By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
As Pfeifer prepares for its sesquicentennial celebration of 150 years of Volga German heritage, the community is not only looking back at the generations that built the village but also working to preserve a piece of that history for generations to come.
Holy Cross Church will host Pfeifer's sesquicentennial celebration Sept. 12, bringing together descendants, residents and visitors for a day of worship and entertainment.
Activities will begin at 11 a.m., when participants in a poker run organized by the Victoria Fire Department are expected to make Pfeifer one of their stops.
A cemetery blessing is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the cemetery west of town and will include a military memorial service.
At 4 p.m., Bishop Jerry Vincke will preside over Mass at Holy Cross Church, with music from Trilogy.
Deb Hoffman, vice president and board member of Holy Cross Church, said the Mass is the part of the celebration she is looking forward to most.
Hoffman said she grew up attending the nearby grade school and remembers coming to Holy Cross for Mass in the mornings. The church was also where she was baptized, received her First Communion and was confirmed.
Jerry Dreiling, a Holy Cross Charities board member who serves as the church's caretaker, shares a similar connection to Pfeifer, where he has lived for 57 years.
"It's home," Dreiling said.
Following Mass, the celebration will continue with music from Hot Shots, a polka band fitting for the community's Volga German heritage.
There will also be a beer garden, memorabilia booth, antique farm tractor and vehicle display and a limestone quarry demonstration.
Hoffman said organizers are also planning a country store where homemade noodles will be available.
A free-will meal will begin at 5:15 p.m. and feature a hog roast. A hamburger and brat stand will continue into the evening.
Holy Cross Charities plans to have both live and silent auctions, along with an online auction component that has been added after receiving an overwhelming number of donated items.
Stan Dome, board member of Holy Cross Church and a volunteer who has helped with fundraising for the celebration, spoke about the community.
"We were floored by the generosity people have done and given for support," Dome said.
Businesses and individuals from Ellis, Rush, Russell and Barton counties and the Great Bend area have contributed, with organizers saying many donors have expressed the same sentiment about Holy Cross.
"They said we need to keep that place going," Dome said.
There will be about 40 items in the live auction and close to 100 in the silent auction.
Hoffman and Dreiling said among the donated items are half a beef that will be auctioned as two quarters, two pellet grills, a blanket featuring an image of Holy Cross Church, diamond earrings and a diamond cross necklace organizers plan to have blessed before it is auctioned.
Another experience will allow a group to bid on a private Mass followed by a dinner.
The celebration will also feature Hays High School freshman Graycee Herl, who is expected to perform during the evening.
After the live auction, Crazy Horse 2.0 will perform country and classic rock music, with organizers estimating the band will begin at 8:30 p.m.
Dreiling said if weather conditions allow, the celebration will conclude with a fireworks display around sunset.
Hoffman said she has received calls from people in Colorado and Olathe interested in donating in memory of family members who grew up in Pfeifer. Dome said he heard from a woman in Arizona planning to make the trip.
However, underneath the celebration is another goal, preserving Holy Cross Church.
To view the restoration efforts article, click here.
