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‘Dairy Days’ transitions to ‘Fun Days’ on June 18-19
In Soldiers Grove
2018 Dairy Days North Crawford Cardinals 4-H float
NORTH CRAWFORD Cardinals 4-H Club was one of the many groups to enter a float in the 2018 Dairy Days parade. This year's 1st Annual 'Soldiers Grove Fun Days' will bring the old community tradition back, with a parade, tournaments, food, beverages and music.
GILLIAN POMPLUN
Published: May 12, 2022, 2:19 PM

SOLDIERS GROVE - The pandemic may have disguised the fact that Soldiers Grove’s beloved event, Dairy Days, hasn’t been happening for the last few years. The truth is that the event’s traditional sponsor, the Soldiers Grove Lions Club, does not have the funds or volunteers to continue to hold the event.

According to Village President Paul Nicholson, the board did not come to agreement at a special board meeting on April 19 about using the Village’s Community Development Corporation’s (CDC) funds to make the first year investment to resurrect or replace the event.

“There was no question that the event probably would not have made the village money in the first year or even broken even,” Nicholson said. “I think we all knew that it would be more in the form of an investment, in an effort not to just let the village tradition die out.”

The Soldiers Grove Village Park had been booked for the event on June 18-19, according to village clerk Kaitlynn Ott. A group of village citizens, including trustees Steve George and Jerry Miller, who both are members of the Big Buck Rod & Gun Club, asked Ott not to cancel the plans already in motion. That group became an informal planning committee that has birthed the events new name, ‘Soldiers Grove Fun Days.’

“We envision it as a day where the community can come together and have fun,” Nicholson explained. “We have vendors signed up to provide food, 14 softball teams so far, and it’s all coming together very nicely.”

The Big Buck Rod & Gun Club, and the Soldiers Grove Fire Department are the official event sponsors. 

Planned events for the Fun Day include:

Saturday, June 18

• Sports: softball, volleyball, and bean bag tournaments at 10 a.m.

• Music from the Pat Watters Band will play from 8 to 11p.m.

• Food: Country Gardens. Desperados, possibly North Crawford 4-H Club, and more

• Beverages: served by the Big Buck Rod & Gun Club

• Raffles: there will be 50/50 raffles throughout the day

Sunday, June 19

• Breakfast: starting at 8 a.m.

• Car Show: 8 a.m. registration, and show begins at 9 a.m.

• Parade: beginning at 1 p.m.
Paper’s anniversary celebrates 120 years
Party planned
CCI Anniversary
CHARLEY PREUSSER
Crawford County Independent & Kickapoo Scout
Published: May 14, 2025, 1:46 PM

There’s no way around it, being in business for a 120 years is a notable achievement. So, we’re going to celebrate 120 years of publishing The Independent with an anniversary party on Friday, May 23 at our Independent-Scout office in the Gays Mills Mercantile Center.

For the record, T.F. O’Neil put out the first issue of Volume 1 of ‘The Independent’ in Gays Mills on May 23,1905.

Our party will be held Friday, May 23 from 2 to 6 p.m. It will feature refreshments, prizes and more. Plans include grilling some local brats and wieners, as well as having lots of other food.

Some special guests will include our columnists, our current staff and maybe some alumni staff. We’re also inviting editors and staff from the other 10 publications in Morris Newspapers Wisconsin. Our publisher John Ingebritsen is expected to make the trip up from Lancaster for the occasion.

Look for a few more details in next week’s edition. So, remember to come and see us for the Independent’s 120-year Anniversary Party on the afternoon of Friday, May 23, 2025 in Gays Mills.