The state softball tournament has come and gone, and while the schools in our immediate area didn't make it to the final tourney, someone from this area - Donna Petersen - did make it in the program. The article, written by family members, was submitted by Danbury's Heidi (Seuntjens) Reed. Thank you to all involved.
    When Iowa launched its first girls high school softball season in 1955, one Battle Creek senior, Donna Albers, found herself at the center of history.
    Growing up on a farm near Battle Creek, softball was simply a way of life. Long before organized high school competition existed, Donna learned the game in country school, where children played softball at recess without gloves. At home, her father made time each day during farm work to catch for her while she practiced pitching.
    Those countless hours paid off.
    After eighth grade, she became the starting pitcher for Battle Creek's summer town team. Coached by Harry and Helen Lehmann, local farmers whose daughters also played on the team, she quickly developed into one of the area's best pitchers. A key part of that success was catcher Judy Throne, who began catching for her after her freshman year and remained behind the plate through graduation. First baseman Judy Lehman, the coaches daughter, was also an instrumental part of the team and was later named to the IGHSAU's Hall of Fame in 1991.
    The team's home field became a source of pride for the community, especially after lights were installed following her sophomore year. Many considered it the finest softball field in the area.
    By the summer before her senior year, Battle Creek was nearly unstoppable. The team went undefeated, winning games by scores that seem almost impossible today. They defeated Ida Grove 55-0, Grand Meadow 55-7, and Kingsley 22-3. While there were no mercy rules at the time, teams often agreed to end games early when the outcome was no longer in doubt.
    As a pitcher, Donna relied on an underhand delivery and a rise ball thrown with two fingers across the seam. Her dominance carried over into Battle Creek's historic high school season.
    During a regular-season game against Washta, Battle Creek built a 69-0 lead before the game ended by mutual agreement after four innings. She pitched a no-hitter and struck out all 12 batters she faced. While she does not remember ever throwing a perfect game, she recalls recording several no-hitters during her playing days.
    The fall of 1955 marked Iowa's inaugural girls high school softball season, with 294 schools participating statewide. Battle Creek quickly established itself as one of the state's elite teams.
    To prepare for tournament play, the girls even challenged the local men's softball team—and won.
    Their postseason run included sectional victories over Ute, Kingsley, Galva, and Schaller, followed by district wins against Gowrie, Somers, and Royal. One memory that still brings a smile was seeing the Somers players wearing skirts instead of traditional softball uniforms.
    Battle Creek advanced to the state tournament, defeating Arispe in the semifinals before facing Cantril in the championship game.
    The title game, played on October 17, 1955, was originally scheduled to be hosted in Battle Creek because of the quality of its field. Instead, it was moved to Mingo, located midway between the two communities. The conditions were challenging. The lights made it difficult to see the ball, and the weather was bitterly cold.
    Donna remembers wearing a jacket while pitching that night.
    The cold did little to slow Battle Creek's momentum. The team defeated Cantril to claim Iowa's first girls high school softball championship. Throughout tournament play, Battle Creek outscored its opponents 64-13.
    The celebration that followed remains one of Donna's favorite memories.
    The team traveled to the championship game in five cars, stopping at Iowa State University along the way to tour the campus and athletic facilities. When they returned home, approximately 60 cars and the Battle Creek fire truck met them in Arthur and escorted them back to town. Local firefighters hosted a banquet where each player was crowned a queen, presented with a softball and corsage, and asked to autograph commemorative softballs. Their accomplishment even earned television coverage from KTIV in Sioux City.
    The championship team wore red-and-black uniforms with white socks and black boys' cleats, their pants neatly cuffed. Their opponents from Cantril arrived in cuffed jeans, jackets, head scarves, and high-top tennis shoes—a reminder of how different the game looked in its earliest days.
    Shortly after graduation in 1956, another chapter of life began. Donna married her husband, Earl after he returned home from service in the Navy. The two had met through their country church and built a life together on the family farm near Battle Creek.
    Although she never again played organized softball, the competitive spirit remained. Donna and her husband enjoyed (and winning!) golf tournaments, dancing, and traveling together. In recent years, she has even tried tubing, kayaking, and pickleball. She still enjoys playing a round of golf with family members.
    Now 88 years young, Donna Petersen lives in Anthon after retiring from farm life. She is the proud mother of four children, grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of seven. She continues to enjoy playing bridge and 500 and spends time quilting with friends from church.
    More than seventy years after Iowa's first girls high school softball season, Donna's memories remain vivid—not just of championships and no-hitters, but of family, teammates, community pride, and a game that helped shape a lifetime.
    She was there at the beginning of Iowa girls high school softball, and her story remains an enduring reminder of how far the sport has come.

    Last week the MVAO School Board minutes were a tad long with lots of legalese as needed for the subject of the matter. In simple words, the school is asking permission by the voters to use funding to improve the athletic facilities and wants to renew their revenue purpose statement.
    A revenue purpose statement is used to indicate how a school district uses the local option sales tax received when people shop in Monona and Woodbury counties, also known as a 1¢ sales tax. Previously called LOST (Local Option Sales Tax), the program is now called SAVE (Secure an Advanced Vision for Education). This money is used to help pay for expenses incurred by the school - heating and cooling, transportation, school upkeep, technology and other service contracts, etc. It is also used to improve the athletic facilities. After all, it is part of the educational path. As Superintendent Jeff Thelander commented in an interview, our activities are what keep kids in school. The activities include music, drama, a variety of organizations, and athletics.
    While the MVAO school board could use the SAVE money to improve the facilities without permission, they wish to be open to their constituents and want to ensure they will have the money eartagged for the improvements so that they can be fiscally responsible and guaranteed the support for this multi-million dollar project. Thus, they are asking the electors to approve the renewal of the revenue purpose statement. They would like to set aside a portion of the $500,000 - $600,000 SAVE money received annually for the project.
    What does this project entail? Thelander stated that there are two major goals - to replace the current track and field track which is showing its age, and to make the complex ADA (American Disabilities Act) compliant by adding sidewalks and other improvement so that each sporting venue is accessible to those who are ambulatory challenged. Seating will also be expanded in some areas, and the bathrooms will be improved. Thelander added that the physical footprint will remain as is - the baseball, softball, football, track, and practice fields will remain in their locations.
    Thelander also emphasized that this project will not be using state income tax dollars, and the school will not be raising property taxes to fund the athletic upgrades. They are basically asking the electors to give them permission to use SAVE funds for the upgrades. He also emphasized that the academics will not be compromised. As a matter of fact, he added that the district made nice jumps in academics, scoring at or above the national average on the ACT tests. Thelander assured that they will be making sure that there is enough SAVE funding to maintain the academic needs. He said the school board has been very thoughtful about this matter and are cautious about the expenses. They do not want to bite off more than the district can chew.
    The PPEL (Physical Plant and Equipment Levy) also pays for the physical buildings and their upkeep. As of now, the school has $1.4 million in the SAVE and PPEL accounts. They want to keep that in the coffers in case a major incident occurs such as a sudden need to replace the heat and air conditioning or a problem with the building.
    So, what about the election on September 8th? Well, this election is to vote yes or no on renewing the revenue purpose statement.
    If you are against borrowing against future SAVE money to update the athletic complex, you may petition that it go to a vote, and then the public will decide the matter.
    This topic was discussed at a hearing on August 3rd. It will also be discussed at the August 10th school board meeting in Anthon at 7:00 p.m. Mr. Thelander said that his door is also open if you wish to meet with him or talk one on one over the phone.