Fotos from the Past
Researched by Michael J. Caylor Jr.
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At a meeting last week of the board of directors of Citizens American Bank two major votes will decide the institutions future. The board recommended Robert. W. Savaske serve as the bank president and the name of the bank will be changed to M&I Citizens American Bank. Additional officers elected during the meeting include: Len F. Schmitt, chairman of the board; William Natzke, first vice president; Joseph Semling vice president and cashier; Beatrice E. Goetsch, Carlynn A. Zander, and Mark Weix, assistant cashiers; John Zulliger assistant cashier and manager of the installment credit department. Directors renamed to the board were L. J. Bayer, Paul Duginski, George Page, Henry Rostal, W. W. Schuster and Edward Smith.
The Merrill Optimist Club recently honored firefighters from throughout the Merrill area at a dinner held at Club Modern. Those receiving special awards are pictured and include: retiring state forest ranger LaVerne Radtke, and from the Merrill Fire and Ambulance Service, Lyle Kemp, Fred Heller, Harvey Emanuel, Joseph Schneider, and Thomas Beckman.
The Blue Jay boys basketball team enjoyed an easy victory Friday over last place Wisconsin Rapids but now has to prepare for two other valley foes, Rhinelander and D. C. Everest. During the contest against the Red Raiders Rick Semling, currently ranked as the second leading point producer, scored 25 points including hitting 13 of 14 free throws.
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Sports enthusiasts and spectators will have a lot to choose from this weekend in Merrill during the fifth annual Winter Festival. On Friday there will be a bonfire at sunset at the fairgrounds during which sleigh rides will be offered by the Youth Hockey Association. Also on Friday the broomball tournaments for men and women will begin at the east side skating rink. Youth activities will fill Lion’s Park on Saturday, they include inner tube races, cardboard box races, ice skating competitions, and a Tug-O-War contest. Prizes at Lion’s Park will be sponsored by the Merrill Optimist Club.
The public is invited to join the Merrill Historical Society in paying tribute to State Senator Clifford Krueger Sunday afternoon at the American Legion Hall, (Maria’s Legion Lounge.) The event will focus on Krueger’s 34 years of legislative service to the state of Wisconsin under 10 governors. Merrill Mayor Richard Holt has proclaimed the day Senator Krueger Day. Among the speakers will be State Senator Walter John Chilsen and Representative Sheehan Donoghue. The special oversized chair built by the State Junior Chamber of Commerce to accommodate “Tiny’s” 425 pound frame, will be presented to the Merrill Historical Society. Krueger’s ability to interact with people earmarks his entire career. He started out as a teenage fat boy in the circus and was the operator of Tiny’s Bar in Merrill with his father.
The Blue Jay girls basketball team has ran their undefeated streak to an even dozen with a 61-47 win over Wisconsin Rapids last Friday night. With Jan Wickman out with an infection in her foot Tarry Meyer got her first start of the year. The Jays tallied 14 points before Rapids even scored a point in the contest leaving Coach Bob Yuska with playing his reserves at the start of the second period. The girls will hit the road now and take on Wausau West on Friday and then on to Rhinelander on Saturday for a makeup game from a snowstorm earlier this month.
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The Kiwanis Club of Merrill is marking the sixth year of a race for life; driving donated blood from Merrill to Stevens Point. The Kiwanis blood run began in 1987 when a Merrill woman with cancer was in need of blood processed in Appleton. Because there wasn’t someone available to make the constant drive to Appleton for blood, the Kiwanians volunteered their services. Now members drive recently donated blood at Good Samaritan Hospital to Stevens Point where a Waupaca Kiwanian drives the blood to Appleton to the blood center. The blood must be processed within 6 to 7 hours after it’s drawn in order to use the platelets for cancer treatment. Pictured packaging recently donated blood is Jan Bumpus, the coordinator at Good Samaritan, and Otto Settele and the Rev. John Henning of the Kiwanis Club.
In Merrill Area Public Schools news: Ron Hornischer, president of Lincoln County Bank is pictured presenting commemorative books to high school principal Lanny Tibaldo and Jr. High principal Strand Wedul. The books follow the history of banking in Wisconsin. Mary Nolan received a first place award for her entry into a writing competition at UW-Stevens Point. Her award was a $1,000 scholarship to attend UW-SP. Students from Franklin, Washington, St. John’s, and Trinity Schools all completed and graduated from the DARE program this past week. DARE instructors Rick Hermsen and Ned Seubert are pictured handing out diplomas to graduates. And 13 recently graduated students of Merrill Senior High School met with school administrators this week to discuss AIDS education. The students opined that teaching about condoms does not go far enough to properly educate students about the deadly effects of the AIDS virus.