Muddy or not: here I come

Almost exactly one year ago, the News Letter Journal hosted a downtown event for the solar eclipse, and ever since that time this community has continued to thrive with activities and celebrations. 
I’d like to think we gave you the idea! 
Whether we inspired you or not I’m glad the ball has just kept rolling, and I want to applaud all of the people who organize and bring us these events, whether it’s their first go-round, or many years in the making.
We were able to attend countless celebrations and events that would rival bigger towns. There was lots of food, games for the kids, car shows, truck pulls, mud-bogging, pig wrestling (another muddy one), sprint-car races (and more mud), historical re-enactments , parades, celebrity concerts (and local musicians and music masters), a farmer’s market, arts celebrations, donkey races, bouncy houses, runs, hikes, bike rides, dances, fishing, auctions, and so much more.
It’s never easy to organize and produce a community event, especially the first year. The people who take on these challenges always tell me they didn’t really know what they were getting themselves into, but were glad they did it anyway.  
It takes even more resolve to commit to keep holding an event after you find out how much work it is, and I think it’s great to see ads in our newspaper for events touting “4th 5th or 10th annual (whatever)! 
The organizers put their heart and soul into every detail, and hope and pray that people will show up — and that it’s not raining. (Although many of this year’s activities involved mud, so rain would maybe be good.)
A sterling example of dedication to an event can be found in the people that bring you the mini-sprint races every year. 
Randy and Theresa Hershey, owners of CLT Flooring and Furnishings, have invested a lot of time, money and hard work into making their mini-sprint races bigger and better. 
They keep working year after year to provide popular family entertainment, and participation comes from folks that live towns away. This last year, they even purchased a mini-sprint car to be raffled off and raced in the same night by the lucky winner!
They don’t give up, and their dedication is evident by their continued success.
This past Labor Day weekend, a brand new event called “Madness on Main” took place in downtown Newcastle. Judging by this year’s success, organizers Tasha Townsend and Martha Bickford are sure to make this an annual event. 
Dick and Bonnie Rich brought us the 12th annual Shine and Show car show on September 15 in Dow Park. Complete with vendors, music, cars, food, and friends, it was perfect! 
And it’s not like the fun is done because the days are getting shorter and fall temperatures have crept it.
The Weston County Concert Association has launched its new season, and the News Letter Journal will cap our fun off as we get close to Halloween when we plan to bring you the last re-enactment in our Newcastle Legacy Series, “The Battle of Lightning Creek.” 
We hope you’ll join us.  
Please keep attending our hometown events, and be sure to thank the organizers. They need our continued support to keep things going.