Some of you readers out there will recognize that headline which alludes to the song made famous by old blue eyes himself, Frank Sinatra. Boy, could that guy sing.
I was listening to it the other day in preparation for a singing performance -- yes, Ol’ Dutch sings and the women all weep – and began to think back upon our race to space when I was a kid.
All of you who grew up in that era can probably recall the excitement generated by NASA as they first launched rockets into space. The Russians had sent a man named Yuri into orbit and the race was on to send our own astronauts skyward to discover what old Ruski was up to out there.
So shortly after the Russians sent their man into space, Alan Shepard took a ride on a rocket into the heavens. This was followed up by John Glenn who actually orbited the Earth 3 times making him a national hero of sorts.
Kids everywhere began to dream of going into space and our obsession led to increased spending for NASA and the race was on to land a man on the moon.
There was opposition of course to the planned venture and probably none more intense than that from the Wisconsin Cheese Delegation who feared that once we got all that Swiss Cheese from the moon we would no longer need their dairy industry. But that was overcome and on July 20th, 1969, Neil Armstrong stepped on the actual moon surface and, as they say, the rest is history.
We all watched with bated breath. Some even with baited breath as the spacemen moseyed around on the planet light footed and bouncy due the limited atmosphere. And not a few of us lifted out eyes to look at that far away orbiter as people have done so since time immortal, wondering about those men so far away.
Back in that day they would even announce on television to remember to pray for their safe return as no one was offended by the mention of God’s name. So we watched the fuzzy images on fuzzy televisions and we prayed.
The astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, landed their spindly legged lander on the surface and I recall the tension waiting for their rockets to fire enabling them to leave the planet and join Michael Collins in the command module circling the lunar wonder.
Return they did along with rocks and dirt instead of moon cheese and then celebrations began in earnest with ticker tape parades and other festivities in 38 cities worldwide.
The bravery of these men to reach out into the unknown was real.  Computers were in their infancy of development and so the dangers were real and imminent.
Yet, they went. They went to further our understanding of the Universe. They went to expand our knowledge of the unknown. And they went as President Kennedy said “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
That was all 50 years ago. But, this week we’re going to take a break from modern day life with more computing power in our phone than the Apollo 11 had in all of its circuity to celebrate the moon landing and the safe return of Apollo 11. On July 24 at 6 p.m. there is going to be a 50th anniversary celebration of the Apollo 11 landing at the South Fork Community Center. Earl Ellisor, who was part of Mission Control during NASA’s Apollo program, will share his experience about making history and will answer your questions.
Hamburgers, hotdogs and ice cream will be sold for 1969 prices and dessert including moon pies will be free. So dress up in your hippy clothes, nerdy outfits and other 1969 attire and join us as we celebrate the day that man reached for the stars and stepped first on the moon. (If you have any questions, Dennis Shepherd at [email protected] can answer them all.)  
Also not to forget, the Chapel of The South Fork is having another Pickin’ & Grinnin’ session this Monday, July 22, and Miss Trixie and Dutch will host that sing along once again letting our fawning public have full access to our persons. Well, we’ll sing anyway, have a good time and have refreshments. Bring your instruments and your willingness to sing at 6 p.m. Monday to 116 Landen Drive in South Fork.  There will be laughs a plenty.
 
Kevin Kirkpatrick and his Yorkie, Cooper, fish, hunt, ATV or hike daily. His email is [email protected]. Additional news can be found at www.troutrepublic.com or on Twitter at TroutRepublic.