I had the pleasure of popping into our Wildrose Community Center on the lovely afternoon of Saturday, November 3rd, to witness one of the great rewards of living in a small community and creating a life here.

Nathan Reilly’s 90th birthday celebration brought friends and family from near and far together to share a wonderful potluck meal, stories of years ago and more recent memories, laughter, love, and to most importantly show a wonderful man how much he means to them. In a world where we communicate through social media and texting, it was so heartwarming to see the true connection of face-to-face conversations and the lifelong bond this group has made.

While Nathan did not appear to be a man who likes to the be center of attention, he agreed to let me take his photo to share in our paper, with the agreement we would ensure he received a copy. His sense of humor was on point and after some chuckles with those around him, I was able to take his photo, wish him a happy birthday, and then excuse myself so he could enjoy this fun event… all about him.

Happy Birthday Nathan from all of us to you!