There was good attendance at the organizational meeting this month. Topics that where discussed was coming up with a name of the club and area birding sites. Both are are going to be on the agenda at the upcoming meeting Wednesday June 18th, at 6:30 pm the the City Park. Field trip to follow so bring your bird books and binoculars. Hope to see you there.
An early morning meeting–7:00 am at Dee’s Cafe– all the shade tree committee members were there and we had a lot to talk about. We need to take care of all the trees that were planted last year, we have over 40 to plant next Thursday night. These will replace the long row of tall evergreens that were dying. We meet next Tuesday evening to work on the 125th Birthday Celebration cook book that our committee is putting together as a fund raiser. We learned that we didnt get the grant that we had applied for. We are working on getting the trees for the new Cando Welcome sign that the Horizon’s Beautification Commitee is working on. So until 8:30 adjournment, we were very busy discussing all that we have done and have to do. This commitee really does the planning and shovel work to keep Cando trees looking good, taking out the old ones and replacing new ones on the berms and park and campground. It is a fun group and everyone pitches in and helps get the work done. I am glad to be a part of this committee.
Thursday was a big day at the Cando Community Library: the count was 82, and 35 of these were children signing up for the Summer Reading Program: “Catch the Reading Bug”. Some of the new books with Bugs as the subject, and others with popular authors, will be paid for with City Sales Tax reserved for the Youth of Cando. There are also 65 new books from the Libri Foundation in Oregon. This is a grant we can apply for every 3 years. We sent $350 from the Friends of the Library (a fund-raiser in December called Season’s Readings), and the Libri Foundation let us choose books from their list. The bill would have been $1060 if we purchased them in a store; a GREAT deal!!
The Kick-Off party for the summer program was: riddles by the Librarian, an interaction story about Anasi with Connie Elsperger reading very expressively to the group, and a fun Mad-Lib story with which Becky Kingsley entertained the group. Then snacks and bug juice! and the kids went home ready to read books they chose, new and old. The total number of books checked out this one day (by adults as well as children) was almost 150!
Have you caught the Reading Bug yet? It’s contagious!! and “a Picnic” as the sign on the front window of the Library says.
This past month I have been working for the Soil Conservation district planting trees and today we finished planting. Now, a few days selling the left over trees at low prices to the town and surrounding area. Just one more way to beautify our town and area. Planting trees is a real investment in the future. Some trees have about a 100 year life expectance and so will be around a long time. Older people come in and buy trees, some wanting a tree that will grow fast so they can see it mature and others are looking to leave something behind when they are gone. For whatever reason, planting trees is a good idea. Those who see beauty in nature, see beauty in about everything and trees can be so beautiful. Three more tree selling days and we are done for another year.
Today was Memorial Day and Cando had such a nice celebration. At 10:30 a.m. at the Cando school gym the indoor celebration was held. The American Legion men were in their uniforms and marched in. The 6 Poppy girls (from the 2nd and 3rd grades) were all dressed in White and selling poppies; the community band played, the Invocation was by Pastor Koenig and the Memorial address was by Father D’Aco. The Catholic youth Choir sang two songs, and the head of the American Legion spoke. It was very nice. Then, in the cold and wind, the parade went down main street and took a ride out to the cemetery. Here the white crosses were all lined up inside a white picket fence and the Poppy girls lined up and went to each white cross and placed a poppy in the ground. This celebration covered all the emotions, the reverence for the military who had served, the ones who died serving, the appreciation of our country and what others have done that we may be free and live in peace here, the beauty that we saw in the children who were a part of this, singing and placing the poppies at the crosses. The old men who have been a part of the American Legion for 60 plus years and the young families who were there because of their dads and grand-dads having been a part of the service and fought in the wars.
Yes, it was a cold day but the sun was shining and our country side is bright green and we have so much to be thankful for. Our community comes together in support and celebration together. God Bless and Protect America.
I have recently been trying to clean up the trailer court. Not that it is dirty but the trees and shrubs are getting overgrown and it will take a little bit to get everything in order again. It is possible that we will try to have some spots in the trailer court available for travel trailers. With a few changes with electrical posts and sewer links maybe we can host more traveling people in our community. Time will tell when or if this happens but I will keep working toward the beautification of the property. And a big thanks to the people who reside in the trailer court for doing a fantastic job on their lots - they look great.
On May 20th, the Cando fire hall invited children of all ages, to come learn about the safety of riding their bikes. Those who had no helmets, got new ones. Repairs were made on bikes, and they talk about riding tips to the children and parents. A video was shown to the children about bike safety. Prizes and snacks was also given. Thank you to all volunteers who donated time and supplies for this event. The children had a great time!
Boy scouts met on May 13th at the gun club. Many boys and one girl show up to learn safety tips on shooting bb guns and bows. The event lasted about 2 hours. The kids had fun. Thanks to the many parents and grandparents who show up to help our scouts with the event.
Today we met friends in Grand Forks and a new gal from Kansas. She remarked that what she has seen of North Dakota is how clean and nice our state looks!!! She felt that North Dakotans must take more pride in their homes etc. than elsewhere. Hey, that is a pretty good remark. And Grand Forks does look very nice after all that town went thru with the flood of 11 years ago. So, everyone, maybe we are looking cleaner and greener!
Looks like more rain tonight and that will brighten and clean up the dirt that was blowing so bad as we drove to Grand Forks. Lots of trees need to leaf-out yet and with a few warm days, maybe we will have a nice spring before it is officially summer! Have a great Memorial Day weekend.
There are people all over town, working on the preparations for the big 125th birthday party for Cando next 4th of July, 2009. The beautification committee mailed out about 100 postcards to businesses in town, asking everyone to ‘put on the sparkle’ on the business fronts and properties, etc. so our town will look as good as possible to all the ones coming home to Cando. And we see and hear of families painting, removing all fences and and planting trees and flowers so we will do all that we can to make everyone proud of our town and hopefully some will want to retire here, in this beautiful quiet town. You know we have to many things to do here, golf, bowling hunting, fishing, baseball field, softball field, swimming pool, campground, movie theater, library, art center, hockey arena, museum, 5 Churches, and a main street with good businesses. And we have the Can do attitude!
