OK, this is your chance to meet and visit with the Commander of Fairchild Air Force Base; Col. Brian Newberry. Read on.

Public invited to no-host luncheon

In the spirit of the Lunch-With-The-Troops events held in 2011, we are holding Lunch-with-Colonel Newberry on Sept. 24 at the Porterhouse Steakhouse. This will be a no-host lunch and open to the public. The back part of the restaurant has been reserved from 11:30 to 1:30. We will begin gathering at 11:30 with lunch scheduled to begin in buffet-style at 11:50.

So grab a friend or relative and attend the luncheon, meet Col. Newberry and his wife, Jill, and the new Command Chief, Wendy Hansen. We will need as accurate a count as possible, so RSVP to the Porterhouse at 766-0308. Also feel free to contact me for more information or with questions: 762-5158.

This is another chance for our community to support our troops.

Wilson Creek area history

The Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson Creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town. David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.

Today we continue the story of The McKeehan family:

Mary Lu was not only active in high school and loved to dance, but she was also a god con-artist. When Saturday house cleaning time came she could always manage to get Carey to do most of it. When cleaning the kitchen, Lu would say, "I'll mop around the edges because I'll have to move this and that is the hardest to do. Carey, you do the middle of the floor which is easier."

Of course Lu would finish in a few minutes and then sit on a chair and say, "There's a spot. You missed another one over there." How was Carey to know the middle of the floor was always the dirtiest! Her big sister surely must know and was giving her the easiest part of the work.

Lu was always protective of her younger brothers and sisters. She would even get up at night to go to the bathroom with Carey, who was afraid to go by herself.

Once Lu tried her hand at apple thinning with Idel Dudley. They met with less than success when the owner told them after all day on one tree that they just weren't meant to be thinners.

Mom's main interest was always her family. She liked to be involved with us children and all our friends. As a young girl she spoke only Swedish, having to learn English at school. In later years she and our aunt Anna and Molly always spoke Swed?ish when they didn't want us children to understand their conversation.

From her parents she learned all the tricks of creating essentials and frills from scratch. She knew how to knit, sew, crochet, can and preserve all sorts of fruits and vegetables and was a great cook. These were but a few of her many talents and the things she taught us children. Mom also taught us patience, perseverance, love, the joy of sharing and laughter. She encouraged us to follow wherever our many and varied talents would lead us.

E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins:

From the Columbia Basin Herald on July 27, 1950:

The Rite Spot, exclusive soft ice cream drive-in, will open for business Saturday, according to Mr. and Mrs. Ted Maahs, owners and operators. Located across the street from Western Cold Storage office on Broadway, it is housed in a concrete block building 16 by 35 feet which Maahs has built himself.

Featured will be soft ice cream, with malts, shakes and sundaes. Window and curb service will be provided, as the place has no tables or stools. Mr. and Mrs. Maahs will make their own soft ice cream. Free cones, 500 of them, will be given away on opening day.

Mr. and Mrs. Maahs came here from Longvies, wehre he had been employed by the Cowlitz County PUD. They plan to build expanded living quarters at the rear of the Rite Spot in the future, and also are thinking of serving hamburgers when the weather cools off.

Grant County history

The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.

I bought the series in 2009 and secured permission to relay some of the history through this column. Memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.