the West-End
of the
San Bernardino Mountains from Crestline
to
Running
Springs
Planning for the third annual Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Community picnic is well underway and it will be bigger and better than ever since this is the only celebration on the lower end of the mountain on the actual birthday of our nation. Come join us and bring the entire family.
Russ Keller & Chet Mueller
Honored By Crestline Rotary
Two members of the Rim of the World Historical Society were honored in April by the Rotary Club of Crestline-Lake Gregory. They each received a Certificate of Merit from the Crestline Rotary Club, Lake Gregory, for their outstanding service to the community and a Certificate of Appreciation from the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.
Russ was recommended for this honor by the Rim of the World Historical Society. Russ’ wife, Carol, managed to keep this impending honor a secret from him until his name was announced at the banquet at Thousand Pines Christian Camp. Russ, ROWHS Treasurer for many years, is undoubtedly our most active member when it comes to collecting and preserving pictures and other memorabilia of our mountain history. He has been involved in many other community events from the restoration of the “Switzerland signs” on Lake Drive to planting daffodils and being a friend to the sick and aging.
For most of his life, Chet has been a volunteer. He was a tireless volunteer for the YMCA, a singer in many church coral groups, and is a past president of the Crestline Teachers Association. He has been very active in the Crestline Senior Citizens for which he has served in many positions, including President. He has been a volunteer tutor at Lake Gregory Elementary and served three years as a proctor at Rim High. He is currently on the Crest Forest Municipal Advisor Council.
Thanks, fellows, we are proud of you both.
The Vice President’s Message
With President Lee Cozad spending a couple of months in Spain, I guess it is necessary for me to write a short message from your leadership this month. Lee owns a home in Spain where he likes to go to escape from the every day world each year. If you think he is running with the bulls in Pamplona, fighting a 15-foot marlin, or sipping daiquiris in some exotic bar, you’re wrong. From what I hear he is rubbing butts with the plumbers in his kitchen, fighting the installation of new cupboards, and probably sipping Gatorade to keep himself going. All of you who have, or have had, the pleasures of owning a second home know how you go from one to the other fixing things. Lee’s “getting-away” pleasure this year is to remodel his kitchen over there. You sure know how to get away from things, don’t you, Lee?
Like Hemingway, Lee is an author, having recently published “More Magnificent Mountain Movies.” Unlike the venerable Ernest, I do not know of Lee fighting in any civil wars or anything else exciting. We will all be glad to see him return on June 25.
Outside of that, the society is alive and well. Our hike to Rock Camp enjoyed great weather and a fun time thanks to Bob Reed and Gina Richmond. The first Author’s Day was fantastic and many folks turned out to stock up on their favorite mountain history books.
Our next big event is the Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Community Picnic to be held on Tuesday, July 4 (when else?). This is our third year for this event and it promises to be bigger than ever. All of our members and anyone else who lives on the mountain is guaranteed to have a good time. See you there.
Jim Huff, V.P.
Author’s Day a Big Success
April 15 was a big day for all of us. We had our first “Author’s Day” at the Lake Arrowhead Resort. Most of our favorite mountain authors were there with their wonderful books of interest to us.
Authors at this event to sign copies of their books included Pauliena LaFuze, Lee Cozad, Stan Bellamy, Rhea Frances Tetley, Jim Manning, Anita Booth, Chuck McCleur, John Robinson, Putty Henck, Adam Collins, Bob Reed, Cliff Walker, John Hockaday, Bruce Risher, Nick Cataldo, and Rick Keppler. Many of our members attended as well as a steady stream of folks from the general public.
This is the first time we have had such an Author’s Day and everyone was very excited about it. We hope all of you who attended enjoyed meeting the authors and purchasing that special book.
To be noted was Pauliena LaFuze whose authoritative book on our mountain history, “The Saga of the San Bernardinos,” has been republished in a new larger and easier to read format. This book has been out of print for almost three decades and the new edition is enjoying brisk sales. The ROWHS alone has already sold over 60 copies. We have Tom Core and Rick Keppler of the Big Bear Valley Historical Society to thank for undertaking the monumental task of producing this new edition.
Last Year’s Old-Fashioned Fourth of July Community Picnic
Is there anything more American than a Fourth of July Community Picnic with watermelon and pie eating contests, cake walks, sack races, kids playing carnival-type games and being winners every time, service organization information booths, and more? We think not! Bring the entire family and join your fellow mountain citizens for a great day of fun and patriotism. Located at the San Moritz little league field on the southeast shore of Lake Gregory (next to the San Moritz Lodge) from 11:00 am until 5:00 pm on July 4.
ROWHS members sample some acorn muffins as board member, Bob Reed, and Ranger Gina Richmond talk about the life of the Yuhaviatam Native Americans who summered in the mountains for almost 2000 years.
Goodbye, Jordan
Jordan Price has had to resign from the board. He has joined the Peace Corps and will be living in Africa for the next unknown period of time. We appreciate Jordan’s support and wish him the very best in his new adventure. Jordan’s last act as a member of our society was to write an article published in the June/July issue of On The Mountain entitled, “Contested Space of Lake Arrowhead.” Jordan has been writing a history of the development of water resources in the San Bernardino Mountains. Good luck, Jordan, and come back to us when your humanitarian work in Africa is complete.
Get the new book
by W. Lee Cozad
