Hello Everyone,
First, I would like to welcome our newest Board member, Scott Tanner, who was elected by the membership to replace retiring Board member, Bill Sornsin. Scott has served on the GNRHS Board in the past and I look forward to working with him over the next six years. I would also like to thank all those who voted to allow me to continue to serve you, the membership, for the next 6 years. As always if you have any questions or concerns regarding the direction of the GNRHS or suggestions for the Board, please contact any of us at any time. Our email address is in the Goat as well as on the web site.
As you may be aware from my message in the January Goat, our membership secretary Duane Sebelius was extremely ill and at the University of Minnesota hospital fighting a battle with pancreatitis. The hope at that time was for steady improvement and eventually coming home. Unfortunately, Duane is still in the hospital and still in the ICU at the U of M fighting all of the complications involved in this illness. If you would like to keep up on Duane’s progress, the family maintains a Caring Bridge site with constant updates for everyone.
This will be the last Goat before our convention in Spokane, Washington. Consider attending the convention coming up in September and enjoy the company of other Great Northern buffs as well as GN history through presentations and tours of the Great Northern around the Spokane area. John Langlot and the local workers have put together a busy and very interesting convention. The March GOAT had an extensive summary of the convention’s offerings and some of that information is summarized in this edition of the GOAT. Tours are filling so please register soon to assure yourself a spot. Besides the tours, most of the presentations have been geared to the branch lines around the Spokane area with a look into their history, use and abandonment. Get your hotel space before our block is released to take advantage of special convention rates.
I hope everyone has a great summer and Mary and I hope to see you in Spokane in September.

Don