News & Columns > Doe Huff > Our Town, April 13, 2009

Our Town, April 13, 2009

By Doe Huff
Monday, April 13, 2009

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday last week, no matter how you celebrated. I must confess we were hiding out in the desert with our grandson during the duck race and egg hunt in Crestline. Jim and I are just thrilled after reading Mike's article, Participants Flock to Rubber Duck Derby and Egg Hunt, about how successful this event was — even with the chilly temperatures. I can't help but wonder if one the ducks we adopted had trouble navigating the slide. Well done to everyone who worked so hard to make this a fun day for our kids and grand kids. We certainly hope they make this a yearly event. I'm sure the little ones that searched for eggs over at the Lake Arrowhead Village and all points east had a fun time as well.

You can sure tell that warmer weather is just around the corner - it was 89 degrees over the weekend in Palm Springs. Lots of fun events are on the horizon. Over in Big Bear, the Chambermaids are holding their annual fashion show on April 15 and on the 19th at the Twin Peaks Senior Center the Mountain Meals On Wheels is holding a spaghetti dinner. On the 25th, there will be a Crestline Clean-Up Day and a trout derby at Lake Gregory. There are several Earth Day events scheduled across the mountain this month that you can learn more about on the RIMOFTHEWORLD.net Calendar.

Steve Ferrell sent me a flyer for Earth Day on the Mountain which will be held Saturday, April 18th, at Rim of the World High School. It sounds like they are planning quite an event. Admission is free and there will be live music, food, films, giveaways, green products, guest speakers and raffle prizes. You can even bring household recyclables and receive a free CFL light bulb. Now I don't have any idea what a CFL light bulb is, but I am sure I will be educated when I show up! This fun family day is co-sponsored by the Green Team Arrowhead and the Science Club of Rim of the World High School. See Go Green for more information.

The annual Rebuilding Together/Christmas in April work day will be held on April 26. They just had a very successful fundraising dinner at the Lake Arrowhead Country Club. We had a scrumptious meal and I was really impressed that the country club donated everything from the prime rib to the dessert. I won a live auction for a three-month membership to Curves. For those of you who used to read my newspaper column, you will understand when I say I have embarked on another Doe Diet Watch. Let's see, is this number 52 or 63 "get the pounds off campaign". I am glad to report that today is day 43 of not smoking – now if I can just stay away from the cookies! Summertime shorts right now seem pretty scary.

Anyway, Christmas in April is such a wonder program with neighbors helping less fortunate neighbors make their life just a little bit easier. I have so much admiration for the volunteer workers and contractors that give so much of their time and money to make this program the success it is. I am sure they still have room for many more worker bees and donations. Please call (909) 336-3910 if you can help.

Did you get the opportunity to attend Local's Night at the UCLA Conference Center last February? If you didn't, you missed one of the best dining experiences on this mountain. It was so successful that the Mt. Bruins will be sponsoring another Local's Night on April 28th. The menu consists of your choice of top sirloin steak, seared chicken breast or Salmon Provencal along with their wonderful and unique soup and salad and Tara's cookies and crème cake. The after dinner program, will be "Leave No Footprints presented by Rim High School senior honor student, Sophie Angelis. She will discuss the environmental threats to our planet and suggest behavioral changes we can each make in our own lives to limit our negative impact on our environment. It is said that the children will lead us, or in this case a teenager!

The amazing cost is only $25 per person and $15 for children 12 and under. Reservations can be made until 5 p.m. Thursday, April 23 at Betty's General Store in Blue Jay, at the Lake House in Cedar Glen or by calling (909) 337-8200. Trust me; you don't want to miss this opportunity to dine at the historic conference center.

Don't forget the Boys & Girls Club of the Mountain Communities annual charity auction on Saturday, May 2. They really need all of you to help keep their doors open to serve the children. If not for them, many kids would go to school without breakfast and/or become latch key kids after school. There are still seats and tables available. Why not try to get a group together and show your support? The cost is $55 per person, which includes a great Lake Arrowhead Resort meal. See Kids Dinner and Auction for more information.

I fully realize that in today's economic times, this may be too steep for some of you, but there is more than one way you can help. The auction committee still needs donated items to auction. Even a small item can make a big difference when it is included in a large basket such as a Boys or Girls Activity Basket, a Ladies Pamper Basket or even a Pet Lovers' Basket. Please call (909) 336-6515 if there is anything you can do to help make this auction a success. I understand we are all faced with the difficulty of choosing what priorities get our limited time and money; for me, anything to do with children is a priority!

Also coming up soon is the Crestline Lions & Lioness Clubs' 16th Annual Howard Hoskins Memorial Golf Tournament, which will be held at the San Bernardino Municipal Golf Course on Wednesday, May 6th. The proceeds from this event go to many, many organizations and projects that benefit the local community. For more information or to make a reservation, please call (909) 338-1766.

Last blog I asked what old-time building is still standing in Fawnskin. There may be several that I don't know about, but I was referring to the post office.

The Fawnskin post office building still survives. (Photo by Courtesy of the Rim of the World Historical Society.)

During this time, most of the north side of Big Bear Lake, which included Fawnskin, was federal land. The meadow received its name when hunters camped in the area and killed a number of deer and stretched their hides on the trees.

• Jim is asked many times what's up with the "temple" that exists near Cedarpines Park. Most know it is called the Mozumdar Temple. What else do you know about it?

As I sit here typing this column, tree cutters from the Big Island Climbers on the Mainland, Inc. are working to get our place in compliance with the new Forest Service regulations. After losing 20 trees over the past few years to that nasty bark beetle, I must admit it saddens me to see so many more trees being cut down, but it would be so much more than sad if I didn't do everything possible to protect our property in case of another fire. This Forest Care program is really something. They will be reimbursing us for most of this work. Their representative was very professional and truly caring about a healthy forest when she came out to assess our situation. I can only hope that our neighbors will keep up with the Huff's and Bob Helsper. Please call (951) 782-4140 and get a free assessment on what fire dangers exist on your property.

I have to give a great big Our Town atta-girl to the ladies of the Lake Gregory Yacht Club. Last week under the direction of Terry Wolloch, eight of us spent the afternoon at the Boys & Girls Clubs, both in Crestline and Lake Arrowhead, helping 36 kids with three Easter crafts, singing songs, telling stories and providing snacks. The LGYC charter is to do what they can to enrich the lives of local children, but this time I really don't know who had more fun, the ladies or the kids.

Isn't it just great living in Our Town?

This article was first published on Monday, April 13, 2009 at 11:51 am. This article has been viewed 712 times.

Doe and her husband Jim bought their home in Crestline 12 years ago and moved to the mountain full time eight years ago. Doe retired from the Federal government four years ago after working for NASA, The Army Material Command, the Technical Air Force/Navy Training Team, the Army Corps of Engineers and the Air Force Academy. Doe worked in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Washington D.C., Jeddah Saudi Arabia, Isfahan Iran, Pasadena, and active duty Air Force at Glasgow AFB, Montana and Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota. Doe was born in Chicago, but was raised in Montclair, CA. Jim and Doe share their home with their dog Cassidy.

Doe earned an Associates Degree in Journalism and a Bachelors and Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of Colorado and was awarded a Presidential Management Internship. Writing has always been a hobby for Doe and since living in Crestline she has written human interest articles for "On the Mountain Magazine" and was a news reporter for the Crestline Courier as well as writing a very popular weekly column.

Together Doe and Jim have three children and five grandchildren. They are both very active in the community. Doe has served as President for the Crestline Communities Development Alliance, was on the Board of Directors of the Boys & Girls Club of the Mountain Communities when it was formed, is a member of the Lake Gregory/Crestline Rotary and was a Board member for several years with the Rim of the World Historical Society. Doe and Jim organized the first annual 4th of July Old Fashioned Community Picnic and just finished the fifth successful year for this event. Doe has been working for over two years to bring a dog park to Lake Gregory. They received a Certificate of Appreciation from County Supervisor Paul Biane for their commitment to the improvement and general well being of the Crestline Lake Gregory community. Doe is very proud to be a citizen of Our Town.

The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RIMOFTHEWORLD.net. This column is copyrighted by Doe Huff.