View From The Bridge 9/2/15

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
9/2/15

SEPTEMBER MOON
Last night, 8/29/15, we saw a view of the full moon through the smoke on our way home to Fort Benton from Missoula. We glimpsed it when we left Missoula. It was very faint because the smoke there was heavier in that area. It never really cleared but became less as we traveled toward home. The moon was huge, full, red, and later an orange color. It was gorgeous.

September is my favorite month. Full Corn Moon or Full Harvest Moon is its names. All of the names of the moons are from Native Americans and the Full Corn Moon was the time when the corn was to be harvested. The Full Harvest Moon is actually the full September moon closest to the equinox. It usually occurs two years out of three when it may occur in October. The Almanac has the interesting story about how during Harvest Moon time, it rises 20 to 30 minutes earlier each night as compared with the normal 50 minutes. You can keep track, if this interests you, by checking the Fort Benton weather site for times of the moon risings. The farmers can work late into the night by the light of the moon.

PIE DAY
Next week, Friday the 11th of September, there will be a Bake Sale and PIE DAY at the Golden Age Senior Center at 12:30 p.m.) Note: the time has changed again.) There has not been good support for this fund raiser. For the “faithful pie eaters,” it is a long time tradition. Please do not let it go by the wayside as the many other events that needed support. I think that the members of the Senior Center work too hard at all that baking. The women that I talked with about their hard work said that they love to do it. (Note: They use their own money to buy the ingredients.)

Keep in mind that if you want a whole pie to call the Center at 622-3601 and order it the Monday before. Please do not come in early on Friday and take a whole pie. It doesn’t leave much choice for those who only want one piece of pie and coffee.

The Fort Benton Golden Age Senior Center is one of a kind. It is the only Senior Center in a far reaching area that serves meals and delivers Meals on Wheels 7 days a week. It is open to the public and it is a dinner for which you would have to pay twice as much for a sandwich. It is served buffet style so you can have seconds. The Sunday dinners are served at 1:00 p.m. instead of noon. They are special because the tables are set with your tableware, napkins, tablecloths/place mats, condiments, water, and coffee.

It is a social get-together. For those who go every day for dinner, it is like family. There is always a puzzle being worked on, card playing, blood pressure testing, bake sales, and of course the awesome PIE DAY. FRIDAY IS PIE DAY is my motto once a month.  Again, please do not let it be gone with the wind. There won’t be another day tomorrow.  Once events are gone or are said to be postponed until another time, it never happens.

Cooler weather will be upon us soon. It is so nice to take a break once a month to enjoy homemade pie and a coffee cup that is bottomless. Nowhere around can you get the combination for such a reasonable price.

Who knew? You can drop into the Center any morning and have a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate, for a donation, about 9:30 a.m. and the coffee will be ready. (There is also exercise class at 9:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Come a little later if you do not have an inclination to exercise. (That is my joke for this week.)

WALKING THE HALLS
I hear a lot of talk about walking but as yet I have not seen anyone at the high school or the Ag Center. I walked the high school Monday through Thursday and the Ag Friday through Sunday this summer. However, the high school closed two weeks before school began to polish and wax the floors.

The Ag Museum opens at 10:30 a.m. and that fit my schedule very well as I had been doing that all summer. Once school began, I have to walk at 4:00 p.m. The Ag Museum will only be open until the end of September so I will continue to walk there and then switch to the high school. I haven’t figured out yet where to walk on Saturday and Sunday.  I hope the weather holds cool for the next few months and I can say, “Walking Trail…here I come.

VOLLEYBALL
When I found I could not get to the football game in Chester last Friday, I decided to go to the Volleyball game. It was so exciting and I wanna play volleyball. I would have loved it and what little I knew about the game. It was my very first game. Who knew what orange lines were, who a line judge was, and why the clock wasn’t running? I had to ask those fans who sat around me what was going on. What I liked so much about the game is that all the 6 players played. It was a real team effort. The Junior Varsity won the 3 games out of 5 and it was awesome. Unfortunately I had to leave before the Varsity Team played as it was a tad too warm for me in the building.

At this point I would like to say thank you to all the individual sponsors and business sponsors for supporting the Football insert in the River Press and the programs at all the sports games. I cannot say thank you to all of you individually and so I hope that you are reading the View. When sports fans are attending games or checking out the insert, make a mental note of the sponsors. When you frequent their businesses, remember to say thank you.  They provide a great service to our community.

GRIZZLIES
“How about that” as expressed by the Coach on TV sports news? I just have to comment on the game. I deny saying before the game started, after seeing the size of the North Dakota team that I doubted U. of M. could ever win.

The company I was with said that they were witnesses but they really have no proof. I know that the elation over the win and the thrill of the last few seconds has made them forget my doom and gloom forecast. “Go Griz!” That game has become #1 in my memory over the winning games of the Longhorns State Championship and a couple of games played by the Saints of Carroll College. Saturday’s game will be talked about forever and every play will never be forgotten. It was a thrill of a lifetime in football history.

50’s HOME SCHOOLED
My mother taught me about HIPOCRICY. “If I told you once, I have told you a million times, don’t exaggerate.”

RUMORS
Someone asked me the other day that they had heard I was moving to Great Falls. NO, NO, No! I never want to leave Fort Benton. Perhaps the rumor was started because they want me to leave. Who started that rumor? Let’s go one on one.

I know I am repeating myself but I want to tell you readers that I was concerned when I moved here that the community would think that, “here she comes from another state and wants to change things.” In my home state, (how I wish it had been Montana,) I did a lot of volunteering. I was employed by a Non-Profit Organization. I had people volunteering for me. It was always a part of my life. I saw some projects that could be improved here, not changed. It was exciting and fun to be a part of. You all accepted me as friends and family. Fort Benton is my heart and I do not want to move to Great Falls. I would pick Great Falls as a second city to live in but it is way too populated. There is also too much traffic and I would have to drive to a walking trail, the Senior Center, and shopping. No, I want to stay in Fort Benton.

GOD BLESS AMERICA,  MONTANA, FORT BENTON, OUR TROOPS, OUR POLICE FORCES, and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.

View From The Bridge 8/27/14

VIEW from the BRIDGE
By Muncie
8/27/14

WALKING THE HALLS
Hello again. I have had enough time off and it is time to keep busy other than P.T., (physical therapy) and having pity parties to which most of you were not invited. Honestly, I did not have much time for that and each day becomes easier.  

My knee is back to normal with just a little swelling and the best thing is that I am walking every day.  That is where “Walking the Halls,” enters the picture. The four weeks of 90 to 95 degree temps were devastating for walking on the levee.  When I first arrived permanently in Fort Benton in 1993, it was November. By way of the grapevine, I heard that one could walk in the Elementary School at 7:00 a.m. In those days I was always up at 6:00 a.m. and I did walk in the school most of the winter. It was only that one winter.

When my P.T. was over and the hot weather set in, I called the Elementary School but was not able to reach someone that I could discuss walking. I then called the High School and was told that I could walk anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

That began a great adventure for me. I have to share with you how fortunate you are to have a middle school and high school such as you have. The lockers on the high school side are painted Longhorn color. The middle school was painted blue, (second part of Walking the Halls…see below.) All the alumni pictures were removed, walls painted, and rehung.  (I do not know how they arrange the pictures so the bottoms are all even.)

The floors were scrubbed and polished, (third part of Walking the Halls below.) The gym just sparkles. It is your school folks, you pay taxes, and you should visit and take a look at what you pay for. I am so impressed and proud. I unfortunately did not attend Fort Benton High School but walking those halls brought back many memories of my high school days. Way back then we had to line up to pass classes, never spoke in line, never wore jeans or shorts to school, and started the semester the Thursday after Labor Day and ended the Friday before Memorial Day. No one ever spoke to us about college. I am not positive but my memory tells me that only two of my classmates (of a class of 45,) went to college. Most of us were married by the time we were 20 years old. I truly envy you young people today. Your opportunities are endless and as I have spoken to many of you…you will be the future who will change the world.

STORY #2
You students may have known or heard this story but I had not. The middle school sports name was the Shorthorns and their color was the blue of the lockers. If any of you remember, (or your parents,) I would appreciate the answer because I did not delve into the research any further. All I can think of at the moment is fans shouting, “Go Shorthorns.”

STORY #3
The floors in the hallways are, to me, a very interesting story. I noted that the days that I walked in the high school, another section of the hallway was cleaned and polished. One day I met Larry coming out of classroom and I commented on the spectacular flooring  I asked if it was granite or marble. He said that it was poured like cement during the construction period of the High School in 1957 and ’58. He had worked at other places that had asphalt flooring that had to be replaced often. He said that our school flooring would never wear out. Be sure to take note of it the next time you are visiting the school.

Some research done by Pam at the Ag Center said that the High School was dedicated in 1958 and the first class was in September. That class graduated in 1959. If my math is correct that was 55 years ago. Class of ’59…where did the years go?

SHOCKER
In last week’s River Press the news about the varsity football team taking a year off was news that their fans were shocked to hear. My opinion is that small towns such as ours, sports events are the main entertainment for many of us. Support for the J.V. games is important so may the stands be filled to capacity as the varsity games were. (I wonder if they have a song to be sung with every touchdown.)

OTHER EVENTS
Since I have written the View only a couple of times since the end of March, I am happy to be back and my appreciation to those who let me know that the “View” was missed. I cannot believe that a really know nothing article was missed. Most of the stories were after-the-fact but one woman told me that it was the only way she knew what was going on. I do not understand that because Tim, Bethany, and Lindsey do such a tremendous job with a small town newspaper. I try to read every article and check it off with a red pen.  It is great entertainment.

I have many stories to write about and will try to do “catch up” in the next few weeks. I was able to volunteer at the Visitors Center this summer and loved every minute of it. Although I did not have many Visitors at the beginning of the season, (Tuesdays from 2:30 to 5:00,) the last month and a half was filled with interesting people mostly from Canada. I’ll tell you their stories at a later time.

VISITORS CENTER
The Center will remain open until the end of September as will the Museums, Fort, and etc. The Chamber grant dictates the time schedule. Please Volunteers, check with the Chamber if this works for your schedule to continue through September. Continue to encourage family and friends to visit Fort Benton and become immersed in all of its wonderful history.

C.C.P.A.
The first performance will not be until November but that is a good thing as it gives more time to get the newly upholstered seats back in place. The auditorium is so beautiful and the new seats will add to its beauty. Have you purchased your newly upholstered seat for $150.00? Your name will be on a plaque in the entry hallway. Former residents of Fort Benton, who have heard about the program, have purchased seats in their parent’s names. One man purchased an entire row of seats. It is an exciting program and many kudos to the C.C.P.A. committee members for their tireless energy to that program.

Also, seasons tickets are on sale for a discount. You just received a brochure in the mail about the programs and the board members phone numbers are listed.  Contact any of them for your season ticket.

PIE DAY
Three weeks from Friday will be the first Pie Day. The Golden Age Senior Center bakers are gearing up for the big event. Remember…if you want a special pie baked to take home…call the Center a week ahead or by Monday of that week.

UPDATE
Next week I will give you an update on the “Billy Swensgard” memorial and the “Support the Troops” shirts. There still are raffle tickets available for Billy’s program and t-shirts for the Support the Troops program. Details next week.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR TROOPS and WEAR RED ON FRIDAYS.