4 neighbors plan for fun

What do you get when you mix four communities together on a weekend in June? Four Neighbors Day, formerly known as Burns Day, and an alumni celebration in Burns Saturday, June 8. And the organizers of the event hope a good time is included for all who attend.

“We are pretty excited to have all the communities involved and so many volunteers coming to the meetings,” Clarence Steege said at the organizational meeting May 23.

With the added communities, the volunteers had more creative ideas for activities to keep everyone entertained and well fed.

The day starts off with a pancake breakfast. If running instead of eating is more your speed, there isa 5K run/walk and fun run for the kids with registration starting at 7 a.m. and the race at 8 a.m.

Every community festivity requires a parade, and the Four Neighbors will have a kiddie and an grand entry parade through downtown Burns beginning at 10 a.m. Registration for the main parade will begin at 8:30 a.m.

The alumni event will include classes from Burns, Carpenter, Hillsdale and Egbert. Steege said the last class graduated from Egbert in 1958 and Carpenter and Hillsdale’s high schools closed in the following few years with only Burns high remaining.

The Four Neighbors Day has received numerous donations for the events and the Wyoming Bank and Trust is sponsoring the parade. The children’s parade will have $1 gold coins for each entry in their parade.

Entertainment will include live acts starting after the parade such as a karate demonstration, bands and singing acts, and more. There will also be an arm wrestling competition for anyone willing to risk their pride.

The chili cook-off is a new event added to the newly named celebration. Contestants or teams will create two gallons of chili to be sold to the public and judged by the Burns Town Council.

The Prairie Fire Roller girls will be “rolling” around town and the parade showing off their moves. And per request from a community member, there will be a “push” lawn mower race. A lighter version of the riding lawn tractor races.

Steege and the other event planners encouraged everyone to make a day of it and come to Burns Saturday, June 8.

“You don’t know your neighbors until you spend a fun Saturday,” Steege said.