Exeter Native Interning at David Letterman Show

Carson Stokebrand, an Exeter native, Exeter-Milligan graduate and Concordia University graduate has recently taken an intern position at the David Letterman Show in New York City. For more information visit:

Carson Stokebrand Internship

Exeter-Milligan Elementary Students at the 2010 Fillmore County Spelling Bee

Four Exeter-Milligan Elementary students were chosen to represent Exeter-Milligan at the county spelling bee on February 11. They are pictured from the left Ashley Benorden, Elliot Erdkamp (holding his fourth place trophy), Janey Due and Hailey Luzum.

FCDC Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Fillmore County Development Corporation was held Thursday, February 11, 2010 at the Log Cabin, Geneva, Nebraska. “Deal Me In” was the theme of the open house that was held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting. Thirty people attended.

Don Jividen, President of the Fillmore County Development Corporation, presided over the business meeting. The minutes of the 2009 annual meeting were approved and the proposed 2010 budget was accepted. Jim Donovan-Geneva, Pat Hilty-Fairmont, Pat Rasmussen-Geneva, Mel Taylor-Milligan and Christin Lovegrove-Geneva were elected to serve on the FCDC Board of Directors. The Fillmore County Supervisors had appointed Dennis Kimbrough, to the FCDC Board as an ex-officio member. The guidelines were reviewed and Kimbrough will how serve as a full member of the Board

Don Jividen recognized and thanked investors. He also recognized the current board members. Patt Lentfer, FCDC Executive Director, told briefly about some of the activities and projects of the FCDC during 2009.

The late Cam Wilkins was honored for his leadership and contributions to the Fillmore County Development Corporation. Gary Dick and Pat Hilty presented a plaque to his father, Hugh Wilkins. Cam was a founding member of the Corporation, served as President, and was on the Housing and Recruitment Committees as well as other sub-committees.

The Fillmore County Development Corporation is a not-for-profit corporation that was formed in 1989 and is governed by a Board of Directors. The mission of the corporation is to enhance the quality of life for Fillmore county citizens by improving the economic health of Fillmore County and strengthening its communities. Membership is open to individuals, businesses, and government entities.

Exeter-Milligan Update

Second graders at Exeter-Milligan Public School have been
learning about friendly letters. To practice their letter
writing skills each student has been assigned a student in
the second grade at Friend Public School. As pen pals,
students will learn about each other via letters. They
anxiously wait for a response to each letter written. The
pen pals look forward to meeting each other this spring.
(pictured in back row: Wyatt Motis, Hunter Ostrand, Jacy
Schlueter, Ryan Sharp, Eli Johnson, Caleb Horne, Brooke
Poppert, Mrs. Marla Weber; front row: Max Zeleny, Anna
Sluka, Kayla Geiger, Caitlin Murphy, Ty Underwood, Cayden
Hartmann, Doc Jindra).

Exeter-Milligan Update

In the Exeter-Milligan Physical Science class, we currently are working on the properties of elements, compounds and mixtures. It's important to be able to distinguish the difference between the three compositions of matter. One way to do this is through experimentation. Conservation of Mass was the topic for this lab; students were asked to determine whether mass is conserved in a chemical reaction. Students in the following picture are observing their final step of the lab. Conservation of Mass states that there is no loss or gain of mass during any chemical change.

Obituary: James Sluka

James Robert Sluka was born to Gust J. Sluka and Mayme (Hromadka) Sluka on July 5, 1934 on the family farm south of Exeter. He passed away on February 3, 2010 at the Fillmore County Hospital in Geneva, NE at the age of 75 years, 6 months and 29 days. He was the youngest of three children.

Jim attended grade school at District 2. Here he made lifelong friends Jim & Dwayne Luzum. As a youngster, he was involved in 4H. He graduated from Exeter High School in 1952. Here he had participated in football, basketball and track. In 1957 he joined the Army with his friend, Bob Zeleny. He was honorably discharged in October 1958 and returned home to work on the family farm. He also assisted his father and brother Don in auctioneering.

In 1959 Jim was introduced by Bob Zeleny to his future wife, Annabelle Nemecek from Lincoln. They were married on September 24, 1960. They began their life together on the farm where they resided until his death. To this union, six children were born, Chris, Tom, Maryann, Diane, Sandy and Amy. Jim spent his entire life farming. He served on the school boards of District 2 and the Milligan School District. In April 1990, he began working at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska as a groundskeeper. Here he enjoyed working with his good friend, Earl McCullough and the students on campus. His dedication to the job was proven by the many early morning trips taken to remove snow. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Award. Due to illness, he retired in 2003.

Jim loved music. He started at the early age of four, playing the accordion by ear. Later he played the saxophone in a band. Jim spent many hours entertaining his kids and grandchildren playing the accordion. He also enjoyed collecting many musical instruments.

Jim also enjoyed following his children and grandchildren in all their school activities. He will be remembered by his family for his patience and will be missed as the loving husband, father and grandfather he was.

He was preceded in death by his mother, father and sister, Doris. He is survived by his loving wife, Annabelle, sons and daughter-in-laws, Chris and Renee Sluka, Tom and Karen Sluka, daughters and son-in-laws Maryann and Rob Henrichs, Diane and Jay Geiger, Sandy and Mike Folda and Amy and Craig Fey, 18 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild, brother and sister-in-law Don and Lorene Sluka and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Funeral mass was held at St. Wenceslaus Church in Milligan on February 8, 2010 with Father David Bourek officiating. Organist Karen Filipi accompanied the congregation in Amazing Graze, Peace Prayer of St Francis and Blest are They. Randy Korbelik played his favorite polka, Little Goose Polka. Server was Sam Zeleny. Pallbearers were his 18 grandchildren – Ryan Sluka, Ashley, Alicia, Josh, James and Anna Sluka, Nick Henrichs, Corey, Kacee, Kayla and Jonah Geiger, Rachel, Rebecca and Reagan Folda, Ashley, Jessica, Gracie and Colton Fey. Honorary pallbearers were Richard Rischling, Robert Rischling, Les Svec, Dwayne Luzum and Earl McCullough. Interment was in the Bohemian National Cemetery at Milligan with Farmer and Son Funeral Home-Kotas Chapel in charge of arrangements. Memorials are directed to Milligan Rescue Unit and Fillmore County Hospital Nursing Staff.

Exeter-Milligan School News

The Exeter-Milligan third grade class, taught by Zach Wehner, are getting ready for math. They recently finished up working on multiplying numbers 0-9, and are now getting ready to use that
knowledge for dividing.

Death Notice James Sluka

James R. Sluka, age 75, of Milligan, died Wednesday, February 3, in Geneva.

He is survived by his wife Annabelle of Milligan, NE

Also survived by:
Sons & daughters-in-law
Chris & Renee --- Roseland, NE
Tom & Karen --- Milligan, NE
Daughters & sons-in-law
Maryann & Rob Henrichs --- Omaha, NE
Diane & Jay Geiger --- Fairmont, NE
Sandy & Mike Folda --- Schuyler, NE
Amy & Craig Fey --- Crete, NE
Brother & sister-in-law
Don & Lorene Sluka --- Fairmont, NE
18 Grandchildren & 1 Great Grandchild

Services 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church
Milligan, Nebraska

Visitation beginning Sunday 1:00 p.m until Rosary at the Farmer & Son Funeral Home
Kotas Chapel Sunday 7:00 p.m Farmer & Son Funeral Home Kotas Chapel

Memorials to Milligan Rescue Unit or Fillmore County Hospital Nurses

Burial: Bohemian National Cemetery
Milligan, Nebraska
Officiant: Father David Bourek

Exeter-Milligan School News - Kindergarten Happenings

Exeter-Milligan Kindergarten Class Learns about the Five Senses

The Exeter-Milligan Kindergarten class has been busy learning about the five senses in science class. After studying each of the senses, the students looked through magazines and made a "Senses Collage".

Exeter Kindergarten Class Learns about Groundhog Day

The Exeter-Milligan Kindergarten class learned about Groundhog Day on Tuesday, February 2nd and made a groundhog picture with the groundhog and his shadow.

Exeter-Milligan Elementary students celebrate the 100th day of school.



The Exeter-Milligan Kindergarten class celebrated the 100th day of school with special snacks, then they made an 100 piece cereal necklace and at the end of the school day were joined by the First and Second grade classes and jumped on filled balloons in the hallway.

Exeter-Milligan School News: Elections

Chuck Norris wins Mock Presidential Election at Exeter-Milligan

Mr. Lewandowski's American Government class at
Exeter-Milligan recently finished a Unit on the Executive
Branch and Elections by holding Mock Presidential Elections.
Throughout this unit students studied the roles of the
Executive Branch, Political Parties, and the Electoral
Process. During typical election years, students would
choose actually candidates but due to the off year, students
developed their own candidates. Students designed a
campaign motto, poster indicating their platform, and a
campaign commercial in attempt to gain support from the
student body. Students utilized the school's new MacBook
Pro laptops and software programs Pages and iMovie to
complete the project.

The project went through both the Primary and General
Elections with the selection of a running mate. In the end,
Chuck Norris and Bo Pelini group from the Republican party
were victorious in the battle for President and
Vice-President winning both the popular vote and electoral
college vote. Members of the winning group were: Jameson
Trauger, Landon Rhodes, Spencer Bures, Andrew Colson, Tanner
Odvody, and Tyler Rainey. Michael Jordan and Will
Ferrell(Independent) group finished second, and the Zach
Galifianakis and John C. Reilly(Democrat) group finished
third.