Monday, July 31, 2006

Wright News - Nashville, Tennessee

07/31/2006

Hello, from Nashville, Tennessee.  I’m here with my niece Rozzie Dahlman visiting my other niece Heidi Dahlman Lamberg and her husband Ed and daughters, Christina and Nicole.  We flew down here on Thursday, July 27th. Our flights were great, but we had to fly from Mpls., to Chicago, from Chicago to St. Louis, and from St. Louis to Nashville, so every hour, we were in a different airport and on a different flight.  That made the trip go pretty fast though.

While in Nashville, we toured the downtown area, went to the Wild Horse Saloon, The Hard Rock Cafe, the Grand Ole Opry, and toured the Grand Ole Opry Hotel.  We also did some driving around the area and even saw the place where they are making a new house for the TV Show Extreme Makeover.  It’s fun to be on vacation, but also fun to get back home again.

On Thursday, July 27th, there were 14 gals and 2 gentlemen who met at the Northland Funeral Home in Cloquet.  Before they boarded the LCS Coach bus they had a wonderful breakfast in the Fireside Room.  Then, they headed for the Plymouth Playhouse Theatre to see the play the “Church Basement Ladies.”

It was truly fantastic with steady laughter throughout the 2 and 1/2 hour performance.

Those going from our area were Sue Koivisto, Dee Debele, Julie Hansen, Yvonne Peterson, Kathy Olson, Gerry Aho, Barb Lehti and her two sister-in-laws, Nancy Simi and Mary Ann Lehti, Marvel Maki, Beatrice Heikkila, and daughter JoEllen, Madelyn Adelsgruber, Eleanor Lind, Art Jauss, and Jake VondeLinde.  Sounds like they all had a great time!

Corporal Duane Koski, Grandson of Barb and Russ Hart joined the Marines in November of 2004 and is stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  He is currently serving his 1st Deployment in IRAQ.  He deployed in March 2006 and is due back home in October of 2006.  He is in the 2nd Amphibious Assult Battalion working in Communications.  He has had lots of support and packages from family, friends and others he doesn’t even know.  He has appreciated every box and letter he has received and has shared them all with his fellow marines.  We also want to thank him for his service and sacrifice to our country!!

Last week I stopped in the Post Office and noticed that David Peterson was the rural carrier for the day.  I also know that his wife, Marsha, is filling in for Kathy, who recently had surgery, so I guess you can say that David and Marsha are “Playing Post Office!”

That’s all the news from Lake Travelingagain, have a great week and Hello to all the folks visiting from out of town.

Monday, July 24, 2006

Wright News

07/24/2006

Wright News by July 24, 2006

There has been a break in the hot, humid weather around here.  We even got some well-needed rain on the 19th.  It seems that summer is the time to worry about the heat and then in winter we wish it were warmer again.  I guess we just have to appreciate all the weather we get, because we can’t change it anyway!

Zula Pelofske Matalamaki will be honored for her 80th Birthday Party at Bethany Lutheran Church on Sunday, August 13th following the regular worship service at 11:30 AM.  Please feel free to come and enjoy a visit with Zula Belle.

The Kettle River Fire Dept. will be holding a Steak Fry on August 11th starting at 5 PM.  This will be at the Fire Hall on Main Street.  This is a Thrivent Event.

The Carlton County Historical Society will be holding a Book Sale at the Machinery Building at the Carlton County Fairgrounds in Barnum, Mn on August 18 - 20.  This is also the same time as the County Fair.  This is a Thrivent Event.

Brian Saaristo, who was wounded in Iraq, (both feet were lost) is being treated at Walter Reed Medical Center, Attn: Orthopedics Ward 57, 6900 Georga Ave NW, Washington, DC 20307-5001. Room # 5712.  Please send a get well card if you can and explain who you are as his family is pretty new to our area.  His wife’s name is Cherl.

Everyone is invited to attend Pastor Matt’s last service with the folks in our area in Sunday, July 30th.

The Classes of 1955 and 1956 met at the Fireside in McGregor on Saturday, July 15th, 2006.  There were 8 classmates and their spouses from the Class of 1955.  They were Ina Line Jobe, June Kingsley Collman, Merlene Korpela Staudahar, Avis Pihlaja Tillman, Lynn Groth, Bob Manninen, Marvin Kempi, and James A. Korhonen.

Fourteen members of the Class of 1956 were in attendance and they were Marian Kukkola Reed, Alice Olson Lake, Lorna Harp Duncan, Lisa (Elsie) Jokimaki, Shirley Laine Johnson, Elaine Carlson Wilson, Alice Letty David, Jan Sleichter Peura, Donald Lehti, Baxter Beberg, Bob Hanson, Paul Johnson Wayne Heikkila, and Bob Dahlquist.  I think Bob Dahlquist came the farthest as he came from Orange, California.  Kathleen Lowry was unable to attend, but she sent a letter to be read to the class and says: “ I hope you have a grand time trying to remember the old days.  Don’t spend too much time discussing all your aches and pains.  Hopefully you have realized many of your dreams and have more you are working to fulfill.”

Dollars for Scholars also put in a “Pitch” to these classes and any other classes or individuals who would like to donate to their scholarship efforts at the Cromwell-Wright School.  To date, DFS has awarded $68,550.00 since 1986.  DSF is asking all alumni for their financial support to help our graduating seniors with their post-secondary education.  If you are able to help, send your tax deductible donations to” Dollars for Scholars, Attn. Brenda Soderbloom, Treasurer, 5078 HWY 210, Cromwell, MN 55726.  Make checks payable to Dollars for Scholars.

The Pie Social held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church on the Friday night of Wrong Days was a big success.  They took in $544.00 on Friday, $53.00 on Saturday and another $25.00 on Sunday for a grand total of $622.00.  This was also a matching Funds event with Thrivent so that was great.  The Bethlehem Ladies would like to thank everyone who donated pies, supplies, or helped in the kitchen.  It seemed like this was also a great way to get together with friends and neighbors in air-conditioned comfort.

PLEASE pick up your bowls and pans from the Co-op Store in Wright that were left from the Wrong Days Smorgasbord.  There’s quite a stack of them at the store.

Margaret and Dan Webster of Tamarack are the proud grandparents of Kora Josephine Bennett Webster, born on March 20, 2006 in St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth, MN.  Little Kora’s parents are Perry and Samantha Webster of Cloverland, Wis. She also has a sister, 3 year old Fraya.  Her maternal Grandparents are Ronald and Maureen Silliman of Naples, Florida.

Congratulations to Sarah DeCaigny of Sawyer who will be married to Guy Wefelmeyer of Cloquet on July 29th.  Sarah’s mom, Sue DeCaigny taught 3rd grade in Wright before Sarah was even born.

Don’t forget that Vacation Bible School starts on July 31 - August 4th at Bethany in Cromwell.

Did you see last week’s Pine Journal?  Our own local gal, Suzanne Dahlman Goodin had a photo spread on Wrong Days in Wright.  Nice job, Suzy!

Another local guy, Jason Line, son of Lawrence and Maxine is now leading in points the National Hot Rod Association’s rankings.  There are 9 or 10 races left in the Pro Stock Racing for the season.  Good Luck, Jason!  Race on!

Sara Homstad, a cancer survivor, of Cromwell also was in the news last week.  She participated in the 12th Annual “Relay for Life” event that the American Cancer Society sponsors every year at the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College.  She even gave an address to a captivated crown as part of being an honorary survivor.

I have just returned from a 3 - day trip to some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites in MN, WI, and IA.  Every summer for the past 2 summers, Sharon and Robin Lake and I have visited the LIW sights around the area.  Last summer we went to DeSmet, SD and the summer before that we went to Walnut Grove, MN.  All of these places sure are interesting if you are at all interested in learning about where Laura lived as a child growing up in the late 1880’s.  Laura was born in Pepin, Wisconsin in 1867 thus her book titled “Little House in the Big Woods” came from her memories of this area. We walked on the actual sight of the little house and drove on the same road that Laura and her family rode on when then went to Pepin and saw Lake Pepin for the first time.  This sure is a beautiful drive and I’m sure most of you would enjoy a trip along Lake Pepin on the MN / WI border.

From there we stayed overnight in Winona, MN then went to Burr Oak, Iowa the next day.  Burr Oak is the sight of the Master’ Hotel where the Ingalls lived for 2 years running the hotel.  The actual hotel is still standing and the community has made it into a tourist attraction.  All the rooms have been refurbished to look as they may have looked in the 1890’s.  It was a funny feeling to be walking on the same floors and stairs that Laura and her family walked so many, many years ago.

After Burr Oak we went over to Spring Valley and toured the church that Almanzo Wilder’s Father helped build and pay for.  James Wilder gave the most money to complete the church and that gift was a whopping $50.00.  The church is now a Historical Building and museum.  We were given a guided tour of the museum and then went out to the Spring Valley Cemetery and saw the grave of Almanzo’s older brother Royal Wilder.

All these things happened so many years ago.  It is hard to imagine how people were able to survive in such tough conditions, but we are so glad Laura wrote her memories down for so many around the world to enjoy.  Maybe some day, our “good old days” will be remembered with such admiration.

We bought lots of souvenirs and memorabilia, and took lots of photographs so if you were interested, I would be willing to share what I know about Laura Ingalls Wilder with you or your group.  Her life was really amazing. She went from the covered wagon days of the 1870’s all the way to jet airplane travel when she died in 1957 at the age of 90.

Next summer we plan to travel to Mansfield, Missouri to the adult home of Laura and Almanzo Wilder.  We hear that there are many more artifacts there, as this is where Laura lived the last 40 - 50 years of her life. I’ll leave you with this amusing Household Hint: Always keep several Get Well Cards on the mantel, so if unexpected guests arrive, they will think you’ve been sick and unable to clean.

That’s all the news from Lake Lauraingallswilder and Hello to all the former students from “Good Old” Cromwell High School!