Harrison County REC Members Shine the Light in nominations for the Statewide Contest

Since 2021, The Touchstone Energy Cooperatives of Iowa and Iowa Association of Electric Cooperatives has hosted the "Shine the Light" contest. This contest celebrates the everyday heroes in our communities, the volunteers, who give their time, energy, and heart to make a difference. REC Members throughout the state can nominate an individual who is making a difference in their community. If that individual is one of three selected winners, their non-profit organization of choice receives a $3,000 donation.

This year, Harrison County REC was pleased that four cooperative members took the time to shine a light on those who make their neighborhoods stronger, kinder, and more connected.  

While only three nominees out of 88 entries could be selected as winners, Harrison County REC believes that every story shared deserves recognition. Our four cooperative members submitted heartfelt essays highlighting local volunteers who embody the spirit of service in our community. To honor their efforts and the incredible work being done in our communities, HCREC is making a $100 donation to each of the organizations featured in these nominations. We're proud to share their stories with you below, along with photos of the volunteers and the organizations they support.

Interested in learning more or participating in 2026? Visit www.IowaShinetheLight.com for more information and rules regarding the contest.

Pictured: Bette (L) with nominator, Laura (R), presenting a quilt to a local veteran.

Nomination 1 – Laura Hansen nominating Bette Jensen with Women for Veterans.

“I would like to recognize Bette Jensen as an exceptional and selfless volunteer whose dedication to our nation’s veterans and their families is truly inspiring. Bette is the founder of a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing both emotional and practical support to local veterans, ensuring they feel honored, remembered, and cared for long after their time in uniform has ended.

One of the most touching parts of Bette’s work is her commitment to creating and personally quilting Quilts of Valor and Quilts of Honor. Each quilt is a labor of love, carefully made to reflect the dignity and service of the veteran receiving it. Just this year alone, Bette has completed over 15 quilts, which she has presented to veterans in heartfelt ceremonies, along with a sincere expression of gratitude for their service. Each quilt serves not only as a gift but as a symbol of recognition and respect, reminding veterans that their sacrifices have not been forgotten.”

Pictured: Carolyn McDermott

Nomination 2 – Marilyn Alfers nominating Carolyn McDermott with St. Anne’s Quilting

“Each Monday morning, [Carolyn] participates, leading the quilting group, as they cut and sew the blocks. They “string tie” the quilt tops to the bottoms, add the batting and a contrasting binding. At the same time, she is managing the distribution of these quilts to the needy and forgotten in the community, mostly done at Christmas time. The recent tornado, April 2024, in Minden, IA was a true instance exemplifying her stamina. Her immediate delivery that same night of “all their blankets in stock”, truly made a difference to the many who had just lost their homes.

Carolyn’s sharing is present in so many ways. Within her large family, quilts for all members make a difference for their personal occasions. Hearing of a hardship in a nearby family will require a trip with a quilt, to their home, by Carolyn… She is always aware of community happenings, not just local happenings. She has become known for her crusade.”

Pictured: Margo Hansen at a local Dunlap Playground

Nomination 3 – Jill Schaben nominating Margo Hansen with Dunlap Betterment Group.

“Margo Hansen and her husband, Ben, moved to Dunlap in 2013. Margo is a CPA who works for Gross and Co. in Dunlap, Iowa. The Hansens have three young children, and a very busy schedule, yet Margo somehow still dedicates time and invests a great deal of her energy back into the Dunlap community in numerous ways.

Growing up, Margo was a talented basketball player. In fact, in 2021, she was inducted into the Buena Vista University Hall of Fame. She capitalizes on this gift by organizing an annual summer basketball camp for elementary-aged youth in the Dunlap area. At this camp, kids focus on fundamentals and have fun completing drills while learning more about the game of basketball. The camp is led by volunteers and Margo donates the proceeds to the Dunlap Betterment Group, a local non-profit that focuses on community improvement projects.

Margo has initiated many parks and rec-related improvements. She volunteers her time to apply for grants and leads the charge on many initiatives once being awarded the funds. Some of these projects include installing a new playground at Pleasant View Park, (she and her husband organized the dirt work, landscaping, shipping and installation of the equipment), getting the bathhouse floor resurfaced at the Dunlap Community Swimming Pool and, more recently, installing a new Pickleball Court at the Dunlap City Park.

Margo plays an integral role in numerous community activities and events. For years, she has been the primary organizer for Dunlap’s 4th of July Fun Run/Walk. The course is three miles long, and the proceeds are donated to the Dunlap Wellness Center, an entity that Margo oversees. Margo monitors the Wellness Center to determine if any fitness equipment needs repaired or replaced and seeks quotes and funding to obtain new equipment.

It is apparent that staying active and healthy is an important initiative for Margo and we want to honor that.”

Pictured: Kyle (L) and Morgan (R) Wadsworth with Mary Wadsworth (C)

Nomination 4 – Morgan Wadsworth nominating Mary Wadsworth with The 4-County Fair

“Mary Wadsworth grew up in Minnesota, she and her family were involved in the 4-H program, especially with livestock. After college she moved to Western Iowa, where she has served in many roles in the local and county youth programs for almost fifty years. Mary has been a volunteer for the 4-County Fair in Dunlap, Iowa and Crawford County 4-H programs for decades, serving in many project areas. Some of her current activities include assisting with fairground clean-up, livestock pen set-up, and animal check-in at both 4-County and Crawford County Fairs. She also organizes the “Celebrity Goat Milking Contest” at both Fairs. This contest raises awareness for the Diary Goat industry and is a fun activity for both youth and adults, typically there are six to ten participants, and more than fifty people watching from the stands. During the 4-County fair she serves as the Superintendent for the poultry and rabbit shows and assists during the goat and pet shows.

The local non-profit Mary is passionate about is the 4-County Fair. It is open to youth aged eight years to high school seniors in the four-county area around Dunlap (Crawford, Harrison, Monona, and Shelby) to showcase their livestock projects. As a “stand-alone” fair it does not receive any funding from the Iowa Association of Fairs. All the funds raised through their annual “Trophy Auction and Dinner” go into prize money for the youth, scholarships for 4-H/FFA age Senior participants, events/activities during the fair, and building improvements for the livestock and grandstand events.”