August 30, 2025

Hello Members and Friends,

End of August – those early fall days aren’t far away. Gosh, the years just go by so quickly. I remember thinking how long summer used to feel when I was a kid – I always figured that time would seem much different as we aged and it is true but so far it is not the “sunrise; sunset” that I contemplated!!

Ken Fehr and I did a final tidy of the yard before our picnic on August 10th. It took me a few trips to get everything up to the cabin, but I got home in one trip. We were so fast at getting set up this year for the picnic that we were ready for members to arrive by 10:30! I’ll adjust that set-up time for us next year. We got our four “rooms” up – Frank Talarico brought his tent, and I borrowed Les Johnson’s tent from Lorraine and one from another friend. This year we had two walls, so it was just lovely. Frank barbecued the hot dogs and with all the treats and water-melon, coffee and lemonade we were ready for a good crowd. It ended up being a small cele-bration – we had 14 people present. Thanks to those who did make it up. Big thanks to Jakkie, Tony, Ken, Wendy, and Frank for all the help. A lot of our Executive could not make it this year due to family and personal commitments. I did ask at our meeting following the picnic if we should change our picnic routine, but everyone was adamant that it was very, very convivial and we do not need to change anything. AND, the big plus was that I got to eat!! I gave about a dozen tours, sold a few books, signed up a new member and renewed memberships. Here is hoping you can make it next August!!

I attended the Greenwood Car Show on August 16th. That was really a weather miracle. It was raining in Grand Forks when I set out and it rained all the way out but when I walked across the field to get Alan Laary’s help with setting up the tent, a patch of blue sky appeared, and the rest of the day was lovely. Thanks for the help, Al and Mel. It was a really good day for the BHS and I sure talked a lot about history. Again, I signed up a new member, sold reports and renewed memberships. We took in close to $600.00 in sales this month. Al’s two books have proven to be very popular, and I think he would be so pleased.

Barry Noll at the Artisans’ Market in Greenwood purchased some of Al’s books, too. If you are in Greenwood, drop by the store – it is just beautiful. What a lovely use of a heritage building.

Lorraine and I have been trying to gain access to our website through “Go Daddy”. We have had to go through a lot of hoops and, hopefully, we will be successful. We would hate to lose all the work that Les Johnson did on the site. Who knew it would be so difficult to change an address for a website!!

We held our August meeting at City Park. Good to see Bob McTavish feeling great and mobile after his knee replacement. I passed around a sign-up list for help with our table at the Grand Forks Fall Fair and we have a full slate of help. Hope you will drop by and say hi. The Fair is on September 6th and 7th at the Grand Forks Curling Rink and Dick Bartlett Park. We will be in the Exhibit Hall.

The following weekend we are out at Rock Creek at their Fall Fair. We will have a short break before the Christmas craft fairs begin but we are already signing up.

We are looking forward to working on Report #19 and we are also really hoping that Gladys’ estate comes through. Gladys’ lawyer, Chris Trudeau, is just waiting for the final tax assessment. Would be nice to have some funds to fix fences at Phoenix and help with Report publishing.

At our September meeting Jakki Fryer and Frank Talarico will show us a sample wooden grave marker that we may use at Phoenix Cemetery. We’ll see how durable they can be made. It is either the metal markers we have been using or this new model. The plus to the wooden marker is that we can reproduce all the wording that is presently on the grave markers (but can’t be read!). The wooden markers will have metal “legs” and will be placed securely in front of the present markers. This is probably a spring project now but maybe we’ll have time this fall.

Haven’t had a chance to get membership renewal notices out but will work on that this month.

Our next meeting is at 1:00 pm on September 17, 2025 at Grand Forks City Park. Park at the BMX track parking area. We are in the camping area. Joan always has our table set up – thanks, Joan

Hope to see you at the Fairs!!

In History,

Doreen Sorensen

Secretary