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2025 Year in Review
Angela Reiners’ three favorite assignments of 2025
[January 13, 2026]
Picking three favorite
assignments for 2025 is a challenge when there were so many
interesting events around the county to cover throughout the year.
After thinking about all the assignments, the three that stood out
to me were ones that brought many people together.
One of the top three memorable events took place on Saturday, June
7, when the village of New Holland marked its 150th anniversary with
a full day of celebrations that included several activities. The
day’s theme was “Celebrating the Past, Looking to the Future.” This
theme was reflected in some of the day’s activities.
A highlight of the day’s events was a parade through New Holland
featuring many local participants and others from nearby towns
driving fire trucks, tractors or vintage cars. Various generations
of families were represented as in the case of Richard Martin and
his great grandson Greyson Martin, who both drove John Deere
tractor. The parade Grand Marshall was Wayne LaForge, great-great
grandson of Garrett LaForge, who “sold the land the village sits on
to Oliver Holland for the establishment of a town.” Just outside the
Historical Society building, a committee that put together the New
Holland 150th anniversary book sold copies of it along with
anniversary towels, shirts, mugs and bowls. Inside the building,
people could go in to see artifacts like photos, vintage clothing
and a model of a one room schoolhouse and read information about the
history of the village.
New Holland marks 150 years with a fun filled Sesquicentennial
Celebration
New Holland Sesquicentennial Part 1 – slideshow
New Holland Sesquicentennial Part 2 – slideshow
New Holland Sesquicentennial Part 3 – slideshow
New Holland Sesquicentennial Part 4 – slideshow
New Holland Sesquicentennial Part 5 – slideshow
Video - New
Holland Sesquicentennial Parade
Towards the end of June, a Viking giant was installed at the
American Giants Museum in Atlanta. The Viking giant, joined three
other giants already at the American Giants Museum, including Snerd,
the Phillip’s 66 Cowboy and Texaco Big Friend. On the day of the
installation, a charter bus full of people from various countries
including China, India and Switzerland was there to visit the museum
and got to see the Viking put on its platform.
Like the other three giants outside
the American Giants Museum, the Viking giant has a long and
fascinating history. Viking giants were used for advertising Viking
Kitchen Carpets. This giant started out in Delmar, Maryland atop a
store and was moved to Crisfield, Missouri in the 1970s where his
new owner turned him into a Viking/pirate by creating a peg leg from
a telephone pole. In recent months, the Viking was restored to its
original look by members of the (re)Giant restoration team. It was
exciting to watch the team lift the giant onto its new platform and
bolt it into place. Seeing people pose with the giant after he was
in place showed just how “gigantic” these figures are.
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Viking Giant is installed at Atlanta's American Giants Museum
Viking Giant is installed at Atlanta's American Giants Museum –
Slideshow
Video -
Viking Giant is installed at Atlanta's American Giants Museum
The fourth weekend in October was
another memorable event with the 42nd Harvest of Talents at Lincoln
Christian Church Saturday, October 25. Over the past 41 years, this
event has raised $3,000,656 to help provide food for the hungry in
43 countries including the United States. Every year crowds come to
the Harvest of Talents to shop, eat and help raise money to feed
hungry people with 100 percent of the funds raised going to
International Disaster Emergency Service.
It is always heartwarming to see all
the people there support such a good cause. The afternoon auction
always provides some anticipation as auctioneer Mike Maske
encourages everyone to cheer people on, so they bid higher. Watching
the bids climb higher and higher is exciting. Handmade quilts are
popular items that bring in some high bids, and this year was no
exception. After quite a bit of back-and-forth bidding, a Millenium
quilt consisting of 2,000 pieces featuring blocks from all 50 states
and around the world brought in a record breaking $8900. The Harvest
of Talents is something to look forward to every year.
42nd Harvest of Talents at Lincoln Christian Church
42nd Harvest of Talents Part 1 – Slideshow
42nd Harvest of Talents Part 2 – Slideshow
42nd Harvest of Talents Part 3 – Slideshow
42nd Harvest of Talents Auction Part 1 – Slideshow
42nd Harvest of Talents Auction Part 2 – Slideshow
Though there were many great events this year, these three were the
most enjoyable ones to cover.
[Angela Reiners]
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