Thursday, March 28, 2024

Tidbits, July 5

Posted
Annie Amerika update

Gale Wilkison began her day on Wednesday, June 27 by giving away another free American flag - this one to a woman named Diana living in Port Clinton, Ohio.

After noticing a chunk of rubber missing from one of her front tires, Wilkison - who lives and works in Bridgeport - took her van to Wal-Mart and ended up with a set of new tires. She wrapped up the day with dinner at the home of a co-worker's parents in Avon Lake, Ohio.

The next morning, Annie gave a shout-out on her blog to Lube Stop in Avon Lake, where the employees didn't charge her a dime to fix an issue with her PCV valve, as well as checking her fluids and tire pressure. Back in her smooth-running 1985 Chevy camper van, Annie stopped at the Lorain Lions Club, gave a newspaper interview and handed the next free flag to a man named Steve Hall in Geneva, Ohio - the town where Annie's late husband, John Wilkison, spent much of his childhood.

"I found that the train runs through Geneva ALL night long, glad I like trains. Sunrise today was at 5:51AM the temperature is 73 degrees (but feels like 93) and I have driven 3,184.3 miles," Annie wrote in her blog on Friday morning. "Today I'm off to find the home John was raised in."

On Saturday she stopped to pay her respects at the grave site of her husband's grandfather, John E. Wilkison II, and his family.

On Sunday, Annie took her leave of Ohio, noting it as the 12th state she has visited since starting her trip June 9, and she had given out 34 flags.

The 35th flag went to a Marine named Jeremy in Butler, Penn. Jeremy was preparing for a prayer vigil for his father, who served in Vietnam with the Marines and is battling cancer.

Annie made her way to Stoystown, Penn. on Monday morning, the site of the Flight 93 National Memorial.

"Fascinating information about flight 93, it crashed going 563 mph, and although the crater was only 15' deep and 30' across they found debris 45' below the surface. True [heroes] they are!" Annie wrote.

From there she traveled through West Virginia, over the Allegheny Mountains and Potomac River, then into Maryland. Flag No. 36 was given to a man named Mike in Rohrersville, who proclaimed himself a "proud American," Annie wrote.

Follow Annie's adventures online at AnnieAmerika2012.blogspot.com or www.facebook.com/AnnieAmerika2012.

Red Cross blood drive

The American Red Cross came to Brewster June 21, setting up shop in the Columbia Cove Community Center for a blood drive.

Community members donated a rough estimate of 25 pints of blood, according to Laura Jameson, though she said a final count hadn't yet been announced.

The Three Rivers Hospital Guild provided refreshments for donors. Volunteers included Kathie Windle, Thea Nilsen, Marge Hagy, Sandra Moses, Rose Guzman, Laura Jameson, Roy Westerdahl, Barbara Fenton, Mickie Macneill and Blenda Jones.

The next blood drive at the rec center is scheduled for Aug. 23, Jameson said.

On this day in history - July 5

1811: Venezuela became the first South American country to declare independence from Spain.

1865: William Booth founded the Salvation Army in London.

1935: President Roosevelt signed the National Labor Relations Act. The act authorized labor to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining.

1946: The bikini bathing suit, created by Louis Reard, made its debut during a fashion show at the Molitor Pool in Paris.

1947: Larry Doby signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians, becoming the first black player in the American League.

1954: Elvis Presley recorded "That's All Right," his first commercial record.

1996: Dolly, the first sheep cloned from adult cells, was born.

1998: Japan joined U.S. and Russia in space exploration with the launching of the Planet-B probe to Mars.
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