Life in Treynor

You know, most people from around Southwest Iowa know of a little town called Treynor. They might know that the population is about 1000, that it sits about 11 miles east of Council Bluffs (20 miles from Omaha), and that it has a great school system. They also might think that the town is full of “snobby, unfriendly” people, but let me set the record straight on a few facts about this great town!

It has a population of 919, according to the 2010 census. Enrollment at the local school district is more than ¾ of the town’s population, with figures in 2015 at about 775 students. The school district reaches into the eastern edges of Council Bluffs, accounting for some of the students, but there is also a large percentage of students that open-enroll into the district because of its strong academics. Yes, I said academics (not athletics). We have a strong athletic program too, but academics do come first. If a student is failing one subject at midterms or quarters, they are ineligible to play until they reach eligibility status.

Treynor once held the names Four Corners and High Five, before it was named after Postmaster Treynor who fought to get a post office in the town. It has seen it’s share of stores and businesses come and go, including a hardware store, a vet clinic, a meat locker, a drugstore, a gift shop, an ice cream restaurant, a clothing store, and several grocery stores.

Current businesses are the local gas station, a sit-down restaurant and bar, a golf course & restaurant, a fitness facility, an appliance repair business, a bank, a storage facility, automotive repair shops, a tire repair shop, a car dealer, an ag supplier, a truck dealer, a chiropractor, hair stylists, barbers, and the long-standing post office.

It is a town full of loving and caring people who take care of their own AND others. Let me give you one example: There is a young boy, Kellen Morrison, from the Logan-Magnolia School District who is fighting cancer. Their basketball coach reached out to our coaches to inquire if their players would buy t-shirts to support Kellen’s fundraiser. What did we do? We bought t-shirts, but then we went further. Our coaches coordinated a “Shoot for a Cause” event! With over 73 athletes participating, over $10,000 was raised for Kellen. Most of us don’t even know Kellen, but we worked, donated and prayed for this little boy to get better. He’s still battling his cancer, by the way, and can be followed on his Caring Bridge Website: http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/kellenmorrison

Our boys basketball team made a return trip to state this year and against all odds, won the championship! But, you know what’s even better? The fans won the Sportsmanship Award! State Officials were quoted as saying that it is very rare for the Championship team to also win the Sportsmanship Award. As a cheer coach, I know how it can be a challenge to get the crowd to cheer with the cheerleaders, but the state championship game was one of the best crowds I have ever experienced in the 40 years I have been a Treynor-ite. It was like a transformation began and the feeling of really standing behind our athletes pulsed through the crowd. Everyone was yelling, and cheering and clapping as if to say “We’re behind you 100%, boys! We support you! We believe in you!”. After the Championship game was won, an Iowa City-Regina player was quoted in a news article as saying "It's hard to get caught up in that, and their fans were going crazy. We just couldn't pull through." Wow! What a day that was. It’s always great to be a Cardinal, but to get to experience a Championship win like that was memorable.

Let me continue….Last year, after four residents took their own life, a community alliance was formed to focus on reaching out to our neighbors and getting to know them better. Treynor Community Outreach was formed and from that program, many branches of service projects have formed. For instance, Little Libraries were facilitated by the Outreach Committee, but carried out and installed by our local students during Pay It Forward Day on Homecoming. Block Parties were held throughout the community over the summer and fall with more to come this coming summer. The group plans to facilitate quarterly forums, which is to help share, showcase, communicate, inspire and build relationships with people in our community to help Treynor become a better place to live and work.

And, just last Wednesday, a precious, beautiful 11th grade student, Ellen Campbell, was involved in a car accident. Her 13-year-old sister, Jane, was in the vehicle too and she was seriously injured. Jane has thankfully been released. The accident critically injured Ellen and the doctors have her in a medically induced coma to help heal the brain injury that she suffered. Her right leg is also seriously injured with surgeries and rehabilitation in the future. This community has pulled together already and lifted up hands in prayer for these girls to heal quickly. Knowing it may be a long road to recovery, a local resident started a GoFundMe account for Ellen. Within 12 hours, the donations were over $5,000 and, within a day, donations were over $10,000! Incredible, isn’t it? I can guarantee that we will all continue to love, support and pray for Ellen and the family during this difficult time.

So, I ask you: Does Treynor sound like a town full of unfriendly and uncaring people? I know it can sometimes take a while to feel like you fit into any new community, not just Treynor. We put that upon ourselves when we don’t know others. But, I challenge you to come to Treynor, Iowa and find out for yourself just how great it is to live here!