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Picnic packs a fun-filled punch |
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Thursday, 24 July 2008 |
By ANGELA WEAVER
Staff Writer
NEW BREMEN — Saturday kicks off the 87th Annual New Bremen-German Township Volunteer Firemen’s Picnic with food, fun and more at Jaycee Park in New Bremen.
The picnic begins at 9 a.m. with the Firemen’s Memorial 5K Run/Walk, followed by the New Bremen High School Lift-A-Thon, a beanbag tournament and the junior and senior waterball tournaments.
During the junior waterball tournament, children have an opportunity to compete at spraying water from a garden hose at a large plastic ball suspended by a cable. Firemen from local departments will compete in the senior waterball tournament later Saturday night.
“They (Waterball Tournaments) used to be pretty common,” said Bob Heitkamp, a volunteer fireman. “It’s something the kids really enjoy, and it’s fun for the firemen, too. It gives bragging rights to the winning local fire department.”
The picnic will also feature barbecue chicken dinners, which will be sold for $6 a piece in advance or the day of the picnic, Heitkamp said, and they will be available from 5 to 6:30 p.m. The dinners include half a chicken, applesauce, rolls and chips. Hamburgers, brats, cheeseburgers, fries and other goodies will be available as well as a few beverage stands
Free pony rides and music performed by the New Bremen High School Band will also be part of the activities.
A raffle drawing at 11 p.m. will close the festivities. Tickets will be available for $1 a piece or $5 for 6 tickets, and there will be a total of 25 prizes ranging from $500 to $10, said Heitkamp, who has been a volunteer for almost 15 years.
“It’s just a good time,” Heitkamp said. “It’s something that’s strongly attended by residents from local communities, and we’re trying to get more people to come in from other areas.”
The picnic began as a way to help fund the purchase of equipment for the fire department, which consists of around 30 volunteers.
A laptop, thermal imaging camera and fire pre-planning for large buildings were purchased from funds raised from past picnics.
“It’s a public service and a fun way to raise funds,” Heitkamp said.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 29 July 2008 )
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