Board Member

I have to hurry with my morning routine because at 8 o'clock, I'll be sitting around a big table at a board meeting. The table is surrounded by artifacts at the Bonner County Heritage Museum.

Its chairs have nice little decorative cushions strapped to them because a lot of retirees volunteer there. While sitting in those chairs, people like Eva Whitehead, Judy Farmin, Nellie Garrison and Mary Jane Wolfe spend many hours pasting obituaries in notebooks and looking up information for people who need information.

I frequently occupy one of those chairs and heckle these ladies while poring through folders or ancient newspapers to find my information for story assignments. Nellie's really good at keeping me in line.

This past year's lake history project has meant many visits to the museum. After you've appeared there often enough, bummed enough of their coffee, and allowed them to know your M-O, they start bugging you to join the board.

So, I gave in and said yes. I've been asked to serve on several boards. Just got off the board for the Women Honoring Women and, not too long ago, joined the board for the Clark Fork -Pend Oreille Conservancy. A lady wants me to be on the board of the Bonner County Homeless Task Force.

For now, however, I do have my home away from home, and it's the museum. So, I'll stick with that for as long as I can stay out of or avoid trouble. When that happens, Homeless Task Force, here I come!

Maybe they'll let me sit in a chair and drink some coffee.