cultural day trip - April 2023

Jesse Gaffers glass blowing and Jess Quinn botanical oil painter

Meet at Coral Ridge Mall parking lot across from Chili's at 7:45. We  will leave by 8:00 to arrive at Mainframe studios, Des Moines by 10:15. 

Trip Highlights: Morning  Join the University Club for a day of artistry starting with JJ Gaffers glass blowers located on the lower level of the Mainframe Studio in Des Moines. 

Jesse Bogenrief is owner and self taught glass blower and Jess Ahrendsen is a glass blower/flame worker. They opened their studio in 2017. Prior to opening his studio, Jesse worked at his family’s stain glass company. He’s excited to give us the history of glass blowing and a demonstration creating an original piece of blown glass. He is truly gifted and has many lovely pieces for sale in his studio. 

Lunch: buffet catered by the Tangerine Food Company in the Mainframe Studio building 

Afternoon We will join Jess Quinn a botanical oil painter. Her work highlights the beautiful and often exotic appearance of botanicals through large colorful oil painting. She will paint for us and give us the history of her art. She was born in Waterloo and made the decision to focus on her art full time in 2014. Her current emphasis is on oil painting and she has created a sizable collection of floral and floral abstract paintings. Another gifted artist, she too has many paintings and other original items for sale in her studio. 

Cost: $40.00 includes donation to artists and lunch 

Attention: Limit is 24. If you have any questions please contact, Helen Rittenmeyer or Helen Dietrich 

To register, please mail completed registration form in the Clarion with your check to

to Helen Dietrich 732 Tipperary Road Iowa City, Iowa 52246 

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, March 28, 2023 No Refunds or Registrations after this date 

Seed Savors Exchange and Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum 

Meet: Meet at Coral Ridge Mall parking lot across from Chili's at 7:00 AM. We will leave by 7:15 AM arriving at Seed Savor Exchange by 10:00. Plan to leave Decorah by 3:00 and home by 6:00 PM. 

Trip Highlights: 

Our first stop will be the Seed Saver exchange 3074 N Winn Rd Decorah, Iowa. This amazing acreage was founded in 1975 with 2 very special seeds given to the Whealy family. The family went on to form a network of gardeners interested in preserving heirloom varieties and sharing seeds. Today, they have 13,000 members and 20,000 plant varieties, The Seed Savers Exchange makes its home on 890 scenic acres in Winneshiek County, Iowa, at Heritage Farm. It will be a great way to start our day. 

Lunch: Mabe’s Pizza 110 E Water St. (Pizza buffet) 

After lunch we will move on to the Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum at 502 Water St. Vesterheim is the National Norwegian-American Museum and Folk Art School, with over 33,000 artifacts, 12 historic buildings, and a library and archives. This treasure showcases the most extensive collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world. USA Today named Vesterheim one of “ten great places in the nation to admire American folk art.” We will tour the museum and buildings behind the museum. 

Don’t forget to stop for ice cream at Whippy Dip best ice cream in Decorah, Iowa. on the way out of town 

Cost: $40.00 includes donation to artists and lunch 

Attention: Limit is 24. If you have any questions please contact, Helen Rittenmeyer or Helen Dietrich 

To register, please mail completed registration form in the Clarion with your check payable to

to Helen Dietrich 732 Tipperary Road Iowa City, Iowa 52246 

Registration Deadline: Wednesday, March 28, 2023 No Refunds or Registrations after this date 

USHERS FERRY HISTORIC VILLAGE 

Put on your walking shoes, grab you walking sticks and join us as we visit the past. 

Meet: Coral Ridge Mall parking lot south of Dillard’s at 8:45 a.m., leave promptly at 9 a.m. 

Trip Highlights: Go back in time! Ushers Ferry Historic Village provides a view of life in a small Iowa town between the years of 1890 and 1910. Our guided walking tour will give us a historical perspective of a small Iowa town at the turn of the 20th century. 

Located on a ten-acre site in beautiful Seminole Valley; Ushers Ferry features 9 ADA accessible historic buildings available to tour, plus gazebo, and grounds. 

Lunch will be on your own at Daisy’s Garage Menu: https://daisysgarageia.com/menu/#lunch-dinner . 

After lunch we will ‘giddy up’ to visit the Linn County Wickiup Hill Learning Center. In October of 2002 the 9,000-foot facility, including a full size wickiup and life-sized inhabitants opened to highlight the Indigenous peoples of the area. We will have a presentation from Kent, the Director at the Wickiup on the history and culture of the indigenous people and the significance of the mounds and local artifacts. Then we will have time to explore the exhibits indoors and outdoors The Center also offers 5 trails from 1/8 mile to 2 ½ miles you may want take advantage of after the tour. You may even see the Indian mounds they have discovered on the property. 

This tour is limited to 25. 

Cost: $12 Member / $14 Member’s Guest (includes entrance fees and donation). We suggest giving $4 - $6 to your driver for gas. 

To register, Complete the registration form from the Clarion 

Make check payable and mail to 

Helen Rittenmeyer, 4529 Taft Ave SE, IC 52240 

For more information on this tour please call Helen Rittenmeyer, Jeanne Stracuzzi, or Marianne Weiss 

Streetrod Golf Cars and RS Welding Studio

Meet: Coral Ridge Mall parking lot south of Dillard’s at 9:15 a.m., leave promptly at 9:30 a.m. 

Trip Highlights: Playing golf is fun, but sometimes how you get around doing it can be more than half the FUN! In 1995, a young toolmaker in Montezuma, Iowa, named Craig Schmidt set out to build the world’s finest golf car. STREETROD manufactures Golf Cars with a standard of excellence found nowhere else. We will see and hear how and why the unparalleled skill, devotion to quality and performance has continued to delight drivers and golfer around the globe. 

Lunch will be on your own at Country Pride restaurant near Brooklyn. Menu: https://www.ta-petro.com/amenities/restaurants/country-pride/country-pride-menu 

After lunch we will visit the RS Welding Studio north of Victor, 

a family-owned business combining art & craftsmanship. We will hear how since 1999 Randy Schnebbe and later his wife Amy “AJ” end up making and selling products handcrafted in the Heartland. 

We will have time to shop! 

No Charge for this tour However, we do suggest giving $5.00 - $7.00 to your driver for gas. 

To register, Complete the registration form and 

Mail to Mary Peterson, 2359 Dempster Dr., Coralville, IA 52241. 

For more information on this tour please call Mary Peterson, or Jeanne Stracuzzi , 

or Marianne Weiss