Welp, that’s another Sarpy County Fair in the books! Just like in previous years we didn’t seem to get a break from the heat! Thank you to all of you who helped set up, bale oats, turn oats, collect oats, brought a tractor out, helped get tractors started for other members when their’s wouldn’t start, braved the heat to share your passion with others, run the ‘special’ machines, and clean up after the fair. A special thank you goes out to Jack Andres, Al Gould and Dave MacDonald for putting up and taking down the sign; Warren Anthony, Jim Dillon, Brian Dailey, Tyrone Fries, Jeff Allen, Jim Davenport, Mike O’Brien, Alan Seybert, Dave Vyhlidal, Rich Braesch, and Larry Schwartz for putting up the fence; and Brian Dailey, Tyrone Fries, Dave Vyhlidal, Jim Vyhlidal, Dave MacDonald, Larry Votruba, Jim Dillon, Rich Braesch, Jeff Siebels, Al Gould, Eddie Boller, Larry Schwartz, and Jake Thompson for helping to clean up. We had over 50 tractors register this year, even with the massive power outage two days earlier. This insane weather just won’t seem to let up!
And speaking of insane weather, we hope you all fared well from the freak storm on Wednesday. I was in Walmart and got to spend 45 minutes getting cozy with my fellow shoppers and then once we were ‘released’ we still couldn’t get our groceries because they didn’t have any power. That area of Gretna was pretty hard hit with the power loss. I know the car wash, Hawaiian Bros, Taco Bell, and Walmart didn’t get power restored to them until late Saturday evening. If any of you are still without power (I know of a few of you) and need a place to cool off or shower, please don’t hesitate to call. Just like with the Elkhorn tornado, the communities have come together to help others out with charging stations, free meals and hot showers, chain saws, and pickup trucks and trailers hauling thousands of pounds of tree limbs from all over the eastern part of the state.
Speaking of amazing communities, this club showed a lot of compassion and excitement for the hobby they love this past weekend. I’m not sure Harold Cowen ever stopped giving rides around the fairgrounds. I know every time I looked up from the registration tent, he had another kid on a tractor giving them the chance to drive. I still remember the times I “got to drive” with my grandpa, so I’m pretty sure that will make a lasting impression on those kiddos. The parade went off without a hitch, well unless you count the John Deere that had to haul the Farmall back to the show area 😉
The Gretna Days Tractor Pull was a HUGE success!! We had over 200 tractors register to pull. They were pulling from 5:00 until midnight. What an amazing asset for the Gretna Days Celebration. Thank you so much to Rich Braesch for all of his hard work and dedication to making this such a huge success. He looked exhausted by the end of the pull on Friday, but all of his hard work and dedication to the pull made it such an amazing success. I can’t wait to see how awesome the pull is at the Sarpy Fairgrounds later this month!!
I was able to get great pictures of everyone involved in the Gretna Days parade and the Sarpy County Parade. If anyone wants a copy of their picture, just let me know and I’ll get it emailed to you. We are looking forward to seeing all of you this Thursday, August 8, at Outer Limits for our August General meeting!!
Elkhorn Valley Antique Power Association 