Rock Valley Magazine - Spring Summer 2017

THE LIGHTHOUSE
Shining
God’s
Light
on Life
ROCK VALLEY
MAGAZINE
RVSPRING/SUMMER 2017
CREATIVE NATURE
Grow
Create

visionfor the
Like you, we have a
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Hegg Memorial Health Center is committed to excellence
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with comprehensive quality service delivered with compassionate, personal care.
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712.476.8000
712.476.8100 712.476.8200
www.hegghc.org
Rock Valley, IA

CONTENTS
16
POST EQUIPMENT
HAS TRANSFORMED
from a wagon-building
business into a full-fledged
industry, featuring a
scrapyard and
manufacturing.
ROCK VALLEY M
A G A Z I N E
“It’s a lot of
fun, and
there’s
a lot of
giggling
involved.”
NICKKIE
HOEKSTRA
OWNER OF
CREATIVE NATURE
COVER PHOTO BY JOSH HARRELL
ON THE COVER
6
12
CREATIVE NATURE
FEATURES THE MOTTO
OF "DESIGN — CREATE
— GROW,"
and owner Nickkie Hoekstra is
committed to seeing projects
through from start to finish.
THE LIGHTHOUSE IS
"SHINING GOD'S LIGHT
ON LIFE."
The nontraditional church seeks
to create a family atmosphere
with a sense of fun and
belonging before, during and
after its services.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 3

CONTENTS
RV
ROCK VALLEY
MAGAZINE
SPRING/SUMMER 2017
FOUNDER AND PUBLISHER
Peter W. Wagner
PRESIDENT
Jeff Wagner
LEAD WRITER
Lindsay Kruse
25
EDITORIAL STAFF
Thea DeWaard
Briana Harrell
Tom Lawrence
Mark Mahoney
Jake Rogers
Brittney Wallenburg
ALSO INSIDE
20
JORDAN LUTJENS IS
GAINING TO LOSE.
The Rock Valley resident is
undergoing a major lifestyle change.
20
ADVERTISING DESIGN
Eli Anderson
Alex Bokemper
Dawn Cermak
Kristin Oldenkamp
Krystal Poppema
PHOTOGRAPHY
Josh Harrell
Rylan Howe
25
ROCK VALLEY CHRISTIAN
is making a major building
improvement to house a new gym.
Rock Valley Magazine
is published by
Iowa Information, Inc.,
Sheldon, Iowa.
29
32
34
PARKS & RECREATION
Check out what to do outdoors
during the spring and summer
months.
WORD ON THE STREET
What are you most looking
forward to about spring?
MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR
Meet police chief Monte
Warburton.
29
For advertising rates
and other questions,
please contact us.
Rock Valley Magazine
PO Box 160
Sheldon IA 51201
800-247-0186
712-324-5347
Fax 712-324-2345
Copies of Rock Valley Magazine
are available from participating
Rock Valley businesses.
We welcome suggestions,
story ideas and letters
to the editor.
©2017 Rock Valley Magazine
No material from this publication
may be copied or in any way
reproduced without written
permission from the publisher.
4 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

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SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 5

BUSINESS
CreativeNAT
Company's owner loves to improve and repair variety of things
Nickkie Hoekstra loves seeing a
project through from start to
finish.
“I like to fix things, change things, improve
things,” said the 35-year-old Rock
Valley resident.
And that’s exactly what she gets to do
as owner of Creative Nature, located on
the northwest end of Rock Valley at 2458
300th St.
“Design — Create — Grow” is the theme
of the business, which Hoekstra opened in
May 2014.
Creative Nature features a variety of
items — a café, interior decor items, landscape
design, a farmers market, a nursery
that sells trees, shrubs, evergreens,
roses, perennials and annuals as well as a
place for classes that offer the chance for
those interested in do-it-yourself projects
to spruce up a yard or home.
Hoekstra, a Rock Valley native, graduated
from Western Christian High School
in Hull in 2000. She obtained degrees in
business, horticulture and landscape architecture
from Southeast Technical Institute
in Sioux Falls, SD, in 2003.
She went on to work in the landscape industry
in Sioux Center, but always dreamed
of owning her own business.
“I decided it was either time to do it or
stick with the job I had,” Hoekstra said. “It
was now or never.”
She’s gradually expanded the business
throughout the last three years.
Creative Nature began primarily with
interior decor, plants and Creative Classes,
which have expanded along the way.
Prairie Hills Café, which is open for
lunch and three evenings per week, was
added in 2015, but she noted the offering
is growing as well, with more menu items
being added.
Paninis, flatbreads and salads are some
of the more popular choices, and soft-serve
ice cream recently has been added. Beer
and wine as well as outdoor dining will be
offered for the first time this summer.
6 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

URE
TEXT BY
LINDSAY KRUSE
PHOTOS BY
RYLAN HOWE
AT A GLANCE
Business: Creative Nature
Owner: Nickkie Hoekstra
Address: 2458 300th St., Rock Valley
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-
Tuesday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednesday-
Friday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday
Phone: 712-541-7440
Online: www.creativenaturellc.com;
facebook.com/creativenaturellc
Nickkie Hoekstra is the
owner of Creative Nature,
which has expanded over
the past three years to
include the Prairie Hills Café
and several other offerings,
including Creative Classes,
a clothing boutique, interior
decor and more.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 7

The Creative Classes are
similar to painting classes
that are becoming more and
more common, but the offering
allows participants to
delve into wood projects, such
as painting barnwood doors,
barnwood benches or wooden
boxes.
“It’s kind of unique, because
we start with a base project,
and they can fill it to match the
decor in their home,” Hoekstra
said. “It’s not a cookie
cutter-type thing where this is
what we’re going to paint next,
so each person gets to be their
own individual, and we help,
Gardening and landscaping supplies, potted plants, perennials, trees and more fill the exterior areas at
Creative Nature, while home decor, clothing and a small restaurant bring people inside the store.
of course, but it’s a lot of fun,
because everyone comes up
with unique designs.”
She said her employees
even get involved in the fun.
“We’ll be like, ‘Can we take
a picture of that? We want to
make one ourselves.’ It’s really
neat to watch them,” Hoekstra
said. “I think they get a
little intimidated at first when
people come and do it, but
once they get into the groove,
and you give them a couple of
hints and tips and tricks, then
you see them really take off
and have fun doing it.”
Only five people are required
for the events, and a
private party can be booked.
“We do a lot of office parties, birthday
parties, bachelorette parties, and we’re really
flexible on time and schedule. They
pick their craft and a night, and off we go,
and they can eat too, if they want to do it
all in one event,” Hoekstra said. “It’s a girls'
night out concept.”
She came up with the event for that
reason, specifically, as she said men have
many options for hobbies, whether it’s
hunting, fishing or a sporting event.
“Women have nothing to do besides go
shopping, and you don’t always have the
funds to shop if you’re a young family, so at
least this is something you can spend $20
on, hang out with friends and get out of
the house for a little while,” Hoekstra said.
“It’s a lot of fun, and there’s a lot of giggling
involved.”
The business began offering a farmers
market last summer, and the feature will
continue this year.
The offering will be open every Saturday
beginning in the middle of June
until sometime in September. While Creative
Nature will have its own booth, local
vendors also will be showcased, featuring
items ranging from vegetables, oils, home
decor, eggs and breads.
“It’s a pretty good mix,” Hoekstra said.
8 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

OTHER VENUE
Creative Nature also hosts a store in the parking lot of Van’s Food Pride, located at 1227 Valley
Drive in Rock Valley. The offering is seasonally stocked with annuals and garden decor.
“It’s a fun avenue for us,” said Creative Nature owner Nickkie Hoekstra.
CHRISTMAS
Christmas is big at Creative Nature in Rock Valley. “Christmas is fun out here,” said owner
Nickkie Hoekstra. “People always ask if we’re closed, but no, we’re open all year, and we do it up.
Of course, we have a fun building to decorate, so that’s why it’s so tempting. It’s hard to stop.”
Chelsea Larson rings up
an order during the lunch
rush at Creative Nature.
Prairie Hills Café, the store's
restaurant, offers paninis,
flatbread sandwiches and
salads. Allyson Hamling
of Sioux Falls, SD,
peruses the boutique.
While her business’ many offerings keep
her plenty busy, her passion is helping customers
take a project from start to finish.
“If they come in and they need a table
centerpiece, or if they have a front yard and
they need a tree, either way, whether it’s interior
or exterior, it’s just helping them find
the right thing, because when they find it,
they’re so excited about it,” Hoekstra said.
“That’s kind of what drives me is I just like
helping them solve their problem with
what is hopefully the right solution.”
Her future goals involve crafting Creative
Nature into a destination-type stop.
“I want it to be an environment where
they come and enjoy something,” Hoekstra
said. “There’s not a lot of touristy places
around this area, so if you have family in
town, what do you do? We’re kind of turning
into that, which I love.”
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 9

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10 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

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SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 11

FAITH
“I often think that every little town — every Hull, every Sioux Center, every
Orange City — should have an opportunity to have a gathering like
this, that there would be people who would find their church home here”
— MERLYN SANDBULTE
FAITH REFORMED MEMBER
TEXT BY LINDSAY KRUSE | PHOTOS BY JOSH HARRELL
SHINING GOD'S
LIGHT on LIFE
Lighthouse seeks to create family atmosphere with a sense of fun
and belonging before, during and after its services
The Lighthouse is more than a church; it’s a family.
That was more than evident during a recent Sunday morning worship service in
March.
Each of the about 30 people in attendance greeted one another as they arrived at the
downtown Rock Valley location, engaging in genuine conversation while enjoying coffee,
cookies and other refreshments prior to the start of the 11 a.m. service.
The communication didn’t stop once the worshiping began.
Members were encouraged to sing to anyone celebrating a birthday and share announcements
about and prayers for others going through an illness, surgery or hard time.
The service continued with the singing of modern worship songs, followed by a message
about finding peace in stressful situations given by guest speaker Barry Brandt, former
athletic director and football coach at Northwestern College in Orange City.
His son, Cory Brandt, is the middle school and high school science teacher at
Rock Valley and football coach for the Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley Nighthawks.
A meal always is served following each service.
12 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

THE FUTURE
Faith Reformed Church is continually asking, “What’s next?” for the future of the
Lighthouse, its second campus ministry.
“What other services can we offer? Is it a clothing closet, a food drive, opening
the doors on Friday nights after the game for people to come have a place to
hang out?” said Keith Sietstra, discipleship director at Faith Reformed. “We’re not
necessarily trying to share faith, we just want to build relationships with people.”
As evidenced by the worship service, the atmosphere
of the Lighthouse — the second campus
ministry of Faith Reformed Church in Rock Valley
— is casual and relaxed.
Services are held in a former bowling alley
turned reception hall located just west of Pizza
Ranch on 14th Street.
The building was gifted to Faith Reformed
about six years ago, and the setting portrays a
nontraditional church vibe, which the Lighthouse
uses to its advantage.
“We’re trying to use that as a draw to people,”
said Keith Sietstra, discipleship director at Faith
Reformed Church.
The interior space where services are held
features an array of circle-shaped tables with
about six-eight chairs per setting. A sound system,
speakers and two flat-screen televisions are placed
at the front of the room, displaying Bible verses
and song lyrics.
The Lighthouse was formed a little more than a
decade ago.
“As our church was growing, we wrestled with
the question of what was next for the church.
We had conversations about our growing
church size and if we should plant another
church,” Sietstra said, noting that’s how
Faith Reformed originally was formed.
“In the midst of that, we were approached
with the idea of how to
meet the needs of the unchurched
in town, to just be a hub for
local outreach.”
About eight couples
from Faith Reformed
initially
signed up to plug
into the second
Barry Brandt, former athletic director and
football coach at Northwestern College in Orange
City, served as guest speaker during a worship
service at the Lighthouse on March 26.
ministry, and services began being offered each
Sunday morning.
“We began making inroads of intentionally inviting
people in while also trying to think outside
the box and how to let people know about the new
service that was available,” Sietstra said.
The Lighthouse has grown to host 30-40 people
on a consistent basis each Sunday.
“Most of those people are there week-to-week,
and there’s a small handful — maybe five — that
are either new or have come to check it out for the
day, so there’s always that little bit of fluctuation,”
Sietstra said.
Merlyn Sandbulte and Mike Harmsen are two
Faith Reformed members who have been involved
with the Lighthouse since its inception.
They’ve both seen people begin attending services
at the second ministry and migrate on, either
to Faith Reformed, a different church or even to
become pastors.
According to Harmsen, that’s one of the primary
purposes of the Lighthouse.
“We just want to reconnect them with Jesus
and with God. If they find a point where they
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 13

want to migrate to another church, that’s
just wonderful,” he said. “We’ve had families
that have started here that ended up
at Faith, some that went to the Catholic
church, some that went to Calvin, and
that’s exactly what we want. We want
them to reconnect and find their place of
purpose in a church. We don’t care where
they go. If they want to go to Faith, that’s
great, but if they want to go somewhere
else, that’s great too.”
According to Sandbulte, another reason
people migrate from the Lighthouse is for
traditional church services, such as Sunday
school or catechism.
Both are on a rotating speaking schedule
of about six people, and they also invite
anyone who has something to say to stand
up and take the pulpit.
“I think the most surprising part has
been the fact that people have learned
to stand up. Sometimes I’ve related it to
a commodity or a comedy club, where
people have the opportunity to stand up,”
Sandbulte said. “People have learned to
stand up and present a message that would
never have done that otherwise, and that’s
the most surprising thing, is to watch people
grow in their willingness and their
confidence to stand up and proclaim a
message for Christ or for God.”
He noted that at least four people have
gone on to develop larger, more visible
roles in a traditional church setting, and
two have become pastors. One person’s
involvement with the Lighthouse even led
to a position with the Reformed Church in
America’s General Synod.
“I have often said this place is like
the manger in Bethlehem,” Sandbulte
said. “It’s kind of
a crude, lower
socioeconomictype
setting, but
yet I’ve seen God
birth some amazing
things out of
that.”
Those involved,
especially
Sandbulte and
Harmsen, have
a passion for the
Lighthouse, and
it shows through
their commitment
and involvement.
Harmsen previously worked at Hope
Haven International, a Rock Valley-based
ministry that manufactures and distributes
wheelchairs to children and adults worldwide.
“I just really have a heart for ministry,
and this kind of takes up part of the hole in
my heart,” he said.
“I still have wishes to be in a full-time
ministry someplace, but this is a good
place.”
Sandbulte also is committed to seeing
the ministry succeed.
“I often think that every little town — every
Hull, every Sioux Center, every Orange
City — should have an opportunity to have
a gathering like this, that there would be
people who would find their church home
here,” he said.
When they say, ‘Is the Lighthouse serving
a purpose?’ I think every town needs a
Lighthouse, to be honest. I think there are
people who are unchurched and who aren’t
going to walk in the doors of pews, and
they’re not going to put on nice clothes and
feel the pressure.”
And that’s evident at the ministry. People
can show up in dress clothes or sweat
pants, and no one judges their choice of
attire.
Rather, they welcome one another with
open arms and open hearts.
“Some people have come and said,
‘Well, that’s not a church; that’s a family,’”
Sandbulte said. “It wasn’t always like that,
but that’s kind of how it’s evolved.”
14 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

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SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 15

INDUSTRY
MORE THAN
TEXT BY LINDSAY KRUSE
PHOTOS BY JOSH HARRELL
junk
The wagon's tale: Rock Valley man's hobby has turned into a
Mike Post began rebuilding
feed wagons as a hobby.
His interest has turned
into a full-fledged, three-fold business.
Post Equipment Corp., located at 2553
320th St., resides on a 33-acre plot in rural
Rock Valley. The lot contains seven buildings
and plays host to Post Equipment,
Post Metal Recycling and Ironwood 53.
Post, 43, has expanded the business
since he began in 1994.
At that time, he owned a 100-head dairy
about 10 miles northwest of Rock Valley.
“I bought a wagon for my own farm and
rebuilt it, and that was kind of good, so I
rebuilt wagons in the evenings,” said Post,
who now lives in Rock Valley.
He went from one used wagon in his
first year to five, then 20.
Although he had owned his dairy for
20 years, Post knew his wagon business
quickly was expanding.
“I enjoyed it, so I started looking for
more. I would buy them from across the
16 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

Mike Post began rebuilding grain
wagons. Eventually, it grew to a business,
and includes metal recycling and a
manufacturing facility.
AT A GLANCE
Business: Post Equipment Corp.
Owner: Mike Post
Address: 2553 320th St., Rock
Valley
Hours: 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday
Phone: 712-476-4500
Online: postequip.com
successful business working with wood, iron and design
U.S., ship them in and rebuild them, resell
them, and it was just kind of a hobby,” Post
said. “The first one, I could make my acreage
payment with it, so I figured if I could
do 12 a year, I could pay for my acreage
with the wagons, and that got a little out of
hand.”
He had each feed wagon unloaded at
the former Vande Weerd Combine Salvage
Inc., where Post Equipment Corp. currently
is located,
“They’d come in on semis, and I’d unload
them and have them picked up,” Post
said.
He began to talk to the salvage yard
owners, as they were looking to sell, and he
was looking to buy.
“I didn’t need this much, because it was
a scrapyard already, but we ended up buying
the whole works and selling the farm,”
Post said.
When he moved to his new location in
2008, he was rebuilding 100 used wagons
per year. With the relocation, Post gained a
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 17

scrap metal recycling yard, so he took that
under his belt as well.
“When we bought it, it was way small
on scrap, so we’ve probably expanded it to
eight-10 times bigger on the scrap side in
the last eight-nine years,” Post said. “The
wagons kept going too.”
The scrapyard — Post Metal Recycling
— plays host to three roll-off trucks which
travel to businesses and farms to be filled
with scrap metal.
“That’s probably half our business is the
scrapyard now that we’ve grown it,” Post
said.
A massive scrap shear, which was
shipped in from California, was added to
the scrapyard last year.
“That’s as big as is in any scrapyard in
a 300-mile radius, so now we process, and
we go right to the steel mill,” Post said. “We
don’t do any middle man, so we can bid
competitively.”
Post Equipment now also sells
10 to 15 brands of used and new
feed wagons, manure spreaders
and other cattle care equipment,
he said.
Post added Ironwood 53, a manufacturing
facility which makes all of the aftermarket
parts for the feed wagons which are
sold across the nation, in 2015.
“We were making a lot of parts in our
own repair shop and outsourcing so many
parts, and lead times were too long, so it
was just time to start focusing on it more,”
he said.
The facility has expanded into manufacturing
parts not only for Post Equipment,
but for other agriculture-related companies
in a five-state area as well.
Post attributes his success to meeting a
need for farmers.
“They want a wagon they can use, because
a lot of them wear out, so rebuilding
the wagon to get some good use for a good
price and then doing a 100 percent job on
it — not cutting corners, so they can buy
a used wagon that they can use for five
years and probably not have it break down,
where usually they would buy new to have
that,” he said.
Every feed wagon that goes through
Post Equipment is run through the shop
and gets either rebuilt or checked over.
They then go out with a 60-day warranty,
Post said.
“We trust our work,” he said. “Our values
are that we work hard, we do the right
thing, we care, we all push a broom and
we think, so we treat the customer honestly,
because there’s a lot of things you can
hide.”
He never envisioned his hobby to
amount to a three-fold business, but Post
is excited for where the future will take
Post Equipment Corp.
“We’ve grown to be a lot more than just
wagons,” he said. “We want to just keep
doing what we do, but let it go where it
goes.”
That has worked well so far.
ALL OVER
Post Equipment Corp's
cattle equipment ships
locally, but all over the
United States.
“We ship parts out to the east
and west coasts every day,” said
owner Mike Post. “Just this week,
we shipped a spreader to Texas,
and then we had some go to
North Dakota and Nebraska and
two to Montana today.”
He’s also had equipment shipped
internationally to Pakistan, Japan
and Costa Rica.
Post Equipment began as a grain
wagon rebuilding business. It
has since expanded to include
manufacturing and a scrapyard.
18 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

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rcinc@premieronline.net
2109 17th Street, Rock Valley, IA
The Rock Valley Chamber of Commerce invites you to take a look at
our community and see for yourself why we believe we are
a place of opportunities!
ROCK VALLEY
Annual Chamber-Sponsored Events
Pick the Valley .................................................. May 13
Summer Sizzle ...........................................June 14-17
Rally in the Valley ................................... August 9-12
Rock Valley Economic Development
and Chamber of Commerce
Golf Tournament ................................. September 13
1505 Main Street, Rock Valley, IA 51247
Phone (712) 476-9300
www.rockvalleychamber.com
You're invited to Rock Valley!
We offer a wide array of businesses to suit your shopping needs!
Visit our website for business information, community calendar,
promotions, community activities and more information.
Shop local
and make us your
"one-stop shop!"
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 19

HEALTH
GAINING
BY
LOSING
TEXT BY LINDSAY KRUSE
PHOTOS BY JOSH HARRELL
Rock Valley resident is
undergoing a lifestyle
change to lose weight
Jordan Lutjens is undergoing a lifestyle
change.
The 23-year-old Rock Valley resident has
shown a strong sense of commitment toward reaching
his goals, which he set in part after being diagnosed
with diabetes.
Lutjens, who graduated from Rock Valley High
School in 2012, said diabetes runs in his family. His
grandfather, Greg Lutjens, passed away from the
disease, in which the body’s ability to produce or
respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting
in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and
elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine, at
the age of 64.
20 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

“It’s hard to lose fat and gain muscle at the same
time. If you’re looking good and feeling good, that’s all
that really matters.”
— JORDAN LUTJENS
SUMMER/SPRING 2017 | RV 21

Jordan Lutjens executes a shoulder lift while working out on April 3 at the Hegg Wellness Center in Rock Valley. The 23-year-old has
been working to live a healthier lifestyle. His current goal is to lose 100 pounds by his birthday on March 5, 2018.
“That kind of always stuck with me,” he
said. “You get out of high school, and you
put on some weight, and I was like, ‘I just
can’t do this anymore.’ I didn’t want to
end up like Grandpa did, dieing at a young
age. I said that if I went through the same
path as he did, I wouldn’t be able to see my
grandkids’ activities, my kids’ activities,
and that kind of stuff went through my
head.”
At the same time, his mom, Jodi Lutjens
would bring over clothes for him to try on,
and they wouldn’t fit.
“It just got to a point where I was sick of
it, and I realized I needed to do something
about it for myself,” Lutjens said. “I just
wanted to live a healthy lifestyle.”
He admitted that he was pretty lazy at
that point in time.
“I was coming home after work, taking
naps, just not doing much,” Lutjens said. “I
wasn’t eating well, which is not good for a
diabetic in the first place.”
He came up with a New Year’s resolution
to get more active and maintain a
more healthy lifestyle, and he began talking
to Rock Valley native Dalton Kats,
who is an exercise science and kinesiology
Jordan Lutjens adjusts his grip while doing bicep curls on
April 3 at Hegg Wellness Center.
major at the University of South Dakota in
Vermillion.
“He knew that I was diabetic, and he
said, ‘I’ve always wanted to help you start
22 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

AT A GLANCE
Name: Jordan Lutjens
Occupation: Warehouse worker at
D&D Global Inc. in Rock Valley
Age: 23
Residence: Rock Valley
Education: Graduated from Rock
Valley High School in 2012.
Family: Single
Interests: Working out, sportsrelated
activities and hanging out with
family and friends.
Jordan Lutjens executes bicep curls while exercising on April 3 at the Hegg Wellness Center in Rock Valley. His daily routine consists of
waking up around 4:45 a.m. for a bicycle ride or a walk as well as working out at the wellness center after he gets off work.
this, because you know you can beat diabetes,’”
Lutjens said.
Kats began giving him pointers, and his
resolution began taking off.
“He’s my motivator, saying, ‘You can
do this,’” Lutjens said. "He said, 'A journey
of a thousand miles begins with a single
step.'"
He began dieting in November 2015,
but didn’t start working out in earnest until
January of this year.
“I did little stints here and there, but
nothing big,” Lutjens said.
He’s also working with a nutritionist at
Max Muscle in Sioux Falls, SD.
“I had a buddy who played football at
the University of South Dakota who was a
nutritionist there, and he said, ‘You know,
you should really try this meal plan,’” Lutjens
said.
He travels to Sioux Falls once a week
to get weighed, and the scale measures
everything from body fat to muscle mass
to how much water is retained in his body.
Before he gets weighed, Lutjens cannot eat
100
pounds by MARCH
2018 is his weightloss goal.
LOSE
for two-and-a-half hours or work out for 12
hours prior.
“He goes through a bunch of numbers
and tries to get you to where you can eat so
much food, but still lose weight,” he said.
Lutjens counts macronutrients — a
combination of protein, carbohydrates and
fats as well as total calories — which are
broken down into about seven meals each
day.
His daily routine consists of waking up
at 4:45 a.m. and going for a 30-minute bike
ride or walk, then eating breakfast.
After work, he’ll work out at Hegg Wellness
Center on the campus of Hegg Memorial
Health Center in Rock Valley, training
one body part per day in an effort to reach
his goal.
“It’s more of a bodybuilding lifestyle
right now,” Lutjens said.
His goal is to lose 100 pounds by his
next birthday on March 5, 2018.
Right now, he’s lost about 10-12 pounds.
No matter, Lutjens is seeing a difference.
“It may only be 10-12 pounds, but the
difference you see in your body, like my
face and my hips — it’s ridiculous,” he said.
He noted that the scale doesn’t always
reflect what’s actually happening.
For instance, during one of his recent
weigh-ins in Sioux Falls, he lost four
pounds, including three pounds of body
fat, and he gained six pounds of muscle
mass.
“It’s hard to lose fat and gain muscle
at the same time,” Lutjens said. “If you’re
looking good and feeling good, that’s all
that really matters.”
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 23

Customized livestock
Nutrition & management
Forage Preservation
Formulated with Microbial
catalyst
Agronomy
products
Stop in and See us for
all
your
Pharmacy
Needs
We now offer a
30 % DISCOUNT
on 2017 memberships to any new or former
RVGC members who have not been a member for
RVGC for at least 2 or more years.
Former RVGC members who were not members
in 2016 will receive a 15% discount on
membership dues which will be applied to the
own member credit account. The member credit
account can be used for golf, cart rent, pro shop
merchandise or food and beverages.
We also offer a monthly payment option
for membership dues set up through ACH
payments with your bank.
Daily Green Fees: 9 Holes $15 .............18 Holes $20
Holidays/ Weekends: 9 Holes $20.....18 Holes $25
Cart Rental: 9 Holes $10 ........................18 Holes $15
We have
BANQUET FACILITIES
and a NEW PATIO
with FIRE PITS!
701 Golf Course Road
Rock Valley, IA
Phone 712.476.2427
1319 10th Street
Rock Valley, IA
712-476-5405
Hours: Mon - Fri 8am - 6pm
Sat 9am - 2pm • Sunday Closed
www.rockvalleygolfclub.com
general
contracting
DARYL SCHOLTEN
■
Commercial
■
Residential
■
Agricultural
Call us first
for all your
year-round
remodeling
needs!
C&D
Construction, Inc.
Phone 712.476.2871
745 10th Street, Suite A, Rock Valley, IA
Cell 712.470.1256
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IN THE COMMUNITIES OF NORTHWEST IOWA
800-741-8351 | MYPREMIERONLINE.COM
339 1ST AVE NE, SIOUX CENTER |
24 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

EDUCATION
TEXT BY LINDSAY KRUSE | PHOTOS BY RYLAN HOWE
MORE THAN
A gym
Rock Valley Christian School building new facility
Physical education teacher Alyssa Van't Hul gives some final instructions before turning the class loose for a game in the gymnasium at
Rock Valley Christian School. The school is in the fundraising phase of a project to construct a new gym and make other improvements.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 25

Fifth-grader Aubrey Vander Ziel runs laps during P.E. class at Rock Valley Christian School. The students went through a variety of
warm-up exercises before class in the gym, which will soon be replaced, as the school is raising funds to construct a new gym.
Rock Valley Christian School is
expanding its facilities.
The educational facility is in
the midst of a fundraising campaign to
build a new gymnasium.
“It’s much more than just a gym for us,”
said principal Brad Vis.
The current about 40-year-old gymnasium
has become increasingly inadequate
for the 106-year-old school.
“The ceiling is so low that every time a
student bumps a volleyball, it goes off the
ceiling. The bleachers are too close to the
out of bounds line. The wall is too close to
the basket,” Vis said. “At one time it was
functional, but as time moves on, it’s just
not functional for any of those things.”
The Rock Valley Christian School Society
approved the $1,195,600 project, which
includes a few other improvements, in November,
and fundraising began in earnest
in January.
The gymnasium itself will cost a little
more than $900,000, which will be
needed to begin construction, and more
than $450,000 already has been raised in
pledges and cash donations.
Vis said the gym, which will be constructed
on top of the current room on the
northwest portion of the school, is needed
for a variety of reasons. The facility will
provide more room for chapels, physical
education classes, indoor recesses and
more.
“P.E. classes, we don’t have adequate
space for that,” Vis said. “A big thing in our
school is indoor recess during inclement
weather. How do you get students a way to
burn off energy when it’s too cold or raining
or snowing? Our current gym is not
adequate at all for that.”
In addition, the school hosts chapel services
in the gym, and parents are invited to
the functions.
The school has been relegated to standing
room only for such events, especially
with only five rows of bleachers to hold
crowds.
26 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

“There’s just not enough space,” Vis
said.
He noted that nearly every class also has
some type of project that it hosts during
the school day throughout the year — firstgraders
put on a zoo, second-graders have
a magnet fun day, third-graders host a Native
American day, middle school students
have a medieval banquet.
“During the school day, where do you
host things like that? It’s been more and
more difficult,” Vis said. “We’ve actually
done it in the bus barn, and we take out the
buses.”
The new gymnasium measures in at
8,800 square feet, which also includes
some storage room to the east. The room
will allow for a high school-length basketball
court going east and west and two
short courts going north and south. Ten
rows of bleachers also will be included.
A main entrance to the new gym is
anticipated to be added to the west, which
will provide parking for school functions
and allow Rock Valley Christian to close
the remainder of the school during sporting
events.
The total project cost also includes paving
the east parking lot, adding a new heating
and cooling system in the old gym and
re-keying the facility to keep students and
staff as safe as possible.
The current gym, located just south of
the new facility, will be converted into a
cafeteria. Students now eat in classrooms.
Vis said the old gym will be used for
classroom projects, and P.E. classes can
continue as normal in the new facility.
“We’re super excited about that,” he
said.
Once the $900,000 needed is raised,
Vis said the plan is to start digging.
Architecture Inc. of Sioux Falls, SD, is
acting as the project architect. The company
also completed the school’s latest
addition to the east of the facility.
C&J Construction of Rock Valley will
serve as the project manager. The company’s
owner, Jeff Van Bemmel, serves on
Rock Valley Christian School’s building
and grounds committee.
“It’s the right time and right place,” Vis
said. “We believe that’s not just by accident
that he’s on the board at this time.”
AT A GLANCE
School: Rock Valley Christian
School
Principal: Brad Vis
Address: 1405 17th St., Rock
Valley
Phone: 712-476-2615
Online: rockvalleychristian.
com
Fifth-grader Kylan De Weerd
updates the scoreboard
while playing a game with
classmates during P.E. class in
the gymnasium at Rock Valley
Christian School.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 27

Come to us
for all your
Welding
and farm
equipment repair
TERRY’S
REPAIR
Phone 712-476-2696
1005 Creek Blvd, Rock Valley, IA
Valley Machining
Company
1250 22nd Avenue • P.O. Box 155
Rock Valley, IA 51247
Phone 712-476-2828
Fax 712-476-2829
www.valleymachining.com
MANUFACTURER OF
Precision-Machined
Products AND
Sub-Assemblies
TO CUSTOMER SPECIFICATIONS
Check out our many
Shingles and Siding Colors
plus many other building products!
3114 Eagle Avenue, Rock Valley, IA 51247
712-476-9761 • www.siouxfab.com
Farmers Lumber Co.
Hwy. 18, Rock Valley, IA • 712.476.5362
Monday-Friday 7-5, Saturday 7-noon
188 Westview Circle
Rock Valley, IA
Phone: 712.476.9279
midpro@premieronline.net
Experience Ultra-Precise
Machining
and result-focused
Customer
Service
Providing
•Vocational Services •Residential Services
•Mental Health Services and Recovery
•Children and Family Services
FOR 1,428 CHILDREN AND ADULTS WITH DISABILITIES IN:
Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, O'Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth and Sioux Counties
Plus 39 other counties in Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota
GIFTS SUPPORT CRITICAL AREAS SUCH AS:
•Scholarships for people receiving services
•Religious services, activities and retreats •Housing for children and adults
•Distributing wheelchairs to the "poorest of the poor" in developing countries around the world
Unleashing Potential in People
1800 19th Street, Rock Valley, IA
Phone 712-476-2737
www.hopehaven.org
TOTAL COMPONENT SOLUTIONS
2080 10th Street, Rock Valley, IA
712.476.5315 • www.tcsiowa.com
28 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

RECREATION
TEXT BY LINDSAY KRUSE | PHOTOS SUBMITTED, FILE PHOTOS
PARKS&
Recreation
Rock Valley offers a variety of
recreational opportunities.
Swimming, golfing,
camping, hiking — the list goes on for
avenues to explore during the spring
and summer months.
GOLF
The Rock Valley Golf Club, located at
701 Golf Course Road, was named the
Iowa Golf Association’s 2015 9-Hole
Course of the Year.
The facility is open 7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Monday-Sunday, and its pro shop is
Deb Vogel of Rock Valley jogs off the
former railroad bridge on the Rock
Valley trail system in April. She takes
advantage of the trail system a few
times a week and enjoys the ability to
use the path during the winter months.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 29

The Rock Valley Golf Club
was named the Iowa Golf
Association's 9-hole Course of
the Year in 2015. The facility
also features a pro shop,
among other amenities.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
• Contact the city of Rock Valley
at 712-476-5707 or visit www.
cityofrockvalley.com.
• Contact the Rock Valley Chamber
of Commerce at 712-476-9300 or visit
www.rockvalleychamber.com.
open 8 a.m.-dark on weekdays and 7:30
a.m.-dark on weekends and holidays.
The golf club’s other amenities include
banquet facilities, a chipping area, putting
green, beverage cart, rental clubs and a
restaurant and sports lounge.
For more information on fees and
membership information, visit www.rockvalleygolfclub.com
or call 712-476-2427.
SWIMMING
The Rock Valley Public Swimming Pool
is located in the center of Rock Valley at
1111 13th Ave.
The facility features a main pool with
diving area, three-foot deep training pool,
enclosed seven-inch deep wading pool
The Rivers Bend Shootout watercross racing event will be held July 28-29. For more
information, visit iwaracing.com.
and restrooms with showers and a changing
area. Lockers are available upon request,
and a park with shade, picnic tables
and grills is situated next to the structure.
The pool tentatively is scheduled to
open for the season on June 6.
PARKS
Rock Valley plays host to four parks
equipped with playgrounds, shelter houses,
basketball courts and more:
• Bicentennial Park, 1800 11th St.
• Corner Park, 1901 15th St.
• City Park, 1013 13th Ave.
• Sports Complex, 2107 17th St.
RIVERS BEND
Designed to create a venue for outdoor
30 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

enthusiasts, Rivers Bend regularly welcomes
visitors from not only Rock Valley,
but surrounding communities and states
as well.
Camping, fishing, hiking, bicycling and
canoeing are only a few of the many recreation
options the location has to offer.
Rivers Bend was born when Van Zee
Enterprises in Rock Valley gifted the city
with 94 acres of land.
The former quarry previously was used
to mine sand and gravel before being converted
into a regional asset.
The campground, located at 2433 300th
St., was constructed through efforts from
Rock Valley’s city crew and students from
Northwest Iowa Community College in
Sheldon.
Rivers Bend will celebrate its 10th anniversary
in August, and a special celebration
is in the works.
ORGANIZED
RECREATION
The Rock Valley Chamber of Commerce
offers a variety of summer recreational
activities for elementary and middle school
students:
• Arts and Crafts
• Ballet/Jazz Dance
• Baseball
• Cheer and Drill Team
• Children’s Theatre
• Coach Pitch
• Flag Football
• Golf
• Mixed Activities
• Softball
• T-ball
• Volleyball.
The programs run for four weeks during
the month of June. Registration forms are
available online at www.rockvalleychamber.com
and are due April 27.
The chamber also hosts adult recreation
options, including men’s and women’s
slow-pitch softball leagues.
SPECIAL EVENTS
• July 1: Rivers Bend’s Fourth of July
celebration, which will include fireworks at
dusk.
• July 8: Family Fishing Clinic at Rivers
Bend Campground. The event, hosted
by the Sioux County Conservation Board,
will run 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m., and all ages are
welcome. Children ages 8 and under must
have an adult present, and those 16 and
over must have a valid fishing license to
fish. Fishing poles will be provided as will
lunch. The entrance fee to the park will be
waived during the clinic.
Preregistration is required by calling
Rivers Bend at 712-476-6065.
• July 28-29: Rivers Bend Shootout.
The watercross racing will start at 3 p.m.
Friday, July 28, and 9 a.m. Saturday, July
29. Registration for the event closes at
midnight on July 26.
For more information, visit iwaracing.
com or search for Rivers Bend Shootout on
Facebook.
• Aug. 9-12: Rally in the Valley. The annual
city celebration, which is sponsored
by the Rock Valley Chamber of Commerce,
features a 3-on-3 basketball tournament,
coed volleyball tournament, tractor pull,
car show, kids games, teen dances, Crazy
Days, food booths and more.
The annual Rally in the Valley city celebration, sponsored by the Rock Valley Chamber of Commerce, is slated for Aug. 9-12. Events include
a 3-on-3 basketball tournament, coed volleyball tournament, tractor pull, car show, kids games, teen dances, Crazy Days and more.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 31

•Individual, Marriage and Family Therapy
•Adolescent and Play Therapy
•Psychiatric Provider Services
•Dedicated Team of Licensed Professionals
with many Specialties
Creative Living Center, P.C.
Sioux County’s Designated Mental Health Provider
1905 10th Street • Rock Valley, IA
712.476.5245 or 888.587.2537
info@creativelivingcenterpc.com
OFFICES IN SIOUX CENTER, ORANGE CITY,
ROCK VALLEY, HAWARDEN & SHELDON
Supporting a Healthy and Productive
Community in the Workplace
Services Include:
• Family Issues
• Mental Health
• Financial Consult
• Legal Consult
• and Many More
www.connectionseap.com
ph:1.800.779.6125
hay and straw
auctions
R O C K V A L L E Y
Hay Auction Co.
2322 14th St., Rock Valley, IA
712-476-5541
See the sales results at
www.rockvalleyhay.com
MONDAYS 12:30 P.M.
(November-April)
THURSDAYS 12:30 P.M.
(All year around)
Let our experience in hay and
straw marketing work for you!
SELLING HAY AND STRAW
FOR OVER 60 YEARS!
Proud member of
Travel Leaders
The #1 Travel Network
712-722-3727 • Sioux Center, IA
www.thetraveladvantage.com
COOL
in the
SUMMER
Like Us Pin Us Tweet Us
&
712.476.5254
1434 Main Street
Rock Valley, IA
WARM
in the
WINTER
TEXT & PHOTOS BY LINDSAY KRUSE
What are you most lo
Spring has
arrived,
and people
throughout N’West
Iowa are itching to
get outside and
enjoy their most
beloved warmer
weather hobbies
and activities.
We asked people
in Rock Valley
about what they’re
most looking forward
to about the
season.
Here’s what we
learned.
“Going on walks
with my baby
boy. This will be
his first spring.”
— Nicole McCray,
Rock Valley resident and
director of Rock Valley
Public Library
West Rock
Construction Inc.
Concrete Wall Professionals
•RESIDENTIAL •AGRICULTURAL
•COMMERCIAL
•Any Wall Size Available
•We Pour 8’ and 9’ Basement Walls •Flatwork
•Sidewalks •Driveways •Stamped Concrete
Commodity Sheds•Bunkers•Confi nements
Email your plan to us at info@westrockconstruction.net
and we will send you back a proposal - it’s that easy
Tim Maassen
Business 712.982.2007
Cell 712.470.4746
1995 350th Street, Rock Valley, IA 51247
Rock Valley
Commodities
Managed Futures
Futures & Options ■ Grain Consultant
Nate Van Ginkel, Broker
1231 Main Street, Rock Valley, IA 51247
Toll Free 1.800.657.4321
Cell 712.470.5790
nathan.ginkel@gmail.com
32 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017
LYLE'S HEATING
AND COOLING
2020 Main St. Rock Valley, IA
Ph: 712-476-5157
Cell: 712-578-9338

WORD ON THE STREET
oking forward to about SPRING?
PROUD TO BE A PART OF
ROCK VALLEY FOR 20+ YEARS!
Phone 712.476.9930
1513 14th Street, Rock Valley, IA
www.pizzaranch.com
“Biking on the trails
and around town
with my husband
Zach.”
— Rachel Garland,
librarian at Rock Valley
Public Library and Rock
Valley resident
Call us for all your
electrical
needs
•New •Home •Remodel
•Commercial •Repair •Farm
“Nice warm
weather, green
grass and being
able to be outside.”
— Nancy Vander Schaaf,
owner of Treasures on
Main and rural Rock
Valley resident
“Finishing my
landscaping — I
have part of a grove
to put in — and
getting my wife to
walk again.”
— Harvey Bolks,
rural Rock Valley resident
Quality Dining
•Prime Rib •Steak •Chops
•Ribs•Seafood •Sandwiches
•Soups •Salads •Full Bar
•Homemade Desserts
•Off-Sale
Liquor
•Beer
•Wine
•Cigarettes
•Lottery
950 Westview Dr. , Rock Valley IA 51247
PHONE 712-451-6506
Hours: Monday-Thursday 3-8 p.m., Friday 3-9 p.m.,
Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Closed Sunday
Come join us at our
NEW LOCATION
on Highway 18 in Rock Valley
OPENING SUMMER 2017
Kevin Blankespoor • 712.470.2300
Phone 712.476.2600
1523 14th Street
Rock Valley, IA
www.cedarrockgrill.com
Mon-Thurs 11-8, Fri 11-5, Sat 5-9
Private Rooms Available
Prime Club Gift Cards
1220 21st Ave • Rock Valley, IA 51247
Phone (712) 476-2749
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 33

MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR
TEXT BY LINDSAY KRUSE | PHOTO BY RYLAN HOWE
MEET Monte Warburton
Rock Valley is filled to the brim with
people we want to know better.
Monte Warburton is no
exception.
The 43-year-old Rock Valley resident
took over the helm as chief of police in the
Sioux County community of about 3,400
in 2005.
Warburton lives to serve, and his goal is
to protect those who live and work in Rock
Valley.
MONTE WARBURTON
JOB: Chief of police for the Rock Valley Police
Department
AGE: 43
FAMILY: Wife, Jody; two children: Jenna, 15, and
Holli, 13.
CHILDHOOD HOMETOWN: Hartley
FAVORITE PART OF THE JOB: I have been working
in law enforcement for 23 years, and my favorite
part of the job is when I can make a positive
impression of law enforcement to children. It
is very rewarding when you hear from people
years later, and they tell you what a positive
impact you had on their life.
MOST CHALLENGING PART OF THE JOB: The most
challenging part of the job is fighting the negative
stereotypes placed on law enforcement. Most
of the big media outlets focus on current events
that are controversial or which show police
officers acting improperly. Those news stories
can make it harder for law enforcement to work
with the public, because it jeopardizes the trust
that the Rock Valley Police Department has
worked so hard to earn.
FAVORITE BOOK? “Lone Survivor” by Marcus
Luttrell.
HOBBIES? Hunting and fishing.
CHURCH AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS YOU
BELONG TO? St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Rock
Valley and a Little League softball coach.
FAVORITE MOVIE? “Tombstone”
FAVORITE MUSIC GENRES? Country
FAVORITE FOOD? Ribeye from Texas Roadhouse.
FAVORITE VACATION? When I took the family to
Yellowstone National Park.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT ROCK VALLEY?
Quite simply, the positive attitude of the
community. When a member of the community
needs help, everyone pulls together to help
out. A fine example of this was during the flood
of 2014. Members of the community came
together to protect, restore and rebuild Rock
Valley after devastating flood waters caused
extensive damage. Those efforts proved that
no matter how big a problem you have, stay
positive and work together, and you can make a
difference.
34 RV | SPRING/SUMMER 2017

SPECIALISTS IN
OUTDOOR LIVING
ENVIRONMENTS
Now is the perfect time to begin planning for your landscape project.
From a front yard face-lift, to a backyard retreat our expert team
will guide you every step of the way, from the design to the finished project.
175 Westview Drive
Rock Valley, IA
712.476.5299
www.outdoorelementsinc.com
SPRING/SUMMER 2017 | RV 35

It’s EASY!
Simply link your Swipe’n Save
Checking & Savings Accounts and...
Every time you make a purchase with your
Peoples Bank debit card, the amount is rounded
to the nearest whole dollar, and the round up
amount is automatically deposited into your
savings account.
The more you SWIPE, the more you SAVE!
Ask us about a possible
Peoples Bank BONUS MATCH!
Where Values Matter!
1230 Valley Dr. • Rock Valley • 712.476.2746
peoples-ebank.com • Member FDIC
@BankWithPeoples