Thursday is a nationwide day to give thanks for loved ones and for the blessings of which people have. However, too many people cannot say that financial stability is a blessing in their household. They are forced to rely on the kindness of strangers to help stretch their budget. As part of their mission to help others and to show empathy, a couple annual school projects aim to ease some of the pressure those with financial insecurity are feeling.
    Danbury Catholic Elementary School is full of people who are willing to help out. Each year in November, they set up a table in which to collect food. The table tends to increase to two or three tables before the non-perishable items are boxed up to make their way to the Mapleton Food Pantry. The pantry helps Mapleton and the surrounding area with some of their food needs.
    "We have such amazing support from our community, and we want to give back," stated DC Principal Molly Petersen. "We are reminded in the Bible stories to help those that need help, and this is one of the ways that we can do that. Parishioners, community members, and school families have all chipped in to make this a successful food drive for the Mapleton Food Pantry!"
    Petersen said that donations were received as nonperishable foods and as monetary donations. Those donations go directly to the food pantry. The pantry can then use the monetary donations to purchase non-perishable goods to fill the needs they have to stock their shelves.
    Because of the economic crunch and with the government shutdown in the middle of their project, Petersen commented that they had seen an increase in donations to help out. They were pleasantly surprised when multiple boxes of food were delivered by Colbert's Market early in the campaign. An anonymous donor had asked the grocery store to deliver the goods on their behalf.
    "We are so proud of the families and community support for this food drive," added Petersen. "Connie at the Mapleton Food Pantry is always relieved to see the donations that Mrs. Kim Boysen takes in for us!"
    The MVAOCOU High School also showed their giving spirit. They annually collect the food items needed for a Thanksgiving feast for a family. This year they really went to work with their task.
    "In the past we have only done 10 baskets because that is the number of families we were given (by the principals of families who could use some help) but this year we were given 30 families," explained Brynn Jacobson, vice president of the student council and leader of this project. "We made it our goal this year as a school and student council to fill 30 baskets. It was challenging, but we had a lot of student, community, and staff support."
    Councilpersons encourage people to donate items needed for a Thanksgiving feast. They receive hams, turkeys, canned goods, and boxed items. These are placed in baskets and delivered to the families identified by the principals so that they may have a happier Thanksgiving.
    "We as a student council continue to do this project every year to help the families in the district who are in need during the holiday season," continued Jacobson. "It is a chance for us to give back and make sure everyone has a nice holiday meal full of food and love."
    Indeed, the love to help others was evident with both school projects as both went above and beyond their usual annual intakes. Because of their motivation to help others and the generosity of school families and other community members, some families are able to share great meals with one another. And that is indeed something for which to be thankful.

    Horn Memorial Hospital proudly announces that Tiffany Lindberg, RN, has been selected as a 2025 Hospital Hero by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). Lindberg was recognized at the October IHA Annual Meeting in Des Moines, alongside 10 other distinguished recipients.
    Tiffany serves as both the OABCIG School Nurse and an RN at Horn Memorial Hospital. As the school nurse for OABCIG, Tiffany's dedication to the health and safety of students extends far beyond traditional responsibilities. She identified the need for rapid, coordinated emergency response in schools and took action — creating and training Code Blue Teams in every school building. These specialized teams are equipped to respond to pediatric medical emergencies, including cardiac arrest, using CPR and automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
    Through Tiffany's leadership, the district achieved Project ADAM Heart Safe School Certification, a national recognition for excellence in emergency preparedness. Thanks to her efforts, two students who experienced sudden cardiac arrest in the past three years were saved by the swift action of Tiffany and her trained Code Blue Teams.
    Beyond lifesaving emergency response, Tiffany supports families, comforts classmates, and helps entire school communities heal after critical incidents. Her professionalism, courage, and unwavering commitment to student safety have fostered a culture of care and readiness that extends across the district.
    "For her lifesaving work, her leadership, and her dedication to students and the community, Tiffany Lindberg truly embodies what it means to be a healthcare hero," said Emily Lange, Chief Clinical Officer at Horn Memorial Hospital.
    Horn Memorial Hospital celebrates Tiffany's remarkable achievements and her recognition as a 2025 IHA Hospital Hero, honoring the lives she has saved and the countless students and families she continues to impact every day.

    The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Iowa's leading small business advocacy organization, encourages shoppers to support small businesses on November 29, 2025.
    "In Iowa, we know what it means to grow something. This Small Business Saturday, let's cultivate our local economy by choosing the unique shops and hardworking neighbors that enrich our towns," said NFIB Iowa State Director Matt Everson.
    Danbury has a number of small businesses. In our town, shoppers can buy clothing, a newspaper subscription, groceries, computers, hardware, vehicles, insurance, gas and food. They can get haircuts, home improvement, and agriculture services. While many won't be open on Small Business Saturday, some of them are open on Saturdays. To celebrate Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, The BlueJay Boutique will be holding special sales on Friday and Saturday.
    According to October's NFIB Small Business Optimism report, a net negative 13% of all small business owners (seasonally adjusted) reported higher nominal sales in the past three months, down 6 points from September. Small Business Saturday presents an opportunity to boost sales and the overall economy.
    Small Business Saturday began in 2010 to help local shops and restaurants bring in more customers after the Great Recession. Last year, shoppers spent an estimated $22 billion at locally owned businesses nationwide. Every purchase made on November 29th sends a powerful, localized investment directly into the heart of our communities.

    The annual Cord Memorial Library raffle begins next Tuesday, December 2nd. A wide variety of items have been donated to the library for this raffle. Tickets are $2 each.
    To support the cause, stop in the library Tuesdays through Thursdays between 1:00 and 6:00, check out the items available, and drop your tickets in the container for the item(s) in which you are interested.
    The drawing will be held at noon on Saturday, December 20th (the library will be open that morning). Need not be present to win.