Executive Board of Directors

Gil Mangels, President

Cathleen Wilde, VP

Mel Adams, VP

Joanne Mangels, Secretary

Gracia Normandeau Jones

Kendall Dupuis

Mike Maddy

Stan Cohen

Donna Maddux

Nancy Pray

Ned Wilde

Advisory Board of Directors

Paul Bonelli

Jim Pomajevich

A Non-Profit 501(c) (3) Corporation • 81-0437386

36094 Memory Lane Polson, MT 59860 406-883-6804

www.miracleofamericamuseum.org

•

info@miracleofamericamuseum.org

December 2010

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

Tom Needham -

rare, high, two-wheel horse cart that had been his

father's, made circa late 1800's in Helena by the T.C. Powers Co.

Donations, Blessings abundant this Thanksgiving

Would you believe a white Thanksgiving? And cold too. Joanne

and I appreciate the many prayers on her behalf. I thought maybe I

could catch up on some of our earlier donors this issue:

Ron Cofer

- beautifully restored pedal car and custom teardrop

camp trailer;

Visitors Roger and Barbara

Clayton signed in from Phoenix, AZ

and we learned they live next door to

Maricopa County sheriff Joe Arpaio's

press secretary. At my request for an

autographed picture, Roger said he'd

see what he could do. Soon a large

package arrived with two hardbound

books about Joe, numerous posters, a

pair of pink boxer shorts, pink hand-

cuffs, and a deputy patch which I

promptly sewed on my Incredibles

jacket from Brad Bird. Joe's motto is

"If you don't want to do the time-don't

do the crime, and a prisoner shouldn't

live better in jail than the honest citizen

on the outside." That attitude would

probably cut our nation's crime rate

by at least half.

AZ Sheriff Joe Arpaio

sends publicity, gifts

MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS

A huge salute of thanks to our

Family Memberships:

David Sergent

Bruce Waldron

Mark and Sandra of Bryant Photographics

at

817 South Higgins in Missoula recently spent a

day professionally photographing some our

motorcycles. Some of the photos will find their

way onto some new postcards and be added to a

reprinting of our brochure which we need to do

soon;

Kevin Engebretson

-A 1940's Boy Scout shirt

with a Polson troop 47 patch and another camp

patch dated 1945;

Jack and Gail Downes -

Kodak camera, 4 antique

postage stamp albums, etc;

Sheila Garrison -

Korean

War era flight suit, worn by her father when he flew

bombers;

Howard Hudson-

juvenile books, Harley

memorabilia, etc;

Brad Howser

-

a Vietnam vet was shot and wounded

while on maneuvers in 'Nam, but was still able to

successfully return fire. The documents on the body of

the enemy were salvaged and examined for pertinent

military information and later brought home as 'spoils

of war' souvenirs. The enemy combatant was a medical

paymaster and in his possession besides pay vouchers

were songbooks and personal letters. He had beautiful

handwriting. It is unknown if the colorful artwork was

his or may have been from a girl/wife;

Polson, Montana

Newsletter layout courtesy of

Carmine Mowbray of

3rd Saturday activity at the MOAM-

"Fun in the SNOW'

1 to 4 pm: View rare winter tools and toys of winter.

Exhibition of vintage snow machines, some of which

were pre-owned by Glacier National Park. Rides may

be possible.

MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS

Garry Wegner -

donated a cute little

model FH Briggs &

Stratton rope-start gas

engine that was

originally used to

power a washing

machine. With the

open valve rocker arm,

they were fun to watch

running. It was many a

boys' dream to score

one of these to power a homemade go cart or

mount on a bicycle. Many a budding mechanic or

race car driver cut his teeth or sometimes cracked

his front teeth with one of these;

James Woidtke -

26 Willard WWII flashlight and

radio batteries.

Bob and Sue King-

brother from Lakeside and

sister from Florida had previously donated a glass

showcase and a little green alien that has

accompanied our U F O in many parades. They

recently gave us a gag electric toilet tissue for our

display-only outhouse;

Walton Tools -

broken tap extractors and special

tap wrenches. If you need special tools for the

mechanical, automotive, or plumbing industries,

look them up at www.waltontools.com

Featured donor this issue is Kay T.

McAndie, Shoreline, WA. who was

caregiver and guardian 18 years for Keith

W. Whitesell who was born in Polson in

1923. Keith recently passed away and

left no family. Kay came to Polson and

thought the MOAM would be an

appropriate place to display Whitesell

effects including his WWII service and

memorabilia related to Polson. His father

was one of the deputies who found and

killed the desperado and wife-killer,

Chester Powell in 1921. Included in the

grouping were several photos of

Chester's hideout and rifle, early photos

of Polson, Keith's military grouping, and

an interesting 1924 Infant Health

Conference score card from MT State

Board of Health. Keith passed with a

score of 100.

Featured Donor this Month

Condolences

go to the Solle family. Good friend Phil Solle

of Missoula recently passed away. Years ago,

he donated the 1917 Harley Davidson

motorcycle engine around which I built a

period flat track racer.

(Pictured on page 1.)

Non-Profit

Postage Paid

Polson, MT

59860

Permit #89

Miracle of America Museum

36094 Memory Lane

Polson, MT 59860

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Membership

Membership to the Miracle of America

Museum is tax-deductible and allows you free

admission, newsletters and 10% discount in our

gift shop.

We really appreciate our supporters who

remember to send donations.

A star beside your name on the address label

means this may be the last newsletter you receive

unless we hear from you. If you wish to remain

on our mailing list, please let us know.

Family membership: $25 to $99

Annual Sustaining: $100 to $199

Corporate Sustaining: $200 to $999

Lifetime: $1000 or above

Thank you very much for your

support

Proud

Heritage

- the beautifully

illustrated story

of the lower Flathead

by noted Polson author

Paul Fugleberg

final few copies available!

Don't miss your chance to get one of these

last remaining copies - A meaningful and

perfect Christmas gift. $35 each.

Looking Forward

to Live History Days

Our popular annual Live History Days

take place July 16-17, 2011.

Mark it on your calendar!

Our hope

Our hope this special season

of year is that Christmas Bells

will drown out the sound of the

chaos and hate that has

overshadowed our once great nation. Henry

Wadsworth Longfellow through the inspiration of the

Holy Spirit gave us this promise, "...God is not dead,

nor doth he sleep; the wrong shall fail, the right

prevail..."

Sometimes we may wonder, but the Babe in the

manger, even the Christ child gives us hope.

- Merry Christmas, Gil and Joanne