1930 Ford Model A journeys to each State Park in Iowa

SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - If you were near Stone Park in Sioux City Monday, there’s a chance you may have gotten a blast from the past.

Anna Rea is a 1930 Ford Model A. She’s in great shape and still has all her original parts. She was purchased four years ago by former Director of Iowa State Parks Kevin Szcodronski and is now wrapping up her nearly year-long journey touring each state park in Iowa.

Szcodronski came up with the idea as a way to celebrate the state park centennial in 2020, and began his journey with a small group last fall. He says he’s been inspired by the way local communities care for their parks.

“Ann and I, we kind of coined the phrase, ‘positive energy,’ because we saw throughout the state of Iowa for their state park; regardless of if you’re talking to staff, friends group members, local community people that like to put so much energy in a positive way going towards their parks,” said Szcodronski. “And they’re so excited about those. And that’s what this was all about.”

One key member of Szcodronski’s group has been Ann Raisch. The two worked together for years, and Szcodronski knew she was interested in making the journey to see each park.

She says that after everything that’s happened in the last two years, it’s been a joy to see the happiness watching the Anna Rea drive by has brought to hundreds of people across the state.

“The other side of this is, it’s good to see people having a good time,” said Raisch. “And nobody knows what the next year is going to bring. So if you can bring a smile to someone’s face today, and give them a day of joy, then it’s all worth it.”

The journey will end in just three days, when Szcodronski, Raisch, and the group reach their 94th and final stop: Waubonsie St. Park in Fremont County. And if these final three days go according to plan, Anna Rea will have completed the whole journey on time and without a major breakdown.

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