A Star Is Born a Star Through It All, Venenga Has Re- Has Venenga All, It Through “(Kaliegh) Wanted to Do More
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Hampton Chronicle Grundy Register TheGraphic-Advocate Eagle Eagle Grove GrundyDows Advocate Times CWL Conservative Chronicle Clarksville Star Register Journal Tribune County Butler Buffalo Tribune Center UPC CODES MID-AMERICA Thursday, May 16, 2019 Serving Grundy County since 1928 Grundy Center, Iowa Volume Paper What Cheer 95 - Number Vine Village 20The Leader Sigourney News-Review www.TheGrundyRegister.comSheffield Press Enterprise Pioneer Sun New Sharon Liberal Opinion Week $1Keota Eagle Newsstand Price A star is born Daughter of Holland native crowned Miss Teen USA By ROBERT MAHARRY a pageant at the age of five, but even (specifically, pageant parents), and form one of her dance routines. The Grundy Register then, Venenga, who moved to Con- she’s gone out of her way to be sup- Now that she has a platform, Ka- NEW HAVEN, CT- Since she was necticut to obtain a master’s degree portive without being destructive. liegh is using it to promote a cause crowned Miss Teen USA last month, and took a job with the state’s Depart- She’s seen the dark side but adds that’s near and dear to her heart: put- Kaliegh Garris has become a mainstay ment of Developmental Services (she that “many more” of the parents are ting people before their disabilities in the national media: she appeared now resides in the New Haven area), encouraging and positive, and she’s through her organization, “We Are on “CBS This Morning,” and writers was hesitant about taking it any further a firm believer in the skills that the People 1st.” One of her older sisters at People Magazine, The New York than that. pageants build. has multiple disabilities, and Kaliegh Times, NBC News and CNN, among “(Kaliegh) wanted to do more. I said “Kaliegh has always been a has always been frustrated by the way other outlets, have all profiled her. But no, because other girls came off the self-confident kid, but the amount people looked at her and acted toward her mother, Tammy Venenga, couldn’t stage crying, and I’m like, ‘I’m not go- of self-confidence she’s gained from her. wait to speak to The Grundy Register. ing to do that to her,’” she said. “(But) this, the ability for her talk to others, Motherhood has also taught Venen- Venenga, a Holland native and 1984 we waited a few years, and she asked the ability for her to interact with ga to appreciate and cherish all three of GCHS graduate, is an especially proud again. I insisted that she could only do many, many people, to be able to go her children for their unique talents— parent these days: after years of trials one pageant a year, and it had to be a into a new situation and just to be especially as Kaliegh prepares to head and tribulations, all of the hard work natural pageant where she had to look herself—it’s just amazing, the skills off to college. has paid off for her 18-year-old daugh- her age, dress her age and act her age.” she’s gained from this,” Venenga “I’ve raised three really, really great ter. And through her victory, Garris, The success kept coming, and even- said. women, and I’m very proud of all of who is biracial, has helped to make his- tually, Mom realized that Kaliegh was Even as she’s moved halfway them. From here, I think this is going tory in the process: for the first time, a big deal. It all culminated last month across the country, Venenga main- to open doors for (Kaleigh), for her fu- the winners of Miss Teen USA, Miss in Reno, Nevada, around the same time tains a strong connection to the place ture, and she’s lucky,” Venenga said. USA and Miss America are all black that her older daughter—Kaliegh’s sis- she came from: her father and her “She’s going to have opportunities a lot women. She drew special praise for ter—was being commissioned into the Kaliegh Garris, the daughter of Holland aunt both live in Parkersburg, and of people don’t have, and as long as she wearing her natural curls throughout Army as an officer. native and 1984 Grundy Center High she’s made several trips home over remembers that and remembers first the pageant over the objections of some Through it all, Venenga has re- School graduate Tammy Venenga, was the years. During a trip to visit Tam- and foremost where she came from, recently crowned Miss Teen USA. (Photo initial naysayers. mained conscious of the negative my’s late mother at a local nursing she will be successful.” courtesy of Tammy Venenga) It all started when Kaliegh won stereotypes associated with pageants home, Kaliegh got a chance to per- Itzen joins Grundy Register staff as summer intern By MICHAELA KENDALL The Grundy Register GRUNDY CENTER - A fa- miliar face is joining The Grun- dy Register staff for the sum- mer. Area native Jillian Itzen, who graduated from GCHS in 2016, has joined the team and is taking on a position as summer intern at the newspaper, where she will hone her skills in ad- vertising, marketing and graph- ic design. Itzen just finished up her junior year at Iowa State Uni- versity, where she is majoring in advertising with a minor in design studies. She’s been in- volved in the Iowa State Daily newspaper on campus, and held Area native artist Grant McMartin painted a mural for a position as Advertising Direc- the City of Grundy Center, which was installed on the east tor for Trend Magazine - ISU’s side of the Pizza Hut building on Monday morning. (Pho- premier fashion and lifestyle tos by Michaela Kendall & Jill Itzen/The Grundy Regis- publication. ter) Itzen says she’s ready to jump in, and can’t wait to put her skills to use at her home- town newspaper. “The opportunity [to intern New public art installed here] really fell into my lap, and I was excited for a chance to work here in Grundy Center,” Jill Itzen, who grew up in town and graduated from GCHS, is re- she said. “I already know a lot turning to the community for a position as summer intern here in downtown GC of people here in the communi- at The Grundy Register. (Michaela Kendall/The Grundy Register ty, but I’m excited to work with photo) By MICHAELA KENDALL how many barn collages and You'll be taken back to Grundy them on their advertising and The Grundy Register sculptures I have had to send County and a memory of a great marketing needs, and help them with unique, new advertising rector at Trend Magazine, It- GRUNDY CENTER - As the to places like L.A., Seattle and life in a very special place.” further their business while get- and marketing options for local zen was in charge of a team of public art movement continues downtown Chicago. And these McMartin said he would be ting some real world, hands on businesses. students that sold, created and to gain traction here in town, a are people who have nothing more than happy for the chance experience in the industry.” “I really like the creative side placed ads in the magazine. new art installment by local art- to do with agriculture or farm to promote Grundy Center With a passion for the cre- of advertising,” she said. “It’s “I started off with scheduling ist Grant McMartin was put up life. I think it's an idea; the idea through more mural work and ative side of advertising, Itzen neat to start with this vision, and meetings, and visiting with ad- in downtown Grundy Center on of a good, honest, hardwork- art in town. says she’s excited to flex her make it a reality.” vertisers to find out their n Monday morning. ing life. Whenever I tell people “Hopefully I get the chance creative muscles in coming up During her time as Ad Di- See INTERN page 3 Located on the east side of in Chicago I'm going back to to do it again,” he said. “I’d like the Pizza Hut building, McMar- work on the farm they always to do a much bigger one next tin’s painting depicts a barn on get jealous. There is this love time, and do something differ- an open field, signifying the for Americana in the hearts of ent. Anything to help bring peo- agricultural identity of the com- people everywhere. We have ple to town would be fantastic.” munity and county. the opportunity to actually live Local city council member McMartin - who grew up it here [in Grundy County], and Amanda Grineski - a big advo- just outside of Grundy Cen- I'm not just talking about farm- cate for the public art movement ter and graduated from Well- ers, yet so much of the time we in town - says she’s excited to sburg-Steamboat Rock High take it for granted.” have McMartin’s artwork up School - now lives and works He added that with so many and on display for the whole in Chicago, but said that he was barns being torn down and community to see. happy to create a piece of art for replaced with newer, bigger “This is an excellent center- his home community, and hon- sheds, the symbolism an old piece to showcase our town, and ored to be a part of the move- barn is a reminder to appreciate to help kick off the public art ment to bring more public art to what we have.