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Waiting for their homemade boat “The Dip Ship” to be inspected prior to the fourth annual “Anything Floats Race” Saturday, Wayne Devine of Harveys Lake and his crew fueled up on cheese fries. 

Gathered at a picnic table on the shore of the Harveys Lake Beach Club, the group of family and childhood friends reminisced about past races. The race was part of this weekend’s homecoming festivities at the lake.Constructed of nothing more than plywood, Styrofoam and tie wraps, “The Dip Ship” remained undefeated, winning every race in last year’s contest. In order to participate in the contest, vessels had to be homemade and powered by hand or foot. 

The event consisted of races between crafts in two-, four-, six-, eight- and 10-person teams. The quarter-mile course looped from one end of a line of buoys to the other. “The object is to see if your craft can make it around the buoys without sinking or falling apart,” said race organizer Mike Rush,Shop for the largest selection of Granite tiles at everyday low prices. pointing out that “The Dip Ship” even won two years ago during the hurricane. “The race goes on rain or shine.” 

Special prizes were awarded for the “Most Unique Craft” and the “Most Enthusiastic Group.” Rush recalled winning the award for “Most Unique” when he built a boat out of two bicycles hooked up with chains and a paddle wheel. Cannons shot fireworks off the sides of the craft. “It looked great on paper, but it didn’t work,” he said.Choose your favorite China Granite Countertops paintings from thousands of available designs. 

The “Dip Ship’s” only competitor Saturday was a craft named “NU.” An abbreviation for ‘nothing used,’ “NU” was made out of plywood and 50-gallon barrels. Seventeen-year-old Joey Reilly of Harveys Lake, along with his younger brother Jimmy, 14,Browse our Granite slabs collection from the granitetrade.net! Hank Zielinski, 15, of Harveys Lake and Mike Casey, 17, of Dallas, tightened the straps holding the barrels in place. “This is my third year, and all years have been fails, so I’m hoping this year will be better for us,” Joey said.Saturday’s festivities also included a classic car show at Grotto Pizza, a cancer walk-a-thon to benefit Candy’s Place and children’s games and crafts. 

Having recently moved to the area from Virginia, 11-year-old Jacob Chesonis, of Dallas, and his sister Ashlyne, 6, said they enjoyed the event as they stamped fish and turtle designs onto T-shirts. The craft was sponsored by the Harveys Lake Borough Environmental Advisory Council, a group that works to promote awareness of the health of the lake and the watershed. 

Residents here enjoyed beautiful weather on the shore of Lake Wisconsin during the village’s eighth annual Merrimac Community Festival on Saturday.The event, held in Memorial Park, aims to raise money for local parks, said fundraising coordinator Claire Walmer. 

Walmer, a Merrimac resident for about 10 years, helped organize the raffle and beer tent at the event, both sponsored by the Snowbusters snowmobile club.She said parks are important fixtures in the community.“It’s wonderful to bring my 20-month-old son down here to the park,” she said.Walmer and her husband, Ted, like to take Braden on outings to enjoy the outdoors. 

“It doesn’t cost anything,” she said. “It’s something that families can afford to do together.” 

Festival chairman Ron Senger, Merrimac’s village administrator, said the event had more than doubled last year’s attendance by 4 p.m.“We’ve probably had over 300 people coming and going,” he said. 

Organizers hope to raise enough money to develop a subdivision park in Colsac Cove, Senger added. “We’ll be developing that over the next two years.”The arts and crafts fair attracted more than 20 vendors.Retired teacher Clara Blau offered her crocheted rugs and scrubbers for sale. 

“Someone asked me if I would show my rugs because I’ve been showing them for several years already at craft shows,” she said.Blau said she has made more than 1,000 rugs over the years. 

“I enjoy doing this, and it’s helped me to keep my fingers so that I don’t get arthritis in them,” Blau said, putting down her crochet hook and holding up two very young-looking hands. “I swear that’s the reason.”She said she didn’t sell many rugs but had a nice time anyway. 

“Today it was a wonderful and a beautiful day. And this is a wonderful thing to do for children,” she said, gesturing toward the kids’ activities tent, hosted by SOZO, an online business that hosts and sells artists’ work with some proceeds going to designated charities.SOZO founder Lisa Peterson said the tent offered crafts, science projects and more. 

“We’ve got screen print T-shirts,” she said. “You can make giant chalk, superhero bracelets, bird feeders and lava lamps.”The business also hosted a superhero fun run for more than 50 kids Saturday morning. 

“I just think we haven’t had enough for kids, and they need something that’s positive and uplifting and that makes them feel good about what they do,” Peterson said. “And I think art really does that for kids.”The Merrimac Fire Department hosted a horseshoe tournament and brat stand. Other attractions included food booths, a chicken dinner and the unusual “chicken drop.”

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