American Legion Post 352 of Elgin hosts bingo the first three Tuesdays of every month from October through May at the Elgin Tap in Elgin. Connie Pfister and Marilana Sutter (l-r) dab their bingo card after caller David Katsumes reads off a number.  

Elgin Legion hosts popular game on Tuesdays

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

American Legion Post 352 of Elgin has just the thing to turn that dull Tuesday evening during the winter months into a great time with family and friends. 

Don’t miss bingo at the Elgin Tap the first three Tuesdays of the month through May. In June July, August, the American Legion will host bingo one Tuesday evening per month, before bumping back up to two Tuesdays in September and then back to three Tuesdays from October through the following May. 

“We have a good following, as people come from Clermont and Wadena and even as far away as West Union and Fayette,” said bingo caller David Katsumes. “The only organizations that can host bingo are nonprofit organizations such as American Legions, Lions Clubs, and other service organizations. We got a permit from the Iowa Department of Revenue because we have to collect 7 percent sales tax on every pot and send it in quarterly. We have to write down exactly how many cards are sold.”

Bingo cards are 50 cents per card per round, and the winner receives a small pot based on the number of cards sold that round. The Legion will play 16 rounds of regular bingo each evening. A person simply needs to get five numbers in a row horizontally, vertically, diagonally, or get a number in each of the four corners. A final blackout round is played at the end of the evening. To win the blackout round, a contestant simply needs to fill in the entire bingo card.

Katsumes isn’t your run-of-the-mill, monotone bingo caller. In fact, the local attorney adds a little charm to each call with unique sayings to differentiate certain numbers. 

West Central’s Taylor Hepperle tries to pass the ball as he falls to the ground during a fast break against Kee High on Friday, Dec. 8.  Chris DeBack photo

West Central shows improvement early on

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The West Central boys’ basketball team has shown improvement during the early parts of the high school basketball season.

Despite those improvements, the team fell short of its first win of the season with losses to Central Elkader, 65-39, and Kee High, 77-39, last week. 

“We are getting better, we really are,” said Darrin Lockard, Blue Devils head coach. “Our guys aren’t quitting, and we are showing improvement in every part of the game. The two parts we are struggling with the most is ball-handling and rebounding, and I think we have come quite a ways from where we were [at the beginning of] the season. Everyone in the locker room knows that we have a long way to go yet. We are working hard and trying to get better. This is a great group of guys to be around.”

Marilyn and Keith Westpfahl (l-r) of Hawkeye recently purchased the former DanDi’s Dollar and Variety Store in Hawkeye from Daniel and Diane Pischke. The couple will also take possession of the east portion of the building after the first of the year. The Westpfahls hope to renovate the first floor of building back to its former glory, and they are looking for some excitement and support from the Hawkeye community as they begin the process of applying for a Community Catalyst Building Remediation Program grant.

A purchase made with Hawkeye in his heart

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

When Keith Westpfahl purchased the DanDi’s Dollar and Variety Store building, which is also the former opera house, in Hawkeye, it was a purchase that came directly from his heart. 

The 78-year-old man had Hawkeye’s future in mind when he purchased the building from his friends Daniel and Diane Pischke in May. 

“He made this decision out of his heart and out of love for the community of Hawkeye, which he has called home for pretty much his entire life,” said Marilyn Westpfahl, Keith’s wife and co-owner of the building. 

Now that the two own the structure that was built in 1900, they can begin the long process of restoring the building. When the two decided to take on this tall order, it was with the intent that they would restore the building to its former glory, which includes a large glass storefront.