Twist & Shout congratulates Jane and Ken Rasch, the 2010 Citizens of the Year and the Frontier Days Parade Marshalls. Both Jane and Ken were instrumental in helping organize Frontier Days, so the choice for the committee was an easy one.
The lifelong Fort Dodge residents, who have always been a large part of the Frontier Days weekend, will this year lead the parade down Central Avenue on Saturday June 5th.
Congratulations- How do you feel?
“It’s awesome,” said Ken, adding, “I’m also humbled and honored.” He smiled, “It’s fun to be alive!, I think having fun is one of the highest priorities in life.”
Both Jane and Ken agreed that Frontier Days has been important and a part of their lives since it first started. “It was important because it’s such a family thing. It’s also a lot of fun,” said Jane. “Our family has always gotten involved.”
Cowboy Camp
They were both involved in the early days of the Fort. “Bill Ryan came to town, looked at our history and said, “Where’s the Fort?”said Ken. So, the rest is really history, with the Rasch’s responsible for constructing many of the buildings at the Fort.
They are also well known for starting the Cowboy Camp also at the Fort. When asked how this all began they explained that again, Bill Ryan thought it would be a good idea. “He came to me and said he thought it would be a good idea for young people to learn how to be a cowboy,” explained Ken. “It’s about a day in the life of a cowboy. We teach them how to cook over a fire. You can do everything right over the fire- you don’t need the stove.” The Cowboy Camp features a chuck wagon camp and plenty of cooking around the campfire, with cowboy stew, biscuits, and coffee.
Ken explained that helping establish the Cowboy Camp‚ came easily to him, as he learned how to be a cowboy as a young boy. “I would go to my uncle’s (Lige Manning) ranch near Westcliff, Colorado and spend time there in the summer. That’s how I learned how to be a cowboy.”
The Raschs have been married for almost 59 years, and are the parents of 12 children, 42 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Their children are Kevin, Molly, Kem, Amy, Sara, Martha, Joel, Teresa, Melissa, Justin, Ann and Greg.
They have lived on the Century‚ family farm their entire married life, a farm Ken was born on.
They started Rasch Construction in 1947 “with one used bulldozer.” They smiled and admitted- that “still going strong today, the company has more than one bulldozer!”
Rasch Construction built the Opera House at the Fort.
Ken and Jane also own and run Land and Water Magazine, with one of their children in charge, “Everything we do is a family affair,” said Jane.
And, their favorite past-time?
“Cooking over the fires,” said Ken, who explained that he learned to cook as a young boy, watching his mother who at one time or another was involved in seven Fort Dodge restaurants.
Jane agreed and said when the family gets together, everyone pitches in and helps. “And we often sit around the campfire and sing.”
Facebook
MySpace
Digg
Stumble
Mixx
Fark
del.icio.us
LiveSpaces