Hello Granger | Local Events + Missing Packages + Water Rescues

Happy Friday! This week we’re talking water rescues, missing packages, back to school and plenty of things to do around town. Hopefully you learn something new or find something fun to do!

And don’t forget to check out the Community Board each week for local job and volunteer opportunities — plus other ways to get involved around town.

Have a great week! 💚

Friday, Aug. 21
WG Football Kickoff Scrimmage
Friday, Aug. 21 | 7 p.m. | Hawk Stadium
Catch Woodward-Granger, ACGC, and I-35 on the field — yep, it’s three teams! This format means a local team that otherwise wouldn’t have anyone to scrimmage gets a chance to play. And it might be the cheapest game of the year — admission is a Powerade donation for the Hawks. WG plays in quarters 2 and 3, with JV playing in the 4th quarter.

Roller Skating in Dallas Center
Dallas Center Mound Park |  7-9 p.m. | Free
Friday night is Skate Night in Dallas Center—just 15 minutes from Granger. It’s Back to School week, so dress up in our school colors (green and yellow) and get a prize! Bring your own skates or borrow free quad or inline skates, available in toddler through adult sizes. Enjoy music, games, prizes and budget-friendly concessions.

Saturday, Aug. 22
Yoga in the Park
Centennial Park | 8 a.m. | Free
It’s the last Saturday morning Yoga in the Park with Jessica Bilbo Yoga of the season! It’s free, all experience levels are welcome, and you can bring your own mat (a few extras will be available).

Chair Yoga
Granger Community Center | 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Free/Register | Adults only
Chair yoga is perfect if just thinking about floor poses makes your joints ache. Enjoy gentle stretches, mindful movement, balance work and core strength—all with the support of a chair.

Sunday, Aug. 23
Iowa Young Birders: Summer Bird Search
Iowa Arboretum & Gardens, Madrid | 1-3 p.m | Free/ Registration Requested
A fun, free outing for kids before school starts, only 20 minutes away! Spend the afternoon searching for colorful summer birds like Bluebirds, Goldfinches, Indigo Buntings and hummingbirds. Binoculars are encouraged, with a limited number available to borrow. No birding experience necessary!

Monday, Aug. 24
Happy First Day of School!
With students heading back — and everyone getting used to the new Middle School location — keep an extra eye out for kids walking and biking to school, especially around Granger. 🚸

Preschool begins Aug. 31.

Mommy + Me Yoga
Granger Community Center | 9-10 a.m. | Free but register
Caregivers and children of all ages are invited to stretch, breathe, and move together in a come-as-you-are environment. Pics from this event look like so much fun!

Tuesday, Aug. 25
Adult Yoga
Granger Community Center | 10-11 a.m. |
Yoga for adults with beginner to intermediate experience.

Wednesday, Aug.26
Story Time is BACK
Granger Public Library | 11:15-11:45 a.m. | Ages 0-5 | No need to register.
It’s back for the fall! Enjoy stories, songs, snacks and crafts at this fun weekly get-together.

Thursday, Aug.27
Senior Social Time
Granger Community Center | 1-3 p.m. |
A chance for older adults to get out of the house and connect with cards, games, movies, conversation and occasional ice cream socials: hosted by Granger Parks and Recreation.

Family BINGO
Granger Public Library | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | All Ages | Register TODAY!
Celebrate almost making it through the first week of school with an hour of family fun, games and prizes! This is a popular event, so be sure to register ahead of time.

• More Than Fighting Fires
This summer, Granger Fire & EMS has responded to six water rescues. That number surprised me — mostly because I didn’t even realize water rescue was part of what our local fire department does.

But it has been for decades.

Now, the department is expanding its water rescue capabilities with a jet ski acquired through a program with Kawasaki. The department already has the jet ski and plans to put it into service within the next several weeks, once required training is complete.

In the past, Granger has provided ambulance care once patients are brought to shore, as well as personnel and equipment to assist with rescues involving personal watercraft and rescue boats.

Granger’s water rescue area includes Saylorville Lake, portions of the Des Moines River and Beaver Creek, and area ponds. Deputy Chief Rob Saak said most of the department’s water rescue calls happen on Saylorville Lake and during the warmer months.

Water rescues on Saylorville are a coordinated effort among several area fire departments. Granger is primarily responsible for the Lincoln Access boat ramp, while other departments cover their designated areas of the lake.

Getting the new equipment ready has also involved support from the community. The Granger Fire Department Auxiliary purchased the ski trailer, while a private donor provided a jet ski rescue board. Saak thanked department members for their many hours of training, also the City Council, Mayor and community for supporting the program.

The goal, Saak said, is to make sure the department has the skills, training, equipment and resources needed to respond effectively to any emergency in its coverage area.

• Delivered…But Where’s the Package?
The Granger and Woodward Facebook groups have been great at helping us locate misdelivered packages. Lots of us put the proof-of-delivery photo in the group hoping that someone got our package by mistake — and thanks to helpful neighbors, we get it back.

But lately, packages are being marked delivered, with the proof-of-delivery photo showing a house that’s not recognized anywhere and the package nowhere to be found.

There have been documented cases, including in the Midwest, where delivery drivers placed a package at a home, took the required delivery photo, and then picked the package back up and left with it. There are also reports of apparent AI-generated images being used as proof of delivery. In fact, several Granger-area residents say their Amazon orders have been marked delivered with the same apparent AI-generated delivery photo, despite never receiving their packages.

If your package is marked delivered and the photo isn't your house, it's worth taking a closer look. A big thank you to our neighbors who have been good at protecting each other and calling out when something in a delivery photo doesn’t add up.

📦 Package marked delivered, but not there?
1. Save a screenshot of the delivery photo and tracking information, especially if something about the photo looks suspicious.
2. Report the missing package to Amazon or the seller.
3. If the seller doesn’t resolve a package you never received, contact your credit-card issuer about disputing the charge. If you suspect fraud, you can also report it to the FTC.

• Give your Driveway a WG Upgrade
Add some school spirit to your driveway while helping support the 2027 Woodward-Granger Junior/Senior Prom! WG students and parents are painting school-spirit decals, with four designs/logos to choose from: WG, WG Hawk, Iowa State or Iowa Hawkeyes.

One design is $30, or save when you choose multiple. Painting dates are Aug. 30, Sept. 6 and Sept. 20. Proceeds help the Class of 2028 host Prom 2027 for this year’s senior class.

Pick your design → click here

📌 Community Board

🙌 Attention Middle School parents! The Woodward-Granger Middle School PTO currently has just one member and could use some more parents to join in! The PTO helps make the 8th-grade Adventureland trip, 7th-grade class T-shirts, and middle school dances and fun nights possible, with hopes to also support sports uniforms, classroom supplies and equipment upgrades. To get involved, contact Carrie James at 515-508-9217 or [email protected].

🎒 Last Call! School starts Monday! School Supply Lists (still no one is judging if you need these!): ELC: click here Elementary: click here Middle School: click here High School: click here

🙋‍♀️Granger Days is looking for volunteers. Click here to sign up to lend a hand and help make the weekend happen.

💼 A Granger resident is looking for help at his Polk City business. Lakeside Products is hiring a part-time Amazon Account Manager with flexible hours and a remote/office option. This is a specialized position requiring experience with Amazon Seller Central, PPC and e-commerce. Check out their Facebook page here to learn more about what they sell, and DM them to see if your experience is a good fit.

🍗 If you're able, consider picking up an extra source of protein—dairy, meat, etc.—during your next grocery trip and drop it by the community refrigerator at the Granger Public Library. Or, if you’re in Woodward, drop your items off at the Woodward Public Library for the community refrigerator there.

🚘 Volunteer Drivers Needed
Volunteer Community Services of Woodward & Granger (VCSWG) is looking for volunteer drivers to help local residents get to appointments, pick up groceries, and run errands—helping neighbors stay independent. Students, this is also a great opportunity to earn Silver Cord hours.For more information, call 515-978-8114 or visit vcswg.org.

❓Do you have a volunteer opportunity, job posting or another local announcement you’d like included here? Reply to this email and let me know.

🗓️ Save The Dates:

🎉 Aug. 28-29 — Granger Days

🎃 Oct. 17 — Granger Fall Festival & Fishing Tournament