Millersburg Homecoming closes a great summer in Presque Isle County;

It really went well, and we had a good turnout, said Millersburg Homecoming organizer Amy Whitsitt.

Many people were willing to ignore the highest gas prices on record, and instead were more interested in enjoying some of the terrific weather northern Michigan was graced with over the Labor Day weekend for a reunion with family and friends. Some came from as far away as Elkhart, Indiana.

“The weather was great,” she said. Whitsitt said there may have been a few out-of-towners who she noticed weren’t here this year, and maybe it was because of the high cost of fuel, but she expects them back for future Homecoming events.

Overall, she was extremely impressed with the number of people in the community. FROM THE new bump and run, kiddie games, and giveaways, everybody had a good time.

The run Saturday morning provided a good kick-start to the day’s activities with Joe Cantwell (17:49) of Allegen winning the three-mile run. Local Bonnie Arlt won the ladies category with a time of 21:40. Both earned trophies for their respective first place finishes.

Gus Robins (9:00), 11, of Millersburg, was the quickest to the finish line in the one-mile run. Angela Riley was first in the three-mile walk with a time of 47 minutes.

A few hours later, downtown Millersburg was a buzz of activity with the Homecoming parade. Floats, decorated vehicles, marching bands, and fire trucks made their way along the parade route as honored citizens Qually and Sue Kimball waved at the people lined up on the curb and the kids scrambling for candy.

Presque Isle County fair queen Amber Anderson all participated in her first parade since received her crown last month.

The parade lasted almost an hour.

FOLLOWING THE parade there was a great turnout for t

he kids games, Whitsitt said. The duck race took place Saturday night with Sue Addison winning $75 for having the quickest plastic duck to float down the Ocqueoc River. Second place went to Dan Millbocker, while Mike Steiger had the third place duck and earned $15, which he donated back.

The Millersburg Area Fire Association took the spotlight on Sunday and hosted a wildly popular bump and run. They heard that bump and races were becoming more popular than demolition derbies, and that proved to be true in Millersburg as more than 30 cars participated. There are already plans for another race next year.

At intermission of the bump and run, the raffle winner of the 2005 Chevy Colorado was announced. The lucky winner was Ray Ellenberger of Onaway.