North America Central Area
FRUITA, COLO. -- When the call was made for service projects for the worldwide Pioneer Heritage Service Day in July 1997, the Fruita 1st and 2nd wards, Grand Junction Colorado Stake, volunteered to contribute the major part of the labor for the construction of a new gazebo in the city's Circle Park. Almost two years later, the Lapham Pioneer Memorial Gazebo was dedicated June 19 with many descendants of the Lapham family, earliest Fruita settlers, in attendance.The new structure replaces a historic bandstand gazebo that had been there in the late 1800s.
This was a project that the community had wanted for a long time. However, before anything could happen, an organization willing to take over the fund-raising was needed. Building permits had to be obtained. Architectural engineering and other preliminary tasks had to be completed before construction could begin. It was soon clear that the project couldn't be completed in 1997.
The Lower Valley Heritage Chapter of the Mesa County Historical Society agreed to direct the fund-raising efforts, and the Fruita city engineer completed the architectural work. Richard Holbrook, a member of the Fruita 2nd Ward, headed the committee working on the project as program manager.
One of the features of the project is a series of plaques, to be placed inside the gazebo, listing the names of early-day settlers in the valley.
North America West Area
LONG BEACH, CALIF. -- Members of the Long Beach Park (Asian) Branch, Long Beach California East Stake, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the branch's organization June 12. Hundreds of branch members, past and present, gathered to eat Cambodian barbecue, watch traditional dances and share memories.
Among those who attended the celebration were James Wright, former president of the branch; Phicor Lim, the first member of the branch to earn his Eagle Scout award; and Jonathon Men, one of the branch's first missionaries.
North America East Area
BUENA VISTA, VA., -- The Southern Virginia College Women's softball team won the National Small College Athletic Association Softball Championship recently.
To win the title -- the team, comprised almost entirely of Church members -- played St. Gregory's University in an overtime match. "You can go several years watching a ball game to see this kind of drama and excitement," said SVC Coach Ralph Olmo. "It's not often you have a lofty goal at the beginning of a season that you are actually able to achieve at the end of the season. But we did it. Our new team of 10 freshmen and four sophomores beat a powerful team of seniors. . . . The bottom line was our positive attitude and determination to win."