Desert Messenger

February 21, 2024 www.DesertMessenger.com 3 Walk in the Past February 24 Paul Winer movie at QIA QIA TO HOST BENEFIT CONCERT MOVIE MARCH 10 AT 1 P.M. By Joanne Winer The QIA (Quartzsite Improvement Assoc.) along with Celia's Rainbow Gardens will host a benefi t on March 10th at 1pm. There will be a show- ing of the fi rst concert performed by local bookseller and musician Paul Winer. The concert was in 2010 and over 1000 people showed up to see what the "naked bookseller" did be- fore he came here to live with his wife and daughter. Many never even knew he played piano and just came out of curios- ity. Some travelers had heard about him back east and wanted to see him again. Paul played for over 2 million people during his career on the east coast and across Canada. His boogie woogie blues music and the songs he wrote made him very unique. He gave up the career he loved when Celia had to start school and the family was looking for per- manent living. Celia passed away in 1994 and the Celia's Rainbow Gardens was start- ed in her memory in 1995. One of the areas in the Gardens has been set aside for the Heroes Bell Gardens. It has six monuments to honor our Military, fi rst responders including Fire Dept, Law Enforcement, 9-11, service animals and other heroes in our community. The QIA normally holds about 800 people and this concert beat that easily. The place was packed and there were about 200 hundred people standing around the doors and windows that were open so they could hear. He still holds the record for the most people at a con- cert there topping even his friends the New Christy Minstrels. Paul's last concert at the QIA was just about 2 months before he died. He had been doing a benefi t for the Rock and Gem Club for their schol- arship funds for the kids in town for most of the years he played there. The last concert had over 400 peo- ple at the end of Feb. 2019. He came out of his sickbed to do it because it meant so much to him. He had promised to do it and knew that his band mates could carry the show if he got too tired. The baby grand piano that Paul had in the store sits now on the stage at the Q.I.A. where the memories still linger from all the good times he spent there. He was very well known and liked by many people The fi lm will be shown in the main hall on Sunday March 19 starting at 1 p.m. The $5 donation at the door includes the movie and some pie or cobbler with ice cream since Paul's stage name was Sweet Pie. All funds will go towards buying the many plaques still needed to cover the monuments at the park. Come and join us for an afternoon of great music and lots of memories with delicious dessert too! FRONT ROW VENDORS ON MAIN STREET 960 W. Main St. Quartzsite, AZ Our customers say we have the BEST BISCUITS & GRAVY in Quartzsite! 357 MAGNUM HOT DOG SHACK COUPON $ 1 OFF ANY CHICAGO HOT DOG* * Coupon Required Good thru December 31, 2023 Nathan's Famous FREE FRIES with purchase of ANY SPECIALTY HOT DOG! OPEN 8AM - 2PM Closed Sunday & Monday CUSTOM TOOTH ARRANGEMENTS Life Time Warranty on Breakage Dental Laboratory Service, LLC Call: 623-444-4013 Goodyear, AZ http://www.DLSAZ.com FREE CONSULTATIONS Same Day Custom Premium Dentures and Partials • US Military Trained with 30 plus Years Experience • 1000's of Satisfied Customers • Extractions & Implants by Licensed AZ Dentist DENTURES Custom Premium Dentures Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 24th for the Quartzsite His- torical Pageant – A Walk in the Past. This fun event is being held again at the Hi Jolly Cemetery in the pioneer section. It will feature many of the "characters" who made up our town from back when it was fi rst started in 1867. The pioneer cemetery has been one of the most visited places in Arizona because of the centerpiece of rock pyramid installed as a memorial to our famous camel driver Hi Jolly (Hadji Ali). He came over with the group of camels that were brought to America to see if they could become transport animals across the desert here like they were in the eastern part of the world. The experiment was stopped with the Civil War broke out and all the troops had to go back east. Other famous people buried there include Buck Connors, who became a famolus Hollywood actor paying in many western movies. His young son is also buried next to him. The Scott family is very well known in this area for their wonderful con- tributions to the community over the years. When William Scott met his future wife Angela, he probably never thought that he would end up being one of the biggest families (12 children-2 died at birth) and that his family would still have descendants here 150 years later! There are also other family names that you might have heard of, or seen on street signs around town like Cowell, Kuehn, and Hagely. Come out and spend the after- noon learning about the history of this area, meeting some of our pioneers and local residents who have made the town what it is today. The pageant is free and everyone is welcome. You can reach the cemetery by going north on Kofa Street to the entrance to the cemetery on the left side, or by go- ing down Cemetery Road, just north of Main Street and turning right into the cemetery. Come and join in all the fun!! 2023 P����| S������ RAIN G�����-B���

• Cover