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Magnet is ready to throw the party of the century

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MAGNET —It all started over a beer at the Magnet Bar.

A fitting place for planning such an event. It was just a few friends getting together but by the end of the night plans for one of Magnet’s biggest celebrations, the quasiquencetennial, had been created. 

To Miriam Albrecht, one of the many to initially get the ball rolling on this event, it was a group effort, but not only from those in Magnet. 

“People in the surrounding area and the city of Wausa and some people from Osmond have been very…I’m going to cry,” Albrecht said. “It makes me cry because without them we could not have done this. It would not be possible.” 

And to her, they are a blessing. 

Along with all the basic things necessary for this event such as a liquor license, parking and porta potties, Albrecht said fundraising was essential to this whole process. 

“We knew this wasn’t going to be a money making situation but we were just trying to make enough money to pay as we go,” she said. “Thankfully, there have been a lot of people from the area being very generous with private donations.”

Albrecht and the group estimated roughly 2,000 to 3,000 people will be in attendance on Saturday. The town would increase by roughly 97 percent. According to Albrecht, they are prepared as can be. 

“Porta potties, beer, water and hopefully the parking lots will dry out,” Albrecht said. “All you can do is lay everything out and hope for the best.”

From a tractor drive to inflatables and face painting to different bands performing daily and much more, the schedule is fully packed. Along with these events, the old bank will be reopened as a museum of sorts, according to Theresa Korth, or “energy bunny” as Albrecht likes to call her.  

Korth has focused mainly on the historical side of of planning this event. She helped in organizing the slide show at the Magnet School Mixer. 

“Bringing the history back alive, that’s the part I like,” Korth said. “It makes it more real. It’s important to them to understand how things came along through the years, keep it alive yet.”

Korth is most excited for the town and visitors to see what her and Greg McQuay have been working on at the old bank. 

If Albrecht took anything away from planning this event, she said it was to go into this planning with an open mind. 

“Don’t assume anything,” Albrecht said. “If you start to assume, you are going to miss something special. If you come into this assuming you aren’t going to have any help, that was completely wrong. People have been wonderful and stepped up to the plate when you least expect it.”

What all started over a beer with a few friends at the Magnet Bar, will end 50 feet away at a barbecue at the City Park likely over another beer but surrounded by a community.