...February 3 - Tryarts was an Imogene area arts group organized after two successful Iowa Touring Artists stops in Imogene. Margaret Laughlin was elected President and Laurie McGargill was elected Secretary.Treasurer. ...February 24 - Tryarts sponsored A SALUTE TO OUR SOLDIERS in the Imogene Community Building. Over 250 attended. The program was directed by the Tryarts officers. The 5pm program began with a special flag presentation by Bill Farrell of Shenandoah. The crowd sang the National Anthem and Desert Storm families were recognized. Peggy Martin welcomed the crowd. Bob Regan and Joe McGargill provided organ accompaniment for the program. LuRay Pederson of Red Oak played the piano. Kari Brannen and Sarah Sunderman provided drum accompaniment. A community choir, formed for the show, sang "My Country 'Tis of Thee", "America the Beautiful," "Hinky, Dinky Parlay Vos," "Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning," and "This is My Country." The children's choir sang "This Land is Your Land." Abe & Zach McGargill sang "Yankee Doodle" with Tiffany Head acting as their sweetheart. George McGargill played the guitar and sang "The Battle of New Orleans." LuRay Pederson sang "America, Here's My Boy" honoring mothers of servicemen. Maureen Campin sang "Here is the Rose That Grows in No Man's Land" honoring the war nurse. Angela and Sarah Sunderman and Kari Brannen sang "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." Therese Sunderman sang "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream." Dean Adkins sang "God Bless the USA." Therese Sunderman and Debbie Biggers sang "Tie a Yellow Ribbon." They ended by tossing 100 yellow ribbons into the audience. Bill Farrell, with two Marine sons on the front lines, along with LuRay Pederson sang "Let There Be Peace on Earth." Instrumental selections included LuRay playing "Dixie" and "Lilli Marlene", and Bob Regan, Joe McGargill, Jim Christensen and Lloyd Hutt playing a salute to each branch of service. Laurie McGargill read excerpts from the "Color of Meaning" and Peggy Martin read "A Military Wife and "The G. I family Prayer." Luray wrote and performed "Extra Special Wishes for the Troops." Community youngsters helped her rap. Tom Martin read his essay on "Country" and George McGargill read "Hello Vietnam." Everyone joined in singing the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "You're A Grand Old Flag." John Martin & John Campin played the part of returning Johnnies as everyone sang "When Johnnie Comes Marching Home." The cast assembled on the stage to sing "You Are the Wind Beneath My Wings." The cast and audience closed the show singing "God Bless America." ...July 27 - About 300 people attended the 2nd St. Patrick Academy reunion. A 4pm Mass at St. Patrick Church was followed by supper and a program at the Elks Lodge in Shenandoah.
1993
...March-The Shenandoah Evening Sentinel contained memories of the St. Patrick Church-Imogene annual March dinner. People pictured in the article were Abe & Ben McGargill, Tom & Beth Doyle, Helen Laughlin, Gert McGargill, Helen Hughes, Vivian Head, Madge Maher, Laurie McGargill, Doc & Monica Regan, Pat Head, Becky Head and Melonie Doyle. Doc Regan recalled that the dinner was first only for parishioners and a few friends and was always held on March 17th. In 1957, the parish started selling advance tickets. Every woman in the parish had to roast two chickens and 125 people were served that year. This proved to be a lot of work and the menu was changed to roast beef in 1958. Vivian Head recalled that the early dinners were not easy to hold. All the water had to be hauled in and then hauled out. One year her husband Martin got his new suit all wet when a tub of water dumped on him when he was carrying it out of the hall. The first dinners were cooked on oil stoves which had a distinctive odor. Little gas plates were then used for the cooking for many years. There was no refrigeration so only salads that would not melt could be donated. Coffee was boiled on slow gas burners. As egg was used to hold in the grounds. All the dishes were borrowed from McClellan's (a dime store in Shenandoah). The store never charged anything for the use of their dishes. Diners sat at wooden tables and on wooden chairs borrowed from a funeral home. When the church put linoleum on the tabletops everyone thought it was something special. The dinner was only canceled in 1960 because it was a snowy winter and the priest did not want to risk a blizzard for the day of the dinner. ...Cost of the St. Patrick Church dinner was $5.50 for adults and $2.50 for children. 700 people attended.