The Community Post Serving Our Communities Since 1896 Thursday, July 30, 2015 50 cents See page 7A Firemen’s Picnic fun for folks, funds for department By BOB BLINDAUER ment used by the volunteer de- ster. Waterball and fire hose Staff Writer partment. bowling competitions also had The process of putting on been scrapped. NEW BREMEN — Begun the annual local event is not What did happen went off in 1921 it’s the longest running easy when you take weather without a hitch and was en- picnic in Auglaize County. It’s and other people’s schedules loyed by willing participants. always held on the fourth Sat- into account. This weekend’s The 11th annual Firemen’s Me- urday in July. The 94th annual weather turned out to be good morial 5K race produced 165 Firemen’s Picnic was held this for all concerned. That said, not runners joining the morning’s past weekend at the Crown Pa- all the events from past picnics proceedings. vilion. went off this year. The whiffle All in all, the picnic pro- Each year, the New Bremen- ball tournament which is usu- duced the result the volunteer German Township Fire Depart- ally a popular draw was can- fire company expected it to – ment hosts the weekend event. celled because of teams being Staff photo/Bob Blindauer Profit from the picnic is used involved elsewhere, particularly ––––––––––––––– Woodcarver Tim Kuenning applies Dremel tool to owl to be auc- to purchase or upgrade equip- a softball tournament in Min- See PICNIC Page 2A tioned July 25 at the New Bremen Firemen’s Picnic. Harrod reports projects update By BRIAN SMITH bases have been poured. Staff Writer — Bidding for the first phase of the Oktoberfest MINSTER — Minster Park project begins July Village Adminis- 24. Bids will be trator Don Har- reviewed and a rod gave updates recommenda- about various tion will be given projects going to village council on around Min- at the first meet- ster at the Village ing in August, Council Meeting Harrod Harrod said. on Tuesday, July — Concrete 21. work at Boulder Lane — At the first council wrapped up. Street lights meeting in August, CDM will be delivered soon, Smith will attend and up- Harrod reported. Elec- date the sludge handling tric department crews process project. CDM will then being installa- Staff photo/Bob Blindauer Smith will ask coun- tion. Black bear mount is one of Werner Schmiesing’s latest work displaying the taxidermist’s creativity. cil permission to seek Roe Trucking moved bids for the project. The equipment in and began Enviromental Protec- girding the brush pile Schmiesing helps veteran hunter tion Agency is currently into mulch. Wet weather reviewing the revised has delayed the project By BOB BLINDAUER tion for their service to our country. In the past SCI plans. but it should be complet- Staff Writer had sponsored hunts for wounded warriors to hunt — Electric depart- ed sometime this week. pheasants, quail and various big game animals like ment crews removed the — Public Works MINSTER — Over the years local taxidermist and deer and some exotics on Texas ranches. This time traffic light at the inter- Crews will install a water hunting enthusiast Werner Schmiesing has donated they decided to sponsor an actual African safari and section of Seventh and line along the south side his time and talent to the benefit of several causes. it would be open to all veterans, wounded or not. All Main Streets last week of State Route 66 to the He has worked through his local chapter of Safari they had to do was write an essay about their experi- along with the poles be- Freytay property in the Club International on projects such as Sensory Safari ences,” he says. fore the new poles go up. next couple weeks, Har- and Sportsmen Against Hunger. One project he re- Well, Staff Sergeant Joseph Tormala from Upper Parks Drilling dug holes cently completed he now shares the results of. for the new pole founda- “Several years ago Safari Club International wished ––––––––––––––– tions and the concrete ––––––––––––––– to do something special for a veteran in apprecia- See HUNT Page 2A See COUNCIL Page 2A Laufersweiler name speaks about sports from another era By BOB BLINDAUER Such may have been day, if not by his name. as a sportswriter and car- Staff Writer the world as seen through And he came from right toonist. As he gained fame, the eyes of sports car- here in Minster. his work was published by MINSTER — Max toonists who could be He was born January more than 200 newspa- Mercy, Robert Duvall’s found in sports pages of 5, 1903, the son of John pers in the United States sportswriter/cartoon- newspapers throughout and Anna (Schmuecker) and Canada. Laufersweil- ist character in the 1984 the country in the early to Laufersweiler, 71 Frank- er was a sports cartoonist movie The Natural half mid-twentieth century. fort Street. As a young with the NEA syndicate. jokingly tells Robert Red- There’s one man who boy his natural talent as a His “Foxy Pfann” cartoon ford’s baseball player char- was indeed one of those cartoonist emerged and appeared in newspapers acter Roy Hobbs, “I can guys with the power of he was recognized for it. in the late 1920s and his make you a hero or I can pen and ink drawing back He graduated from Min- popular sports page fea- make you a goat ... What’s then and his name was ster High School in 1919, ture “Brushing Up Sports” it gonna be? ...” Werner H. Laufersweiler, attended The Ohio State appeared in NEA Service Later when Hobbs tries or Laufer for short. He University in Columbus. newspapers and the In- to make his comeback af- was a syndicated sports He then furthered his dependent from coast to ter a stay in the hospital cartoonist in the mid- studies at the Art Institute coast from 1924-1933 be- due to an old gunshot 1920s to early 30s. in Chicago. fore his untimely death. wound, we see sports car- He was a young man Upon graduation, he While his life and ca- toonist Mercy drawing whose career was rather took a job with the Chi- reer was short, he made the protagonist swinging brief but he was well rec- cago Herald Examiner. and missing with a set of ognized by his pen and Later, he moved to the ––––––––––––––– goat horns on his cap. ink drawings back in the Cleveland Plain Dealer See LAUFER Page 2A Here’s one of Laufer’s sports cartoons from the ‘20s. www.minstercommunitypost.com Page 2A The Community Post Thursday, July 30, 2015 to show they were there partment Foundation. the dancing kids below. Tim Kuenning, his sons mance under the roof of Picnic for the community as Food prepared by fire- What turned out to be Mack and Luke were do- the Crown Pavilion. Ac- From Page 1A well. The biggest symbol men, always good fare, highlights of the picnic nated and auctioned off in cording to volunteer fire- of that was on display for was enjoyed throughout this year were the evening the early evening with the man Logan O’Neill, the events inside the Pavilion. proceeds going directly to evening brought “a full to sustain the mission of all to see – the new en- the day. Cornhole was played benefit the department. house to the pavilion.” the department and good gine which had replaced a In the afternoon, chil- through the late after- The elder Kuenning has Referring to band Hay- will with the community. 30-year-old model. dren enjoyed tearing noon which drew many produced woodcarvings wired who played from 9 Lee Kuenning, this In addition to equip- through the obstacles in- teams of savvy competi- for the past 38 years, so to 11, he said, “The music year’s picnic chairman, ment for the firemen, side the inflatable bounce tors. Also, the afternoon’s his work is in demand. was great. Lots of people was pleased by the turn- proceeds from the picnic house and the firemen woodcarvings produced Those looking for re- stayed.” They even took out of community sup- will be used to fund three also set up a sprinkler laxation could enjoy the to the expansive pavilion port. Kuenning noted that $500 scholarships from from the pumper truck by Lee Kuenning’s uncle, evening’s musical perfor- floor to dance. the department wanted the New Bremen Fire De- which showered water on chainsaw woodcarver Staff photos/Bob Blindauer Taking aim and ready to let it fly is this cornhole com- petitor while his opponent prepares his next salvo. Conquering Mount Inflatable are these three indefati- gable young lads. Good training if they have aspira- tions for joining the fire company in the future. install by the Ohio EPA.” Council — Harrod prepared From Page 1A a letter and sent it to the Ohio Department of rod said. Transportation asking “We have decided to the department to recon- install a two-inch water sider lowering the speed line instead of a three- limit along State Route inch water line,” Harrod 119 West to 40 miles per said. “This is because a hour instead of the 45 two-inch line is consid- miles per hour its speed ered a lateral and does test determined earlier not require a permit to this month. of publications at SCI’s caught fire and burned to maze of red tape before Hunt world headquarters in the ground with lots of seeing a trophy get to the From Page 1A Tucson, asking if I would people’s trophies in the taxidermist.