Submitted Photo Concertgoers enjoy a summer performance at Rugby’s Music in the Park.

The Rugby Lions have been busy preparing for a supper with chicken and all the trimmings at the Rugby Eagles Club on April 9 at 5:30 p.m.

The supper celebrated 25 years of Music in the Park, a popular local program sponsored by the Lions.

Music in the Park began with an idea from the Pierce County Tribune’s late publisher, Mark Carlson. Lion member Kathy Kirchofner took charge of the program, enlisting the help of area businesses, other Lions, and musicians from all over.

The Rugby Park Board also took on the project, working with the Lions to accommodate the concerts, held for decades in Rugby’s Ellery Park.

Kirchofner and fellow club member Lila Harstad promote the program every year.

Harstad gave high praise to the City of Rugby’s Park Board, whose work she said has made the concerts possible and helped Music in the Park grow over the years.

Park Board Chair Tonia Dosch said the city government board funded and oversaw the construction of a new pavilion for performances in 2019. The board also placed benches near the pavilion for people to sit and enjoy the music and other entertainment.

“As Ellery Park is a park board-owned property, we have the funding to do those improvements and hire them out to be completed,” she said.

Dosch said she liked Music in the Park, “but I don’t usually go. I prefer golf. I make golf a priority when it’s nice out.”

However, Dosch said she enjoyed hearing positive comments about the program.

“It’s very well-received in the community,” she said of Music in the Park. “I’ve heard that communities from Bottineau and Dunseith and the Towner area have brought buses and vehicles (for people to attend in groups). It’s a place for people to gather and something for them to look forward to in the summer.

“The park board’s been a supporter with the Lions since 25 years ago,” she added. “The park board’s been a major contributor of help to even get the funding to bring the musical acts into town.

“Music in the Park is spearheaded by the Lions,” Dosch added. “We’re just a major contributor of funding for it to see that it does carry through the summer.

“The Lions get it done,” she said of the work behind Music in the Park. “We give the money to get it done. We’ve done the improvements to the area for that pavilion and the benches to make it a better experience. That’s our hope with that.”

Some benches bear plaques with the names of individuals and businesses who paid for the benches’ maintenance in a sponsorship program offered by the Lions and the park board.

“A good portion of the cost of the benches were covered by those sponsorships or those donations,” Dosch noted. “There was a collaboration for those benches.”

“Kudos go out to the Lions for making this happen each year. It’s something a lot of our community members look forward to,” she added. “It’s fun to show off our park and it’s good for them to put on a good event for the summer.”