A Boss Lift, back roads and Easter echoes

Your old columnist stopped to fill our vehicle with fuel at our favorite gas station. It was crowded with a camper and several cars waiting in line. In no hurry, I parked and went inside to visit with Todd. The gent pulling the camper, when full, courteously pulled ahead to clear the pumps for others to use while he inspected his rig. I noticed their Florida license plate, so I asked the lady of the couple if perhaps they spent the winters here in Western Nebraska and then returned to Florida for the summer.

That backward comment brought a laugh. Ron, the husband, came around and explained that he had married a Montana lady and promised to take her back home to visit relatives every other year. Plus, they were going to journey on to Washington State to visit their son.

That is a pretty good trip, diagonally across the U.S., and Ron said that they liked to drive the lesser-traveled back roads to just observe and enjoy the countryside. Somehow, I find merit in their attitude! Sure beats hurrying, which seems to be our normal American mode of life. Take your time and just enjoy life. I think the Good Lord would approve.

Today, as this paper is being printed, a special event is being celebrated out on our airport’s ramp. The term is Boss Lift, and it involves selected local citizens being given rides in a Nebraska Army National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter.

The practice dates back to when our U.S. Congress ceased the military draft for young men, citizens of this nation. Now, all persons serving in our armed services are classified as volunteers. A person can sign a two, three or four-year commitment to serve and pilot training is 10. It is voluntary and not the result of a universal draft.

Then our State’s National Guard or Reserve Units, personnel serve with mostly one day a week drills and maybe two weeks in summer, so members can still keep their civilian jobs. The move wasn’t all a 100% trade off as some requirements were established (forced on) those who employ the persons who chose to serve in the National Guard and Reserve forces. Technically, the details for the Guard Members and their employers are laid out in a program called USERA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994).

Volunteers like myself (now retired), and currently Mike Simmons, our local Veteran Services Officer, are asked to oversee the USERA program in a program called ESGR (Employer Support for Guard and Reserve).

So if you have seen a Black Hawk helicopter, dressed up in military style paint, flying repeatedly around our fair city, you may know that our neighbors who employ our National Guard and Reserve patriots are getting the treat of a ride in a current warbird. It is a token of thanks for flexibility and sacrifice in handling their workforce.

Just past is one of my family’s favorite holidays. Yes, schools are closed for a short vacation, and a great majority of people partake in special church services. One of my readers asked me to relate what Easter was like, in my experience, 75 or so years ago. We lived on a farm, and Mom always raised chickens, so we had lots of eggs. Our family always colored several dozen eggs after Mom had hard-cooked them. Light colors, pink, light green, yellow, blue and mostly a single color without other markings. On Easter morning, before we four kids got out of bed, our parents, yes, dad too, hid all those eggs outside the house. Then, when mom turned us loose, it was an eager trip to see how many eggs we could find. We weren’t always 100% successful, as I can remember finding a long-hidden egg in a corn lister seed box in July or so. That one we did not eat!

After the egg hunt and doing chores, it was time for breakfast. Then off to Church Services, originally the Old Stone Church, then later to the Methodist Church here in town. Then the family gathered to enjoy an extra special Easter Day meal served at about 2:00 o’clock in the afternoon. Roasted ham, fried chicken, fresh-baked bread, green bean casserole, potato salad, scalloped potatoes, sometimes fresh lambsquarters weed cooked for greens, and about always homemade ice cream and pie for dessert. There was probably more, but three-quarters of a century maybe leaves a few blanks.

Talk about fun. On Saturday, the day before Easter, some 70+ young kids, relatives of residents and staff here at Kinship, descended on us for an Easter Egg hunt. Excited little kids all over the facility until corralled by Mindy to go out into our outdoor conservatory area. At the word GO, it was a race to see who could pick up the most of the 700 plastic eggs hidden all over. Yes, not real eggs – too expensive – but plastic eggs filled with candy, mostly chocolate. Oh, our great-grandsons loved it, especially the five-year-old who managed to find the most eggs. Fun for the kids and for we “more mature’ residents looking on.

That is the way I saw it.