Sampson Community Club
On this page is our quarterly newsletter, the "Squeaky Squirrel." For your convenience as well as information, it has been reprinted, in part, here.
The Squeaky Squirrel
A
newsletter about and for our Mountain Community by Miss Dee, published
author (a.k.a. Dee Lee)
June
15, 2006
Canyon Memories by Lila Kint
On our family's list of canyon memories, Sampson School days ranks high. The two-story native rock schoolhouse was built in 1925 on one acre of land donated by Lilly Karsch.
Our sons, Jim and John, both were fortunate enough to attend Sampson for their first few years of school. Our daughter Kathy was younger and the school had closed before she was of school age.
Della Marcum and Lola Hanson were two of the teachers who taught there when our sons attended. At times the teachers must have despaired of the wet shoes and socks they had to contend with. The stream that ran right through the schoolyard was perfect for the youngsters to jump over or "accidentally" wade into during recesses.
To name just a few students who attended school there in that time period, there were the Nicholases, Eriksens, Fischbecks, Merediths, Freemans, Van Fleets, Mike Smith, Tove Schafer, and Nancy and Cherie Waters.
In addition to the two regular teachers, there were special teachers, who came in the afternoons. Jim Mortensen, who later became principal of West Jefferson, was the Physical Ed teacher. Joy Zahn would play the piano for his classes' exercises.
Joy
and Stanley Zahn, who lived for many years just south of the school, were custodians
of Sampson School for many years and kept it in prime condition.
Loren
and Thalia Fender, who built their home in Murphy Gulch, drove the school buses
to Sampson and West Jefferson Schools for 18 years.
In 1964 when Sampson was closed, Della Marcum went to West Jefferson Elementary and taught second grade. She and daughter Teddy, still live in the same house on South Deer Creek just north of Sampson Road. In recent years she has been substitute teaching in the Columbine area, and when I asked her if she was still teaching, she replied that she had finally retired---then added, "at least temporarily." *
Lila
Kint is one of our local area historians. She shared her knowledge of the
area one evening, years ago, at the Sampson Community Club's "History Night"
and helped edit the book, Mountain Memories, From Coffee Pot Hill to Medlen
Town, published by Limited Publications, Lakewood, Colorado. Lila has
graciously agreed to share with the Squeaky Squirrel readership, through
out this year, her expertise, stories, and some of her precious memories about
the area we all call home. Lila, from all of us, thank you!
The
Squeaky Squirrel, a quarterly newsletter, is published on the 15th of March,
June, September and December. Deadlines for ads and submissions are the
27th of February, May, August, and November. If you have a story, an idea or a
suggestion, please contact Miss Dee at (303) 697-2558, e-mail her at missdee001@earthlink.net
or drop a note in the Sampson Community Club's mailbox: 16150 Sampson Road, Littleton,
CO 80127. Please include your evening phone number.
Our Apologies
We're sorry but due to the increasing cost of postage, the Sampson Community Club will no longer send out event fliers with the exception of the Mystery Dinners. We urge you to mark your calendar with our activities and visit our website, www.sampsonclub.org, for updates.
Parking Lot Improvement
Yeah, the Sampson Schoolhouse parking lot is going to get a make over thanks to some wonderful folks and your generosity! A small drainage ditch will be cut out, the area will be graded, and either gravel or crushed asphalt will be spread over the dirt. The cost is approximately $1000.00. A specific Donation Jar will be at all of our events for contributions and you may mail your check to the Club's mailbox: 16150 Sampson Road, Littleton, CO 80127. Thank you very much, for your help.
Ice Cream Social Nostalgia
At the recent Mountain Mama Breakfast event, I was delighted to visit with Dave George, 30 + year resident of the Canyon. He told me about the Ice Cream Social of 1986 when pony rides and chauffeured rides were offered. The ponies belonged to former fire chief, Bob Schneider, and Dave George owned two vehicles: a 1917 Cadillac and a Model A.
You could take a chauffeured ride from the Sampson Schoolhouse to either Phillipsburg or Deermont and back for 50 cents per passenger if you wanted the luxury ride (the Cadillac) or 25 cents per passenger if you rode in the Model A. Dave's ticket agent was Jim Kint, also long-time resident.
"I made $90.00 that day," Dave said, "and I was so busy that I didn't get to eat any ice cream!"
Dave told me that the first event he ever attended was the Ice Cream Social in 1972, where he met Ruth and John Eriksen among other folks. And that in 1973, the year he and his wife started raising chickens, they "furnished the ladies with eggs to make the ice cream with."
"And in those days, the Club met once a month, all year 'round." Back then, the schoolhouse was heated by an oil boiler, "but then the boiler went bad."
He also told me that the School District owned Sampson Schoolhouse but because it was no longer in use as a schoolhouse, the district was going to sell it. The community rolled up their sleeves and got busy selling newspapers and aluminum cans in order to buy it. The Club paid the School District approximately $10.00 per year for 10 years and received a clear title to the Sampson Schoolhouse.
Won't You Please
join us at this year's community get-togethers?
Please
cut out the information below and tape it to your calendar!!!
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July
8th August
12th September
9th
from
noon Noon
8:00
a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Barbecue
and Pig
Roast Roll-Off
Spruce Up &
Ice
Cream Social the
Canyon Clean Up 10:00 a.m.
Coordinator:
Coordinators:
Coordinators:
Dave
Pettus
Bryn Shepeck Virginia
Temmer
(303) 697-8780
&
Glick Bishop (303)
697-7272
(303)
697-4414
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Barbecue
& Ice Cream Social July
8th from
noon
Yummm…sassy barbecued meats,
fresh salads, and homemade ice cream. If you like, bring your own meat to
barbecue and a side dish to share, the Club will provide ice cream and accompaniments.
Coordinator: the President, Dave Pettus
(303) 697-8780. $4.00 per adult, $2.00 per child.
Pig Roast at
the Lamb School Aug.
12th Noon
A slow-roasted pig, potluck dishes,
and mouth-watering desserts mark summer's end. Last year, the kids (and
some of the adults) enjoyed water balloon fights and making bubble creations from
a jar.
Coordinators: Bryn Shepeck and
Glick Bishop (303) 697-4414. $7.00 per adult, $3.00 per child.
Canyon
Clean Up & September
9th 10:00 a.m. & 8 - 11:00 a.m.
Roll-Off
Spruce Up
This fall, we are combing
clean up efforts: the Canyon Clean Up starts at 10:00 a.m. and is the "tidy
up the road" event. So get your road assignment from Virginia, dawn
your gloves, grab one of those elegant orange bags, and fill it with trash from
the road. The Roll-Off: our official Cost Estimator will be on duty from
8:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. so bring down that pile of scrap from your last home project,
the slash you cut or the big stuff (sofa or broken chair) and for a reasonable
contribution, put it in the roll-off. * NO old paint or other items considered
hazardous. Sorry, but if you're not early enough to get it in, your stuff
will have to go back with you.
Coordinator:
Virginia Temmer (303) 697-7272.
Mystery Dinner for Adults September
16th 7:00 p.m.
"The Balmy
Bahamas Cruise"
Tilly Song, a megastar
singer, has hired a luxury-plus cruiser to see the Bahamas and have a holiday.
She has invited a variety of other famous people along to share the lobster.
But just as the party was about to start, Karl Virgil, that madman troublemaker,
has been found overboard, as full of water as he was of his own self-importance.
Was it one of the singers or actors or the tennis or the basketball star?
Come portray a character and discover whom the
villain is.
Coordinator: Virginia Temmer
(303) 697-7272. $18.00 per adult includes one full dinner.
2005/2006 Board Members Electronic Mail
President,
Dave Pettus (303) 697-8780 Would
you like to receive the
Vice President, Virginia Temmer (303) 697-7272 Squeaky
Squirrel electronically?
Secretary,
Dee Lee (a.k.a. Miss Dee) (303) 697-2558 Please
contact Mitch Tanenbaum at
Treasurer, Brian
Lambert (303) 697-8933 MTanen@prolynx.com.
Mark
These Dates On Your Calendar, Too!
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September
16th September 30th October
27th & 28th November
18th
7:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m. 6:00
p.m. Potluck Dinner, 27th 5:00 p.m.
Mystery
Dinner Chi-Histri-Pok 7:00
p.m., 27th & 28th Annual Membership Mtg.
for
Adults Haunted
House &
Thanksgiving Dinner
Coordinator: Coordinator:
Coordinator:
Coordinator:
Virginia Temmer Dee
Lee
Karen George Dave
Pettus
(303) 697-7272 (303)
697-2558 (303)
697-3283 (303)
697-8780
Karen
needs volunteers!
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Chi-Histri-Pok September
30th 5:00
p.m.
Wow! The name tells you something, doesn't it? This event is a once in a lifetime! The Board of Directors chose the three most popular events, taken from the "Event Questionnaire" on the Membership Application Form we sent out this past February, and combined them into one event, Chi-Histri-Pok. These popular events were the Chili Cook-Off, History Night, and Poker Night.
At
5:00 p.m., we are having one or two or three long-time residents of the area giving
us some history and stories of our beloved local, followed at 6:00 pm. by some
hot and sassy (and some not so hot and sassy) homemade chili! After dinner,
around 7:00 p.m., for those so inclined, a poker game!
History
Sharing & Chili Dinner Coordinator: Dee Lee (303) 697-2558. $5.00
per adult, $2.00 per child.
We Had Tons of Fun
…at the Gardener's Cache - Plant & Seed Swap. Dee Lee gave a great 40-minute talk on the ins-and-outs of gardening from "after you plant your seeds through your harvest." Her lecture was educational, informative, interesting, and very helpful. We also learned about using Frost Guard clothes instead of sheets, when to prune, and several ways to keep gardening interesting. There were a lot of beautiful plants, cuttings, and veggie seeds that were swapped, and Art Vandenburg shared some of his interesting and insightful discoveries. So all in all, we had a great time!
…at the Mountain Mama Breakfast. Brian Lambert and his experienced crew of cooks worked together like a fine-tuned machine to prepare the most delicious breakfasts of French toast and pancakes, toast, potatoes, sausage, bacon, and eggs-to-order. And Dave George brought his made-from-scratch biscuits and gravy. It was a wonderful, delicious treat for all of us!
…at the Kids'
Mystery Party. The cast of 15 played their parts with enthusiasm and investigated
the clues left by the murderer. As it turned out, there were two victims!
It was a mind-boggler and the kids had a great time. Pizza, salad, brownies,
pineapple upside down cake, and lemonade were served.
A
Special Thank You to
The Gardener's
Cache - Plant & Seed Swap Crew: Dee and Mike Lee, Barbara Asprey, Janet
Clark, Jan Clawson, Brian Lambert, Dave Pettus, Virginia Temmer, and Art Vandenburg
for your valued assistance with this fun, green thumb-friendly event.
The Kids' Mystery Party Crew: Barbara Asprey,
Robert Manzanares, Dave Pettus, Virginia Temmer, and the cast - Suspects:
Camille Anthony, Kevin Temmer, Leah Winkler, Andy Seracuse, Heidi Albrecht, John
Orin, Sami Pettus, Jackson Presolac, Kelley Jones, Troy Abshire, and Melissa Stone.
Witnesses: Katie Szatkowski, Dahlia Hansen, Michaela Anthony, Kim
Albrecht, and Michelle Temmer. Investigators: Vicky Stone and Kelley
Jones.
Lila Kint, for contributing your priceless column, "Canyon Memories," to the Squeaky Squirrel.
Brian Lambert, for performing your duties as Treasurer of the Sampson Community Club.
Dee Lee, for performing your duties as Secretary of the Sampson Community Club, coordinating the Calling Committee, and for writing both the Squeaky Squirrel and the script for the Sampson Community Club's website.
Mike Lee, for maintaining the Club's
website.
Robert Manzanares, for donating
five bags of landscaping Wood Chips for use in the Sampson Schoolhouse flowerbeds.
The Mountain Mama Breakfast Crew: Brian Lambert, Bob Ahrendts, Don Coenen, and Jeff Shepeck (cooks) Dave George (made the biscuits and gravy!) Jakki Barry, Garrett Cukr, Sami Pettus, Kevin and Michelle Temmer (wait staff) Audrey Lambert and Samantha Burton (flower girls) Karen George (menu designer) Janie Lambert, Dee and Mike Lee, Robert Manzanares, and Virginia Temmer, for your appreciated assistance and expertise.
Diane Neil, our Welcome Committee Hostess.
Dave Pettus, for performing your duties as President of the Sampson Community Club.
The Squeaky Squirrel Prep Crew: Dee and Mike Lee, for preparing the newsletter for mailing.
Mitch Tanenbaum, for printing the Squeaky Squirrel as well as the event fliers and e-mail blasting the Club's announcements.
Virginia Temmer, for performing your duties as Vice President of the Sampson Community Club.
The Work Day Crew: Barbara Asprey, Brian Lambert, Robert Manzanares, Marsha Petry, Dave and Sami Pettus, Janet Shown, and Virginia Temmer.
And thank you, members, for paying your yearly $20.00 dues. If you need to pay your dues or would like to join the Sampson Community Club, please mail your $20.00 membership dues along with your name and telephone number to the Club's mailbox: Sampson Community Club, 16150 Sampson Road, Littleton, CO, 80127. If you have any questions, please call one of the Board Members listed on page 3.
The
Greenhouse Corner 
Wondering what to do with the excess bulbs you just thinned out your flowerbeds? Please donate them to the Sampson Community Club's flowerbeds. They will certainly be an appreciated addition and will be admired for years to come. Just give me, Dee Lee, a call, (303) 697-2558 or e-mail me at missdee001@earthlink.net for information. "You dig 'em up and I'll plant them!"
June,
July, and August: feed and water your gardens. By the end of July,
add more mulch to help keep moisture in. Don't feed your roses after August
1st.
September: start watching the weather reports. We are 10 degrees cooler than Denver. If the night temperature is going to drop to 32 degrees here, cover your veggie gardens with Frost Guard sheets so your "nearly ready to harvest veggies" don't freeze!!!
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Blue
Eyes Web Designs Community
Service
Webmaster,
Mike Lee If
you need to perform Community
Service,
the Sampson Community Club
(303)
697-2558 will
gladly accept your help.
blueeyeswebdesigns@earthlink.net Call
Virginia Temmer, (303) 697-7272.
www.BlueEyesWebDesigns.com
Websites YourHub.com
"I'll build your site from the ground up
or
rebuild your existing site," Mike Lee. The
Club is now advertising its events
on,
www.YourHub.com, which is an
Personal Computers extension
of the Denver Post. Go to the
"I'll build
you a computer to serve your needs, World
Wide Web and type in,
upgrade your existing machine or pamper your PC http://denver.yourhub.com/Event.aspx?
with
some TLC by defragging, removing cookies, contented=55900.
check
for and remove viruses and/or spyware."
i-Net+
Certified, Member of CompTIA Advertising
Web design and computer
Would
you like to place a business
technology with a personal touch
or
a personal ad in the Squeaky Squirrel? Contact
Miss Dee at (303) 697-2558 or missdee001@earthlink.net.
Need a place to rent for a special occasion? The Sampson Schoolhouse is
available. Call Virginia Temmer (303) 697-7272.