Guests of the event mingle with cast members after the show, congratulating them with smiles and an amazing evening.

GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – History retold itself at the Gridley Moose Lodge Saturday night while ticket holders got quite a show, courtesy of the Gridley Museum Board.

In a creative blend of period fashion, music and history from the years 1958 to 1975, members of the museum board brought to life stories and memories from the Vietnam War through skits in a unique fundraising evening.

The Moose social quarters served as the stage for the event, which asked for $25/ticket or a donation, with veterans attending for free.

The museum is attempting to raise enough money to buy the appropriate audio/video recording equipment to document the stories of veterans and their families, so that their unique experiences are not lost. This recording equipment could be used to document and archive additional local oral history and biographies.

Commander Owen Stiles of American Legion Post 210(center right) awards RuthAnn King of the Gridley Museum (center left) an $800 check towards their fundraising efforts.

GroverLee Dahl and Willa Sampucci started the show, wandering through the crowd as the skits ensued. Locals Ron Eggers and Mike Dahl offered their voices to narrate throughout the “fashion show” featuring Kari Wheeler in a poodle skirt pining for her soldier, Pat Teague as a heart-breaking schoolgirl mailing off a “Dear John” letter, while Barbara Pooler’s “lil’ surfer girl” number turned up the heat and Lawanda Jaramillo caught a fever for the disco.  

Scene stealers Joann Hamman preached “Peace!” with her tambourine, RuthAnn King stunned in blue velvet, and no one in attendance will ever forget GroverLee Dahl and her “little things.”

As Susie Dukes got groovy in a fringed leather vest and got Greg Hughbanks told of how he “heard it through the grapevine” as Marvin Gaye, while The Temptations, played by Dennis Pooler, Mike Dahl, Mike Taylor and Hughbanks crooned about “my girl.”

Member of the community packed the Moose Club social quarters that hosted the Museum fundraiser. Front row patrons included RuthAnn Kings two adult sons (far left), Peggy Harshbarger and guest, and Florence and Howard Hamman.

A poignant moment came during a video montage created by Adam Sharrock with images from the Vietnam War and the TET Offensive - a coordinated surprise attack by North Vietnamese and Viet Cong on cities, towns, military bases and subsequently, American troops. While the soundtrack had guests singing along, things took a serious tone when Don McClean’s American Pie came on.

Nearly all the adult voices in the gallery rose, singing along to the lyrics “Bye, bye Ms. American Pie…” as the song and the video faded into a moment of unplanned silence in the quarters. In that moment, everyone remembered why there were there that evening; to honor the veterans and support the museums mission to preserve their stories.

American Legion Post 210, led by Commander Owen Stiles took the stage, thanking those in attendance. On behalf of the post, Stiles would present King with a $800 check donation for the purchase of the necessary recording equipment.

Willa Sampucci (left) and GroverLee Dahl (right) kept the audience laughing with their hysterical commentary between acts.

A gracious King thanked everyone in attendance for their support, attendance, and how much the project meant to her.

“I’m in the business of collecting history,” said King, “I have found that real life stories are the best.”

Ron Eggers added that the board and volunteers had come together and realized, “It’s our time.”

“We have watched our World War II heroes come and go,” said Eggers, “We looked around and thought, we need to do something about these people (Vietnam veterans) so they can tell their story and the story that they have to tell – It’s our time.”

Eggers continued to share that he had been a part of the TET offensive.

“It wasn’t that calm” Eggers said. “In 1968, we found out what War was all about.”

Joann Hamman preaches peace, waving and shaking her tambourine as the audience cheered her on with groovy vibes!

While the script and cast presented the era's history in an entertaining manner, they did not overlook the gravity of the experiences faced by United States Veterans. Three Vietnam veterans were counted in attendance, along with nearly 20 veterans’ total.

Dukes, who was honored for her talents writing and directing the evenings scripts told the Gridley Herald that the evening turned out “Amazing!” and felt deeply grateful that many people came and enjoyed the event.

“Never would I have thought that our little town…what is left of it and our valley…would have shown up like this.” said Dukes in a statement to her board and volunteers after the show. She praised the community and veterans alike, thanking them for their support.

These handsome gentlemen crooned and danced to The Temptations "My Girl". Pictured left to right: Dennis Pooler, Mike Taylor, Mike Dahl and Greg Hughbanks.