Desert Messenger

16 www.DesertMessenger.com February 19, 2020 Desert Messenger offers FREE Classifi ed Ads! Here's the small print: Items for sale under $1000. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Garage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com THE MAIN TRADING POST INDIAN ARTIFACTS & JEWELRY 928-927-3200 1170 W. Main St. (across from Pilot) PO Box 4028, Quartzsite, AZ 85346 BEADS Findings Much More! Sterling Silver Jewelry 50% OFF! LIVE MUSIC 3 PM ~ AT THE STAGE! Nov. 15 - March ~ Updates on our Facebook Page 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 By Jackie Deal A thread comes loose. Just a tiny, little thread. You grab it, pull, and the whole seam pops open! That little thread was important. Arlea Long may not be the thread that holds the whole Quartzsite Im- provement Association (QIA) to- gether but she certainly keeps a lot of things from unraveling. She's lasted through the terms of 15 or 20 Presidents of the QIA and will probably outlast a few more! It's no wonder that "Arlea will know," is the most frequent response to the where is it, how does it work, who does it, type of questions. She's tiny. Terrifi c. A Tornado. And she can intimidate men twice her size. She doesn't shout or holler, she moves about quietly and quickly. Arlea has been organizing, direct- ing and doing most everything that needs doing at the QIA since 1978. When I asked her what her respon- sibilities at the QIA were, she gave me a list of 15 activities. And, re- member, she's a volunteer! Nobody asks "Is Arlea here?" They ask "Where's Arlea?" She can be found inventorying dry goods in the storage room or decorating the dining room tables. She's cashier at various shows. She helps set up the dining room, she takes tickets, she oversees the bulletin boards etc. etc. You've seen the brightly painted sign that says "Arlea's Offi ce" that might be perched anywhere. And would you believe, she leads the dai- ly morning exercises? Her fi rst job at the QIA was the information desk for the museum which was located in the QIA building at that time. She and her husband were custodians at the QIA for fi ve years. This might not be so unusual but Arlea is 89 years old and defi nitely one of the most active almost 90 year-olds you could fi nd. She was the oldest of six children and used to responsibilities. She was born in Omak, Washington and still spends summers there. She has three children and we got lost in the count of grand-children and great grandchildren. Arlea and her husband, Winfred, came to Quartzsite fi rst in 1978 and after he died in 2006 she continued coming. Family members drive her back and forth each year and "take turns so they all get a chance to be in Quartzsite." What attracts her to Quartzsite? "Hmm, I think it's the people. We're all retired and we don't have family to worry about so we can keep busy." She's treasurer for the Museum and active in TOPS and church. "I have more to do down here than in my hometown." The "Queen Mum", that's the af- fectionate term for the Queen of England, and so we christen Arlea- "Queen Mum of the QIA"! QIA's "Queen Mum" 602-791-0584 Dr. Michael Cole, D.C. Thursday & Friday ~ Call for Appt. 355 N. Central Blvd. Quartzsite Got Drugs? Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal Mon - Fri. 8am-5pm Quartzsite Police Department

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