Along The Ad Routes

by Mike Reilly

The Dodgeville Area Scholarship Foundation golf outing and fundraiser is this Sunday (21st) at Dodge Point Country Cub. As of late last week we had over 30 teams playing - that’s more than 120 golfers. We shoot for a full house of 36 teams - 144 golfers. It’s a great day to stop out and renew some old acquaintances even if you don’t play golf! And if you bid and win a (Kathryn McGraw, pie, that’s a special treat!

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The next-to-the-last “Cars & Coffee” took place Saturday morning on West Merrimac Street in Dodgeville (next to the Chronicle office). Most of the vehicles were in the Courthouse Parking Lot. It was a relatively small show as the Mineral Point Car Show was taking place at the same time. But, I was going into Cathryn’s Market to get a coffee and there was a line of a dozen people waiting to order!

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Friday morning I woke up and had a twinge in my right leg calf and could hardly walk. I went to breakfast at the Red Room and it wasn’t nay better by the time I got to the office. I stayed off it most of the day until I had to print Memorial Folders and some flyers. I did go to Cathryn’s to get a coffee around 3:00 p.m. and made it back to the office. In about 15 minutes I was fine. The drink I get is my own concoction - Mike’s Magic Mint. Maybe that was the cure for my hobbling!

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With the “Cars & Coffee” going on Saturday morning, breakfast had to stay in town and at 7:00.  I drove Tom to Jimmy’s Diner (north side of town) as he left his vintage car downtown for the show. Potsie, Bob, Terry, Royce and Dave all met us at Jimmy’s. Jimmy came back to the table to welcome us and said he hadn’t seen our group for a while. We told him the last time we were there, he wasn’t! We had god service and good food. We even decided where we would go the next week - but that’s a secret!

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The “Smoke in the Valley” event at Prem Meats in Spring Green drew its usual full-house crowd. The huge parking area was nearly filled with vehicles all day long. People had the chance to sample BBQ meats the entire time and vote for the best! I’m sure there were over 1500 people gong through the entrance during the day - and the food was delicious!

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There’s two more weeks of Fall Ball - baseball at Centennial Park from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. in Dodgeville. Besides seeing some of the area youth play baseball, you can have some good food from the concession stand!

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I walked into Cathryn’s Market late Saturday afternoon and saw a table of people that I recognized. Among them were Curt and Sharon Anderson, who moved to Minnesota almost a year ago. Curt is a classmate of mine. Also there were classmates Tom Chappell and Bill Hanson. It was almost like a mini-reunion! It was especially good to see Curt and Sharon!

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Today is a special day throughout U.S.history as it’s the official day marking the birth of the Air Force. The United States Air Force's official birthday is September 18, 1947, when it was established as a separate branch of the U.S. military by President Harry Truman through the National Security Act. This date marks the birth of the modern U.S. Air Force, though its heritage dates back to the Army Air Corps and early aviation.

I had a very special uncle who served in the U.S.Air Force, Merlin “Johnny” Reilly, who lived most of his life in Hialeah, Florida. 

After his service, he was an airplane mechanic for Eastern Airlines. That allowed his daughter, Jeanette, and him to fly to Wisconsin most summers and whenever they wanted! He was born in Platteville, WI and was once a hired man for Aldro Pengilly, whose barn later became the Don Q Inn Restaurant!