View From The Bridge 7/24/13

“VIEW from the BRIDGE”
By Muncie
7/24/13

JUST A REMINDER
If I am annoying you with my reminders, please let me know.  I suppose they are mostly for me because I have become so absent-minded lately.  Join the Club as they say.

A reminder for Thursday, August 1st at Historic Old Fort Benton is a presentation by Peter & Molly Wilson.  Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and enjoy a variety of music.  They are professionals in a true sense of the word.

ANOTHER REMINDER
That same evening on the Levee between the Grand Union and the Old Fire House, will be the regularly scheduled Farmers Market.  The ‘BIG NEWS, is there will be FLATHEAD BING CHERRIES for sale.  Please call Chandee @ 788-7246 or Connie @ 750-2918 to order.  It is not necessary to pre-order but it would be helpful.  If you forget, there will be cherries available.

LIONS YARD SALE
Fort Benton came through again with donations to the Lions Yard Sale.  I was able to preview on Friday evening, (I have friends in low places,) and I could not believe my eyes.  I have never seen so much “stuff.”  There were thousands of items from small to large.
The Lions are extremely grateful as they will be able to carry on the great work that they do.  Well Lions, we are grateful that you are here to do that great work.   

HAIL STORM
Our truck is covered in our driveway with a tree.  I could not see any dents on it, but because the car was in the open, it had small dents on the hood and roof.  I called the insurance company on Tuesday the 16th and they said that it might be two weeks before the adjuster came to Fort Benton because of the volume of vehicle damage.  The following day, I began removing everything from the car because I had an appointment for detailing on Thursday the 18th.  When I got into the front seat to empty the glove compartment, I saw that the windshield had a crack in it as large as a basketball.  I could not see it from the outside because I had a tissue box on the dashboard.  I reported that damage immediately.

The adjuster called the next day from Lewistown, made it to Fort Benton in a couple of hours, and filled out a claim report. 

What I am trying to get across here, by telling you all of this, is that I am so grateful that Darrell’s Body Shop is able to take care of all the local business.  What a convenience for those of us in Fort Benton who need the service.

I feel a lot of empathy for those of you that were hit hard.  Hopefully everything works out for the good and if you have some interesting stories about the storm, such as the one about the Wright family, please let me know.

BACK TO THE 4th
Since I moved to Fort Benton, I had hoped that we could have the old fashioned 4th as was had in the old days.  I would have liked a huge BBQ, a Kiddies’ Parade, music by the City Bank in the gazebo in Old Fort Park, and an old fashioned baseball game.  Big Sandy, Geraldine, Highwood, Loma, and Fort Benton would compete against each other.  There would be a traveling trophy that would be displayed in prominent places about town.  We would have volunteers act as cheerleaders.  There would be soda, (or pop if you were raised to call it that,) popcorn, and cotton candy available at the game.

Then the finale would be a huge fireworks show to celebrate our country’s birthday.  None of this is possible of course, because of Summer Celebration and I would not want to give that celebration up.  I was just bringing up memories of the good old days told to me by the Old Timers in Fort Benton.

However; part of my hope came true this past 4th.  Five young men in our community put on a fireworks show that was spectacular the evening of the 4th.  They were the Scott Boys, David, Jeff, and Kyle, Joey Diekhans, and Ryan Klimas.  There were many times when I thought that it was the finale but no, it would begin all over again.

It was a wonderful event and there were many who enjoyed the show.  I did want to write about this Happy Birthday America story before too much time went by.

VISITORS INFO CENTER
There are still volunteers needed at the Information Center.  Please spare a couple of hours a week to fill in the blanks.  You are needed.  I just returned home after being out and about to do research for the View.  I stopped by the Info Center to find the flags out, the door locked, and a note on the door.  The note said, “Sorry, closed until 3:00 p.m. because of lack of volunteers.”  What do you suppose that says to a visitor?  Please check your daily activities to see if there are two hours you could spare at the Center.  It is very enjoyable to greet visitors.  If you are not busy, you can read, balance your checkbook, or just watch the Missouri flow on.  There is a “Volunteers Handbook,” and that affords good reading.  There are only about six more weeks until the Center closes.  Give it a try.

ADOPT-a-PLOT
Here again, we need volunteers to adopt a plot along the Walking Levee Trail.  It is looking much neglected in some spots.  Actually, with the rain that poured on us, then the hot weather, those were very good excuses for not wanting to get outside to do “dirt work.”  Yes, it would mean getting your hands and even your clothes dirty, but it would be so satisfying.  Most of us older folks cannot bend over and kneeling down means not being able to get up again.  It is not easy to accept the fact that you cannot do things like you used to. 

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS, and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.