Exeter Pack 218 Celebrates Blue and Gold Banquet and Pinewood Derby

Snowflakes was the theme for Exeter Cub Scout Pack 218's Blue and Gold celebration this year.  They decorated the Exeter American Legion Home in white snowflakes with snowflake lanterns and beautiful pipe cleaner snowflakes.

 

The members of Pack 218 opened the evening with a flag ceremony led by Webelos II den member Johnny Babula and then the large crowd was led in a prayer for the food by Wolf den member Braden Capek.

 

After a potluck dinner, Cornhusker Council Prairie Winds District Executive Jerad Reimers spoke for a few minutes on the Friends of Scouting Program before Cubmaster Leesa Bartu presented the scouts with their rank badges.

 

Tiger Cub Marcus Krupicka earned his rank badge and the Bobcat rank.  The three members of the wolf den, Braden Capek, Alec Schlueter and Ben Bartu all received their rank badges as did the members of the Bear den, Jackson Beethe, Clint Oldehoeft and Blake Meyer.

 

Both members of the Webelos II den, Peytan Brandt and Johnny Babula, earned the arrow of light and were presented with the award by their parents.  Peytan Brandt earned all 20 of the Webelos activity pins and received a special patch recognizing this achievement.

 

Four families in the pack, the Roger Brandt family, the Roger Capek family, the Mark Beethe family and the Dean Bartu family also earned the Fun with our Family patches.

 

Next on the evening's agenda was the pack Pinewood Derby.  Stanley Rhodes, of Cordova, coordinates the event every year bringing his track and his helpers, Robert Rhodes of Exeter and Lance Larsen of Cordova.  Prior to race time the men had judged the cars for show, but the results were not revealed until after the race.

 

After each boy raced the others twice, there was one more race off to determine the winner and the results were announced.  In the modified category Blake Meyer won first, Peytan Brandt took second and Braden Capek was third.  In the stock category Clint Oldehoeft was first, Jackson Beethe, second and Johnny Babula was third.

 

The show results were announced next.  Modified show first place was Ben Bartu, Alec Schlueter was second and Brayden Capek was third.  In stock show Clint Oldehoeft took first, Johnny Babula was second and Jackson Beethe was third.  Winning the Cubmaster's Choice award this year was Marcus Krupicka.

 

Exeter-Milligan Headed for State Tournament

The Exeter-Milligan Lady Timberwolves head for Lincoln Thursday morning.  The send off for the team will be Thursday at 8 a.m. at the Exeter site.  The #5 seeded Timberwolves will meet #4 Friend Bulldogs in the first round of the tournament at Lincoln Southwest High at 10:45 a.m.  If you can't make it to the game it will be broadcast on KTMX 104.9 York Station. Go TIMBERWOLVES

Exeter-Milligan Update: Spanish II Class

EXETER-MILLIGAN HIGH STUDENTS ARE CONNECTING LANGUAGE AND

CULTURE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM BY DOING CULTURAL PARTICIPATION AND RESEARCH PROJECTS

By Student reporters Taylor Erdkamp, Megan Zwickl, and Brady Bristol

Ms. Elizabeth Rios’ Spanish II class at Exeter-Milligan has been busy this semester. The class had CPR presentations three times this year (Cultural Participation and Research projects). Each student does four CPR’s during the year, one for every quarter.  In the past students have researched Spanish countries, athletes, artists, and food.  CPR’s give students an opportunity to connect with the Spanish culture and try new thing they wouldn’t normally try.  Some students make traditional Spanish dishes such as tacos or enchiladas.  Others have eaten out at an authentic Mexican restaurant and some students with more artistic attributes draw maps of Spanish countries, including landforms and major cities. CPR’s make students step out of their comfort zone to relate their culture with the Spanish culture, giving them a better understanding of the Spanish language.

Pictured are: Front L-R: Becca Vossler, Megan Waldron, Taylor Erdkamp, Megan Zwickl

Middle: Robbie Androyna, Jackie Luzum, Quinten Loontjer, Jenn Pribyl, Alicia Bigelow, Jacob Kroll and Brady Bristol

Exeter-Milligan Update: Mrs. Polak's Reading Class

Mrs. Julia Polak’s Reading Mastery Novels class at Exeter-Milligan just finished the book Hatchet by Gary Paulsen.  It is the story of a 13 year-old boy who becomes stranded in the northern Canadian forest after the bush plane in which he is a passenger crashes.  Brian survives for 54 days before being rescued.  He encounters bears, wolves, a skunk, and a porcupine.  Brian gets quills stuck in his leg, and must pull them out himself.

            In order for the students to understand about porcupine quills, Mrs. Polak contacted Dave Erdkamp from Exeter, who contacted some other hunters through the Internet, and Nancy Haefer from Moscow, Idaho, sent the class some quills to examine under the microscope.  Mrs. Polak had the students draw what they saw in the microscope so the students would better understand how loosely the quills are attached to the porcupine’s tail and body, and also how hard they are to remove!

            Dave Erdkamp also loaned the class a moose antler from a forest moose, similar to the one that tried to kill Brian in the book.  Forest moose are smaller than moose we are familiar with, but the students realized what strong neck muscles it would take to hold up two of them!

            The class wrote thank you notes to both Ms. Haefer and to Mr. Erdkamp for sharing the wildlife artifacts with us.

Janey Erdkamp and Kaitlyn Vavra draw the porcupine quills as they appear in the microscope.  Mrs. Polak’s reading class was reading the novel Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen.

Josie Kresak and Mitchell Manning examine their porcupine quill under the microscope in Mrs. Polak’s reading class.

Exeter-Milligan Update: Elementary Students Participate in Sing Around Nebraska

Seven Exeter-Milligan students attended the Sing Around Nebraska Festival in Central City on Saturday, February 18.  They rehearsed all day with their clinician, Larry Decker, and performed in a 4:00 p.m. concert held in Central City's new Performing Arts Center (PAC.)  The students worked very hard prior to the day to learn six songs.  Those participating were:  Row 1 (L-R) - Eli Johnson, Patrick Murphy, Johnny Babula; Row 2 (L-R) - Anna Sluka, Katherine White, Caitlin Murphy and Kayla Geiger

Exeter American Legion Auxiliary Spaghetti Feed TODAY!

The Exeter American Legion Auxiliary Post 218 will hold their annual Spaghetti Feed and Bake Sale today.  Visit the American Legion Home in downtown Exeter for some wonderful homemade spaghetti, bread, salad and corn and pick up some baked goods to go.

Fillmore County Hospital Open House Sunday

 

NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME FROM THE ORIGINAL  POSTING

Exeter-Milligan Graduate Works in Kingston Jamaica

Exeter-Milligan graduate Talisa Krejci knew she had chosen the right career when she recently took a mission trip to Jamaica to do occupational therapy.

Krejci, a graduate student at the College of St. Mary’s, is working toward her certification in occupational therapy and found this trip was the perfect opportunity to test her skills and gain some experience.

She and seven other occupational therapy students traveled to Kingston, Jamaica to work in five different shelters and an orphanage in the heart of the ghetto of Kingston. Their group was part of a mission trip to assist the work of the Missionaries of the Poor, a monastic order of Brothers.

Krejci heard about the trip, “It was always on my bucket list to leave the country and go do work for others and when I brought the opportunity up to my Dad he told me I couldn’t pass it up.”

She raised the money with donations from family and friends and prepared to leave the country for the first time. While in Jamaica their food and shelter was provided by the Missionaries of the Poor organization in the Kingston ghetto. Part of the experience was staying with at the monastery for part of the week and then with the sisters at the convent and eating a “lot of rice or noodles with a type of stew. It was hard to eat because they left the bones in the stew. They also served a lot of Achi, which is Jamaica's flower. You had to boil them to cook them. Hard to describe the taste! The weirdest thing I ate was rabbit.”

The students took along some of their occupational therapy equipment, such as splints and theraputty for hand exercises but, "It was hard to know what to bring the first time and where to even start. I would really like to go back and would know better what to bring. They always need diapers, clothes, and sandals."

Their primary focus was two women’s clinics, an AIDS clinic and an orphanage. “A lot of the things we did was to keep them clean and most comfortable. We helped brush teeth, wash hands and faces after meals, put lotion on and clip nails. We were able to help a lot of the kids who had tight muscles stretching the best that we could.”

Many of the children at the orphanage were disabled and were there because their families could not take care of them or felt that their disabilities were a disgrace to the family. “It broke your heart because they weren’t getting the help that they needed. There were fifteen-year-old boys in cribs because they couldn’t walk but if they got the therapy they needed they could walk. They do what they can for therapy but they just don’t have the resources. It’s frustrating,” explained Krejci.

The AIDS clinic was a personal challenge for Krejci as she had not been around any AIDS patients. The group spent some time at the clinic filling the patients weekly pill containers with the donated medications and interacted some with the patients, “It really got me out of my comfort zone to be around the patients and maintain my professionalism.”

For Krejci, that one week just wasn’t long enough but she knew it would be one of the last opportunities to get away as she approaches the end of her schooling. With a bachelor’s degree from Concordia she is in her second year at College of St. Mary and when her coursework is completed she will have six months of fieldwork before graduating in June of 2013.

“It felt like I was just getting started, I could easily stay there a month or two months. The first couple of days we were in shock. The most overwhelming thing was driving in Jamaica since they drive on the other side of the street and they are crazy drivers. They are constantly honking at each other but it is just to indicate who goes first, not that they are mad.”

One of the highlights for Krejci were the afternoons spent with some at the women's shelter where they danced every afternoon to gospel Caribbean music together. “It was just amazing seeing the smiles on their faces, and it was reassuring to see and realize that they know they are going to be alright because according to they lyric in one of the songs we danced to, ’Better days are coming.”

“I think about Kingston every day. Things have changed in my life, I’ve been given a different perspective about what is important in life and what isn't.”

Exeter-Milligan Cheerleaders Host Cheer Camp

Exeter-Milligan Cheerleaders spent Friday afternoon working with elementary students and teaching them several cheers along with some dance moves.  The cheer camp participants each got a t-shirt and performed with the Exeter-Milligan cheerleaders at half-time.

Monsanto Donates $2500 to Exeter-Milligan

The Monsanto America's Farmers Grow Communities Fund presented a generous check of $2500 to the Exeter-Miller FCCLA program.  Pictured with the check are from the left Travis Due, area Channel seed dealer, Erica Yound, Exeter-Milligan FCCLA Chapter President, Rebecca Vossler, FCCLA District President, Tom Vossler, Mary Lou Vossler, Exeter-Milligan FCCLA advisor, Paul Sheffield, Exeter-Milligan Superintendent and Brad Hogan, Monsanto representative.

Exeter-Milligan FCCLA was presented with a check for $2500 during halftime at the Men's basketball game last week on behalf of the Monsanto Fund.

Brad Hogan, a representative from Monsanto, presented the donation to Tom Vossler who was selected as the Fillmore County winner for the Monsanto Fund's America's Farmers Grow Communities.

All eligible farmers in the county could enter to win a $2,500 donation for a local nonprofit of their choice.  Monasanto has donated more than $3.1 million into rural American through the program.  Vossler chose to make the FCCLA program the recipient of his winnings.

Also on hand to present the donation was local Channel seed dealer Travis Due.  Receiving the funds were Exeter-Milligan FCCLA Chapter President Erica Yound along with District FCCLA President Rebecca Vossler.  Both ladies spoke expressing their gratitude both to Monsanto for the generous donation and especially to Vossler for choosing their program as the recipient of the donation.

Exeter-Milligan Family Consumer Science Teacher and FCCLA advisor Mary Lou Vossler also thanked Monsanto and Vossler for their donation.  "We plan to use the funds for the members to attend a session of Zumba.  I am also working on an educational session for the group about drunk driving, and internet safety.  We will also use this donation to offset some of the expenses for our girls to go to the state convention and also hopefully we will have several groups going to the national convention in Orlando."