Waterloo – Valmeyer Advance In First Day Of Mid-Summer Classic

Local teams Waterloo and Valmeyer won their opening day games Saturday at the annual Valmeyer Mid-Summer Classic Baseball Tournament as part of the village’s Mid-Summer Celebration. Waterloo defeated Belleville, 12-11 in 11 innings; it was Cape Girardeau over the St. Louis Spikes, 8-3; Fairview Heights beat Millstadt, 7-1; and the host team Valmeyer advanced by easily defeating the St. Louis Printers 17-5. Sunday’s action starts with Millstadt playing the St. Louis Printers at 9 a.m., Belleville versus the Spikes at 11:30 a.m., Waterloo versus Cape Girardeau at 2 p.m., and Valmeyer wraps up the day by playing last year’s tournament winner, Fairview Heights, at 4:30 p.m.

Valmeyer brought the lumber during their game Saturday against the St. Louis Printers. Inspired by two homes from Ben Thoma, the Lakers defeated the Printers 17-5. During the game, Lakers slugger Thoma launches one of his four-baggers, a long drive that cleared the center field fence easily and landed up in the pine trees.     – photo by Bob Haentzler

Waterloo's Jeff Schwierjohn, right, scores as Belleville’s catcher Brandt Dolce just misses the tag at the plate. Waterloo and Belleville got the 39th Annual Valmeyer Mid-Summer Classic off to an exciting start with the Millers coming away with a 12-11 win in 11 innings.

 

The Acorn’s Team won first place in the annual Valmeyer Mid-Summer Celebration Sand Volleyball Tournament. “We fought hard all day against some tough competition,” said player Jeff Ebeler.

Sean Mahoney, left, goes up high to spike the ball over Brandon Sherman during the Valmeyer volleyball tournament.      – photo by Gage Wienhoff

 

Home Fire Off Maeystown Highway: The home of John and Janet Neil at 1008 Cottonwood received minor fire and smoke damage Saturday afternoon. The Waterloo Fire Department was called to the home in the Silver Creek subdivision off of Maeystown Road to put out the blaze. The fire burned a hole in the deck, melted siding and burned through some plywood. The initial report is that a cigarette may have sparked the blaze, reports Waterloo Fire Chief Mark Yeager. “But they are still investigating the exact cause.”

 

Four large truck tires were stolen overnight from the home of Chris and Kris Voelker of downtown Maeystown. The tires were attached with a large chain to a tree in their front yard and listed as for sale. The tires were taken sometime after 10:30 p.m. Saturday evening when the Voelkers returned home from the Valmeyer Mid-Summer Celebration.

 

Sheltered Reality will present of free, outdoor concert at St. John United Church of Christ in Maeystown on Sunday, July 11, at 2 p.m. The event is part of the church’s 150^th anniversary celebration. The band is a group of nationally-known young people brought together through music and drumming. Those attending are asked to bring a blanket or lawn chair. In case of rain, the concert will be moved indoors to the sanctuary. A free-will offering will be taken. Sheltered Reality will also perform during the church's 10 a.m. worship service that morning. For more information, call Marcia Braswell at 618-458-6660 or Pastor Poole at 618-458-6940.

 

Columbia Planning Full Day Of Festivities On July 4th

A Columbia Kiwanis Classic Car Show, a washers tournament, bingo and a Kloepper tournament will lead into evening activities during the July 4 Celebration at the American Legion Park in Columbia. The event will begin at 11 a.m. on Independence Day, Sunday, July 4, and culminate with at dusk with a fireworks display at the American Legion Memorial Park.

Columbia’s celebration was first held in 1976 to commemorate the nation’s bicentennial. This year’s celebration will continue the tradition. A new feature this year will be a Columbia Kiwanis Classic Car Show from noon to 4 p.m. Specialty award trophies will be presented at 4 p.m. Commemorative dash plaques will be given to the first 75 cars entered.  For information on the car show, contact Jeff Riley at 314-616-2507. The $15 entry fee benefits local children’s charities.

The Columbia Volunteer Fire Department’s fish stand, the Legion’s beer stand and other food and drink concessions will open at 11 a.m. The Legion will have a bingo in their hall beginning at noon (rain or shine). There will be a washers tournament beginning at 1:30 p.m. and a Kloepper card tournament at 4 p.m. Besides the firemen’s fish, food concessions will include the Turners bratwurst, Knights of Columbus chicken breast, hamburger and ice cream stands and the Columbia Woman’s Club will serve lemonade, iced tea and nachos. The Legion will serve barbecued rib sandwiches. and Job’s Daughters will provide funnel cakes, pie, soda and bottled water. Kettle corn will also be for sale.

Visitors are asked to refrain from bringing food and beverages into the park. It is suggested that people bring lawn chairs for seating. No pets, bicycles, skateboards or roller blades are allowed in the park during the celebration. In the event of rain July 4, the fireworks will be shot July 5.

The July 4 Committee relies solely on contributions from the community to fund the event. The annual budget is approximately $12,000. Local organizations man concession booths but all proceeds remain with that group. Donations to fund the celebration, including the fireworks, are received from local individuals, organizations and businesses. New donors from all segments of the community are encouraged to join the cause. Donations of any amount may be sent to: Columbia July 4 Committee, C/O Grace Volkert, 501 W. Legion, Ave., Columbia, IL, 62236.

The committee receives the cooperation and support of the Columbia City Council and the city’s police, fire, ambulance and maintenance departments. American Legion Post 581 provides free use of its park. Co-chairmen of the July 4 Committee are Louis “Hutch”  Schlafly and John Conrad, representing the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Other members of the committee and the organizations they represent include: Grace Volkert (secretary), Columbia Woman’s Club; Jim Vogt (treasurer), Columbia Volunteer Fire Department; Danny Joe Callis, Columbia Volunteer Fire Department; Glenn Stechmesser, Turners;  and Jim Lawlor, Columbia American Legion Post 581.

 

Valmeyer’s Mid-Summer Celebration Is This Weekend

Plans are already underway for the Valmeyer Mid-Summer Celebration which will run from Saturday, July 3 through Monday, July 5. The Mon-Clair League baseball tournament, the Mid-Summer Classic, begins Saturday, July 3, at 9 a.m. and continues through the weekend with the championship game taking place Monday, July 5, at 3 p.m. The Brent Roever Memorial Volleyball Tournament will take place beginning at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 3.

The parade will take Sunday, July 4 at 1 p.m., with the theme Transportation Through The Ages. The Colossal Fireworks display will begin at dusk Sunday evening. Musical entertainment will be provided Saturday from 8 p.m. to midnight by Fountain Creek Band and Aftershock on Sunday.    

With the passing of longtime Mid-Summer Classic announcer Mel Patton, Lakers Manager Dennis “Boog” Pieper has announced they have recruited a group of former Lakers players to handle the play-by-play and color commentary duties during this weekend’s tournament. “Every game we’ll have another colorful character from former teams,” said Pieper. Those who have signed on include Allen Goldschmidt, Bob Blank, John Asselmeier, brothers Mike and Dan McCarthy, Gary Pieper, Chris Kohnz and Chip Bieber, just to name a few. In addition, Boog said they will have a singing of the National Anthem and a throwing out of a first pitch each day at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, and prior to the start of the championship game on Monday.

With the predicted sunny weather, there is not expected to be a need to have a helicopter on stand-by this year to help dry the field.

 

Recent Obituaries

Clifford H. Schrader, 93, of Columbia, died July 3, 2010, at Oak Hill Care Center in Waterloo. He was born Feb. 27, 1917, in Chesterfield, Mo., the son of the late Waldemar and Pauline (Yokel) Schrader. Mr. Schrader married Victoria (Guebert) Schrader in 1947 in Red Bud. She died in 2008. Mr. Schrader is survived by his daughter, Susan (Rick) Stemler of Columbia; a brother, William Schrader; sister, Beatrice Kuzmich; and a sister, Lillian Zierenberg, all of Chesterfield. Mr. Schrader served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Cliff graduated from Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., and served as an alderman and longtime city clerk with the City of Columbia. He had retired from sales at K-Mart in St. Louis. Mr. Schrader was a member of American Legion Post 581, the Columbia Rotary Club and St. Paul Lutheran Church of Columbia. Visitation is Monday, July 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Lawlor Funeral Home. Funeral is Tuesday, July 6, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Columbia with Pastor Tony Troup officiating. Mr. Schrader will be buried at his church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church’s Building Fund or the Whispering Pines Activity Fund at Oak Hill Care Center in Waterloo.

Daniel Edward Harris, 67, of Maeystown, died July 2, 2010, at his residence. He was born July 7, 1942 in St. Louis, Mo., the son of the late Calvin and Josephine (nee Manning) Harris. Mr. Harris is survived by his wife of 46 years, Patricia (nee Yandell) Harris; daughters Dana (Steven) Hicks and Julie (Bryan) Washausen, both of Waterloo; granddaughters Amy Lynn Hicks, Kristin Patricia Hicks, Emily Jane Washausen and Anna June Washausen; brothers Ervin (Carolyn) Stiles of Dallas, Tex., Martin (Terri) Harris of Cedar Hill, Mo., Leo (Denise) Harris of Maryland, Heights, Mo., and Patrick (Chris) Harris of Florissant, Mo.; sisters Connie (Joseph) Pritchard of Lemoore, Calif., Irene (Ed) Wooten of Maryland Heights, Mo., and Diana (Bo) Lambert of Sturgeon Bay, Wisc.; a step-mothers, Ruth Harris of Maryland Heights, Mo.; and special sisters-in-law Carolyn Stiles of Dallas, Tex., Mary Roderick of Festus, Mo., and Katy Yandell of Steele, Mo.; along with nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by Mother Josephine Cella, father Calvin Harris, step-father Charles (Spud) Cella, all of St. Louis; mother-in-law and father-in-law Ervin and Virginia Yandell of Vanduser, MO; brothers-in-law Tom Yandell of Steele, MO and Clarence Roderick of Potosi, MO; a nephew Lee Yandell of Steele, aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents Dominic and Josephine Manning, and Julia and Leander Harris. Mr. Harris was a veteran of the U.S. Navy. Dan was the Master Hunter Safety Instructor for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Hunting Education program in Monroe County for many years, teaching thousands of youth proper hunting and gun-use safety. He was an avid hunter and bass fisherman who loved spending time with his family and friends. Mr. Harris was a 32-year member of the Masons, belonging to the Masonic Emeth Lodge 1030 in Cahokia and Masonic Morris Lodge 787 in Waterloo. He was a past-president of the Cahokia Jaycees and a Legion of Honor Unit with the Ainad Shriners. Dan was also a members of the Monroe County Lunker Hunters Bass Club, the Maeystown Sportsman's Club, the Mississippi Valley Gun Club, the Valmeyer American Legion and a patron member of National Rifle Association. Visitation is Monday, July 5, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., at Quernheim Funeral Home. Funeral is Tuesday, July 6, at 11 a.m., at St. John UCC in Maeystown with Pastor Patrick Poole officiating. He will be buried at the church’s cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Visiting Nurses Association (Time Is Precious Hospice), Shiners' Hospital in St. Louis or the St. John UCC of Maeystown Cemetery Fund.