Andrew Mahaffey and Kelsey Carlson share details from the senior trip to Washington, D.C. with the school boards.

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

The Adair-Casey and Guthrie Center school boards met in joint session on April 17. Immediately prior to the regular board meeting, each board held a public hearing regarding the 2024/25 certified budget. There were no comments or questions during either public hearing, so the hearings were promptly closed.

At the start of the regular meeting, two students gave a “slide presentation” to the boards regarding the recent senior trip to Washington, D.C. Andrew Mahaffey and Kelsey Carlson showed photos and described the fun and educational memories from the trip. Both said everyone appeared to enjoy the trip, which included roughly half of the senior class.

“It was so, so worth it,” Mahaffey said.

Principals Diane Flanery, Ed Den Beste and Ethan Lensch each provided an update on his or her area of work, and Lensch talked of his upcoming resignation at the end of this school year. Superintendent Josh Rasmussen said ACGC has received 14 applicants for principal thus far and that the process of screening is underway.

Other resignations noted on the agenda included Colin Shawgo (high school teacher and instructional coach), Justin Keck (high school assistant basketball coach), Kris Lehman (assistant high school wrestling coach), Matt Dahl (second-grade teacher) and Julie Parker (preschool teacher).

Baccalaureate/awards night will be May 15 at 6 p.m., and commencement will be May 19 at 1 p.m.

The next regular meeting of the Adair-Casey board will be May 13 at 7 p.m. at ACGC Junior High. The next regular meeting of the Guthrie Center board will be May 14 at 7 p.m. at ACGC High School.

Young women in the 2024 Panorama Community Schools graduating class participated in the April 17 annual senior tea hosted by the Panora Women’s Service Organization. Participating students were, from the left, front row, Hania Boblett, Tori Heckman, Maddie Hummel, Natalie Donovan, Zoey Hambleton, Mia Waddle, Avery Bahrenfuss, Gracie Richter, Allie Olesen, Kaitlin Kent. Middle row, Aliyah Fortner, Taylor Kunze, Bridgette Knapp, Gabi Mortensen, Juliana Rizzuti, Hadley Klein, Lindy Nelson, Jauclyn Curry. Back row, Liberty Ashworth, Lydia James, Meredith Woodworth, Jaidyn Sellers, Tyme Boettcher, Sarah Westergaard, Hallie Arganbright and Riley Gibson.

By Susan Thompson | Times Vedette

On Wednesday afternoon, April 17, members of the Panora Women’s Service Organization (WSO) hosted their annual senior tea for Panorama Community Schools senior girls. The girls were encouraged to invite as many women guests as they wanted, and the group of about 90 included mothers, grandmothers and aunts.    

Toni Wright, WSO president, welcomed the senior girls and their guests to the Panora Church of the Brethren sanctuary at 2 p.m. Rev. Jane Shepherd, pastor at the Panora United Methodist Church, spoke about the importance of developing a relationship with God.

“God has a plan for you, and perhaps it is not the plan you have in mind,” she said. She shared examples of times God spoke to her about things he wanted her to do. These included becoming a pastor at the age of 50, and learning to draw images of women from a book she was reading. This resulted in her developing a series of spiritual meditations based on those women. She closed her comments with a prayer.

Next, Wright asked each senior to stand and introduce herself and her guests and tell something about her future plans.

WSO member Maureen Lubeck introduced the afternoon’s guest speaker. Lubeck was Maggie Gerlich Armstrong’s second-grade teacher and had asked a year ago if she would speak at the 2024 senior tea.

Armstrong and her mother, Karen Gerlich, attended this same senior tea 24 years ago, before she graduated from Panorama High School in 2000. She graduated from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2004, and married her husband, Garret, in 2008. Together, they lived in Michigan and New York while pursuing careers in the outdoor sporting goods industry. They moved back to Guthrie County in 2015 and live in rural Panora with their dog, Nash. In 2022, Armstrong was the first woman ever to be elected to the Guthrie County Board of Supervisors.

Armstrong opened her comments by admitting she was nervous presenting to the group.

“I’ve been thinking about what I would say for the past year and just began to write two days ago,” she said. “I am intimidated by this wonderful group of young women, and I am in awe of you. You’ve broken records, you’ve reached goals. You have created bonds and lifelong friendships.”

Armstrong said as she began to gather her thoughts, she went through files to find the photo of her and her mother at the 2000 senior tea.

“I thought, what would I want my 18-year-old self to know? I came up with four key points to share with you today,” she said.

Her first piece of advice was for the senior girls to write their own story and do so with their own voice.

“Give yourself some grace,” she said. “You will make mistakes, and you will learn from those. Don’t get caught up in negative self-talk. You must remain positive.”

Next was the importance of staying true to their personal core values, and writing those down.

“I have my list of core values on a white board in my office, and I look at them often,” she said. “Your core values should guide you. You shouldn’t change your core values to accommodate someone else. If someone tries to get you to do that, it’s time to leave. Hold tightly to what you believe. And if you need help, call another woman to talk through things with you.”

Third was to “reserve your vulnerability for those who deserve it. I am all for sharing. But don’t open yourself to those who haven’t earned the right, that can do more harm than good,” Armstrong said.

The final piece of advice Armstrong shared was “dare to be brave. It’s hard to get outside of our comfort zone,” she said. “Yet being brave is the action you need to take to start your own journey.”

Armstrong said these four cornerstones helped her become the woman she is now and the one she strives to be each day. “The best lessons usually are learned the hard way,” she said.

She closed with a quote from the 1998 movie “Hope Floats”

“Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad, but it is the middle that counts the most. You need to remember that when you find yourself at the beginning. Just give hope a chance to float up, and it will.”

Following Armstrong’s speech, photos of the seniors and their guests were taken as the WSO women made final preparations in the Fellowship Hall for finger sandwiches, cookies, candy, tea, coffee and lemonade. Once seated, WSO members served drinks and the guests helped themselves to the food displayed on their tables.

This annual senior tea began many years ago and was hosted by the Panora Women’s Club and held at the Panora United Methodist Church. When that group disbanded, the WSO women’s club took over the event. The 2024 class of 26 senior women who attended was the largest in recent years.

Stephanie Hafner is shown with her daughter, Maddie Hummel, at the 2024 Panorama Senior Tea, hosted by the Panora WSO.

Members of the WSO served tea, coffee and lemonade to those attending the 2024 Panorama senior tea April 17. Club members earlier had set the tables and put out finger sandwiches, cookies and candies.

Jaidyn Sellers is shown with her mother Monique Sellers, and grandmothers Ruth Riley and Donna Boldy.

Maggie Gerlich Armstrong, a 2000 Panorama graduate, was the guest speaker at the WSO senior tea April 17. She’s shown with her mother, Karen Gerlich, who attended the tea both in 2000 and again this year.

Kaitlin Kent and Kim Kent

Hallie Arganbright and Chris Arganbright

Emily Donovan and Natalie Donovan

Jen Readinger encourages everyone to experience The Pink Poppy.

In describing her store and her philosophy, Jen Readinger often uses the word, “holistic.”

By Rich Wicks | Guthrie Center Times

Just off State Street, at 106 S. Fourth St. in Guthrie Center, is a store you simply must see to understand. The Pink Poppy Apothecary offers a unique array of items and experiences. Jen Readinger, owner of The Pink Poppy, shared the history of her business, which opened in August of 2018. She recalled how the business came to be.

“I always wanted my own business. I can’t name a female in my family that actually worked outside of their own business. Everybody’s always had one,” Readinger said.

Scented soaps to wash your cares away.

With two children in high school and one in the military, Readinger realized she finally had enough time to devote to a business. Around that same time, she was trying to help a family member who was dealing with chronic pain, so Readinger was studying alternatives to medication for pain control.

“I started studying aromatherapy, essential oils, holistic homeopathic medicine,” Readinger said. “I never thought I’d open a shop that had anything to do with that, but that’s what started it off.”

Readinger recalls that she started small when opening the boutique.

“We started with the basics — herbs, essential oils, and we had a little home décor thrown in,” Readinger said. “We started up on Main Street in a tiny store. Then, right about the time COVID hit, we bought this building. We’ve been here three years now, and it has expanded so much.”

Shelves at The Pink Poppy offer unique and surprising items.

In describing her store and her philosophy, Readinger often uses the word, “holistic.”

“We’re now a body, mind and soul boutique. I don’t believe that focusing solely on one thing leads to a happy and healthy life,” she said. “You need to take care of all of those things.”

After five-plus years in business, Readinger acknowledges that she follows her customers’ leads in what direction her business should evolve.

One area in which The Pink Poppy is evolving is social media and local events. The store has a Facebook page with many photos of new and discounted items, daily affirmations, humor and events. The inventory includes essential oils, soy candles, beauty supplies for women and men, metaphysical supplies, and many other items.

The Pink Poppy is typically open Thursday through Saturday until 7 p.m. each day. On other days, Readinger often teaches classes related to her offerings.

“I teach a lot of tea blending, how to make your own teas,” she said.

Tarot cards and instructions are available for new and experienced users at The Pink Poppy.

Because many of the store’s offerings are not familiar to everyone, Readinger is eager to help people learn about whatever catches a customer’s eye or imagination.

 “That’s why I do a lot of ‘101’ classes to introduce you to something,” Readinger said. “That’s what life is about. Just try it.”

When asked how she chose the name “The Pink Poppy,” Readinger said she put a lot of thought into choosing a store name.

“I didn’t want to be specific. I didn’t know really where this was going to go, but I knew that I wanted to remain a natural, holistic and spiritual growth setting. I liked the idea of doing an apothecary.”

While browsing in a book, Readinger happened to see a photo and description of a rare flower, the pink poppy. 

“The definition was ‘the divine feminine’ and ‘the protector of women’…and that was it,” Readinger said.

Surprisingly, Readinger said about 40% of her customers are male. She recalls many men who have come into the store with a significant other and been pleasantly surprised at the items available.

Readinger said many of her customers come from outside Guthrie County. She mentioned repeat customers from as far away as Omaha, eastern Iowa, Des Moines and Storm Lake. 

She also hears a frequent comment from local citizens making their first visit.

“They say, ‘I can’t believe this store is in Guthrie Center.’ I hear that so much,” Readinger said.

Customers at The Pink Poppy often find items they may have never seen elsewhere.

“I do have a lot of tarot and oracle, and that’s another thing that people are surprised to find here,” said Readinger. “Oracle is more like daily affirmations. A lot of therapists are using them now, and we sell the journals that go along with them.”

As with many small businesses, The Pink Poppy has a small staff.

“It’s mainly just me. My daughter helps out a lot. She has another job, and she’s just finishing up high school,” Readinger said. “She helps teach classes, and she crochets. My daughter and I rock hunt, so we bring in a lot of things that we find.”

When asked about her favorite moments in dealing with visitors to the store, Readinger had a ready answer.

“Some of my favorites are when kids come in and are so in awe of everything. It’s not a toy store, but just the colors and the rocks. They want to look and touch everything. We are kid friendly; please touch it.”

Readinger said she’s achieved her goal in creating a welcoming boutique and plans to continue for the foreseeable future.

“I want people, especially girls and women, to have a place to come into that’s a safe space where they feel safe asking questions… and I just want to grow that,” she said.

Special to the Times Vedette

The Panora Garden Club held a spring clean-up day at the Panora Library on March 19. 

JoAnn Johnson rakes up leaves on the library grounds.

Shanell Wagler and Paula Chambers trim back the shrubs so spring growth can arrive.

Paula Wachholz uses a leaf blower to move the fall and winter debris away from the building.