Eagle roosts at home for first annual Patriot Day Challenge

ByMatthew Crane Reading Time: 5 minutes
Ruger Kerstiens handed the Patriot Trophy to team member Anthony Emerson after the Premier Property team was named the winner of the first annual Patriot Challenge. The trophy reads “Honor through action. Strength through community.”

Premier Property Management was able to keep the Eagle roosting at Kerstiens Company headquarters downtown in the first annual Patriot Day Challenge.

Organized by Glenn Buechlein, the first annual event was designed to bring the community together while honoring those who serve. Timed to a week when the nation marks Patriot Day and remembers September 11th, the event opened with a tribute to service and sacrifice, honoring firefighters, law enforcement, EMS personnel, healthcare workers, military members, and other first responders who protect the community every day.

“We wish to extend a sincere thank you to all our participants, volunteers, judges, scorekeepers, and everyone who contributed to making this event possible,” said Assistant Jasper Volunteer Fire Chief Wayne Murry. “Events like this don’t happen by accident. They happen because people are willing to invest their time, energy, and passion to bring things together. And while this may be the first Patriot challenge, it certainly won’t be the last.”

Jerome and Doris Kerstiens fired up the siren and bell on the General with their great-granddaughter Mabel on board to start the games.

This year, ten teams squared off in a push-up contest, stair climbs, kettlebell farmer carries, sled pushes, bucket brigades, tug-of-war, and a fire truck pull.

According to Buechlein, the tug-of-war round settled the top spot, with the winning team scoring four points for each of the four hard-fought wins.

Still, organizers said the day was measured by more than the scoreboard. Effort, teamwork, and the memories teams built together mattered as much as who finished first, they said.

“Everybody really got into it and was having a great time,” said Ruger Kerstiens, president of Premier Properties.

The event doubled as a fundraiser for the Jasper Volunteer Fire Department, with proceeds and donations collected throughout the day and totaled afterward. According to Buechlein, with the event’s proceeds and several donations ahead of the event, they were able to collect about $3,000 for the Jasper Volunteer Fire Department.

Glenn Buechlein explains the bucket brigade challenge to the first teams.
Avari Burger, with the SVBT team, completed her leg of the farmer’s carry with two 35-pound kettlebells.
Dan Uebelhor, Haley Kinder and Carrie Storm finished the bucket brigade challenge by passing the bucket back between their legs, attempting to keep as much water in as possible.
Members of the Jasper Police Department team helped Detective Josh Greener carry the bucket of water on the balance beam.
Alex Zehr and volunteers served up free cheeseburgers and hot dogs at the event.
Katherine Paulin served as the weight on the sled challenge for the Salience Neurorehab team as Chelsey Strange prepared to push her.
Carter Harris races up the stairs for the Huntingburg Machine Works team.
Dave Uebelhor completed the balancing beam portion of the bucket brigade without any help from his team.
Ruger Kerstiens runs with a pair of 75-pound kettlebells for his leg of the farmer carry competition.
Tug-of-war
The two German American Bank teams faced off in the tug-of-war. The Premier Property team ultimately defeated the winners of this showdown.
The Deaconess Memorial team.
The kids tumbled during a tug-of-war challenge after the adults were done.
Jasper on-duty officers watch as the fire truck pull is completed by one of the SVB&T teams.
Salience Neurorehab team takes a turn pulling the fire truck.
SVB&T President Craig Buse leads one of the company’s two teams in the fire truck pull.
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