Waukon Iowa News

Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital Membership Drive Now On!

Posted 12 August 2010
The members of the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital are actively recruiting new and returning members to join them during their annual membership drive.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital is devoted to providing the hospital and its patients and visitors with many services. The Auxiliary also holds annual fundraisers, such as the Women’s Health Day Luncheon each fall, the Pillow-Perk in early November, and their annual membership drive each July.   All the money the Auxiliary receives goes back to the hospital for equipment.  They have purchased numerous items for the hospital, including a new patient weigh bed, maternity services birthing bed, a new mammography viewbox for Radiology, two digital cameras, two ice machines, a chemotherapy chair, blanket warmers, a NuStep exercise machine, EKG machine, and most recently a new Maternity Services Birthing Tub.  

The Auxiliary meets monthly the 2nd Monday of each month, at 1:00 p.m., in the Large Conference Room at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  They also hold a monthly Euchre Marathon tournament to raise funds the third Thursday of each month.

Auxiliary membership dues are just $5.00 for active members and $12.00 for inactive members. Dues can be paid at the main entrance to Veterans Memorial Hospital or given to any current Auxiliary member.  For more information, please call Nona Sawyer at 568-3105 or Gloria Hertrampf at 568-2124.

Caption:  Pictured is the new Birthing Tub which is used by many mothers for labor and/or delivery at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  This tub was purchased by the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital who is devoted to providing the hospital and its patients and visitors with many services.  The members of the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital are actively recruiting new and returning members to join them during their annual membership drive.

ISU Extension Entomologists Offer Recommendations on Protecting Ash Trees

Emerald Ash Borer Management Options from Iowa State University Extension on Vimeo.

Posted 26 May 2010
The recent discovery of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in northeastern Iowa (Allamakee County) has increased interest in this exotic, invasive insect and what Iowans can do to protect ash trees (Fraxinus species) on their property. Iowa State University Extension is collaborating with Iowa state regulatory agencies and local officials to limit the spread of EAB into other areas of Iowa. For a full list of EAB detection and education activities, please visit here.

Treatment options to protect ash trees from this destructive pest are available, but careful and thoughtful analysis is needed to circumvent spread of false information and excessive and needless use of insecticides. Forest, horticulture and insect specialists with ISU Extension have developed a guide that outlines your management options against EAB.

The first step for many is confirming that you do have an ash tree. Only ash trees are susceptible to EAB attack; all species and varieties of ash trees are at risk. Second is determining if the ash tree is in vigorous health. Trees must be healthy and growing for treatments to be effective.

Compromised trees that have mechanical injuries, loose bark or thin canopy or are struggling to grow in poor sites with limited rooting area, compacted soil or other stresses are not worth treating. If the tree is apparently healthy and is valuable in your landscape, then preventive treatment options may be considered.

Insecticide control measures against EAB should not be used unless you live within 15 miles of the confirmed EAB infestation. Based on today’s announcement, the upper portion of Allamakee County is within this risk zone. However, due to the isolated incidence and associated remote terrain of the infested site, treatment in Iowa is still not recommended at this time.

Protecting ash trees with insecticides is a long-term commitment. Most treatments will need to be reapplied annually or twice per year for an interminable number of years to protect the tree. With that in mind, many would be ahead to remove and replace susceptible trees.

ISU Extension has a publication on the topic, PM 2084, "Emerald Ash Borer Management Options," released June 2009. The publication can be downloaded from the ISU Extension Online Store here. The North Central Region IPM Center’s “Insecticide Options for Protecting Ash Trees from EAB” was issued May 2009 and is available on the ISU emerald ash borer website here.