June 28, 2016

           The Ward Youth Conference for the youth and their leaders took them south. The ultimate destination was Manti, UT, where they would do some work in that LDS Temple and attend the Manti pageant one evening. On the trip down they took some time in Salt Lake City, touring the Salt Lake Temple grounds and spening some time learning and doing at the Family History Library. While they were in southern Utah they explored some canyons and waterfalls, learned a bit about rock climbing and overall camping fun. One participant, Jacobi Johnson, is currently in a wheelchair due to a foot injury. Still part of this, volunteers carried him through the hiking times. An example of true friendship.

           Returning they traveled to Draper, UT, where they split into teams of four and then met the challenge of traveling to, and regrouping,at a specified spot in Ogden to finish the trip home to Mink Creek. These teenagers know how to work together and all returned safely home after having a fabulous time. Only one small mishap, one of the young men returned home leaving his Sunday shoes in possession of the leaders. Easy to correct that problem.

           Reunion time is underway. Larry and Lillian Hansen have had a family reunion at their ancestral home on Birch Creek. Terry and Wendy Westerberg have been involved with the Smith Reunion in Riverdale. Kathryn McCarrel and her daughter of Lehi, UT, has been up visiting her brothers, Jay Wilde and Warren and Colleen Wilde.

            The annual Mink Creek School Reunion gathered at the LDS recreation hall to trade memories and get caught up on more recent years. Those in charge this year were Clare and Linda Christensen. Around fifty people attended, some for the first time, and enjoyed the potlluck luncheon. Door prizes that were donated were pictures from the long ago past, walking sticks, art work, a stool, and an ice cream cake. Another item to be prized were the larger-than Lincoln Log style cabins that were the centerpieces on the tables. These had been made by Clare as he was preparing for this event during the winter months. After a rather frenzied nominating session Mike and MaryAnn Jepsen volunteered to head up the reunion for the summer of 2017.

            Rafael and Teresa Arnsworth and family were up from their home in Sandy, UT. They are taking care of the summer growth around their newly acquired summer home in Mink Creek.

            Another close call with a deer as one of our residents was driving in the early morning hours to a school practice. The car is in bad shape, the deer a fatality, but both occupants of the vehicle are just shaken and bruised. These deer come from nowhere, especially popping through the long grasses that line each side of the highway.

           Speaking of those high grasses, every intersection the whole length of our community has blind spots for oncoming traffic. It is bad enough during the winter with no side growth, in this season the danger is tripled. Also, it has been questioned as to whether there has been a law changed about crossing that solid yellow line. So many drivers behave as though it is invisible.