The Lady is a Proud Lady again! October 2007 photo. It took a lot of generous contributors, tons of volunteer elbow grease, skill, and knowledge, some of the finest professionals in the area, a great Maquoketa city government, and a do anything, overcome everything, never quit retired Marine Corps general in the mix - but the proof is in the pudding. What could not be done WAS done. She’s come a long way since that first step from death’s door in November 2004 that began a journey of a thousand miles. And the BEST is yet to come.

We are especially grateful to Guardian Industries of Auburn Hills, MI whose timely and classy delivery through the middle of Maquoketa of a very generous donation of new glass panes kicked off the positive reconstruction phase of the project and replaced the more depressing negative gutting phase. It was a real morale booster that began the fun phase of the project. Guardian represents the finest of civic-minded industries without which projects like ours would rarely be done. Moreover, it rubbed off. Alan Buttars, the Boy Scout who built the flagpole, base, and patio is the son of Blake Buttars, a Guardian employee at its glass plant in DeWitt, IA.