun Saturday at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. Hours are 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5, 6, 12 and 13. For the first time in many years, the Round Barn will be open to visitors with displays and the live nativity...

FVH Auxiliary stirs up sweets for Saturday sale (12/02/09)
A Christmastime tradition, the 23rd Annual Holiday Goodie Sale hosted by Floyd Valley Hospital Auxiliary will be 8 a.m to noon Saturday at the hospital's lower level Conference Center. The kettles have been bubbling at the Presbyterian United Church of Christ in Le Mars as batch after batch of chocolate fudge, white fudge, caramels and peanut clusters are prepared for the sale...

LCS, Gehlen students present holiday music concerts (12/01/09)

Lighted Christmas Parade is Saturday (12/01/09)
The 13th Annual Earl Utesch Children's Lighted Christmas Parade will light up Central Avenue Saturday evening. The thousands of lights on floats will provide Christmas delights for young and old alike. The 6 p.m. parade starts at Eighth Street and Central Avenue South, and travels north on Central Avenue through the downtown area and ends at Fourth Avenue Northwest...

'Holiday Lights & Chocolate Treats' Wednesday (12/01/09)
Luminaries will line the streets of downtown Le Mars as shoppers take in the "Holiday Lights & Chocolate Treats" festivities Wednesday. Downtown stores will offer samplings of chocolate treats in a variety of ways, from hot chocolate, chocolate holiday treats and favorite chocolate candies...

Holiday shoppers scurry downtown, retailers optimistic (11/30/09)
Christmas music played as people swarmed downtown Le Mars stores this past weekend making retailers hopeful for a positive holiday shopping season. "Our weekend went very, very well," said Robin Grosenheider, owner of Hotopp Jewelry & Gifts. "I was pleasantly pleased."...

Rejoice! members and friends serve up Thanksgiving dinner (11/27/09)
Rejoice! Community Church's fifth annual Thanksgiving dinner was a success. Close to 500 people enjoyed a turkey and all the traditional trimmings meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eagles Club in Le Mars. That was significantly more than 360 people served last year...

LCHS Madrigal Dinner set for Dec. 4, 5 (11/27/09)
Get the holiday spirit of merry Old England at the 2009 Le Mars Community High School's Madrigal Dinner Dec. 4-5. Tickets for the LCHS Madrigal Dinner, a Renaissance feast with live entertainment, are now on sale. The Madrigal Dinner is 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4, and Saturday, Dec. 5, in the middle school's old gym...

Church invites public to Thanksgiving dinner (11/25/09)
Rejoice! Community Church's annual Thanksgiving dinner is Thursday. People are invited to the free meal which is served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the basement of the Le Mars Eagles Club. New this year is a taxi service for people who are unable to come to the Eagles Club for the dinner. They can call the church throughout the day today (Wednesday) at 548-4430 to arrange a ride...

'Children's Day' at Arts Center filled with stories, activities (11/24/09)
The Le Mars Arts Center is the place to be for "A Storybook Christmas" this season. The center will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday for a special Children's Day filled with stories, crafts, a book sale and a holiday photo sitting for children. The center is decorated with nine storybook themed trees: "Polar Express," "The Nutcracker," "Too Many Mittens," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Cobweb Christmas: The Tradition of Tinsel," "The Legend of the Poinsettia," "Frosty the Snowman," "Charlie Brown Christmas," and "A Cup of Christmas Tea.". ...

Parade of Prizes set for weekend shoppers (11/24/09)
Shoppers in Le Mars this Friday, Saturday and Sunday will have the opportunity to win one of three prizes of $500 in Holiday Dollars. Shoppers may take the Parade of Prizes cards distributed in the Le Mars Daily Sentinel and Shoppers' Guide Monday and Tuesday to any of the 36 participating businesses to have the card stamped...

There's a glow in the west (11/23/09)
Now as an adult, Scheitler has decorated on the grounds of his acreage just one mile from that farm for the past 14 years, each year adding a bit more. Make that a lot more. "We call it 'Christmas Acres,'" Scheitler said. He estimates there are 60,000 lights on 55 trees and 60 bushes, with 17 inflatable decorations in the yard. ...

Rejoice! invites publice to Thanksgiving dinner (11/23/09)
Don't want to cook a big Thanksgiving dinner? Rejoice! Community Church has the answer. The church is hosting its free annual community Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the basement of the Le Mars Eagles Club. All the food for the dinner was donated from area businesses and Rejoice! members, said Adri Ruisch, a church member and one of the dinner's organizers...

Holiday Dollar sale is Saturday (11/17/09)
Le Mars Chamber of Commerce Holiday Dollars will be on sale starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, offering area shoppers the opportunity to purchase $100 worth of dollars for only $85. A total of $15,000 in Holiday Dollars will be available for purchase at the Le Mars Chamber of Commerce office at 50 Central Ave. S.E...

Pioneer Village Christmas opens Round Barn this year (11/13/09)
The decorations are gradually going up for the 2009 Poineer Christmas Christmas Wonderland at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. The Christmas Wonderland will be open Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5 and 6, and Dec. 12 and 13, with many favorites and a few new things to see...

Chamber ready to kick off holiday shopping with promotions (11/12/09)
Get ready to "Open Before Christmas," the first in a series of holiday promotions sponsored by the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce. "One of our goals this year is try to put more money in the hands of different people," said Mary Reynolds, Main Street manager...

Community Thanksgiving service is Sunday (11/09/09)
A community Thanksgiving celebration service will be held Sunday, Nov. 15, for all area residents. The 4 p.m. service will be held a United Methodist Church of Le Mars, 901 Third Ave. S.E. A prelude of violin music will begin at 3:40 p.m. Two choirs will add their voices to the traditional service and will rehearse earlier in the afternoon...

Thanksgiving dinner planners seek help (11/03/09)
Plans are underway for the Fifth Annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner. The turkey meal, organized by Rejoice! Community Church and the Eagles will be hosted at the Eagles Club in Le Mars from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. November 26. Last year the meal fed more than 360 people...

Family hosts reverse trick-or-treating for needy (10/30/09)
A family will be collecting goods for people in need while they're giving out treats on Halloween. Dan and Deb Ritz, of Le Mars, are asking people to drop off non-perishable food and other items on Halloween to be delivered to the Christian Needs Center, a Le Mars food pantry...

Halloween loaded with fun for kids (10/29/09)
Halloween fun starts early Saturday afternoon in downtown Le Mars. Children are invited to come in costume to the Le Mars Public Library for the pumpkin decorating contest judging at 12:45 p.m., followed by the line-up for the Halloween Parade, which begins at 1 p.m...

Who's 'In the Moood for Fun?' (10/23/09)
What's the best part of the Halloween season? Trick-or-treating and having fun. Both are offered for elementary school-age children and their families from 6-8 p.m. Monday and 4-6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center/Museum in Le Mars during "In the Moood for Fun!" which also includes brief museum tours...

Schiltz calls Honor Fight guardian role rewarding (10/22/09)
As a guardian for World War II veterans on the Siouxland Honor Flight, Keith Schiltz, of Le Mars, was able to hear first-hand stories and memories of men who fought for freedom more than 60 years ago. The Honor Flight Oct. 13 took 108 World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., to view the World War II Memorial and other memorials in the area, and honor them for their military service...

Library's Halloween parties need children (10/20/09)
Halloween is next week and the Le Mars Public Library is gearing up for its annual parties. Registration has begun and kids are encouraged to sign up early as space is limited. The library's scary get-togethers are from 5:30-7:30 p.m. for kindergarten through second graders and 7:30-10 p.m. for students in grades three to five Frday, Oct. 30...

Halloween at Hillview offers free fun (10/06/09)
It's Halloween with a nature twist. Hillview Recreation Area is hosting a free Halloween at Hillview Saturday, Oct. 10. Children of all ages, and parents too, are invited to dress up in their spookiest, creepiest or cutest Halloween costumes and trick-or-treat in the Deer Ridge Campground at Hillview Park...

Veteran takes serving beyond battle lines (09/29/09)
Jim Rolfes was just a teenage farm boy when he voluntarily enlisted in the Iowa National Guard. The experience changed his life. Today, the Le Mars man is the District 9 commander for the American Legion, heading up 8,200 members at 92 posts in 13 northwest Iowa counties...

No paper Monday (09/04/09)
In observance of Labor Day, the Le Mars Daily Sentinel will not be printed Monday. The next edition will be printed Tuesday. The newspaper office will be closed Monday as well, with regular business hours beginning on Tuesday.

Filmmaker turns Westfield into the Bible's ancient lands (07/22/09)
Last week, Noah was cutting down trees near Westfield to build his ark. And David, not yet a king, was tending his sheep in a nearby pasture. It's not time travel, it's the makings of a movie. Rural Westfield native Josh Martyn was back in his neighborhood 5 miles south of Westfield to film scenes for "The Greatest Gift Ever," a 20-minute Christian film to be released before Christmas...

July 4th parade, speaker, fireworks set (07/02/09)
Celebrate July 4th in Le Mars with a parade, fireworks and more. The parade Saturday will begin at 10 a.m. The route starts from the Le Mars Community High School's north parking lot, proceeds east on Eighth Street Southwest from the northwest driveway of the high school (Fifth Avenue Southwest) to Third Avenue Southeast, and then proceeds south to the Veterans Memorial Park for a total of 10 blocks...

Fourth of July hoopla to unfold (07/02/09)
Fourth of July festivities will fill the day at the Plymouth County Historical Museum this Saturday with the traditional antique flea market. The flea market will be set up in "Old Central" Gym with items for sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Hot jumbo dogs and all the trimmings -- chips and Fourth of July birthday cake -- will be the feature at the Gym Dandy Diner in the gym lobby...

Municipal Band presents Fourth of July concert (07/01/09)
Foster Park will be filled with patriotic music 8 p.m. Saturday as the Le Mars Municipal Band presents its traditional Fourth of July concert. The band, under the direction of Jerry Bertrand, will open the concert with "Manhattan Beach," a march by John Philip Sousa. ...

July 4th parade keeps patriotic theme alive (06/29/09)
For the fourth year in a row, Le Mars and Plymouth County will have a patriotic Fourth of July parade and ceremony, arranged by a group of citizens from the community. "Our parade might be short on distance, but it's long on the patriotic spirit!" said Wayne Thieman, who is working with Don Law, and others on plans for Saturday's event...

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