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 Saturday's events included a breakfast hosted by the Knapp
Chestnut Becker (KCB) Historical Society in the Middletown Park
Pavilion.
The small town has a lot of history. President of the KCB Historical
Society, Bill Post, has worked with the festival for many years and
has helped find a lot of old photos of the town. Post said his mom
was born and raised in Middletown and he lived there until he moved
to Lincoln when he was 13.
Post said former teacher Winifred Coningham Golden restored the
Knapp Chesnut Becker Museum and Library found on the town's main
square. He said the building had served many functions such as being
a doctor's office, residence, pharmacy, Marbold Bank, post office,
restaurant, and insurance agency.
Esther Boward has been coming to the festival since she was nine.
Boward said her parents were very active in the local American
Legion and community. Her late husband worked for the fire
department for many years and Boward said they had a "fire phone" in
their house. Boward likes giving back to the community.
A parade was another part of the morning events. One family waiting
to watch it said, "We love a parade."
The parade was emceed by Ron Sanert. Sanert said he has been part of
the festival for 40 years.
Entries in the parade included a color guard, Grand Marshall Earl
Baker, Minions, the Land of Lincoln Antique Tractors and Small
Engines Club, the Middletown Rough Riders, Boy Scout and Girl Scout
troops, the Lincoln Railettes, and several fire departments from
around the county.
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After the parade, a ceremony honoring veteran's was held in the
pavilion. Lesleigh Bennett opened the ceremony by singing the
National Anthem, followed by the Color Guard. To honor the veterans,
a bagpipe player performed the songs Hector the Hero, Coming Home,
and Amazing Grace.
Esther Boward gave the blessing, thanking God for America and all
service men and women. She asked that God grant peace to the nation
and thanked him for this nation. Boward said she was thankful for
the volunteer fire department and rescue squad and remembered the
veterans who gave the supreme sacrifice. Boward closed by asking God
to Bless America.
Middletown Volunteer Fire Department Chief Josh Gasparini said, "We
do this because of the sacrifice of veterans. They are the reason we
are here. We recognize them with a small token of appreciation." He
also recognized the Ladies Auxiliary and all they do to support
veterans.
Gasparini and Assistant Chief Scott Schriber handed out "tokens of
appreciation" to the veterans in attendance.
Boy Scout Troop 4111 of Lincoln performed a flag retirement ceremony
to retire three flags. Troop member Zach Schafer explained how the
flags would be folded, the metal cut off the flag, and the flags
thrown into a wood fire. The ceremony ends with a salute and the
Pledge of Allegiance.
Assistant Scoutmaster Melissa Tanner said the ashes have to buried
after the fire dies down. Tanner said this was the first flag
retirement ceremony the troop has done.
The events continue through the day with BINGO, a Firemen's
Waterball Fight, Kid's Waterball Fight, and musical entertainment.
The Middletown Firemen's Festival brought out many community members
to celebrate the town and honor firefighters and veterans.
[Angela Reiners]
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