Greeting Cards--
I have been sorting saved greeting cards and letters and now have 4 large shoe boxes and a hat box full of packets. Next time I feel lonely I will just need to grab a shoebox or a packet and I can enjoy all the kind and loving messages from children, grandchildren, friends, relatives and my husband over the years! I knew I was saving them for some reason.
When my mother died I received my greeting cards back from her and some letters from the children which I mostly have put in their 'take this' box. But a couple of envelopes that were missed is two letters that Maria wrote her "Gramma Anderson" when she was 7 or 8. On the front of the envelope she writes it is from your 'groovy Granddaughter' and it is written to 'Gramma Anderson (the groovy one)' (The phrase 'groovy' is so 40's I am curious where that came up--from a Barbie doll? or was it 'back' in the early 70's'? On the back she has several messages 'Open here' 'Hurry' 'right now' and a special message for the post office-- 'post office ladie I'm talking to my Gramma'--so Cute.
Lake Almanor Trivia--
Another thing I came across is some trivia about Lake Almanor when it was being developed in the 50's. The smooth beach we love so much at Rec I was evidently filled with tree stumps at one time. Ed Kalt was employed by Mr. Clifford, the developer, to dynamite the stumps. " He had just finished for the day but had one stick of dynamite left so he stuck it under a stump and set it off. It was successfully blown out and Ed drove off in his pickup to report to Mr. Clifford.
While sitting on the porch the two watched a car come tearing up and park in front while the driver slammed out and approached furiously. He inquired who had been blasting stumps and Mr. Clifford said, as a matter of fact, it was Ed. The irate man said, "Well, that last stump came through my roof and is now sitting in my bathtub!"
The bandshell we love so much was moved back a little this year and has additional flat cement to cater to all the dancers at the Sunday night concerts in the summer.
The article goes on "Gene Lytle commented that the biggest change he had observed in the years he has been here is in the Music and Arts Program. He was involved with Gordon Minor when the first Sunday evening concerts were presented in the park. Gordon had a banjo band that Gene participated in. Gene acted as MC for these early programs. Local talent provided free programs and during these concerts, Fran Smith, Dolores Richards, and others collected donations to build a bandshell. The bandshell was built in 1987 with funds donated by LACC residents. $40,000 was raised during these efforts for the present bandshell.
