Area News Bits: New coffee shop, pie eating contest, pet supplies and more

Something old,

something new

Need a pick-me-up?

A drive-through coffee shop is coming to downtown in September.

Shannon Lee is realizing her dream by opening the shop next to The Som — the oldest bar and grill in downtown Burlington — with locally-roasted coffee from Swed & Co., paired with house-made syrups, as well as on-the-go breakfast and lunch options.

Uppers at 871 Jefferson Street will have its grand opening on Sept. 27, just in time for National Coffee Day on Sept. 29.

Look for the new little building on the lot.

House-made syrups sound amazing, and non-coffee drinkers will surely be impressed by the teas and fresh lemonade.

Swed & Co is a cafe and coffee roasting company in Fort Madison.

Like and share Uppers Burlington on Facebook to follow along.

Good luck to her and everyone operating or opening up a business.

Pie eating contest winners

A jalapeño eating contest? Not me, not that brave. But pie, even without a fork? Yes!

Participants of the pie eating contest on Aug. 17 at the Jefferson Street Farmers Market dug into a pie, face first, from Bontrager Bakery, one of the market’s vendors, with their hands behind their backs.

The six contestants, who all needed to be age 18 or older, got to choose between apple or cherry. The object was to be the first contestant to eat an entire pie down to the tin, in five minutes or less.

First, second, and third-place winners received Downtown Dollars.

The winners are Brad Driscoll, first place; Jason Anders, second place; and Aaron Wagner, third place.

Jerilyn Horn Kitchen & Bath Design Co. sponsored the event and made it possible to have such a fun contest.

Help fill a dumpster

When Tractor Supply Co., 313 N. Roosevelt Ave., has its grand opening event on Saturday, Sept. 9, Des Moines County Humane Society will be there from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. with some adoptable pets.

At the same time there will be a concerted effort to try and continue trying to fill a dumpster donated by LUXX Rollaway Dumpsters, while at a very handy place for people to purchase the much-needed supplies.

People can donate Purina dog, puppy, cat and kitten chow, along with dog and cat treats, toys, collars and leashes, cleaning supplies, Dawn dish soap, laundry detergent, paper and other office supplies. There will be food and a wide variety of other vendors.

DMCHS also is thanking some wonderful young animal friends.

Recent Facebook posts state, “A big thank you to Maisy, who turned the big 6 and had a party, she didn’t want gifts for her, she wanted to have gifts for the cats and dogs here! Looks like she did great! Our cats and dogs really appreciate you thinking of them Maisy, thanks a bunch! Happy Birthday!”

Also,

“The Burlington/West Burlington Daisy troop came in on a Saturday with donations and helped us with playing with the kittens! I am sure they all enjoyed each others company! Thanks a lot girls! Keep on doing great things.”

Community Action looking for pancake mix

Community Action of Southeast Iowa is requesting donations to its food pantry of pancake mix, the type to which you only need to add water, saying the food is perfect for those with limited resources.

Strawberries and bananas can be added for a healthy breakfast, a scoop of protein, or just classic syrup.

You can drop off your donation to any of the locations in Burlington, Keokuk, Mount Pleasant, and Fort Madison, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Tuesday and Wednesday in Columbus Junction.

CASEI provided 666 food baskets crisis utility assistance to 625 persons and 214 households, and received 118 disaster assistance applications for damages due to storms, all in July.

Visit 1955 Fort Madison

A post on You’re Probably from Fort Madison, Iowa, if … Facebook page by Michael Abel features a narrated film, perhaps a promotion by the chamber?

What ever it was, I believe it is a small treasure for anyone wanting to watch people in 1955 go about their daily lives, especially getting to see Fort Madison businesses, schools, and Sacred Heart Hospital, all with customers, patients and staff, while the narrator points out any “modern” new features, and why the town’s resources make the town a great place to live.

For anyone interested, here is the web address: www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOOMz9p-OlE&t=302s

On YouTube, the video is titled Fort Madison Ia 1955 Part 2. Part 1 is not posted.

The film visits several places including including Clements Funeral Home, a busy Greenwald Supermarket, Building Material Company, people bowling at the Rodeo City Bowl, and square dancing.

I watched very closely to see if I knew anybody. I couldn’t identify anyone but heard some familiar names.

“It’s a busy town, an active community and we like living here,” the narrator concludes, as the camera travels the bridge across the Mississippi River.

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