RVing Women's rally offers fun, art June 3-5

On June 3, a number of RVing Women will be rolling into Toppenish, Wash., "where the West still lives in the city of murals and museums." According to American Cowboy Magazine, this eastern Washington town is one of the 20 best places to live in the West.

Each year on the first Saturday in June, the Toppenish Mural Society recruits a group of western artists to design and complete a new mural, which is then added to the town's already impressive collection of 73 murals. An estimated 13,000 visitors drift into town each June to view the live event.

RVing Women, a national organization, provides education and support to single, divorced and widowed women RVers.

A group of RVing Women will circle their wagons at the Yakima Nation RV Resort June 3-5, 2011, to observe the artists as they paint the city's newest mural. Other activities include taking a narrated tour by horse-drawn wagon of several of the murals already painted, touring the Yakima Nation Cultural Center and a potluck dinner.

Other area attractions in the area are the Northern Pacific Rail and Steam Museum, the Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge and the American Hop Museum. The remains of Fort Simcoe are about 30 miles south of town.

For information contact: Rally leader Patricia "Beckey" Beckey, (541) 680-1935 or email rvwbeckey@gmail.com.

Camping fees: $35/night for full hook- ups. The Yakima Nation RV Resort is located at 280 Buster Road, Toppenish WA 98948. Information is available at www.ynrv.com.

Registration fee: $40/RVW members, $60/non-members.

For other activities, contact:
RVing Women
P.O. Box 1940
Apache Junction, AZ 85117-1940
Toll free: 888.557-8464
Email: rvwoffice@rvingwomen.org
URL: www.RVingWomen.org

Photos: Top: "The Ruth Parton Story" Women like Ruth Parton helped put Toppenish on the map in the early days with feats depicted in this mural of several panels painted by Lesa Delisi of Cashmere, Washington. Parton rode broncos, performed as a trick rider, and rode relay races at rodeos around the country. She was also inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. Bottom: Fred Oldfield, in his second mural for the Toppenish Mural Society, painted a scene from his own past, a scene he once lived as a former cowboy from Toppenish. Called "Christmas at Logy Creek," in this mural, two Indians share their fire and food with a cowboy friend. Courtesy of Toppenish Chamber of Commerce.