Mount Pulaski sees a near-perfect night for a street fair

[July 02, 2013]  MOUNT PULASKI -- A Hollywood-scripted early evening short, light rain, punctuated by a beautiful rainbow in the eastern sky, wonderfully cooled things down Friday as hundreds enjoyed the second annual Mount Pulaski Washington Street Festival on the west side of the square, in front of the state historic site courthouse. Adults and teenagers, parents and their children threw off "cabin fever" and came out to enjoy food, music and activities, capped off with a 5K cancer benefit run, "Glowin' for Michael."

Nearly 200 runners and walkers joined in to help 7-year-old Michael Stauffer with his battle against T-cell lymphoma, for which he has been undergoing treatment for several months. Michael is the son of David and Cynthia Stauffer of Mount Pulaski and has a brother, Thomas, and a sister, Alyssa. He is a student at Zion Lutheran School in Mount Pulaski. The proceeds of the race will go to assist the family with their financial concerns.

The now-famous Mount Pulaski Grade School third-grade class was on hand to announce their final "Courthouse Cash" total, which has passed the $13,000 mark -- "still accumulating," someone reported, even though school recessed for summer vacation over a month ago.

The festival also concluded the second annual Volunteer Work Week at the Mount Pulaski Courthouse, with its newly adopted moniker: "in celebration of our community, our courthouse and our heritage."

A Mount Pulaski Courthouse Foundation has been organized to help with minor renovations, painting and cleaning, as the courthouse is a state historic site and tourist destination that has been neglected during the past few years.

Evening highlights included music from the Haircut Actual band, cloggers from Audra's Studio of Dance, Abe and Mary Lincoln impersonators, "Twinkles" the balloon lady, and face painting by Chauntea Mason. There were kids' activities on the courthouse lawn and in the street, a bounce house, an expertly crafted stagecoach by Don Leonard on display, and old-fashioned wagon rides by Dr. Luthin.

Inside the Mount Pulaski Courthouse, tours were available, kids decorated Lincoln stovepipe hats, and there was a special display on Harry Hahn as "Abe" Lincoln, along with several collages of people and events in and around the courthouse in recent years.

The Mount Pulaski Museum was open for tours and offered cold bottled water and popcorn. The latest Mount Pulaski Township Historical Society fundraiser quilt, crafted by Maxine Downing, was on display.

Washington Street merchants, including Salt Creek Attic, Vintage One and Saddie's Secret Place, were open for business throughout the evening.

Hilltop Catering by Mike and Jennifer Richner again offered brats and hot dogs, accepting donations to benefit the courthouse foundation, as did the Mount Pulaski city employees with their pulled-pork sandwiches. The Mount Pulaski American Legion Post 447 was on hand to sell ice-chilled beer, soda and water, and Buff's Restaurant provided a delicious serving of ribs. The youth group of the Latham United Methodist Church prepared mouth-watering doughnuts on-site, and Girl Scout Troop 1070 sold their renowned Girl Scout cookies.

[Text from file received from Phil Bertoni]