Editing Wausa, Nebraska (section)

==Community culture==

===Annual events===

====Pork Chop Barbecue====
The annual Pork Chop Barbecue, a fundraising event for the Wausa Community Club, is held on a Saturday night in late July or early August. Weather permitting, this event is usually held in the spacious Gladstone Park. Originally started in 1984 as a fundraiser for the town's 1990 Centennial, it is now used to raise funds for worthwhile projects within the community. The "all you can eat" menu for the evening consists of grilled pork chops, baked potatoes, coleslaw, lemonade, pop, coffee and beer. A band plays for your listening and dancing enjoyment with intermissions filled with the auctioning of donated items. Auction items often include hand-crafted items, Husker football tickets, guided tours on Lewis and Clark Lake, labor and agricultural products, to name a few

====Labor Day Weekend Celebration====
A tradition at Wausa has been a [[Labor Day]] Weekend Celebration. The activities and duration of the celebration (1–3 days) vary each year. In recent years the celebration has been a one-day (Sunday) affair packed with events for all ages. Activities include a beef barbecue, car show, community worship service, kiddie carnival, food court, ice cream social, petting zoo, model airplane show, [[skydiving]] exhibition, horseshoe pitching contest, sand volleyball tournament and a 3-on-3 basketball tournament. The evening finale typically is a local talent contest, a play production, a magic show or a musical performance.

====Swedish Smorgasbord====
The Wausa Community Swedish [[Smörgåsbord]] is held the fourth Saturday of each October. For over 50 years the annual event has been a community project complete with colorful Swedish costumes and decorations. The Smörgåsbord serves a variety of tasty foods including potato sausage, meatballs, ham, herring, cold meats, salads, rye bread, sweet breads, brown beans, deviled eggs, fruit soup, [[ostkaka]], rice [[pudding]] and [[lingonberries]]. Several recipes used have been passed down from generation to generation and are still favorites today.

===Churches===
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====Evangelical Covenant Church====
The first pastor of Evangelical Covenant Church was Rev. C. F. Larson. The founder of this church was The Swedish Christian congregation of Wausa. This church was rebuilt and started in 1893. The Swedish language was used in Sunday school until 1918 and then dropped. The Young People's Society was started in the early 1900s and now they are now called High League. The first church choir was started in the early 1900s.

====Golgotha Lutheran Church====
Golgotha Lutheran Church (LCMS) was started in 1896. The founder of Golgotha was Theodore Moellering. The first pastor got ill, so he was there for only a few months. Church services were spoken in German until 1941. The first church services were held in country schools near the present site of the church. In the year of 1898, the church bought {{convert|5|acre|m2}} of land. In 1914, the first church was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.

====Thabor Lutheran Church====
The first pastor of Thabor Lutheran Church was Rev. C. G. Olson. The founder of Thabor was Pastor S. Thorell. This church was started in 1892 and was rebuilt with a bell that was the only one in town. The Sunday school was built in 1950 with the Luther League installed right after. They had the Swedish language in the church until 1934, when it was dropped in favor of the English language. The Moller Pipe Organ was installed in 1952 and still played every Sunday. The first worship service was held in 1904 in the new church. In 1962 a Swedish tradition was added called "Santa Lucia".

====United Methodist Church====
The first Methodist pastor was Rev. Gearhart. The founder was Rev. Carter. This church was started in 1892. The preacher was paid with butter, eggs, pork, and grain.  The United Methodist Women's group started the Smorgasbord in 1948. Osmond and Magnet were in charge of the Methodist Church. The bell was removed in 1986.