Coralville Courier

The City of Iowa City will be hosting an open house to recognize outgoing Council Members Pauline Taylor and John Thomas. 

The open house will be held from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12, 2023, at Helling Conference Room in City Hall. A 4 p.m. work session and 6 p.m. formal Council meeting will follow. Meeting details can be found online.

Councilors Taylor and Thomas were first elected in 2016, and re-elected to second terms in 2020. Both terms end at noon on Jan. 2, 2024.

Coralville's annual Aisle of Lights is Sunday, December 10, 2023 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. See how thousands of white paper sacks, each filled with sand and a votive candle, create a magical scene on a winter evening!

Make Your Own Luminarias
Residents and businesses are invited to light luminarias along their sidewalks, turn on their holiday lights, and take a self-guided tour of Coralville's glowing streets on Sunday, December 10, from 5:00 to 9:00 pm. 

Participating is easy! To make your own luminarias:

• Get free sand at the parking lot of the Coralville Community Aquatic Center (1513 7th St.), in the west side of the lot. Bring a container to transport sand.
• Get free sacks at Coralville City Hall (1512 7th St.) or the Coralville Recreation Center (1506 8th St.).
• Buy votive candles from area retailers.
• Place sacks, weighted with sand and a candle, along your sidewalks. Light your candles on Sunday, December 10, from 5:00 to 9:00 pm.

Helpful hints:

• Park vehicles off the street to allow for easier traffic flow.
• Consider using battery-powered candles, which stay lit on a windy night and can be re-used.
• Clean up luminarias on your sidewalk by 9:00 am on Monday.

Where to See Luminarias
Residents and businesses throughout Coralville are invited to light luminarias on their sidewalks. The City and community volunteers will light luminarias on:

• 5th Street (City Hall to Library)
• 12th Avenue (7th Street to Holiday Road)
• Holiday Road (1st Avenue to 12th Avenue)
• 7th Street (S.T. Morrison Park to 12th Avenue) 8th Street (S.T. Morrison Park to 12th Avenue)
• Biscuit Creek trail from 5th Street to 6th Street (next to Old Town Hall, 407 5th St.)
• Coralville Veterans Memorial/Oak Hill Cemetery (over 300 luminarias, one for each veteran buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, courtesy of the Coralville American Legion Auxiliary)

Weather
Aisle of Lights is held snow or shine, and will not be rescheduled if the weather doesn't cooperate. In the event of wind, sleet, or rain, light luminarias as you are able.

Tour
Take a self-guided tour through Coralville to see the luminarias and holiday lights! 

Or, tour the Aisle of Lights by bus; the City will operate a free, wheelchair-accessible limited bus tour on Sunday, December 10. The bus departs from City Hall (1512 7th St.) at approximately 5:15 pm and 6:00 pm. Each round is first come, first served; capacity is limited. Free and open to the public. Subject to change.

Learn More
Coralville’s annual Aisle of Lights luminaria display began in 1980. Aisle of Lights is sponsored by GreenState Credit Union. Sand is donated by Hawkeye Ready Mix. For additional information, visit www.coralville.org/AisleofLights.

Aisle of Lights Festivities

In addition to the luminarias put out by residents and businesses, area organizations and businesses host festive activities for all ages on Aisle of Lights weekend in Coralville. For a list of events and more information, visit www.coralville.org/AisleofLights. All events subject to change. Events are free.

Friday, December 8, 2023

• Free Community Meal: 5:00-7:00 pm, Coralville Recreation Center (1506 8th St.). Come for a free meal (vegetarian options available), and stay for the holiday fun! Free events include arts and crafts, games in the gym, photos with a snowman, free kids' books and glitter tattoos, and free flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Hosted by Coralville Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Coralville Community Food Pantry. Free Community Meal.

Sunday, December 10, 2023

• Open Houses in the Iowa River Landing: 12:00-5:00 pm, Iowa River Landing (E. 9th St. & Quarry Rd).  Lights, horse-drawn carriage rides, and Santa, oh my! Enjoy delightful holiday goodies and explore holiday open houses at the IRL’s retail locations. Bring the family for pictures with Santa or enjoy a carriage ride.
• Soup Supper: 4:00-7:00 pm Coralville United Methodist Church (806 13th Ave.).  Enjoy a selection of homemade soups, bread or crackers, and desserts. Free will offering accepted to benefit the church’s youth summer mission trip. Please enter through the 14th Avenue parking lot entrance.
• Activities in the Park and Community Displays: 4:30-6:30 pm, S.T. Morrison Park (1513 7th St.).  Bundle up and walk the luminaria displays at the south end of S.T. Morrison Park. Stop by Fireside Shelter to make crafts, enjoy hot chocolate and cookies by the fire, and decorate a luminaria with your wishes for 2024! Hot cocoa and cookies thanks to GreenState Credit Union. See the "One Coralville, Bright Future" displays on the west side of the Aquatic Center parking lot! Warm up by the fire pit in the center of the west parking lot of the Coralville Community Aquatic Center.
• Santa and His Sleigh, Ice Sculpture, Reindeer, Music, and Treats: 4:30-7:30 pm, Coralville City Hall (1512 7th St.).  See Santa and his sleigh! Enjoy treats, courtesy of GreenState Credit Union. From 4:45-5:45 pm, Young Footliters teaching artists will lead a caroling / sing-along session. From 5:00-6:00 pm, watch ice carver Ron Dillavou create an ice sculpture and take your photo in an ice sculpture outside City Hall. Starting at 6:00 pm, see a live reindeer outside City Hall!  From 6:00-7:00 pm, enjoy music by Blake Shaw & Dan Padley inside City Hall.
• Open House at Old Town Hall: 5:00-7:00 pm (407 5th St).  Join the Johnson County Historical Society for refreshments, an activity, and exhibits.
• Open House at The Big White House: 5:00-8:00 pm (1246 12th Ave.). Warm up around the fireplace; enjoy hot drinks, cookies, and live music; and explore the renovated 1910 farmhouse. All are welcome! Hosted by Genesis Church.
• New this year! Light Show & Drive-Through Hot Chocolate at Vetter's Culligan Water (3414 Merchant St.). Stop by for Vetter's Culligan Water (across from Theisens, just west of Costco) for a holiday lights show! Vetter's staff will serve drive-thru hot chocolate. Free-will donations accepted; all donations go to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. Learn about Vetters Culligan light show and donate
• Luminarias throughout Coralville: 5:00-9:00 pm.  Light luminarias on your sidewalks and tour the twinkling lights!

WATERLOO, Iowa – Veridian Credit Union has distributed $90,000 in grants to 24 organizations across Iowa and eastern Nebraska. The credit union awards Successful Financial Future Grants annually of up to $5,000 each to nonprofit organizations who address barriers to financial stability through financial literacy and employment readiness.

“Financial literacy and employment readiness are vital to creating a successful financial future,” said Angela Weekley, Veridian’s community inclusion manager. “It’s important for us to support organizations who are offering those tools in our communities.”

Recent recipients of Veridian’s Successful Financial Future Grants include:

Cedar Falls/Waterloo area

Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area

Des Moines metro area

Omaha/Council Bluffs area

Veridian partners with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA) to administer Successful Financial Future Grants from the Veridian Credit Union Fund. The 2024 grant funding cycle will open on May 15, 2024. Details are available at veridiancu.org/grants.

Veridian Credit Union, founded in 1934 in Waterloo, Iowa, is a not-for-profit financial cooperative owned by its 329,000 members. The credit union offers a full range of business and consumer financial services with more than 1,000 employees and 32 branches across Iowa, eastern Nebraska and the Twin Cities metro area. For more information, visit veridiancu.org or call (800) 235-3228.

Enjoy a free meal and fun activities for all ages at the Coralville Recreation Center

‘Tis the season to gather with neighbors for a free Community Meal at the Coralville Recreation Center on Friday, December 8, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.

This free event is hosted by Coralville Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Coralville Community Food Pantry. The menu will showcase Polish comfort food prepared by talented community chefs and pantry staff, and desserts provided by community members. Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.

Come for the free meal, and stay for the holiday fun! Activities will include:

• Arts and crafts, games in the gym, and photos with a snowman, courtesy of Coralville Parks and Recreation
• Free kids' books provided by the Library Teen Advisory Board and the Friends of the Coralville Public Library
• Free glitter tattoos and games offered by the Mariam Girls' Club
• Free flu and COVID-19 vaccines provided by RX4Prevention

To prepare for this event, the Recreation Center will be closed from 3:00 pm until 5:00 pm on Friday, December 8, to set up. The Recreation Center will re-open at 5:00 pm for the Community Meal and related activities.  Drop-in usage on the “dry” side of the Recreation Center will be closed from 3:00 until 8:00 pm.  The indoor pool will be open; see the pool schedule at www.coralville.org/indoorpool.

This event is free and all are welcome!  The Coralville Recreation Center is located at 1506 8th Street. Additional parking is available across the street at Northwest Junior High. For more information, please contact Coralville Parks and Recreation at 319.248.1750.

Looking for a more eco-friendly way to wrap presents?  Join us at the Library for a free class on Furoshiki.  Learn about the long history of this Japanese wrapping cloth, try wrapping a box with a furoshiki, and cut out your own Furoshiki to take home.

“Furoshiki (???) are traditional Japanese wrapping cloths traditionally used to wrap and/or to transport goods.” ~Wikipedia 10/30/2023

Date:  December 7, 2023

Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Location:  Coralville Public Library, 1401 5th St., Coralville, IA 52241

Cost: Free and open to the public

The Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation (ICPLFF) announced the launch of its first official website, www.supportICPL.org. This new online platform marks a significant milestone for the Foundation, enhancing its ability to connect with the community and further its mission of supporting the Iowa City Public Library (ICPL).

Innovative advocacy tools and comprehensive information
The new website is a resource hub for Library supporters, providing tools for advocacy and enabling advocates to find the most effective ways to engage with the Foundation’s initiatives. Visitors can explore the “What We Do” section to learn about the Foundation's impact and discover various methods of involvement.

First website to bridge community and Foundation
As the first website for the organization, www.supportICPL.org serves as a vital link between the public and the Foundation. It offers an in-depth look into who the Foundation is, its objectives, and how the public can contribute to its success.

A gateway to supporting the Library
The website is designed to answer questions for anyone considering supporting the Library, whether through volunteer service, advocacy, donations, or legacy gifts. It is a comprehensive guide for those looking to make a difference in the community through their support of ICPL.

A message from the Foundation
“Whether you are considering volunteer service, writing a letter to the editor advocating for the Library, a monthly donation, or naming the ICPL Friends Foundation in your will, our new website should be able to answer most of your questions. Of course, I am always available to talk to community members about supporting ICPL!” said Katie Roche, ICPL Friends Foundation Development Director.

Visit Us:

To explore the new website and learn more about how you can support ICPL, please visit www.supportICPL.org.

The Iowa City Public Library is a center of community life that connects people of all ages with information, engages them with the world of ideas and with each other, and enriches the community by supporting learning, promoting literacy, and encouraging creativity.

Coralville, Iowa — City Circle Theatre Company presents Disney & Cameron Mackintosh’s MARY POPPINS December 8–10 & 15–17 at the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. Tickets are $16–$30 and are available online at www.CoralvilleArts.org, or by calling (319) 248-9370. CCPA Box Office hours are phone only Wednesday–Friday, noon–4:00 PM, and in person one hour before show time at 1301 5th Street in Coralville. 

About the Show

The world’s best-loved, practically perfect nanny takes the stage in a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious musical adventure! Join Bert, Jane, Michael, and Mary Poppins in a musical packed full of special effects, beloved music, and more heart than you can shake an umbrella at. A family classic just in time for the holidays, this production is sponsored by Hills Bank. 

Performances

Fridays, Dec 8 & 15, at 7:30 PM

Saturdays, Dec 9 & 16 at 2:00 & 7:30 PM

Sundays, Dec 10 & 17 at 2:00 PM 

Student Rush: Starting one hour before each performance on Saturday, December 9, students may purchase a ticket to that performance for only $10! Offer available in person at the CCPA Box Office. 

American Sign Language Interpretation: ASL interpreters will be available on Sunday, December 10. Anyone who would like seating in the ASL section should contact the Box Office at 319-248-9370, [email protected]. 

Cast & Production Team

It takes a village to put together a big production like this MARY POPPINS:

Cast
Mary Poppins — Allison Dixon 
Bert — Calvin Boman
Winifred Banks — Paige Kennedy
George Banks — Joe Wetrich 
Jane Banks — Ella Pressler
Michael Banks — Miranda Zimmerman
Mrs. Brill — Stephanie Zimmerman
Robertson Ay — Zack Kenyon*  
Miss Andrew — McKenzie Lofgren
Mrs. Corry — Nancy Andreason
Annie Corry — Lucy Conroy
Fannie Corry — Katie Colletta
Park Keeper — Farris Abou-Hanna
Katie Nanna — Rachael Rhoads
Policeman — Noel Spencer-Motyko 
Admiral Boom — Greg Brown
Miss Lark — Nancy Holm
Neleus — Keegan Colletta Huckfeldt*
Chairman — Allan Mebus
Miss Smythe — Tessera Rippentrop
Von Hussler — Gary Benser
Northbrook — Jordan DePatis
Bird Woman — Paula Grady
Valentine — Tatum Calderwood*
Teddy Bear — Austin Gordley*
Mr. Punch — Savannah Page*
Doll — Lucy Conroy*

Ensemble:

Madeline Austin*, Katie Colletta*, Grace Dalmasso, Tyler Dehart*, Lyrah Huggins, Scy Palmer, Allan Mebus, Evelyn Mozena, Zoe Nolte*, Ana Rippentrop, Steve Rippentrop, Jan Rippentrop Schnell, Lola Spencer, Clara Visser*, Violet Whiting, Audrey Willey*, Evan Zukin*

*Featured Dancer

Production Team

Elizabeth Tracey — Director
Jaci Visser — Music Director
Shelby Zukin — Choreographer
Jared Kiebel — Stage Manager
Hans Hinrichsen — Lighting Designer
Darin Ulmer — Sound Designer
Jason Estes — Props Master
Shannon Knipfer — Props
Front Row Theatrical— Costume Rental
Jackie Allen — Costume Coordinator

About City Circle Theatre Company: Since 1998, City Circle Theatre Company has been Coralville's community theatre and is the resident theatre company of the Coralville Center for the Performing Arts. City Circle’s mission is to present professional caliber theatrical productions and events that provide education, enrichment, and enlightenment to the public. All community members are welcome and encouraged to attend and audition for City Circle shows.  

Ticketing link: https://ci.ovationtix.com/32615/production/1175919

The Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundations is pleased to announce the return of its Annual Arts & Crafts Bazaar, happening at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, in Meeting Room A of the Library. This community-loved event promises a delightful showcase of unique, handcrafted items, perfect for the holiday season.

A Celebration of Local Talent and Craftsmanship
The Bazaar will feature a wide range of one-of-a-kind gifts such as quilts, hand-knitted items, jewelry, holiday ornaments, and more, all crafted and donated by local artists and crafters.

Supporting the Community through Creativity
Proceeds from this year's sale will benefit the ICPL Friends Foundation, supporting the Iowa City Public Library's programs, services, and collections.

Call for Donations
We warmly invite local artists and crafters to contribute their handcrafted items to the Arts & Crafts Bazaar. If you're interested in donating, please complete the donation form. Ideal donations include:

• Children’s items: Soft/wooden toys, blankets, bibs, hats, puppets.
• Home goods: Quilts, wall hangings, pillows, napkins, small framed art, miniatures, potholders, plates/bowls.
• Personal accessories: Scarves, jewelry, hats, shawls, bags.
• Holiday items: Ornaments, stockings, garland.

Please Note: We cannot accept food, plants, large or fragile items, and those not handmade or new. The Library reserves the right to reject any unsuitable donations.

Donation Guidelines:

• Deadline: Drop off items by December 1.
• Quantity: Contact us for large or numerous donations.
• Pricing: Suggested price ranges can be submitted on the donation form.
• Unsold Items: Will be shared with other community organizations.

Your support is invaluable, and we eagerly anticipate your presence at the Arts & Crafts Bazaar!

For donation-related inquiries, please email [email protected] or call 319-356-5249.

The Iowa City Public Library is a center of community life that connects people of all ages with information, engages them with the world of ideas and with each other, and enriches the community by supporting learning, promoting literacy, and encouraging creativity.