Volunteers help prepare for rodeo competition after storm damage causes small setbacks

The pressures on to have everything prepared for the opening day of the National High School Rodeo Competition tomorrow and local volunteers showed up to lend a helping hand.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The pressures on to have everything prepared for the opening day of the National High School Rodeo Competition tomorrow and local volunteers showed up to lend a helping hand.

Workers and volunteers are preparing for the National High School Finals Rodeo, working overtime after storms damaged tents and knocked down some of the stalls at the Lancaster Event Center.

A local electrician came at 8 am to help safely lay cables after he saw what happened and heard the call for help on the radio.

“They were asking for volunteers to still come and help them out before the first day of opening,” said Kevin Schuessler, Schessler Electric. “So I thought this would be a good day to network and get to know other people in the area and just help them out.”

Some volunteers from county organizations and county corrections lent a helping hand.

“Volunteers are coming from all over,” said Derek Feyerherm, volunteer. “You know, some of them have a tie, one way or another to the Lancaster Event Center. Some are just passionate about rodeo and others are just, you know, those who have a good heart and heard that there was a need and a call to action and have come out.”

A long-term volunteer says she was already helping but her organization provided a paid workday for the team to come and help.
“We cleaned out the horse stalls today, cleaning down the sides and stuff so there nice and good smelling nice and clean and looking good,” said Laure Husmann, Home Builders Association of Lincoln.

“Met a couple of nice ladies that worked really hard. They were just dirty and sweaty as we were when we were done.”

Vendors are setting up today as well, some waiting to see what Wednesday night’s storm will do before setting up.
Husmann says more volunteers are still needed.

“I think it’s important to always volunteer and give back, you have a skill set I think you need to use it,” said Hausmann.

Volunteers are racing against the clock as about 200o stalls are needed for the competitors.
The competition gets underway on Thursday and lasts through next Sunday.