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

QUARTERLY REPORT

Beautiful Autumn is here again. Our gardens were nipped by Jack Frost

yesterday. 2009 has been a very good year thus far and we would like to

thank everyone who has sent or brought visitors, displayed our bumper

stickers, brochures and posters; businesses who donated or gave discounts,

media and reporters, and persons donating artifacts, material, money, labor,

etc.

Live History Days were well attended and fun was had by all with

many promises to return next year on our traditional third weekend in July.

All 50 states were represented this summer by July 5

th

and currently 34

countries and six Canadian Provinces have personally logged in.

As we enter the Autumn season, MOAM stays open daily, but "Falls

back" to its off-season hours which are Monday thru Saturday 8 to 5 and

1:30 to 5 Sundays. Later hours may be arranged for special occasions like

birthday parties, reunions, or meetings in our public meeting room. The

popular Pickin' in the Park musicians will begin jamming here in the

MOAM's meeting room afternoons on Saturday Oct. 3. No charge to

participate or just sit and listen.

Thanks again to all who have helped make this year a banner year!

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

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

miracleofamericamuseum.org

•

info@miracleofamericamuseum.org

September 2009

QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER

New Building

added to Village

With increased visitation this

year, we were able to purchase and

move a 30' x 50' insulated building

on site. A third of it is being set up

as our antique printing shop which

includes a linotype, printing press,

archival newspapers, typewriters,

adding machines, etc.

Displays featuring local

industries like cherries, apples,

bees/honey will fill out the new

building.

The local sweet cherry industry

display was enhanced by the

donation of an old homemade

sorting table and scale by

Escoe

Lewis

and his wife,

Vi Pinkerman

Lewis

. Her father was a pioneer in

this industry.

Bob and Art Gould donated these bicycle license plates.

Children

put them on their bikes and other riding toys. This is the most complete

collection we have ever seen. These came in Wheaties cereal boxes and

someone had to eat a whole lot of Wheaties to get this large a collection!

We'd like to find an old Wheaties cereal box advertising these.

Does anyone have one?

Moving On

We will miss

George and Wanda Swim,

who are

moving to be near their daughter in Idaho. They have

donated Harley-Davidson memorabilia, a HopAlong

Cassidy notebook, a 1912 soldering iron and other old

tools, WWII memorabilia

and photo/history books,

and other neat stuff.

We will also miss:

Ron and Roberta

Davis

, barber shop and

medical building

volunteers who moved to

Oregon also to be near

family.

Phyllis Fulkerson

is

also moving to be nearer

the sun in winter. She cleaned out her house, had a big

sale, and Arizona here she comes! We will miss her

"angelic" assistance, innovative ideas, energy and

friendly smile for all.

We often refer to help from Above when people ask

us how we've accomplished so much in just 25 years, so

here's proof:

Earl Serry

claims

to be an RV Gypsy and "goes

where the Angels" lead him.

He spent two days of his

vacation restoring a rare

snowmobile and other misc.

projects.

A huge salute of thanks to our

Life Members:

Art and Nell Mangels

Family Memberships:

Paul Beckstrom - 2 years

Bill and Joan Mc Dermott

Kenneth and Terri Miller

Ruth Raihl

Newsletter layout courtesy of

Carmine Mowbray of

Improved way

to receive newsletters - in full

color and paperless!

Have email? Please let us send you paperless

newsletters.

First, email us your permission, (which will

provide us your email address);

Second, set your spam filter to accept "museum

newsletter". You will then receive our quarterly

newsletters in full color. If you don't have access to

computer or prefer a paper copy we will continue to

mail or hand deliver it. Mail rates continue to rise

and some newsletters are not being delivered

properly.

Email us at: info@miracleofamericamuseum.org

Community Involvement

MOAM continues to get involved in

community events. Recently we loaned the use of

our blue barrel train pulled by our very rare 1950

Pacific H6 garden tractor - built by Pacific Iron &

Machine Company of San Diego CA - to Rotary

Club Festival for Youth.

We loaned six of our antique motorcycles to

Montana Harley-Davidson's Open House in

Missoula.

Chamber Splash—Many guests enjoyed ice

cream treats from our authentic soda fountain and

East Shore Smokehouse brought in smoked riblets,

rolls, and salads. UMM!! Delicious!!

Several of our vehicles appeared in both the

Polson and Bigfork 4

th

of July parades.

Grant news

Last newsletter we told you we would be included

in the 2009 State Employees Giving Campaign,

SECGC.

The campaign is an opportunity for state employees

to give to the non-profit of their choice using payroll

deduction. The state verifies the non profits' legitimacy

and distributes the money collected. The State advised

us to let all our donors, supporters and volunteers and

their friends know we are a part of the SECGC.

If you

are a state employee or

acquainted with one

, please

encourage any giving to benefit the MOAM.

MISCELLANEOUS DONATIONS

Bill Samsel donated two vintage auto hood

ornaments mounted on beautiful slices of

Juniper.

Leroy Lau donated a beautiful child s casket

which a relative had found in the attic of a house

he was remodeling. This was even more elegant

than the ones we had in our funerary display.

Jean Swanson donated about a dozen

pieces of Black memorabilia ranging from a Gold

Dust Twins card to 1930 wooden circus toys and

on to 2 Weird Harold, (Bill Cosby) cups. Totally

unrelated, was a 1939 AFof L Solidarity pin and a

beautiful Czechoslovakian Madonna figurine.

Finally there were pieces of Cracker Jack

memorabilia like sunglasses, flashlight, a watch

etc.

Missoula Historical Museum at Fort

Missoula donated about 15 agriculture items that

no longer fit their mission. We were grateful to

receive these items, most of which do not need

restoration. These include a corn sheller, 2

walking plows, potato planter, etc.

Many more nice donations have recently

come in and will be featured in our winter

newsletter. Be watching for it!

Dave Erickson: McCormick Separator donated

in memory of Axel Erickson;

Phyllis Fulkerson: Political buttons, postcard,

mirror and kitchen miscellany including a recipe

booklet using Montana Beet Sugar. Gil s Dad

used to raise sugar beets for the Amalgamated

Sugar Company in Missoula.

James O Connell donated a Purple heart and a

Bronze Star earned by his uncle, Chaplain John

F. Hanley in WW II. Hanley served with Patton s

army in Africa;

Kathy Knudson: Custom made hiking boots

made for Daniel Henning;

Maureen Wiltrout: 1892 Mohland co. Horse

powered stump puller;

Bill Reynolds: WW I trench dagger and wild

cow skull;

Arlene Hern Erickson donated Leavitt 1895

dehorner, Ceretana flour sack, tractor-mounted

crop duster/sprayer. Arlene and Gil s fathers had

actually jointly bought this in the early 50 s;

Jens Gran: cast iron bed and useable scrap

iron;

Howard Hudson: misc lumber, 2x4s, 2x6s, 2x8s

etc, flight manuals and training aids, and Girl

Scout Barrette, tiny Bible (1x1x 1/2), a folding

undertaker s table, household items, Boy Scout

knife, Harley Davidson sofa blanket, lamps,

books, etc.

Welcome Mel & Betty Humphrey

and Andrew Jo nes as new family

members who at press tim e just

joined as Friends of MOAM.

Non-Profit

Postage Paid

Polson, MT

59860

Permit #89

Miracle of America Museum

36094 Memory Lane

Polson, MT 59860

RETURN SERVICE

Leave something for posterity

We meet unanimous approval when speaking with other

museum friends regarding the suggestion that folks

consider donating from 1% to 5% of their estate to the

Miracle of America Museum Endowment Fund. An

endowment remains intact, providing funds from the

interest it generates. If enough folks choose this sort of

gifting, it would help insure that our collection and displays

will be preserved for posterity to enjoy.

If you agree, please consider discussing this with

your estate planner or lawyer.