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Betty Strong Encounter Center
(Dec. 3, 2007) – The Betty Strong Encounter
Center will open at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7 to
celebrate connections to the land, river and
people who make their home in this region.
Admission will be free.
Stories will be expressed in photo exhibits and maps, children’s portraits and artwork, a book and DVD, all focusing on area and regional themes. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday. The 10,000-square-foot Encounter Center connects to the Sioux City Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center on the Missouri Riverfront as a setting for the continuation of encounters in this area after Lewis & Clark. The private, non-profit cultural complex was built and is sustained by Missouri River Historical Development, Inc. (MRHD). The journey begins with “The River Connection,” a 60-foot-long exhibit filled with aerial images, photographs and graphics illuminating the Missouri River, from Yankton, S.D., through Sioux City and on to the Omaha area. Wildlife and geologic features figure into the story that seeks to stir interest in the river as a conduit for encounters, both natural and social. “The River Connection” reveals former channels of the Missouri known as “meander scars.” Visitors can see places where the river once flowed along Interstate 29 before dams and channelization altered it. At the end of “The River Connection” visitors come to “The Crossroads,” a symbol of hope for dialogue, understanding and peace among all people who make Siouxland and the region their home. “The Crossroads,” which also serves as the Betty Strong Encounter Center logo, combines four colors of the first people of this land with a compass symbolizing those who came after. Visitors continue to “The Children’s Connection” where 17 portraits of St. Augustine Indian Mission students are on exhibition. Photographed by Don Doll, S.J., earlier this year, the children represent a variety of cultures and backgrounds. They are educated at the Winnebago, Neb., mission, founded almost a century ago by St. Katharine Drexel. “An Artful Encounter” completes the “The Children’s Connection” with images created by 35 children, mainly Sanford Community Center students, under the guidance of artist Anne Steinhoff. “The Children’s Connection” was inspired by Betty Strong’s belief that every child has something beautiful to give to our world. Strong is remembered with a bronze sculpture created by the late Sioux City artist David West. A bronze plaque gives insight into Strong’s achievements as a community leader. Much of her energy was devoted to improving the lives of all people, particularly children and adolescents. Strong served as president of Missouri River Historical Development, Inc. (MRHD) from its inception in 1989 until her death in 2004. A private, non-profit organization, MRHD has distributed about $14 million to Woodbury County non-profits and governmental agencies. As visitors move into the Encounter Center lobby they find “Cornscape,” a photo exhibit celebrating the grain that transcends time as a symbol of life and a reason to celebrate. South Dakota agri-photographer Greg Latza traveled parts of Siouxland and beyond to encounter images of corn. The results are dozens of photographs that move from an old-fashioned corn-husking competition to family life on the farm to fiery sunsets over the land. “Weather” shots, aerial images, corn palaces and Jolly Time Pop Corn history add luster to the story of the grain most of the world calls “maize.” Corn has a huge place in Sioux City’s Stockyards heritage. Tucked amid the range country of the west and the fertile Corn Belt, Sioux City was perfectly situated to become one of the world’s leading central public markets. “A Way of Life” serves up a lively slice of that story with an exhibit created by G.R. Lindblade & Co. The Stockyards also are showcased with the release of the “A Way of Life II,” a 212-page book that picks up from the success of the first Stockyards book, published in 2006. “A Way of Life with Stanley Evans,” a DVD by G.R. Lindblade & Co., will be shown in the Stanley Evans Auditorium. Drop-in children’s activities, celebrating Siouxland’s agricultural heritage, will be offered from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday under the direction of Katie Helling. Admission and all materials will be free. The Betty Strong Encounter Center is located on Sioux City’s Missouri Riverfront, exit 149 off I-29. Admission and parking are free. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Monday. For more information, visit www.siouxcitylcic.com or call 712-224-5242.
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