The Pioneer Grange in Topton held its annual Community Night Program on Thursday May 1. This is a night to honor grange members and get the community involved.
Several members were presented with awards for their many years of grange membership. Laila Loch and Joyce Schantz received 60-year membership awards while Butch and Roxanne Fox and Tim Schaeffer were presented with 40-year membership awards.
Ava Jenkins, Hannah Leibensperger and Cadence Tempel received Jr. Grange Achievement Awards for their State Jr. Grange contest achievements.
Monetary donations were presented to the Topton Volunteer Fire Company, the Lyons Volunteer Fire Company and the Topton Ambulance Service.
The entertainment was Doctor Kelly’s ‘Cure It All’ Traveling Medicine Show. Art Bransky dressed in period Costume, portrayed Dr. Kelly and explained to the audience about the old-time medicine shows that traveled throughout the country to small towns in the 1800s. These shows contained circus acts, musical entertainment, and other attention-grabbing gimmicks to aid in the sale of elixirs and tonics. It’s reputed that people would come from far and wide to buy the ‘medicine’ to cure their ailments. At the end of the program, each person present was able to pick out their own personal ‘feel good’ stone from his chest. These stones are kept in their owner’s pocket to safeguard against melancholy. ‘Dr. Kelly’ also brought small bottles of his ‘Cure It All’ potion to sell along with postcards. The guests were reportedly quite entertained.
The evening concluded with door prizes donated by grangers and area businesses, followed by refreshments and fellowship.
Pioneer Grange typically meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the grange hall on Keller St. in Topton. During the summer months they meet only on the third Thursday at 8 p.m. The Family Activities Committee is in charge of the program.
