Monday we went to the school board meeting at Remsen. One of the agenda items was correcting or adding to the Parent-Student Handbook on Technology Use in the Classroom. The one item that received the most discussion was on cell phones. Elementary/Middle School (in Remsen) students cannot have phone during the day and will be placed in a designated classroom/area at the beginning of each school day and can be picked up at the end of the school day.
High School students will not be allowed to have cell phones in their possession once class has begun. Teachers will have a secure designated location for the cell phone during class time.
Laptop computers are for educational purposes only and students are subject to having the use checked by instructors or staff.
Another item that will benefit MMCRU Schools was the newly passed SF 393 that gives us 5 days or up to 30 hours of virtual learning. We will be able to use this virtual learning for snow days.
Monday afternoon the Marcus Public Library had a program on Voices concerning animals/insects being able to communicate with each other. Laura Jones and a helper had the presentation.
Then Wednesday, there was another shocking news—Faith Specht had passed away on Tuesday. She had just served at Fellowship on Sunday. I guess it goes to show that we don’t always know when the Lord will call us Home. Her funeral will be on Monday, June 26.
We received an e-mail from Cousin Jeneen in Colorado that she is coming to Iowa the week of July 10-14. Sharon and Linda (Lawrence and Nita Johnson’s girls) will be coming as well. The last day of their visit is the only time I have to entertain them. I thought that this summer was going to be slow, but was I ever wrong!
Wednesday I visited with Ab Smith and Lisa Letsche on their amazing trip on the Honor Flight. Denise (Ab’s daughter), Ila O’Brien, and Steve were also present. Ab has a great deal of memories of this trip and Ila will be putting a scrapbook together for him with all he has on this trip. Hopefully this trip will be in this week’s Marcus News. I knew nothing about this trip until I received a phone call on this. I’m sure there have been others from our community, but no information on these past trips were given to me.
The Honor Flight Network is a national nonprofit organization comprised of independent hubs working together to achieve the Honor Flight mission. They have the enormous privilege of showing our nation’s veterans the appreciation and honor they deserve. Participation in an Honor Flight trip gives veterans the opportunity to share this momentous occasion with other comrades, remember the fallen, and share their stories and experiences with other veterans. Honored veterans always travel free of charge, thanks to generous donations to the organization. There are over 125 hubs across the country that form the Honor Flight Network. Their volunteers freely donate their time and talents to coordinate flights, bus trips, welcome home ceremonies, thousands of phone calls and much more—all with the common goal to honor our nation’s heroes with the trip of their lifetime.
Mission 15 Honor Flight (the one Ab was on) was designated as “Elsie Honors”. Elsie Van Beek was the girl that raised $85,000 selling cupcakes that made this Honor Flight possible.
Early Friday morning I made a Pineapple Upside Down cake in a cast iron skillet. I have used this recipe from Betty Crocker’s cookbook several times and never had a problem. When it said to “pour” the dough over the pineapple rings, the dough was not pourable but used spoonfuls on top. I checked the recipe several times and never found any more liquid than 6 T. There had to be more liquid but it wasn’t in the recipe. But, I do know that my oven is not level when I found out that some of the liquid had gone out of the skillet and onto the floor of the oven. Hot soapy water or vinegar and water hasn’t helped. I’m still trying to clean up that mess and know I will have to use the “Clean Oven” cycle.
Saturday night I called Janice Field to see if she was the one that had brought the coffee cake served on Sunday. No, it was Faith that had brought it. I hope her recipe is available sometime.
I worked until 6:30 a.m. on Sunday on some articles and started at 11 a.m. to finish them off. There is a cookout at the Fairgrounds Sunday for the Campe family and then at 3-5 visitation at the funeral home for Faith.
I received news that the Cherokee Chronicle Times is now going to a Friday newspaper with subscribers being offered access to chronicletimes.com to follow news and sports daily. You can call 712-25-5111 or email webmaster@stormlake.com for online access if you do not have it. Concentrating news and advertising in one edition will deliver considerable savings in printing and postage that can be devoted to reporting, photography and editing.
Remember in your thoughts and prayers those who have lost friends/family to death, have had their lives changed, have a health problem some of which are terminal, are struggling to make ends meet even though they have a job, help those who desire “wants’ are more important then “needs” that prestige isn’t everything and be with those who are still trying to shorten the distance between family/friends to build a bridge instead of a wall. Count your blessings.
I will close with this quote from Pierre Teilhard de Chardin (1881-1955) French philosopher: “The most satisfying thing in life is to have been able to give a large part of one’s self to others.”