The 81st Annual Old Settlers Picnic was celebrated in Fair Haven Saturday, June 30. Some wondered if the day had been switched, or why it was later than other years, but as tradition it was held on the last Saturday of June, as it always is. The weather was perfect for families to come out and enjoy watching the parade and participating in all the picnic activities. The parade was grand marshalled posthumously by Bob Johnson. Black and Orange ribbons were wore in his memory. His Avantis and Harley Davidson led the parade and were on display at the Car & Tractor show. Bob had been a friend and neighbor to Fair Haven for more than 50 years. He had participated in many Old Settlers’ Picnics over the years – running cars, motorcycles, and EZ crushers in the parade, as well as generously donating to fund the day’s events. His inventions and car crushing company grew as the community did and the business supported many local families with work. He was a giving and generous man and was paid tribute to on this first Old Settlers’ Picnic since his death in December. Thousands of people watched the parade of more than 100 units that lasted about an hour. It was filled with royalty, fire trucks, antique cars, floats and horses. Cowboy Mike Schlueter directed the parade and brought up the end of the parade in his stilted costume handing out toys to the kids. After the parade, people enjoyed music by the Maple Lake Jazz band. There was all kinds of kid’s games to be played. New this year to the picnic was the rock climbing wall, thanks to Kris O’Brien for her efforts to get that arranged. Lots of kids climbed, as well as the royalty. Once again, the picnic association had the Koitila’s bring their animals for a petting zoo. The kiddie pedal tractor pull was sponsored by Dr. Pepper and the Fair Haven Lions. A total 123 kids entered this year’s pull with the following kids placing in the top three spots: 4-year-olds – first place Kessler Kenning of Clearwater, second place Blake Moren of St. Cloud; and third place DJ Robinson of Kimball; 5-year-olds – first place Lucas Foster of South Haven, second place Jazia Nigg of Cold Spring, and third place Jeremy Zabinski of Fair Haven; 6-year-olds – first place Julia Zipoy of Kimball, second place Hannah Purcell of New Germany, and third place Maggie Kolbe of South Haven; 7-year-olds – first place Ben Zipoy of Kimball, second place Shawn Schindler of Maple Grove, and third place -Mitchell Jansky of Kimball; 8-year-olds – first place Harrison Bray of Brooklyn Park, second place Anna Donnay of Kimball, and third place Chaz Stuve of Fair Haven; 9 year-olds – first place Logan Schlueter of Fair Haven, second place Austin Hentges of Kimball, and third place Aaron Wurm of Monticello; 10-year-olds – first place Ted Zipoy of Kimball, second place Adam Schindler of Maple Grove, and third place Emily Donnay of Kimball; and 11-year-olds – first place Lyle Miller of Watkins, second place Dustin Weber of Monticello, and third place Matthew Donnay of Kimball. The Old Settlers royalty displayed items from their year-long experience representing Fair Haven, as well as sold buttons and T-shirts and drew winning tickets for the button prize winners. The grand prize of $151 (for Fair Haven being 151 years old) went to Dean Kaskinen of South Haven. This prize was made possible by a donation made by R.M. Johnson Co. Second place grand prize of $100 went to Amanda Donabauer of Kimball. This prize was donated by Hendricks Sand & Gravel of Kimball. Stuve Auto Ranch donated the $50 cash prize that went to Lloyd Lehse of Fair Haven. Thanks to the local business’s donations; there were lots of happy prize winners at the picnic and car show. Adults visited, ate, and enjoyed the beautiful summer day. The picnic association presented awards for the following: oldest man – Lorenz Suetter of Shoreview, 91, won a $25 gift card donated from Cashwise Foods of St. Cloud; oldest woman – Eunice Schempf of Elk River, 86, won $25 cash; youngest child – Cameron Mertens, 17 days old from St. Cloud, won a $50 savings bond donated by the Annandale State Bank; longest married couple – Ruby and Art Geisinger of Annandale, married 65 years, received $40; newest married couple – Joe and Kathy Jacobs of Fair Haven, married 18 months, won T-shirts & a GC donated from Coborns; most grandchildren – Betty Mackereth of Kimball with 22, won a year’s subscription donated by the Tri-County News; longest Fair Haven resident, Howard Schmidt for having grown up and had properties here for 77 years, won $25 cash; greatest distance traveled, Elizabeth Stearns from 1,600 miles away in Marble Falls, Texas, won an Old Settlers Picnic T-shirt and gift cards donated from Holiday and Burger King of Clearwater. After the awards, the audience was informed of the lack of willing participants in the queen coronation this year and stressed the need for the community to support and get involved in order for the tradition to be kept going, not only the queen coronation but the picnic events of the association as well. The current royalty will be representing Fair Haven for another year. Current association members, Vanessa and Mike Schlueter and Lynda and Pat Mertens are resigning from the Old Settlers Picnic Association and invite people to get involved to replace them, “for it would be a shame if the family tradition’s of the picnic were lost due to no one to help keep it going.” Persons willing to get involved in directing the parade, planning events, or any part should contact Vanessa and Mike Schlueter at (320) 236-2457 or Lynda and Pat Mertens at (320) 236-7672. President Vanessa Schlueter states, “I have enjoyed the planning and organizing but family activities are too busy to do both justice. I’ve been involved for over 10 years and Mike 25 years, it’s time for some new people. We’ll still be around to answer any questions.” Once the tractor pull was over, the kids gathered around bales of straw to participate in the “Money in the Hay Game”. Donations from Kuechle Underground, Kevin Hurrle Farm, and Firetrak made this game possible. Kids dug threw the straw to find loose change. Austin Duncan of Eaglebend, 10, found the lucky specially-marked coin to win the $50 savings bond donated by the State Bank of Kimball. Julian Zoller of Fair Haven won a T-shirt and cowboy hat, as well as a bunch of coins. While the kids had started that game, the adults were taking advantage of the 5-cent ice cream cones served by the association and donated from Kemps Ice Cream of Sauk Rapids. At 2 p.m. the Polish Horseshoe tournament started. Lots of teams played with Adrian Rossman and Craig Henneman beating out Marv Kuechle and Arnie Schindler for first place. Taking third place in the contest was Shawn Dahlinger and Colten Gettler of Kimball. The Car & Tractor Show was a success this year with 32 entrants and many others just showing. The trophies were sponsored by local businesses-Windy Hill of New London, French Lake Auto, Bumper to Bumper, A.M. Maus & Sons, Gohmanns Foods, & Arnolds Implement of Kimball. Queen Joelle Wysoski presented her choice of winning car to Bob Linden of Clearwater with his 1955 Ford convertible. Princess Sammi Stewart-James chose Lenny Dzuik’s Cock Shutt as her winning Princess’s choice for tractor. Entrant’s in the car show chose their pick for winning car as well, and they also chose Bob Linden’s 1955 Ford convertible. Al Newman of Clearwater took second place Entrant’s Choice with his 1949 Chev. Ron Fruth with his 1959 Ford Retract took third place. Entrant’s Tractor Choice went to Al Newman of Clearwater with his 1949 Case. Miss Congeniality Kayla Bollman presented the $50 Cash prize donated by Windy Hill to Ron Fruth of St. Cloud. “The many participatnts and the memorial display to Bob Johnson made this year’s fifth Annual Car & Tractor Show really special” said president Schlueter. “We thank everyone who made the show such a success.” Picnicers enjoyed the day. Some stayed to visit, others took a break from activities and later came back to get a bite to eat from the Lion’s Beef Feed and a cold drink before listening and dancing to t
his year’s entertainment-Wildwood. Submitted by Fair Haven Old Settlers’ Picnic Assoc.
