Thursday, May 14, 2009

Exeter-Milligan Track Team Members Qualify for State


Exeter-Milligan State Track Qualifiers Front row: Kelsey Moore, Mackenzie Thomsen, Cassie Harre and Claire White (4X100 relay team) Cassie Harre also qualified in the 100 M and 200 M. Back Row: Heather Pribyl(3200 M), Ryan Harre (100 M, 200 M), Austin Stride (400 M), Shane Manning (Pole Vault). Not pictured Dalton Brandt (Shot Put)

Exeter Pool Fenced In

electrical work is progressing on the bathhouse . . .

Bob Mueller busy sealing the concrete inside the bathhouse . . .

Bob Mueller with John Mueller in the background almost done sealing the concrete . . .

fixtures are going in on the bathhouse and should be completed soon. . .


The pool was fenced in this week and lots of progress was made on the bathhouse. Fixtures were installed and the inside of the bathhouse was sealed. Much of the electrical work is done with lights installed on the outside. The exterior doors have been installed and the pool is currently being painted. Much of the opening will depend on how well the test runs go and how inspections are scheduled.

Farmers Cooperative in Exeter breaks ground on new bin



The Exeter branch of the Farmers Cooperative has begun the storage expansion project in Exeter. Crews have been working a week now to drill the pilings into the old parking area of the Cooperative site. Cement has also been poured in the piling holes as they were drilled. The bin is expected to hold 620,000 bushels of grain.

Exeter-Milligan Class of 2009 at Graduation

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

The New Trees Are Arriving on Friday!

The Exeter Cemetery was recently awarded $10,000 in matching funds for landscape beautification. The funds come from the Trees for Nebraska Towns (TNT) program, which was created to aid in the planting of large-growing shade trees while also improving the diversity of tree species in communities. The TNT Program is coordinated by the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and funded by the The Nebraska Environmental Trust, a beneficiary of the Nebraska Lottery. Not quite all of the matching funds have been raised.

Anyone interested in donating can send donations to: Exeter Cemetery
Association, c/o JoDee Mika, 421 North River Ave,
Exeter, NE 68351.

Volunteers are welcome to start with the tree planting process which will begin around 3:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15th at the cemetery. Time volunteering will also be able to used in meeting the matching grant amount. To register contact Barry Murphy at 266-4161.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Carly Stokebrand Named Athlete of the Week


Concordia University's Carly Stokebrand was named Women's Track Athlete of the Week by the Great Plains Athletic Conference. Stokebrand a junior from Exeter, Neb. won the hammer throw with a mark of 161 feet 8 inches at the Hastings/GPAC Meet on April 24th. Her throw in the hammer is a GPAC season leading throw and ranks her first in the conference and in the top ten in the NAIA. Carly also placed second in the discus and broker her own personal record in the shot put at the same meet.

She has qualified for Nationals in the hammer and the discus and missed quilfying for the shot by inches. NAIA Outdoor Track and Field Nationals will be held in Edwardsville, Ill. May 21-23, 2009.

Stokebrand is the only female thrower for Concordia to be named GPAC Athlete of the Week in the last eleven years.

First National Bank in Exeter recognized for longevity

The First National Bank in Exeter celebrated their 75th Anniversary on Tuesday morning with an Open House and presentation from the Assistant Deputy Comptroller Troy Thornton, from the Treasury Department (Comptroller of the Currency Administrator of National Banks).

Thornton presented First National Bank in Exeter CEO Jim McCabe with a plaque recognizing the longevity of the bank. He also spoke of the courage that it took to found a bank in the midst of the challenging economic times of the depression.

Upon accepting the plaque, McCabe thanked the many people who made the bank what it has become. "I want to thank all the employees of the bank and those that could not be here today." He mentioned his father, Elmer McCabe and grandfather, H.M. Link, who founded the bank. He also thanked all of the very loyal customers of the bank and mentioned several who have been customers their whole life.

Many special items from the banks history were on display including copies of the script that the bank produced before checks and paper bills were introduced. There were copies of hotel bills that H.M. Link saved from his trip to Washington D.C. to obtain a charter for the bank, as well as photos of special moments in the bank's history.

Exeter Native Carson Stokebrand Honored



Carson Stokebrand, of Exeter, was recently honored at the Boy Scouts Cornhusker Council Annual Recognition Dinner. Carson was awarded the Young American Award which was first awarded in 1968.

The award is given to a student age 19 through 25 to achighlight publicly the importance of their achievements and service to their community, state, and nation.

Recipients have to be nominated for this award and may or may not be a member of the Boy Scouts of America.

In order to be considered for this award nominees must have achieved outstanding accomplishments in the fields of art, athletics, business, community service, education, government, humanities, literature, math, music, religion, and science. Community service that adds to the quality of life and above average scholastic grade point average are also requirements.

The recipients are chosen based on completion of an extensive applications, letters of recommendation and records of the nominee's involvements in organizations, leadership roles and recognitions they may have received.

Stokebrand is an Eagle Scout with six palms. He was Valedictorian of his class at Exeter-Milligan High School and just graduated from Concordian University in Seward with High Distinction with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication with an emphasis in Journalism and Public Relations. He also received a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Marketing.

Stokebrand was also named Outstanding Graduate in the Jouranlism and Public Relations program. He has been accepted inot graduate school at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He will be in the Broadcast Journalism masters program. Stokebrand is the son of Mark and Rhonda Stokebrand of Exeter.

Exeter-Milligan Field Day - Fun For All!



Exeter-Milligan elementary students had a beautiful afternoon for this year's annual Field Day events.

Friday's activities drew a large crowd of over 200 for the afternoon track and field events. Students were able to participate in relays, running events, potato sack races, tug-of-war, softball throw and an obstacle course along with the traditional field events. Third through sixth graders were allowed to participate in up to four events.

With the support of their parents and teachers, the elementary students along with their teachers, faculty and staff were guided in the many events. High school students also assisted in the running of the events.

At the end of the day's activities, students along with their parents and other family members enjoyed a walk around the track before receiving their prizes from the bike rodeo held in the morning.

Exeter-Milligan K-6 Students Enjoy Bike Rodeo



Friday, May 1, was a special day for the elementary students at the Exeter-Milligan school. It was a day of combined fun and learning for the kindergarten through sixth graders.
The morning started with a special bike safety video and helmet fitting. The students were invited to bring their bikes to school and all of the grades met at the Exeter site for a bike rodeo.
Junior high and high school members of the FCCLA marked out an eight station bike rodeo on the elementary playground and some of the street that was closed off. The older students practiced at each station after they were ready.
When it was time for the rodeo to begin the students were divided up into eight groups and traveled between the different stations. The bicycle inspection station was manned by village marshal's Mark McFarland and Brian McFarland. Other stations included riding around cones, navigating curves and stopping quickly.
Despite the cool, damp weather the students enjoyed the event. Prior to the rodeo, the kindergarten, first and second graders were treated to a bicycle safety session with Natalie Kingston from Public Health Solutions. On Friday the third, fourth, fifth and sixth graders also had a brief safety session and both groups witnessed the melon drop. Kingston dropped a small watermelon with a bicycle helmet on it and then without the helmet. The students got a first hand look at how a helmet can protect their head.
The event was orchestrated by the No Child Left on their Behind program through a grant received by the Exeter community. Members of the community as well as Exeter-Milligan faculty and staff volunteered their time to coordinate the program. The bike rodeo kit was provided by State Farm Insurance Company.
Through the grant monies, the program funded a helmet program for Kindergarten, first, second and third graders. Students were able to buy good quality helmets at a greatly reduced price. The funds raised will go to purchasing helmets for each incoming kindergarten class.
As one of the final parts of the program students in kindergarten through sixth grade who ride their bikes to school with their helmets on will receive a sticker each time and after they have collected enough stickers will be rewarded with a sports equipment prize.
The goal of the No Child Left on their Behind program is to promote more physical activity among our children and our communities. After the field day event, participants in the bike rodeo received sports activity prizes purchased with grant funds as well as prizes donated by Black Hills Energy and Army National Guard prizes donated by Zac Hartmann.

Monday, May 11, 2009

First National Bank in Exeter Celebrates 75th Anniversary Open House on Tuesday


The First National Bank in Exeter will hold an Open House to celebrate 75 years of operation serving the community of Exeter on Tuesday, May 12th starting at 8:00 a.m.

At 8:30 on Tuesday morning Troy Thornton, Assistant Deputy Comptroller of the OCC will present Jim McCabe with a certificate of recognition. The OCC (Office of the Comptroller of the Currency) charters, regulates and supervises all national banks. McCabe serves as the CEO and Chairman of the Board for the bank.

The First National Bank in Exeter has been continuously family owned and operated since the depression era when H.M. Link obtained a charter for the bank through several trips by rail to Washington D.C. The Bank reopened March 21, 1934 with H.M. Link as president and Frank N. Craven, A.W. Dyer, Lesher T. Blouch, Guy J. Phelps and H.M. Link as stockholders.

The current bank building was completed in 1966 two doors south of the original bank. The hometown bank offers all of the services of a large bank including internet and telephone banking. Other products the bank offers include HSA’s, IRA’s Visa Debit cards, home mortgages, first time home buyer/down payment assistance loans along with many other traditional banking products.

It’s no wonder that McCabe “credits much of the success of the bank on its dedicate staff and faithful customers,” many of the helpful staff have been employed with the bank over ten years, some over twenty years.

During the open house the bank will be serving cake and refreshments while customers can enjoy a display of interesting items from the past 75 years.

pictured are from the left: Kay Due, Kristi Horne, Tammy Sladek, Patty Rocole, Sharla Dinnee, Sharon Mueller, Vice-President and Alan Emshoff, President. Not pictured: Jim McCabe, CEO and Chairman of the Board.