Pete Sitch Basketball Tournament canceled for second year, Fireman's Ball to be rescheduled

The coronavirus pandemic continues to take a toll on long-standing community events.

The Pete Sitch Memorial Basketball Tournament, which usually takes place in Lincoln in mid-March, has been canceled for the second year in a row due to COVID-19.

“We spoke with the Health Department and a few people at the school. It was just not going to be able to happen, unfortunately,” said Dave Sitch, one of the tournament organizers.

The tournament, which began in 1988 in honor of Pete Sitch, who was killed in a logging accident in 1984, raises funds for a scholarship awarded annually to a graduating Lincoln student.

“The scholarship will keep going. We’ll be back next year, without a doubt. We’ve been doing it for so long. A bunch of us are still coming up that weekend just to hang out and see some old friends. We’ll get through it,” said Sitch.

The Lincoln Volunteer Fire Department’s annual Fireman’s Ball is usually held the same weekend as the Pete Sitch Tournament. This year, the Fireman’s Ball is being postponed, said Lincoln Fire Chief Zach Muse.

“We’re going to hold off, shoot for maybe trying to do the beginning of June,” said Muse. “We want to have the ball, for people to come and enjoy themselves.”

This will be the second year the event has been postponed due to COVID-19. In 2020, the Fire Department opted to hold the annual auction online in May, after pandemic conditions had not not improved.

The gun raffle that accompanies the Fireman’s Ball will still be held in late March, said Muse.