South Winneshiek High School seniors Payton Moore (l) and RaeAnn Klimesh took the initiative this spring to bring Sole Hope, an organization that makes shoes out of old jeans for kids in Africa affected by jiggers, to the community. So far, the program has received over 100 pairs of donated jeans, which will be cut into patterns and sent to Africa next week. (Zakary Kriener photo)

A pair of shoes can change a life

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

For South Winneshiek High School senior students Payton Moore and RaeAnn Klimesh, the Sole Hope project began as a service project for their student government class. 

Sole Hope is an organization that makes shoes out of old jeans for children in Africa affected by jiggers, which are parasites that cause severe pain and can debilitate a person to the point that they are unable to walk. 

Shirley Dominey

Shirley Ann Dominy, age 81, of Waverly, Iowa, died Friday, April 15, 2016, at Bartles Lutheran Retirement Community in Waverly. 

Services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, April 22, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Waverly, Iowa.

Father Dave Schatz and Father Mike Tauke officiated.

Private burial of cremains was held at the Elgin Cemetery in Elgin, Iowa.

Shauna and Randy Johnsen are ready to check out of the Ronald McDonald house on Aug. 30 to bring Leila home to Iowa from a Salt Lake City children’s hospital. Leila spent a month in the NICU while her new parents flew back and forth to see her before they were allowed to bring her home.

Johnsens share first Mother's Day with adopted daughter

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

It is said that patience is a virtue, and for mothers it certainly is. However, for families young and old looking to adopt a newborn child, patience is all that they have.

Randy and Shauna Johnsen of Clermont deal with children every day as band directors at the Sumner-Fredericksburg and Postville schools, respectively. It wasn’t until approximately three years ago that they decided adoption was the best option for them.

The couple researched the process and signed a 24-month contract with Everlasting Adoptions, a multistate adoption agency.

“The great thing about Everlasting Adoptions is that they work in different states, and we thought that was a great option because we wanted maximum exposure to connect with a birth mom,” Shauna explained.

It wasn’t until the Johnsens neared the end of their contract that they received a call that has changed their lives for the better forever.