Waukon, IA

The 4-H County Council has designated the Stork’s Nest Diaper and Wipe Drive as this year’s community service project at the fair. The Stork’s nest is an incentive-based program that provides low-income women with healthcare services and educational programs in the community. These women are also single mothers. By attending the classes, the women can earn point to redeem for incentives like diapers, wipes or other infant supplies. Contributors can drop off diapers, wipes or monetary donations to the 4-H Exhibit Building during the fair or to the Extension Office anytime before the fair.

Want to garden but don’t have space for one? The Waukon community garden has 10’ by 10’ and 10’ by 20’ plots available to anyone who would like to try their hand at gardening. Rent for the plots will be $10 for the smaller plots and $20 for the larger plots. Some money will be refunded at the end of the year if the garden plot is cleaned up. Applications are available at the Allamakee County Extension Office and are due May 5.

The plans are being finalized to have the garden plots on the Quillin/Ramsay property off 2nd Street NW in Waukon. Gardeners need to furnish seeds, plants and the desire to start growing those vegetables. Gardening technical help is available from the Allamakee County Extension Office and the Allamakee County Master Gardeners.

The project is under the direction of participants in the Waukon Horizons program, Allamakee New Beginnings, Inc. and ISU Extension.

In addition to public access to gardening space, scholarships are available for low-income families. Upon referral, these families will have access to a garden plot, receive seeds and plants and have the opportunity to participate in educational classes on gardening, fresh food preparation and preservation. Funding from the Northwest Area Foundation will be used to assist with this project.

Monthly meetings have been setup at tha Allamakee Extension Office to provide residents help in managing their personal finances.

Some of the objectives are; setting goals, developing a spending plan, organizing personal records, how to manage credit,  identifying sources of financial information and much more.

A local landlord has offered the tenants a 25.00 discount on their rent if they participate. Also Horisons is helping provide day care to those that attend and the classes are free.