August-September 2025 • Nebraskaland 39
Children and parents fi shing at Ponca State Park's pond. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
Merrie and Leon Hansen earned their nicknames "Cold Feet" and
"Hot Tin," respectively, while backpacking the Appalachian Trail, where
it's customary for hikers to call each other by fun monikers — Merrie
was always cold, and Leon was always cooking.
Their outdoor cooking demonstrations at the expo are extremely
popular. They've cooked a variety of dishes, including roasted turkey
in a cardboard box, Dutch-oven pizza, bison stew, cakes, pies,
biscuits, eggs in orange peel cups and more. In addition to their
demonstrations, the couple also arrives days prior to lend a hand with
setting up the tents and putting up banners and signage. They've also
helped build some of the new structures on the riverfront.
Merrie and Leon grew up and met in southeastern Nebraska, and
subsequently, the U.S. Air Force took their family to Texas, Alaska,
Missouri, Kansas, Montana and Colorado. All that traveling came
with many outdoor adventures with their two boys, who are now
grown. Leon is a lifelong outdoorsman, having been a Boy Scout as
a child and serving as scoutmaster for 28 years. The Hansens have
backpacked and kayaked all over the country.
"Being outdoors is just part of who we are. And since we have to
eat, I think that's how the cooking ends up being a part of it," Leon
explained. Despite their nomadic lifestyle, the couple finds the time to
return to the Ponca Expo regularly.
"The park people and the local Ponca people — they've always been
good to us. So that's a good reason to go back — just to see people,"
Merrie said.b
Volunteers Merrie and Leon Hansen
Volunteer Jase Gerdes helping board
member Diana Kincaid pick a
monarch butterfl y for tagging and
release. JENNY NGUYEN-WHEATLEY, NEBRASKALAND
