The 2015 Corn Carnival Grand Marshalls Dennis and Doris Gienger are pictured by the Welcome sign to their home just north of Gladbrook. The couple has beautifully landscaped their front yard, including a soothing waterfall just off the front porch. And of course, the Welcome sign features swine, as the name Gienger is synonymous with the swine industry.

The Gladbrook Corn Carnival Corporation has named Dennis and Doris Gienger as the 2015 Corn Carnival Parade Grand Marshalls. The parade will take place on Friday, June 26, at 6:30 PM.

Dennis and Doris Gienger were chosen as Grand Marshalls because of their long time service and involvement with the Corn Carnival event. For an amazing 28 years Dennis served as Corn Carnival Corporation Committee Chairman! He was a member of the Committee for one year before becoming Chairman. This is the third year since his “retirement”. He says, “I do miss it, but it was time for some new ideas and time to get some new blood involved. My son, Jason is now on the committee.”

Doris worked right alongside her husband and was Chairman of the Merchants Tent for a long time. Dennis said, “She got pushed up to do it when there was not a chair and also a lot of other things. When somebody couldn’t help it was Doris who got it done.”

Doris spent a lot of years creating the Saturday event focusing on activities for the kids. One event many kids will remember is the greasy pig contest. Dennis said, “I got the idea in 1983 after being in Belle Plaine. We started it in 1984 and it was great. But we discontinued it five years ago as it was getting harder to get the right size pigs and because of disease issues.”

When queried as to what the biggest change had been the duo decided it was going from the Merchants Tent to the City Centre and also moving Carnival rides up the street to a level spot because of insurance regulations. Also Dennis stated, “For about 20 years we had the Sunday Carnival rides for the kids. It was a safe place and we had 22 rides for them on Main Street. It is getting harder and harder to find a good Carnival.”

A big concern for the Giengers is the fact of needing more of the younger people of the community to be involved with the Corn Carnival event. Dennis stated, “We have to have local involvement to keep the Carnival celebration going. It is a time for people to come back to their roots.”

Community involvement for Dennis and Doris goes way beyond the Corn Carnival. In 1996 Dennis was among a group who began Gladbrook Investment Company. The 32 investors purchased the bowling alley. Dennis stated, “In 1997 the Gladbrook Development was formed to start affordable housing in Gladbrook. The duplexes and three spec houses were built. Following the sale of the bowling alley in 1998, the money was invested in senior housing.”

The bike trail on the north edge of Gladbrook exists because of Dennis and his donation of the land. It has also been his constant efforts to keep the trail user friendly and to totally rebuild it after the floods washed it out several years ago that has keep the trail in existence. The trail connects with the one at Conrad and is a popular resource of the community.

Several years ago Dennis and about a half dozen others got together and came up with the idea of the City Centre.

And in addition to all the Gladbrook Community involvement the Gienger are immersed in the promotion of the pork industry. In fact, Dennis plans to leave for Florida on June 27 to grill for the Florida State FFA Convention. He will be in charge of meals for 5,000 FFA members for four days – three meals a day. The Pork Producers will be the only vendor available and that is an incredible 60,000 meals!! Dennis will be driving the refrigerated trailer with all the pork to be grilled.

Dennis and Doris are both native Gladbrook residents. The couple was married in 1974, settled north of Gladbrook, farmed and raised swine. They are the parents of three children. Jason and Megan Gienger live on the home farm and are heavily involved in the pork industry. Jared Gienger is a police officer in Cedar Rapids and patrols during the evening shift. Daughter Jenny lives in Ocala, Florida and works for Americore Park Restoration getting rid of invasive species and getting Florida back to its natural state.

Dennis says, “People are fortunate to be born in or to have moved to a small community like Gladbrook. It is their responsibility to be involved. It’s earned, not handed to you. It is the people working together that forms the close knit bond. If you are not involved in it you are not a part of it. I recommend getting involved now.”

Congratulations to a very deserving couple who have given their all to the Gladbrook Community!!