Free to move, free to think, free to be normal; she is finally free!

My name is Deanne Joens Mundt and I am the director and instructor of the Jester Park Exceptional Rider program for Polk County Conservation.  I develop, coordinate, and implement the therapeutic riding program for individuals of all ages with physical, behavioral, emotional, and social challenges.  I also create equine related educational and recreational opportunities for other groups, such as Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, therapists, and case managers.

The Jester Park Exceptional Riders is a therapeutic horseback riding environment designed to provide individuals with various challenges an opportunity to experience therapy, education, sport and recreation using equine-assisted activities.  My goal is to provide a positive experience that puts the individual first and enhances learning, growing, strengthening and fun.

 

There are currently 77 participants riding almost weekly and in addition to these riders, many groups visit the center for an equine related experience.  These groups include but are not limited to Mainstream Living, Link Associates, Childserve, and Camp Marshalltown.  For this program to succeed, many volunteers are needed to guide the horse and/or rider as needed.  Each rider requires one to three volunteers.  I am blessed to manage 50-55 dedicated and caring volunteers each week.

There are many documented benefits of therapeutic horseback riding including improvement in strength, balance, coordination, muscle tone, postural and trunk control, and sensory processing.  Interactions with horses can also teach patience, empathy, self-discipline, and responsibility.

There are many wonderful stories I could share about the joy and successes we see in the arena each week. Watching a young rider with cerebral palsy struggle to make his/her fingers work together to hold the brush to groom his/her horse can bring tears to my eyes when I see the focus and effort that "simple" task requires. Seeing the smile of pride on a rider's face when he/she is able to guide the horse with the reins brightens any day. 

 

We also host the state Equestrian Special Olympics each September which is beyond description in the joy and happiness felt and seen on that day.

I enjoy meeting the riders, families, caregivers and volunteers and helping anyone feel better about themselves and the world around them through the use of the horse.  The laughter and joy we experience together as we learn is priceless.

In a biographical paper written about one of our wheelchair bound riders, the author wrote the following regarding the how the rider feels when she rides: "A liberating wave of independence washes over her as she moves to the rhythm of her horse's cadence.  Eyes bright, face flushed, she is having the time of her life.  Free to move, free to think, free to be normal; she is finally free." 

 

 

Getting Out of the Office

Hello! You may have talked to me on the phone if you have ever called the Conservation main office anytime since August of 1999. That is when I started working for Polk County Conservation as a seasonal Office Clerk. You then may have encountered me at the Jester Park Golf Course as I worked as a Beverage Cart Operator and Account Clerk for the Golf Course.

I began working full-time as the Shelter Reservationist. I booked reservations for the shelters in all of the parks and for the Jester Park Lodge. At that time I also started doing the payroll processing for conservation. I currently handle Accounts Payable which includes processing of all the invoices for conservation and Payroll Clerk duties which includes processing payroll and paperwork for all the seasonals we hire every spring, as well as paperwork for hiring and benefits for full-time staff.

Since I work in the office I don’t spend every hour outside but I find ways to get out and enjoy the parks. I know I am especially lucky to have a park to walk in on my lunch break. This was my view from the office on one rainy day. 

This time of year you will find me outside searching for the spring wildflowers. They are a little slower coming out this year but I am eagerly awaiting them. The current rain we are getting should also help make the morel mushroom hunting season go a lot better than last year.

I love spending time outdoors camping, hiking and cross country skiing in the parks. I am able to volunteer for Polk County Conservation outside of my regular work duties and help with invasive species removal workdays and clean-ups in the parks, including the big River Run Garbage Grab along the Des Moines River corridor. This is me in the purple wearing my personal protective equipment (PPE) working on clearing honeysuckle at Jester Park.

You may also have met me at one of the Environmental Education programs or trips. I have attended many educational programs including night hikes, stargazing and rain barrel workshops. I have taken canoe and kayak basics classes and went on the Southern Missouri and Iowa River canoe trips since I love paddling.

I hope you enjoy our Polk County parks as much as I do. See you in the park!

A Flood, A Canoe, and a Vault Toilet

Hello Everyone!  My name is Barney Feezell and I’m a full-time employee for Polk County Conservation.  My job title is Construction Technician. I have several duties consisting mainly of anything construction or maintenance related (carpentry, electrical, heating/cooling, etc).

I have been with the Conservation Department for five years and have seen and done a variety of exciting jobs. My most memorable job consisted of a CXT vault toilet, canoe, and several feet of water.

It all started with a delivery of a 25,000 pound CXT vault toilet to Jester Park’s non-electric Campground #6 in June of 2010. The hole was dug for the toilet and it was time to put it in the ground. Everything was going smoothly until the rain came. Not just a little rain either!

Saylorville Lake’s water level began to rise. I surrounded the construction area with caution tape and hoped for the best. Before too long the campground became flooded and the vault was completely submerged. This put the installation at a standstill. 

After several weeks under water and lots of trees from upstream floating through the waterlogged campground, I began to ponder the question…”Is the vault toilet still there”?  It was possible with the strength of the current, floating debris, and trapped air inside that it could move. I wanted to find out.

 

With the aid of a part-time employee, we loaded up a canoe, drag line, and fish finder.  We pulled over to the bison pen and unloaded. The water was completely covering the 6 ft. fence, so we literally paddled over the area. It was a bit odd canoeing through the tree canopy above the road. Oh and just in case you were wondering, the bison had been relocated to higher ground prior to the flooding!

 After arriving near the vault site we could see a little piece of caution tape whipping in the current.  That was our spot. The drag line was used several times with no luck. Then it was time for the fish finder. After starring at the screen for a couple of minutes, a large black mass started to appear. It was like finding the Titanic! The vault was directly below us and it was time to head back to shore.

 

Weeks passed and the water eventually resided. The vault was placed over the hole and opened to the public.

If you are ever driving into Campground #6 at Jester Park, keep your eyes up and look at the large tree just before the curve as you enter the area.  As we were leaving the vault toilet and paddling back to dry land following our successful mission, we stopped and pulled a piece of bark off to show how deep the water was. It still amazes me to this day.