The Perry Kiwanis Club hosted two guests at this week’s meeting. The first was Rosa Gonzalez of Perry, who represented Hispanics United for Perry (HUP) and Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.
Gonzalez first spoke about the annual Latino Festival, to be held Saturday, Aug. 27. The event will begin with a 10 a.m. parade along Willis Avenue and will continue downtown with traditional dancing, food and music on Second Street until 9 p.m.
Gonzalez said HUP is looking for volunteers to help with donations of time, supplies or cash. The Latino Festival has been hosted by HUP for the past 12 years. HUP also hosts the annual Las Pasadas and Latino cooking classes.
As a family life and human sciences specialist with ISU Extension, Gonzalez also organizes a variety of programs in parenting, nutrition and finances for Perry residents. She shared details of her duties with the Kiwanians.
An upcoming event of ISU Extension and Outreach is a free course entitled, “Learn to Live Well.” Gonzalez said the course will focus on Latinos but is open to anyone. The four-session course will be held at the McCreary Community Center on consecutive Tuesdays: Aug. 2, 9, 16 and 23 from 6-8 p.m.
Gonzalez said the purpose of the course is to teach proper nutrition and help prevent diabetes, heart disease and obesity, common risks to public health in the central Iowa population.
Perry Kiwanis Club President Abi Kincade welcomed Gonzalez, and longtime Kiwanian Ron Harland welcomed the meeting’s second guest, Bluejay Bob Doyle, proprietor of the Bluejay Market and an active participant in area events.
Boyle is running as the Libertarian Party candidate for the Iowa House District 20.
For many years, Boyle was a member of the Republican Party, and he served for three years on the Dallas County Republican Central Committee. He said he felt as if the Republican Party had no room for conservatives. He said conservatives attach themselves to the Republican Party because there is no where else to go.
Boyle is challenging six-term Republican incumbent Clel Badler, who has served 18 years in the Iowa House. Scott Heldt of Perry is the Democratic candidate in the House District 20 race.
“If elected, I will do nothing,” Boyle said. He said the political process is so corrupt that it would be nearly impossible for one person to change things. He makes no political promises but would strive to be conservative with spending.
He said he would serve no more than three terms if elected and would vote against any budget or spending increases. “The government has a moral responsibility to spend as little as possible of the people’s money,” he told the Kiwanians.
Boyle said a seat in the Iowa House pays $25,000 for six months of work. In 2014, a typical candidate for state government in Iowa spent about $70,000 campaigning, with the nationwide average at about $60,000.
Boyle self-funds his campaign and has so far spent $3,000. He will spend more before the election, he said.
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