Frequent volunteers named Barnum grand marshals

The Barnum Area Community Club announced this week that Bill and Irene McKay from Mahtowa are the grant marshals for the Spring Fever Days parade on June 8.

Bill and Irene moved to Mahtowa when a hobby farm with acreage became available. The couple raised five daughters - Jenny, Amy, Heidi, Colleen, and Maurita - and now 10 grandchildren come to visit often.

Bill has held jobs at Diamond Tool, USG, Inter-Faith Care Center, and ended his career when he retired from Mercy Hospital in Moose Lake. In his retirement, Bill serves as president of the Barnum Senior Citizens Club, enjoys cribbage, cutting firewood, reading, andvolunteers when called upon.

Irene has served as the director of religious education at St. Francis and Queen of Peace churches. Previous to that she served in a similar capacity a Holy Trinity Church in Barnum before a fire closed it in the 1990s. She was at home raising her children and proud that her neighborhood school bus kids could call or stop if needed.

Irene has volunteered with the Barnum Community Education program, reads to the Early Children Family Education children at the elementary school, and has been an active member of the Barnum Dollars for Scholars committee since 1997. Reading, sewing, and gardening round out Irene's hobbies.

Bill and Irene said getting to know the community at so many levels is a fond memory. They have built foundations of friendships from working in booths at the county fair, church events, sporting and fine arts activities. Because there was no television in the house, their daughters played outside, played games inside, and read. Three of the five daughters were valedictorians of their graduating classes.

In January 2002, the community rallied behind the family as they faced the loss of their eldest daughter, Jenny, to a car crash while on vacation in Arizona. Youngest daughter Maurita experienced severe injuries and needed special air transportation to recover and rehabilitate in Minnesota. Bill and Irene are still grateful for David Lund of Wyndtree restaurant for hosting a fundraising event. The Queen of Peace Catholic Church community and others helped with the family chores, a yard clean-up, and many meals. The bus drivers of Barnum also hold a special place for the family because of their gestures of goodwill and kindness.

Both Bill and Irene remember watching their girls in marching band in high school during Spring Fever Days. The family would sit at the end of the route.

"At your house, you had the pop in the coolers for the ... music boosters," Irene said.

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Spring Fever Fun

The Spring Fever Days parade starts at

11 a.m. June 8 at the Carlton County

Fairgrounds and wraps around the city park.

Stay after the parade for family fun in the park with games, food and fun. On Friday, June 7, garage sales continue, there is a steak fry, beer garden, foot races, a rodeo and fireworks. Look for more of the same Saturday, with a fishing contest, pancake breakfast, arts and crafts show, car show and music. There is a golf tournament Sunday, and free entry to auto races at the fairgrounds. For details, visit the Barnum Community Club social media sites,

including Facebook. For more, check out the ad on the right side of the page.