Volunteers I can never emphasize enough the importance of our volunteers in the community.
Without them we would not have Kinderfest, our fire department, our Veterans, and so much more!!!
While the community was celebrating Kinderfest June 18 because of all of the preparation and setup by the volunteers, a family was surviving a home-fire tragedy and without the volunteer fire departments of the area, it would have been much worse.

The spirit of Volunteerism is NOTHING new in Manning and started back in 1881 when the town began. Because of the German ancestry a number of traditions were brought over from the "old country" and continued here, such as the Schuetzen Verein (gun shooting - marksmen club) which started a day of celebration for the kids that became an annual event, first called the Turkey Trot, then changed to the traditional German name of Kinderfest, and later changed to Children's Day.

Here are a few images that feature several volunteers, who we all owe a debt of gratitude for their amazing efforts, in our community and in our country.

Kinderfest June 18, 2022

3:12 fighting the fire in 90+ temps
Chills ran up and down my spine when I walked around a pumper truck and looked down East Street - fire trucks as far as the eye could see...these are just a few of them.

Halbur, Templeton, Manilla, and Manning VOLUNTEER fire departments

One of over 1000 of Manning's historic Veterans

Ryan Meier dressed up in German Lederhosen

Ryan (right) providing military rights during Orland Fara's burial service in 2018

Gene Steffes and his wife Sherri (Mohr) paid for all of the prizes, popcorn, and more in his booth.
Everything was FREE for the Kiddies

Tractor pull