-Isms: Original views of life in rural America

Wow, what a weekend in Ewing. One hundred fifty years, plus one, definitely looks good on you.

It took a lot of planning and quite a number of people were involved in pulling off a weekend filled with family, friends and fun.

Cool temperatures and threatening rain could have slowed Friday evening activities, but that didn’t deter those wanting to kick off summer.

Our staff, along with Josh Napier, had a great time overseeing the road rally. Some questions stumped participants; others were a breeze to figure out. Congratulations to the winning team and special thank yous to all who participated. My favorite moment of the evening: the Ewing site class of 2023 took part. They admitted they weren’t sure about some of the more “historical” questions, but agreed they had a good time. That’s the spirit.

Saturday’s activities offered something for everyone. The first Summerland golf tourney raised funds which will be donated to the booster club, with proceeds earmarked to benefit the golf team. Great turnout on a brisk spring morning.

I think the parade was a hit, too. More than 50 entries created an event which lasted more than an hour. Community groups, businesses and friends from the region came up with clever and one-of-a-kind floats that brought smiles and laughter.

It was also great to see so many people visit Schmidt Park for good food, while an escape room, virtual reality trailer and inflatables provided entertainment.

You never know who you’ll see at the alumni banquet. Interestingly, I’ve known Bruce Sedivy for a number of years. He taught at Waverly Public Schools and judged speech and one-act competitions. That’s how my parents met him years ago, and he has judged a number of my speech qualifiers at district and state competitions. Small world. I never knew he was from Ewing.

More than an inch of rain fell early Sunday morning, but it did not dampen spirits of those who raced around Ewing during Bubby’s Race/Walk. What an inspiration honoring those who have or are battling cancer. A huge thank you goes out to the Thramer family who have poured energy and love into the event for the past 10 years. The race has raised more than $70,000 for cancer units at Antelope Memorial Hospital and Avera St. Anthony’s Hospital.

The model airplane exhibition was fun to watch, as was the bonus airplane flight during the ping pong drop.

When skies cleared mid-afternoon, it set the stage for Sunday evening’s concert with Hi-Fi Hangover and Little Texas. Good music, good times.

If you didn’t swing by the United Methodist/Presbyterian Church and check out the beautiful quilt show, you missed out viewing beautiful, handmade quilts. The designs were so unique.

And, I hope everyone stopped by the Spittler Brothers building and took in Butch Rotherham’s historical display. What a fantastic exhibit of Ewing memorabilia.

While the “It takes a village ...” line might be cliché, this weekend proved that when an entire village bands together, so much can be accomplished.

Who’s ready to start planning for the 2070 bicentennial?