Don’t expect to be an Olympic event next year, but spectators and participants had a lot of fun as women in four age groups in both team and individual competitions tried to see how far they could throw a skillet.
The event kicked off with 92-year-old Ida Mae Lemmons throwing out the ceremonial first skillet. Her toss went just 13 feet, 6 inches but long applause and cheering greeted her not only on her arrival in a golf cart but also her throw.
She enjoyed last year’s bicentennial and said the reunion Sept. 12 was a great occasion.
“It’s a wonderful thing for a small community. A lot of times, you do not get to know your neighbors but here you get to enjoy seeing each other,” she said. “People get to gather and enjoy life.”
She admits she was a little skeptical when first asked to do the honors of throwing out the first skillet.
“I thought that’s ridiculous. The men have horseshoes so the women can throw a skillet,” she said with a smile.
Some impressive throws were recorded in the skillet competition, which required participants to toss underhand down a line on the E-Dot Park field. The distance was recorded with a deduction for the distance the skillet landed right or left of that line. Several throws landed on the line or within inches, but a few went wildly to the side, one of them scattering the crowd to the left as it landed in the middle of people lining the course three deep.
Members of the Oxford Life Squad were on hand for the day and stationed close by the skillet course, but were, fortunately, only spectators as no one was hit by flying cookware.
Two judges were on the course with tape measures to officially measure the throws and emcee Fred Lindley, one of those who brought idea back from Maine, introduced each contestant and was the line judge watching to be sure no one faulted and stepped on the line. He allowed those who did so to make another toss but with the warning, “We won’t do that next year.”
He joked that he wanted to see the skillet toss become a big Midwest event, like it is at the fair in Maine.
Winners in the team division were: Age: 15-29 - Kristy Brumley, Kendra Burns, Brie Scudder and Brittany Harris with a combined distance of 132.5 feet; Age: 30-44 - Erin Fitzgerald, Sarah Roche, Dana Wagner and Judy Morris with a combined distance of 138.5 feet; Age: 45-59 - Tammy Thome, Dawn Clark, Emma Kuhlman and LeAnn Hendricks with a combined distance of 158 feet; and Age: 60 and over - LeAnne Menke, Debbie Menke, Pamela Jewell and Naomi Reinstatler with a combined distance of 93 feet.
In the individual division, the first- and second-place finishers were: Under 29 age group - Desiree Huntsberry (26 feet) and Kyla Evans (24 feet); 30-44 age group - Shelly Collopy (53.5 feet) and Sara Pate (43.5 feet); 45-59 age group – went to a tie-breaker with Stephanie Collins winning (33 feet) and Dianna Leuthold taking second (23.5 feet); 60 and over age group - Elaine Russell (38.5 feet) and Janet Pater (32.5 feet).
Ida Mae Lemmons watched the competition from a chair under a tent at the throwing line and spent the time talking with friends and being greeted by many Darrtown residents.
She said they moved to Darrtown in 1958 and she was active in the community and its life.
“There used to be a Bible School parade and a parade when Smokey Alston came in,” she recalled. She was also active in her church helping put on dinners two times a year, making noodles for chicken dishes that were served. “There is a great group of women in the area. The community really turns out to donate.”
She now lives in an apartment in Oxford but makes her way back to Darrtown for church and social events, like the reunion.
“This is home. It’s a wonderful community. There’s always something to do,” she said.
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