Fish Springs kids in the military

It really seems strange when I see a young adult who used to be a student at Gardnerville Elementary School and now is all grown up. Last week, my husband and I were walking along Esmeralda Street, checking out all the restored hot rods and visiting with people along the way, when a "blast from the past" hit me. I love it when kids come up to me and call me by my name. They remember me from sometime during those 20 years that I worked at GES.

Yuri Ramariz was one of those kids. Now he's all grown up, very handsome and recently completed four years in the Air Force. He reminded me that the Ramariz family was the first to live on Myers Street in Fish Springs. Where did all the years go? Along the walk we got to visit with Melanie Doyal, mother of Joshua Hintze, who is now Marine Lance Corporal Hintze. Josh lived next door to us and he always was such a sweetheart. We send him our love.

Justin Hammerlun, age 29, is a native of Fish Springs and graduated from Douglas High School in 1995. He's been in the Navy for 12 years and is a first class petty officer. Right now he's a lead aircraft mechanic for the F-18's squadron that is practicing at the Fallon bomb range. Soon he'll go back to Lemoore Naval Air Station and then onto the Persian Gulf. He already served three tours in the Persian Gulf and was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal as well as "sailor of the month" and "sailor of the year." A far cry from riding bulls.

Just down the street from Justin is another Fish Springs resident, Matt Williams. He is an intelligence analyst in the Army and has been in Germany for the past 15 months. Now he's going back to Iraq. His mother, Cheryl, is active in the Sierra-Nevada Chapter 2 of the Blue Star Mom's Support Group. These ladies meet monthly to support each other while their sons and daughters are in the military during this difficult time for our country. Call Cheryl for more information at 782-3927.

Another one of our local guys who joined the military and quickly grew up is Garrett Wanket. He graduated from DHS in 2004, went to Navy boot camp, then onto the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command School and now Garrett's on the nuclear-powered USS George Washington Aircraft Carrier. He said there's lots of hot dirty work down in the reactor room where the nuclear power plant is located. Hang in there Garrett - we miss you.

"Tie a yellow ribbon 'round the old oak tree?" Remember that old song? We all are waiting for our loved ones to come home from the war and then we'll take down the ribbons. Fish Springs' resident Dolly Schreckengost and many members of the High Sierra Fellowship Church are hanging yellow ribbons on trees all around the neighborhoods. Dolly's 19-year-old granddaughter, Kira Schreckengost, is on her way to Baghdad. Kira graduated from DHS in 2005 and is now an intelligence analyst for the U.S. Army. Dolly has many fond memories of teaching Kira how to ride a horse and now she's anxious for her to complete her duties in the Army and come home. We're all praying for that, and we will keep the yellow ribbons flying as a reminder.

n Spaghetti dinner/hoedown dance: The countdown has started. Only two more weeks until the Fish Springs Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual spaghetti dinner/dance. The whole community is invited to come down to the firehouse on Sept. 9 and have a scrumptious dinner and then dance to a live country-rock band, Buffalo Country. There will be a no-host bar and lots of raffle prizes. Cost of the dinner is $8 for adults and $4 for children younger than 12. Please come and support your all-volunteer fire department. Information: 782-2598.

n Linda Monohan can be reached at 782-5802.