Cribelli honored to serve as Wauneta Harvest Fest’s parade grand marshal

Life can be a funny thing. Like how a chance meeting in 1958 led to Tony Cribelli being named Grand Marshal at this year’s Harvest Fest “Back Where I Come From” parade in Wauneta Saturday.
Cribelli was the first person Jan O’Neil, a Wauneta native, met at the Colorado State College of Education in the fall of 1958.
The pair earned their degrees — Tony in music and Jan in math — and were married in 1962.
Teaching jobs took the couple to Wyoming, Nebraska and back to Colorado.
But after growing up 35 miles west of Cheyenne, Wyoming, ranching was always in the back of Cribelli’s mind.
Jan’s father, Bernard, liked to farm, Cribelli said, and was looking for someone to look after his cattle.
The Cribellis made the move to Wauneta in 1973 and three years later were owners of the herd.
The couple worked side by side for years. After their son, Adam, and daughter, Laurie, reached junior high age, Jan returned to teaching.
A firm believer that everyone should do some sort of civic service, Cribelli served on the Chase County Extension Board and Wauneta School Board, as well as being active in Wauneta’s St. John’s Catholic Church and Chase County 4-H.
After moving into Wauneta, he also served on the Wauneta Village Board.
Cribelli joined forces with Eddie Nichols and Brian Harchelroad to bring Wauneta’s Medical Clinic to town and has worked to keep it up to date.
This will be Cribelli’s last year in charge of the Harvest Fest Yucca Run, but his grandson, Jacob Maris, will be taking over for him.
He said he was surprised to be named grand marshal of Saturday’s parade.
“Other people have done good things” for Wauneta, he said, before complimenting the business men and women in town.
Village Clerk Evelyn Skelton said Cribelli is Wauneta’s greatest cheerleader.
Chamber member Ashley Einspahr echoed that sentiment.
“He is Wauneta’s biggest champion,” Einspahr.
    The Wauneta Chamber wanted to honor Cribelli’s many years of service to not only the Chamber, but also to the Village of Wauneta, Einspahr said.  
    “We are forever grateful he ran the Yucca Run for many years during Harvest Festival and will miss his help, as this will be his last year running the annual event. Tony’s many years of service on the Wauneta Village Board are also much appreciated. We are all so thankful for his service to our community,” Einspahr added.
“I’ve always been a promoter of Wauneta. It’s a great little town, I’m proud to serve as Grand Marshal,” Cribelli said.
“Thank you to the Wauneta Chamber for this wonderful honor. It means a great deal,” he added.
After the Yucca Run Saturday morning, he will be joined on the parade route by his wife, their four grandsons and their families.
Saturday’s parade will begin at 10 a.m.
Changes to schedule
Wauneta-Palisade’s FFA chapter will not be holding its Duck Race this year and there will not be games in the park Friday evening.
Additions to Friday’s schedule include walking tacos in the park by the Wauneta-Palisade volleyball team from 5 to 7 p.m. and the move to make night swim at the pool from 7 to 10 p.m. for $1.
An EMS open house has been added for Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.