CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Marshall County Public Health Nurse Pat Thompson is welcomed to the Matins Kiwanis by Program Host Keith Bloomquist. Thompson has a goal of making Marshall County the healthiest county in the state.

Matins Kiwanis met Thursday morning at 6:30 a.m. in the Salvation Army building and were greeted by President Don Feld. Token Fines were paid by Michael Sills, Beth Stillwell, Feld and Loren Fisher with a Happy Dollar coming from Sills, Feld and Joe Robertson. Winning free breakfasts for next meeting were Ray Goodman and Andy Schwandt. A Thank you note from scholarship recipients Frank Iole for his $750 scholarship and Colten Emby at Marshalltown Community College was read. A Thank You from the Salvation Army for the Matins’ donation of $600 to the Summer Program was noted, and Alan Hilleman was awarded the Matin of the Month Award. Schwandt gave an update and invitation for volunteers for the upcoming Funnel Cake outing at the Hope Lutheran Church in Des Moines.

Program Host, Keith Bloomquist, introduced Pat Thompson as the guest speaker. Thompson is a lifetime resident of Marshalltown and is a Marshall County Public Health Nurse. She is a University of Iowa graduate and has 18 hours towards her Master’s Degree. Her goal as a Public Health nurse is to have Marshall County be the healthiest county in the state!

To help reach that goal many services are offered, including clinics every third Wednesday at the Mall and every fourth Thursday at the Court House. The Iowa Board of Health determines activities like bioterrorism preparedness that Marshall County will be partnering with 15 other counties in the state with the help of the Veterans Home, Long Term Care and the Salvation Army. The Public Health Nurses also give weekly TB tests, immunizations and even work with UnityPoint with optional checkups on newborns in the home.

Questions were raised and answered and the meeting adjourned by President Feld with another weak joke.