By Brenda Starkey
Chronicle correspondent

     While some Curlew folks clocked a barrel dumped into the Kettle River June 3, others celebrated Barrel Derby Day with a community party, funs runs, 3-on-3 basketball, a parade and a barbecue dinner.
     The barrel dropped into the Kettle River at noon at Midway, B.C., and arrived in Curlew at 4:45:25 p.m.
     Guesses on when the barrel would arrive were for sale, with Craig Beener winning the $200 first prize. His guess was one second off.
     Jennifer McDonnell’s guess was 15 seconds off and she won $100.
     Lee and Judy Thornton tied with Kathy Harcourt for third place, being 20 seconds off.
     Other winners were Hall Wilson, fifth; Debbie Turner, sixth; Bob Tonasket, seventh, and Harold Mallgren, whose multiple guesses finished eighth and ninth.
     Some guessers walked up onto the newly refurbished Curlew bridge to analyze the currents before making their guesses.
     Curlew resident Andy Olson said it was an unusual year since the river never got really high and fast, so it was hard to guess. She guessed sometime around 4:30 p.m.
     Another man on the bridge took a less analytical approach, saying he’d considered the river and other theories, then picked his daughter’s birth hour of 6:30 p.m.
     In the 3-on-3 basketball hoop jam, The Hoopers took the 19-and-older bracket against The Ballers, The Players and the GoGettas, all playing out of Job Corps, Curlew.
     In high school play, the IPUs from Curlew defeated the Purple Headed Helmet Warriors from Republic and the Bad Kitties from Curlew.
     The Benchwarmers, Curlew, won the junior high bracket. The competition included the No-Names, Curlew, and Globo Gym Purple Cobras from Republic.
     Only one team played in the elementary school division. The Bad News Bears from Curlew played against junior high school teams.
     The tournament was sponsored by the Curlew Store, Riverside Cafe, The Tamarack and Eich’s Mercantile. All proceeds will go to the Curlew Civic Club general fund, according to Dan Quinnell, Curlew Youth Ministries pastor and event organizer.
     In the three-mile fun run, Ed Forsman, running in the 40-49 age group, was the fastest male entrant and fished in 17:22. Noel Meyer, in the 14-17 division, was the fastest female, finishing in 22:24.
     In the six-mile run, the fastest runners were both in the 14-17 age group. Kayla Engebretson was the fastest female, finishing in 51:52, and Joshua Randall finished first among the male racers with a 43:20 time.
     The oldest male runner was Dick Graham, who finished the three-mile run in the 50 and over division in 60:10. The oldest female finisher was Linda McDaniel.
     The youngest female entrant was Alexia DeMarco West. She and Nicole West, competing in the 14-17 age group and Demetreus DeMarco in the 18-29 division all finished the three-mile run in 45:33.
     The youngest male participant was Oliver Graham. He finished the three-mile course in 79:26 along with his parents, Steve Graham and Toni Lembcke, who ran in the 30-39 age division.
     Other top times in the shorter fun run included:
     0-5 years - Tia Campbell, 50:58.
     6-9 years - Taylor Cribby, 26:30. Kyle Engebretson, 33:47. Mayson Torzewski, 39:32. Joree Scriver, 45:33.
     10-13 years - Forrest Randall, 24:44. Aran Z. Burke, 25:51. Duncan Forsman, 25:47. Aaron McCullough, 33:47. McKenzie Campbell, 34:34. Summer Stanton, 37:25. Randy Torzerski, 42:53. Sydney Swanson, 45:32.
     14-17 years - Matt Slagle, 21:29. Noel Meyer, 22:24. Jasmine Nelson, 43:15. Nicole West, 45:33.
     18-29 years - Demetreus DeMarco, 45:33. Holly Campbell, 51:111.
     30-39 years - Mike Campbell, 50:58. Sandy Lembcke Dotts, 51:24. Toni Lembcke, 79:26. Steve Graham, 79:26.
     40-49 years - Ed Forsman, 17:22. Patty Slagle, 27:27.
     50 and over - Mike Dunn, 25:01. Joyce Dunn, 25:52. Kevin Burke, 26:38. Donna Lembcke, 36:45. Demi Sims, 42:39. Carol Charleson, 45:40. Richard Graham, 60:10.
     For the 6-mile fun run:
     14-17 years - Joshua Randall, 43:20. Kayla Engebretson, 51:52.
     30-39 years - Jay D. Engebretson, 49:15. Simon Harbick, 72:07.
     50 and over - Jamie Sutherlin, 55:10. Paula Sutherlin, 82:09. Donna Bishop, 82:11.