Saturday, October 23, 2010

ODEGO


FILLMORE COUNTY - The Odegeo…Leadership for Fillmore County class visited many historical and tourist sites throughout the county during their October 19th session.
The class met at Dempster Woods Bed and Breakfast. Sandra Lefever, their host, told about the history of Dempster Woods and their bed & breakfast business. She also furnished muffins and coffee for the group.
Next they visited the Strang Museum where Janet Lentfer told some of the history of Strang. They toured the Fairmont Air Base as Doug Rung told stories of the soldiers that were based there and the history of the WW II Army airbase. The class toured to the Fillmore County Museum while in Fairmont and listened as Doug Rung and Wanda Margot told of several new items that had been added at the museum.
The group had lunch at St. Stephen’s Parish Hall sponsored by York State Bank of Geneva. The group then toured the historical St Stephen’s Catholic Church. Agnes Anderson gave details of the 2002-2003 renovation of the church.
The group traveled to the Cesky Bratri Cemetery near Milligan. Officers of the Cemetery Association explained the significance of the chapel and cemetery to the early pioneers and the people of the area. Many in the class tried their hand a grave witching.
The group stopped at the historical markers on Hwy 41 outside of Milligan and then visited the Milligan Auditorium, where Shirley Brunkow gave details of the WW II markers and Scott Oliva told of the history of the historical Milligan Auditorium. Later refreshments were enjoyed at Ron’s Tavern in Milligan.
From Milligan the group traveled to Lonestar NRD Recreation Area. General Manager Mike Onnen from the Little Blue Natural Resource District told the history of Lonestar. Traveling back to Geneva, the group took in Bob & Joan Ackland’s Meriwether Park. Bob told how the Meriwether Park name came about and the development of the park.
The November session of the ODEGEO class will focus on Government.
Persons interested in learning more about Odegeo…Leadership for Fillmore County may contact the Development Corporation at 759-4910, email lentfer.fcdc@genevamail.com or go to www.fillmorecountydevelopment.org.


Friday, October 22, 2010

Exeter Avenue Holiday Sampler Saturday

The Exeter American Legion will once again host their Exeter Avenue Holiday Sampler on Saturday from 10 - 2.  This year the event will be held in the Legion Home along with the Senior Center which is right across the street from the Legion.

Vendors include at the Legion:
Sharon Auld***Awesome Pretzels***
Dorothy Balaban**Jams, Jellies, Noodles & More*  
Leesa Bartu***Scrapbooking/Jams/Exeter Posters*
Wilma Cox***Oven Door Towels, Monkey dolls**
Exeter Woman's Club*Pie by the Slice***
Exeter-Milligan Junior Class*Bake Sale
Pat Gartner***Patti's Pickles and Salsa***
Courtney Gewecke**Tastefully Simple****
Annette Gloystein**Fabric Crafts***
Paula Hansen***Mom's Home and Garden** 
Amy Hayek***Watkins - Quality Spices/Flavoring *
Joy Houchin***Tupperware****      
Marsha Jorgensen**Bakeware, cutlery & baked Goodies*
Kathy Kahler***Kathy K. Photography**
Kristine Larson**Quilts and other comforts**
Leslie Lemke***Crafts made from the heart*  
Cheryl Luebbe**Embroidered items, Plates, Jackets
*Heather Mumm**Pampered Chef**
Dana Myers***Scentsy - Independent Consultant*
Sondra Myers**Rada Cutlery/Utensils***
Jon Murphy***Murphy Production(Video Production)**
Teri Neville***Usborne Books- Educational Books*
Juli Reinke***Creative Memories***
Becky Roesler**Apples N stuff - Gourmet Apples*
Mary Schlegelmilch*Photography, Photo restoration*
Kathy Shafer**Kathy's Korner - Painted Gourds*
Becky Stamp**Wind Spinners***
Nancy Velder**ana patricia jewelry**   
Karen Wahlmeier**KW Fiber Farm - handspun yarn *
Nick &  Jonathan WilesGourmet Goodies***
Karen Wiles**Stampin' Up*-Handmade Cards **
Norm Yound***Woodshop - Toy Trucks**

Vendors at the Senior Center:

Mary Casement**Hand Crafts***
Linda Dey***USANA Nutrition***
Connie Garrels**Crocheted jewelry, purses, quilted*
Gaynelle Groth**Inspirational Cards, Items, Scarves*
Haussler -Pixybug Designs -Handmade Jewelry & Glass Beads
Susie Tonniges**Smart Scents -Mia Bella Candles*
Elaine Westring**Little Blue River - Soaps/Lotions*
Kristine Winters**Salon C Manicures, Pedicures**

Exeter-Milligan Graduate Crowned Doane Homecoming Queen

Doane College Names Homecoming Duke and Duchess

(Crete, Neb.) -- Doane College seniors Tim Reed of Syracuse and Danni Erdkamp of Exeter were crowned Duke and Duchess during Homecoming events Thursday, Oct. 7, at Fuhrer Field House.
Duke and Duchess are chosen by a vote of the student body.

Reed is an exercise science major who plans to attend graduate school to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy. His campus involvement includes Doane Ambassadors, captain of the football team, Health and Medical Occupations Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and athletic training. He is the son of Blaine and Patty Reed of Syracuse.

Erdkamp is studying psychology with a minor in music at Doane. Her involvement on campus includes Symphonic Wind Ensemble, Doane Choir, Relay For Life Executive Committee, LAR Teacher's Assistant, Psychology Tutor, Psi Chi Psychology Honors Society, Alpha Lamda Delta Honors Society and Direction's Mentor. She is the daughter of Dale and Julie Erdkamp of Exeter. She plans to attend graduate school studying counseling.

Doane College is the first private liberal arts and sciences college in Nebraska. Doane has campuses in Crete, Lincoln and Grand Island. Forbes.com ranked Doane among the top Midwest colleges.  Doane also is consistently ranked among the top colleges and universities in the Midwest by U.S.News & World Report and The Princeton Review.
                                                          


Exeter-Milligan Senior Works on Eagle Scout Project



Exeter-Milligan Senior Cody Soukup recently worked on his Eagle Scout project at the Zastrow Cemetery near Cordova.  He made an 8' x 9' concrete slab underneath a map directory of the cemetery.  He also placed a cement bench in the corner of the concrete slab.  The final part of his project he took three grave markings that the Zastrow Cemetery Board wanted displayed and secured them in a concrete base. Soukup and other members of his Troop 359 out of Cordova spent Tuesday, September 7th working on the project

Exeter-Milligan Reading News

by Kara Myers

I am proud to introduce the Exeter-Milligan, Reading Mastery
"Knights and Princess of the Reading Table".  "Queen
Myers" assists each knight and princess in their
"quest" through the pages of their daily stories.  After
every fifth lesson, the knights and princess are ready to
challenge the "check-out dragons".  In order to
"slay" these dragons, each knight and princess need to
read a section of what was read prior in group in a certain
amount of time with  few errors.  "Queen Myers" is proud
of how hard each knight and princess are working and has
promised parents she will help them in their "journey"
and will bring them home safely each day.

Pictured are Front L-R: Rebecca Krupicka, Christopher Kelch,
Nick Wiederspahn
Back L-R: Peyton Pribyl, Blake Meyer, Casey Underwood, and
Alec Schuleter

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Everyday Science at Exeter-Milligan

by Grant Gabel, E-M Science Teacher

Velocity and distance, and how we see it in our everyday
lives, is a very important scientific concept to understand.
The freshman physical science class did an experiment
dealing with these two variables. These students will soon
enough be behind the wheel of a vehicle, so it's
imperative they know how to calculate distance and velocity.
Instead of dealing with vehicles, the class built paper
airplanes. The experiment was very simple; build three paper
airplanes that will max out in velocity, distance and time.
In order to calculate the velocity of anything in motion two
things must be known, the distance and time. Students spent
time, with a partner, brainstorming ideas on how they could
build paper airplanes that can go the fastest, farthest and
but also spend a good deal of time in flight. They were able
to make one test flight with each airplane. The experiment
was carried out in the gym to test the variables. Hunter
Stride and Kaitlyn Hertzel built an airplane with the
fastest velocity - maxing out at 13.9 meter/sec. Nolan White
and Nate Oliva won the distance variable with a throw of
14.79 m.  Devin Sheffield and Toni Bossallar's airplane
spent the longest time in flight with a time of 4.92 s.
These are excellent examples of experiments that allow
students to experience first hand some of the concepts
learned in Science.

Pictured is Brooke Manning demonstrating her paper airplane
tossing technique.

Exeter Chamber Holds Ribbon Cutting at John E's






Exeter Chamber of Commerce Members gathered at a ribbon cutting for John E's.  From the left they are Greg Yound, of Greg's Market,  Alan Emshoff, of First National Bank in Exeter, Bob Mueller, of A & M, Inc., John Graham and Rhonda Walford, of John E's, Christina Hartmann, of Salon C and Ed Mark, of First National Insurance.  John E's was also presented with a first dollar certificate by the Exeter Chamber.  For more information of the Exeter Chamber of Commerce visit www.exeter-chamber.com

New Titles at the Exeter Public Library

For Adults:
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
Bad Blood by John Sandford
Safe Haven By Nicholas Sparks
The Widower's Tale by Julia Glass
Santa Fe Edge by Stuart Woods
Painted Ladies by Robert B. Parker
Don't Blink by James Patterson
Reversal by Michael Connelly
Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich
Legacy By Danielle Steel
Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans
Remembering-Compiled by the Milligan Memorial Committee

For Kids:
Fancy Nancy and the Sensational Babysitter
Fancy Nancy and the Late, Late, Late Night
Goodnight, Little Monster
Spookley
Lost Hero- Heroes of Olympus Series

Exeter-Milligan Senior Chosen for All- Conference

Mariah Bigelow, an Exeter-Milligan Senior was chosen as a second team outfielder in the Souther Nebraska Conference this week.  Congratulations Mariah!

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Volkmer's Annual Pumpkin Painting

Over 100 parents, grandparents and kids filled the shed at Volkmer's Pumpkin Painting in Exeter on Saturday morning.
 

Olivia Poppert wasn't quite awake on Saturday morning to paint her pumpkin.

First graders Alec Schlueter (far left), Kole Svec (middle) and Braden Capek (far right) are comparing notes on how to paint their pumpkins at the Volkmer's Pumpkin Painting.



For the seventh year in a row they came, they saw, and they painted lots and lots of pumpkins.
 
In fact, over 100 kids plus their accompanying adults came to Bill and Terri Volkmer's Saturday morning for their annual event.  The Volkmer's recruit their friends and family to help run the event from collecting the entry fee at the door, passing out the plates of chosen paint colors, spraying clear coat on the finished pumpkins and gluing on decorations.
 
The Volkmer's host the event in their shed where they set up low tables for the kids and provide them lots of paint colors, stencils to trace and paintbrushes.  Terri Volkmer has custom decorated pumpkins all over her yard for the kids and parents to gain inspiration from. She started the event back in 2003 for the daughter's of some friends and it has grown from there.
 
"I am so happy that I have so many people who love to paint pumpkins. My volunteers are what make it happen. The kids, I love their faces, they are so into painting the pumpkins. But I do it because I love the kids and because I have the space to do it in," said Volkmer
 
The beautiful day didn't hurt the large turnout and made the paint and clear coat drying move a little easier.

The themes the kids chose ranged from realistic looking jack o' lantern's to the two and three year old special with paint swirled everywhere, to the ever popular Big Red 'N'. With parent's packed in and cameras abounding, many little ones attempted their first painting, some on pumpkins and in some cases, a lot more on themselves.

While they waited for the pumpkins to dry and get clear coated, the kids enjoyed popcorn courtesy of the Volkmers and played games of tag in the yard. Porches all over the state are now decorated with pumpkins specially painted at the Volkmer's annual pumpkin painting.
 

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Shirley Brunkow makes kolaches at Exeter Senior Center

Shirley Brunkow, left, shows Brenda Motis, middle, and Irene Brekke, how to properly roll the dough balls to make the kolaches.

Shirley Brunkow shows some of the women at her kolache demonstration how much the kolaches need to rise after they are filled.  From the left around the table are Shirley Brunkow, Irene Brekke, Evelyn Michl, Shirley Janes, Evelyn Elznic, Melanie Papik, LaVonne Guthrie and Darlene Becker.

Shirley Brunkow, middle, teaches Kierra Papik how to press the kolache dough balls just right as Roma Rhodes stands by with the filling.



“When people say you have to be Czech to make a good kolache don’t believe them. Baking good kolaches takes more than a recipe. The only way you will be good at making kolaches is doing it a lot,” Shirley Brunkow told a group of women gathered at the Exeter Senior Center on Thursday.

Brunkow, of Milligan, and her kolache recipe were featured in November 2009 on “The Recipe Box” a NETV show that highlights regional ethnic recipes.

She entered a contest to be a part of the show at the York Wal Mart with her mother’s kolache recipe but claims “I got on the TV show for my story, not for my recipe.”

Her story and her technique were of great interest to the crowd at the Senior Center. Several of the group served as Brunkow’s assistants as she mixed up a batch of dough to make her kolaches.

As they mixed the dough, Brunkow answered questions from the audience. One question about dough consistency received an adage that sounds like it came from Brunkow’s mother, “Better to leave it a little sticky than too much flour.”

Brunkow explained that her mother made all the kolaches at their house after her first newlywed foray into baking them, “They were like miniature volcanoes. I didn’t push the dough down enough and they rose with filling spilling all over them. After that Mom made them when we needed them until she couldn‘t make them anymore.”

Brunkow is trying to ensure that her children and grandchildren don’t have to learn how to make kolaches the hard way. She has spent time with each of her granddaughters teaching them the art of baking a good kolache.

Part of the point of the class at the senior center was that it wasn’t just a demonstration, it was very hands on. Guests at the senior center washed up and many took a turn forming the dough balls under Brunkow’s watchful eye and then using her homemade “stomper” to push down the dough and fill the kolaches.
While the dough set to rise, Brunkow shared about her experience with “The Recipe Box.” She shared how she was chosen as one of the six finalists, a little about the taping in her home on Good Friday in 2009 and then the celebration tasting in Omaha in March of this year. For the tasting, all of the six finalist’s recipes were prepared by the culinary art students at Metro Community College.

After the show Brunkow received over 100 phone calls about her appearance. “No, they weren’t looking for my recipe, they wanted to know what I used to stomp down the dough. My daughter didn’t think I should use my homemade stomper (a vitamin bottle with the top covered in cheesecloth) so she found me a fancy coffee tamper that was the right size,” explained Brunkow.

The group at the Exeter Senior Center enjoyed the afternoon with Brunkow, gleaning tips and tricks from her that many of these experienced bakers hadn’t heard before. When it was coffee time and the kolaches had cooled enough, they ate and enjoyed the fruits of their labor.

Making kolaches is an art, especially to those who like to eat them and Brunkow is trying to ensure that the next generation has a chance to enjoy eating their heritage.

Monday, October 18, 2010

Learning about Water - 4-H Experiments in H2O


Exeter-Milligan students who participated in the 2010 National Science Experiment 4-H20 were in the front row from the left Joey Bartu, Brooke Poppert, Caitlin Murphy, Jacy Schlueter, and Eli Johnson.  Back row from the left were Patrick Murphy, Tara Mueller, Hannah Beethe, Kaitlyn Vavra, Janey Erdkamp, and Macy Due.

Lindsey Pohlmeier from the UNL Extension office out of Geneva recently gave three presentations to 3rd through 6th graders at Shickley, Geneva and Exeter.  Eleven Exeter-Milligan Students did experiments and learned about clean water and recycling during the 75 minute session. Pohlmeier said that she hopes to "encourage kids to get more involved in science and learn about the environment."  They also focused on learning how to reduce their carbon footprint with the students contributing thoughts about how they personally could participate.

Exeter Teen to Compete in Miss Teen Nebraska


Exeter-Milligan ninth grader Deidre Stevens has a big weekend ahead of her.

The fourteen year old will be competing in the 2011 Miss Teen Nebraska Pageant in Lincoln October 22 - 24.

The process began this spring when Stevens submitted her application and photo. She had applied as a seventh grader but didn’t take the process seriously. This year after the phone interview, Stevens was selected.

As the only candidate from Fillmore County, Stevens chose the title of Miss Fillmore County from the three titles she was offered.

After collecting and submitting $900 in sponsorship money from local businesses and family members, Stevens and her mother, Hope Androyna, have been busy shopping for all the required wardrobe pieces and paraphernalia.

Stevens will compete in three categories at the weekend pageant, swimsuit (as she is under 16 it will be a one piece), interview and formal gown.

The idea of competing “always appealed to me. I had always seen the Miss USA pageants on TV and wondered what it takes to get into this stuff,” said Stevens.

Although the amount of scholarships appealed to Androyna, she saw more benefits for her daughter, “Everyone in the competition is eligible for certain scholarships, but I am kind of hoping it’s a good thing for her self-confidence and her speaking ability.”

The pair have been practicing the interview portion of the competition. Stevens recognizes that the competition is "Helping me become me and a better person."
Starting on Friday, the girls will meet each other and have a banquet with their sponsors and parents. After that “no parents, they want the girls to be on their own,” said Androyna.

The weekend continues with all of the contestants participating in the swimsuit and evening gown competition and then that evening they will be interviewed privately. They will also practice a dance routine that all of the contestants will present on Sunday. On Sunday the top eight contestants are announced and they will start over on points in all of the categories. They will each do the swimsuit and evening gown presentations and then do their interview on stage. This pageant will take place at the same time as the Miss Nebraska pageant as both are a Vanbros production.
In spite of the cost and the effort the experience has taken, Androyna says, “I don’t care if she wins or places it has been a great mother-daughter experience.”

Stevens is excited because, “I am having fun and learning, It’s a great life experience and it will look good on my college applications. It is a life-changing thing and wearing that crown wouldn’t be bad either.”

In addition to her pageant activities Stevens is active in the community as a junior auxiliary member, and at Exeter-Milligan she is a Cheerleader, a member of the one-act cast, the FCCLA historian, a member of the band, and on the golf team.

Exeter-Milligan Technology news





By: Chris Lewandowski

The new 1:1 Laptop Initiative at Exeter-Milligan has been very successful thus far with a few bumps along the way. This initiative has enabled teachers in the districts to develop more project-based learning opportunities for the students at our school. The students will be more prepared with 21st Century skills to meet the demands of our ever-changing world. Now the “digital natives” can be more engaged in relevant, self-directed work while the learning does not have to stop at dismissal time.

Many teachers in the districts have been modifying their instruction over the last year to incorporate more technology into their classes. The teachers have been utilizing various Applications and Web 2.0 tools in their classrooms. Some examples of what teachers have been using:
  1. Garageband to Podcast research findings/speeches.
  2. iMovie’s green screen function to develop weather reports.
  3. Quizlet to develop vocabulary and test reviews for students.
  4. Animoto to create short and easy PSA

I am looking forward to our first production of EMHS News that we are currently planning. This five-ten minute newscast will be developed start to finish by the students at EMHS. I believe this will be an excellent opportunity for students considering the journalism field and beyond.
Please check out our school’s website (www.emwolves.org) and visit our staff’s web pages to see what’s happening at Exeter-Milligan Public Schools. If you have any comments or questions contact me at the school.