Rick & Diane Unrein to be honored at Fall Festival

In the game room of their Fleming home, Rick and Diane Unrein have a sign with the following quote, "One person can make a difference and everyone should try," by John F. Kennedy. Next to that sign along the east end of the room are at least a dozen awards, certificates and plaques the two have been awarded over the years in their efforts to serve their community and the communities they've worked in. The Unreins are the 2022 Fleming Fall Festival Grand Marshals and will be honored this Saturday, Sept. 10.

Rick and Diane met through mutual friends in 1976 and in true Fleming Wildcat spirit, had their first date at a Fleming alumni meeting that June. Though Rick was over an hour late to pick up his date due to a flat tire on his 1969 Road Runner, he still managed to win Diane's heart because less than a year later, the two were married at the Catholic church in Julesburg on April 16, 1977.

Diane, a Sedgwick County native, was born in Sterling and grew up between Ovid and Sedgwick. After graduation, she stayed close to home and worked at the soil conservation district and with her dad who served as the custodian at the local school.

Rick was born and raised in Fleming and grew up on his family's farm southwest of Fleming. Right after high school, he went to Northeastern Junior College but later landed his dream job at KTVS in Sterling. While at the local Channel 3 Sterling station, he worked on the broadcasting crew and did a number of other things like switching and editing film. His favorite part of the job, he said, was covering the local sports teams. Rick remembers covering the Haxtun Bulldog State Championship game in 1975. He said the Bulldogs' quarterback broke his leg and it was so cold the camera froze. He also featured a piece when Haxtun graduate John Starkebaum signed with the Saints.

After KTVS, Rick moved onto Channel 7 in Denver at the young age of just 21. While there, he realized his time working at the station before actually getting on the air would be lengthy and at that point he'd already fallen in love with Diane, so he packed up and moved home to work construction.

Rick worked for others in the construction business before going into business with locals Marvin Einspahr and Leo Brekel; a job he held until he went to work at the local coop due to rising interest rates that made building houses difficult. "Everything changed then," Rick said.

The two made their home in Fleming and in 1979 welcomed their first child, daughter Nicole, and son Clayton came along in 1982. Diane stayed home with Nicole and did at-home daycare until 1980 when she went to work at the First National Bank of Fleming. At first Diane said the job was just temporary as she filled in for Patty Vandenbark who was out on maternity leave but after Patty came back, the bank decided to offer her a full-time position. Diane started as a teller and when she retired, 38 years later, she was a cashier and compliance officer.

While raising children and working at the local bank, Diane served her community in a number of ways, including the Fleming Booster Club. She was also a member of their church's parish council and alter and rosary society, the school's accountability committee and the New Horizon's Club. Many of her years of service included time in officer positions in the organizations she served.

In 1983 Rick went to work at the Farmer's Cooperative Elevator in Fleming and served as the assistant manager to Dewane Kirkwood. Just two years later, after also working in the feed mill, Rick was named General Manager. In 1997, the local coop merged with Haxtun to form Grainland Cooperative and Rick took over as General Manager, landing himself an office in Haxtun. Ten years later the organization saw change again as the Haxtun and Fleming organization merged with Holyoke and Amherst. At that time, Harlan Stern led the charge and when he retired, Rick took over as President and Chief Executive Officer. Change came yet again in 2010 when the organization merged with CHS and Rick was named General Manager.

After 35 years of service, Rick retired and a year later, Diane did, too. Now, the couple continue to give back to their community serving in lead roles on the Fleming Historical Society.

While living in Fleming and working in Haxtun, Rick wore a number of hats between the two communities. He was a 20-year member on the Fleming Fire Department, served on the Fleming Town Council including one term as mayor, was on the Fleming School Board and the Haxtun Chamber of Commerce. And of course, Rick and Diane have given their time to the Fleming Fall Festival committee; the same committee who this year decided to honor the local couple at this year's annual event.

While at the local cooperative, Rick served his organization on a number of state and national boards including the Colorado Grain and Feed Association and the Board of Rocky Mountain Flour Milling. In 2011, Rick received the Cooperator of the Year award from the Board of Cooperative Managers of Colorado. In his home office, decorated in everything Denver Broncos, Rick has numerous awards and achievements he's received throughout his almost four decades of service to the local coops including the 2016 Collaborative of Excellence Award from CHS.

Now a days, the Unreins are enjoying retirement. The couple travel together, serve on the historical society and spend time with their two grown children. Nicole and her husband Chad live in Littleton where she works at Pacific Life as a Registered Investment Advisor's Channel Marketing Manager. Clayton and wife Courtney live in Sterling with their son, Isaac, who is 10. Clayton and Courtney are expecting a daughter next month. Clayton owns and operates Broadway Wine and Spirits in Sterling.

In addition to traveling and camping, Rick also serves on the pit crew for Schaefer Racing and spends free time in his wood shop at home. And at every Fleming home football game, fans hear Rick's voice over the loudspeaker as he's been the voice of the Wildcats for the past 40 years.

The Unreins have a hard time picking a favorite Fleming Fall Festival event, but Rick says it might just be the kid games. Others the two point out that they enjoy are the alumni gathering and of course, the parade.

This year's Fall Festival is set for Saturday, Sept. 10 in downtown Fleming. Exhibit drop off of floriculture, gardening, photography and homemade, cooking and craft goods is Friday, Sept. 9 from 4:30-7 p.m. at Fleming Schools. Saturday's action kicks off at 8 a.m. with the FFA breakfast along with a Fun Run beginning at North Park. The parade will head south on main street at 10 a.m. followed by the kids' tractor pull, kid games, Firemen's lunch and dunk tank. The Fleming Heritage Museum will be open from 1-3 p.m. and a free movie will be shown at the fire hall at 7 p.m.

"We just love our community," Rick said. "And I've tried to be a part of every community I've worked it. It's important."