Firefighters Respond To Early Morning Christmas Eve Fire At Trailer Home Park
(Le Mars) — Firefighters responded to an early morning Christmas Eve fire at the Armel Acres, located on the west side of town. At about 7:40 a.m. fire was reported at a trailer home at 9 Birch Street. When firefighters arrived, smoke could be seen coming from the trailer park, and the trailer itself was fully engulfed. Fire Chief Dave Schipper explains…
Schipper says the trailer home is totally destroyed.
The Le Mars fire chief says there were no people inside the trailer home at the time the fire had started.
Schipper believes a space heater was the cause and origin of the trailer home fire.
Schipper did not place an estimate of the loss, saying the structure plus the trailer home’s contents suffered damage from the fire and smoke.
Le Mars Chamber of Commerce And Main Street Organization Award Checks To Three Local Organizations
LE MARS – Three local organizations were awarded checks on Thursday afternoon, Dec. 23 as part of the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce’s annual Shop for a Cause promotion.
Between Nov. 15 and Dec. 11, customers at the local retailers were able to purchase a Shop for a Cause Card offering special discounts for $5 at any of the 17 participating businesses. As part of the program, customers could select one of three nonprofits – the Le Mars Backpack Program, the Le Mars Arts Center, and the Le Mars Public Library – in which their $5 donation would benefit.
Le Mars MainStreet Director Lori French extended a thank you to the 17 participating businesses – Hotopp Jewelry & Gifts, Claussen’s, Bling-N-Fashions, Brown’s Century Theater & Gift Shoppe, Cork It!, Get Branded 360, Habitue Coffeehouse, Joba’s Décor & Gifts, Lily Zita Boutique, McDonald’s, P’s Pizza House, Pizza Hut, Premier Communications, Shop Cary, Sugar-N-Spice, Sunshine Natural Foods, and the Wash House.
French says, “We have a great group of local business owners who see the value of working together and making wonderful things happen in Le Mars.”
The Le Mars Backpack Program was the top recipient of the donations and was awarded a check for $1,390.
The Le Mars Library was awarded a total of $530, and the Le Mars Arts Center received $430. Total donations exceeded last year’s giving by $300.
French says, “The Main Street Promotions Committee has done this holiday promotion for many years, and the community has always been very generous. I would also like to mention that we could not have made this happen without the support of our local banks. They are committed to the excellence and growth of Le Mars.
“We want to thank American Bank, Iowa State Bank, Northwest Bank, MidStates Bank, and Primebank for their contributions and support of the Main Street Program,” French concluded.
Museum To Be Open On Christmas Eve And Christmas Day Allowing Visitors To See Nativities Exhibit
(Le Mars) — If you haven’t had the opportunity to visit the Nativities exhibit at the Plymouth County Historical Museum, you are in luck. Museum officials say the museum will be open both today, Christmas Eve, and tomorrow, Saturday, Christmas day. The museum will be open between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. There are hundreds of Nativities on display in the Study Hall room.
Christmas Acres And Christian Needs Center Featured On Des Moines Television Station
(Le Mars) — On Thursday evening, I drove west of Le Mars to Christmas Acres, and visited with owner Rob Scheitler. Scheitler was featured Thursday evening during a special television production from KCCI Channel 8 from Des Moines, in a segment entitled “This is Iowa” with reporter, Eric Hanson. The Des Moines television station not only focused on the elaborate Christmas decorations that every year Scheitler has on display, and that Christmas Acres attracts visitors from hours away, and from different states. The CBS affiliate from Des Moines also told of the perhaps unknown story associated with Christmas Acres, and that is the fact that every dollar collected through visitors contributions are donated to the Christian Needs Center.
Click on the below link to view KCCI Channel 8 “This Is Iowa” segment about Christmas Acres.
https://kcci.com/article/iowa-massive-christmas-acres-light-display-has-big-impact/38553847
If you would like to see that television station feature, simply go to KCCI Channel 8 Facebook page and scroll down to the segment entitled: “Massive Iowa Christmas light display has big impact.
