Plains Day deemed a great success

PLAINS – The streets of Plains were flooded with people for the 51st annual Plains Day event, an event that offers family-friendly fun to all those in attendance.

This year the theme was “Cowboy Boots and Country Roots” and offered attendees ample opportunities for fun.

According to the organizer, Carol Day, the event’s main purpose is for businesses to give thanks to the community for their support.

This year numbers for the event skyrocketed, with warm weather greeting those who came out to celebrate. Last year, as luck would have it, the day started off on a much rainier and wet note.

With well over 1,000 people in the streets, the event offered the community a chance to get out and enjoy the day with many activities unwinding as the day went on.

The day kicked off with the Mason’s Breakfast at the VFW, yielding a higher profit than last year for scholarships for local students as well as money for the Bike for Books program, a program that encourages students to read more.

Master of the Masonic Ponemah Lodge #66 in Plains, Ron Warren said the Bike for Books event offers third to sixth graders the opportunity to win a bike valued at $150 for participating in reading more.

“Every time they read a book they stick a ticket in a jar and at the end of the period, they draw a name out of each one of the classes,” said Warren, explaining the kid with his name on the back of the ticket will win a bike. Each class has two opportunities to win a bike. After each classes drawing, the remaining names are thrown into a combined bucket and there is one more opportunity for any of the kids to win a bike.

“The school already has a reading program but this gives them an incentive to really participate,” said Warren. “Some kids read 40 or 50 books and some years it’s a kid that only reads one that gets the bike. You never know.”

Warren said this year the event sold tickets in advance and estimated $1,400 was raised, almost tripling their profit of $560 last year. The exact number will not be known until their meeting on June 11.

The Pancake breakfast is the Lodge’s main source of funding right now and money left over will be given to students in scholarships. This year the Lodge will be handing out one $500 scholarship.

The breakfast spanned four hours and ended at 11 a.m.

Starting at 10 a.m. the Green Way was filled with 22 vendors featuring both non-profits and businesses. As people strolled the Green Way looking for treasures to take home with them, several booths offered face painting to the kids who waited anxiously.

According to Day, all the vendors said they did an excellent job throughout the day.

As the vendors lined the Green Way, the Rocky Mountain Bank ice cream social kicked off, helping Plains Day attendees beat the heat by handing out free ice cream.

Set up in the drive through, employees were hit with a line of people extending the length of the building and spilling out onto the sidewalk after the parade.

Judy Christensen, Juanita Lapp, Pat Brickzin and bank president Jim Jacobs had their hands full scooping ice cream to eager customers. The ice cream social drew one of the larger crowds of the entire Plains Day celebration.

Also starting at 10 a.m. was the registration for the car and motorcycle show, the show kicking off at 12:30 p.m. This year also yielded higher amounts of participants, with 27 in all.

According to the organizer of the car and motorcycle show, Ken Saner, the weather last year did not cooperate and there were 12 to 15 entries last year.

Overall, Saner was pleased with the event.

“It went great, the weather cooperated and we had a good amount of local cars plus we had some guys from Kalispell, guys from Superior and we had three different cars here from the Bitterroot,” said Saner.

Door prizes were given to those participating in the car show and trophies and ribbons were awarded to the winners in each category. This year the show had four categories as well as a People’s Choice Award and the Best of Show.

In the category for cars from 1948 and earlier, Jerry Wade took first place for his 1927 Ford Model T; Rod and Debbie Stamm of Plains took second for their 1932 blue Ford pickup; and Darrell Abbott took third for his 1934 Ford four-door.

The next category consisted of the time frame 1949 to 1972 with William and Jackie Kuchera taking first for their 1960 Chevy Pickup; Teresa Sears took second for her 1967 Camaro convertible; and Jerry Kohm took third for his 1959 Dodge Coronet.

In the 1973 to current class, William and Troyetta Kuchera took first for their 1973 Camaro; Bob Quackenbush took second for his 1973 Ford Bronco; and Amy Resler took third for her 1979 Corvette.

In the motorcycle category, Sean Peterson took first for his 1996 Harley while Teagan and Taylor Saner took second and third respectively for their 1972 Honda Mini Trail and for a tricycle, plastering a smile on both girl’s faces.

Rod and Debbie Stamm’s 1932 Ford Pickup also took the People’s Choice award and Best of Show was awarded to Jerry Wade, also his second prize of the day.

According to Wade, he moved here two years ago and the yellow car remained in his garage to the day of the show, making a grand appearance and stealing the show. The trophies he took home will be added to the other prizes he has gained over the years, entering his car in countless other shows.

As for the parade, there were 48 entries in all. As sirens blazed and kids scrambled for candy, the streets were packed all the way from the Circle up the road.

Day said the parade went well and almost 20 more entries were included in this year’s parade.

From the Plains Woman’s Club celebrating their 90th anniversary, to the different fire departments of the town, the street was filled with floats and vehicles in a procession that took about 30 minutes to complete.

The Grand Marshall of the parade was Clyde Terrell of Paradise.

Terrell was recognized for his efforts in the community. He has been an active member for over 40 years. Throughout his years he has been involved with the Paradise Methodist Church, the Plains Lions Club, the Paradise Fire District, and the Paradise School Board. Terrell also tended to the Paradise Park and cemetery for 12 years.

The popular turtle races took place behind the Rocky Mountain Bank with a flurry of excited kids yielding their prize race turtles, with many being caught prior to the event. In the first initial six waves, turtles were piled into a box in the center of a circle. The crowd surrounded the circle and cheered on the turtles as the box was pulled off of them, releasing them to run free.

Although, many remained in the middle dazed and confused by the number of people surrounding them, the turtles started to disperse and head to the outer edge marking the finish line.

After the six waves, the grand finale was held crowning the champion turtle of the day.

Alex Elles, Bridger and Brent Bauer, Karissa French, Colter Marjerrison, and Maddi Ducept were all apart of the finale, all already winning one wave. Brent Bauer’s turtle was crowned champion of the day with Karissa French taking second and Bridger Bauer taking third.

Once the crowd went their separate ways, a Husband Calling Contest was held at the Fred Young Park at 2 p.m.

With only four contestants for the contest during the Plains Day celebration what the ladies lacked in numbers, they made up for in volume. Debra Banham, Sherrie Johnson, Carol Day and Judy McPhee all put their vocal cords to the test calling out for their husbands.

Judged by John Day, the contest awarded the longest call, the loudest and the most unique pet name. According to Day, the competition was brought back due to popular demand.

“It was really popular in the past so we decided to bring it back. I’m here to make sure it doesn’t get out of control,” said Day.

As the calls resonated out over Fred Young Park, one husband actually responded.

Gene Johnson, having recently wrapped up his duties announcing during the Plains Day parade, immediately came when his wife Sherrie called for him. Johnson obediently walked over to Sherrie to the delight of the husband-calling field of contestants.

After the contest, the park filled with eager kids who were ready to race to the finish in the annual sack races.

Kids of all ages donned burlap potato sacks and hopped down the course at Fred Young Park on Saturday with three heats taking place. The competition was fierce.

As the first heat hopped into action, there were a few spills along the way. A few contestants had to get to their feet and catch up to the other contestants. In the first race, kids five years old and under hopped their way to the finish line with Kathy Hostetler coming in first place.

The second race was composed of participants six to eight years of age. After a false start, the race got under way. As kids hopped and leaped their way down the track, smiles erupted across faces and laughter filled the air before a close finish with Liz Hostetler coming in first followed by Alex Miller in second.

The final heat of contestants 9 to 12 years of age was the largest. Around half a dozen sack racers leaped their way down the field with a few spills causing delays. Eventually all made it across the finish line with Jeremiah Allen coming in first place and Sean VonHeeder coming in second.

At 5 p.m. a potluck was held at the EL Johnson Memorial Pool Park as live music filled the air. The Secret Eggs took to the stage and serenaded the crowd with their tunes, offering a variety of different songs. The band came together shortly before Plains Day although one would not know it while listening to them. The music that flowed from the group was well put together and got a great response from the crowd at the park.

Boston McDonald was in charge of the guitar, vocals and keyboard, accompanied by Ben Summers on the drums, Lonnie Mathew on the bass and Larry McDonald on another guitar.

The Plains Dancers took to the basketball court afterwards, bringing some Irish Culture into the area and performed the Gothic Reel. The kids had been hard at work practicing the play for months before the showing took place. After their performance, the crowd applauded the kids for their dance and the floor opened to the public who danced to their heart’s content.

Organizer of the dance, Neuman Ryan said the kids did a great job and he was very happy with how the dance played out.

After nearly three hours of music, dancing, and fun, a movie aired on a big screen in the park.

The film Hot Lead Cold Feet is a comedy Western filmed in 1978. The movie was about a father who took it upon himself to control a small western town with the help of his twin sons. The trio helped to oust the corrupt major and regain control of the town.

Day said that although it is too soon to tell what new events will be offered at Plains Day next year, the Chamber is looking for volunteers to help get more events in place. Anyone interested in volunteering should contact Day or any of the board members of the Plains-Paradise Chamber. Those interested can also email the chamber on their website.