View From The Bridge

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
1/27/16

WEDDING RECEPTION
I joined in the celebration of Bethany and Matt’s marriage at the Community Bible Center. I feel confident that the River Press reporter Bethany DeBorde and graphic designer Lindsay Gibson will be staying in Fort Benton for a long while since they are married to Fort Benton boys.

Both Bethany and Lindsay have been so helpful to me on my journey with “View from the Bridge.” When my computer gives me a hard time, I always have them available to bale me out.

It is difficult for me to imagine them as a married woman. They have such a great life to look forward to and they have chosen, for the present, to remain in our small town. I want them to stay low key so no one will steal them away from us.

Congratulations to the Newly Weds and may all your dreams come true.

VALENTINE’S DAY
While there for the reception, I learned that there will be a Valentine’s dinner to be held on Friday, February 12th held at the Community Bible Center. The menu will be Prime Rib and Chicken. The cost is $12.50 for a single or $25.00 for a couple. There will be entertainment.  MEN…PAY ATTENTION. Call in and have a romantic evening for Valentine’s Day and surprise your wife.

RESERVATIONS MUST BE IN BY FRIDAY, JANUARY 29TH. Please call Bev Jordan at 622-3685 and leave a message with your name and phone number. See you there.

ROBOTICS
Last Tuesday evening I enjoyed two programs. The first was the monthly Tuesday night dinner at the Golden Age Senior Center. I walked to the Elementary School for the 2nd annual Robotics Demonstration Program.

Several times in the last few years, the Chouteau County Performing Arts program has been on the same night as the monthly dinner. I called those evenings, “Dinner Theatre Night.”  It also applies to the Robotics evening as I walked from the Golden Age to the Elementary School.

I attended the Robotics program last year for their first year.  I was fascinated with the program and it was even better this year.

First let me tell you about how I did some checking on the computer. I had information that Dean Kamen, an easterner, started the Robotics program. I Googled him and came up with the most fascinating information. Dean is a renowned inventor of over 500 patents. What I came up with was an interview by ABC News of Dean and two high school students. I really enjoyed that 10 or 15 minute program.

Dean said that there are 70,000 engineering students in the United States as compared to 600,000 in China. The U.S. is way behind in technology. He is very interested in education for young students. Youth should be the beginning of an engineering career.

You mothers out there will get a charge out of this story. Dean’s first invention was when he was 5 years old. He tried to invent a bed making machine by inventing a contraption what would stretch the sheets at each corner. Obviously he did not like making his bed and I do not know anyone who likes that chore.

Now back to Fort Benton’s Robotics program. There are 2 teams this year and there are girls on the team. They will compete in Bozeman in February. This year’s theme is “Trash Trek.”  The 1st team is working with tooth brush handles and Styrofoam. The 2nd team are recycling latex gloves and making cell phone cases out of them. Read last week’s River Press article about the program for many eye opening details.

I am so very proud of these youngsters and their desire to take on this Robotics program. I think they have a great chance at the State Meet.

I also give sincere appreciation to the coaches Tom Clark and Ryan Rominger for their volunteer services. The U.S. has a lot of catching up to do and with your help Robotics Teams can do it.

GOLDEN AGE
At last week’s dinner, the guest speaker was Janell Barber, our newly hired Extension Service agent. She takes Linda Williams place and is very happy to be in Fort Benton. She is still in the process of moving her belongings on the weekends but is here during the weeks if you need to call on her. Her first day at the office was December 21st and she dove right into the job with enthusiasm. She welcomes any ideas or suggestions.

She will be speaking to other organizations in the next few months and welcome her with the usual Fort Benton hospitality.

BASKETBALL
The program that was given out a couple of weeks ago was awesome and a keeper. It had photos of the Longhorns, the Lady Longhorns, the Cheer Team, the Pep Band, the Speech and Drama, School Song, and lastly and most important the Sponsors. All of this was in color. I hope that you got your copy.

I was able to get to the game on Saturday vs. Turner. So where is Turner? Randy had his Smart Phone and we found that it was north of Chinook right on the Canadian border.

I would like to commend our visitors from Turner. Their sections of the stands were filled. Considering how far they had to travel, it was amazing.

The Girls won easily and we held our breath during the first half of the Boy’s game. I wonder what the coach said to the Boys in the locker room during the half because they came out “Hot.” They quickly caught up the 10 or 12 points they were behind and with the help of the three 3 pointers, they won by a good margin. It was very exciting and kept us cheering constantly.  GO HORNS!

HELLO FROM CONNIE
Connie was able to come home to Fort Benton over the weekend. She returned to Great Falls on Monday to continue radiation which is at the half way mark. She said that she appreciates all the support she has received. She would like to come home next weekend for Consortium but it is a wait and see.

OBSERVATIONS
There are at least 6 people in the world that look exactly like you. There is a 9% chance that you’ll meet one of them in your lifetime.

Could that be Idella Singer and me?  In case you are not similar with the joke about Idella and me…it is that a least a dozen people have called Idella Muncie.  No one has ever called me Idella.  Do you think we look alike?

GOD BLESS AMERICA, MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, and OUR POLICE FORCES.  WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS and PUT a GREE BULB in YOUR FRONT PORCH LIGHT.