Desert Messenger

RECYCLE THIS NEWSPAPER thank you! 16 www.DesertMessenger.com September 3, 2014 CHAMBER FROM PAGE 1 The La Paz County Sheriff's Of- fi ce would like to remind everyone that you can have up to date emer- gency information sent to your cell phone via text message by texting your zip code to 888777. This is a website called "NIXLE". We send the following type of information to your cell phone: 'road closures, severe weather alerts, serious crime information, Amber alerts, etc. By signing up with NIXLE, we are able to communicate important infor- mation to everyone quickly and effi ciently via text message. Please sign up today, the service is free. Get Texts from Sheriff's office John Smith and his crew came and took the crumpled roof off the building, and several others (Sandy and Marie) came and helped clean up the inside with Joanne, Cherie, and Cee. Jean Winter, owner of Shady Lane RV Park and Chamber member, came to see the mess and offer her help. When she asked us what we were going to do, we told her we were hoping to be able to get another trailer to move into the same spot if possible. She immediately called Patty Lamb, former resident and business owner in town, and Patty of- fered to give the trailer that is on her lot as a donation to get the Chamber up and running as soon as possible. Once the old trailer has been removed from the spot and the new one is put into place, there will be more work needed to get it ready for the season. If you have some spare time, they will need people who can paint, landscape, put up pock- ets on the walls, etc. and much more. Since they lost most of their printed brochures and schedules, these will also have to be redone and folded. Volun- teers for this part will be greatly appre- ciated. They were just in the process of getting their yearly mailing done to all the other chambers and visitors centers in the state and beyond, and this means hundreds of packages have to be ready to mail as soon as possible. Nothing can be done until the building is moved and ready for occupancy, but if you have some time, please let them know. They are also very short on funds with all this damage and replacing of printed materi- als and construction costs; and all dona- tions are greatly appreciated to help get them ready for the season. The phones are not working at the offi ce, but you can still call their number at 927- 9321 and leave a message and they will get back to you. They are hoping to have a ribbon cutting and reopening of the of- fi ce in less than a month and everyone is invited to come and help them celebrate this show of support they are receiving. It is so nice to know that people care and that the chamber is important to the town. Thank you to everyone who has stopped by to show your support!!! POST MASTER FROM PAGE 12 moved to one of Fred Kuehn's cabins. In 1956, several high school stu- dents decided to paint a "Q" on the north side of the Mill Hill. The fi n- ished "Q" ran across a big dip along the mountain and gained a lot of attention from passerbys on U.S. 60-70 and pilots in small aircraft for being crooked. In 1963, Rhae Wease, a math teacher and coach at Salome High School agreed to assist the Quartzsite students in mathematically correcting the shape of the "Q". Beulah Heisler wrote to Senator Barry Goldwater asking for help to fi nance the proj- ect, to which he agreed and sent a check. Beulah was so happy with the fi nished project that she had the mural on the east side of the old tavern changed to replicate the Mill Hill "Q". Beulah Heisler was born on May 18, 1911 in Illinois and passed away on September 21, 1992 and is buried in Quartzsite's Hi Jolly Cemetery. La Paz County Health Department Food Handler Cards Food Handler cards are required for every person who handles or prepares food, and/or handles the eating utensils and food preparation equipment, including dishwashing. The cost is $15.00 per year and the card must be posted inside the food unit. Cards must be obtained prior to opening. For more information contact the Health Department at 928-669-1100 in Parker, AZ. Food Handler Classes HOLE FROM PAGE 11 tragic, accidental deaths doing what they loved. They both were in the prime of their careers. They both loved nature and were dedicated to its preservation. And John, like Steve, was probably in his 40s and good looking with a mop of blond hair surrounding his round, boyish face. They looked so much alike! Their deaths left a hole in my life....a hole in my heart. Usually when I write a story, it is not about just one incident. One thing hap- pens (Steve Irwin's death), then an- other (John Denver's TV special), and a kind of string of events occurs. That's what happened this time. There's been a lot of talk about "Bobby," the new fi lm about Bobby Kennedy -- a another tragic death. I remember when it hap- pened. I even remember the death of his brother John F. Kennedy, both so hard to believe at the time. Recently, there was a short memorial at the beginning of a Unitarian service for a woman who died recently. I didn't know the woman personally, but after several people spoke about her, I got a sense of how valued she was, not only as a Unitarian, but as a very active member of the community. After hearing all the glowing comments about her, I thought it was too bad she couldn't hear all the things people said about her. I feel me- morial services should be held while people are still living! Now days later, 9/11 is all over the news. Today is the fi fth anniversary, and the world still feels the shock and remains forever changed because of this catastrophe. Then I got to thinking about all the famous people who have died -- deaths that shocked the world -- deaths that left holes in all of our lives: Martin Lu- ther King, Princess Diana and the list kind of stopped there until the recent death of Robin Williams, such a unique actor. I wondered why I couldn't come up with more names and realized that these people all suffered tragic deaths. It is always sad when people die, but when someone dies suddenly, unex- pectedly, without warning, tragically without a chance to say good-by, there is an emptiness that cannot be fi lled. That's the time I feel a hole in my life..... a hole in my heart. Jane's book is WANDERINGS: Living the Ordinary Extraordinarily (Stories from the Road). This column consists of stories from the book. (email: janefi nley@yahoo. com, website: janefi nley.com) Once there was a comic strip called POGO. POGO was a possum that lived in a swamp. POGO was well schooled in the wonders of the world and the va- garies of man. His favorite saying was, "We have met the enemy and he is us." Is that not what's right with Quartzsite right now? Have we been misled to stab ourselves in the back, missed and hit ourselves in the heart? Is the future for us a deep dark hole? Or is there still time yet to take a serious look at what the future holds for us, under the selfi sh, self centered plans, not promised,but guaranteed to destroy our way of life. Truly our enemy is us! Elmer London, Quartzsite, AZ POGO lessons

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