March 17, 2011

Reminders: This coming Sunday, March 20th, the Senior Citizens are having a breakfast from 9-1 to Celebrate Spring. The next Sunday, March 27th, the Garrison-Max Ambulance District will be having their breakfast from 9-1. The latter will be subsidized by Thrivent. Both breakfasts are at the Max Civic Center on Main Street. But on Friday, March 25th the Max Seniors will be having their potluck and meeting at noon. Next month's potluck and meeting will be at 6 p.m.
The Max Farmers Elevator is having its 100th Anniversary and Annual Meeting on Tuesday, March 29th with supper being served at 6 p.m. and the meeting to follow. This, too, is at the Max Civic Center.

A violent fast moving blizzard spent most of Friday with this community and many others. All of I-94 and all of #83 were closed and not reopened until the next afternoon. The news reports 800 motorists stranded, with the National Guard going out to rescue them. The town of Max had its own excitement when there were 30 some cars backed up on Highway 83 from Kenneth Jungling's, to the north. There was a rear end accident at the Max Public School turn-off that resulted in a girl having her collar bone broken. The Max Cafe had standing room only: 50-60 people stayed overnight in the Max Civic Center, sleeping on mats. A special thank you to the people who opened the doors to their homes, to take in the handicapped and other motorists. Many local people spent many hours trying to get to their homes, short distances from Max.

If you are familiar with the Max web-site on your computer, please check on the home page and you will see links to the Guestbook page, where some individuals have requested historical/family information; and links to the Housing page, where someone from out of state is looking for housing.

For those not having access to these areas of information, here is what is being requested. As far as the housing, a family of 4 is looking for a 3 bedroom, non-smoking, pet friendly home to rent long term, or lease to purchase for the right home. Will also consider a large 2 bedroom house. These are clean, current homeowners, with great credit with personal and credit references available. Rental budget is $1000/mo. or less. They are currently in Kansas City, MO but having a very hard time finding housing here. The husband can accept a job he has been offered in Minot, with hopes they can find housing close by. They will appreciate any help!! Thank you!! This request came in on March 8th of 2011. If you have information on housing, please contact Tamra Huesers at tamraj@rtc.coop or at 679-2030 or mail her at P.O. Box #152; Max, ND 58759-0152.

From the Guestbook the following information is requested: Coming in on March 14th is a request from Mary-Beth Meyer; 3374 Reliez Highland Rd; Lafayette, CA 94549. MBMeyerLCSW@sbcglobal.net. She writes:" My Grandfather, Walter Christian Meyer, was pastor at St. Matthew-Max from 1917-1920. I would appreciate any information about the church, the community, my Grandpa himself--from that era."

Coming in on March 8th from Vivian at Washburn, ND 58577 vmerkel@westriv.com is a request for "information (obits) of Agnes and Alvin Rumynson, who died in 1988, Nov.29 and 2002, Jan. 27. Requester, from Sweden wants to know if any family members are still living in the area? She sees in the McLean County GenWeb pages a John and Kate Rumynson are buried in the Max City Cememtery, and several Rumynson folks homesteaded in Twp150, R 80, in early 1900's. Any and all help will be appreciated. Thanks. Vivian"

An interesting note coming in on March 2 is from Dick Anderson; Eugene, OR compilot69@comcast.net "You have a very nice web site. I lived in Max back in 1946-51. My mom did the cooking for the school and my dad was the custodian. We lived in the bottom part of the school in a partitioned off large room next to the gym. By any chance would anyone remember the population of Max during those years. I keep thinking about 400, but for some reason it doesn't sound right. Would appreciate any help. Say hi to any Junglings or Schnaibles. Thanks for your time. Dick Anderson"

Another request is from Gordon Bruins P.O. Box 1060 LCD1, Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 7H1, gbruins@canopycanada.net. "Snowplowing on the Soo line. My grandfather, Harm Bruins, lived in Minot from about 1906 to the spring of 1909. My uncle told that one winter he was operating an engine plowing snow on the railway and they got badly stuck and about 40 men with shovels dug them out. A few years ago I saw a picture in the cafe in Max with two engines and a snowplow stuck in a drift with alot of men and shovels standing on the drift. The waitress told me her mother-in-law said that was a one-time event. (She kindly loaned me the picture to have it copied.) Can anyone provide more information about that event?"

Interesting information from this past week's McLean County Independent newspaper: The school enrollment in Max was 176 in 1993; 168 in 2000; and 188 in 2010.

We wish former Max resident Clara Wagner a happy 99th birthday today, March 17th. Birthday greetings may be sent to: Clara Wagner; c/o Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center; 2425 Hillview Avenue; Bismarck, ND 58501.

"The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be only the beginning." George Baker

--The Max News is written each week by Margaret Zaderaka. To have your information included, contact her at emz@rtc.coop.