Potter Celebrates 89 Years of Community

The village of Potter is celebrating its heritage next week with the 89th Annual Potter Days.

The weekend celebration will include crowning of Miss Potter Days on 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at Railroad Park. Candidates for Miss Potter 2020, are Ana Manning, daughter of Kim Manning, Kendal Nielsen, daughter of Dean and Tonia Nielsen and Hannah Reeve, daughter of Cory and Bobbie Reeve. All three candidates are juniors at Potter-Dix High School.

In the event of rain, the crowning will be held at the Potter Youth Center.

Events pick up again on Saturday starting with the 5K Color Run from the Railroad Park gazebo; registration begins at 7 a.m. and the run starts at 8 a.m.

The Depot and Downtown Museum will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The day will be filled with food and fun as the “Candy Protest” and Front Street “Great American Race” start at 10 a.m. and co-ed sand volleyball contest start at 11 a.m. The inflatables and water slides will be set up at the Potter State Bank lawn all day. The hamburger stand and food trucks will be open starting at 11 a.m.

There will also be live music, dance performances and comedy skits on Main Street. A mini rodeo is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Good Times Rodeo Arena. There will also be a Tin Roof Sundae eating contest and free watermelon feed, both 3 p.m. at the Visitor Center tent. Meanwhile there will also be a Cornhole and Polish Horseshoe Tournament at Railroad Park.

The night concludes with fireworks at dusk from Front Street.

Steeles Selected as Potter Days Grand Marshalls

The Potter Days Committee has selected Jerry and Jeanne Steele as the 2020 Potter Days Grand Marshals. They will reign during the September 4, 5, and 6 celebration.

Jerry was born in Sidney, NE, graduating in 1967 from Potter High School, and helped his dad farm. He attended Western Nebraska Technical College, graduating from the first Aviation class in 1969. He enlisted in the United States Army in aviation and served two tours in Vietnam with an aviation detachment to the 45th Engineers, as a helicopter crew chief.

Jerry is the Commander of the Potter American Legion Post 291, where in his spare time has and continues to help refurbish the American Legion Hall. He performed in many melodramas and Legion Shows and wore numerous costumes. Jerry served as Scoutmaster of Potter Troop 105 and Assistant Scoutmaster for Kimball Troop 100. He also serves as President of the Veteran’s State Cemetery Alliance Foundation, is a member of the Potter Community Improvement Committee, Potter Historical Foundation, Potter Lions Club, and is the American Legion Cheyenne County Government Day Chairman. He worked for High West Energy for 41 years and now has a lawn service.

Jeanne was born in Sidney, NE and raised on a farm southeast of Potter. She attended East Ward School in Sidney through sixth grade, and then attended Potter Public School, graduating in May of 1965. She attended Sidney Business Institute and later worked for the Potter State Bank for 15 years.

Jeanne is a proofreader for the Coyote Caller, belongs to the Social Neighbors Club and is a 40-year member of the Potter American Legion Auxiliary Unit No. 291, where she serves as membership chairperson. She has also been a Girl Scout Assistant Leader, and a Boy Scout Assistant Scoutmaster.

Jerry and Jeanne have volunteered many hours to Potter Days over the years. They have both helped build and decorate many floats. Jerry served as the Potter Days Steering Committee Chairperson for two years and Jeanne donated several pies to the Youth Center Stand.

Jerry and Jeanne were married in 1980 and are both 60-year members of the Potter United Methodist Church, now known as Prairie West Church. They have three children, Chad of Potter, Janetta and Cory Lenstrom of Potter and Chera and Chris Gabis of Gering, NE. They have four grandchildren, Kyle and Alexis Lenstrom of Potter, and Hailae and Katherine Steele of Johnstown CO.