Eleven families attended the rally. Sweet Italian Sausages smothered in sauted onions and green peppers were a hit Friday night with lots of dishes to pass. We ate outside under the porch roof. We convoyed 10 miles the Historic Lincoln Highways Association building in Franklin Grove. It was built by H.I. Lincoln, Abe’s distant relative, in 1860. Ten musicians, in different combinations, entertained us for three hours with folk, country and western, and more modern music. There were about 100 people in the audience with a wide variety of backgrounds. It reminded me of my time in the Greenwich Village Coffee houses in the Early ’60’s, but without the smoke.
Saturday morning was “Omelets in a Bag”. On the patio, President Carol Dixon called our business meeting to order at 10:00. We elected our unit officers for next year. Then we discussed how we could vote for the National Officers and Nominating Committee. The members voted to empower our delegate to “in the best interest of the unit”, if a candidate became available from the floor or if other unscheduled motions were presented. The board appointed Dwight Dixon as our representative and Bob Koch to be the alternate to the Delegate’s Meeting in Gillette.
The weather was great, and the ability to hold all of our activities outdoors, led us to the decision to exercise our option, we had negotiated with the fairground last fall, to not pay for or use the building, saving us $200 and thereby reducing the weekend rally fee from $64 to $44. At noon, we convoyed to the new Dixon four million dollar Riverfront Heritage Plaza Park on the Rock River, in the center of town for a picnic lunch. Two members of the Dixon Tourist Board told about the new things are happening in Dixon. They also informed us about new the life size statue of a young Ronald Reagan on horseback, which is the focal point of the river walk. A number of us toured the free and low cost local attractions: Lincoln’s Statue as a Blackhawk War volunteer, Reagan’s boyhood home, Welcome Center (featuring a film on The Lincoln Highway), and some also toured the many garage sales in search of bargains. We had a variety of pork loin chops marinating in Italian dressing while we toured. Everything went on the unit grill when we returned to the fairground. Dwight managed the sizzle. Many more new and interesting dishes to past were created in the trailers and the feasting began. It got a bit windy, but nothing we could not handle. It did not interfere with the evening campfire in our newly donated portable fire pit. Ice cream was brought out for those who wanted it and we all enjoyed the conversations around the fire. A few card games broke out on the lighted patio. Everyone was tired enough from their day’s activities by 10:30 to retire to their trailers.
Sunday morning arrived clear and calm with a continental breakfast with Walmart donuts. Dwight brought out his 19 in. Wok, made from an agricultural disc cultivator, and scrambled eggs and goodies. A short church service followed. Then it was time to cook up the remaining pork chops, we had not used last night. Some members had to leave early for pressing appointments and missed out on another great meal to lick the platter clean. Everyone had a good time.