The Niobrara Alumni Association hosted their 49^th annual Alumni Banquet on June 22. It was one of the most successful alumni weekends that the community and class reunions have had yet.

Along with the weekend festivities there was the annual NCHS Alumni Golf Tournaments, the free BBQ hosted by Lusk State Bank and the Lusk Volunteer Fire Department, the Niobrara County Library book sale, Friends of the Library ice cream social and tours of the old jail. 

Alumni president of the board Ryan Rapp reported that it was one of highest attended banquets in recent years.

“On behalf of the Niobrara County Alumni board, thank you!” Rapp said. “There truly is nothing better than that face to face interaction to catch up with old friends. We would also like to thank Jason Alexander for being our honored guest.”

Alexander who hails from the 1989 Niobrara County High School (NCHS) class was the guest speaker for the night. Rapp said that he had gave an awesome message and it is the boards hope that he will come as often as possible.

“What a wonderful night and we look forward to seeing you all next year,” Rapp said.

Families were honored during the days festivities. Joe Tully’s family were present for the Joe Tully Memorial Scholarship. 2024 NCHS graduates, Kort Bannan and Gabe Matthews were presented with the scholarships.

During the NCHS Alumni Golf Tournament the family of Pischel family was honored Jonathan Pischel and Lisa Pischel accepted the honors from Jason Wasserbuger.

The Alumni awards scholarships to NCHS graduates every year. The Alumni receives private donations and reunion registrations that fund the scholarships. A scholarship account is open at Lusk State Bank or donations can be given to any of the Alumni board members.

The 9^th annual NCHS Alumni Golf tournament was held on June 21 at the Niobrara Country Club. According to the president of the board NCHS Alumni Golf, Jason Wasserburger, said that through the golf tournament they have raised and donated over $130,000 in their first eight years of the tournament.

The inception of the hosting a golf tournament began in 2016 and has become a popular golf tournament bringing not only alumni, but locals and visitors from all over. It has become a major fundraising event with this year raising over $67,000 that will be donated back to the NCHS District #1 and to the students and graduates. This also includes scholarship donations. The NCHS Alumni Golf board have included silent auctions, raffles, and golfing.

The NCHS Alumni Golf Tournament still has roughly 300 tickets available for the raffle to sell for a 2023 Kubota Sidekick RTV-XG850. After they have sold 500 raffle tickets the drawing will be held and the winner will be notified. For more information about the NCHS Alumni Golf Tournament and it’s fundraising can be found on its Facebook page.

The NCHS Alumni Golf board consists of Kaylee Barner, Alison Betsinger, Michael Coon, Kaare Sigvartsen and Wasserburger.

“The NCHS Alumni Golf Tournament has become one the most successful high school alumni fundraising organizations in the United States, regardless of size,” Wasserburger said. “We raise more money than any other high school alumni fundraising organization according to the GolfStatus, our golf management software that we use.”

This year’s top three winners of the golf tournament were: First place winner; Michael Coon, Clay Coon and Kathy Coon. Second place winners, Tiebreakers, Jonathan Pischel, Hayes Heimbaugh, and Kaare Sigvartsen. Third place Tiebreakers were Stuart Skibicki, Brandon Rapp and John Sandlian.

This year’s sponsors were so many. Among local businesses were, Clark and Associates, Niobrara Electric Association, ONEOK, Inc. There are many more that were very generous with their donations that the board is thankful for.

For more information about the Niobrara Alumni Association see their Facebook page for more information.