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Ramona

By JESSICA GILBERT

Ramona correspondent

(785) 965-2621

October was an exciting month in the tranquil town of Ramona. There were two major events that took place — Scarecrows on Parade and the Haunted Barn.

Ramona is blessed to have several families who are passionate about Halloween. And for the past six years they've been dedicated to creating a "haunted experience," in or around Ramona. The leaders of this annual event serve on Ramona's City Council — vice mayor Art Stroda, Jeannie Goza, Angel Harold, and Jayme Brunner.

In previous years they found an abandoned house in town, which eventually was torn down. Last year, Ramona residents who lived in the country — the Turley family — offered an old house on their property, which was torn down shortly thereafter, too.

The group wondered if there'd be a haunted house in 2007 because they couldn't find a place to "haunt." And then the Turleys came through once more. "We'll give you our old barn to use," they said.

And the group set to work transforming an ancient two-story barn that was filled with natural character.

Art Stroda and Jeannie Goza led the first phase of the endeavor, with the help of Jayme Brunner and Johnney Harold. Jeannie, an old hand at creating haunted houses, mapped out the area and Art set to work. Every night, after working a full day at his construction job, Art was seen driving his old van (that's filled with every thing you need for fixing stuff) and pulling a trailer with wood and other materials. I think the barn actually was improved in the process — Art built stairs to the second floor and replaced missing floorboards.

Phase two was led by Angel Harold, who recruited family and friends to actually haunt the barn as vampires, wolves, devils, and deranged pirates.

Visitors to the haunted barn gathered at Mike and Tanya Ecklund's place, east of Ramona, where a campfire was burning for warmth and refreshments were offered before undertaking a spooky journey. Tour groups traveled by hayrack ride (thanks to Mike Beltz of Ramona, and Ron and Joyce Freed of Herington) to the haunted barn.

Pat and I were responsible for creating one scene on the second floor — we were pirates guarding a treasure chest, overflowing with jewelry (candy rings) or gold (chocolate kisses). The trick was to get folks to come and view the treasure chest and get a "treasure," and when they did, a skeleton would reach out from the chest (that was Terren Thompson dressed in a skeleton outfit, reclining in the chest and looking quite fake, until his bony hand reached out to touch you). The effect was quite rewarding!

As the actors in the haunted barn waited for tour groups to arrive, many on the second floor where Pat and I had a scene, ended up gathering in our pirate's cove. (It was because I had candy that I handed out to keep our energy up.) Of the 30+ actors who haunted the barn, most of them were folks we didn't know so we asked their names and where they were from. We learned that they were relatives and friends of Angel and Johnney Harold, who like Halloween as much as the Harolds, and come year after year to participate.

"My sons, Clint and Clayton really love this event," said Angel Harold. "Clayton (Kidd) and his wife, Penny, live in Parkerville. They created our haunted pet cemetery on the first floor," said Angel with evident pride. Indeed the pet cemetery was remarkable. I went to see it before the event started and although I knew a rabid dog was going to shoot out of the doghouse, I was still frightened enough to jump.

"Clayton and Penny rigged the dog and doghouse, created all the tombstones and the iron fence that surrounded it, I'm just tickled that they're into it and help us do it," said Angel.

Angel said that the haunted barn had record attendance this year: 105 on Friday night and more than 150 on Saturday night. Kudos to all the participants who created another memorable Ramona event.

A total of 60 scarecrows were on display in Ramona for Scarecrows on Parade. All but one — the Makovecs' more permanent display of Simon — was in Ramona city limits. In an attempt to cultivate participation, we tried something new this year. Instead of judging the scarecrows, the names of everyone who made a scarecrow were placed in a drawing;

At the end of October a bowl holding all of the names was taken to Marion and Kimberly, one of the owners of Zimmerman's sandwich shop, was asked to draw out seven names for seven prizes. After she drew the names, she put the seven names in a basket to draw them again, which determined the order in which folks could choose their prize.

Ramona postmaster and city council member Kathy Werth, helped in this phase of the drawing. She held up the envelopes so the seven winners could select their prize.

Winners were the Remmers brothers (porch sentinel); Calvert family (bucket head); Jeannie Goza (pumpkin carvers); Jessica Gilbert (Harry Potter rides again); Vinnie Madron and Jennifer Staatz (Vinnie and the kids); Marge Stroda and Art Stroda (the five grandkids); Johnney and Angel Harold (unfortunate biker).

Kathy Werth and Steve Jirak — the dedicated employees of the U.S. Postal Service who get the mail to folks in the Ramona-Tampa area — also create a fun event this time of year. Steve brings pumpkins from Jirak Brothers' Produce and folks guess the combined weight of the pumpkins.

"What's really fun is watching the kids," said Kathy. "They come in and examine the pumpkins while they're waiting for the Centre school bus to arrive. One says, 'I think they weigh about four pounds.' Another says emphatically, 'Oh, no, I think it's about 40 pounds.'"

In the end, the pumpkins weighed 24 pounds total and the person who came the closest to the correct amount was Paula Johnson of Roxbury. She won a gift card from Jirak Brothers' Produce and a pumpkin. Second prize went to Ramona's Norma Bird and she won a pumpkin and Kathy also gave her an insulated lunch tote. Third place was Marlene Anduss of Marion, who received a health/beauty kit from the postmaster.

Deb Wiles was part of a leadership retreat for the Rock Island Church leaders the weekend of Oct. 26-27. "We hold one of these retreats about every six months," explained Deb, who lives in Ramona with her husband Stan; both are teachers at Centre. "There are 60-70 people on the average, who attend."

Weeks in advance of the workshop Deb was working with the church pastor in creating PowerPoint presentations.

On the last day of October, Marge Stroda and her granddaughter, Jennifer Staatz and her children — Mathew, Paige, and Andrew — took a drive to Marion to visit Maurice Stroda in Marion. "It was the first time my grandpa got to see my youngest baby — Andrew," said Jennifer.

They also visited Marge's mother, Amelia Vinduska, who is 101, and lives at St. Luke Living Center in Marion. "It was a beautiful day so it just seemed a good thing to do," said Marge, "so we just took a drive with the kids."

The week before, Marge orchestrated a five-generation photograph, Amellia Vinduska, her daughter Marge Stroda, Marge's daughter Marilyn, Marilyn's daughter Michelle, and Michelle's 10-month-old daughter Kaylee.

It's always exciting when a wedding takes place in Ramona. Tony Meyer can sit on his couch and watch all the cars drive up and park, which always sparks the question, "What's goin' on at the church?"

Everybody gets involved in a small town wedding, even if you're a total stranger. "We saw the bride!" exclaimed a guest that was staying at our Cousin's Corner guesthouse. I didn't get to see the bride but I figured it was a wedding when I saw the attendants — all elegantly dressed in black — waiting around the parish hall late in the afternoon of Oct. 27.

I pieced more of the "Who's Getting Married" puzzle together as I drove to my house just north of the church. I'd figured it was a Brunner occasion of some kind — because I saw Bernie Koch (Ann's husband) waiting outside with Pastor Davis. Finally my curiosity got the best of me and I asked a guest who was parking their car nearby, "So who's getting married?"

"Chelsea Brunner and Jared Smith," she replied. (Chelsea is Mark Brunner's daughter and Lauren and Orvell Brunner's granddaughter.)

Only in Ramona — where a traffic jam is two parked cars and a dog in the road — do we get excited about seeing a limousine elegantly gliding down the street. This one, carrying the wedding party, seemed to stretch about a block long — but then I suppose that's why they're called stretch limos. How spectacular!

I asked Chelsea's grandmother, Orvell, about any unforgettable moments at the reception, which was held at the community building in Herington. "Well, two people arrived as a witch and a mummy," said Orvell. "Nobody ever figured out who they were — we do know they were uninvited, but they seemed to be having a good time!"

Mervin and Leona Deines and their son Terry and family, all of Ramona, attended the 22nd annual Deines family reunion Oct. 7 at the Lincolnville Community Building. The reunion was for descendants of Phillip Deines, Sr. (that would be Mervin's great-grandfather).

When I spoke with Lizetta Deines Stout of McPherson, whose great-grandfather was also Phillip Deines, I felt like I needed a degree in genealogy. Merv and Lizetta are cousins. Their fathers — Chris and George — were brothers, and sons of Christoph Deines.

Lizetta started the Deines reunion 22 years ago and for the first eight years was the primary planner and then the group decided to give Lizetta a break and they take turns planning the event. (This year Lizetta and siblings were once more hosting the event.)

"One of the high points of our gathering is always to give thanks for the religious upbringing we all shared," said Lizetta. "Our grandparents were Lutherans from Russia."

Phillip Deines had four children: Christoph, Adolph, George, and Mary.

And that's the best of the October news from Ramona. As for what's happening next: The Ramona Park Improvement Committee is holding a hunters' feed Saturday at the Lutheran parish hall in Ramona. Breakfast begins at 5:30 a.m. Lunch begins at 11 a.m.

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