Posted January 01, 2025in Collections & Hobbies
Sure, football draws more spectators than other sports. We all know that. After it, there isn’t much of a conversation. However, the Central Iowa Coed Soccer League boasts one of the largest memberships of any coed soccer league in the Midwest. Craig Marker, a longtime player and former president and
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Posted December 04, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
The halls of Franklin Jr. High lead to an array of organizations including Project Iowa, the Japan America Center of Iowa, the Central Iowa Wind Ensemble and more. The Des Moines Weavers and Spinners Guild meets in one room, which it is quickly outgrowing. The Weavers and Spinners Guild has
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Posted November 06, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
Presumably, anyone can be a coin collector. A few dozen quarters might rest in your center console. A child might have a piggy bank full of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters and the odd silver dollar or two. Some of the more foul-mouthed among us might even have a swear jar
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Posted October 02, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
Halloween is a time for trick-or-treaters, fun costumes, scary movies and, perhaps, a trip to a haunted house or two. For David Ladd, it is a time to let his imagination run wild in preparation for decorating his home for all to see. Halloween and Christmas provide homeowners the opportunity
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Posted September 04, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
Even though the Titanic sank more than a century ago, it still has fans who ride its waves with adoration. Conventions and fan clubs are aplenty across the globe and keep its memory alive through memorabilia. Few have collected more items related to the Titanic than Lexie Faust. Faust’s fascination
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Posted July 31, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
Video games have grown in popularity since “Tennis for Two” debuted in 1958. They have also grown in capabilities and number of options. Few understand the number of options better than Des Moines’ Frank Schwartztrauber. The 62-year-old commercial maintenance technician played video games when he was younger but eventually sold
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Posted July 03, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
Those who consider themselves gym rats might want to rethink that self-imposed title. Bodybuilding is not for the faint of heart. The time and dedication to strict diets and workout schedules have broken many wills, but not Kali Spaulding’s. “I’ve had friends that competed for a while, and I said
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Posted June 05, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
The World Flying Disc Federation’s World Ultimate Championships take place once every four years and feature the top flying disc players in the world. Dylan DeClerck of Urbandale will represent Team USA, a unique feat among thousands of players across the country in the Olympic-style sport. DeClerck was among 560 other
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Posted May 01, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
Perhaps being born and raised in the medieval era would be more likely to lead to a life of jousting, but it’s clearly still a possibility — and for some, a reality. That life, unexpectedly, became the reality for Des Moines native Dane Gramball. Alex Lundy, a close friend of
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Posted April 03, 2024in Collections & Hobbies
People step on and over rocks most every single day without a second thought. They’re used in water features, gardens, concrete and more. Are most rocks just that, a rock? Not to Ken Belzer. Belzer, born and raised in Des Moines, is a rock and geode enthusiast who began his
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