A daughter’s pride for her dad

CRESCO - Just in time for the Mighty Howard County Fair, Gert Wheeler of Cresco is donating a Cresco Gun Club Bents Trophy that belonged to her father, John Jack Wheeler and accompanying folder of information to the Cresco Wildlife Club. The trophy and folder of information will be showcased at the Wildlife Building, located on the Howard  County Fairgrounds.

The public is welcome to stop by the Wildlife Building during the Howard County Fair, Wednesday, June 26-Sunday, June 30 and look at the trophy and read the information included.

The Cresco Wildlife Club was established (recognized by the state of Iowa) April 15, 1946, when it became incorporated. Wheeler's research indicates the early Wildlife Club formed a Gun Club in 1926, shooting Trap. A silver trophy was passed along permanently to anyone who won three times in a row.

 “I am proud of my dad, John Wheeler, for his service as a veteran, for being in the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and for winning this trophy at least two times and maybe three,” Wheeler said. “For some reason, on the third win, his name never got added to the trophy.”

Wheeler says she remembers the trophy sitting on a dresser in her parents’ bedroom, although no one ever talked about it.

 “The trophy ended up in my dad’s possession but since it was never talked about, I have no clue why the trophy was in my childhood home all of my life,” she said.

When Wheeler and her sister, Ruth Nelson, moved from the only place they knew as home, Wheeler made sure to bring her father’s trophy along.

“I wondered from time to time about the history of the trophy, so I went to the Cresco Public Library to look at old newspapers on the microfilm machine. I found some stories but didn’t think much about it. When the library got a new microfilm machine, I started doing more research about the trophy.”

The Bents Trophy from the Cresco Gun Club is dated 1927-1930. Wheeler said her father won the trophy in 1927, 1928 and possibly in 1930, although his name was not listed that year.

Wheeler was sidelined when her sister’s health issues became time consuming, so she was only able to research the trophy occasionally. In May 2018, Wheeler’s sister passed away. While she mourned the loss of her sister, Wheeler did more research on her father and the trophy.

“I know there are a lot more stories I’ve not had time to look for and print at this time but I wanted to get the trophy to the Cresco Wildlife Club with the help of Cresco Wildlife Club member and family friend Darwin Kueker,” Wheeler said.

Upon receiving the trophy, Kueker said, “We appreciate the fact that Gert presented the trophy to us and sought the history (of our group) before it became the Cresco Wildlife Club; it was a shooting club even way back then," Kueker said. "To have this trophy is fantastic. If anyone has any memorabilia or stories, please get them to us."

For more information, contact a Wildlife Club Board member or visit its Facebook page. Current Wildlife Club Board members include: Jim Peter, president;  Rod Ollendieck, vice president; Pam Frana, treasurer;  Todd Stephenson, secretary; Scott Webb, Chuck Broughton, Shane Pinter, Dennis Myron, John Hageman, David Burns, Bill McGee, Bill Daley, Steve Reicks, Will Hubka, Darwin Kueker, and Larry Gienau.

The Cresco Wildlife Club supports the community with events and education about conservation of the natural landscape in the state of Iowa. As a  private entity, the Cresco Wildlife Club has the largest membership in the state. The club promotes and supports a variety of causes and events in the community, including but not limited to Bigalk's trout stream, a clubhouse available for rent and for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts; Iowa Wetland Foundation, Howard County Fair display, Cresco Fine Arts Council, removing silt and repairing the bank at Vernon Springs, promoting new wildlife areas, rifle range-Bonair, trap shooting facilities, Pheasants Forever, Farmers/Sportsman Banquet, Dollars for Scholars, Bohemian Trout Stream, Hunter Safety Course, Turkey River Gobblers, the Upper Iowa Audubon Society and works with the DNR to maintain trout streams and rivers with labor and monetary funds.