Summer brings family reunions.  I was born and raised here so I have a lot of cousins in the area.  My family on both sides came from Germany.  They ended up on the Clover tract, most noted for clover hay and a Lutheran church and school.  The large congregation posed for a photo in 1930, taken by a photographer from the roof of the school.  It’s the most amazing photo that I’ve ever seen.  I have an original of it framed and hanging in my legacy room. A few years ago, several members of the congregation made a combined effort to identify everyone in the photo and came very close to getting all of the names, a feat equivalent to naming each individual in a swarm of mosquitoes.

The person on the far left at the front in the dark suit is my grandfather, Reverend W.F. Dannenfeldt, who was pastor of Clover for 35 years. Standing between him and my grandmother is my mother, the youngest of four daughters.  The current pastor of Clover is married to Pastor Dannenfeldt’s great-granddaughter.  I think it’s becoming apparent that my family’s roots here run really deep! 

That brings me to the family reunion. Three years ago one of my cousins died suddenly. He was living in Colorado and his family wanted to have some of his ashes buried here.  So, we held a memorial service combined with a family reunion.  It was both a sad and happy occasion and we have continued with the happiness portion of reuniting family each year.  A photo of Dannenfeldt descendants standing near the church 95 years after the first congregational photo preserves the tradition.  Plus the writing on the chocolate cake, the remaining portion of cake disappearing after the reunion luncheon but later discovered in my freezer!

You may not have the sixth generation of your family living in the Buhl community.  But everyone has family and now is the time of year to strengthen family ties.  Many families will gather together for the triple celebration this year of Independence Day, 250^th birthday of our nation, and 120^th birthday of Buhl.  In this issue you can find ideas for family activities, a schedule of all the events for Sagebrush Days on July 3 and 4, and how to find souvenir items for these events.  In addition, the Family Center at 1011 Main is available for family reunions and other family events.  Reserve a date now by calling/texting 208-320-0298.

Whatever you do, keep in mind how blessed we are to live in a family-friendly community and do whatever you can to support keeping it that way.

-Priscilla Martens