“Floating” through 100 years

        Custer Country participated in a first on July 19.  We were asked to put together a float for the Rosebud/Treasure County Fair’s 100th Anniversary parade in Forsyth, Custer Country’s headquarters city. 
We didn’t have much time to plan it, but thanks to Luchelle’s (my office assistant and the artistic member of our two-person staff) creativity, we were able to come up with a pickup and flat-bed trailer from a local used car dealership, a theme and even some costumes to use.  Luchelle’s family helped paint the signs. We all decorated the trailer, and Luchelle’s fiancé, Rick Feller and her daughter, Amanda, manned the truck and threw candy to the hundreds of folks who turned out to watch the parade.

         We decided that we needed to promote and publicize some of the Custer Country events we support, so we rented costumes from 7th Street Mercantile in Miles City, one of our much-appreciated Vacation Guide advertisers.  I went as Toussaint Charbonneau and Luchelle went as his wife, Sacajawea, who was more than once responsible for saving the journey of Lewis and Clark from failure.  She even carried a little “papoose” of Pompey on her back.  Pompey was born at the Mandan Village where the expedition wintered in 1804 and set out for the Pacific with the Corps of Discovery at just 8 weeks of age. His name was given to the sandstone rock that Captain William Clark signed on July 25, 1806.  Pompeys Pillar is the only place along the trail where original evidence of the journey still exists as referred to in the journals.

         We also reminded folks of other Custer Country events, such as the Matthew Quigley Long Range Buffalo Rifle Shoot in Forsyth, the Last Stand reenactments near Hardin and “Duck Days” that take place in several communities in Custer Country during the summer months.  To remind folks of the annual celebration of Captain Clark’s exploration of the Yellowstone, Luchelle and I distributed Clark bars that were re-designated as “Clark on the Yellowstone Bars,” to the crowd.  Some of the bars had an additional label that rewarded the recipient a Custer Country t-shirt or cap when turned in to the Custer Country office.  Unfortunately, most folks were more interested in the candy than the wrapper; we only had one candy bar returned and  Rob Stephens, of Forsyth, will soon be wearing a brand new  Custer Country T-shirt.

        What was the result of our efforts?  We won first prize in the non-commercial category for the parade.  Thanks again to Luchelle and her family for their creativity and hard work.