Hats off to Gail Frye

After 45 years of service to the City of Chetek, Gail Frye is calling it good and retiring for the second time. She doesn't want a party so I've decided to salute her with this letter to the editor that will appear in this week's Chetek Alert

Dear Editor:

Gail

Something a bit historic is happening this Friday: Library Aide Gail Frye is retiring for the second time from employment with the City of Chetek. Between 1975 and 2002 she was employed at City Hall in various capacities including Water Utility Clerk and Head Bookkeeper. After about a two year hiatus she was employed again in 2002 at the Calhoun Memorial Library where she has worked ever since. But come Friday she's checking out of the library and this time for good.

What do you remember about 1975? For those of us locally whose memories stretch back that far you may recall that a gallon of gas at Gulf Gas Station (now the home of Hope & Anchor and Whimsical Wares) ran you 53 cents and it cost you $2 to get into the Lake Theater (now home of Auto Zone) to be scared out of your swimsuit that summer watching Jaws. Clumsy Gerald Ford was President and Archie Bunker held court every Monday night in his iconic arm chair on channel 8. As Archie and Edith would croon, “...those were the days.”

Before it was a Gulf Station
it was Cities Service
(can you see the future Hope & Anchor?)

When the Chetek Youth Center Project (aka The Garage)
first took ownership of this building and began remodeling it
we found the old proscenium curtain of the Lake Theater 

The summer of 1975  you could hardly get me in the lake
let alone think about swimming in the ocean

Archie was the prognosticator of all things
politically incorrect

Chevy Chase had an ongoing bit on SNL
having fun at our 38th President's renowned clumsiness

Well, from the mid-70s to the turn of the millennium (and a few years beyond), Gail worked faithfully at City Hall at times hand-writing out residents' water bills. For the last 19 years more than likely she expedited your book selection at the library. All total that comes to about 45 years of faithful service to the residents of our community.

She refused a party. Apparently we threw one for her back in 2002 when she retired the first time and she feels one is enough. So if you'd like to stop by the library on Friday to wish her a “fair thee well” into her second retirement, I'm sure she would appreciate it. Thank you, Gail, for your many, many years of service to our city. We wish you the very best on your second retirement. But, of course, if you get bored, currently there are two openings at the library and I'm sure Emily would be happy to have a conversation with you!

Sincerely,

Jeff Martin, Mayor of Chetek