As difficult as 2020 was, it wasn’t all bad — friends and neighbors stepped up to help each other when they needed it most and people found ways to adapt to unprecedented times.

Here’s just some of the good news to come out of 2020:

A bull in a nursing home

In what was one of the last big visits of 2020 for residents at long-term care facilities, Ole the gentle bull paid a visit to Fort Dodge Health and Rehabilitation.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Harper Lovin, 14, left, and Kaylin Willingham, 14, granddaughters of the late Rev. Al Henderson, hold a sign together inviting the community to stop by for pumpkins, apple cider and doughnuts on Friday. It was the family’s way of paying it forward for the overwhelming report they say they received following the death of Al Henderson in October 2019.

Residents climbing on top of the beast found their humanity, raising their hands as if the 1,850-pound animal was a roller coaster ride.

“I get a lump in my throat a lot,” said handler Jason Dent after witnessing their pure, joyful reactions, as residents managed to smile wider than they have in a long time. “Their smiles are paralyzing.”

Overcoming the fear and succeeding in getting on top of Ole gives them a confidence and a renewed energy that few other activities can, he said.

“You’ve just renewed their own self-courage. It reestablishes humanity for them,” he said, just a month before nursing homes locked out visitors for months to keep residents safe from the coronavirus.

Nursing home parades

-Messenger photo by Elijah Decious
Denver Gardner, 7, tries to reach the pedal in his dad’s 1973 Plymouth Fury at the Ja-mar Cruise Night earlier this year.

When the coronavirus caused local nursing homes to close their doors to visitors in early spring, the Fort Dodge community didn’t want the residents or staff to feel like they were being forgotten. Drive-by parades were organized to bring cheer to the residents of nursing homes like the Villa Care Center in May and Friendship Haven in August. Friends, loved ones and community members drove by — many decorating their vehicles — to wave and honk at the residents sitting outside the buildings.

Nonprofit rescues 1,000 hens

The Fort Dodge Regional Airport played a role in helping 1,000 local hens fly the coop in May.

A local farm had to scale back its operations because of the economic impact of COVID-19 and nonprofit farm animal sanctuary Animal Place, of California, stepped up to take the 1,000 hens from the farm. It was the first time the hens had seen daylight, according to Hannah Beins, animal care director for Animal Place.

The animal sanctuary cared for the birds before finding them forever homes.

Ja-Mar Cruise Nights revived

Less than a day after Ja-Mar owner Jerry Jordison announced the 40-year tradition of Ja-Mar Cruise Nights in the summer had ended due to demolition and construction at the Crossroads Mall, Fort Dodge Ford Lincoln Toyota announced that it would take over the event.

“We couldn’t see it go away,” said Matt Johnson, co-owner of the dealership.

The event is now called the Fort Dodge Ford Toyota Ja-Mar Cruise.

Friends help sick farmer with harvest

Moorland farmer Paul Eldal was battling stage 4 kidney cancer during harvest season this year and was unable to handle harvesting his 150 acres of corn on his own.

So Iowa nice does what Iowa nice does best — friends and neighbors stepped up to harvest Eldal’s corn, as well as his 150 acres of soybeans.

“This is all very humbling, there are no words,” Eldal said. “Thank you isn’t enough, but that’s all I can say. It’s not enough, not at all.”

Oleson Park receives largest cash donation

In November, Oleson Park received its largest ever cash donation.

Donna Monkelien, of Fort Dodge, listed the city of Fort Dodge Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department as a beneficiary in her will. The department received $183,412.93 to maintain and improve the park.

Lori Branderhorst, director of the department, made the announcement at the Nov. 9 City Council meeting.

“Our department has received multiple generous land donations,” she said. “This was the first cash donation like this that I saw.”

Monkelien passed away in December 2019. She was 89.

In her obituary, Monkelien wrote that she hoped she would be remembered as someone who had a positive attitude and loved to help people.

Pay It Forward Friday

On the anniversary of the Rev. Al Henderson’s death on Oct. 2, the Fort Dodge community honored him by paying it forward with kind gestures.

Members of the Fort Dodge Police Association handed out gift cards to unsuspecting customers at Dunkin Donuts.

At Central Perk and Dessert, the owners of the Dariette purchased all the coffee for customers. Nicole Trost reported on Facebook that another customer paid for scones for the car behind her.

In the afternoon, the Henderson family provided the community with apple cider, doughnuts and pumpkins from the Henderson house on the east side of Fort Dodge.

That night, over 100 people gathered at City Square Park to honor the beloved Fort Dodge pastor.

Drive-thru Christmas at Friendship Haven

On Dec. 20, The Wellness Project hosted a Drive-Thru Christmas for residents at Friendship Haven.

Dozens of cars drove through the campus and waved to residents through the windows.

Gifts were dropped off to Santa and Christmas carols were sung.

Hams for Hunger

More than 1,000 local families once again received a holiday ham thanks to NEW Cooperative. NEW Cooperative has hosted the Hams for Hunger event in partnership with Upper Des Moines Opportunity. The staff at UDMO distributes 1,200 coupons to Webster County residents to redeem for a free ham, courtesy of NEW Cooperative.

In addition to the 1,200 hams NEW Cooperative handed out, the company delivered more than 800 more hams to 17 food pantries in the 13 Iowa counties that the company serves.

NEW Cooperative members and employees also received hams.

Grocery stores saved in rural communities

In the midst of sudden grocery store closures in small, rural towns in Webster and Calhoun counties, many suddenly found themselves in the midst of a term usually relegated to poor inner city neighborhoods — food deserts.

But thanks to the gumption and tenacity of leaders in Gowrie and Manson, those local trends were quickly reversed with a groundswell of enthusiasm that raised cash infusions to turn grocery stores in towns a substantial drive from the next nearest source into community-run, nonprofit efforts.

Leaders in Gowrie raised a quarter of a million dollars in just 10 days after the town showed up to an enthusiastic, packed town hall meeting in January — just before the coronavirus put an end to such types of meetings. Their store was back in business by April.

A few days after Gowrie’s first meeting, Manson leaders met to resurrect their store and managed to raise close to $200,000 in a matter of several weeks with small, grassroots donations. Their store was reopened by November, thanks to many volunteer hands making work light in renovating the store’s building.

The local success stories were a bright spot that caught the attention of readers all over the country after being picked up by the Associated Press and followed by CNN Business.

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