Janssen Park was the place to be this past weekend with several competitive events taking place at the Lum and Abner Festival.
In the Lil’ Miss and Mr. Lum and Abner pageant, 3-year old Aria Alexis Crider, daughter of Daymon Crider and Lil’ Mr. went to 3-year old Diesel Easton Page, son of Bryan and Mamie Page.
In the 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, Team All-In won the 7-10 boys/girls division; Team Cannon/Dean won the 14-16 year-old boys division; Team Swiss Rolls won the Men’s Open division; and Team Flying Fighting Frogs won the Women’s Open division.
At the BBQ Cook-Off, Gregg Goss of Bear State Bank took the Grand Champion Prize and Jim Stroope of Nidec won Reserve Grand Champion.
Four teams showcased their talents, skills, and determination in the high heat and humidity at the Annual Lum & Abner Firefighter Challenge last Saturday. Ink, Dallas Valley, Pine Ridge, and Booneville Fire Departments participated this year. Ink took 1st place honors as there scores in the four events topped the others.
Results in each event were: Booneville Fire Department won Personal Protective Equipment Donning; Ink Fire Department won Speed Hose Connect; Dallas Valley Fire Department won the Wild Hose Recover; and Ink Fire Department won the Water Ball Fight.
The Ouachita Quilt Show Committee has announced the winners of their annual Quilt Show that took place in the Historic Amory in downtown Mena.
DONATION QUILT WINNER: Sandra Hartley. Hartley won an heirloom style quilt by participating in a raffle that benefits the Polk County Single Parent Scholarship Fund.
BEST OF SHOW: Dola Kesterson, “Rolling Prairie”
PEOPLES CHOICE: Louise Oates, “Pink Breeze”
VIP AWARDS:
A&P COMMISSION: Kent Schnetzler, “Cat Quilt”
ART GALLERY: Niki Dempsey, “Folk Art”
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: Mary Sheba Graves, “American Flower Garden”
CHIEF OF POLICE: Debra Lay, “Kays Kreation”
CIRCUIT JUDGE: Debra Lay, “Timeless Treasure”
CITY CLERK: Susan Carter, “Bee in my Bonnet”
COUNTY JUDGE: Ray Grasso, “Patriotic”
COUNTY SHERIFF: Wyona Abbott, “Double Wedding Ring”
COUNTY CLERK: Francis Hilton, “Bargello Heart”
KENA RADIO: Susan Carter, “The Grand Illusion”
MAYOR OF COVE: Sharon Chambers, “Sharon’s Quilt”
MAYOR OF MENA: Susan Carter, “Radiant Star”
MENA SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS: Erin May, “LadyCat T-Shirt Quilt”
PROSECUTING ATTORNEY: Rebecca Romine, “Floating Nine Patch”
RICH MOUNTAIN COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Sharon Chambers, “Curved Log Cabin”
THE POLK COUNTY PULSE: Roxie Moll, “The Peacock”
OTHER AWARDS:
1ST JUDGE OF SHOW: Louise Oates, “Pink Breeze”
2ND JUDGE OF SHOW: Rebecca Romine, “Funky Chickens”
NIMBLE THIMBLE QUILT GUILD: Polk County Fair, “Trail Mix”
SHOW COMMITTEE: Rebecca Romine, “Autumn Nite”
VENDORS CHOICE: Alice Skumatz, “Dresden Plate with Scalloped Border”
QUILT CATEGORY WINNERS:
HAND PIECED/HAND QUILTED: 1st Place, Rebecca Romine, “Roman Blocks”; 2nd Place, Mary Sheba Graves, “American Flower Garden”; 3rd Place, Dola Kesterson, “Dola’s Quilt”
MACHINE PIECED/HAND QUILTED: 1ST Place, Louise Oates, “Pink Breeze”; 2nd Place, Anne Dahm, “Snow Flake”; 3rd Place, Louise Oates, “Hunters Star”
MACHINE PIECED/MACHINE QUILTED: 1ST Place, Dola Kesterson, “Rolling Prairie”; 2nd Place, Jean Smith, “Doves In Flight”; 3rd Place, Vita Bowen, “Hydrangea Inspiration”
COMBINED TECHNIQUES/HAND QUILTED: 1st Place, Debra Lay, “Kays Kreation”; 2nd Place, Rebecca Romine, “Funky Chickens”; 3rd Place, Mary Sheba Graves, “Red Cross Stitch”
COMBINED TECHNIQUES/MACHINE QUILTED: 1st Place, Sharon Chambers “Sharons Quilt”; 2nd Place, Jamie Grasman, “From This Moment Wedding Quilt”
HAND APPLIQUE/HAND QUILTED: Sharon Chambers, “Cockscomb”
HAND APPLIQUE/MACHINE QUILTED: Susan Wilcher, “Wonderfully Fishy”
WHOLE CLOTH: Nancy Philpot, “Welsh Beauty”
WALL HANGING/HAND QUILTED: 1st Place, Louise Oates, “They Lose, America Wins”; 2nd Place, Debra Lay, “Timeless Treasure”; 3rd Place, Kathy Stucker, “A Few of my Favorite Things”
WALL HANGING/MACHINE QUILTED: 1st Place, Debra Lay, “Snowbird Chat”; 2nd Place, Peggy Shelley, “Carpenter Star”; 3rd Place, Susan Carter, “Silent Night”
LAP QUILT/HAND QUILTED: 1st Place, Louise Oates, “Peony Star”; 2nd Place, Sandra Hartley, “Hawaiian Applique”; 3rd Place, Ruby Jo Titsworth, “Courthouse Steps”
LAP QUILT/MACHINE QUILTED: 1st Place, Jo Graves, “Jo Graves Quilt”; 2nd Place, Debra Lay, “Pink Lemonade”; 3rd Place, Carol Gray, “Blocks”
BABY QUILT: Peggy Shelley, “Arrowhead, Millies Quilt”
APPAREL: 1st Place, Debra Lay, “Drawstring Disaster”; 2nd Place, Kathleen Werkhoven, “Going up the Country”
ORIGINAL DESIGN: 1st Place, Rebecca Romine, “Autumn Nite”; 2nd Place, Carol Gray, “Farm Yard”; 3rd Place, Joyce Sanden, “Diagonal Stripes & Half Square Triangles”
FIRST QUILT: 2nd Place, Niki Dempsey, “Folk Art”; 3rd Place, Joan Pippen, “Sampler”
GROUP QUILT: 1st Place, Joan Evans, “Welsh Beauty”; 2nd Place, Ruby Jo Titsworth, “Rose of Sharon”; 3rd Place, First Baptist Church, “Van Cove Hornet Cheerleading”
EMBROIDERY QUILT: Kent Schnetzler, “Cat Quilt”
HOME DÉCOR: 1st Place, Sandra Hartley, “Bali Bed Runner”; 2nd Place, Alice Skumatz, “Cherry Basket”; 3rd Place, Alice Skumatz, “Victorian Star”
OTHER: 1st Place, Rebecca Romine, “Raspberry”; 2nd Place, Judy Mills-Smith, “Yo-Yo”
The always popular Lum and Abner 5K had quite a few entries this year. The winners were:
Clint Buck – won 1st place as the overall winner, followed by Alexis Wood as 2nd, and Kenneth Butler won 3rd.
In the individual age categories:
Males age 10-19: 1st place, Noah Swall; 2nd place, Eli Swall; 3rd place, Dakota Sullivan
Females age 10-19: 1st place, Krysten Fagan; 2nd place Morgan Fagan; 3rd place, Katelyn Wells
Males age 20-29: 1st place, Levi Ellison; 2nd place, Tyler Riley; 3rd place, Kyle Rowland
Females age 20-29: 1st place, Emily Emerson; 2nd place, Samantha Russert; 3rd place, Chanley Young
Males age 30-39: 1st place, Phillip Lance; 2nd place, Matt Hecke
Females age 30-39: 1st place, Stephanie Hecke; 2nd place Jennifer Sullivan; 3rd place, Dawn Lea
Males age 40-49: 1st place, Kenneth Butler; 2nd place, Danny Butler; 3rd place, Steve Swall
Females age 40-49: 1st place, Tammy Payne; 2nd place, Sadi Whorton; 3rd place, Julie Lane
Males age 50-59: 1st place, Kenneth Sayers; 2nd place, Glenn Erickson; 3rd place, Joseph Rickmon
Females age 50-59: 1st place, Lisa Falls
Males age 60 plus: 1st place, Bill Dyer; 2nd place Wayman Bell; 3rd place, Charles Pitts
Females age 60 plus: 1st place Tina Bentley; 2nd place, Susan Lancaster
About Author
Jeri Pearson
Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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