Bayview Centennial fair united community for a good time

The defining proof that summer is over are twofold. First, Labor Day weekend is over. Second, the Bayview Centennial activities have concluded.

In a zany departure from the more serious venues throughout the year, the organizing committee held a Country Fair at the Bayview Community Center. More than 200 party animals basked in the sun, checking out the various booths.

This fair was different in many ways. The ice cream booth gave away free ice cream and bottled water, courtesy of the Rickels. Further differences were the tongue-in-cheek contests. Sure, we had kids doing sack races and an old-fashioned cakewalk. Things got a little different when the other events took place. First off was the best beard contest. With most of the town’s bearded ones elsewhere –perhaps the local watering holes – Dave Bennett took the prize with a lush full beard and a big grin.

Then things got strange. Well … perhaps not so strange for Bayview. Here, folks don’t take themselves seriously when bent on having fun. This occasion was not different. When the hostess called for entrants for the best legs contest, many entrants were men. Some were, uh, mature ladies as well. One contestant, the ultimate winner, was the youngest. Ashley Cleveland, 5, not only walked away with the leg contest, but took the children’s drawing as well, winning a badminton set. Obviously, the crowd wasn’t judging legs when picking the winner. Ashley got the win for being one of the cutest young ladies at the event.

Emcees for the day’s activities were Patty Bennett and Dorothy “Zak” Zakrajsec, who kept things running smoothly. Another of the originals on the committee was Linda Hackbarth, whose historical perspective was a guiding light for the year’s activities. She also won the adult competition in the loudest whistle, which tends to make sense for keeping order in meetings.

Not to be topped, Vivian Redding, 9, of Coeur d’Alene, won the whistling contest going away. Another bizarre event was a seed-spitting contest. Tied for first were Hailey Anderson and Meagan McNally, both 9. Meagan won in a spit-off. Following the contests, a cake-cutting ceremony took place with the crowd singing “Happy Birthday.” That puts a cap on this year’s event, though many are encouraging the group to carry on next year, or perhaps making the various events an annual thing.

Recently, the committee held a communitywide reunion. Residents who had moved away, some gone since the 1940s, got together for a visit. The day started with a wooden boat show held at the Harborview Marina. Organizing the event was Jim “Ski” Wilkuski. The Karupiahs hosted the space for the event, while Tobler’s Marina generously donated funds. Following the afternoon jazz concert on the lawn, the groups moved indoors to reconnect with old friends and neighbors. Some of the older names present were Doris Puckett Moorhead, now living in Onalaska, Wash., and Maralyn Puckett Silvey from Sparks, Nev.

A group of Krackenbergs, descendants of Max Krackenberg, an early mail boat operator, were here. They still own a vacation place on Cape Horn. Tim and Michelle Krotzer showed up as well. Tim’s father grew up in Bayview and his grandfather moved to town in the 1920s. A group of Easterdays who lived here for many years also stopped by for a visit. All in all, the group formed to celebrate the centennial did a magnificent job of organizing and fundraising in a great display of community togetherness.