Port Byron Day Is Growing

After Joe Taylor, President/CEO Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau, spoke to the Port Byron Historical Society about East West Riverfest 2013 and how Port Byron can participate in the September 6-22 event the enthusiasm has been fantastic. The Port Byron State Bank has announced that they will host an old-time family fun festival in their parking lot on September 14 between 1-4 p.m. with food, games, prizes and fun! This is on top of the other September 14th Port Byron Day activities already announced, and that charity 5 K run keeps getting bigger! There is still time for other organizations and institutions to join in the September 14 Port Byron Day program and publicity. Organizations can also include any of their own activities that fall between September 6-22. For example the Port Byron Historical Society regular meeting is September 11, we will schedule an interesting topic and have that be part of East West Riverfest 2013. The deadline for inclusion in the massive publicity campaign for East West Riverfest 2013 is May 31st. All you need is a firm title, date, time and location for your event. All the little details can be planned later. Let's make September a fun month in Port Byron!

OUR LUTHERAN YOUTH

Port Byron is fortunate to have a fine Messiah Lutheran Youth Organization. They visit nursing homes, help in many projects, did a fabulous job at the December Messiah Swedish Dinner, AND SEEM TO BE HAVING FUN! On April 24th the LYO will celebrate Earth Day. On May 22nd the Messiah Lutheran Youth will have a "Last Supper" as they meet to celebrate the graduates and send them on their way. In July they are having a summer trip to Colorado. Membership in the Messiah Lutheran Youth Organization is open to all students from the start of 9th Grade through the summer following graduation. One does not have to be Lutheran, about half are not. To find out more about the Messiah Lutheran Youth Organization attend a 6:00-7:30 p.m. meeting any Wednesday; contact Bob Simmons by email pennoninc@msn.com or call 309/269-2421; or call the Messiah Lutheran church office, 309/523-2421. An attachment giving a full report of their great 2012 activities can be obtained by sending an email request to pennoninc@msn.com or portbyronherald@hotmail.com.

It's SPRING!!

It finally feels like Spring which means it is time to start planting. Planting is a lot of work. When possible I like to plant perennials because once they are established you can just sit back and enjoy them. When I first moved to Port Byron in 2005 kind neighbors provided some plants that have provided years of effortless enjoyment: COMMON CHIVES are a nice oniony taste that goes well in almost everything where you want a mild onion taste, in Spring they have pretty blue flowers that attract bees and butterflies; GARLIC CHIVES have a sharper taste and have pretty white flowers in September that insects love; we also have an abundance of June-bearing STRAWBERRIES, we received a few runners and we now have a 30' by 40' strawberry patch that produces more strawberries than we can use, we still have frozen strawberries and jam from last year and we gave them away to anyone who would take them. We would gladly pass on the favor to anyone who would like common chives, garlic chives or strawberries for their garden. Strawberries do require sunshine and need some space (they spread). They all require very little work and provide a lot of tasty enjoyment. We also grew a lot of great tasting butternut squash last year, they kept very well and we still have three left to eat. Squash requires no work at all but they need sun and room to spread. We have a lot of seeds from those great butternut squash which we would be happy to share. If anyone would like to plant garlic or common chive, strawberries or butternut squash in their garden just send an email to portbyronmayor@gmail.com. Watch this space. We will have other perennials to share soon.

Port Byron Day September 14

Enthusiasm for Port Byron participation in East West Riverfest 2013, which is September 6-22, has been fantastic since Joe Taylor spoke to the Port Byron Historical Society on March 18.Plans are being made for a Port Byron Day on Saturday, September 14 and all Port Byron organizations and institutions are invited to participate. Please remember, while it is not necessary to have all your detailed plans for an event now, we must submit a title and date for an event by May 31 to have it included in the East West Riverfest 2013 publicity campaign. Let's all work together to make the September 14 Port Byron Day a big success. This should involve a little work and a lot of fun.

4.5 Billion Years Of Port Byron History

EXPLORE 4.5 BILLION YEARS OF PORT BYRON HISTORY IN 40 MINUTES with LAWRENCE BAY. The Port Byron Historical Society will then discuss which topics in the rich 4.5 billion years of Port Byron history should be featured at future meetings, perhaps in a little more detail. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH, 6:30 p.m. at the River Valley Library, 214 S. Main in Port Byron.