Thursday, June 2, 2022

Throwback Thursday 05/27/2012

 

05/27/2022

 

Memorial Day services at the Exeter Cemetery will be held Monday, May 28th at 10 a.m.  Tim Wilbeck will open the service with the Exeter-Milligan School Band playing the National Anthem.  Invocation will be by Rev. Ginny Adams and Claire White will read the "Gettysburg Address."  The band will perform several numbers and Brady Bristol will present "In Flanders Field."  Wilbeck will present the address and the Exeter American Legion Post #218 will make its annual "Salute to the Dead." Blake Papik will play "Taps," with the Taps Echo by Amber Pribyl.  A vocal selection, "In Flanders Field," will be performed by the high school choir at the Legion Hall during the coffee hour.  In case of inclement weather, the service will be held at the Exeter-Milligan High School Gym.  The American Legion Auxiliary will be serving coffee and rolls until 11:30 a.m. at the Legion Hall following the service at the cemetery. 

Congratulations to Quinten Loontjer and Rebecca Vossler as they were chosen as members of the All-Area Academic Team by the York News Times.

The Exeter Care Center celebrated their annual Balloon Liftoff and release to honor those lost during the year.

 

Each year they take an afternoon to remember those who passed away while they were residents at the Exeter Care Center.  Staff member Bob Pagel led the service stating they wanted to “honor family and friends who had passed away in the last year.”

 

Exeter community members and guests remembered the fallen at the Exeter Cemetery on a beautiful Monday morning.

 

Members of Exeter Legion Post 218 formed the color guard, posted the colors and stood at attention while the Exeter-Milligan band played The Star Spangled Banner.

 

After an invocation from Pastor Ginny Adams and a reading of the “Gettysburg Address” by Claire White, the Exeter-Milligan band played several patriotic tunes and Brady Bristol read the poem “In Flanders Field.”

The featured speaker Tim Wilbeck opened with the thought, “Any American would feel honored today to speak about what our nation’s armed forces members have done for us.”

 

Wilbeck went on to talk about some of the members of our armed forces who have lost their lives recently reminding the crowd that, “sacrifice is meaningless without remembrance.”

 

He encouraged the crowd “to help a Vet because it’s the right thing to do. Take care of their families, take care of them, those who made our way of life possible.”

 

After Wilbeck spoke the Legion members gave a salute to the dead, Taps was played by Blake Papik and Taps Echo was played by Amber Pribyl.  The crowd was dismissed to enjoy coffee and rolls waiting at the Exeter Legion home. 

 

At the coffee, the Exeter-Milligan chorus performed an arrangement of “In Flander’s Field” by Shane Whitford, who joined chorus members Kimberlin Ruhl, Ashley and Meghann Miller in performing with guitars and voices.

 

Pack 218 Cub Scouts spent Thursday afternoon with the residents at Exeter Care Center playing Bingo.  The scouts brought the snacks, including homemade cookies, called Bingo and assisted any residents with watching their cards.

 

The Exeter Ball Association recently received a very generous donation. In honor of Lori Ruhl Walford and Gary Ruhl, their families have donated a beautiful new scoreboard which was recently mounted at the ballfield.

 

Speaking for the family, Jerry Walford, Lori’s widower explained that, “We wanted to honor the memory of Lori and her dad, Gary.”

 

“A couple of years ago Lori and I were watching Cayden (grandson) play ball and I remembered her making the comment that you could barely see the sign out there and she was the one running the scoreboard.”

The new scoreboard is much larger than the old one – from a 3 x 9 to a 5 x 10.  Instead of regular light bulbs the new sign has LED lights in it which should, Walford hopes, make it easier to see and maintain.  The new scoreboard is also wireless.

 

The Exeter/Exeter-Milligan held their alumni banquet on Saturday evening in the Exeter site gym.  Many classes were represented.

 

 

Wednesday, June 1, 2022

Exeter Honors Fallen at Memorial Day Program




Exeter honored those who gave their lives to defend their country in a service at the Exeter Cemetery on Monday morning.

The flags were standing tall down the avenue of flags with the strong winds on the Nebraska prairie as the color guard presented the colors to open the program.

Tim Wilbeck, master of ceremonies, introduced the Exeter-Milligan band who performed the “Star Spangled Banner.”

Pastor Murry Johnston gave the invocation before Braden Capek read the “Gettysburg Address.”  The Exeter-Milligan band then played “America.”

Ben Bartu read “In Flanders Fields,” and the band played “The Grand Old Flag/America, the Beautiful,” before Wilbeck gave the address.

He reminded the audience that they were there to remember the sacrifices those in service gave.  He spoked about the qualities of those who gave their lives exhibited, including “courage, pride, determination, and selfless dedication . . .they were called to be a part of something bigger than themselves.”

Wilbeck spoke of ten young men and women who gave their lives in Afghanistan while serving this country.  “They represent the best of the generation.”

They were from all over the United States and ranged in age from 20-31, “a diverse group of men and women forever in our hearts . . .with a common goal to serve America.”

He spoke about the heart of a Korean War era airman, Major George Davis, whose “indomitable fighting spirit exemplified valor at its highest.”

Davis, a fighter pilot, came across 12 Chinese MIG and took out two of them before he was shot down.

Wilbeck reminded the audience that over one million Americans have made “the supreme sacrifice, to represent the things we love, God, country and family.”

He encouraged the audience to take care of the loved ones who have been left behind with emotional and financial support.

“Memorial day is not about picnic and parades, although there is nothing wrong with them.  It’s about gratitude and remembrance.  The reason we can gather in peace.”

The Exeter American Legion Post #218 gave the salute to the dead before Kierra Papik played “Taps,” and Carter Milton “Taps Echo.”

The American Legion Auxiliary served coffee and rolls at the Legion hall following the service at the cemetery.

 














 

Sunday, May 29, 2022

Exeter-Milligan Update: JH Boys Track

 

E-M Junior High Boys Track Update

By Jackson Krejci, E-M JH Boys Track Coach

 

The Exeter-Milligan Junior High track team has hit the midway point of the season as they finished up the McCool Junction invite this past Wednesday. The 2021-22 team has twelve boys out, and they have all shown signs of significant improvement throughout the month. Notable performances from the McCool Junction Invite include: Carver Kanode 10'6" - Pole Vault - 1st Place - 200M Dash 26.58 - 2nd place;  Adrien Mueller - 4:03 - 1200M Run - 1st Place; 2:35.1 - 800M Run - 1st place, Avery Nichols - 33.58 - 200M Hurdles - 4th place. Logan Krupicka - Discus - 95'4" - 4th place.   

The boys will compete in the Conference meet next Friday April 29th. 

 

The picture includes - Back Row - Logan Krupicka, Jase Luzum, Carver Kanode, Jonah Geiger, Truman Milton, RJ Clevenger, Cohen Harre

Front Row: Brett Kalhoff, Adrien Mueller, Trevin Ronne, Tucker Svec. 

Not Pictured - Avery Nichols