Odin Fire Chief Greg Smith was pleased with the large turnout for this year’s Firemen’s Picnic held Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights.
In fact, Smith says the Saturday night crowd may have been the biggest ever.
“We had a great weekend, the weather has been fabulous. We had a good crowd Thursday and Friday night and tonight as always it’s jam-packed. They started serving food at about 5:30 tonight and I don’t think they’ve stopped at all serving food.”
Smith says the car show put together by Ken Carpenter on Friday night was the best one in years, with over 60 cars entered. The Best of Show winner was a 1974 Pontiac Trans Am displayed by Gale Helpingstine of Fisher, IL. A 1972 Plymouth Cuda owned by Toby Wimberly of Odin won the Chief’s choice. A 1933 Ford Coupe shown by Ilesa Brough of Salem won the Sheriff’s Choice. Ryan and Kason Timmons of Central City with a 1987 Chevy Monte Carlo won for Kid’s Choice. Travis Branson of Salem with a 1970 Plymouth B-Cuda won the Mopar award. Josh Dunahee of Salem who showed a 1972 Chevy Chevelle SS won the best engine award. Seth Goodin of Centralia with a 1969 Chevy C-10 won for best paint.
Proceeds from the picnic will help the Odin Fire Trustees make a down payment on new breathing apparatus equipment that hasn’t been replaced in 30 years.
There was also a 10K, 5K, and 2.5 K run held on Saturday morning in Odin. There were 18 runners. Eric Wehmuler of St. Louis won the 10K, 11-year-old Gunner Bartels of Mattoon the 5K race for men, and Cindy Purcell of Mt. Vernon for women. Ken Hayden won the 2.5K for men and Marisa Reyes-Tiburcis of Salem for women.
A large haunted house was available for the brave to enter at the Odin Firemen’s Picnic. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
