Donita Cupit of Sedan was randomly selected as the winner out of all of the entrants in the Prairie Star Fruit Salad Drawing.  She entered the drawing with her Frozen Fruit Salad entry.

On Monday she was awarded with a chef’s basket containing a sunflower cutting board, kitchen towels, wooden spoons, and a Paula Deen cookbook.  Her recipe follows and the rest of the entrants can be found in Margie’s Food for Thought column in this week’s printed edition of the Prairie Star.

Fourth of July festivities will be held throughout the area this weekend.  Area residents are encouraged to attend any or all of these events.

Pleasant Valley Skilled Nursing will celebrate their Annual Family and Resident Independence Day celebration on Thursday, July 2, with events beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Festivities will include music by “Green Country Duo,” a light show, watermelon feed, and fireworks starting at dusk.

The Sedan Lions Club will sponsor their annual fireworks display at the Sedan City Lake on Friday, July 3.  The public is encouraged to attend.

Longton’s firework show will be on July 4 at the City Ball Field at 9th and Kansas.  The show will start around dusk (approximately 9:30 p.m.)  Donations are accepted to help with the expense.

The Elk County Rodeo Association, along with the Moline Chamber of Commerce, will again be sponsoring the aerial display of fireworks at the Rodeo on July 4.  The events will take place at the Moline Rodeo Grounds. Contributions will gladly be accepted at the Howard State Bank, Moline Branch, P.O. Box 308, Moline, Fireworks Committee, Wanda Mills, 620-647-3462.

The Howard Annual Fireworks display will be on Friday, July 3, with the rain date as Sunday, July 5.  The fireworks display will be at 9:30 p.m. at the Howard City Lake.

The Elk County Rodeo at Moline will be held this year on Friday, July 3 and Saturday, July 4.  The Elk County Rodeo will be under the direction of Shawn Mills, rodeo president.

Barnes & Sons Rodeo Company of Tahlequah, Okla., will again provide the stock and handlers for this years’ rodeo which will be sanctioned by both the ACRA and IPRA.  The Mutton Bustin’ sheep will again be furnished by Marvin and Kathy Zimmers of Moline. Read more

Ron and Jessica Cummings of rural Howard have been named Elk County Farm Bureau Association’s Farm Family of the Year for 2009.

Both Ron and Jessica have been involved in cattle ranching and grain farming since the mid-1990s. Ron began helping his father, Allen Cummings, on the farm “from the time he was old enough to steer a truck and tractor,” says Jessica. Read more