Harrington News

Harrington alumni began arriving in the week prior to the Harrington Fall Festival, and the town had a flurry of activity preceding Saturday's festival events. With flags flying on Third Street, the parade route was being hand-swept on Friday. USBank was serving hotdogs, and the weather seemed ideal. The Lions Club members were in the city park at their barbeque pit. Water was being applied to the field east of the school bus garage in preparation for the early Saturday mud race. Framed descriptions of the historic downtown buildings were provided by the Harrington Chamber of Commerce to the owners for display and viewing by the anticipated crowds. Last-minute rummage sale items were being unpacked and displayed. Harrington Golf & Country Club had a nice showing of customers on the greens as well as in the club house.

Saturday morning, the festivities began simultaneously at 9 a.m. when the long-awaited mud bog race began near the city park, and the celebrated Huff & Puff races began in the business district at Third and Glover. The first group heading up Third toward Hotel Lincoln consisted of 36 runners and one dog. The next group of runners turned at the USBank (historically, the First National Bank, 1909) and consisted of 43 runners, one dog and three strollers. Spectators increased as the clock moved toward the 10 a.m. line-up for the parade. The Harrington High School Band directed by Dave Nighswonger played the Star Spangled Banner at the intersection of Third and Main, followed by an eruption of cheering from the sidewalks. Grand Marshal Bunny Haugan, selected by the Harrington Lions Club as the 2014 Citizen of the Year, showered candy, waves and smiles along the route. Linda and Charlie Colbert were Grand Marshals of the 2013 parade which had been canceled due to rain, and consequently they were honored this year as well. Antique cars were interspersed throughout the parade. The Class of '64 seemed to be the best represented class in the parade, riding on a trailer and followed by classmate Bill Bond in his personally restored antique green auto. Ritzville, Reardan-Edwall, Odessa and Davenport each brought their floats. The members of the Class of '74 drove golf carts.

Others in the parade included: Judy Warnick, candidate for state senate; Tom Dent, candidate for House District #13; Ritzville's Rodeo Queen Kate Schell; the Class of '94 in a red jeep; Davenport's Gorilla Band; Dani Bolyard, candidate for House District #13; the Class of '84 in a white pickup; Sheriff Wade Magers, running for re-election; the Class of 2004; USBank; the District #6 Fire-Rescue crew and an appearance by at least five of the mud bog pickups.

Considerable milling about on the streets occurred prior to and following the parade, with the Harrington Public Library offering a book sale, the Harrington Opera House Society giving tours of their perpetually changing building and the Rummage Room making great offers. The library increased their funds by about $80 and the Elevator Fund from the Rummage Room gained nearly $400. New memberships were obtained as well. Lunch was being served following the parade by the Lions Club at the city park with other vendors selling their wares from the school bus garage.

By one report, 79 people attended the alumni dinner Saturday evening at the school. The Class of '64 had 24 students at graduation, and only one deceased member, Ethel Lamb. Due to the perpetual efforts of class alumni coordinator, Vicki Meyer Knapp, 21 of the potential 23 class members returned to celebrate a portion of the reunion, making the Class of '64 the best represented class.

Bunny Haugan was recipient of the "Honored Citizen" award for her years of community service as city clerk, a position held since 1980 when Mary Alice Warwick resigned the clerk's position to become the city treasurer. During these years, Paul Gilliland was mayor 1980-1983, 1988-1995 and 2000 to the present, Harry Krause 1984-1987, and Steve Timm 1996-1999. Haugan is an active member of the Harrington Opera House Society, Harrington Chamber of Commerce, and Harrington Public Development Authority, as well as the Zion-Emmanuel Lutheran Church of Odessa. She has worked with many different personalities on the city council over the 34 years, and most would agree with current councilman Rick Becker who said, "She is the backbone of the city." She is the daughter of Henry and Grace (Hoover) Kallenberger, was born Loretta Kallenberger, and was raised in Krupp (Marlin) in Grant County. She was active in 4-H and in school activities.

Newspaper coverage: "The 4-H Better Homemakers Club of Marlin played a very important role at the Moses Lake fair over the weekend. Anarae Schwartz, Jeannette Dashiell, Sonja Frick and Loretta Kallenberger entered the dress revue Friday evening. Annarae and Jeannette modeled aprons and the other two girls modeled skirts and weskits. Annarae received a blue ribbon, Jeannette and Sonja red ribbons and Loretta walked away with the highest blue ribbon in Grant County." (Odessa Record: 9-17-1953)

Her writing skills were cultivated in school with the local school paper. "Western Sage Staff. Editor: Lois Pfeifer; Asst Editor: Donna Pfeifer; Sports Editor: Larry Wagner; Art Editor: Arlie Wies; Feature Editor: Eileen Reider; Production Mgr: Dale Reich; Advertising Mgr: Sharon Wagner; Circulation Mgr: Donna Weiser; Class Reporters: Freshmen, Barbara Zickler; Sophomores, Loretta Kallenberger; Junior, Gloria Schell; Seniors, Pamela Schmierer; Advisor: Mrs Grabow." (Western Sage: 3-25-1955)

She graduated from Marlin High School in 1957 with honors. Whether raising her own family or teaching special education, she continues to tap the resources that she cultivated in her younger years, and with each opportunity to serve, she continues to increase her assets. She fulfilled one of her mother's dreams, to have a museum at Krupp in the old Post Office/bank building, for a number of years. Her interest in history also takes in family genealogy but is far more than a collection of names. She has reached out and gathered photos to make it complete. She is instrumental in the recurring family reunions of Hose-Hoover and the Kallenbergers. She is continually busy with unlimited interests and always finds time to "go the extra mile" when someone is in need. Locally, bets are on-going as to whether she will ever retire, but if one sees her with her great grandchildren, retirement might be a safe bet.

Animals at festival

Linda Colbert added that the animals at the Fall Festival included Bob the miniature horse who allowed children to ride him up the sidewalk for $1/ride. He made $50 on his rides, a donation that will be made to the Harrington Food Bank. Janaye Wilkie is Bob's owner, and her helper Saturday was Alexys Crawford.

A giant pumpkin on display challenged visitors to guess its weight. The actual weight was 121 pounds. The donations for this event also went to the Food Bank.

Chicken Bingo was a huge success with park visitors buying a number and hoping the little red hen would deposit "something" on that number. The $50 winner was Lanessa Simon with a nice deposit on number 151 in a record time of six minutes.

Other animals in the park included a miniature donkey, horse and really small dwarf horse, llamas, alpacas, bottle-fed calves and boer goats. Other babies to hold were bunnies, chickens and baby chicks. No one was bitten, scratched or kicked, so it was a huge success, reports Linda Colbert.

Huff N Puff

Harrington High School's FBLA advisor Sharon Kruger's report.

The cool, sunny fall morning was the perfect day to take a one mile or 5K (3.1 miles) jaunt through the quaint community of Harrington in the Huff N Puff Fun Run coordinated by Harrington High School FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) chapter. Whether enjoying a leisurely stroll with friends and family or striving to beat another competitor or last year's time, a fun morning was experienced by all. One unavoidable two-to-three minute train delay did hold up some of the 5K competitors, but other than that it was a perfect day for exercise in the great outdoors.

The FBLA chapter had the assistance of event volunteers Betty and Ed Warner, Ginny Lathem, Karen Balfe and Kim Kruger, as well as sponsors who helped the chapter earn some needed funds to help defray the cost of the competitions and conferences the students will be attending this year.

Sponsors were Odessa Union Warehouse Co-op, KATCO Farms, Alan and Kelli Tanke, Westside Farms, Inc., Titans Rock, Glen and Eileen Tanke, Grange Supply Company, Harrington Foods, Harrington PTA, System Transport, The Electric Hotel, The Wild Hair Salon, Jim and Vicki Knapp, Kruger Farms, LLC, LaMarr and Susan Larmer, Odessa Memorial Healthcare Center - 24 Hour Emergency Service, Odessa Office Equipment, Steward Farms, Inc., Tanke JV, The Potty Barn LLC, Bugs and Sue Shear, The Studebaker Garage.