Lucille and LaVern Kauth have always been eager to help their church. So when Lucille passed away, LaVern donated part of the memorial money to First Trinity Lutheran Church in Bloomfield for a new sound system.
“They were very involved with the church, always has been,” their daughter Melissa Erlenbusch said. The project was also funded by the Rachel Mumm Carlow memorial and a general memorial fund the church has. Kauth’s grandson, Alex Bartlett came from Aberdeen, SD to donate his labor to install the sound system. Bartlett works installing sound systems in Aberdeen and was more than willing to come back to Bloomfield to help install the new system. Bartlett said his donated labor was worth roughly $1,200 and there was donated equipment on top of that. “I grew up in Bloomfield and wanted to help my grandpa’s church,” he said. “I wanted to make sure everything was done right while installing the sound system the first time.” The new system includes better microphones, a new mixer and there will also be a link to the fellowship hall. This way, when someone needs to excuse themselves because of a child or any other reason, they can still hear the sermon. “It was a nice upgrade, it’s putting us in the right direction,” Reverend Jacob Bobby said. On Saturday, the Harm and Tulley Event Center hosted the series finale of the belt buckle series shows.
Exhibitors from around the region competed in April, May and June shows compiling their points for the Grand prize in each age division for the custom buckles. These young competitors had a challenge before them, with over 580 entries and 100 exhibitors, only one in each age division could be named Grand Champion. Contestants had a wide variety to earn their points by entering in halter classes to English pleasure to the timed events such as barrel racing. The top Point earners for the show series in the 16 and over age division Buckle Sponsored by Brunswick State Bank was Taylor Bolling of Clearwater, 11 to 15 age division Buckle Sponsored by Farmers and Merchants State Bank, Emily Ahlers of Clearwater, 10 and under Buckle Sponsored by Knox County Farm Bureau Federation, Maggie Robinson of Norfolk. Sponsors for the Reserve Champion Awards are Bank of Hartington, Jerry’s Service, Farmers and Merchants Insurance, Commancheros 4-H Club and Greckel Farms. Reserve Champion 16 over, Sadie Smutny of Meadow Grove. Reserve Champion 11 to 15, Jenna McDonald of Randolph. Reserve Champion 10 and under Ellie Foxhoven of Crofton. These talent filled shows bring in competitors both locally and from around the region making the Buckle series one of the highest competitive levels found in an Open Class Horse Show in the area. With generous sponsorship from local individuals and businesses in the area we are able to bring in top-caliber judges certified some in AQHA and NRHA events to better serve the level of performance buy these young exhibitors. These shows not only serve as a showcase for young professionals to display their hard work with their horse project but as a practice event for the Nebraska 4-H Horse Expo. We have created a new class The District Challenge, never before seen in a show specifically designed to help these exhibitors at districts so that they may advance on to state. Due to the popularity of the district challenge, a new show has been added to the schedule on June 29. A pre-state show specifically centered around enhancing the performance of the exhibitors who will be going to Fonner Park to compete for the state title. Generous Sponsorship, Top-level Judges and many hours from Harm and Tulley Volunteers combined together in these series shows provide for an exceptional learning environment as well as recreation for these young Showman. Before any of these young showman get to roll into Fonner Park for the State Finals they must first qualify in their respective events and or pass a Level 2 or higher exam. The district or qualifying show will be held in Bloomfield on June 10 at the Harm and Tulley event center and will start at 9:00 a.m. Classes such as Horsemanship and Pleasure classes both English and Western discipline will be showcased, so be sure to stop by this free to spectators event and see some of these best riders Nebraska has to offer. After 78 years, a Bloomfield sailor killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor is coming home.
Navy Seaman 1st Class Joseph K. Maule will be buried in Bloomfield on Thursday, June 20, surrounded by family, Navy officers, veterans, honor guard, American Legion Riders and many from the community. Maule, son of Anton and Ellen Maule, was just 18 years and had served in the Navy less than a year when he perished in the attack on Dec. 7, 1941. After extensive DNA testing, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced on Aug. 8, 2018 that Maule’s remains were positively identified. Cindy Maule, who is married to Joseph’s nephew Joe Maule, said it’s a dream come true to bring Joseph’s remains back to his hometown for his burial. “This has been a dream of my husband’s, as well as his aunts and uncles. They’ve all passed, and the nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews have all shared this same dream,” she said. “Joseph is finally coming home to Bloomfield.” Cindy Maule said Legion Riders will escort the remains from Omaha Thursday morning. The service at the Bloomfield Cemetery will begin at 1 p.m. Joshua Maule — Joseph Maule's great-nephew — will give the eulogy. The Maule Sisters will perform three songs a cappella — “Amazing Grace,” “Anchor’s Away” and “America The Beautiful.” The public is encouraged to not only attend the memorial service, but to also line the streets with flags to pay respect to Maule as he is escorted into Bloomfield. The route and time will be announced at a later date. “We hope to see many people from Bloomfield and the area honoring Joseph,” Cindy Maule said. “It’s such a wonderful thing for Joseph to be coming home to Bloomfield.” Maule was assigned to the battleship USS Oklahoma, which was moored at Ford Island, Pearl Harbor, when the ship was attacked by Japanese aircraft, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. The USS Oklahoma sustained multiple torpedo hits, which caused it to quickly capsize. The attack on the ship resulted in the deaths of 429 crewmen, including Maule. From December 1941 to June 1944, Navy personnel recovered the remains of the deceased crew, which were subsequently interred in the Halawa and Nu’uanu Cemeteries. In September 1947, tasked with recovering and identifying fallen U.S. personnel in the Pacific Theater, members of the American Graves Registration Service (AGRS) disinterred the remains of U.S. casualties from the two cemeteries and transferred them to the Central Identification Laboratory at Schofield Barracks. The laboratory staff was only able to confirm the identifications of 35 men from the USS Oklahoma at that time. The AGRS subsequently buried the unidentified remains in 46 plots at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), known as the Punchbowl, in Honolulu. In October 1949, a military board classified those who could not be identified as non-recoverable, including Maule. Between June and November 2015, DPAA personnel exhumed the USS Oklahoma unknown remains from the Punchbowl for analysis. To identify Maule’s remains, scientists from DPAA used dental and anthropological analysis, as well as circumstantial and material evidence. Additionally, scientists from the Armed Forces Medical Examiner System used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and Y-chromosome DNA (Y-STR) analysis. Each year the Bloomfield Community Club, under the direction Kevin Mlady at Carhart Lumber, sells ducks and sponsors a duck calcutta during appreciation days in June. This annual fundraiser for community causes will take place once again this June on Saturday, June 15th. Last year’s proceeds were shared between the Bloomfield Schools Accelerated Reader Program which received $1750.00 used to buy students who achieve their Accelerated Reader goal a wristband for rides during the Knox County Fair, the summer ball program which received $500.00. Another $1,000.00 was donated to the lights project, and an additional donation was made towards the purchase of new aluminum picnic tables as the City, the Knox County Ag Society and the Bloomfield Community Club have been working together to replace the old picnic tables with new aluminum tables.
Andrew Meirose (left) received a Quilt of Valor last week at the Bavak family reunion in Creighton to recognize him for his service to the nation. He was presented the beautiful quilt by Sharon Sullivan, Quilts of Valor Foundation representative (right).
A growing flower shop is hoping to continue blossoming under new ownership.
In 2013, Beth and Lacey Barger opened Petals & More in Bloomfield with no previous knowledge of how to run a flower shop. “I never pictured myself owning a flower shop,” Beth said. The duo was self proclaimed “wet behind the ears” when first opening and quickly turned into a reliable shop known for their great arrangements. They took over the store around Valentine’s Day and dove right in. Prom quickly followed and many lessons were learned. “Our first prom, Dad was here helping us until 3 a.m., taping and wiring flowers,” Lacey recalled. “The next year, we did end up taking a class. We were not going to stay up all night again.” Getting off the ground was not easy, but with the help of Terry Stockham from Niobrara, the Bargers, especially Lacey, began making one of a kind arrangements. “Lacey caught on so quickly, she makes all the sprays for funerals,” Beth said. “We always joked that she was the owner and I was the boss,” Lacey said. Lacey’s funeral sprays are very popular throughout the county. Lacey’s goal has been to not only make elegant looking arrangements, but to incorporate personality into them as well. “I made a vegetable spray once,” Lacey said proudly. “The customers brought in some veggies from their garden, I went and bought some more fresh produce and even got kale from our flower warehouse.” The duo has received high praise from clients who have had all kinds of requests of themes such as John Deere, trucker, cowboy, Husker, Coca-Cola and even Department of Roads. The Bargers often encouraged customers to think outside of the box. “It was their family member, they know what they liked, and chances are, we can incorporate it into their flowers,” Beth said. They believe a flower arrangement can express who that person was. Even though the mother-daughter team took to the flower shop business quickly and they thoroughly enjoyed their time there, they decided it was time to sell the shop. “It’s been a fun ride, but you get to a point in life where it’s time to move on,” Beth said. Beth described the feeling as bittersweet—working at Good Samaritan Society and running a flower shop—was getting to be too much. Lacey will continue to do massages in her home at 310 E. Pine Street. The timing was right for the new owner as well. When Beth once again posted the shop for sale on Facebook, the post came at the perfect moment for Christy Wagner. According to Beth, Wagner had been thinking about how she wanted to own a flower shop when she stumbled upon Beth’s post. Wagner will be taking the inventory and building and has some remodeling planned. Petals & More will become Blooms and Bling. The Bargers have created a large client base that Wagner will inherit. Petals & More served a large part of Knox County. “We serve all of Bloomfield, Center, Wausa,” Beth said. “We have been doing more for Crofton, too,” Lacey added. With flower shops closing all over including Wausa, Niobrara and Crofton, Petals & More was receiving more and more business. In fact, Petals & More has done graduation flowers for almost every school in the county at one point in time. “It’s really nice to see the community use the local shop, especially when there’s a Hy-Vee and Walmart close by,” Beth said. After almost six and a half years, the duo has learned a lot about the flower business and have had a lot of helpers. “Terry helped us get started, Jamie Doerr would take vacation from the Ponca Tribe and help us on Valentine’s Day,” Beth said. “Braden and Jeff helped with deliveries,” Lacey added. The two of them said they could go on and on naming people who have helped them along the way. “Kip Smith, Jason Doerr, Larry Boecker, Jamie Johnson, Theresa Schumacher, Rachel Steskal, Jammie Bloomquist, Dana Jeannoutot,” they added. After making so many friends between helpers and customers, moving on hasn’t been easy. “I love seeing people. I will miss seeing everyone,” Beth said with tears starting to well up in her eyes. “I will miss seeing Lacey every day the most, I think.” The duo is happy to see someone local buy the shop and said they look forward to watching Wagner’s plans become a reality. They hope the community continues to support her as they did them. On Saturday, Lacey and Beth closed the doors to the public and took “Rosie,” the shop cat, home. “It’s just the beginning of a new chapter in our lives,” Beth said. “We would like to thank all of our family and friends for all of their help over the years, as well as those who have been dedicated customers. We couldn’t have done it without each one of them.” Blooms and Bling’s doors will be closed an estimated 2-3 weeks for remodels but will still be taking flower orders over the phone. The phone number will remain the same, 402-373-4213. Bloomfield's Marissa Dahlberg is the recipient of this year's Freedom Hall Scholarship. Dahlberg plans to study at Northeast Community College to become a physical therapist assistant. She was presented the scholarship by Mike Hoffman (left) with her parents Enock and Melissa Dahlberg present (right).
The staff and residents of Good Samaritan Society- Bloomfield recently donated a check to the Veterans Memorial. The money for the donation came from various items sold from the facility. This is GSS- Bloomfield’s 3rd donation to the memorial. Joe Skrivan accepted the donation from Good Samaritan Society Resident Group President-Carla Shearon and Holly Kathol –Therapeutic Recreational Specialist –Fundraiser Chair for Good Samaritan Society Bloomfield.
Many Kindergarten through 6th grade students from Bloomfield Elementary School received free fair wrist bands for reaching their AR goals throughout the school year. Mrs. Nipp is representing the fair board. Thank you to the fair board for their support!
Ruth Howder retired after 30 years and Diane Gieselman retired after 28 years of service to Bloomfield Community Schools. Best Wishes to them!
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