View From The Bridge 8/5/09

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
by Muncie Morger
8/5/09

NAME THE BOAT CONTEST
Come on you bright people out there. This was supposed to be a fun project. I have received three entries and two were from out of town. I want to hear from my Writers Group, Friends of the Library, Chamber of Commerce members, C.I.A. members, teachers and staff at the Fort Benton High School and Fort Benton Elementary School because at this time you may not be as busy as when meetings and work start not too long from now. I would like Veterans groups, the Hospital and Clinic employees, and all other readers of the River Press to put on their thinking caps and come up with some great names. Again, call my cell phone (after 9:00 a.m.) at 406-899-1380.

I also would like six volunteer judges. (If you are a judge, you will not have to do an entry.) I expect those positions will be easy to fill. Call above number. I would like to have this completed in the next two weeks as the summer is quickly getting away from us. “Funny how time slips away.”

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS BOOK FESTIVAL
I just returned this afternoon (Sunday) from White Sulphur after two great days at their annual book festival (my 3rd year.) This years’ theme was...MYSTERIES. There are a few book festivals around the state but this one is smaller and you do not have to choose which authors you want to listen to. It is so interesting to listen to the stories the authors have to tell about how they write. One author writes 5,000 words a day and finishes a book in 5 days (unbelievable and he does not use a computer but a Royal typewriter.) Another took 2 years to write his book. All the authors did mini workshops on how they wrote their novels, where they got their ideas, and how successful they were or were not. All present Sunday morning, put their thoughts together and came up with a mystery story line. It was about a grain elevator murder (or was it an accident?) We hope that someone that attended will write a book with all of our ideas.

It is such a beautiful ride to White Sulphur by way of Highwood, Belt, Monarch, Neihart, and King’s Hill. I could see the ski trails very clearly. We have connections with White Sulphur Springs and the Performing Arts programs. Some of the groups that entertain in Fort Benton either will have been in White Sulphur or are going there. They are smaller than our town with a population of about 1,000 people. Many of the attendees have been to Fort Benton and love it. It is always so good to hear that.

READY TO RETIRE
In last weeks USA Magazine, that comes with the Sunday Tribune, there was an article that named the five best places to retire in the United States. The #1 town was Helena, MT and in 5th place was Butte-Silver Bow. The magazine considered recreation areas and cost of homes. That should bring a few more people to Montana like it or not.

SMILE DAY SEPT. 1
Lillian, what a great idea. I wish I had thought of it. I like to read your article because you tell it like it is. I am a little squeamish about some sensitive subjects but I have been told that a journalist (I guess that is what we are) has license to say whatever they like (freedom of speech.) We may be right or we may be wrong and the reader can make up his or her own mind.

PARKING AT VISITORS CENTER
We appreciate that the employees of the businesses across the street from the Visitors Information Center are leaving parking places close to the Center open for Visitor parking. It has been a tremendous help in the last few weeks and we need all the help we can get. The True Value Hardware is especially helpful by keeping our key for us and often helping to put up the flags or taking them down. We older volunteers cannot lift the flags and I was helped several times when a storm came up and the flags had to come in before the rains came.

The new Fort Benton brochures are in and they are very attractive. I mentioned a few weeks ago that the “Events Calendar” would be in soon although according to other years, they should have arrived in April. There will be no Events Calendars this year. I was informed that Events Calendars are in each of the "Tourism Country" books. The problem with that is that is only shows the events in each Country so I hope that each of you pick up a copy of Russell Country. The calendar is in the middle of the book. If you travel around the state frequently, then you would have pick up the books (6) from each country. I think that is inconvenient but then I am not the president and no one asked my advice.

SUMMER FLEETING
Harvest is well on its way. Can you believe that school will be starting at the end of this month? Next week I will try to have the first football game date. The Chouteau County Fair is a week from Friday. All meetings of organizations start next month and Pie Day at the Golden Age will be on again. City Council meetings are the only ones that do not have a hiatus. I believe it is very important to attend Council meetings especially since there will be a change of the mayoral office this fall.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR
I was told, when I wrote about a Community Calendar on the Chamber website, a comment was made “Good luck!” It has been tried before unsuccessfully. There is a calendar on the Fort Benton website and a calendar in the River Press but the calendar that Ruth Carlstrom and I wanted was a social and entertainment one. We hoped that it would help with avoiding two events on the same day or evening. I will try a different path in the next couple of weeks to reach all presidents of organizations and owners of businesses. The project may work a bit better with personal contact.

THE FINAL ANALYSIS
The fifth line reads…”What you spend years building, someone may destroy overnight. Build anyway.” Mother Theresa.

GOD BLESS AMERICAN, MONTANA AND FORT BENTON