Never before and never since, I promise will the whole world be warm as this and as you feel it, you’ll know it’s true that you are blessed and lucky it’s true, that you are touched by something that will grow and bloom in you.
The words are those of Natalie Merchant, an American singer-songwriter and musician – but her thoughts could also easily describe the atmosphere experienced – and memories seeded – during Mountain Lake’s Pow Wow days.
One caveat must be added – however, it is a happy one. And that proviso is that – every year – the Pow Wow feeling found growing and blooming in you can be fertilized and cultivated during a string of June days.
POW WOW DAYS are the days you will remember, and those memories are especially poignant for residents of the Good Samaritan Society of Mountain Lake-The Village and The Lodge Above, Village resident Ardelle Neufeld, clad in this year’s 81st Pow Wow T-shirt, gives two thumbs up for the string of days chock full of an eclectic variety of activities. And, Neufeld knows first-hand all about what it takes to make the celebration a yearly success. She served as secretary of the Mountain Lake Area Chamber of Commerce (the event’s sponsoring, organizing and promoting group), working with many of the Chamber’s presidents and boards of directors for many years – and was involved in all aspects of Pow Wow planning and implementation. So, with that positive spirit, here’s to Mountain Lake’s 81st (63rd-straight) Pow Wow. Below is a photo gallery highlighting events from each day of the 2015 celebration.
MAYOR MIKE NELSON, front left, along with his wife, Kelly Nelson, just to his left, along with two of their daughters – and a whole bunch of friends and Mountain Lake residents – took to the Mountain Lake Trail under a light drizzle on Saturday morning for a ride around its 5.2 miles.
THE BICYCLISTS ARE spread out along the trail as seen from across the lake – their reflections seen below them in the still waters.
THE FIRST-EVER Tractor Parade left Mountain Lake early Saturday morning, heading west from the city to a breakfast treat at the farmsite of Jesse and Crystal Fast. From there, the 12-tractor brigade took Cottonwood County Road #2 south – and kept heading south – to noon lunch at the Horse and Hunt Club in rural Lakefield. They then began their trek back to Mountain Lake, planning for a late afternoon return. (Mark Langland photo)
A PAIR OF Windom tractor drivers on their vintage wheels. In front is Ken Fast on an International Harvester and behind, Kjell Turner at the wheel of a Farmall. (Mark Langland photo)
DAWN FAST PROVED that this John Deere 2510 is not too much machine for a woman to handle. (Mark Langland photo)
THE LAST TRACTOR in the parade was this Allis Chalmers, driven by Jerry Haberman. (Mark Langland photo)
DEREK SWOBODA’S FACIAL expression clearly belies the spin emphasis he placed on his frisbee during the Disc Golf Tourney at Lawcon Park’s course.
JULI DICK SENDS her frisbee up the hill towards the disc golf basket.
IT WAS ALL deep focus and concentration for Dusty Sawatzky as he lets his disc fly at the basket.
DISC GOLF TOURNEY organizer Mark Jefferson makes a difficult play around a tree.
USING A LIGHT touch, Adam Myers gently tosses his frisbee into the basket.
STRETCHING OUT THE full length of his lanky body, Dylan Krueger, right front, hits the basket and makes par. Watching back left is another tourney player Travis Palmer. At right is Mark Jefferson.
THE EYES OF both base runner Michaela Cate, front and Paige Brown, back, the alumni’s first-base player are glued to the flight of the ball hit to short centerfield. This action is during the Alumni Softball Game at Munson Field on Saturday morning.
THE ALUMNI SQUAD’S Melanie Adrian takes a cut at a pitch while in the batter’s box.
THE HIGH SCHOOL team’s Sam Stahl fields the ball and sends it back to the infield. Backing up the play is Meredith Suess.
ALUMNI PLAYERS CRUSH teammate Mike Stoesz following his home run. Visible are, from left, Tim Boldt, Kim Naas, Janessa Peters, Paige Brown, Melanie Adrian, Kjell Eken, Danielle Duerksen and Olivia Hopwood.
KYLE “EDDIE” OTT wheels around third base in a push towards home plate to score for the Alumni baseball team during the 20th annual Alumni/High School game, held on the baseball diamond following the softball contest. (Jill Langland photo)
HIGH SCHOOL TEAM member Sam Grev exerts on his swing with a puff of his face cheeks. Behind, warming up on deck is Jacob Suess. (Jill Langland photo)
WINDING UP FOR the pitch is 1/2 of the Alumni’s battery, southpaw Alex Gerdes. (Jill Langland photo)
RECEIVING THE PITCH is the second half – Alumni catcher Eric Johnson, center. At bat is the High School squad’s Jacob Suess, right. Home plate umpire at left is Willie Krahn. (Jill Langland photo)
CHUCK WOLLE KEEPS his eye on the bean bag toss target during the Saturday afternoon tourney on the basketball court at Mountain Lake City Park. The double elimination tourney featured two age groups – 10-years-old and under and 11-years-old and over. Prizes went to first and second in each age group. Profits from the event will shared with the family of Addyson Janzen to help with medical expenses. Sponsors of the tourney include The Matchless Gift, Our Hometown Cafe, Sheila K’s Salon and Bargen Incorporated. (Here is a link to an earlier CCC post on Addyson – http://www.cross-countiesconnect.com/2015/05/the-flight-through-life-of-a-butterfly-named-addyson/) Holding the tournament was gameplanevents.com
KHYA BOLDT TOES the red line and stretches up on tip-toe to make her toss.
JEREMY WALL EMPLOYS a high, arching toss on his bean bag.
JOAN SCHAFER OF Windom directs her shot with a little body language in an attempt to get her tossed bean bag to – hopefully – move in that direction towards the board. She was teamed up with her husband, Jerry.
EVAN KARSCHNIK USES a big backswing for his toss.
Sunday, June 14
HERO WORSHIP. JASON Wright, with back to camera, watches as his sister Jenny’s boyfriend, Eric Wenner, with basketball, makes a move to drive to the basket. Action was from Sunday afternoon’s Steve Pfeiffer Memorial 3-On-3 Basketball Tournament (Jenny Wright photo)
DEFENDER RYAN MCCUE, back, eyes ball-handler Caleb Bargen, front, ready to pounce and move to block whichever direction Bargen drives to the hoop. (Jill Langland photo)
BODY CONTACT IS one of the most certain of occurrences in street basketball. Above, Tommy Kraemer, left, reaches across the arm of Cody Adrian in an attempt to knock away the ball. (Jill Langland photo)
KYLE THIESSEN, BACK, puts up a jump shot over the defender, Taylor Klassen, front. (Jill Langland photo)
TEXTBOOK JUMP SHOT body positioning and hand flip employed by Billy Soutthivong. (Jill Langland photo)
DUSTIN KLASSEN FOCUSES on the basket to sink his shot. (Jill Langland photo)
AARON FAST DRIVES to the bucket amongst a sea of defenders’ outstretched arms. (Jill Langland photo)
EMPLOYING A PASS fake, Taylor Naas, left, flips to an open teammate, leaving the defender, right, wondering if he should switch the player he is defending. (Jill Langland photo)
SOPHIE CARRISON, RIGHT, uses up every inch of her right arm’s length while defending Sabrina Hanson, left.
BRINGING A LITTLE nostalgia to the 3-on-3 basketball tourney’s court, Mikayla Falk, right, sporting an orange-and-black Mountain Lake Lakers away basketball jersey, challengers ball-handler Brook Sunderman, left. (Jill Langland photo)
WEARING A LAKERS home basketball jersey, Signey Stoesz, right, also evokes Laker memories while watching the moves of Brianna Soutthivong, left. (Jill Langland photo)
ANIKA FAST, AT the top of the key, sets up her team’s offensive strategy. (Jill Langland photo)
HERE THEY ALL come! The Road Race Walkers, participating in the annual Sunday afternoon Mountain Lake Road Races, make their way down the 6th Avenue hill, stretching back three blocks.
BRYAN BARGEN FOUND the perfect way to put at least one grandchild to sleep – a brisk walk. The grandkids are Sean “Sean Bucket” Bargen, left and Maggie “Maggie Pie” Bargen, right, the children of Josiah and JoyLynn Bargen.
JOSH DUERKSEN ROCKS the “Stars-And-Stripes” shorts as he takes part in the Road Race Walk.
GRANDMA AGGIE BENNETT, right and Grandpa Dave Bennett, center, were able to keep up with grandson Garrett Howe during the walk – but knew they would sleep well at night.
THE FIRST TWO runners to cross the finish line in the Kids 1/2 Mile Run (age 9 and younger). Coming in first was Ryan Pierson, left, at 3:17, with Sawyer Carrison, right, finishing second at 3:21.
SUPER TROOPER KALLYN Morey was able to “book it” through the Kids 1/2 Run (age 9 and younger) course – despite the added weight of the pretty pink cast on her broken left arm.
RECENT MINNESOTA STATE University-Moorhead grad Tony Bernal, right, gives his niece. Heidi Pfeiffer, left, a helping hand through the Kids 1/2 Mile Run (age 9 and younger).
TAKING FIRST IN the 1/2 Mile Run for kids 10-12 was Micah Holmberg.
FIRST GIRL IN – and second runner finishing overall – in the Kids 1/2 Mile Run (Ages 10-12) was Malayh Metcalf, running the distance in 2:43.
A PACK OF kids running in the Kids 1/2 Mile Run (Ages 10-13), make the corner at 10th Street onto 6th Avenue.
WINNING THIS YEAR’S Mountain Lake Mile was Caleb Bargen, right, at 5:12, with Ben Kocak just behind at 5:15. This was the 42nd annual Mountain Lake Road Race, with a total 455 participants competing in the five various races.
KEEPING PACE TOGETHER in the Mountain Lake Mile were daughter, Sarah Quiring, left, and her dad, Cary Quiring, right.
JIM LOUANGSAPHAKDY and his little dog both successfully used their race training to complete the Mountain Lake Mile.
ONCE AGAIN – TAKING the 4-Mile Run race pace to the streets was champion Josh Metcalf of Glencoe, formerly of Mountain Lake. Metcalf ran the Mountain Lake 4-Mile in 19:36
FIRST FEMALE IN the chute in the 4-Mile Run was Sierra Harder of Sioux Falls, South Dakota – formerly of Mountain Lake. She was eighth overall, running the route in 24:51.
BUTTERFIELD’S LUKAS PIERSON splashes a glass of water on himself to break the heat of the 4-Mile Run. He was seventh overall in the chute at 24:44.
TAKING PRIDE IN their accomplishment of running the 4-Mle Run were, from left, Eric Mathiowetz and Alyssa Nesmoe and Amber Hughes, both of Mountain Lake.
A MARRIED COUPLE that is so truly in sync with one another that they even run in unison form. Coming from Storden to run the 4-Mile Run were Christine Johnson (recently-retired Mountain Lake Public Elementary School Music Teacher), left and her Baptist pastor husband, Dave Johnson, right. (Just don’t know about that Seattle Seahawks T-shirt, Pastor Dave!)
AT THE WATER canteen along 6th Avenue, Danica Dick, left, providers a 4-Mile Run runner, right with a glass of refreshing H2O.
2015 MOUNTAIN LAKE royalty on their royal Ford Mustang chariot. From left, Little Miss Thaila Sengchan, Miss Mountain Lake First Runner-Up Michaela Cate, Miss Mountain Lake Carmen Syverson and Miss Mountain Lake Second Runner-Up Melissa Lohrenz. Driving the queens on his 1965 Ford Mustang convertible was Gene Friesen. The unit kicked off the annual Antique Vehicle Parade down 3rd Avenue on Sunday evening.
BUTTERFIELD’S TIM GREFE in his 1951 Chevrolet pick-up.
CLASSIC TRACTORS ARE also welcome in the Antique Vehicle Parade. Myron Fast of Mountain Lake brought his 1969 John Deere 3020 to the event. He was accompanied by his grandson, Lawson Fast, son of Trevor and Crystal Fast of Mountain Lake.
KERMIT AND LAUREL Leet of Butterfield were eager to display their 1919 Dodge Street Rod, a vehicle Kermit has had for 53 years – and one he put together himself.
THIS 1969 CHRYSLER Cordoba 360 V8 is owned and driven by Joel Passer of Mountain Lake.
DAN KLASSEN OF Minneapolis returned to his hometown to share this 1962 Ford Falcon in Pow Wow’s Antique Vehicle Parade.
NOT TO BE outdone by her big brother, Dan, Marcia (Klassen) Fast of Mountain Lake drove her late husband, Dale Fast’s 1957 Chevrolet in the parade.
MOUNTAIN LAKE’S LORIN and Becky Epp cruised the 3rd Avenue parade in this Model 356C 1964 Porsche.
RONNY AND THE Daytonas made the Pontiac G.T.O. a legend with the lyrics of their song, “Little G.T.O.” – Little G.T.O., you’re really lookin’ fine. Three deuces and a four-speed and a 389. Listen to her tachin’ up now, listen to her why-ee-eye-ine. C’mon and turn it on, wind it up, blow it out G.T.O. This 1967 Pontiac G.T.O. is owned and driven by Darren Junker of Comfrey. (FYI – G.T.O. stands for Gran Turismo Omologato.)
LEADING THE SUNDAY evening worship service on the Bandstand in Mountain Lake City Park was Jeff Deyo and his band. The 45-year-old Deyo is an American Contemporary Christian music solo artist and worship leader. He was also the lead singer of the band Sonicflood from its creation in 1999 through 2000. After leaving the group in 2000, he ventured out on his own, continuing the modern worship trend that started with Sonicflood. In January 2010, Deyo, originally from Denver, Colorado, joined the music department of North Central University in Minneapolis as a faculty member. The appearance was sponsored by the Mountain Lake Ministerial Association.
A WIDE SHOT of Jeff Deyo performing in concert on the City Park Bandstand, backed up by his band of drum set, keyboard and electric and bass guitar musicians.
Monday, June 15
SERIOUS ABOUT THEIR Bingo! Clara Johnson, left and Jan Stadtlander, right, operate three cards apiece at the Mountain Lake Lions Bingo Stand in order to optimize chances of being a game winner.LAURA HARDER GETS set to deep-fat fry another batter-dipped hot dog in order to create the taste treat – Mountain Lake Pow Wow Pup – at the Mountain Lake Area Scholarship Program Food Stand.
JASON WRIGHT SPENT TIME making an equine friend.
DR. INDIANA JONES has nothing on this “Raiders” activity. Climb across the gap on a wooden bridge, continue on up to the next level – and then slide down the chute.
ALLY HANSON OF Butterfield zips down the “Raiders” tube slide as part of her own action adventure.
COOPER JOHNSON, SON of Eric and Amy Johnson, left, controls the wheel of the Bumper Car – taking his grandma (to a total seven grandkids), Sandy Schroeder of Mountain Lake, right, for a crashing ride. Midway Rides provided the rides and games of chance.
FINISHING UP THEIR rolling ride on the Fun Side are Lilly Lorenz, left, of Chicago, Illinois, the granddaughter of Mountain Lake’s Marilyn Pederson and Cayana Perkins, right, of Mountain Lake.
THE “SCREAMER” RIDE takes its passengers on a pendulum swing of ever-increasing height – until the cage does a complete 360.
TAKING A CHANCE with dart skills in an effort to win one of the displayed giant stuffed animals at the balloon-popping Midway game of chance.
NOAH REMPEL OF Mountain Lake quickly and deftly works the bulldozer in order to scrape up plenty of treasures before time runs out.
TRUMPETING THE DIRECTION of the Monday night Grande Parade’a route apparently was the job of his little girl. Pow Wow’s Grande Parade organizers were Tawana Elg and Emily Bentson.
THE CANDY TOSS of Mountain Lake Firefighter Trey Hopwood is caught in a mid-air moment in time. There was plenty of candy to be snatched up – because what is a parade without Tootsie Rolls and Frooties?
MILITARY SERVICE VETERANS were honored during a trio of unit appearances, include one by Mountain Lake American Legion Post #389 and member Don Ross.
MOUNTAIN LAKE MAYOR Mike Nelson, left and his wife, Kelly, right take a ride through the parade, welcoming Pow Wow participants to the city and the event (while also lobbying for the votes of children by tossing out handfuls of candy).
THE 2015 MOUNTAIN LAKE Pow Wow Grande Parade Grand Marshal, Vern Peterson of Peterson Thrifty Drug and Gifts in Mountain Lake.
MOUNTAIN LAKE PUBLIC High School Marching Band member Emily Jahnke on the “mobile” xylophone. (Behind on saxophone is Yahayra Sanchez.) Band Director is Kurt Jahnke.
RONALD MCDONALD CAME to town, too, promoting the series of Ronald McDonald House Charities, which provide comfort and care to children undergoing medical treatment and their families.
KATELYN FAST, LEFT, along with Kylie Klassen, right, pound the percussion as part of the Mountain Lake Christian Garbage Can Band.
REPRESENTING MOUNTAIN LAKE as an Honorary Chairperson at the 2015 Cottonwood County Relay for Life is cancer survivor Scott Golinghorst.
MOUNTAIN LAKE’S 2014 royalty “cashed in” the rain checks from last year’s Grande Parade – as heavy rains made it a wash-out. At front, 2014 Little Miss Kaila Blom. Back, from left, 2014 Miss Mountain Lake First Runner-Up Melanie Adrian, 2014 Miss Mountain Lake Jenny Wright and 2014 Miss Mountain Lake Second Runner-Up Lydia Hildebrandt.
POLKA’S “OOMPA” MUSIC took center stage in their parade unit – as well as on the Mountain Lake City Park Bandstand stage following the parade – courtesy of The Wendinger Band. Current band members are Mike Simon, Steve Moran, Jon Wendinger, Peter Wendinger and Larry Roepke.
THE CITY OF Mountain Lake’s Lake Commission promoted the Mountain Lake Trail as “the” place to walk, run and ride. From left, Lester Rupp in his recumbent bicycle and on the two-wheeler, Jacob Brandt, Matt Anderson with pull-along for his two children, Jean Haberman and Emily Anderson.
SUFUDU, BASED OUT of Sioux Falls, South Dakota kept a marked beat. SuFuDu is a select group of percussionists from the Quad State (South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota) area between the ages of 15 to 21. SuFuDu is not intended to be a drum corp for precision competition, but is an entertaining group that is very skilled, talented and practiced. The group also performed in City Park following the Grande Parade.
HILLBILLY BOB AND his car full of gadgets and joke, spent time in City Park on Monday afternoon and also toured west down 3rd Avenue during the evening’s Grande Parade. His appearance was sponsored by Town’s Edge Auto of Mountain Lake.
THE PRECISION MOTORCYCLISTS of the Riad Shriners’ Temple Motor Corps were sponsored in the parade by the Freedom Riders Motorcycle Club.
EVEN THOUGH THIS unit, sponsored by Town’s Edge Auto of Mountain Lake, promoted the Windom Eagles Model Airplane Club – a young man and his remote-controlled car were the main performers.
MOUNTAIN LAKE’S LAO community was represented as a parade unit. One of the participants was Mony Vetsouvanh.
PERCUSSION. PASSION. PERFECTION. These three words are used to describe Groove, Inc., a drumline from Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Groove, Inc. is a percussion academy established in 1997 which gives kids of all ages the chance to enjoy drumming and learning to play drums within a group environment.
A PARADE UNIT from Odin promoted the Odin Community Club Playground fundraiser. A limited number of tickets are being sold for the prize of a restored antique John Deere M tractor.
THE UNIT FROM the Ride Or Die Pony Farm from Butterfield featured a “draft-horse-in-training,” at left, as well as many other riders on their respective steeds.
Tuesday, June 16
THE “POWER OF the pedal” was on display in Pow Wow Kid’s Pedal Tractor Pull along 10th Street on Tuesday afternoon, June 16. Above, Emma Thompson of Alexandria focused on using her effort to have a good pull earned a third-place finish in the 5-Year-Old Division. All of the competitors – ages 4-11 were hauling a heavy load in each age category. Each participant received a cold can of Dr. Pepper – and the top three finishers in each age group received a trophy. In addition, the top three finishers in each age group qualified to take part in the Minnesota State Pedal Tractor Pull, which will be held in early September at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson. Sponsors for the Pow Wow Pedal Tractor Pull – D & S Pulls – are Town’s Edge Auto, United Prairie Bank, Miller-Sellner Equipment, Third Avenue Auto, Myron Fast/Mycogen Seeds, Mike Spinks/Pioneer Hybrids, Fast Seed and Trucking and Midway Farm Equipment.
SOFIA FLOHRS OF St. James was the champion in the 6-Year-Old Pedal Tractor Pull Division.
DETERMINATION WAS ETCHED all over the face of Ian Richardson of Mountain Lake, and that grit helped him to a second-place finish in the 7-Year-Old Age Group.
PRETTY IN PINK Brie Anacker of Butterfield propelled her pedal pull tractor to third in the 8-Year-Old Division.
HAVING A BROKEN left wing didn’t stop Jordan Linscheid of Butterfield from being a pedal pull powerhouse, grinding out first place in the 9-Year-Old Age Group.
JUST LIKE FORMER Chicago Bulls pro basketball player Michael Jordan going sky high for a dunk, Mountain Lake’s Montgomery Byam, in deep concentration and effort even utilized his tongue as he pedaled in the pull. Montgomery finished second in the 10-Year-Old Division.
MCKENNA STEINBRINK OF Butterfield returned to the Pow Wow Pedal Pull in her last year of eligibility, and made it worthwhile, pumping out first in the 11-Year-Old Age Group.
THE MOUNTAIN LAKE Fire Department held kitchen fire safety training in the lot outside the Mountain Lake City Street Shop on Tuesday afternoon – complete with a “kitchen-in-a-trailer” on site to provide a visual lesson as well. Above is Ken Classen, Mountain Lake firefighter and kitchen fire class instructor. In his hand he has a product called Stove Top Fire Stop. The canister is hung under a stove’s range hood and will safely and automatically put out kitchen fires. It contains anon-toxic extinguishing powder that is automatically released when it senses the heat from flames. The residue can be cleaned up with a wet rag and a vacuum cleaner.
CLASSEN DEMONSTRATED PRECISELY what NOT to do if you have a flaming kitchen grease fire in a pan on the stove. DO NOT attempt to take the pan off the stove and either to the sink of outside. Dropping the pan with burning grease could have catastrophic results.
MOUNTAIN LAKE FIREFIGHTER Pat Oja begins heating an inch of cooking oil in a saucepan on the “stove” in the “kitchen-in-a-trailer.”
THE UNATTENDED COOKING oil bursts into flames.
WHAT TO DO when you are in a panic over a flaming pan? Literally – Put a lid on it! – as shown by Oja. Or a pie tin or a cookie sheet. And leave the lid on top until it completely cools down, and when safe to do so, remove from the heat. Most fires in the home occur in the kitchen – and the leading cause of fires in the kitchen is due to unattended cooking.
A MAJOR “NO-No” for putting out a grease fire is to pour water on it. Water will explode on contact with the grease, causing the fire to spread and may even injure an individual causing painful and severe burns. Oja, using a metal cup filled with water – at the end of a long pole – shows the end result when water is poured on a grease fire. The “POOF!” had the flames reaching the ceiling of the portable kitchen – and even licking outside the trailer itself. AS well, do not place sugar on a grease fire as it will burn and make the fire larger, along with flour, which will also cause an explosion.
A GRINNING LANDON Brugman of Mountain Lake, center, knows just what to do for his Merry-Go-Round photo op by Alisa Nickel of Mountain Lake, right. Helping Landon get onto his horse was his aunt, Crystal Fast of Windom, left.
BARBECUE TASTEFULLY DONE right.
A TRAMPOLINE//BUNGEE experience was provided in Mountain Lake City Park by Rush Adventures. Taking advantage of the opportunity to bounce up among the treetops was Cade Skradski of Coon Rapids.
SCREAMS ABOUNDED AS the Sizzler made its rounds – and around – and around – and around.
THE USE OF the Bandstand for Pow Wow programs – and the ability to hear it all in every corner of the park is made possible by Art and Donna Ellingson and their sound set-up. Above, Art hoists the speakers into place in prep for the Tuesday night performances.
PRESENTING AN ENCORE performance of their April Dance Recital on the Bandstand during Pow Wow were the members of Mountain Lake Dance. Leading her youngest charges onstage was dance teacher Candace Bartel, right. Classes were held this past school year in Mountain Lake Public School under the Community Education umbrella for young dancers from age 3 through sixth-grade. This was the first year for Mountain Lake Dance.
KAYLIN NICKEL COMPLETES a leg kick during the dance routine.
MOVIN’ TO THE dance music is Bricelyn Brown.
FAIRLANE PENNER WITH intense focus on her dance steps.
SMOOTH BALLET MOVES by Lydia Cavanaugh.
HIGH LEG KICKS performed by Micala Morin.
LYNN STONEKING OF Delft was the featured Tuesday night Bandstand stage performer. Her musical genre performed is extensive, ranging from Gospel (including old-time favorites) to Christian rock to country to Blues to acoustic (including her original songs) – all belted out in ear-pleasing alto. Lynn is a singer/songwriter, wife and mom who grew up singing Gospel music- and has now etched her own style. Lynn and her husband Thomas are the second generation to represent Maranatha Ministries – a non-profit 501(c)3 ministry started by Gene and Margaret in 1972. They, along with son Jackson (age 5) and daughter Evelyn (age 2), travel across the United States, leading in worship and speaking at Youth Events, Camps, Vacation Bible Schools, School Chapel services, Nursing Homes, Community Celebrations and County Fairs.
A COUPLE MEMBERS of her band included, Steven of Texas, left, on electric guitar and vocals and right, Ricardo Renterio of Mountain Lake on keyboard and vocals.
ACROSS THE STAGE were Lynn’s husband, Thomas Stoneking, right, playing bass guitar and at left back, on the drum set, Aaron Petersen of Mountain Lake.
HEARKENING BACK TO her music roots – and some old-time Gospel numbers – Lynn and Thomas were joined onstage by Lynn’s brother, Phil Duerksen of Windom, left, on guitar and vocals and Lynn’s mom, Margaret Duerksen of Delft, right, on vocals.
OF COURSE, THE family favorites would not be made complete without Lynn’s dad, Gene Duerksen of Delft, on keyboard and vocals. Behind is Thomas Stoneking on bass guitar.
ASSISTING ONSTAGE FOR one of the musical selections were Lynn and Thomas Stoneking’s children, five-year-old Jackson, second from left and two-year-old Evelyn, right, along with other young family members and friends.
