This week at the Senior Center

July 8th - July 14th, 2020 “Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the Lord.” -- Jeremiah 1:8

It was March 3, 1927 when 60-year-old Gutzon Borglum began construction on the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. It took 14 years to complete and it cost $989,992.32 and now the rioters want to destroy it. I just don't understand that. It is part of our history just as the ones they have already destroyed. They need to be teaching history, not destroying it. It breaks my heart to see what they are doing and it also make me angry.

I have been to Mount Rushmore four times and each time it is breathtaking. To see four of our president’s faces displayed so eloquently. The presidents’ faces are 60 feet high and all carved of Granite rock. There was a reason these four presidents were chosen.

George Washington was the first president and represented the foundation of American democracy.

Thomas Jefferson was with the Louisiana Purchase. He greatly expanded the nation. He was also the author of the hugely influential Declaration of Independence.

Theodore Roosevelt not only represented the industrial development of the nation but was also widely known for conservation efforts.

Abraham Lincoln, as president during the U.S. Civil War, represents the preservation of the nation above all costs. He also was famous for freeing the slaves.

So we have so much to be proud of. So many reasons to be proud to be an American. According to the National Park Service almost 3 million people from all over the world come to Mount Rushmore every year to view the beauty of the Black Hills and to learn about the birth, growth, development and the preservation of our country.

Plans along the way had to be changed. Originally Borglum had plans for wording etched into the rock face containing a brief history of the United States highlighting nine important events between 1776 and 1906 carved into the image of the Louisiana Purchase. But that was scraped because it wouldn't be able to be read from a distance. Another plan was to have a Hall of Records in a room behind Lincoln's head that would be accessed by the public via a staircase from the base of the mountain. It would display important documents in a room decorated with mosaics. That was scraped due to lack of funds. All that remains there is a tunnel in which are some porcelain panels giving the background about the building of the monument, the artist and the presidents, but because there is no staircase it in not accessible to the public.

Originally they were going to be figures from the waist up, but because funding was an issue they had to stick to just the four faces. If you get to go to Mount Rushmore be sure to go to the information station. There is so much good information there. I am so glad I had the opportunity to see it and learn some of the history of Mount Rushmore. ***

THIS WEEKS BIRTHDAYS AT THE SENIOR CENTER:

Sue Bengtson, 7/10; Bob Sandstrom, 7/12 and Sherry Peters, 7/13.

Birthday dinner will be Wednesday, July 29. John Worsham will be here to entertain us. ***

CHEF STEPHEN’S MENUS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE WEEK:

Wednesday, July 8: 9 a.m. FROGS, Cathy's Foot Clinic; for lunch: Hot beef sandwich, mashed potatoes, green beans and apricots.

Thursday, July 9: 9 a.m. FROGS; 1 p.m. cards; for lunch: Meatloaf, hash brown casserole, peas and oranges.

Friday, July 10: Garage Sale from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (also Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon). All proceeds go to the Senior Center. At 1 p.m. is cards. For lunch: Hamburger, cheeseburger or polish dog, chips, baked beans and fresh fruit.

Monday, July 13: 1 p.m. cards; for lunch: Grilled chicken sandwich, potato salad, cucumber salad and tropical fruit.

Tuesday, July 14: 9 a.m. FROGS, and crafts and quilting; for lunch: Fish, macaroni and cheese, green beans and oranges.

It would be great to see you at lunch. Please call 402-694- 2176 no later than 9 a.m. on the day you plan to eat. ***

LOOKING AHEAD:

Thursday, July 16 will be Miracle Ear from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be movie and popcorn on the 20th. The movie is “Call of the Wild.” Commodities pick-up is the second Tuesday of every month from 1-4 p.m. in the garage. For more information on that you can call 308-385- 5505. ***

UNTIL NEXT WEEK:

“Our faces will become works of art that our grandchildren will treasure.” -- Adrian Trianiani