 | | | | | President - Steve Kohlmann |
FROM THE PRESIDENT July 12, 2010 |
| Many of you are getting back in the saddle again after a long 4th of July holiday weekend. I personally had a great 4th of July starting a little early by taking off a few days before the weekend. And frankly, I can’t recall a better holiday, the weather was perfect.
We started early at our house with a cups of coffee in the screen room, reading the paper and surfing the web. My wife Sue planted a bunch of American flags on our lawn as we got ready for the Town’s parade.
We live in the Town of Brookfield and the Town’s parade isn’t all that big by some communities’ standards. We don’t have marching bands or TV personalities riding in the back of convertibles. Most of the parade is made up of the Town’s equipment such as fire trucks, plow equipment and city trucks that tip their box to the crowd. Our new street sweeper made an appearance. City officials throw candy to the kids. We’re big on kid’s decorating their bikes and most go all out to try and win a prize for the best decorated display - including, in one case, the unfortunate family dog. In about 45 minutes, the parade is over. Short, sweet and cute.
Post parade everyone heads to the park down the street and there are contests for pie eating, egg tossing, water balloon toss and there’s even a baby crawling race. Small trophies made of genuine plastic gold are awarded. You can tour fire engines, police cars, and visit the Town’s police horse. Food is cheap – a buck for brats and hot dogs are 50 cents. You can buy a piece of homemade pie for a dollar. A Dixieland jazz band played patriotic songs under the gazebo.
The Grand Finale is the Town’s fire department deploys snorkel truck #2272 and shoots water onto the baseball diamond where hot kids and adults run under the spray and get soaked - the kids screaming with delight. If you didn’t know better you would swear that you were plopped down in a Twilight Zone episode of the Andy Griffith show. Everything wraps up at high noon. Just in time for my afternoon nap in the screen room while listening to the Brewers game.
The day ended as it started – in our screen room. Sue and I sat in the dark listening to fireworks boom and watching fire flies as we replenished our drained electrolytes with chips, salsa & Margaritas. I reflected on how simple and enjoyable the day’s celebration was and how diverse the crowd was at the park. There were people of all shapes, sizes, colors and ethnic backgrounds. It was really a great melting pot of what makes up this country and it gave me a nice sense of pride in my community. Everybody was getting along, laughing and having a great time. And I also couldn’t help but be thankful I’m living in the country that I am.
Nice job America.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On a sad note, last week Mark Stoiber, President of the Sleepwellness Institute, passed a from an apparent heart attack. Mark was 47. He leaves behind his wife Margaret and three children along with many friends. I’ve met Mark a number of times at IBA meetings and I remember him as a easy going guy who talked a lot about his family and his community as well. And he had a great sense of humor – we joked a lot.
|
|
|
|
| | | |  |  | Steve Kohlmann, 2010-2011 IBA President | | |
|
|
|
| |
|
