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Annie Oakley
reunion, Antique Annie’s highlight festival
By Bob Robinson
GREENVILLE – The 50th Annual Annie Oakley Days Festival is in the books
with several highlights.
One of them was a reunion of former Miss Annie Oakley’s, including two
of the three Antique Annie Oakley’s from the years 1993-95. Seventeen
former Miss Annie’s were on the grounds to celebrate 50 years of
honoring the Darke County heroine.
Carolyn Fisher was Antique Annie Oakley 1994. She commented to 2013
Miss Annie Oakley Courtney Osborne they had to shoot out small glass
balls.
“You guys get balloons.”
“Did you still use a BB gun?”
“Yep.”
The other two Antique Annie’s were Elaine Roan, 1995, and Nancy Redman
Stump, 1993.
“They stopped it after 1995,” Fisher added. “Said it took away from the
girls.”
Miss Annie Oakley 1988, Jenny (Linebaugh) Schneider, made the trek from
Keota, Iowa to join in the 50th celebration of the festival. She was
enjoying the event… especially the weather.
“I’m glad it’s not 90 degrees,” she said.
One of the former Annie’s, Rachel (Stewart) Castle, talked briefly of
her year in 1993.
“The parade was two hours long,” she said. “And hot? As we passed the
clock on the bank I looked up… it said 101 degrees.”
Castle said she was also the Darke County Fair Queen in 1996.
“I have five Darke County Fair Queens related to me,” she added,
grinning.
The festival has a new Little Miss Annie Oakley, Alia Hunt, and Little
Mr. Buffalo Bill, Andy Miller. They took over the reins from the 2012
Little Miss and Mr., Alivia Addis and Evan Addis. Other contestants for
the honor were Roger Neff, Lilly Perry, Zoe Oswald, Emma Jones and
Gracie Hughes.
A popular spot with the youngsters could be found at the Township of
Greenville Fire Department area. In addition to seeing Rage and Rocco,
children were challenged to see how fast they could fill a small tub to
put out a house fire in the days of the bucket brigades. The youngsters
had to fill their buckets at one end then run to the house at the other
to toss the water on the “fire.”
The professional fast draw people were cooking as well.
Johnny Perry commented on the speed of one of his competitors, Dennis
“Smiley” Walton. He had just completed six shots in 1.651 seconds.
“I’d have been happy with a 1.8 or 1.9,” he said. Another said he’d
have been happy with a 2.0. The professional group competes throughout
the year at events from Georgia through Ohio.
The festival had events throughout the three-day weekend; some new,
some old. They ranged from the Old Tyme Melodrama and family fun games
to the annual Western Arts Showcase, kiddie tractor pull and its annual
Historical Bus Tours.
Gazebo entertainment included Spittin’ Image, Tempest, Clark Station
and more.
Watch for a complete photo set to come at Community Events Photo
Gallery under the Community Tab
Published courtesy
of The Early Bird
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