The 2024 Kalona Community Awards were presented at the Kalona Fall Festival. Six individuals were given awards, Jim and Mary Ann Hauth, Clayton and Tina Hershberger, Dave Hochstedler, Jack Pope, and the Washington County Riverboat Foundation. 

The Hauths and Hersberger were honored for their volunteerism during the Covid 19 pandemic, when they assisted in delivering meals in conjunction with Goodwin Dining Center in Wellman. They delivered 60-80 meals, three days a week, to those who were homebound.

David Hochstetler, who retired from Hills Bank after a 27-year career during which he also served on boards for the Kalona Rotary, Kalona Economic Development Group, Kalona Chamber, Mid-Prairie Community Schools Foundation, and Pleasantview was honored with a community award. 

Jack Pope works with about 25 communities including Kalona; his task is to make sure the cities’ wastewater, water treatment, sewer treatment, sanitary sewer, water mains, streets, and storm sewers are all up to code and meeting the cities’ requirements. He has worked with the City of Kalona since 1991. He plans to retire in January of 2025. 

Twice a year, the Washington County Riverboat Foundation accepts applications for grants. Each cycle, roughly 50-75 applications are submitted, and it takes hours to review all of them, never mind attend committee meetings to determine who will receive grants and for what amount. Board members aren’t compensated for the time they commit to this process. For this the organization received a Kalona Community Award. The WCRF funds projects throughout Washington and nearby counties. Since 2016, they have funded in excess of $70 million in grants.