Online auction to support SVFD begins Nov. 14

“Don’t wait until the fourth Thursday in November, to sit with family and friends to give thanks. Make every day a day of Thanksgiving!” ― Charmaine J Forde

Another month has flown by and tomorrow is Halloween. Back in the day, we could expect homemade treats of caramel apples, homemade cookies, popcorn balls and toothbrushes from the local dentist.   Times are different now. Not as many houses to visit, but car trunks filled with treats, Halloween parades, trick-or-treating at the Retirement Center, and the watchful eyes of parents. Still, the excitement of dressing up as your favorite superhero, Disney princess or spooky ghoul and joining friends to fill your bags with goodies never loses its appeal. 

The Shell Valley Women’s Coffee met at the home of Karen Hayes on Oct. 2. Those attending: Hostess Karen Hayes, Mary Whaley, Mary Beth Cohran, Veda Gerrard, Lesa Young, Carolyn Walton, Carla Mowell, Benjaporn Helburn, Sherie Barber, Jade Smith and Michelle Umland. 

The next women’s coffee will be held at the home of late resident Sue Flitner on Thursday, Nov. 6. The coffee will be the premier viewing of the new “Bunkhouse” for the Saddles in Service program based in the Shell area. The family of Greg and Pam Flitner have made the newly renovated house available to house the veterans, first responders and their families who enter the program to begin their five-day journey of horseback riding or cattle driving in our beautiful Big Horn Mountains. The experience helps give healing from the after-effects of physical and mental health trauma during their time of service. Here are the directions to the coffee: Turn on to Road 36 across from the entrance to the Red Gulch Road. Drive past the Whaley Cemetery and follow the curve to the right. You will see a sign for the Flitner Ranch Headquarters. Turn left on Beaver Creek Road. In about one mile, turn left onto a dirt road and watch for the little green man marking the turn. On your right, you will see bunkhouses and silos. Keep going about a mile until you see the signs that you have arrived. The coffee starts at 9:30 a.m. and ends around 11 a.m. Be sure to bring a friend and invite any new Shell residents you may know.  For more information, contact Karen at 765-2732. 

The Wild Roses Garden Club met in the Fellowship Hall of the Shell Community Church Thursday, Oct. 9, for their annual pumpkin decorating event. Although attendance was small, the group had lots of fun creating memorable pumpkins to add to their Halloween decorations.  The next meeting will be held Thursday, Nov. 13 in the Fellowship Hall of the Shell Community Church. The program will be on nature-inspired decorating using locally foraged natural resources.  The meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. and ends by or before 2 p.m. Just bring yourself and any friends who might enjoy the meeting. For more information, call or text Jade Smith at 307-431-6471. 

The SVVFD Auxiliary will holding its holiday online auction again this year from Friday, Nov. 14 through Thursday, Nov. 20. Auction items can be viewed during those days both online and in person at Agri Tire Plus, 601 Industrial Ave., Greybull. If you would like to donate items to the auction, please contact Jade Smith, 307-431-6471, or Mary Whaley, 307-765-2942. Donated items should be new or gently used, clean and something you would like to own yourself or give as a gift. All monies will be given to support the Shell Volunteer Fire Department.  

Beginning Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Shell Community Church will begin a new Bible study on the Gospel of Luke. The group meets in the Fellowship Hall of the church at 5:30 p.m. to share a potluck dinner. Bible study follows at six. Anyone interested is welcome to attend. For more information, contact Anna and Eric Lindeen at AnnaGL@Live.com or 406-570-6210. Holiday breaks will be on Nov. 26 and Dec 17, 24 and 31.

Despite the change of date due to weather, the annual Shell Fall Festival was held Saturday, Oct. 13 at the Old Shell Store. As always it was well attended and “kids” of all ages enjoyed the day.

Have a safe and fun Halloween and may Thanksgiving find you enjoying the day with family and friends. 

If you have any news you would like included in this column, please contact me before the third Friday of the month. I can be reached at 307-431-6471. Leave me a message or send me a text and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.