Executive Board of Directors
Gil Mangels, President
Cathleen Wilde, VP
Nancy Pray, secretary
Joanne Mangels, Treasurer
Gracia Normandeau Jones
Kendall Dupuis • Mike Maddy
Stan Cohen • Ned Wilde
Advisory Board of Directors
Jim Pomajevich
Are you interested?
A Non-Profit 501(c) (3) Corporation • 81-0437386
36094 Memory Lane Polson, MT 59860 406-883-6804
www.miracleofamericamuseum.org
•
info@miracleofamericamuseum.org
June-July-August 2012 QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER
Summer hours begin
Summer finally comes to the Miracle of
America Museum, as far as the calendar goes.
Fortunately, the rainy and chilly spring did not
dampen the spirits of our visitors. So far this year,
we've had visitors from 46 states, 22 countries,
and 4 provinces. Missing states are DE., MA.,
RI., and WV.
We have gone to our Summer Hours
schedule: 8 to 8 Daily.
Word of mouth and drive-by still top the list as
the reason people stop, but our brochures and
Dave Venters
attraction menus are getting good
results.
Paul London
and crew at Polson
Motorcoach and KOA Campgrounds usually
heads the list for sending folks, but
Meadowlake
Country Club
at Columbia Falls, takes top
honors this quarter for sending the most visitors.
"Romp in the Art" here went well for the first
show and several guests artists had fun
participating. Gil's new 36 page booklet about his
sculptures has been selling well thanks in part to
our new receptionist
Berna Gilham
who treats
the museum as if it was her own. If you would
like to purchase one, they are $5.00 plus $2.00
postage. As our newest receptionist, we're happy
to welcome back
Erma Wall
also through the
Experience Works program. With the help of
Erma and Berna, Joanne can relax once in a
while.
"When it's Cherry Blossom Time In Old
Montana", a piece of displayed sheet music
from 1947 by Ottman Coverdell, prompted us
to spring into action and put out the word that
we wanted to enlarge the cherry industry
exhibit. It's displayed in the large multipurpose
building in the northeast corner of the museum
grounds. At the risk of forgetting someone,
recent donor list of cherry boxes, pruners,
pitters, etc. includes the
Campbell, Chrysler,
Collins, Deyo, Dutch, Farnum, Funke,
Gochis, Hayes, Morehead, Myerhoffer
, and
Peterson
families.
Cherry time
We're looking for programs and photos of earlier
day cherry festivals, etc. also.
Anita Hansen
donated
an antique cherry stoner (pitter).
Martin Schaer
donated a bee smoker, etc.
pg_0002
MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS
Clayton Brovold
- Electric Physiotherapy
Solar Deep Therapy Lamp #155;
Leroy Lau
-matchbook covers, wooden
boxes w/ advertising, etc;
Wilma Winegart
-beautiful 80 year old
wedding dress;
Bert and Grace Poloson
-waffle irons,
unique Warlick galvanized snow toboggan,
etc;
Arthur M. Solonar
-5 beautifully detailed
plastic model ships;
Tom Needham
- wicker fishing creel and
gear, etc;
Gail Kimball Herried
- Hileman and
Thiri photos, historical books;
Ruth Pinkerman
- Polson Milk Jug paper
bottle cap.
Hardwick American Legion Post 112
and the Roat
families sponsored a $200 ad in
Veterans View
website. To see it, Google
"travel and leisure," click on Montana state
outline, and then Polson.
Howard Hudson
- 20 angle shelf brackets
(already put to use in our appliance building),
small hosiery washboard,
displayed in the same
building, etc;
Millie Mielke
- tailoring
iron, Indian stone hammer,
history books, etc;
Charles Mangels
- antique cartridge boxes and a
rare pair of prescription military glasses designed to
fit inside an M17 army gas mask. Regular glasses do
not allow correct sealing because of the bows on the
sides of your head;
Jim Eggebrecht
- excellant condition 1979
Yamaha XT500 motorcycle;
John Varnum
-
wide carriage Underwood
typewriter which goes well in our village "land
office/railroad station";
Pat Fleming
- numerous items including a 100
lb. anvil, large bench vise, and a commode (like a
small dresser with a compartment for a slop jar.)
Marvin Taber
-Just when you think you've seen
it all, something new comes in. In this case it was a
rare metal can for shipping foodstuff overseas to our
servicemen and women, (in over 60 years of
collecting, Gil has never seen another); and a Korean
war shirt w/ patch.
Don Smart
- an upside down bathtub w/ wheels.
Actually, when you get a closer look, it turns out to
be a 1951 Nash Ambassador 2 door. It is a fairly solid
car and worthy of restoration. As often happened,
some of the not so common car manufacturers were
ahead of the rest w/ innovative ideas and designs.
This is one you could take camping and not need a
tent.
Mike Gale
- When he got home from Vietnam,
his father framed his ribbons and medals. Mike
Newsletter layout courtesy of
Carmine Mowbray of
pg_0003
Bunyan Remedy
Modern paint seems to be a failure to start with.
When big brother overreacted and took the lead out of
paint, it lost its durability. Thanks to
Spencer Perry,
Montana Sales Rep. for Sherwin-Williams and
Zachary Roeder of the Missoula Sherwin Williams
store, We were donated 5 gallons of Peelbond primer
which is supposed to be the best. As soon as the
weather straightens out we'll try it out on the Paul
Bunyan boat and the outside south wall of the boat
and auto bldg.
It goes where needed most
A recent $100 donation was sent to us from out of
state for museum project development. We used it for
glass for recently assembled picture groupings of local
history and vintage advertising for related artifacts.
Unfortunately, the donors name and address were lost
in our computers black hole. Memberships, unless
otherwise directed, go directly into the museum
endowment fund.
Always Improving
Return visitors notice the recent improvements
we've made and continue to make almost daily. Even
when Gil gets to watch the desk due to helper
shortages, he's busy sorting boxes and piles of smaller
items, framing pictures, posters, or collages, or
mentally planning several things at once.
MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS
continued
In Sympathy
One of America's prominent founding fathers,
John Adams, stated, "Our Constitution was made
only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly
inadequate to the government of any other." A
direct descendent,
Mel Adams
served faithfully
on our board of directors since the museum's
inception. Mel recently succumbed to heart
failure. While his heart could no longer sustain his
body, it never wavered in his love for God,
Family, or America. Mel and his wife Gaye were
staunch supporters of the Constitution and lifetime
donors to the museum endowment fund.. Our
thoughts and prayers go out to Gaye and family.
thought his uniform and this grouping might be
better in the veterans section rather than
hanging in his closet at home. Interestingly just
this week a gracious family of four - originally
from Vietnam but now U.S. citizens and
business people in Washington state - were
excited to see our displays, translated some of
the Vietnam writings and affirmed how grateful
they were for our veterans.
Tom Lund
- After using it to finish up his
grounds work at the Mission Mountain Resort,
Tom decided to donate his International 350
diesel tractor and loader to the museum. The
resort, about 4 miles east of Polson off Mt. 35
does special events, anything from birthday
parties to weddings. Give them a call at
406-883-1883.
Gene DeCarlos
has come on board so to
speak by volunteering his time and making us
many made to order wooden picture frames.
Other helpers which includes "gofers" by
delivering or picking up things, receptionist,
cleaning displays, etc. include
Jim Eastham,
Brenda Hughes, Dawn Merritt, Lee and
Afton Moss, Scott Perry, Nancy Pray, Earl
Serry, Andrew Speer, and Donna Terry.
pg_0004
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 be side 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
Food, Rides, Games, Schoolhouse
activities, Carvers, Artists,
Crafts people, engines
and tractors, blacksmith,
music, ice cream treats, etc. We can always use
additional help and participants? Regular museum
summer hours 8 to 8, Live History activities, 10 - 4.
For more info call: 883-6804 or 883-6264.
LIVE HISTORY DAYS -
JOIN US FOR A TREAT
FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
Saturday and Sunday July 21 and 22
A huge salute of thanks to our
New and Renewing Members:
Life Memberships:
George and Brenda Brimhall
Sustaining Memberships
Gulick Farms
Bert and Grace Poloson
Polson Bay Grocery
Bert and Kathy Smith
Family Memberships:
Bruce Agrella
Kathleen Gray
Andrew and Diane Speer
Monte and Loie Turner