View From The Bridge

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
6/8/16

CELEBRATION QUILTS
These special Celebration Quilts are now on display in the window of Benton Pharmacy. Our Summer Celebration Committee is very grateful to Chris and Terry for devoting a window for this project.

The raffle tickets profit will go toward the Summer Celebration weekend. Costs of advertising, entertainment, fireworks, street dance, parade, and all other events are the reason for fund raisers. This annual popular celebration provides a great time for everyone

Invite your family and friends to visit and enjoy all the activities. There will be many class reunions which bring together long-time friends. Make the most of connecting with all of them in one place at one time.

Schedules will be out soon and mail them to your family and friends. This celebration usually draws about 5,000 to 7,000 people but the more the merrier. It is only a couple of weeks away so make your plans now. See you there.

MEMORIAL WREATH
Haven’t heard anything yet about the Memorial Wreath being found. I still have hopes and I wish I had a little more patience. I was so sure that a fisherman or woman would find it. Oh well, nice try.

DANCE RECITAL
It was a jam packed crowd last Friday evening at the Fort Benton Elementary School for the yearly Dance Recital. It was put on by the Dance Studio that is located in the T. C. Power building. It was a very entertaining evening and even my inexperienced eye could see the improvement from previous years. The dance routines were very professional and I wonder how many hours went into practice.

I compared the oldest group of young women to the Rockettes. They were New York City dancers in the early 1900’s. I just checked the internet and the group is still in existence. They are based in Nashville, TN., and have regular performances. I think that any one of the Fort Benton group could audition and be hired. They are that good. It was a very enjoyable evening.

What I was most pleased about was spotting the two young boys in their cute routines. Right on Boys, you will be so popular later on because you know how to dance. You will never have to look for a partner…they will be asking you.

Look for the Dancers to perform at Summer Celebration.

SCAM
I cannot believe that I was taken in by a computer scam again this past week. I wrote about the same scam a while back and it took me about 20 minutes of conversation with a man before I realized that I had heard this line before.

I was working on the internet when all of a sudden my computer began ringing like a big bell. (This did not happen the first time.) My computer was frozen and on the screen it said, DO NOT SHUT YOUR COMPUTER OFF. There was a telephone number to call for help and as I said I did not remember until several minutes into the call. The man said that my privacy was not covered on the internet and that my name was all over it. (Of course my name is all over the internet with the View from the Bridge, Garth Brooks guitar gift to me, and my half a face picture in the New York Times.

When the conversation turned to money I remembered the previous incident, hung up the phone, and just shut my computer off. Everything was fine and I certainly will never forget again.

The last time I talked with several people in town who had the same experience.  I don’t know if they target the elderly but it seems so. Police Chief John Turner just began a monthly article in the River Press and one of the things he wrote about was IRS scams. Beware and be wise and do not let the scammer intimidate you.

LARK and LAUREL
A book reading on Monday, June 13th and Friday, June 16th at 7:00 pm will be at the Lark and Laurel Bed and Breakfast on Main St. I am sure that everyone knows where that is.

If there is anything that I love, it is to have someone read to me. That is why I enjoy my Talking Books Program out of Helena so much. I was not able to attend other readings that were presented at Lark and Laurel but I hope to make this one as I have never read the book “Adventures of Narnia.”

If any of you readers would like information about Talking Books, give me a call. I have used that service for about 35 years. You are given your own personal contact and the service is excellent. Give it a try if you have difficulty reading and like someone reading to you.

See you at the Lark and Laurel.

MULLAN ROAD
Last year about this time, the Mullan Road Conference was held here in Fort Benton. Interested parties came from all over the country and a good time was had by all.

The Conference this year is being held in Helena on June 17th 18th, and 19th. I have signed up and am looking forward for the Sunday road trip from the other end of the line.

I am planning on visiting the Talking Books Library and the Historical Museum. It will be a crammed weekend and a most interesting one.

OBSERVATIONS
“Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.  Instead, invest your energy in the positive present actions.” (Wow!  This one hit home about the things I cannot control.)

GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS and THOSE WHO PROTECT US.