News : Review 2010: March to May -- an introduction

AmeriCorps Maple members arrived at about the same time Vinton Today began serving the area.

TheConservation Board made plans to turn a house into a Nature Center.

Devin Selken watches as Vinton firefighters train on their new aerial ladder truck.

Dylan Vaughn:Best of Show, WaMaC.

2010 review: The VSHS Jazz Band prepares for State Contest.

2010 Review: VSMS band director Judy Trygstad retired after 30 years.

The BC Conservation Board accepted ownership of Old Creamery Nature Trail.

The Donald Martin storm shelter opened on west side of Vinton in spring of 2010.

Rob Beck with 17.5-lb plans for LEC.

The VS girls basketball team wore pink to show support for those fighting breast cancer.

In 2010, Vinton Today began capturing fun photos of activities such as Pinewood Derby.

Architect Todd McNall and Supervisor Jason Sanders review LEC plans in March.

If there is one day, one moment that best describes the beginning of Vinton Today, maybe it’s this one:

Saturday morning. Spring. A 20-something lady was with a group of her colleagues, getting acquainted with her new team, her new town. They stopped for a group photograph at a local coffee shop.

A guy she had never met came along and offered to take the photo so she could be in the picture with her group.

“You must be Kelly,” said the guy.

“Yes,” she said, with a puzzled look.

Kelly – Kelly Van Sickle – is one of the team leaders in the Maple Unit that joined AmeriCorps at about the same time Vinton Today began.

I had gone to the IBSSS campus to speak to the new team leaders a few days earlier. I spent some time looking at the biography sheets someone had posted on the wall of the third floor of the main building, where AmeriCorps has its offices. I saw the photos of the team leaders, including Kelly. I spoke to many of the team leaders, but Kelly was driving members from the airport that day.

After I explained to Kelly how I knew her name, Barbara, another team leader, added, “Yeah, he’s been taking photos of Maple.”

We spent much of March, April and May introducing Vinton Today to Vinton and its people, including those who live here and those who are passing through.

During those first few months, we celebrated several milestones with people who have been here a very long time.

Duane Fisher retired after 37 years at VSHS. Judy Trygstad directed her last VSMS band concerts as she ended her 30 years in Vinton. Several other long-time teachers took advantage of the budget crisis-inspired early retirement offer from the school district. The 17 retirees have several hundred years of combined teaching experience.

The City of Vinton completed and dedicated the Donald Martin Shelter, which will provide a gathering place for area families, as well as a tornado shelter for the nearby trailer park and others on the west edge of Vinton who have no basements. The shelter was Don’s project as city coordinator, but he did not live long enough to see it completed. His widow, Donna, helped cut the ribbon at the ceremony.

The Vinton Fire Department also celebrated progress and a better ability to protect Vinton. They built a new garage for the aerial truck, and began training on the 100-foot ladder. The new truck offers a variety of fire-fighting and life-saving technologies the department did not have before. Those who remember the 2005 American Legion fire appreciate the difference the aerial truck from Hiawatha made in protecting nearby buildings.

We also saw progress at the Palace, as the digital fund-raising campaign came to its successful conclusion in the spring. For the rest of 2010, and beyond, digital 3D movies will be part of the Palace story, drawing visitors from all over Iowa to the theater made possible by generous donations and countless volunteer hours.

The Vinton-Shellsburg Class of 2010 gave up its Senior Trip, donating that money to the Honor Flight program, enabling World War II veterans to see the Memorial in their honor in Washington, D.C. Several area veterans – and a few family members – went on this journey of honor in 2010.

Vinton-Shellsburg Schools also made progress for the youngest students, as the preparation for the first Tiny Vikes Pre-School began in Vinton and Shellsburg. For the first time, pre-school was made available, at no cost, to everyone.

Also, in March, the Benton County Supervisors finalized the plans for the new Law Enforcement Center. Work would begin in June, just before the two-year anniversary of the flood that destroyed the building. The building should be open by May 1, 2011, says Sheriff Randy Forsyth.

Not every story we had to share at Vinton Today, however, was pleasant. There was bad news to share. One of the first stories on VT, in March was of the tragic accident on 380, where a teenage pedestrian was struck and killed.