The Patriot Community Voice
“News from Patriot/ Posey Township and Beyond”
July 3 , 2025 Edition
By: Mike Jones
The Meaning of Independence Day
This coming weekend is one of the most celebrated weekends in our nation. Communities will have parades, picnics, fireworks and other celebrations, and families will gather to have cookouts and other fun activities. There will be fireworks every night somewhere, much to the chagrin of pets. In the midst of all of the celebrating we should all remember the meaning of this holiday. Independence Day, commonly known as the 4th of July commemorates the ratification of the Declaration of Independence by the Second Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, establishing the United States of America. The actual document was penned by Thomas Jefferson, who was a member of the Committee of Five that were charged with drafting the declaration. The Committee of Five included Jefferson, John Adams, Robert Livingston, Ben Franklin and Roger Sherman. Jefferson retreated to a Philadelphia boarding house where he worked on the draft which was submitted to the Continental Congress on June 28, 1776. The declaration was formally ratified on July 4, 1776. The Revolutionary War would follow against Great Britain ending in 1783. Celebrations were held every year, with the 4th of July becoming a paid federal holiday in 1938. We should all challenge ourselves to take time to remember the true meaning of the holiday as we enjoy all of the celebrations. It is the birthday of the United States of America!
Patriot to Celebrate 4th of July on Saturday, July 5, 2025
The Town of Patriot will celebrate Independence Day on Saturday, July 5, 2025. It will be a fun filled day with lots of activities including:
- Parade at 3:00 p.m.
- Food Trucks
- Crafts
- Games for children
- Live Music
- Ceremony at the Flag Park following the Parade
- Dedication of 156 Bridge east of town, will be named the Corporal Barry Brinegar Memorial Bridge
- Unveiling of new mural on the west side of the Masonic Building
We will be looking for you in Patriot, Indiana on Saturday, July 5!
The Pohlkotte Family From Patriot
I was pleasantly surprised to get a call over the weekend from Paul Lucas of Twinsburg, Ohio, which is near Cleveland. Paul’s mother was Carolyn Pohlkotte Lucas, and she lived in Patriot when she was a young girl, actually in the house where Marlene and I live on Columbia Street. Carolyn graduated from Patriot High School in 1948. Paul talked about how he used to spend a month every Summer in Patriot, and how much he loved our little town. He told me some things about his grandfather, Melvin Charles Pohlkotte. The Pholkotte’s had purchased the home in Patriot, intending to make it their home when they retired. Mrs. Pohlkotte was related to the Sheldons and Snyders in the Patriot community. She and her children lived in the house on Columbia Street, and Mr. Pohlkotte traveled back and forth from Indianapolis, where he worked. Mr. Pohlkotte was a graduate of Tri-State University (now Trine) in Angola, Indiana, with a degree in civil engineering. He later received a degree in mechanical engineering. I learned that Mr. Pohlkotte went to Nevada when they were building the Hoover Dam, and helped design the new city, Boulder, Nevada, that was built to house and serve the workers on the dam, and their families. It’s fascinating to think that two people with Patriot connections, Elwood Mead and Charles Pohlkotte had such a large part in those two projects in Nevada and Arizona. Marlene and I visited Boulder in 2023, and it is a beautiful small city. Paul said that his grandfather also worked in Vermont with the granite quarries, as well as several projects in the Evansville area. Mrs. Mildred Pohlkotte taught at Patriot High School, and was the local Girl Scout leader. Mildred was a graduate of Purdue University. Mildred and Charles are buried in the Eastview Cemetery in Patriot. I really enjoyed my conversation with Paul Lucas.
Sport Shorts
The Reds honored the 1975-1976 World Series Championship team on the 50th anniversary of their stellar season. There were several members of the team in attendance including, Tony Perez, Johnny Bench, George Foster, Ken Griffey, Sr., Jack Billingham and Cesar Geronimo. Davey Concepcion has been battling an illness and was not able to attend. He appeared via a video. They were a great team for sure, there will probably never be a team quite like them again. Players on that team who have passed away include Joe Morgan, Pete Rose, Pedro Borbon and Pat Zachry. Zachry, a pitcher, was the Rookie of the Year in 1976. Reds manager, Sparky Anderson also passed away a few years ago.
This week is the annual Madison Regatta festival and boat races.
Bryce Turner, of Searcy Ridge is continuing his summer baseball season with the Sylvan Lake Gulls. He is currently batting .277 with 2 Home Runs and 11 Runs Batted In. He has 18 hits in 20 games. His On Base Pct. is .476 with 18 hits and 15 Base on Balls. Bryce finished his career at Southwest Tennessee State and will play at the University of the Cumberlands in 2025-2026.
More News
Switzerland County 4-H Fair and Madison Regatta
Alisha Detmer of Patriot participated in the Miss Regatta Pageant in Madison. She played Phyliss Diller in her skit. She represented our community well!
Amber Detmer has had a very successful week at the County 4-H Fair. She and her horse, Good Times Prince, won overall Grand Champion in Halter competitions. She and her dog, Bella, received Reserve Champion in the Obedience competitions.
Leah Jones celebrated her 91st Birthday on June 30. A get together was held at her house on Sunday, June 29, 2025. Her grandson, Mason Jones, made lasagna and also baked her a cake. Mason is a very good chef!
My mother’s cousins, Fay Boone and Kay Stawick came down from Indianapolis recently to help celebrate my mother’s 91st birthday. They always bring lunch and a cake for her. Everyone had a great time visiting and reminiscing. Kay and Fay’s grandmother, Hazel Cook Trinkle was my grandfather, Marshall Cook’s sister. My grandfather and his siblings all were born and grew up on Bodey Hill.
Jill Hutcherson and her daughter, Kim Hutcherson Jannsen and Courtney Jannsen recently returned from a trip to Scotland.
Leah Jones enjoyed a phone conversation with her friend and classmate Kathryn Koons Turner. They graduated from Patriot High School in 1952. They have one other classmate living besides them.
Congratulations to Wayne Daugherty and Lynne Cole Davis on their marriage on June 21, 2025 at the Milan Baptist Church.
I heard recently that Temple Baptist Church, recently called the New Beginnings Church, closed a few weeks ago. The Temple Baptist Church was founded in the early 1970’s by Brother Clarence Doyle of the Green Chapel Baptist Church located near Elrod, Indiana. The building where they located the church was the home of Hubert and Pearl Thomas. Roger Wagner was the Pastor there for several years, and at one time they had a congregation of close to 100 people including a small Christian School. They had several revivals with evangelists like Don Noble and the Noble Family, the King’s Travelers, Dr. Leon Maurer and Wilbur Hurt. The church will be missed in the community for sure.
News From the Pews
Patriot Baptist Church
The Patriot Baptist Church will hold a three day Bible School on July 15,16 and 17, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. each evening. The theme will be “True North”. There will be crafts, music, a Bible lesson and games each day, and of course, snacks and refreshments! On Thursday there will be a special visit from PHI Medical in Madison with a helicopter air care landing at the boat dock east of town. It will be an exciting visit for sure! Bible School is for children in elementary through middle school.
The Patriot Baptist Church will host the Long Run Association Men’s Brotherhood Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, August 2, 2025 at 8:00 a.m.
That is all for this week. Until next week, in the words of the Glen Campbell song, remember to “try a little kindness, and shine your light for everyone you meet.”