The Good Folks April 2008

The Good Folks of the South Mountain/Laveen Village’s

By George Young

(gayoung@cox.net)

This is a series of articles profiling some of the residents who live and work in the South Mountain/Laveen Villages. In keeping with the original format of the Villager to only print the positive, we will attempt to acknowledge some of the great folks that have contributed so much to our lives and are hopefully role models for all of us. Verna has introduced me to many people in our Village. What a great job I have. I recently meet a lady named Carol Ayruad. I am not going to write about her, but she has sent me some of her memories of the Neighborhood House and a poem about growing up in the South Mountain Village. We will share them with the fine folks of our Village:

Carol Ayraud. was born in 1948. She grew up at 707 East Fremont Road. These are some of the things that she remembers doing at the Neighborhood House.

Getting our first sugar cube to prevent polio. Went to preschool there

Going to square dance classes where the instructor threw us candy at the end of the classes

Going to school dances in 7^th and 8^th grade

Having my hearing and vision checked in grade school

Having various Roosevelt School related classes there including PE dance classes where we learned dances from European and South America and vocal singing classes

Going to events related to Neighborhood Congregational Church. Participating in talent shows

Seeing my parents go there to vote. Seeing my Mom working on the elections

Opening and closing the many curtains and imagining I was on a famous stage somewhere

Dying old sheets and making pioneer dresses for Neighborhood Church. The celebrations spilled over into the Neighborhood House. Going to and participating in concerts

Our Childhood

Mom you gave us all the best

A childhood that stood above the rest

Cotton fields and citrus groves was the setting

We had more fun than most I’m betting

You lead us in song as we did the dishes

Helped us make nets and catch all those fishes

Bedspreads and sheets, the biggest tent was the goal

From table to chairs held up by clothes pins and poles

You and Dad gave us country with all the fixins

A donkey, a horse and two hundred chickens

We kids added tadpoles, dogs, ducks and kittens

Animal lovers all, we were really quite smitten

I did not learn how to ride a bike

Rode a horse, a donkey or went on a hike

Along the canal banks or up South Mountain we rode

Then home to hunt those horney toads

Agree to differ we were told

We four were different, we broke the mold

If then we still could not agree

We got to go out and kick a tree

Summers were hot but we didn’t know it

At outside picnics we recited AAMilne the poet

When we were very young, Now we are six

Or Mrs. PiggleWiggles’ Thought you saiders cure we would pick

We built forts with bricks and tumble weeds

They had real sinks to wash dishes with ease

We were creative that I’ll admit

Thanks for encouraging us just a bit

God Bless Carol and her Family and God Bless America and God Bless the South Mountain/Laveen Village’s...