VIDEO: Good Old Days

ST. IGNATIUS - The candy thrown out at the Good Old Days parade last Saturday was just a pre-competition snack.

With 15 five- to seven-year-olds ready to go at the starting line, each seemed to have a sugar buzz fueling their desire to cross the finish line first.

"On your mark, get set, go!" a timer shouted and each started jumping in their gunny sacks to try to be the first one to cross the finish line and win the prize.

Five-year-old Zoran Lafrombois, of St. Ignatius, was the fastest and took home the winnings. He stepped out of his sack and ran all the way to his dad for a congratulatory high-five.

The Good Old Days festivities started the day before with a St. Ignatius Chamber of Commerce barbecue, family entertainment and fireworks.

Events kicked off bright and early Saturday morning with a half marathon at 7 a.m., as part of the Buffalo Run, and a pancake breakfast sponsored by the St. Ignatius Senior Center.

At noon, the "largest parade in Lake County" wound its way down the street with floats featuring giant bumblebees and the butcher, the baker and the candlestick maker. The grand finale of the parade saw two fire trucks spray water onto the crowd below as the temperature rose.

Following the parade, everyone made their way to the Good Old Days Park for games and food.

Kneeling at the start line, Israel Umphrey, of St. Ignatius, was ready to release his seven-month-old dog, Mea.

"I've been teaching her how to fetch," he said before the race. "I think she'll do pretty good."

As part of the St. Ignatius Good Old Days, a dog race was sponsored to find the fastest dog in the area.

As Mea jogged to the finish line, Umphrey decided to change his strategy as her time was 6.02 seconds, the fastest first time in the small dog category.

Mea's second time was 5.7 seconds, improved by the fact that Umphrey ran beside the small dog to get her to go faster. Mea's times were solid enough to take first place in the category.

In the medium dog contest, Jamie Miller and Kye took first with times of 4.2 and 3.58 seconds.

The big dog category had eight participants and Tom McColley, of St. Ignatius, and Gypsy took the crown with two of the three fastest times of the day. Hunter Peterson, of Ronan, and his dog Geico took second and Wendy Witson and Dex took third.

A BMX bike race completed the day's competitions. During the younger age group, Sage Chiefstick, of Ronan, sped through the course the fastest to win a new orange bike.

"Orange is his favorite color," his mom said. "Funny how we bought [his old bike] for fifty cents at a garage sale."

Sunday

Hundreds set out to the airport in the morning for the Good Old Days Fly-in and pancake breakfast.

Plenty of food was served during the four hour event and money was raised to help with upkeep of the airport and hangars. Then, kids aged 8 to 17 signed up to get a free Young Eagles flight in an airplane with four volunteer pilots.

Around 11 a.m., the Experimental Aircraft Association, Local Chapter 1122, which sponsors the annual event, had already given more than 55 flights to the youngsters.

While not the chapters' biggest event in terms of number of aircraft (that would be Polson), the Mission fly-in routinely gives the most Young Eagle flights. President Maurice Morin said they'd continue bringing kids up as long as there was interest.

"We'll go as long as we can, but when it gets hot, the air gets lumpy and the kids get sick," he said. "The pilots don't like that."

The pilots did like the looks of unbridled joy on the childrens' faces after a flight, for some their first time up in a plane. Now, the chapter just hopes to get youngsters involved in aviation.