New Year's Eve

Happy New Year!!

Every year on New Year's Eve, the town throws a big (by Geraldine standards) charity event.  People jump in and put on a dinner/ dance/ auction/ costume competition that benefits the Geraldine Swimming Pool.  Teachers, farmers, truck drivers, bankers, cowboys and mechanics pulled out all the stops and dressed up like pirates.  Donations were collected of items to auction.  There were guns, recliners, art works, veterinary supplies, toy tractors, Muck boots, a ton of hay and more.

Turkey dinner!

As always I'm proud of this town.  Honored to be part of a community that cares about keeping the kids happy and healthy.  Two weeks of swimming lessons cost twenty bucks.  Life guards are hired and the pool is heated.  From June until the end of August we have an oasis.  It couldn't happen with out the donations, volunteers and participation of the New Year's event.

People danced to DJ "Sarge", who is also on the radio in Great Falls. The hokey-pokey, chicken dance and YMCA all made their appearance. People bought drinks with a donation of whatever size and the cash box was left open and unattended on the bar all evening. 

My donation went to the purchase of a wonderful print by local artist Brian Morger.  Folks say he's gonna be famous one day.  The painting is of the Fort Benton courthouse, depicted when it was first built around a hundred years ago. It looks amazing in my dining room.

 

I know most of this post is "small town news" and maybe not of much interest to most.  But there is so much here that seems lost in so many places in our country.  I write about it out of hope I suppose.  Maybe I'll start a grass roots movement in people my age to rediscover the value of raising our kids in small, tightly nit communities!  I guess we'll see....