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Runeston Rockettes don't pay any attention to age Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Agri News staff writer
ALEXANDRIA, Minn. -- The Runestone Rockettes' statistics may seem daunting to some: The group has a cumulative age of 826 years, have been married for 496 years and they have 38 children, 79 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
But this group of senior citizens sure knows how to move!
Their performance was a hit with Douglas County Fair attendees last week.
Douglas County Fair's board focuses on local talent rather than big name acts, said board secretary and fair manager Dick Gulbranson. An open air stage with park bench seating provides the perfect venue.
A crowd quickly gathered to watch the Runestone Rockettes perform their neatly choreographed routines in smartly designed costumes.
To join the Runestone Rockettes, potential dancers must be at least 60 years old. Several have had knee replacements and one has had a total hip replacement.
Their aim is to show others that "aging ain't so bad."
The stage is just one of many fair activities that draws crowds to the four-day event. The carnival, livestock shows, educational forums, demo derbys and performances offer something for everyone. Last year, 48,000 passed through the gates, Gulbranson said.
Many who come to the fair are residents of the county while some are seasonal residents living at their lake homes during the summer. Others travel quite a distance for a one-day fair visit specifically to attend the Douglas County Fair, Gulbranson said.
One couple he visited with last year lives in Redwood Falls. Another family said they hail from Milbank, S.D., and make the trek specifically to attend the fair.
The fairgrounds are spacious and a mix of historic buildings and new ones. The grandstand was built in 1939 as a WPA project. Some senior citizens remember boarding in the grandstand's dormitories while showing animals. The grandstand is the site of demo derbies and tractor pulls. When the fair isn't in session, the board leases the grandstand and its racetrack to the Viking Speedway Association for stock car races.
Another building on the grounds, The Runestone Center, is owned by the city and is used as a hockey rink and for other functions.
The board has maintained traditional fair events and also looks ahead to adding new exhibits. This year's premier activity focused on renewable energy. Several energy companies, with information and offerings for solar panels, alternative energy, wood stoves and wind turbines, were grouped around an educational tent where forums on renewable energy options were discussed.
Most walkways to the barns and buildings are paved including the fair's "Gallery Lane" where fair food vendors are located.
Some older buildings, including the Mission Church and one room schoolhouse, were gifted to the fair. The Mission Church has historical information about past congregations and pastors. A Lutheran church auxiliary serves lunches from a back room.
The schoolhouse is a fun stop for Alexandria-area school alumni. Each year several teachers return to the area and are available to reconnect with former students. |
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