The Chili Feed and the Pioneer football game ended a full week of spirited activities. Monday, at the grade school was hero vs villain dress up day. At the high school, it was angle vs devil day. Tuesday, they all dressed up as a scrabble letter spelling words throughout the day. Wednesday was Video Game Day. Thursday was gender swap day. Big Sandy students found their costumes at last week's rummage sale.

The day of the chili feed, Friday, it was purple and gold day. It started by eating pancakes together. All students met at the F.E. Miley school for breakfast as some students painted their faces.

That morning the k-6 graders decorated the town down business with Pioneer posters.

At 11:00, the high school students went to the grade school to have a buddy day. Every student was given a grade school student to eat lunch with and to play with at recess.

At noon all the students marched from the grade school through the town down to attend a community pep rally at the football field.

Punt, pass, and kick contest sponsored by Rotary started at 1:00. Winners of the punt pass and kick contest where; Nothing as much fun as to watch little ones try to punt! There is always some little girl in a dress. This year a shoe went flying as a boy kicked his shoe right off.

I was driving down the highway a little after four when all the sirens were blaring. An ambulance with its lights flashing and siren's blaring had stopped at the Wells Fargo Bank. The highway was full of travelers, and they all stopped to let the ambulance go across the road. I turned right while laughing because the fun was about ready to start. I always eat at 4:00 because I want to take pictures of the kids riding in the fire trucks, and I'm not good at standing in long lines, which there are always long lines, for a worthy cause mind you. I loved riding in the fire trucks with my grandchildren, but my grandchildren go with friends now, and unless someone adopts me as their extra gramma, my riding the firetrucks is over.

The booster club opened one of the rooms and you had to pass by them. They were selling the community calendar. It is still possible to purchase one by calling Kristin Gasvoda @ . The calendar reminds everyone of community birthdays and a way we can continue to celebrate each other.

A husband and wife were sitting at the end of the table, having gone in a little after 4:00 and started eating chili when I talked to them. It was almost 6. They had a spot in the hall where they could watch each truck come in and load and unload children. He said, "It's the big social event of the year. I like watching whose kids are riding the fire truck, who belongs to who. I haven't seen you riding with your grandchildren." And then we laugh. "It is Big Sandy's social event. Chili Feed is the event where the kids come home from college. We don't have homecoming every year, so this is the event."

Another husband and wife had just finished eating. This was her first time at our traditional community event. "I liked it," she said. The husband had been here before. "It's my second time. I love it. It's a cool event. It's awesome."

Some of his relatives had come from Great Falls Montana too because he had told them how

wonderful it was. "You can't do this in a big city. Come on; it's awesome! You can't beat the price either. It was great; the chili was terrific!" She mentioned, "This is the kind of event you dream small towns are about." He said, "It's Mayberry with color!"

One mom sitting with her small children, trying to encourage them to eat! I smiled because come on, getting children to eat while firetrucks with siren's drive past their window would be next to impossible. When I asked her why she game, "For the food and the firetrucks."

He has been coming for 28 years. He rode the fire trucks for 18 years. He is now married and has a young son, who is two years old and. "it's starting over!"

Another said, "It's a community event. You have to support it. You can't just write a check, you've got to attend."