View From The Bridge

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
3-13-13

CHAMBER DINNER
One of our very active organizations in Fort Benton, The Chamber of Commerce, is holding their annual dinne4r on Thursday evening.  We look forward to the dinners, as they are very informative. The Chamber is liken to a “behind the scenes,” organization with not much publicity about their projects.  I, personally, would like to tell all the members, who are mostly businesses, that their efforts are appreciated.  The businesses keep our community together.  The more businesses Fort Benton acquires, the more the economy improves.  None of us likes to see those empty buildings along Front Street.  I hope that our business future fills those buildings with thriving enterprises that stay around for a long while.  May the “Buy Local,” attitude keep on growing.  You can support the Chamber as an individual by becoming a non-voting member.  Next week I will be able to give you a report on some of the Chamber’s future projects and what the results of those projects would be.

“WHAT LOVE MEANS”
Last week the numbers on the sayings of children were not numbered correctly.  They should have been No.  13 and 14.  I am halfway through the list and will continue on.

15.     “Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer then Robert Redford.”  (Muncie asks, “I like to see the guy who is handsomer than Robert Redford.”  Chris – age 7

16.     “Love is when your puppy licks your face ever after you left him alone all day.”
Mary Ann – age 4

RESEARCH CENTER
Last week I did not have the space to tell you about a fun time at the Center.  The neat thing for me is that when I arrive on Tuesday mornings, I go to the Director’s office and give him a kiss good morning.  Our son, Randy, who is busy just taking care of his Dad and me, has found the time to take care of Fort Benton history.  He was a major in history at University of Montana, has a Master’s Degree in History, and has always been totally engrossed by it. 

When Wally and I visited in Europe, Randy drove us from Belgium to Echenbach, Switzerland to find where his Great-Grandfather Morger was born.  We drove through 5 countries that included Belgium, France, Germany, Luxemburg, and Switzerland. What a history lesson we had along the way.  The town of Echenbach’s cemetery had 25 or more Morger graves.  The cemeteries are very unlike ours.  Every headstone is chiseled with the occupation of the person.  There is no grass.  Each grave is covered with flowers and most cared for daily by family.

The cemeteries are always next to the church.  The Church in Echenbach was so unique.  In the 1500’s two Morger artists painted the ceiling with frescos.

We also went to Normandy, which was the one other place we really wanted to make a destination place in Europe.  One can read about “The Longest Day,” and one can see a movie about it but to be actually at the place where it all took place is living history.

RECYCLING
This coming Saturday the 16th, will be another collection day.  I received an e-mail from Karyn Giles reporting that 780 lbs. of cardboard and 1,000 lbs. of paper were collected on March 2nd.  That amounts to totals of l, 980 lbs. of cardboard and 4,300 lbs. of newspaper collected so far.  The program has kept 3 tons of trashed items out of the landfill.  It is a great deal of work for the committee but so worth while.

This is a huge project and there is much work to be accomplished.  If you are dedicated to recycling, offer your services.  Every idea or suggestion is welcome.

I received an e-mail from Sandra Boggs who is the Recycling and Marketing Development Specialist for Montana.  Her office is in Helena.  She said that Tom Hogye with ECS is again partnering with her office to offer electronics recycling collection events along the hiline.  Tom was here last summer during the Chouteau County Fair.  I am so happy that he is returning because I have a new flat-screen monitor and the old huge clunky one is sitting under the table in the computer room.  I also have very old garage door opener and asked Sandra if that should be recycled as electronics.  She said it certainly was and now it can go away with Tom instead of the landfill.

Some of the information that Sandra sent was recycling generates and creates jobs.
I am not sure how that works but will contact Sandra this week to find out. 

SPRING ARRIVES
Just as Daylight Savings time came around so quickly, so will Spring.  A week from today, (Wednesday the 20th,) it will actually be the first day of spring.  I love the sound of it.  Watching everything turn green and the trees budding out is a new beginning.  Thinking about your flower garden and perhaps even a vegetable garden is so invigorating.  A trip to the Riverview Greenhouse is always on my agenda.  I enjoy watching them plant seeds and then checking on them every couple of weeks.  I think spring is a better time to make resolutions than New Years is.  It seems easier to do things when it is warmer and there is not any snow on the ground and cold weather.  I am saying, Happy Spring to you now, because it will already be spring by the time you get your River Press on the 20th.

GOD BLESS AMERICA AND OUR TROOPS.