Neighbors embrace exercise, camaraderie Wednesday, December 30, 2020 11:58 AM
Drive down Leif Erickson Drive in Decorah between 12:45 and 1:15 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, or Friday and you’ll likely notice people on either side of the road, stretching with some of the biggest rubber bands you’ve ever seen. Smiling and waving isn’t part of their prescribed routine, but they’ll likely do so anyway.
The Leif Erickson neighbors were organized by Cheryl Pellet, who’s been leading the group in exercise since March, when COVID-19 precautions began. Pellet, a former nursing instructor at Luther College and a part-time nurse at the Luther College Health Center, felt neighbors exercising and keeping in touch was the perfect response to the pandemic. “There’s usually about seven of us taking part every day,” she said. “We exercise at 12:45 three times a week, and it normally lasts for about a half-hour. We were initially going to move inside when it got below 4
CLAUDIA LOUCKS
ATKINSON â Ryan and Lola Rahn know the joy of giving and they share that joy with children in foster care.
For many years the couple has hosted a âShopping for Siblingsâ night for children in foster care and licensed with any agency in the Quad-City area.
In previous years, children were invited to Foster Hope in Atkinson and with the help of elves, chose and wrapped gifts for their siblings, played in a bounce house, took part in games and decorated cookies. But this year COVID-19 changed that.
Children, with the help of elves, went to Foster Hope to choose gifts for their siblings, and if time allowed, they could wrap the gifts, and if not, gift bags were provided.