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Betting on a good time in Buckland |
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Tuesday, 24 June 2008 |
 Al Vaden of Lima tosses a beanbag during the Buckland Firemen’s Festival’s first cornhole tournament Saturday. He and his partner Kim Harruff of Spencerville won the round. (Staff photo/ Karen Campbell)
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
BUCKLAND — As long as there’s been a festival in Buckland, Tammy Jones has been betting dimes on winning a homemade cake.
Saturday was no exception as Jones had cakes stacked three high and was still putting her chances on each spin of the cake wheel at the Firemen’s Festival.
“I’ve been doing this forever and ever,” said Jones, a lifelong resident of the village.
Not only does she come out for the confectionaries but also to support the community’s volunteer fire department.
“It brings the community together,” Jones said. “Everyone comes here to support it and it’s an important cause, one you never know when you’re going to need.”
Four-year-old Ellie Roettger waited all day to ride ponies in Buckland on Saturday and that was the first stop she and her mother, Jennifer Kinnaman, made when they walked uptown for the festival.
“She was looking forward to this all week. She did the same thing last year,” Kinnaman said. “Buckland is a good time. It’s great for the community to get out and mingle and for the kids to get a chance to play right here in town.”
Greg Phipps, of Wapakoneta, came out to try his first cornhole tournament outside of his back yard.
He said it’s fun to get out and try something new.
Buckland Fire Chief Todd Vorhees, who helps oversee the event each year, said this year’s turnout was as good as ever, with an especially large crowd Friday night for T-102’s Country Star Playoffs.
The crowd filled the converted bus garage serving as an entertainment building and overflowed on both sides.
More than 550 chicken and rib dinners grilled special for the event by the department’s firefighters sold out in less than three hours.
Storms on Saturday afternoon delayed the start of the festival by approximately an hour, but even though lightning and rain kept crowds at bay for a while and other events going on nearby also may have prevented some from attending, Vorhees said the number of people there Saturday was still high.
Popular events such as the cake wheel, for which 100 desserts were donated to raise money, the belt sander drag race featuring suped up tools, a new cornhole tournament, prize drawings and a band, all brought people to the festival.
A poker run had to be cancelled due to the weather.
“We have no idea yet on profits, but it was a good weekend,” Vorhees said of the 36th annual event. “We should have raised enough to pay the truck off sooner so we can get started on our next project.”
Proceeds from this event are expected to go toward helping to pay off an $85,000 large capacity tanker the department bought last year. All proceeds go toward the fire district.
The Buckland Fire Department’s 26 regular and four cadet volunteers serve a 56-square mile radius.
“We want to thank all the people who came out and supported the fire department through donations and by spending money,” Vorhees said. “Without them, it would be hard to do what we do.”
Vorhees said planning for next year’s festival will begin soon as they are always looking for new ways to draw people in and keep them entertained. |
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 25 June 2008 )
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