WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Dec. 30, 2017) —Hy-Vee customers joined the company’s annual Hy-Vee Round Up for the Homefront initiative during the month of November and raised $290,068.85 to support our country’s active-duty military members and veterans.

Last month, customers joined Hy-Vee in supporting veterans and military members at the company’s 246 grocery stores across eight Midwestern states. StartingNov. 1 and running through Nov. 30, the Round Up program provided customers the opportunity to round up their total purchase to the next dollar — or a desired dollar amount — at the checkout. Hy-Vee matched customer donations up to $100,000, bringing the total donation to $290,068.85.

“Hy-Vee customers continue to be grateful for the service our veterans and active military members provide this country, and they showed it through their generosity at the checkout,” said Brad Waller, assistant vice president of community relations at Hy-Vee. “By partnering with our customers, we’ve raised more than $1.4 million over the past five years through the Round Up for the Homefront program.”

All proceeds from Hy-Vee’s Round Up program benefit four organizations that support veterans and their families: Hope for the Warriors, Operation First Response, the American Red Cross and the Puppy Jake Foundation.

Hope for the Warriors is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for post-9/11 service members, their families and the families of the fallen who have sustained physical and psychological wounds in the line of duty. Operation First Response helps meet the immediate personal and financial needs of wounded military members and their families. The American Red Cross helps military members, their families and veterans respond to the challenges of military service, and the Puppy Jake Foundation raises, trains and provides service dogs to veterans.

Try to remain indoors this weekend during the bitter cold. But if you have to be outside working or involved in activities be sure to have all exposed skin covered.

That is advice from the assistant director of emergency management for Geary County, Curt Janke. He noted make sure “somebody knows where you’re at and what you’re doing so somebody can at least keep an eye on you.” Also, check on the elderly.

Wind chills are expected to dip below zero this weekend.

If you traveling during winter weather carry supplies in your vehicle. Janke suggested spare clothes, “In case something happened that you would get wet or if you get cold you can always add more clothes. Some kind of food source, jerky, granola bars, that type of thing, water not pop or anything like that, just plain water. And of course gloves and hats. The other thing is you want to make sure that your vehicle is checked over good so that you know that you are going to be able to get where you’re going.”

 

 

Board member Larry George has announced that the Geary County Fish & game Association is collecting used natural Christmas trees again this year to be used for fish structures in local lakes and ponds. The Association has been collecting and placing trees for wildlife habitat in the Junction City area for more than 30 years.

When you take down that Christmas tree you can place it at the collection point at the corner of 14th and Jackson in Junction City in the empty lot no later than January 20th. Remove all decorations. No artificial trees and no trash will be accepted.

This annual effort by the Association saves landfill space and improves the local outdoors environment.

The Geary County Extension Office is hosting a meeting on agricultural leases on Tuesday, Jan. 9th at 7 p.m. at the Geary County 4-H / Senior Citizens Building at 1025 South Spring Valley Road in Junction CIty.

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte will discuss various topics on agricultural leases including the impact of the Kansas ag lease, crop share leases, cash leases and the importance of communication. The meeting will last about one to one-and-a-hours. Admission is free and no pre-registration is required.

For more information call the Extension Office at 785-238-4161 or go to cotte@ksu.edu.

UPDATE:

Repairs have been completed, and water service restored.

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Junction City Public released a statement at 9:30 a.m. Friday.

The 1900 block of W. 17^th St. is experiencing a water main break.  Customers may experience periods of low water pressure or no water during repairs for the next 4 – 6 hours.

The next American Red Cross Community Blood Drive in Junction City will be Thursday January 11th and Friday January 12th at the Municipal Building.

The hours on the 11th will be 11:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., and on the 12th from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Go to redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS to schedule an appointment.