Special to the Times Vedette
Brookelyn, Gracelyn and Stetson Dorsett joined other kids at the Guthrie County Extension Office on Wednesday and learned about the traits of sheep. A two-day-old lamb was brought in for the kids to see up close.
Special to the Times Vedette
Tori’s Angels Foundation invites the community to enjoy breakfast and support a cause on Sunday, June 22 at the Panora Community Center from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The organization will have eggs, bacon, pancakes and drinks at its annual Tori’s Angels free-will offering breakfast benefit and silent auction.
The annual breakfast celebrates the foundation’s first breakfast in 2010 for then-5-year-old Tori Heckman who needed heart surgery in Boston. The subsequent foundation was named for the 800 attendees who so generously donated money for Tori’s surgery and proved themselves to be “Tori’s Angels.” The breakfast has been held annually since that time, except during the pandemic.
“Tori turned 19 last year, so she has graduated from the foundation, but she will always be one of our kids,” Julie Dent-Zajicek, president of the board for Tori’s Angels Foundation, says. “Since that first breakfast, the foundation has accepted 182 children with life-threatening illnesses.”
Eleven of the foundation’s sponsored children reside or have resided in Guthrie County and will be honored at the event: Tori Heckman, the foundation’s namesake, Emma Reinhart of Panora, Emma King of Coon Rapids, Finley Jesko of Guthrie Center, Grace Webner of Panora, Sammy Beal, who now lives in Greenfield, Ayden Wood of Menlo, Aroyal McGregory of Panora, and Morgan Sheeder of Guthrie Center.
“Our beloved Libbie Ashworth of Panora passed away earlier this year, but her family is important to us and will always be a part of Tori’s Angels,” Dent-Zajicek says. “We feel the same way about the family of Noah Stein, who was also from Guthrie County and passed away in 2011.”
All of the foundation’s sponsored families have been invited to this annual benefit and may attend, depending on their respective child’s health. Attendees appreciate knowing that every dollar donated at the benefit breakfast goes directly toward helping the families that Tori’s Angels supports.
The silent auction will end at noon and features several one-of-a-kind items donated by local businesses and individuals. Winning bidders are urged to be present at noon to claim their items. Bidding on items will be different than in the past. Volunteers will be on hand to help attendees log-on through their phones to bid, and bidders can easily put in a maximum bid, then be alerted if or when they’ve been outbid.
Donations are needed to help the foundation’s sponsored children. Any Panora or Guthrie Center residents wishing to donate items to the silent auction are asked to contact JoAnn Alumbaugh: joann@torisangels.org.
Tori’s Angels Foundation raises funds to help the families of their supported children with life-threatening medical conditions. It pays medical expenses not covered by insurance from the date of sponsorship (sometimes even before the child is born) until the child’s 19th birthday. This includes travel expenses to treatment (airfare, mileage, hotel, meals), as well as approved prescriptions, medical co-pays and deductibles. The foundation depends on the generosity of community “angels” to help relieve the financial burden for these families.
Anyone who is unable to attend the benefit and would like to help Tori’s Angels children is invited to send donations to the foundation at P.O. Box 186, Panora IA 50216. Online donation options are located on the Tori’s Angels website, www.torisangels.org and on Facebook, www.facebook/torisangels/. Supporters are encouraged to follow the Tori’s Angels Facebook page to receive regular updates on the children. Be sure to put Saturday, Sept. 13 on your calendar for the annual Tori’s Angels gala at the Guthrie County Fairgrounds. The theme this year is “Angels Under the Big Top.”
For more information about Tori’s Angels, visit the foundation’s website. To request an application for support, contact Tori’s Angels through its website, by calling 641-755-2011 or by emailing admin@torisangels.org.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
On Sunday, June 22, Guthrie Center’s First Presbyterian Church will celebrate its 150th anniversary, and the public is invited to attend.
The celebration will begin at 10 a.m. with a church service including special music and the confirmation of a new church member. After the service, a light lunch will be served. A public reception will be held from 1-3 p.m.
Church history shows that the first steps toward creating a Presbyterian Church in Guthrie Center occurred in September 1874 with the church actually beginning on May 9, 1875, with four members. The first Presbyterian church building in town was on the corner of Fourth and Prairie Streets. A new church was built in 1913 at the current location.
One current ministry of the church is a food pantry to feed needy persons in the area. There are no qualification requirements.
“If there’s a need, we try to fill it,” church member George Hemmen said.
The church also operates WASP (Wednesday After School Program) for kids from the community.
The church is located at 701 State St. in Guthrie Center. The pastor is Jolene James.
By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette
If you enjoy classic cars, trucks and motorcycles, this weekend has an event you should not miss. On Saturday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., the annual Lakeside Village car show will be held at 2067 Highway 4 in Panora.
By Cyote Williams | Times Vedette
I often check up on the social media accounts of ACGC and Panorama to see what the schools are up to. One thing I have noticed lately are the sports camps and offseason workouts the programs have been hosting. I have many incredible memories from attending similar summer camps while I was in middle school and high school.
One instance that I remember well, which is also forever documented, was an offseason soccer workout I did while attending Lincoln High School. ACGC basketball fans likely made the trip to the school’s Roundhouse two years ago for a substate game. These workouts took place on the tennis courts nearby.
Unfortunately, for me, The Des Moines Register showed up to the workout to snap a few photos. Click HERE if you want to see them. You will not have to scroll far to see the less-than-stellar photo the reporter took of me. I am now well past the feelings of embarrassment I felt when I first saw these photos. Now they are just a funny memory — and hopefully an afternoon laugh for you.
Over the years, I attended several YMCA day camps and Iowa State and Drake basketball camps. These camps were the most fun I had in a given summer. I even made friends who I still speak with to this day. I rubbed shoulders and received advice from future NBA players like Georges Niang, Monte Morris, Naz Long and Drake legend Adam Emmenecker. Emmenecker never made it to the NBA, but his namesake is honored by a food challenge at the Des Moines Jethro’s, once featured by “Man vs. Food.” I have a signed shirt by him hidden somewhere in my parents’ house. I still have not tried the sandwich, though.
I’m sure the Panorama and ACGC athletes have had a great time at these camps as they enjoy their time away from school. But, if someone shows up with a camera, try not to make the face I made.
If you are a fan of baseball or softball and have not yet tuned into the College World Series, you should start. Admittedly, I am not a huge baseball follower, but the wildly entertaining tournament is a breeding ground for the next major baseball stars — and some great times.
The tournament takes place just a short drive away in Omaha, Nebraska. The city has hosted the tourney since 1950. I’ve been to Omaha for three of the last four MCWS. A friend of mine has a birthday that coincides with the championship weekend. At the same time as the baseball tournament, a massive beer garden takes shape just a block away from the stadium. Massive screens show the games on TV, tequila or rum buckets are served for $20, food trucks line the back, and once the games end, musical performances take over the stage.
I only attended a game for the first time last weekend. It felt weird being in Omaha at this time and not purchasing several rum buckets but instead being inside the stadium and actually watching baseball. The game was good. A few beverages and good friends made it even better. We sat in right field, trading “LEFT FIELD SUCKS” chants with the left field fans who returned with “RIGHT FIELD SUCKS” chants.
If you get the chance to attend one of these games, I highly recommend it. If you are 21 or older, make it a point to grab a Jello shot at Rocco’s nearby, too. The local sports bar hosts a Jello shot challenge every year between the competing teams. The proceeds from every shot sold goes to the Food Banks for all eight teams and Omaha metro food banks. In 2024, they raised $145,477. LSU normally dominates this challenge when they are in town. The running counter says Tiger fans have bought more than 25,000 shots. Arkansas is second with 8,713. These totals are slightly inflated, as shots can also be purchased online. Follow along for shot madness at www.x.com/CWSShotBoard. Game one of the finals is between No. 13 Coastal Carolina and No. 6 LSU and is on Saturday, June 21, if you’re interested in that, too.
Reach out with your thoughts, comments and ideas to cyote@dmcityview.com.
Special to the Times Vedette
More than 8,000 students at the University of Iowa were named to the dean’s list for the 2025 spring semester including the following: