News

Eight Candidates Pursue
Title of 67th Iowa Dairy Princess
2020-21 Iowa Dairy Princess to be Crowned August 6

ANKENY, Iowa – Eight young women involved within the Iowa dairy community will compete to win the title of 67th Iowa Dairy Princess Thursday, Aug. 6, at 2 p.m. at the Courtyard by Marriott in Ankeny. The princess and her alternate are charged with helping consumers learn more about dairy products and the farm families who tend the farms and cows that provide them.
The contestants are:
• Brooke Courtney, 18, daughter of Scott and Amy Courtney of Ridgeway, representing Winneshiek County;
• Amber Engelken, 18, daughter of Tom and Cherrie Engelken of Earlville, representing Iowa Holstein Association;
• Kaylee Gibbs, 17, daughter of Chris and Kerri Gibbs of Waterville, representing Allamakee County;
• Megan Gronau, 21, daughter of Todd and Karen Gronau of Durango, representing Dubuque County;
• Meghan Hettinga, 20, daughter of Jason and Mary Hettinga of Orange City, representing Iowa Jersey Cattle Club;
• Abby Klstermann, 18, daughter of Chris and Michelle Klostermann of Dyersville, representing Delaware County;
• Raegan Kime, 17, daughter of Dann and Annette Kime of Waucoma, representing Iowa Guersney Breeders Association;
• Megan Kueker, 18, daughter of Gary and Karol Kueker of West Union, representing Fayette County;
The winners are chosen on the basis of their knowledge and enthusiasm about dairy, personality and communication ability during judging which begins Wednesday, Aug. 5. Both the princess and alternate will receive scholarships from Midwest Dairy, which sponsors the contest and princess program on behalf of Iowa’s dairy farmers.
The outgoing 2019-20 Iowa Dairy Princess is Julie Hammerand, daughter of Jerry and Lois Hammerand, and the Alternate Princess is Faith Palmer, daughter of John and Meghan Palmer of Waukon. Their reigns will be completed at the end of the month, and the new Princess and Alternate will begin their duties Sept. 1.
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Midwest Dairy™ represents 7,000 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by Giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience and are funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.

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Mariah Busta
Iowa Dairy Princess Program Coordinator

Although the Winneshiek County Historical Society’s office has been closed to walk-in traffic since the pandemic emerged in late March, work has continued both outside and inside the office.
The entrance to the WCHS office at 302 S. Mill Street is sporting a new look. Porch columns, ceiling, door, and window trim have been stripped, repaired, caulked, primed and painted by Ron and Sandy Stover. The Stovers are also continuing to strip, caulk, prime, and paint the rest of the trim on the first-floor windows and doors, with west and south sides completed. Historic metal work has been stripped of paint and restored by the Stovers, and vintage hooks on the front porch have been stripped and given a baked historic coating to preserve their metal finish by David Wadsworth. Shingling and roof repair, soffit, and fascia repair are slated for late summer, and attic insulating and other efforts to conserve energy will also be accomplished before the winter heating season.
When the office reopens to foot traffic, it will be easier for patrons to locate. A new sign at the office entrance directs patrons to the Winneshiek County Heritage Center, the new designation for the Winneshiek County Historical Society headquarters. The sign was painted by Elizabeth Lorentzen and recently installed by Jerry Thompson and Ron Stover. Improvement and maintenance of the grounds also continues with Ron and Sandy Stover heading up that project.
Work has also been carried on inside the office. The Historical Society volunteers have continued to research questions that people have emailed or called in, as well as accepting donations of family histories, photos, and other historic memorabilia. Some interesting photos of vintage homes, historic photos of local families and their stories have been received, and the WCHS research database and offerings continue to grow. The Society’s newsletter is sent out regularly keeping members apprised of current happenings.
The Historical Society looks forward to the day when they can again serve patrons face-to-face. Until that time, they can be contacted with questions and research requests via their email, winneshiek.historical.society@gmail.com or their office phone, 563-382-4166. Their website, www.winneshiekcountyhistoricalsociety.com updates current WCHS happenings. Patrons can also explore the digitized vintage county newspapers online at http://winneshiekcounty.advantage-preservation.com produced as a project in collaboration with the Luther College Library. Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Winneshiek County Historical Society may contact them by calling or emailing the WCHS office.