MAQUOKETA HAS BEEN SPRUCING UP, GETTING READY FOR THE IOWA STATE FIREMEN'S CONVENTION NEXT WEEK IN THE TIMBER CITY. FIRE HYDRANTS
ARE BEING PAINTED TOO. AND, THERE IS A NEW LOOK AT THE MAQUOKETA POST OFFICE, THANKS TO VOLUNTEERS. LISA CLARK OF MAQUOKETA, WHO WORKS AT THE MAQUOKETA STATE BANK AND ENJOYS GARDENING, HAD OBSERVED FOR SOME
TIME, SOME OLD,UGLY BUSHES ON THE NORTH CORNER OF THE POST OFFICE ON MAIN STREET, OBSERVING THEM DAILY FROM HER WINDOW AT THE BANK. SHE TALKED TO POSTMASTER SARAH MORSE ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF REPLACING THEM BEFORE THE FIREMEN'S CONVENTION. MORSE CHECKED AND NO FUNDS WERE AVAILABLE. CLARK TOOK IT UPON HERSELF TO GET SOME VOLUNTEER TO HELP TEAR OUT THE 21-YEAR-OLD EYE BUSHES AND REPLACE THEM. FIRST, GIL
BERG CUT OFF THE BUSHES. THEN MARTI BALLIU AMD DAVE CLARK, LISA'S HUSBAND, PULLED OUT THE ROOTS OR STUMPS. THE JACKSON COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS WERE CONTACTED FOR SUGGESTIONS AS TO WHAT TO PLANT.
GASSER TRUE VALUE HARDWARE DONATED MULCH, LARRY McDIVITT DONATED SOME BRICKS FOR THE EDGING AND POSTMASTER MORSE PERSONALLY PURCHASED
THE EVERGREEN SHRUBS AND VARIOUS BUSHES, INCLUDING ROSE, SPIREA, BOXWOOD, AND OTHERS. THE PLANTING AND FINISHING OF THE PROJECT WAS DONE THIS PAST SUNDAY BY DAVE AND LISA CLARK, TOM CALLAHAN, AND
MARY JO WIESE. WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT! SLOW DOWN WHEN GOING PAST THE POST OFF AND TAKE A LOOK. AND THANKS TO SARAH, LISA AND ALL THE
VOLUNTEERS. REMEMER, TO ENLARGE THIS PHOTO, CLICK ON IT.
DENNIS VOY