020125_DIS_A01_c V2

A FREE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE FROM IOWA INFORMATION MEDIA GROUP
DISCOVER! MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 1, 2025
TAPPING
sweet
into the
life
Shining
their light
CrossWinds Church hosts
Night to Shine
— SEE PAGE 8
Lakes Regional Healthcare
fundraiser at Roof Garden
— SEE PAGE 9
Grape
escape
Story in a
Glass
Wine class focuses on
African American owners
and winemakers on Feb. 6
— SEE PAGE 5
Dickinson County Nature Center
offers up Kenue Coffee on Feb. 6
— SEE PAGE 4
Your source for weekend fun in N’West Iowa
FunAtBoji.com

FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | DISCOVER!
2 |
Contents
4
Nature:
5
Taste:
ON THE COVER
The Dickinson County Nature Center will host a Kenue Coffee Hour on maple syruping at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 6.
8
Event:
Nature Center offers
maple syruping class.
Wine class focuses on
African American winemakers.
CrossWinds Church to
host Night to Shine.
4
9
Other
Happenings: Other
must-see area events to check out.
11
5
Screen: New releases for the
big screen and good new rentals.
Side Trip:
DIY projects often mushroom into
something much bigger than the original
intent. We had that experience
last weekend with the kitchen sink.
A new sink and new faucets should have
taken a couple of
hours, plus time for
the silicone to set.
My husband is handy
with home improvement
projects, so I
had every confidence
the project would be
completed correctly.
It was after he’d
turned the water off
to the kitchen that I
remembered to tell
him the drinking water
dispenser in our
refrigerator hadn’t been working. We generally
get water from the faucet at the sink,
so I simply hadn’t remembered to tell him
when I noticed around Christmastime that
the fridge dispenser wasn’t dispensing.
The ice maker was functional, so water
was getting to the fridge, and you could hear
water running when depressing the button,
but nothing came out.
“Let’s look in the back,” my husband said
as he pulled the fridge away from the wall.
I immediately noticed two things: water
running down the wall, and an entire clan
of dust bunnies had taken residence under
the fridge.
How long had it been since I cleaned
back there? Yikes!
Jeff quickly diagnosed the water problem
— the plastic tubing was brittle and cracked.
This had happened once previously, and
the solution was a simple replacement tube
with a couple of splices.
Corralling the dust bunnies and other
miscellaneous items that found their way
under — what was that crusty yellow thing?
A vitamin perhaps? — wasn’t difficult either.
With that little detour and an unanticipated
rusty drainpipe that fell apart, the
sink project morphed into a two-day project.
The final result looks wonderful, and
the bonus is that we once again have two
sources for drinking water. Win-win.
8
MYRNA
WAGNER
DISCOVER! is your guide to all the special events and activities in the greater
northwest Iowa, southwest Minnesota, southeast South Dakota and northeast
Nebraska areas. It is distributed free throughout these areas.
Copyright 2025. Nothing may be reprinted, photocopied or in any way
reproduced without the permission of the publisher.
Advertising and Editorial Offices:
P.O. Box 160, Sheldon, IA 51201
1-800-247-0186
e-mail: discover@iowainformation.com
funatboji.com

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | 3

FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | DISCOVER!
4 |
Nature
MARK YOUR
CALENDARS!
KATE HARLOW | STAFF WRITER
TAPPING INTO THE
SWEET LIFE
At a Glance:
WHAT: Kenue Coffee — Maple
Syruping
WHERE: Dickinson County
Nature Center, 22785 Nature
Center Road, Okoboji, IA
WHEN: 10:30 a.m. Thursday,
Jan. 6
COST: Free
CONTACT: 712-336-6352
ONLINE: www.dickinsoncountyconservationboard.com
Whether you are
curious about
nature or just have
a sweet tooth, you
don’t want to miss
this program.
Amy Heibult
Nature has many gifts to bestow on
us and one of those goes particularly
well with waffles.
Maple syrup is a gift of the trees in
winter that also gives us shade on a hot
summer’s day. But getting the syrup out
of the tree and processing it to actually
be able to pour it over your hot, buttered
waffles takes some know-how.
That is what’s going to be the topic
of discussion at the Dickinson County
Nature Center’s next Kenue Coffee
Hour.
The next Kenue Coffee Hour is set to
take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Feb.
6, at the Maser Monarch Lodge.
The Kenue Coffee Hour is a monthly
educational program geared toward
adults for them to come and learn.
Each month there is a new topic
and a featured expert who can give a
presentation on the subject and answer
questions.
“We provide a light coffee bar for
guests, and hope that they enjoy some
conversation before the program,”
according to Amy Heibult, the community
relations coordinator with the
Dickinson County Nature Center.
The topic for this month’s discussion
will be “Maple Syruping.” The class
will be led by Danika Cox, the education
coordinator with the Dickinson
County Nature Center.
There is a lot to learn about the process
of making maple syrup.
“Did you know it can take 20 to 100
gallons of tree sap to make one gallon
of syrup, depending on the sugar
content?” asked Amy Heibult, the
community relations
coordinator with the
Dickinson County
Nature Center. “The
process can be simple
and takes some time,
but the end result is
worth it!”
This program has a
broad appeal, according
to Heibult, from everyone
who loves learning
about the natural world
to those who just love
maple syrup.
“Whether you are curious
about nature or just
have a sweet tooth, you
don’t want to miss this program,”
Heibult said. F
Dickinson County Nature Center offers
up Kenue Coffee on Feb. 6
Okoboji | Iowa

MARK YOUR
CALENDARS!
DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Taste | 5
STORYGlass
KATE HARLOW | STAFF WRITER
IN A
Wine class focuses on African
American owners and
winemakers on Feb. 6
Each glass of wine has a story.
From how the wine was made to
who worked and toiled to create that particular
vintage, each wine has a story and the
Pearson Lakes Art Center has been helping
share those stories every month with a series
of wine classes.
Each month the class focuses on a specific
topic and the one for February is African
American Owners & Winemakers.
The classes are led by Jennifer Tritle-Oitzman,
who is a certified wine specialist, who
works as a sales and key account manager for
Okoboji Wines.
“Tritle-Oitzman is a native of the Iowa
Great Lakes. She has been in the Wine,
Beer, and Spirits Industry since 2000 having
worked both in restaurants and with
alcoholic beverage distributors,” according
to her bio. “She earned her Certified Wine
Specialist (CSW) certification in 2011 and has
continued to expand her knowledge over the
years. Jennifer loves this industry as it is a mix
of ever-changing trends and new products as
well as steeped in tradition with a deep history.”
The next edition of their monthly wine class
will be at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6. People can
sign up for each class individually.
The cost is $45 for members and $55 for
nonmembers and space is limited to 40
people.
At a Glance:
WHAT: Wine Class — African American
Owners & Winemakers
WHERE: Pearson Lakes Art Center, 2201
Highway 71, Okoboji, IA
WHEN: 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6
COST: $45 for members, $55 for nonmembers
CONTACT: 712-332-7013
ONLINE: www.lakesart.org
Tritle-Oitzman decided to focus on African
American owners and winemakers because
February is Black History Month.
“Like any industry — its good to have people
working in it with different perspectives
and cultures. The wine industry was really
dominated by white men for a very long time,
so I love highlighting minority winemakers
and vineyard owners who are adding their
stories and experiences to their wines,” Tritle-
Oitzman said.
There will be six wines featured and each
table will enjoy them along with the stories of
each wine with a charcuterie board.
Wines will be on hand to be sold after the
event with the proceeds going to support the
Pearson Lakes Art Center. F
Okoboji | Iowa

6 | FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | DISCOVER!

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | 7

FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | DISCOVER!
8 |
Event
MARK YOUR
CALENDARS!
CrossWinds Church hosts Night to Shine
Shining
RYLAN HOWE | STAFF WRITER
THEIR LIGHT
At a Glance:
WHAT: Night to Shine
WHERE: CrossWinds Church,
2805 Erie Ave., Spirit Lake, IA
WHEN: 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb, 7
COST: Free but register ahead of
the event
CONTACT: 712-336-3537
ONLINE: www.spiritlake.crosswinds.tv
We want to be a
blessing to the
community and
think that the special
needs community
should be more
celebrated.
Nikki Bergmann
On a Friday evening the week before
Valentine’s Day churches
around the world will be united
as they host the Night to Shine.
CrossWinds Church in Spirit Lake
will be one of them.
The event is sponsored by the Tim
Tebow Foundation and is described
on its website as “centered on God’s
love, honoring and valuing people
with special needs.”
This worldwide event has been
steadily growing over the past 10
years. This will be the first time
CrossWinds has served as a host and
they already have a built-in connection.
“Actually Payton Ahrenstorff grew
up going to CrossWinds and now
works for the Tim Tebow Foundation
and so she’s been helping us from
that side of it,” said Nikki Bergmann,
office administrator at CrossWinds
and chair of the Night to Shine planning
committee.
Night to Shine will be held from
6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, and is free and
open to anyone ages
14 and older with
special needs. People
are asked to register
prior to the event.
The church will
provide corsages and
boutonnieres and
will have a red carpet
experience leading
guests into the event.
Activities will
include limousine
rides, karaoke, hors
d’oeuvres and much
more.
“We’ll have a
dance floor set up
and a DJ playing music
all night,” Bergmann said. “We’ll
have some games and activities set
up throughout the sanctuary as well
as a respite room for caregivers to
relax and enjoy some food as well as
a sensory room for guests to have a
quiet place to relax.”
CrossWinds will be the only
church in N’West Iowa hosting Night
to Shine, with the next closest to the
area being in Sioux Falls.
Bergmann noted that they’ve been
in contact with a church in Des
Moines that has hosted the event
numerous times for input and advice
on hosting a fantastic Night to Shine.
“We’re really excited and hope that
this can be an annual thing that we
can put on,” Bergmann said. “We’re
always looking for ways to spread
good will. We want to be a blessing
to the community and think that the
special needs community should be
more celebrated.” F
Spirit Lake | Iowa

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Other Happenings | 9
Grape Escape
There are a multitude of
ways to help those in
need.
Lakes Regional Healthcare by
it’s very nature as a hospital
helps to serve that goal in the
Iowa Great Lakes.
And the annual Grape Escape
fundraiser hosted by the
LRH Foundation helps the
facility to continue to serve the
needs in an even greater capacity
year after year. The event is
already sold out for this year,
but people can still donate.
This year’s event is scheduled
for Friday, Feb. 7, at the
Roof Garden Ballroom in
Arnolds Park beginning with
a social hour at 5:30 p.m. with
dinner prepared by the Hi-Lo
Supper Club and Catering,
paired with select wines.
A live auction will follow
the meal along with entertainment
from Felix and Fingers
Dueling Pianos.
WHAT: Lakes Regional Healthcare
Foundation’s annual
Grape Escape fundraiser
WHERE: Roof Garden Ballroom,
91 Lake St., Arnolds
Park, IA
WHEN: 5:30 p.m. Friday, Feb.
7
COST: SOLD OUT
CONTACT: 712-336-8791
ONLINE: www.lakeshealth.org
CURRENT NEEDS:
Powered Stair Chair Fund
Decrease Diabetes Fund
Scholarship Endowment Fund
Hospice Fund
Emergency Response Services
Fund
Caring for Life Fund
East Side Patio Memorial Gifts

10 | FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | DISCOVER!

DISCOVER! | FEBRUARY 1, 2025
Screen | 11
new at the
box office
Limited release movies are not included in “What’s New.” Only films that receive an average “C” or better rating by
movie critics on both coasts and the Midwest are included in “Good Stuff.”
Companion
R | 97 min.
A weekend getaway turns bloody and violent when a subservient
android that’s built for human companionship goes
haywire.
Dog Man
PG | 89 min.
When a faithful police dog and his human police officer owner
are injured together on the job, a harebrained but lifesaving
surgery fuses the two of them together and Dog Man is born.
good stuff still playing
One of Them Days R
97 min.
Dreux and Alyssa are about to have One of Them Days. When they discover Alyssa’s
boyfriend has blown their rent money, the duo finds themselves going to extremes in a
comical race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact.
Presence R
85 min. A family moves into a suburban house and becomes convinced they’re not alone.
what you can rent
Kensuke’s Kingdom
★★★★★
★★★★★
Wolfman
R
118 min.
With his marriage fraying, Blake persuades his wife Charlotte to take a break from the city
★★★★★
PG
85 min.
★★★★★
Young Michael, shipwrecked on a remote island, must adapt to life alone. Over time, he
feels another presence, learning that this world is home to both unimaginable danger and
beauty. A gripping animated adaptation of a beloved novel.
★★★★★
Smile 2 R
127 min.
About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing
terrifying events. Overwhelmed by the horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is
forced to face her past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.
Rumours R
103 min.
Ricocheting between comedy, apocalyptic horror, and swooning soap opera, “Rumours”
follows the seven leaders of the world’s wealthiest democracies at the annual G7 summit,
★★★★★ where they attempt to draft a provisional statement regarding a global crisis.
Heretic R
111 min.
Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong
★★★★★
door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his
deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
★★★★★
and visit his remote childhood home in rural Oregon. As they arrive at the farmhouse in
the dead of night, they’re attacked by an animal and barricade themselves inside.
Saturday Night
R
109 min.
At 11:30 p.m. on October 11th, 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers
changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90
minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live.

12 | FEBRUARY 1, 2025 | DISCOVER!