The Garden City Telegram
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Parade grand marshal a longtime industry supporter
Published 5/26/2009 in Beef Empire Days-Entertainment
By MONICA SPRINGER
On June 6 thousands of people are expected to line a 10-block stretch of Main Street in downtown Garden City to get a glimpse of the floats, bands, clowns, horses and politicians that make up this year's Beef Empire Days parade.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Children ride in barrel seats on the Sunrisers Kiwanis Club's wagon entry during the 2008 Aquila Beef Empire Days Parade.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Cow masks helped create a barn yard scene on a float entry by St. Catherine Hospital during the annual 2008 Aquila Beef Empire Days Parade on Main Street.
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Heiman
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Sawyer Stone, right, holds on to his hat from the seat of a wagon as his mom, Eliza, makes a turn in Stevens Park during the 2008 Beef Empire Days High Plains Public Radio ChildrenÕs Parade.
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Brad Nading/Telegram — Sydney Jo Sheets, right, and her brother Cash, sit in a PowerWheels listening to music while waiting for the 2008 Beef Empire Days High Plains Public Radio Children's Parade to begin in Stevens Park.
The parade, sponsored by Black Hills Energy, is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Parade announcers Barbara Oringderff and Storm Dennison will announce the more than 100 expected entries for the annual event.
The grand marshal of the parade will be a Garden City native who attended the first Beef Empire Days in 1968 with his family.
This year, 41 years later, he will again attend the parade with his family, only this year he will lead the parade. His children and grandchildren will attend as well.
Grand marshal
Gene Heiman, a lifetime resident of Garden City, said it's an honor to be picked as grand marshal.
He grew up on a family farm south of Garden City and attended Plymell Elementary School, then graduated from Garden City High School and Garden City Junior College, as it was called then.
The only time he left Garden City was when he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict.
He trained at Fort Bliss, Texas, and served as a radar technician at Camp Hanford, Wash.
He married his wife, Clarine, of Ingalls, and after the service they returned home and began farming.
Gene Heiman still farms wheat, corn, soybeans and milo today with his two sons, Bill and Chris Heiman.
Gene Heiman said his favorite Beef Empire Days event is the Steer Auction.
He recently went to Irsik and Doll feeders to view the cattle, have a barbecue, visit with friends and try to pick out the winning steer.
That's another aspect about Beef Empire Days that Gene and Clarine Heiman enjoy — the friends they have made and the friendly competition.
"It's a lot of fun," Clarine Heiman said.
She said another favorite Beef Empire Days event is the Chuckwagon Breakfast in the Park. And kids always enjoy the parade, she said.
The Heimans expect a large portion of their family to take part in Beef Empire Days events with them. Their other children include Jon Heiman, who works at Irsik and Doll Feed Services, daughters Karen Metzger of Scott City, Kathleen Albrecht of Wichita, and Jeanne Kleysteuber and Patricia Miller, both of Garden City.
Gene and Clarine Heiman have 22 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Early Beef Empire Days experiences were a part of his 4-H leadership, where he helped his children with projects, including parade floats, meats judging and carcass shows and the Beef Empire Days steer trial.
He's a member of the Kansas Livestock Association, Kansas Cattlemen's Association, American Legion, Knights of Columbus, Elks and Fraternal Order of Eagles, and has served on various boards in the community.
Gene and Clarine Heiman said they are looking forward to attending the parade and other Beef Empire Days events with their large family.
"We're excited," Clarine Heiman said. "It's going to be fun."
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