Brewster tradition welcomes school year, celebrates community service

For more than 30 years, Brewster’s Annual Hot Dog and Watermelon Feed has brought neighbors together for food, fellowship and a celebration of the community.

That tradition continued Aug. 13 as residents gathered to welcome the new school year, recognize local volunteers and support organizations working to keep the small northwestern Kansas town thriving.

Gary Wiggins and Dirt Roads Gospel Music provided entertainment, while a meal of hot dogs, baked beans, chips, watermelon and water was served for a free-will donation benefiting the Brewster Heritage Center.

Brian Eicher opened the program by welcoming several new residents to the community. Brewster school Principal and Superintendent Jessica McCoy then introduced members of the district’s staff, including new fourth-grade teacher Leslie Bailey and new Title and FACS teacher Brooke Whitty.

McCoy thanked the school board and district employees for their work and recognized the many staff members who take on additional duties to meet the needs of the district.

Members and coaches of the Brewster junior high and high school football and volleyball teams were also introduced. Coaches spoke about the coming season and encouraged residents to support the students at home games.

The evening’s Brewster Community Service Award was presented to the Brewster Heritage Center in recognition of its educational, cultural and civic contributions.

The organization traces its roots to 1973, when the Northwestern Plains American Revolution Bicentennial Park Association was formed. Its focus later shifted to local bicentennial activities, and in 1974 the organization acquired the former Brewster State Bank building for use as a library and museum. It later added the former American Legion building to provide more room for museum artifacts.

The Heritage Center has continued to preserve the town’s history while organizing community activities, including Brewster’s recent celebration of America’s 250th birthday. The annual Hot Dog and Watermelon Feed also serves as one of the organization’s fundraisers.

The city’s award recognized the Heritage Center’s “faithful, devoted and valuable service” as an educational, cultural and civic leader in Brewster.

Heritage Center board members recognized during the presentation included President Brian Eicher, Vice President Bob Lehman, Secretary Jackie Jorgensen, Treasurer Brenda Ross, Mike Baughn, Lynn Fowles, Colleen Rall, Stuart Schmidt, Tony Ackerman and Kenny Cameron. Kathy Fowles serves as the library and museum director.

The evening also brought a surprise for Brewster Shooting Sports Inc.

Local Channel Seed Pro Jordan Reid of Reid Ag presented the organization with a $5,000 donation through Channeling Good, a Channel brand initiative that supports nonprofit organizations serving rural communities.

Reid said he learned about needed improvements at the shooting range while visiting with the program’s coaches during a February practice. The range needs updated light poles and lights, along with improvements to its benches and clubhouse.

Approximately 150 to 170 organizations applied for Channeling Good assistance, Reid said, with about 40 receiving awards at various levels.

“It’s my privilege to award the Brewster Shooting Sports Club with a donation of $5,000 to help them upgrade these facilities,” Reid said.

Andrew Starns, manager and instructor for Brewster Shooting Sports, said the organization greatly appreciates the support from Channel Seed and Reid Ag Enterprises.

“It will allow us to make the much-needed repairs and upgrades to our facilities,” Starns said.

Channeling Good awarded a total of $175,000 to rural communities across the country in 2026. Since 2024, the initiative has awarded $350,000 to organizations working to strengthen rural America.

After the presentations concluded, children headed for the dunk tank, bringing the evening to a lively close.

The gathering once again demonstrated the kind of community spirit found in Brewster — a small town where residents consistently show up for their school, their students and the organizations that preserve their shared history.

Event sponsors included Reid Ag & Seed, AgSun LLC, CHS, Brewster Electric, Brewster Grocery, Brian and Sherri Eicher, the City of Brewster, Compro Aviation, Farmers Bank & Trust, Frontier Ag Inc., Hoover Lumber, Leroy’s Printing, Brewster Lions Club, Nutrien Ag, Pathway Ag, Quenzer Feed, Rex and Joan Jamison, S&T, Mike and Dawn Schultz, Scoular, Sunflower Accounting & Tax, TJ’s Tire, Triple R Insurance, WWC Inc., Bill Thummel, Robert Schroeder and Tractor Supply.