Chinook VFW's July 4 Races hit seven-decade mark

The 2016 edition of Chinook's VFW 4th of July Races was staged on a near perfect summer morning on the grassy playground of Meadowlark Elementary. Emcee and 'head gamesman' Perry Miller welcomed the parents, participants, onlookers and curious who came to see this uniquely Chinook phenomenon.

In his introduction Miller said the July 4 Races got started in 1946 by a group of veterans returning from World War II-making this the 70th anniversary of the races. The current commander of the Chinook VFW post, Ray Reid, was introduced as the "only World War II veteran at the games today." That was lik...