Good news has been received that the Valley Home Community Center park project is on the move forward again. Several volunteers have made themselves available for different jobs and the result is welcomed progress. The project of getting the ballard (a set of standing metal pipes surrounding an area to be protected) completed for the well was completed this past week. Volunteer Eldon Angle rode his tractor over to the park site and dug the three foot deep holes for the standing metal pipes. Board member Ralph Damante hauled two donated 21 foot, five inch diameter metal pipes to the site where volunteer Tony Furtado cut them with an acetylene torch into seven foot lengths which were then placed three feet into the ground by Ralph Damante and his son Lorenzo. Later board members Joe Perez and Sharon Furtado filled concrete and dirt around and inside the hollow pipes making a very secure four-foot high ballard surrounding the park’s well.
On Sunday, volunteer Matt Stanley drove his backhoe to the park site and removed several large old three-foot diameter concrete pipes from the ground where the power line will be laid. The trenching from the power pole to the well had already been done by volunteer Randy Benedix with the exception of a couple of spots blocked by the old concrete pipes. The assistance provided by this group of Valley Home volunteers is greatly appreciated by the Valley Home Community Center board of directors who hope that residents will continue to assist in the completion of their community park. There is still much to be accomplished before the project is completed.
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Valley Home members of Oakdale’s Fun Lovin’ Ladies are reminded that the first meeting of the New Year for the Red Hatters will be held on January 6. Café Bravo in Oakdale has been selected for the meeting. Queen Bonny reminds everyone to please call Gail (Cookie) at 847-0761 if you need to cancel or have not made your reservation, as she has to confirm with the restaurant how many to expect.
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Older Valley Home residents join with Oakdale residents to mourn the loss of Mazo Kenoyer Ekstrom who passed away on December 12. Mazo was a familiar visitor to our community and a member of the Valley Home “Good Cheer Sewing Club” ca.1950’s At that time Mazo was married to her first husband, Nicholas “Nick” Schildgen. Nick passed away in 1964 and Mazo married Glenn Ekstrom in 1976, Glenn passed away in 2002. Both Mazo and Glenn were active in the Oakdale Historical Society and Oakdale Historical Museum. Mazo held the position of Head Docent at the museum since its opening in 1985 and Glenn used his woodworking talents to make shelves for books and artifacts in the museum office. Mazo also held the office of past Historical Society President and was one of the prime Society members who compiled the Historic Sites Inventory of Oakdale in 1986. She was 96 years of age at the time of her passing. Mazo will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate to know and work with her.
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We send a long distance Happy Birthday to former Valley Home resident Kris Bergstrom from all her Valley Home friends and a Happy Birthday to Spence Bussell who celebrates a birthday on December 20.
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Happy Anniversary wishes go to Bill and Elaine Medina from all their Valley Home friends.
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Just a reminder to keep saving those General Food box tops during the Holidays and send them with your child to school after the Holiday!
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MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!
