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Show -NEWS- Spanish Fork A12 • WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2008 Pacific Horizon CU Covering what matters most Iceland: From ANDERSON • A l Namon Bills / Spanish Fork News GRAND OPENING: Pacific Horizon Credit Union held their grand opening Monday, Aug. 11. Their new Spanish Fork Branch is located on the corner of 300 South and 400 East. Pictured, left to right, are Sadie Gurley, Amanda Mendenhall, Mike Clayson, Brent Gordon, Steven Clayson and Craig Huff. Legoland: From ULUG • A l ULUG will be exhibiting a huge train layout, with help from another group, the Great Basin Lego Train Company (GBLTC). For this show, and others like it, members build the layout in pieces, either on 10x10' or 15x15' Lego base plates, and then assemble the pieces to make an entire scene. They use computer software to help them plan their designs. And those designs can get extremely complicated: some of the base plates hold 5,000-6,000 Lego blocks to make up a single building. And even though the intensive building work is done at home, Pilati estimates that putting together a layout at a show can take about eight hours. While this year's layout is a train scene, members of ULUG have developed many and varied Lego designs. "We have people in our group that build Lego models of Utah buildings, including the Grand America Hotel, the Thanksgiving Point dinosaur museum (complete with escaping dinosaur), the Lehi Roller Mills, and Lagoon," said Pilati. Other layouts ULUG has done include western scenes, scenes from Star Wars, a waterfront scene and a spaceport. They use these scenes as the basis for other ideas. For example, said Pilati, "Maybe someone will see the waterfront scene and decide they want to build a boat. So they can design that and build it on a base plate, and then we can incorporate it into the layout the next time we have a show." For Utah County Fair-goers, ULUG's Lego layout is sure to be fascinating. "The average time people are standing and look at our display is about 30 minutes, but some people stay even longer," said Pilati. "We have some I-Spy games that we do, to help people kind of get involved with the layout, and all during the fair we'll have someone at the exhibit that you can talk to and who can answer questions." Those interested in learning more about ULUG, or closet AFOLs, can find more information on ULUG's website, www.utalilug.org man, and he really loves Spanish Fork, so that was a real highlight for me." Another highlight of the trip was Anderson's visit with some Icelandic friends. "In 2005 we had an Icelandic choir come to Spanish Fork, and four of them stayed with us." Anderson said. "So during our visit, we were able to see them and have dinner in their homes, and that was wonderful to see old friends again." Anderson was also able to feel a greater connection with her Icelandic ancestors during her trip. "We found a book published by one of my great-grandfathers in the library," Anderson said, "and we also saw information about another ancestor in a museum." Anderson also enjoyed seeing the angel monument — similar in theme to Spanish Fork's Icelandic monument, but with an angel on top — out on the western islands. Anderson's severaltimes great-grandmother is one of those named on the lighthouse monument, and was one of the first 16 Icelandic settlers in Spanish Fork. She pulled a handcart across the plains at age 63 to reach Utah, leaving all her family behind in Iceland. She was promised in a blessing that someday they would join her in America, and that prediction came true, as now many of her descendants, including Anderson, have made their homes here. Courtesy photo / Karen Anderson GOING HOME: Members of the Anderson family stand on a dock in Iceland. Their ancestors left Iceland to live in Spanish Fork after joining the LDS church in the mid1800s. The beauty of her grandmother's native land struck Anderson immediately. "Iceland is a beautiful country — it's like paradisc," said Anderson. "It's so green and lovely. At this time of year, the sun never sets, so even at midnight it's kind of like twilight." Anderson also liked the food she tried: many kinds of lamb, lots of fish and a mild, yogurt-like cheese called "skyr," among other things. And because her father and grandfather were both sheep ranchers, Anderson also particularly enjoyed seeing the Icelandic sheep, which are a special breed only found in that country. Another interesting feature Anderson noted in Iceland is the abundant geolhermal energy used to heat their homes, streets and businesses. One fun attraction Anderson and her children visited was the Blue Lagoon, a warm-water spa made by the waste water of a nearby geothermal power plant. "The water is just beautiful, and there's volcanic sand all around it. We really liked visiting there," said Anderson. Anderson also remarked on the noticeable cleanliness of the country, and the friendliness of those she met. "Someone was telling me that it is a really safe country," Anderson said. "They only have 100 jail cells in the whole country, and they aren't even full. And we really did notice that — we felt so safe and welcomed by everyone we met. It was such a great experience. Really a miracle trip in so many ways." Friday, August 15th 11:00 am - 4:00 pm Free Food • Fun • Gifts Aft off tuts at itftoe Spamsih Rxrtfc ©ifftee off Garofcrafi B a r * warel to sary Tfoanfc yfamF to aft <of war oastorawrcam^ expires fay evertfbMmq y W v e flane tto tmate mar <cffioe so snappessfmfl. So -on Augyst DStfo fframi ifiLOO &m - 4fcO© pm '^ixi/'ire irawted tto jjoifln tuts lor food amti fan altorag w M i affmee<gjM. 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