Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, July 7, 2011

Wednesday, June 29 was a milestone for the Grand Valley Museum building. It returned back to its former home at the old schoolgrounds in Kellerton. Daniel BORNTRAGER of Promise City, Iowa, and his crew, which includes Titus and his son-in-law Andy, prepared the building for the move. They were assisted by Dick JACKSON, Harold COOPER, Rex MILLER, Bill FIFER, and John EURITT, all of Kellerton. The BORNTRAGER crew then supervised the move with Dee EURITT and Sharon BECKER standing by as cheerleaders.

The move required Alliant Energy to lower a street light powerline and Mediacom to lower a fiberoptic line.

About one hour after the building was on the move it was next to the foundation of its new location.

The FOLAND School was con-structed by Michael and Elizabeth (SOWERWINE) FOLAND on their farm located northeast of Grand River. Upon the closure of country schools in Iowa, it was moved around the year 1960 or 1961 to Kellerton. Grand Valley Community School utilized the building as a band and chorus classroom.

When Grand Valley Community School closed, the building was moved uptown on Decatur Street, next door to city hall. It is one of the few remaining one-roomed school houses that remains intact as it was built over 130 years ago.

The Kellerton Restoration Committee has been working on the project for the past two years with the goal of relocating the building back to the former school grounds and restoring it as the school museum. Included in the plans are Kellerton items of historical and genealogical interest.

The State Historical Society of Iowa awarded a $10,000 HRD/REAP grant for the project in June 2010. This grant money along donations has funded the project to date.

Additional funds will need to be raised for the completion of the restoration phase. Donations maybe made to Ringgold Community Foundation, 201 E. Monroe, Mount Ayr, Iowa. In return, a letter of receipt of a charitable donation will be mailed back to all donors.

The Kellerton Restoration Committee will accept any items of interest from the former Grand Valley Community School and of historical and/or genealogical interest for the town of Kellerton. These items will be put on display for the public to enjoy.

At the new site, landscaping will need to be done plus painting, windows, doors and building steps and a handicapped ramp. Some of the help for the project will come in the form of the South Central Iowa Community Foundation grant of $750.00, being presented at the commercial building on July 13 at 6 p.m. at the Ringgold County Fair before the queen contest.

Where Did The Museum Go?	Headed Up Decatur St.	Tricky Curve Ahead	Tree Limb in the Way
Got It!	Made It!	Mediacom On The Job	Going. . . .
Going. . . .	Gone!	Comin' Down Home Stretch	Home Stretch
Goal In Sight!	Comin' Up The Drive	Arrival	Gettin' In Position
Tree In The Way	To Save A Tree	Ready? Set. . . .	Squeezin' By
To Quote Dee, "The Building Has Landed"	And A Tree Was Saved	Foundation Venting & Drainage	Venting & Drainage

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, July 14, 2011

On July 4 work continued on the Grand Valley/Foland School Museum move. The work continued again on Wednesday with a donation of 54 cement blocks by Larry GROSE. Later that same day Dee and John EURITT picked up the additional 55 blocks and mortar mix from Southwest Builders, who gave the museum a great deal. The final loaning of a mortar mixer was done by Myron INGRAM. Through this past weekend the blocks and mortar have cured so that the final treated boards can be installed and the museum building can be lowered onto the foundation. This does not mean the project is finished as painting, repairs, windows, doors and landscaping must be done. Then after all the "makeup" is done on the outside, the finish work and displays will need to be done on the inside for a truly finished project. It is hopeful that all will be completed by the summer of 2012. With lots of community volunteers, this building can again be a tourist attraction to this small rural community of Kellerton.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, July 21, 2011

  A total of $91,130 in grants was awarded to 21 non-profit projects when the South Central Iowa Community Foundation announced its latest grant recipients at the Ringgold County Fair Wednesday night. A total of 29 groups requested over $200,000 in grants from the foundation in its latest round of grant giving.

Awarded grants were:

$10,000 to City of Mount Ayr for purchase of concrete, re-rod and materials to complete the streetscape project.
$10,000 to the Princess Theater to help purchase digital projection equipment.
$10,000 to Ringgold County Conservation Board to create a recreational camping area for the public to provide camping, outdoor activities and environmental education opportunities.
$10,000 to city of Mount Ayr to install chain link fence surrounding the Terry HOWIE memorial ballfield.
$7,500 to Mount Ayr Community school to help with a new concrete paved drive between the east and north parking lots at the school.
$5,000 to the Mount Ayr Sportman's Club to purchase two 32-foot roll-in docks for the public dock area and public shelter house at Loch Ayr. In addition, two 32-foot docks that are being replaced would be reconstructed into four fishing docks to be placed around Loch Ayr.
$6,000 to Mount Ayr Lions Club to purchase a digital camera to use with the University of Iowa Hospital to screen for early childhood eye disease that can causepermanent eye damage.
$4,000 matching grant to Diagonal Community School Foundation endowment fund.
$4,000 matching grant to Northeast Ringgold County Alliance/Union Township Endowment Fund.
$4,000 to town of Tingley to help purchase roofing materials and hire a contractor to replace the roof of the Tingley Community Building.
$3,060.94 to Ringgold Fair to purchase playground equipment for the fairgrounds.
$3,000 to Fogle Lake Park Board to purchase materials to construct a basketball court.
$3,000 to Diagonal Printing Museum to help replace sidewalk and handicapped entrance.
$2,000 to Mount Ayr American Legion Post 172 to replace acoustical ceiling tiles and light coverings.
$2,000 to Diagonal Lions Club for phase I of the Diagonal Downtown Beautification Project to purchase new decorative streetlights and renovate tree and flower plantings.
$1,500 to Clearfield Cemetery Association to reset stones as needed and continue paving roadways within the cemetery.
$1,500 to Ringgold County Child Care for playground equipment and expansion.
$1,500 to Kellerton Volunteer Fire Department to update communication equipment and replace faulty personal protection equipment.
$1,500 to City of Mount Ayr swimming pool committee to purchase electric vacuum cleaner system for pool.
$1,000 to Ringgold County Historical Society to replace side walk and handicapped entrance ramp at Cornwall House at Ellston Pioneer Museum.
$750 to Kellerton Restoration Committee to purchase exterior and interior paint and replacement exterior doors and windows for the school house museum. [Award accepted for the Kellerton Restoration Committee by Dee and John EURITT.]

Board members include Clint SPURRIER, Michell RICKER, Karen BENDER, Sue BECK and Barb STEPHENS.

Transcriptions by Sharon R. Becker, July of 2011

Photographs Courtesy of Dee Euritt and Sharon R. Becker

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