Businesses, volunteers honored
Dave Brown and Forest Brown (not pictured), of Brown’s Sales & Leasing, accepted Business of the Year honors Monday night at the Elkader Annual Community banquet.
By Pam Reinig
Register Editor
Three men with a shared vision for a whitewater course in Elkader Monday night were honored for their volunteer efforts in making that vision a reality.
Tom Gifford, Adam Pollack and Gary Siegwarth received the Main Street Volunteer of the Year Award at the Elkader’s Annual Community Banquet. All three worked tirelessly as members of a committee that spearheaded the effort. In accepting the honor, Gifford and Pollack praised the recreational opportunities of the whitewater course. Siegwarth spoke of its value in connecting people with natural resources.
The owners of four new businesses—Blockhus Plumbing & Heating, JEM Salon & Spa, NAPA and The Beauty Bar—were also honored for their investments in the community. Brown’s Sales & Leasing was honored as the Business of the Year. The dealership, which has locations in Elkader and Guttenberg, has been a cornerstone of economic vitality in Clayton County for 50 years.
The evening provided an opportunity to review many of the town’s most recent accomplishments like the completion of the downtown façade project and the dedication of Founders Park. Kathy Josten, president, Main Street Elkader, also commented on the impact of volunteer efforts.
Guest speaker was Kurt Wood, Upper Iowa University Provost and Executive Vice President. He noted that the university has 200 alumni from Elkader and 100 graduates living and working in the town. Wood also discussed the growth of the school and the academic opportunities it provides across several campuses.
