Nearly 200 come to Manawa Mill Pond
By Holly Neumann
Nearly 200 anglers took to the ice on the Manawa Mill Pond to take part in the second annual Fishing for Freedom Ice Fisheree and Soup Cook-Off.
“Every fundraiser we have, I see more and more folks attending,” said Deb Sarna, who serves on the Manawa Area Veterans Freedom Park committee. “This event brought the whole family out, which is what this park is for, bringing families together.”
More than $10,000 was raised for further development of the Manawa Area Veterans Freedom Park.
Sarna said her heart was bursting with appreciation.
“It gives us pride in knowing that the community supports and appreciates our efforts at making a place to memorialize our veterans and share those memories with our families,” she said. “Thank you to the countless individuals and businesses who donated prizes for the raffles and folks that contacted committee members asking, ‘What can I do to help?’ Believe it when we say this fundraiser was successful only because this community cares.”
Winners of the biggest fish contest included Chuck Chambers-Northern (caught and released), James Kismerchock-Small Mouth Bass, Bert Timm- Bluegill, Jackson Schuelke-Crappie and Sawyer Griffin-Perch.
Winning the soup competition was first place: Dustin Boerst and Deb Sarna: spicy chili; second place: Shell Kaczorowski, Olive Garden’s Tuscany soup and third place: Mayor John Smith, New England clam chowder.
The raffle winners were: one-week long stay at Pekin Lodge in North Dakota:Josh Desens; one-week stay at SDR&R Vacation home in South Dakot: Allen Kraetsch; 10-inch Eskimo Ice Auger: Stu Voelz: Eskimo EVO Ice Shanty: Terry Dunnihoo; Eskimo Fat Fish Ice Fishing Shelter: Gary Dain; All Things Jerky Package: Todd Doemel: Tractor Supply: Ella Gehrke.