Dusty families gather to celebrate Christmas

Gary and Diane Monson hosted an extended family gathering of the Buri side of the family Dec. 22. It had been five years since the last get-together. There were 41 people in attendance.

The Monsons had a smaller gathering of immediate family; Gary and Diane, their sons, spouses and grandchildren and Diane’s mother Lucille Willson, on Christmas Day.

Amanda and Erik Carlson and sons Tate and Rafe of Spokane spent last weekend at the home of her parents, Kim and Cindy Pitts, for a late Christmas celebration.

Art and Colene Sager, Doreen Riedner, David Stueckle, Vicki Broeckel and Linda Hennigar attended the Community Sing-a-Long at the Gathering Place in LaCrosse Monday evening. Linda provided a selection of special numbers with Jerry Martin, Melodie Wise and Patty Nealy. The event was open to everyone and was sponsored by the LaCrosse Methodist and Selbu Lutheran churches. Refreshments were served. More events are being planned for the coming year.

The Dick Appel family received a wonderful surprise the eve of Christmas Eve. They opened the door and there was their youngest daughter, Susan, and her family, Joe, Cecelia, Abigail and Lillian. They had driven from Purdue University where Joe does research. They were able to spend a week with the family before returning home. Those who were at the Dick Appels' for Christmas dinner were Barb and Bruce Wollstein, Lacey; Kate Wollstein and Andrew, Moscow; Bruce, Elaine, Charlie and Spenser Appel, Spokane Valley; Phil and Leslie Appel, Cheney; Eric, Shannon, Connor, Christopher, Sarah, Kyle and Sidney Appel, Dusty; Caroline and Rob Kunkel, Zack, Kade, Elly and Luciene, Pullman; Lisa and Travis Frei and Miriam, Rachel, Emma and Colette, Colfax; Dave and Alice Appel and Steve and Dianne, all Dusty, and Susan and Joe Lynch, Cecilia, Abigail and Lillian, Lafayette, Ind.

Other family members helped with the annual Appel pig butchering. The last of the pork was wrapped on New Year’s Day.

Doreen Riedner took her sister, Denise Kendall, to the Spokane Airport New Year’s Eve day so she could return home to Tacoma. Denise and her husband, Tony, had driven to the Riedner household Christmas Eve. Tony returned to Tacoma soon after Christmas and Denise stayed for the majority of her winter break from teaching in the University Place School District.

New Year’s Eve, Tom and Doreen Riedner hosted a get-together in their home for 28 guests, all but three from the Penewawa area.

Art and Colene spent New Year’s Day with friends Bob and Chris Clinesmith in Benge.

Dusty B.B. Club will meet next week Wednesday, Jan. 9, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the St. Joseph’s Catholic Church’s parish hall in LaCrosse to make baby blankets for the free maternity clinic at Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane. Lunch will be served in the parish hall. Diane Monson is the hostess. Roll Call will be: What did you get for Christmas?