Members of the Kalona Days Committee met Saturday, May 22, in the Hills Bank Kalona conference room. New committee members Sherry and David Tornow, Callie Zahs and Minnie Wade were welcomed. Preparations for the two-day event are progressing, but volunteers are still needed in several areas.

Registration encouraged

Entrants in various competitions are slow in coming in. Very few entries in the Little Miss and Mr. Contest have been received. One team is registered for the Bed Race but no one has registered for any of the other competitions. Preregistration is encouraged to give the committee a better idea of how long various events will be; however, entries will be accepted at the times of individual events.

Assuming more entries in the Little Miss and Mister Contest will be forthcoming, plans are made to take the entry photos of the contestants to Pleasantview Home to allow residents a chance to vote for their favorite. Art in the Park posters also will be taken to Pleasantview for viewing.

Ugly Leg Contest changed

Procedures for the Men’s Ugliest Leg Contest have been changed. Some prospective contestants suggested that they would rather be judged in person during the variety show than submit a picture of their legs for judging. It was also suggested that the contest should be opened to ugly legs of both genders. Therefore, the Ugly Leg Contest will take place on the stage during the variety show. Contestants may preregister or simply be present in the Kalona City Park Friday evening to participate. A curtain will be hung on the stage to conceal the identities of participants during the competition.

Athletic events

Those planning to compete in the Fun Run/Walk may sign up at the Community Center. The first 25 entrants will receive a free T-shirt the day of the event. Cost to participate is $13.65 for preregistration or $15 the day of the event.

The 3-on-3 basketball games have been cancelled due to lack on interest in this event in the past.

Prizes

In an attempt to keep expenses down, no Kalona Kash prizes will be awarded in any of the events this year. Winners of contests, such as the pie baking, will receive a ribbon. Small prizes will be awarded in the children’s games at the park.

Vendors needed

Food and drink vendors are needed. A section of the park has been reserved for this purpose and it is hoped various organizations will set up booths as fund-raising opportunities. A $25 fee is charged to vendors. Vendor applications may be picked up at the Kalona Chamber Office.

Ice cream and souvenirs

This year’s Kalona Days Committee started the year with less than $25 in the Kalona Days Fund. In an effort to supplement the generous contributions of area businesses, the committee has set a token charge for some of the kids’ games. Following the example of Kalona Elementary’s Fun Night, tickets may be purchased and used to play the games and to “buy” ice cream and other souvenirs in the park. The Johnson County Dairy Association will donate some ice cream, but more is needed. Anyone willing to donate ice cream or cones should contact a committee member.

The ice cream and souvenirs will be available in the park Friday evening during the Variety Show. Souvenirs will be sold from 9-11 a.m. and from 3-7 p.m. Saturday, but ice cream will be available only from 3-7 p.m. Employees of Farmers Savings Bank have volunteered to serve the ice cream Friday, but volunteers are needed for various shifts Saturday. Call Lori TeBockhorst at Hills Bank Kalona if you can help.

The kids’ games in the Kalona Park will be open from 9-11 a.m. and 3-6 p.m. Saturday. They will close from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. to allow participation in the parade and other events scheduled for downtown Kalona. Volunteers are needed to supervise the games.

Art in the Park

Stephanie Snyder is organizing the Art in the Park Poster Contest that is open to three age groups, children who have completed grades 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6. The posters, designed to demonstrate “What Kalona Means to Me”, should be 12x18 inches and must be created using pencil, colored pencil, crayons, water colors or markers.

Posters will be displayed in area banks the week prior to Kalona Days and judged by a panel of local art teachers. Winners will be announced at the Variety Show Friday evening. The posters will be displayed in the park Saturday.

A second part of Art in the Park is the children’s activities Snyder planned, including face painting, marble painting, pudding painting and making bookmarks. Volunteers are needed to assist with these activities in the park from 3-5 p.m., Saturday.

New events

Kevin Shelleday of Davenport will offer helicopter rides Saturday. Rides will take off south of the camping area in the park.

A totally new event for Kalona Days is a garden-tractor pull by the Lone Tree Garden Tractor Pullers. Organized by Chad Murphy of Hills, it will take place Saturday afternoon at 3 p.m. on the east side of the park, where the Optimist’s tractor pull was formerly held, and will last approximately 2-3 hours. It will coincide with the Golf Cart Obstacle Course and Dunk Tank, but it is hoped that each event will draw its own crowd of spectators and not interfere with each other.

Barbecued Beef Meal

The traditional barbecued beef meal will be served Saturday at 5 p.m. The meal is offered free as a token of appreciation from Kalona businesses to their customers; however, free-will donations will be accepted to help defray rising costs.

Entertainment

A street dance is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. Friday on B Avenue. One Way Trip, a local high-school band, will perform.

Saturday’s musical entertainment starts at 6 p.m. with beckon, a gosepl band from Kalona Christian Fellowship Church, followed at 7:30 p.m. by Renegade.