Potential Closing of the Max Post Office

IMPORTANT NOTICE

As many of you have heard by now, the United States Postal Service is considering closing hundreds of post offices around the country in an effort to “save money.” As you have also probably heard, our post office is on the list of potential closures. If we want the Max Post Office to remain open, as it has for more than 120 years, then we must take action. If we do nothing, then the closing of our post office is guaranteed. Fortunately, there are several things we can do to fight for our post office.

Currently, there are surveys available at the Max Post Office counter which can be filled out and returned to the Max Postmaster, Shary Jones, who will forward the surveys on to the appropriate people at the USPS Discontinuance Office. I would strongly urge everyone who uses the Max Post Office to fill one of these surveys out and return it as soon as possible.

In addition, there will be a meeting on November 2, 2011 at the Max Community Center from 6pm until 8pm. At this meeting will be representatives of the U.S. Postal Service. They will be there to listen to our concerns regarding the possible closing of the Max Post Office. These representatives have already said that this meeting must remain civil and respectful. If there are outbursts, loud angry words, threats, or other disrespectful behavior, they will leave and the closing of our post office will surely be guaranteed. I strongly encourage everyone who uses the Max Post Office to be at this very important community meeting to share their thoughts and concerns. Please be prepared to offer reasonable, logical, and rational arguments as to why our post office should remain open. It’s not enough to simply say “We want our post office to remain open.” We must give good, very good reasons as to why our post office should remain open.

We can also contact our elected representatives in Washington to express our concerns. Nebraska has two senators, Sen. Mike Johanns and Sen. Ben Nelson. Sen. Johanns can be contacted at his office (Tel. (308) 236-7602 or (202) 224-4224). Sen. Johanns can also be contacted via his website (http://johanns.senate.gov/), and his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/MikeJohanns). Sen. Nelson can be contact at his office (Tel. (402) 391-3411 or 202-224-6551). Sen. Nelson can also be contacted via his website (http://bennelson.senate.gov/), and his Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/senatorbennelson?ref=ts). The Congressman for our district is Rep. Adrian Smith. Rep. Smith can be contacted at his office (Tel. (308) 633-6333 or (202) 225-6435). Rep. Smith can also be contacted via his website (http://adriansmith.house.gov/). Again, I would strongly encourage everyone who uses the Max Post Office to contact Sen. Johanns, Sen. Nelson, and Rep. Smith and express their concerns regarding the potential closing of the Max Post Office, and their equally strong desire to keep our post office open.

Community Meeting With Postal Representatives To Discuss The Potential Closing Of The Max Post Office:

November 2, 2011, 6pm-8pm

Meeting Minutes for July 11, 2011

Max Community Club Meeting Minutes

July 11, 2011

The monthly meeting of the Max Community Club was called to order at 7:10pm with Bill and Cindy Cawthra, Geraldine Edwards, Jim and Karen Bowman, Daisy and Jim Jensen, Shary Jones, Margaret Smith, Bob Tuttle, Shirley Griffiths, and Levoine Humphreys attending.

Cindy Cawthra thanked everyone for all the work done over the past month, including mowing the park, repairing the leaks in the club house restrooms, repairing the storm window and moving the large tree limb that blew down during the wind storm.

Shary Jones read the minutes from the previous meeting and Margaret Smith read the financial report.  Geraldine Edwards made a motion to accept the minutes and financial report as read. The motion was seconded by Jim Jensen. The motion was approved by vote.

The Annual Flea Market was discussed. Flyers have been posted in several locations, and club members were encouraged to post more flyers in different locations. Geraldine, Shary, Shirley and Cindy volunteered to work in the clubhouse kitchen to prepare and serve food during the flea market. 

The Annual Max Community Fun Day was also discussed. The date for this year’s Fun Day will be Sunday, September 11^th, and will start at 1:00pm. It was decided by vote (motion made by Margaret and seconded  by Shirley) that rather than having a hog roast as we have had in previous years, beef will be served this year. We are still in the process of finding prize donations for this year’s raffle. Karen Bowman made a motion to have an Open Mike this year, as we had last year. Shirley Griffiths seconded the motion and the motion was approved by vote. A discussion of what games and entertainment we will have has been tabled until the next meeting.

The Max History display that will be housed in the little church was also discussed. The history album is coming along and will hopefully be completed by the end of July and placed in the little church. A request was also made for donations or loans of items that can be displayed in the church. Items should be able to fit into the display case, and we would like to have items that have a particular relationship to the community of Max, and will help illustrate the history of the town and the people who settled the area and lived in the area.

If anyone has something that they would like to either donate or loan to the Max Community Club for inclusion in the Max History display, they can call Cindy Cawthra at 423-2712 or Bob Tuttle at 423-5363. Or, they can email the Max Community Club at maxcommunityclub@gmail.com

As always, meeting minutes and other information relating to the Max Community Club and the town of Max can be found on the Max Community Club website, http://themaxcommunityclub.blogspot.com

The meeting adjourned at 7:55pm

Max History Museum Display

Just a quick update on the Max History Display which is to be housed in the original Methodist Church building located in the Max Pioneer Park. Thus far we are putting together a Max History book which will be available for folks to browse through in the church building. It will be a sort of scrap book full of old photos and history about the town and the folks who lived here.

Jim Baney has generously donated an 1889 Triumph style parlor organ made by the Estey Organ Co., of Brattleboro, Vermont. The organ was originally purchased in 1890 and later moved to a home in Max, where it stayed until the 1940s when it was sold. The organ is beautiful and has now made its way home to Max.

1889 Reed Organ donated by Jim Baney

Mr. Baney also donated a very nice large glass and oak display case where we can display items related to the history of Max. He also donated several other smaller items, as well as a lot of historical information contained in old newspaper articles.

We are still seeking donations of items to be placed in the Max History Display, so if you have an item or items that you would either like to donate, or loan to the club for display, we sure would appreciate it! If you have some old photographs, we are able to copy them, and can then return the originals to you. If you would like to donate or loan something, or if you have any questions, please call Cindy Cawthra at 423-2712 of Bob Tuttle at 423-5363.

Annual Max Flea Market

It's That Time Again!

Time to clean out that garage, storage shed and basement and bring it all to Max!

The Annual Max Community Flea Market

July 16, 2011

8:30am (MDT) until 1:30pm (MDT)

If you would like to rent a 10' x 10' space to sell all your goodies, the cost is only $10!

Sloppy Joes, Hot Dogs, Potato Salad and chips will be for sale as well!

Sell all day or Buy all day!

Make plans now, as spaces are LIMITED, so make your space reservations early!

For more information call:

Cindy Cawthra at 423-2712 or Bob Tuttle at 423-5363

We look forward to seeing you there!

Max Community Club Meeting Minutes for June 13, 2011

The meeting was called to order at 7:10 pm

Attending were Jim and Karen Bowman, Shirley Griffith, Geraldine Edwards, Bill and Cindy Cawthra, Margaret Smith, Daisey Jensen, Shary Jones, Bob and Amanda Tuttle.

Cindy opened the meeting by thanking everyone for all the work they did on behalf of the club over the past month. Shary read the minutes from last month’s meeting, and Margaret read the Treasurer’s Report. Jim Bowman made a motion to approve the minutes and treasurer’s report. The motion was seconded by Shirley Griffith. The motion carried and the minutes and treasurer’s report were approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

The annual Max Flea Market was discussed. It was decided that the flea market would be held on July 16, 2011, and would run from 8:30am until 1:30pm. We will rent 10 foot by 10 foot spaces for people to set up and sell their items. Rent for these spaces will be $10. The club will sell Sloppy Joes, hot dogs, potato salad and chips.

NEW BUSINESS:

Thank you cards were passed around for all to sign. The cards will be sent to Bob Krutsinger for his work on the new basketball court and also the new concrete slab under the north picnic shelter. A card will also be sent to Jim Baney for donating the antique pump organ and the display case for the museum in the little church.

Cindy passed around copies of the address for each of us to write to Jerry Schafer. We all hope he will get well and come home. We all miss him.

The clubhouse is possibly rented for June 24^th and it is rented for July 30^th.

Prizes were discussed for the annual Max Fun Day. Bill Cawthra, Jim Bowman, and Bob Tuttle will be looking for prize donations from local businesses and/or other sources.

The Max history museum which will be placed in the little church was discussed. Bob Tuttle put together a composite photo featuring a possible “history sign” that will go in front of the church, as well as a close-up of what the sign could look like. These were passed around for comment. Bill Cawthra suggested putting together a scrapbook that would contain all the different photos of the church, the moving of the church, as well as historic photos of Max. Bill suggested that this scrapbook could be placed in the little church so visitors could look at it. Bob Tuttle will be in charge of putting the book together. Geraldine Edwards made a motion to approve the scrapbook. Karen Bowman seconded the motion and the scrapbook project was approved. Bob Tuttle will be in charge of putting the scrapbook together.

Also discussed was the possible location of the donated display case in the museum area of the little church.

At 7:50pm the meeting was adjourned, and members went to the little church to look at the antique organ and the display case, as well as discuss the positioning of the display case, and renovations to the church building.

The next meeting will be held July 11, 2011 at 7:00pm

Construction Update!

!!CONSTRUCTION UPDATE!!

Concrete for the new basketball court has been poured at the Max Pioneer Park! In addition, the Krutsinger Crew also poured a new slab under the north picnic shelter to provide safety and stability for the picnic tables there. 

First one side...

And then the other!

And then...

The Finished Product!

The New Concrete Slab in the North Picnic Area. Thanks Guys!

Jim Bowman and Bill Cawthra were also busy installing new storm windows on the church building. 

The guys did a great job! These new storm windows will help keep the weather (and the flies) out of the building, and will also serve to help preserve this historic church. Margaret Smith and Geraldine Edwards also pitched in and worked on cleaning up the inside of the building. A big thanks to all!

Construction At Max Park

Construction At Max Park

 The concrete basketball court in the Max Park is coming out, and new concrete will be poured soon. Our new basketball court is courtesy of a grant generously provided by the Hester Foundation. The work is being done by Krutsinger Construction of Benkelman, Nebraska. A very big thank you goes out to the Hester Foundation; we’re looking forward to our new basketball court.

Away with the old, and getting ready for the new!