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The
Official Newspaper of Manchester and Delaware County, Iowa
Tuesday,
January 24, 2006 | |
Motivation from No. 4
by Brian Cook |
Former Iowa Basketball player, Jess Settles, was a guest speaker for Saturday Night Alive at St. Joseph’s Church in Greeley, this past Saturday.
Settles is the author of the book, “The Next Level: Jess Settles Maximizing Potential”, which was published after his basketball career at the University of Iowa was finished. BRIAN COOK / Press |
Many find fame while playing big time college basketball or football at the NCAA Division I level, but few have put that fame from their playing days to better use than Jess Settles.
The former University of Iowa basketball star was in Greeley last Saturday night bringing his inspirational message to the crowd gathered at St. Joseph’s Church. Settles said because of the basketball platform he has had the opportunity to do a lot of speaking to different groups and organizations.
He authored the book The Next Level: Jess Settles on Maximizing Potential in 1999 and now operates the Next Level Christian Basketball Camps and The Next Level Speaking and Motivational Company.
“You don’t realize until you get into it, but I find myself in interesting places in Iowa towns – and it’s really interesting meeting Iowans, that I think are the best people in the world,” Settles said of his business that takes him around the state. “One night I’m talking to a Lions Club, the next night I’m in Greeley, Iowa, in a church.”
The former Iowa Mr. Basketball is working towards a Master’s Degree in Education, says he enjoys working with youth which is common in his family.
Jess’ wife, Joanna, is finishing her Doctorate in Education at the University of Iowa. They have a 15-month old daughter, Jema. |
At his basketball camps, Settles says he ties in the motivational speaking.
“I do the best I can to relate to the group I’m talking to. You do the best you can to encourage and inspire,” Settles said explaining his message to youth or other groups. “I’m an Iowa kid and it’s easy to relate to Iowans – the people I enjoy being around the most.”
The message Settles says he tries to get across to kids is that he always tried to maximize his potential as a player and was considered an old school or work-ethic type of guy when he played at Iowa. He came from a small town like Greeley and became a Parade All-American playing for Winfield-Mt. Union, and was able to go on make dreams come true.
“Tonight,” Settles said of the message he was to deliver at St. Joseph’s “God has impacted my life, my family’s life and I like to use his word to impact his word.”
Settles talks about the importance of a relationship with Jesus Christ in his book, which he got the idea to write after being named Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He told his Coach Tom Davis of the idea whom Settles said helped push him over the top to do it.
“Dr. Tom kept pushing me to do it,” Settles added. “That’s what good coaches do. They bring out the best in you.”
Settles could not have the book published until after he finished playing at Iowa in 1999, but says now there are over 10,000 in circulation. You can order the book or find out more about his motivational speaking and camps at jessSettles.com.
Hawkeye Career Leader
Jess Settles ranks in the top 10 all time for the
Iowa Basketball team in
a number of statistics
#6 Points Scored 1,611
#10 Rebounds 747
#6 Field Goals 581
#8 FG Attempts 1,186
#10 3-point FG 113
#9 Steals 144 |
Conservation organizations assisting landowners
by Julie Sunne |
With spring approaching, it is an excellent time for landowners to do some thinking about how to make the best use of their land. Including wildlife habitat restoration in their plan is a great way to provide year round enjoyment for all ages. Even establishing a small amount of habitat can go a long way in helping wildlife survive a harsh winter.
However, deciding on how to manage the land so it is beneficial to wildlife and the landowner can be a daunting task. Implementing that plan is not always easy, either.
|
JULIE SUNNE / Press
Cutting trees out of CRP is just one of the services David Reuter performs as the Pheasants Forever Northeast Iowa Habitat Specialist. |
Fortunately, there are now many organizations and agencies that can make the planning and the completion of the project itself, painless. Pheasants Forever, Inc. (PF) and the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) are two nonprofit national organizations with local chapters in Delaware County that provide a variety of services for landowners looking to enhance wildlife habitat on their land.
Pheasants Forever, Inc.
Pheasants Forever, Inc. has helped develop more than three million acres of habitat since its inception in 1982, with local chapters raising more than $25 million for Iowa’s wildlife habitat,
This grassroots organization is dedicated to the protection and enhancement of pheasant and other wildlife populations in North America through habitat improvement, land management, public awareness, and education.
Pheasants Forever has the unique distinction of being the only national wildlife conservation organization that allows the local chapters to retain 100 percent of the funds they raise. This keeps the benefits in the chapters own backyards.
Iowa PF partners with federal conservation agencies, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), county conservation boards, and other sportsmen’s organizations to provide funding and services for habitat development and restoration.
PF has recently introduced full-service assistance for landowners in the form of Habitat Teams.
According to Matt O’Connor, Pheasants Forever Regional Habitat Coordinator, Habitat Teams consist of Farm Bill Biologists and Habitat Specialists. “The biologists promote and plan habitat and improvement projects, while the specialists take care of the installation and maintenance,” stated O’Connor.
This is “one-stop shopping” for landowners, providing expert advice on federal farm bills and other incentives and the manpower and equipment to carry out the project plan.
David Reuter is the Pheasants Forever Northeast Iowa Habitat Specialist. He services five counties, Clayton, Delaware, Dubuque, Jackson, and Jones; providing evaluations and suggestions about a project, helping establish a plan and, if the landowner so desires, providing the equipment and manpower to implement that plan.
Whether it is native prairie restoration, prescribed burning, wetland restoration, or specialty spraying that is needed, the habitat specialist has the equipment and the expertise to carry the project to completion.
A habitat plan is beneficial for both wildlife and the landowner, greatly increasing the ecological and aesthetic value of the land. Reuter encourages every landowner to develop some kind of habitat plan for his land.
He can be reached at 563-590-1908 for more information on the services habitat specialists provide or to discuss a project.
Keith Krause, board member of the Delaware County Chapter of Pheasants Forever says their biggest project as a local chapter is to provide native grass seed to landowners at a low cost.
“This is important for Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) seeding, which greatly benefits all wildlife, not just pheasants,” he explained.
The local chapter also assists landowners with cost share funds, offers free seed for wildlife food plantings (seed corn, sorghum, and a wildlife mix) and helped to purchase a tree planter, three native grass drills, and spraying equipment that is available for rent. Food plot seed and equipment can be found at the Delaware County Conservation building at Bailey’s Ford.
In addition, funds raised by the Delaware County PF chapter also pay for an annual scholarship to a graduating senior planning to pursue a degree in conservation, provides for boys and girls to attend outdoor education youth camps, and helps with extensive tree plantings for land reforestation, and shelterbelt and windbreak establishment. Over the years, the county chapter has assisted the county in acquiring four different parcels of land for public hunting.
Each local chapter offers slightly different services. In Delaware County contact Pheasants Forever chapter president Jeff Bente at 563-927-5842 or Mike Schmitz at 563-925-2075 for more information, or look online at visit www.pheasantsforever.org or www.iowapheasantsforever.org.
Delaware County’s Pheasants Forever banquet will be held in October. All of the profits from the banquet stay in the county to help with habitat restoration and establishment.
National Wild Turkey Federation
The National Wild Turkey Federation also provides many services and funds to landowners wanting to enhance wildlife habitat on their land. Founded in 1973, NWTF is dedicated to the conservation of American wild turkeys and the preservation of the hunting tradition. Together with its conservation partners and grassroots members, NWTF has raised and spent more than $202 million on over 31,000 projects benefiting wild turkeys throughout North America, including contributing towards the purchase of 13,104 acres of habitat in Iowa.
In addition to land acquisition grants, many other programs and grants are available to county and state managers and NWTF members. These include habitat improvement projects, equipment purchases, tree planting subsidies, and special education projects.
The Maquoketa Valley Struttin Toms is the local NWTF chapter. Some of the funds raised by the local chapters go to the national organization and some to the state level, but the chapters are allowed to keep a percentage of its fundraising money.
Chapters use their banquet percentage in different ways. According to Committee Member Pat Mescher the Struttin Toms make a nice profit from their banquet so they are able to offer two scholarships to graduating seniors who are NWTF members. In addition they helped purchase a native grass drill that is available for rent from the Delaware County Conservation Board.
NWTF members can also receive Strut ‘n Rut seed at a reduced cost, free food plot seed (seed corn, grain sorghum, and sunflower seed), and help with tree plantings.
Contact Maquoketa Valley Struttin Toms President Perry Peterson at 563-927-6377 for more information on receiving funds and services through NWTF, or visit www.nwtf.org or www.iowanwtf.org.
Other sources of help
These are just two of the many sources of help that are available to landowners dealing with land management as it relates to wildlife. Other nonprofit sportsmen’s organizations that do not have local chapters in Delaware County, but offer funds and other forms of assistance to landowners include Ducks Unlimited (www.iowaducks.org or 641-592-3600), Ruffed Grouse Society (www.ruffedgrousesociety.org or 412-262-4044), Whitetails Unlimited (www.whitetailsunlimited.com or 1-800-274-5471), and the Hawkeye Fly Fishing Association (www.hawkeyeflyfishing.com or 319-665-5105).
In subsequent articles focus will shift from nonprofit organizations to county, state, and federal agencies. |
Manchester Council featured on Cityscape cover |
Manchester Mayor Milt Kramer and Council members Ron Struble and Tony Broghammer are pictured on the cover of the January 2006 edition of Cityscape, a monthly magazine published by the Iowa League of Cities.
Nearly 12,000 municipal employees read Cityscape across the state of Iowa. The January Cityscape was a special edition intended to help mayors and city councils as new councils are formed and have their first meetings. The information in that issue is intended to provide an overview on city government in Iowa and provides advice from those who have had success.
The cover photo shows Mayor Kramer, Struble and Broghammer actually being sworn into office for new terms in December after being voted in for another term in the fall election. Kramer, the magazine notes, has over 30 years of experience as mayor and has been part of Manchester city government since 1969. |
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