Friday, June 3, 2016

Exeter honors fallen at Memorial Day Program



Exeter honored those who have fallen in service to their country with a Memorial Day Program at the Exeter Cemetery on Monday morning.

Legion member Tim Wilbeck welcomed those in attendance and Legion Commander Alan Songster gave a moving invocation.

The Exeter-Milligan band played “The Star Spangled Banner” before Spencer Papik read “The Gettysburg Address.”

The band performed a “Salute to Freedom” which included “America the Beautiful,” “You’re a Grand Old Flag” and “America,”and Janey Due read “In Flander’s Field.”

Wilbeck was the speaker for the morning.  He reminded the audience of the meaning behind the poem “In Flander’s Field” and the history behind the writing.  Before he gave the rest of his speech the band played “God Bless America.”

Wilbeck continued noting the significance of poppies and the origin of poppy day.  He explained how in 1918 Moina Michael read the poem by John McCrae and launched a campaign to make the poppy a symbol to keep the memory of those who died alive.  Michael eventually connected with the American Legion who brought the symbol to the national forefront that it is today.

Wilbeck spoke of those who have lost loved ones on the battlefield and their response to the question “Was it worth losing your loved one’s life?”

He quoted General John Kelly whose answer was “I think my son would answer that he was where he wanted to be.”

Wilbeck went on to encourage the audience to “Make our country for which they died a better place.”
He also referenced the “amazing feats military that have made the world a better place.”

Wilbeck closed his speech talking about the Vietnam wall.  A Vietnam veteran himself, Wilbeck spoke of his hope that more names would be added to the wall including three brothers, Gary, Greg and Kelly Sage, from Niobrara, Neb.  The brothers died in the June 3, 1969, sinking of the USS Frank E. Evans off the coast of Vietnam.  Wilbeck reminded the audience of the many very young lives that have been lost.

The Legion and Sons of the Legion honored those lost with a 21 gun salute.  “Taps” was played by Trystan Brandt while Trever Zelenka played “Taps Echo.”

The audience was invited to the Legion for rolls and coffee.








Exeter-Milligan band member Trystan Brandt plays Taps while Trever Zelenka plays Taps Echo (not shown) during the Memorial Day Program.




Thursday, June 2, 2016

E-M Last Day of Elementary School for the Year



– The third through sixth graders were pretty excited to get off the Milligan bus for the last time this year.  Some screamed, some covered their ears but they were all looking forward to summer.  Clockwise from the left are Savannah Horne, Troy Kallhoff, Olivea Swanson, Andrew Vavra and Ayla Kahler.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Milligan Road Under Construction



Road 24 out of Milligan is closed for the foreseeable future.  Construction has begun to rerock the nine miles between Highway 6 and Highway 41.

The Fillmore County Board of Supervisors voted during their April 26 meeting to rerock the Milligan North road.  The winning bid was R.L. Tiemann Construction, Inc. with a bid of $168,435.30  but the board did approve a change order for $28,044.00 for 3800 ton of higher quality rock that Tiemann bid but according to the minutes from the meeting the change still brought the bid in as the lowest bidder.

In 2014 Fillmore County residents had the opportunity to vote on paving this section of road but the resolution failed by 160 votes county-wide. 

The road, which is heavily traveled, is also one of the main conduits for school traffic between the Exeter and Milligan campuses of Exeter-Milligan schools.

County Road Supervisor Pat Halbur didn’t have an estimated length of the project, “The contractor first told me that they were going to a half mile a day and I think that they will never make that expectation.  The county has used their forces to do rocking projects before and it took us a lot longer.  They aren’t putting as much rock in it as we did since it already has rock embedded in the road but I would guess it will take them a few weeks.”
Halbur also noted that the contract includes a completion date of August 15 before school starts and the county has an operator dedicated to maintaining Road 21 and 24 throughout the construction project.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Exeter-Milligan Kindergarten Graduation

Exeter-Milligan graduated 15 Kindergarteners on the last day of school May 18th.  The 1:30 p.m. ceremony was held at the Exeter United Methodist Church because the Exeter site gym ceiling was under construction.

The kindergarteners performed two musical numbers including "If You're Happy and You Know It" and received their graduation certificates and their awards.

Front row from the left are Preston Carr, Levi Jurgensen, Titus Petersen, Clayton Pribyl,  Ensley Stahl, Aubrianna Ngo, and Braxton Saatmann.  Back row from the left are Deacon Erdkamp, Kayden Hale, Addison Foutch, Wilfrid Kallhoff, Kalvin Lock, Clayton Pribyl, Scout Grummons and Natalie Meyer.  Behind the group is the teacher Judy Kassik.

Sunday, May 29, 2016

Exeter-Milligan Elementary Students Enjoy Field Day



Having a ball running a quick 400m are Exeter-Milligan elementary students Carver Kanode Selah Petersen, Kiley Oldehoeft and Jonah Geiger.



Levi Jurgensen tops the mini hurdle just ahead of Preston Carr at Exeter-Milligan’s Elementary Field Day.



 Jonah Geiger passes the baton to his classmate Selah Petersen during a relay at Exeter-Milligan’s Elementary Field Day.
 Even a broken arm won’t keep Devin Harrison (middle) from competing in a race at Exeter-Milligan’s Elementary Field Day.  He is joined by his schoolmates from the left, Tyler Due, Troy Kallhoff, Aidan Vavra and Carter Milton.
 Justin Harre jumps in to help Mrs. Kassik's team.

 Ensley Stahl‘s face definitely matches her shirt “Best Day Ever.”
 Clayton Pribyl, Kaydence Hasse and Aiyden Franssen give it their all during the pillow case race.
 Above - Jonah Geiger tries to keep up his pillowcase and still race.
Below – Apparently Preston Carr realizes the key to racing in the pillowcase race is all in the face.