July 3-5: 64th Annual Rodeo, 8pm
July 4: Indpendence Day Celebration
* 7:00am: Flag Raising Ceremony at Town Hall
* 8:00am Breakfast at the Park
* 10:00am: Parade on Main Street
*10:00pm: Dance at the park
July 5: Dance at the park, 10pm
July 24: Pioneer Day
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Intellectual Nourishment
Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace-- but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!_Patrick Henry, March 23, 1775
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Now and Then
By Laree Orton-Peck
How does a rodeo of 64 years begin? It started with a community of kids needing a place to ride. So the town got together and a rodeo site was picked. Sixty four years ago the arena was the town dump, so it took quite a lot of work to get it into shape. A true challenge that has pulled a community together in what has now lasted for decades. The first rodeo arena was pretty much a trial and error process. Somewhat primitive by today’s standards, not that it dampened anyone’s enthusiasm for the event.
Friends and families would get together on the 4th of July. They would rodeo until the last contestant was finished, and then they would hold horse races up and down the streets of Gunlock until last light. Picnics were packed, kids ran wild, and adults worked, played and visited. The first arena was made of cedar posts, cottonwood poles, and wire thrown together just strong enough to hold livestock. The first cattle were leased from James Yellowjacket from the Shivwit Indian Tribe and they were trailed up the creek to the arena. After two years the town decided they couldn’t afford to lease the cattle outside of the community. So every family in town was asked to furnish 3 head of livestock for the rodeo. If you didn’t own them, it was your responsibility to lease them from someone else. This was considered Gunlock’s early Ward Budget.
There was no concession stand and the bathroom facility was an outhouse out by the old ditch. A night rodeo was attempted in which make shift lights were strung out on wire across the arena with light bulbs every so many feet. It didn’t work too well, but they didn’t give up.
How does a rodeo of 64 years begin? It started with a community of kids needing a place to ride. So the town got together and a rodeo site was picked. Sixty four years ago the arena was the town dump, so it took quite a lot of work to get it into shape. A true challenge that has pulled a community together in what has now lasted for decades. The first rodeo arena was pretty much a trial and error process. Somewhat primitive by today’s standards, not that it dampened anyone’s enthusiasm for the event.
Friends and families would get together on the 4th of July. They would rodeo until the last contestant was finished, and then they would hold horse races up and down the streets of Gunlock until last light. Picnics were packed, kids ran wild, and adults worked, played and visited. The first arena was made of cedar posts, cottonwood poles, and wire thrown together just strong enough to hold livestock. The first cattle were leased from James Yellowjacket from the Shivwit Indian Tribe and they were trailed up the creek to the arena. After two years the town decided they couldn’t afford to lease the cattle outside of the community. So every family in town was asked to furnish 3 head of livestock for the rodeo. If you didn’t own them, it was your responsibility to lease them from someone else. This was considered Gunlock’s early Ward Budget.
There was no concession stand and the bathroom facility was an outhouse out by the old ditch. A night rodeo was attempted in which make shift lights were strung out on wire across the arena with light bulbs every so many feet. It didn’t work too well, but they didn’t give up.
Audit for GSSD
By Sara Laub
Due to the new water system being put in, the GSSD was required to have an audit. The auditor explained the details of the analysis and came to the conclusion that the assets on their balance sheets and their income were "fairly presented."
There were a few areas called significant deficiencies or material weaknesses the GSSD has to improve and report back to the state. A few items were already resolved by the GSSD, and they were already working on some, like providing proper chlorine for the system to make it compliant with the regulations. Cash collections with the soda machine is not being monitored properly, so they will require two non-related individuals to pick up the cash together and count it. The accountant will have to make changes to their finances to make the records fit the guidelines. The board will also have to create a formal fraud risk program, which they plan on looking to the state and rural water for guidelines. The auditor said the GSSD is in "pretty good shape" for the size of the district and new water project that was put in place.
The rest of the June meeting consisted of the maintenance of the water system. New locks will be put on the water system because there are suspicions that the old locks are compromised. The fence will be put up around the well again to meet guidelines, since the 2005 flood took the old one down. And progress has been made to fix the valves and continue system improvements. Things seem to be getting settled for the new water system and a lot of hard work is paying off.
Due to the new water system being put in, the GSSD was required to have an audit. The auditor explained the details of the analysis and came to the conclusion that the assets on their balance sheets and their income were "fairly presented."
There were a few areas called significant deficiencies or material weaknesses the GSSD has to improve and report back to the state. A few items were already resolved by the GSSD, and they were already working on some, like providing proper chlorine for the system to make it compliant with the regulations. Cash collections with the soda machine is not being monitored properly, so they will require two non-related individuals to pick up the cash together and count it. The accountant will have to make changes to their finances to make the records fit the guidelines. The board will also have to create a formal fraud risk program, which they plan on looking to the state and rural water for guidelines. The auditor said the GSSD is in "pretty good shape" for the size of the district and new water project that was put in place.
The rest of the June meeting consisted of the maintenance of the water system. New locks will be put on the water system because there are suspicions that the old locks are compromised. The fence will be put up around the well again to meet guidelines, since the 2005 flood took the old one down. And progress has been made to fix the valves and continue system improvements. Things seem to be getting settled for the new water system and a lot of hard work is paying off.
Jay and Judy Leavitt Family
The Leavitt family goes back to the early beginnings of Gunlock. Jeremiah II was the father of Lemuel Sturdevant, who was the father of Edward Washington, who built the old house in the 1880's When it was our turn to live here, we started to remodel the home, but ended up having to rebuild. We finished the new home in 1995. Edward was the father of Lee Vivian, who was the father of Rodney Erwin-Jay's dad. With Jay's kids and grandkids, many generations have grown to love this little valley.
Our oldest, Jarold, is married to Antonia, with one son, Conlan. They live down the creek a mile or so. Justin just completed his Masters at U of U. Kara and husband Tanner live next door. They have a daughter, Leanna, and Tanner's little brother Stockton lives with them. Edward is serving a mission in Scotland. The four youngest are Melea, Jennifer, Alyssa, and Brittany, who is ten.
A favorite family tradition is the 4th of July Gunlock Rodeo. Jay's Dad hitchhiked home from army base Fort Ord in California to make it to the first one in 1945, and hasn't missed one since. We all enjoy being involved in putting on a good show and creating great memories. It is wonderful when someone brings their kids and grandkids out to the rodeo, because they want them to feel the same spirit they felt here as a child.
We are truly grateful for our Gunlock roots.
Evolution of the Flag
The Flag of the United StatesThe Stars and Stripes
EVOLUTION OF THE FLAG
November 2001
No one knows with absolute certainty who designed the first stars and stripes or who made it. Congressman Francis Hopkinson seems most likely to have designed it, and few historians believe that Betsy Ross, a Philadelphia seamstress, made the first one. Until the Executive Order of June 24, 1912, neither the order of the stars nor the proportions of the flag was prescribed. Consequently, flags dating before this period sometimes show unusual arrangements of the stars and odd proportions, these features being left to the discretion of the flag maker. In general, however, straight rows of stars and proportions similar to those later adopted officially were used. The principal acts affecting the flag of the United States are the following:* On June 14, 1777, in order to establish an official flag for the new nation, the Continental Congress passed the first Flag Act: "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be made of thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation."
* Act of January 13, 1794 - provided for 15 stripes and 15 stars after May 1795.
* Act of April 4, 1818 - provided for 13 stripes and one star for each state, to be added to the flag on the 4th of July following the admission of each new state.
* Executive Order of President Taft dated June 24, 1912 - established proportions of the flag and provided for arrangement of the stars in six horizontal rows of eight each, a single point of each star to be upward.
* Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each, staggered horizontally and vertically.
* Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated January 3, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in seven rows of seven stars each, staggered horizontally and vertically.
* Executive Order of President Eisenhower dated August 21, 1959 - provided for the arrangement of the stars in nine rows of stars staggered horizon tally and eleven rows of stars staggered vertically. 
Embassy of the United States of America
Florence Nightingale Part 3
By Sara Laub
Florence continued to have contention with her parents over women being nurses for many years. She secretly gathered information and did research to learn about nursing and hospital procedures. Some friends invited her to tour parts of Europe and supported her in going to the Institution of Deaconesses of Kaiserswerth for training, which her parents despised. After years of trying to receive a blessing from her parents and becoming ill over being forced to live a lifestyle she did not want, even rejecting a proposal for marriage after seven years of courting, she decided to go to Kaiserswerth at age 30. She successfully completed her training and came home to a disgruntled family. An opportunity came for Flo to go to Paris and join the Sisters of Charity, where she spent every spare minute gathering information at the hospitals in the area while continuing her education in nursing. Flo left to help her ill grandmother in London and another position became available there to be on the committee to help reorganize The Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Distressed Circumstances. She gained complete control of the institution and then was able to put all those years of experience and research into practice.
The Crimean war broke out and Flo was called to serve as a nurse, as an experiment, in the Scutari hospital, because of her success in improving hospitals and her advanced knowledge in nursing. She was told to bring 40 nurses with her and she would be in charge of making the hospital function appropriately.
Florence continued to have contention with her parents over women being nurses for many years. She secretly gathered information and did research to learn about nursing and hospital procedures. Some friends invited her to tour parts of Europe and supported her in going to the Institution of Deaconesses of Kaiserswerth for training, which her parents despised. After years of trying to receive a blessing from her parents and becoming ill over being forced to live a lifestyle she did not want, even rejecting a proposal for marriage after seven years of courting, she decided to go to Kaiserswerth at age 30. She successfully completed her training and came home to a disgruntled family. An opportunity came for Flo to go to Paris and join the Sisters of Charity, where she spent every spare minute gathering information at the hospitals in the area while continuing her education in nursing. Flo left to help her ill grandmother in London and another position became available there to be on the committee to help reorganize The Institution for the Care of Sick Gentlewomen in Distressed Circumstances. She gained complete control of the institution and then was able to put all those years of experience and research into practice.
The Crimean war broke out and Flo was called to serve as a nurse, as an experiment, in the Scutari hospital, because of her success in improving hospitals and her advanced knowledge in nursing. She was told to bring 40 nurses with her and she would be in charge of making the hospital function appropriately.
Defensible Space
By Rachel Campbell
As a volunteer firefighter and as a citizen of Gunlock, I have decided to share some information with you that, if followed, could save your house in the event of a wildfire.
Please understand that if a driveway is too narrow, steep, has branches hanging over, or down dead fuel (burnable material), or if the roof of the house is already involved in the fire, it is too big a risk and fire fighters are required to move on. The first rule in fire safety is to protect human life, including the fire fighters involved.
Does your driveway dead end or is it longer than 200 feet? Is your roof made of combustible materials? Are there trees or bushes over hanging your roof? Are there vehicles parked outside within 30 feet of the structure? Is there more than a 20% slope anywhere within 30 feet of the structure? Is there more than a 40% slope anywhere with in 30 feet of the structure? Is your deck on stilts or not enclosed? Is there a power line(s) overhead with in 30 feet of structure?
If you answered 2 or less of these questions ‘yes’, then your house needs little attention; 3-7 then your house needs protection, but it will be easier to protect; 8-10 can not be saved, it doesn’t mean that it
will burn, but a fire fighter will not be able to protect it. Please take the necessary precautions to make your property and protective service people safe.
As a volunteer firefighter and as a citizen of Gunlock, I have decided to share some information with you that, if followed, could save your house in the event of a wildfire.
Please understand that if a driveway is too narrow, steep, has branches hanging over, or down dead fuel (burnable material), or if the roof of the house is already involved in the fire, it is too big a risk and fire fighters are required to move on. The first rule in fire safety is to protect human life, including the fire fighters involved.
Does your driveway dead end or is it longer than 200 feet? Is your roof made of combustible materials? Are there trees or bushes over hanging your roof? Are there vehicles parked outside within 30 feet of the structure? Is there more than a 20% slope anywhere within 30 feet of the structure? Is there more than a 40% slope anywhere with in 30 feet of the structure? Is your deck on stilts or not enclosed? Is there a power line(s) overhead with in 30 feet of structure?
If you answered 2 or less of these questions ‘yes’, then your house needs little attention; 3-7 then your house needs protection, but it will be easier to protect; 8-10 can not be saved, it doesn’t mean that it
will burn, but a fire fighter will not be able to protect it. Please take the necessary precautions to make your property and protective service people safe.
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