A Big Thank You Party in Toutle!

I want to take this opportunity to share something exciting with all of you “honored citizens” (as Shari’s Restaurant calls you…)

If you’re 55 years old and up, you are invited to a special event being held at the Toutle Lake Multi-Purpose Room Thursday, February 18th, from 5:30 pm to 7.

It’s called “The Gathering” and it is being hosted by the TLHS Fear Not Club. The Gathering is a monthly Potluck/Music Night, and this month’s food theme is “Breakfast for Dinner.” The event is patterned after another event called “Primetimers” that was a once-a-month potluck and music night that ran monthly about 14 years down at the New Life Fellowship by the Mint Valley Golf Course.

Rick and I discovered Primetimers when we moved to Longview in 2004 to take advantage of some daily therapy Rick needed at that time. We enjoyed Primetimers so much that we attended most months thereafter and were thinking it would be so nice if we had one up in Toutle for the Toutle/Castle Rock area folks.

Well now, thanks to the Toutle Lake Fear Not Club, we are!

January 21st was the first one and featured an Italian food theme. The Fear Not Club was assisted by Leann Couch and members of the Key Club, who helped at the dessert table. The event honored the Volunteer Firefighters and the EMTs, the VFW and the Auxilliary, the staff, teams and clubs of the Toutle Lake School District, the Toutle Valley Community Association, the Kiwanians, the Toutle & Castle Rock church families, the Full Gospel Businessmen of America, the staff of Drews’ Store among other local organizations.

Jean Carnine Bruner was guest pianist and played a great selection of memorable tunes as background music during the dinner.

Ed Zahler, President of the Toutle Valley Community Association, emceed the event and a new duo, called “ImprompTwo” featuring Paddy Burrow and Iesha Ezell from the Toutle/Silverlake area, sang several familiar tunes and at least one new one composed by Paddy. Since the Primetimers Group has ceased meeting as of their November 2009 potluck, The Gathering in Toutle has basically picked up where they left off. (The Volunteers who helped at Primetimers all those years are now in their 80’s and they were simply getting tired!)

“If the first two Gatherings in Toutle are successful and enjoyed by the community, we’ll continue them”, says the organizers of the event. For information about the event, please call Paddy, evenings, at 360-274-5231.

Now, I hope to see many of you at The Gathering on February 18th! Rick and I shall be there – “Lord willin’ and the creek don’t rise!” And remember to bring something delicious to share at the potluck! See you there!

Comment on all columns and articles online @ valleybugler.com Paddy Burrow welcomes feedback from her readers at 360-274-5231. She loves writing for the Bugler and looks forward to every issue, which she reads from cover to cover as soon as it comes out!