View From The Bridge 8/14/13

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
8/14/13

OOPS!
Due to a lack of communication, the hundred year old photo of the cottonwood trees was not printed although no one called me about it being missing.   (I will blame Tim and Tim can blame me.)  If you remember the pictures was shown to me by Jack Lepley who found it in the Ag Museum archives.  I counted approximately 30 trees and today there are 16 trees remaining.  They are over 100 years old and are not in the best of condition.  Several of them are going to be removed. 

The arborist is returning soon and will use a lift truck to further assess the condition of the trees.  It will probably take place in the fall.  It is a “wait and see situation.”  I am not a “wait and see” person.  I am impatient and want it done yesterday.  I need to learn patience.  Can anyone help me with that?

SCHOOLHOUSE AUTHOR
 Charlotte Caldwell is returning to Fort Benton on Friday, August 16th.  She will be at the Chouteau County Library at 2:00 p.m.  The Friends of the Library’s motto is, “Be a friend and bring a friend.”  We love our Friends time each month from September to May.  Charlotte’s book is what is called a coffee table book.  It is a treasure about still standing schoolhouses in Montana and should be displayed for everyone to see.   

LIONS COMMUNITY CALENDAR
 I have missed my calendar and am happy to report that they have been printed and will be available for delivery before September.  If you had forgotten to order your calendar, there is an adequate supply for you to avail yourself of.  If you are new in town or have never known about this fund raising project of the Lions Club, and wish to be on next years calendar, please call Larry Bauer at 622-2003.  It is very nice to have folks in town wish you a happy birthday, happy anniversary, or any other happy occasion.  I just have to add this and it is that everyone knows my birthday.  If you do not, it is 9/9/29 and it will be two years since Garth Brooks gave me his guitar.  Actually he did not contact me on my last birthday.  He must be kind of busy with his farm and three daughters to remember my 15 minutes of fame.  Oh well, I do not fuss over his birthday either.
 
The Lions appreciate your support of their fund raising projects.

CHOUTEAU COUNTY FAIR
Think musical notes, “Meet me in Fort Benton, Benton, meet me at the Fair. Don’t tell me the lights are shining, anywhere but there.”  The 101st Fair is here at last and deserves a lot of support from the community.  There is so much to do if you just peek into all the buildings.  I said it before and I’ll say it again, the best part is visiting with family, friends, and neighbors.  In the winter we do not see them because it is too cold.  In the summer we do not see them because it is too hot.  Come on, make up your mind to get to the Fair and have the best time you can possibly have.  It won’t be around again until next year.

WELCOME WAGON
Did you know that we have a Welcome Wagon in Fort Benton?  If you know of a new resident to Fort Benton, please give Nancy LaChapelle a jingle at 868-6210.  She will arrange a visit and give them a little bag of goodies.  One of the best goodies is a free pass to the Museums (including the Village,), the Old Fort Benton, and the Upper Missouri Interpretive Center.  It cannot get any better than that.

MEMORIAL BENCH PROJECT
The Memorial Bench and Table project has come to a close.  This does not mean however, that you cannot do a Memorial Bench or Table.  There have been three more requests for memorials and what I can do is give you free advice on how to go about it.   You can also consult with Skip Ross about where a bench or table could be placed. Please feel free to contact us. 

Another option is a memorial tree if you have a memorial in mind.  On the Levee it would have to be a male cottonwood but in any other location it would be a tree of your choice.  There are also brass tree plaques.  We had a flowering crab tree planted in front of the high school in memory of daughter, Audra Morger Bonilla, and Jeanette takes loving care of it.  It is growing well and soon will provide shade on office windows.  Perhaps benches last longer but at the present time we need trees.  Keep this in mind because you never know when you may need the information.

ANGELS AMONG US
Yes, there are.  Their names are EMTs, Volunteer Firemen, Meal-on-Wheel food deliverers, Visitor Information Center Greeters, every volunteer of all non-profit organization, and any other volunteers.  You are the “Do Good-ers,” of the community and I do not know what we would do without you.  Please know that even though you do not always get thanked, we do appreciate you and I award you all “Angel,” awards.  You may not receive it today or tomorrow, but someday you will.  Thank you again for all you do.

VISITORS CENTER
At the Center there is a set of children’s chairs and a small table.  One of the chairs was badly broken and the repair jobs were botched so it could not be glued one more time.  I gave the chair to Wayne Hampton and a few days later he delivered it to my home.  He managed to attach the chair back by somehow getting the old glue and wood chips out of the holes.  It looks just great and there is now a place for two children to sit instead of one.  We sure appreciate you Wayne.  I imagine that if Wayne can make a harp, he is good at repairing chairs.

OUR LADY OF THE ROCKIES
Kathy and Cal Nelson recently returned from a trip that included going to the top of a 9,000 ft. mountain to see our Lady of the Rockies and the Chapel.  The Chapel walls include the names of thousands of women in memory.   Kathy was thrilled to find her mother’s name.  They are listed alphabetically by the year of passing.

When I visited Our Lady about 15 years ago, there were 17,000 names listed.  I called the office to see if someone could tell me how many names there are now.  I was not able to find the information I wanted.  I’ll try again but not on a weekend because those in the know were not there.  I believe that there must be thousands more names in the 15 years since I was there.

The “BACKROADS of Montana” on PBS features an interesting segment on the building of Our Lady some 30 years ago.  If you are planning a trip to the Butte area, visit Our Lady.  She looks so tiny up on top of that mountain but you will look like an ant when you stand below her.  It is an inspiring trip.  (Sorry, you male readers, you will have to build your own memorial.)

MT – LOVE IT OR LEAVE!
I did have one person tell me that they really enjoyed the quotes.  Here is the 3rd one for a good laugh.  “You say our lakes smell bad to you.  They smell like money to us.  Ger over it.” 
GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.