The Crete Public Library will celebrate their summer reading program with a kick off party on Saturday, June 29 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be both indoor and outdoor activities available. Three food trucks will be onsite from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Mary Ellen's, Harbor Coffee and Pig in a Blanket. For more information call the library at (402) 826-3809.
The Dorchester Sons of the American Legion will host a sirloin steak sandwich feast from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, July 4 at the Dorchester American Legion. The event will be in partnership with the Auxiliary and Junior Auxiliary's pie and ice cream social, also held at the legion hall.
The Crete Post 147 juniors took down Syracuse 9-1 June 25. Nick Wendt went 3-4 with a double and drove in three. Triston Lenhoff and Cole Stutzman had two hits each. Lenhoff struck out five in three innings on the mound, and Hunter Knoche added three strikeouts in two innings.
The Crete Post 147 senior legion team needed an extra inning against Syracuse, but the visitors scored two in the top of the eighth and Crete stranded the tying run at third in a 9-8 loss June 25. Ethan Placzek and Christian each had three hits for Crete, and Cole Stutzman and Alex Eltze added two each.
By Amy Hausman
Amy@friendsentinel.com
Ever since the tents started lining the highway in Crete, there has been a count down until THE day. For what feels like an eternity for Mama here, every night before bedtime Charlotte has crossed a date off the calendar. She then counts the number of squares until the date with a firework doodle, signifying when the wait is finally over.
One would think we were ticking off the days until July 4 (I’m sure that’s coming next) or even for the stands to open in Crete, but this countdown was for John and Jake’s Firework stand in Friend to open up on June 25. There are just some parts of Friend that we still cling to, and that’s one of them.
The Clouse family has sold fireworks for nearly 80 years and now John and Jake’s young children are among the ranks, the eldest being roughly six years old. These little babes attended daycare with Charlotte and played and giggled endlessly with her at the Friend City Park. Charlotte believes that Emmie Clouse personally helped to pick out this year’s snow cone fountain and is solely responsible for the selection of ignitable unicorns. Knowing the Clouse’s, that’s a pretty accurate assumption.
So as soon as Charlotte was collected from the afternoon Cardinal Summer Camp on Tuesday, we scooted on over to Friend. Within minutes we had a basket full of princess parachutes, neon smoke bombs, naughty dogs (gross but funny), a giant snow cone and a mysterious watermelon slice. Emmie surely had a hand in this year’s femme flammable.
Seeing Charlotte’s excitement reminded me just how magical fireworks and everything about a small town Fourth of July celebration is. Working at the newspaper myself and my staff rush from event to event to attempt to document most of it, and on particularly hot ones that spark of joy can fizzle out like an abandoned punk. I’ve decided that I want a little more of the magic and this year I’m taking the day off to experience it through a seven year-old’s eyes.
To all the parents with children driving them crazy with their uncontainable excitement (and begging to light’er up) let’s all remember a few punk moments is normal; no need to explode. Stay calm and sparkle on because we only get a small number of these precious years where our babies want to snuggle in our laps to watch the show and need our help to light the fuse. Soak that in with me (this is also your reminder to keep a pail of water on hand).
Thank you to the Clouse family and all of their team for keeping the spark of what the Fourth is alive for generations in their families, and also in mine.
PS - Please follow your local ordinances so we don’t have to write about your naughty shenanigans. Now having said that, time to set that unicorn a blaze! Happy Fourth of July!
