Village of Exeter Purchases New Loader

The Village of Exeter recently purchased a new loader. The subject of a new loader was broached this spring after the bad weather the area experienced this last winter. The Village had a loaner loader over the winter because of a manufacturing issue to replace a broken window in their current loader. The loaner loader was larger than the loader that the village owned and Village Maintenance Supervisor John Mueller stated at a Village Board meeting that they were fortunate to have the larger loaner loader because of all the snow piles that had to be moved. He was concerned that the loader the village owned would not have made it through all of the snow to move the piles.

After researching possibilities, the board offered the current loader up for bids and it was sold in June. Village Maintenance Supervisor Mueller and Village Chairman of the Board Alan Michl spent several days checking loaders and found a used loader in Kansas that met the boards budget and size requirements.

The loader is a Caterpillar 924H. The total for the loader came to $116,150 and the village used the $21, 751 from the sale of the old loader and $15,000 from sales tax funds to help pay for the purchase. The village borrowed the $79,000 to make up the total cost of the loader.

Exeter Cub Scouts Summer Activities

Ryan Bjornberg (left) of Friend races Braden Capek (right) of Milligan at the Exeter and Friend Cub Scout Campout

Terry Shellhorn (left) of Friend wins the raingutter regatta race against Joey Bartu (right) of Exeter. Micah Noel cheers for Terry on the far left and Braden and Breanna Capek are cheering for Joey.

Ben Bartu, Jackson Beethe and Joey Bartu, Exeter Cub Scouts, pose for a picture before a fun day at Day Camp.

Seth Noel (left) and Micah Noel (right) both of Friend pack 270 enjoy archery at the Cornhusker Council headquarters in Walton, Ne.

Exeter Cub Scout Pack 218 has been busy this summer. In June the Webelos Scouts (4th and 5th graders) made rockets and launched them. They also made leather knife holders.

The third week in June the Scouts held a pack campout at Lone Star, south of Milligan. This was a combined event with the Friend pack. The weather, although hot, was beautiful Friday night. After supper together the scouts practiced skits and then for their campfire they sang songs led by Friend Cubmaster Lisa Bjornberg and performed several skits. The evening was beautiful for the scouts to sleep in the tents. On Saturday morning the scouts had breakfast and then held a raingutter regata. They had made boats Friday evening and then each level of scouts raced against each other blowing their boats down filled raingutters. There was lots of friendly rivalry with the Friend Pack taking the lead. After the scouts raced, the siblings raced the boats they had made. All the kids enjoyed racing against each other. After the raingutters were cleaned up the scouts gathered for some instruction on art by Cubmaster Leesa Bartu. Unfortunately the rain and storm prevented the group from finishing and the rest of the campout was cancelled. The Exeter scouts will spend a Saturday in the fall fishing and hiking as promised.

In June several of the cub scouts also attended Day Camp in Walton, Nebraska at the Outdoor Education Center. This is the headquarters of the Cornhusker Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The boys made baskets with parachutes on Thursday and launched them on Friday. They shot bb guns and did archery as well as lots of sports activities. On Thursday they were joined by three scouts from the Friend Pack in their camp "den" and enjoyed time with them again. Friday was water day at camp which started with launching the parachutes they made on Thursday with raw eggs in the basket. They used water rockets to launch them. The boys also used wrist rockets (slingshots) with paint balls and played water kickball, water volleyball participated in a camp wide water fight and then enjoyed a 100 foot long birthday cake to celebrate the 100th birthday of scouting in America.

Girls Softball Team Place 3rd in Recent Tournament

The Exeter girls 10 and under team, coached by Mark and Jane Beethe, took 3rd place at a tournament last weekend. The girls 14 and under team also took second place at the Friend Tournament. Congratulations, ladies!!!

Boy Scouts Earn Merit Badges at Cornhusker Camp

Exeter Boy Scouts who are members of Troop 390 out of Cordova spent a week in June at Boy Scout Camp, Cornhusker Camp, near Humboldt, Nebraska.

While they were there they enjoyed swimming, canoeing, archery, cooking and more while sleeping in their tents and learning with many other scouts who were there for the week.

Attending were Kirby Soukup, Cody Soukup, Jack Dinneen and Elliot Erdkamp.

Kirby earned merit badges in swimming, canoeing, archery and camping. Cody earned his Geocaching merit badge and participated in a Senior Patrol Leader program. Elliot earned his swimming, cooking, canoeing and nature merit badges and Jack earned his nature, swimming, canoeing and archery merit badges. The boys also started several other merit badges which they will complete at home.

BLOODMOBILE FRIDAY!!!!!

The American Red Cross will have a bloodmobile in Exeter on Friday, June 25th from noon to 5:00 p.m. To make an appointment call Doris Hall at 266-2841 or Ruth Ekeler at 266-8861. All blood types are needed but O- supplies are dangerously low at the blood bank.

Garment Gadget Giveaway Store Now Open in Exeter

Exeter United Methodist Church Members back row from the left Janice Miller, La Vonne Guthrie and Roma Rhodes along with their helpers in the front row from the left Katarina Mounce and Clarissa Mounce in the middle of the Garment Gadget Giveaway store open in Exeter.

Can you still call it a store if everything in it is free? The whole idea behind the Garment Gadget Giveaway store is to give things away.

The Exeter United Methodist Church members hope to give more away than physical items. They hope to serve anyone in the community by becoming a place that people can stop in and find whatever they might need for free.

The seed for the store was planted when their minister, Jeff Adams, gave a charge that the church should have a mission in the community. They were somewhat stumped until United Methodist Women's Fellowship member Roma Rhodes gave a lesson at a meeting that hatched the idea. It called for an action follow up.

They formed a committee of Rhodes, Erma Adamson and Sherry Mounce to get the store off the ground. The church already had a mission in preparing the backpacks of food for elementary students and felt this would make a great follow up.

Each customer receives a slip of paper that thanks them for shopping in the store and let's them know that, "All items have been donated by members of the Exeter United Methodist Women and community members as part of our mission of love in the Exeter Community."

The store front the store is housed in, is owned by Doug Anderson. "Out of the kindness off Doug's heart we are able to use the building rent-free. Perennial (Public Power District) waived the connection fee to turn on the power, which was great of them," said Rhodes.

So far the ladies have put a whole lot of time, some cleaning supplies and some more time in order to get the store off the ground. Now they are accepting merchandise and keeping their options open for the future.

The store will be open on Friday and Saturday mornings from nine to noon for the next three weeks. There are no set plans for the future but they would like to see the store remain open to serve their mission.

Sign Up for Swimming Lessons

The Exeter Aquatic Center will be offering swimming lessons, Monday – Friday, July 12-23^rd from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm. The cost is $20.00 per person. Water Babies will be on Monday & Wednesday of the 2 weeks at 5:45 pm. Cost is $20.00. They will also be offering a Guard Start session this year July 26^th – 30^th from 11:00am-1:00 pm. Cost is $20.00. We need a minimum of 5 to have it. Sign up at the pool or contact Shelli at 366-0063 for more information.

FLUSHING AWAY CANCER - One Toilet at a Time

Kendra Oldehoeft, hopes for the element of surprise as she places the Hope toilet in the yard of Exeter Village Board Member Mitchell Schlegelmilch and his wife Mary.



Fillmore County beware! There is a purple toilet on the loose and it could end up in your yard next.

The purple toilet was an idea from the Fillmore County Relay for Life group to help raise awareness and funds for the cause to cure cancer. The toilet can be removed from your yard for a donation of $15, but for just $25 you can have the toilet removed from your lawn and pick someone else's lawn to place it in. To keep the toilet out of your yard you can donate $25 for "toilet insurance."

This year the Fillmore County Relay for Life event has an executive committee working out the details and raising funds. Members of the committee are Denise Kovanda, Clayton Kovanda, Jackie Swartzendruber, Jen Busse, Val Poppert, Kim Gewecke and Kendra Oldehoeft.

Oldehoeft, an Exeter resident, thought that the home of Exeter Village Board Member Mitchell Schelgelmilch and his wife Mary would be a good spot to start the toilet. Oldehoeft has strong ties to the Relay for Life program. "I got involved with Relay for Life when I was a student at Doane. They have a strong program there. It's personal for me as my mom has battled cancer twice and I lost my brother to cancer at the age of 20."

She is looking forward to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life at Fillmore Central High School on July 31st.

If you don't end up with the toilet in your yard and you still want to help flush cancer you can donate online at Fillmore County Relay for Life or contact one of the Executive Committee members.

Exeter GFWC Members attend National Convention

GFWC/ NFWC Exeter Club members Bonnie Cudaback, Elaine Oldehoft and

Judy Dinneen attended the International Convention on June 11th and

12th and acted as hostesses at the State Night Banquet.

The 119th GWFC Annual International Convention was held in Omaha at
the Quest Center June 11th through June 22, 2010. Nebraska Federated
Women’s Club hosted the Nebraska State Night banquet “Nebraska The
Good Life” on Friday evening June 11. Welcome was given by Janice
Predoehl, GFWC Nebraska State President. Jan Jones, GFWC Nebraska
Treasurer said Grace. Following dinner, Pat Gage GFWC Nebraska 1st
Vice-President and a member of NFWC District IV spoke on “Nebraska
What Makes Us Special” and Rose Ditto, GFWC International President
from Wamego, KS addressed the convention. Entertainment was provided
by Heidi Joy a professional vocalist originally from Omaha now
residing in Palm Coast, FL.

Saturday, June 12th, Procession of State flags and State Presidents
was followed by call to order by Rose Ditto, International President
and presentation of colors by the Offutt Air Force Base Honor Guard.
The National Anthem was sung by the Wamego Dutch Mill Sweet Adeline
Chorus and the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag was recited by the
convention attendees. First Lady of Nebraska, Sally Ganem, and Steve
Oltmans, Chief of Staff of Mayor Suttle, City of Omaha gave the
official welcome. Janice Predoehl, GFWC Nebraska State President
again welcomed the convention to Nebraska with a response given by
Marianne Potter, GFWC Wisconsin State President and hosts to the 2011
International Convention. The preliminary credential report showed
553 GFWC members in attendance with 24 attending from Nebraska. The
International GFWC slate of officers for 2010- 2012 was presented with
election of officers by the convention delegates to take place on June
14th. The Keynote Speaker for the morning session was Deborah
Rodriquez, author of the national best-selling memoir, “Kabul Beauty
School: An American Woman Goes Behind the Veil. The GFWC Program
Partners Luncheon was held at noon. Afternoon workshops were held in
the Qwest Center meeting rooms. GFWC Exeter members attended “Creating Healthy Relationships: Learn to Love Yourself" and Programs A
to Z.

Exeter Legion Avenue of Flags

Avenue of Flags at the Exeter Cemetery

Flags on the cemetery road put up by Dennis and Doreen Johnson.

Exeter Pack 218 Cub Scouts Joey Bartu and Ben Bartu put the flags up on main street in downtown Exeter.

It was about honor, respect, gratitude and of course, the symbolism of the flag. The site of those two proud rows of flags flying on a sunny morning will bring any patriotic American to tears when they understand the meaning of the flags.

The Exeter Avenue of Flags started in the 1980’s with twelve flags, flag poles and spots to hold them and has grown to 100 plus flags flying at the Exeter Cemetery every Memorial Day.

The Exeter American Legion Auxiliary members saw the idea in the early 1980’s in a Legion newspaper, recalls Erma Adamson. Adamson, Tess Moor and Margaret Moravec were the members of a committee formed to pursue bringing the idea to Exeter.

The Auxiliary members dove into the project, purchasing 12 flags and flag poles. They enlisted the assistance of the Legion to provide the manpower to dig the holes and help with the flag pole assembly. The flags were placed near the war memorial at the Exeter Cemetery.

The 12 flags represented the 12 Exeter Legion members who had lost their lives in service to their country, the gold star boys. From there it grew and continues to grow. Individuals with ties to Exeter donate a flag and purchase a flag pole to be added to the avenue in memory of their loved one, according to Adamson. The names of the veteran are written on the flag in an appropriate spot.

Often after the Memorial Day services at the cemetery family members will wander up and down the Avenue of Flags searching for their veteran’s flag and taking a moment to remember him and his service.

Currently over 100 flags fly in the Avenue of Flags at the Exeter Cemetery. Members of the Legion, Auxiliary and community volunteers put the flags up every Memorial Day and the twelve original flags are also placed in the avenue for funeral services of Exeter Legion members, weather permitting.

The flags used to be placed at the cemetery every patriotic holiday but now with so many flags to be placed they are only all placed on Memorial Day. Flag Day, Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Veterans Day bring flags to the downtown area sponsored by the Legion and put up by a variety of volunteers, including Legion members and Cub Scouts.

In the last eight years Exeter residents Dennis and Doreen Johnson have decorated the trees on their property that sits on the road to the Exeter Cemetery. On Memorial Day the Johnson’s post 13 flags on the trees that guide visitors to the Exeter Cemetery, making it a beautiful patriotic welcome.

The United States flag was adopted by the Second Continental Congress on June 14, 1777 and in 1916 President Woodrow Wilson established June 14^th as Flag Day by an official proclamation. Flag Day was nationally recognized in August 1949 by an Act of Congress.