The first weekend in June. In Great Bend that means it’s time for June Jaunt.
The event is now in its sixth year. Its official name is the K-96 June Jaunt and while some of the original participating towns have dropped the event, it still takes place in a handful of towns.
But none quite like here in Great Bend. Christina Hayes, the Great Bend community coordinator, has taken the event by the horns and turned it into one of the highlights of the summer in our community.
It’s complete with the Summer Street Stroll Friday night along Cruise Night at Jack Kilby and Glow for Life Run at Vets among other events.
Saturday is the big day with events starting at 8 a.m. and going all day mostly at Jack Kilby. Jumbo Yards Game, wood carvers, Human Foosball Tournament, live music and much more.
I also hear they have great shaved ice.
To Keep Peace at the House
Happy Anniversary to my wonderful, lovely, beautiful wife Crystal on Sunday. Another year down and many more to go babe.
Former Barton Athlete/Coach update
Roger Ward knows a thing or two about baseball. He grew up a great athlete in Great Bend. He went on to play baseball at Barton Community College then to Kentucky, where he played for the Wildcats.
This weekend he officially starts his new gig. Roger has brought collegiate summer baseball to Great Bend. The Great Bend Bat Cats will throw out the first pitch as an organization this weekend when the Hays Larks come to town.
The Larks are a tradition-rich program in the Jayhawk League as well as the NBC National Tournament to cap the season off. Four times they have been the runner-up at the National Tournament, including last summer.
Welcome to the Jayhawk Coach Ward.
The initial season and first pitch is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Al Burns Field. The teams will play Saturday in Hays and return to Great Bend Sunday. A couple former Great Bend Panthers will be on the team as well as a handful of Barton Cougars.
Get out and give them a look this summer. After all, the price is cheap enough — it’s free admission.
Good luck Bat Cats.
And Finally
The thermometer is slowly rising. First teasing us with 70 degrees. Then teasing us with 80 degrees. Now the temperature is on the verge of 90 at times and school out. It is officially summertime.
It may not say it on the calendar but make no mistake — it’s summer in Kansas.
As a youth that meant time at and on Waconda Lake. Just over the hill from my house in Glen Elder, the Lake was everything in the summer. I first waterskied at the young age of eight in 1975. I remember it quite well. After watching the Jaws movie in June of that summer, I learned to water ski the following month.
I learned looking behind me most of the time for the shark in Waconda Lake.
I spent several years waters skiing — a good 20 doing so with regularity. Until one summer in the 90s when I tried to pass the boat and crashed pretty hard.
You might say I had a bit of hot dog in me on the water.
That day I crashed hard, it was really not much different than other crashes I had previously.
But this time my ear was bleeding. It continued to do so for a few days and eventually a trip to the doctor was required. I found out I broke my ear drum. I still remember him saying, ‘wow, half your ear drum in gone.’
A minor surgery and I was good-to-go. I water skied off and on for the next few years into my 30s before eventually giving it up — sort of.
I hit the water again during my fifth decade when I turned 40.
As many of you know, I turned 50 this past January. I have said since I skied at 40, I would do so again when I turned 50.
That time is now.
So this summer, I will put the ski or skies back on and give it a go. It is still my goal to water ski every decade of my life.
I figure if George Bush was sky diving at 90, surely I can water ski at 50.
Right?
Stay tuned.
Mike Marzolf is a guest columnist for the Great Bend Tribune and his views don’t necessarily reflect those of the paper. He can be reached at MarzolfM@bartonccc.edu.
