Well, it is officially summer. I went into my pool last Saturday. The pool water was 87 degrees.

It’s funny how our bodies change over time. I remember teaching youngsters to swim in 68- to 70-degree water each morning during the summers from 1965 through ’69 when I was working as a lifeguard at Sunnyslope Pool in north Phoenix.

Also, I had very little problem running into the Pacific surf in California during summer vacations at that same age.

But now, I can’t even dip my toes into the Pacific at any time of the year, and my pool has to be a minimum of 87 degrees before my shoulders get wet. Yeah, I admit I’ve become a water wimp, but I react to what my body tells me these days. And it tells me that it is cold in water at any temperature below 85 degrees.

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Beginning this week and over the next couple of months, we have substitute carriers delivering the paper in different sections of town. It’s vacation time.

So, there is the possibility that your paper could be delivered later than usual. In some cases, one or two of our delivery people may be doing a complete second route.

Please be patient.

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You should be receiving your Fountain Hills Community Guide soon. It is going into the mail this week, so be watching for it.

We did something special this year. On the cover there is an inset box containing a photo of Keith McMahan, the town councilman, who passed away in March. Many in the town called him “Mr. Fountain Hills.”

This year’s guide is dedicated to the memory of this man who gave so much of himself to better his community over the past 37 years.

A memorial fund has been established at the River of Time Museum in his name. Contributions are being accepted that will be used to create a large relief-style bronze plaque bearing his likeness and scenes of special events with which he was associated.

The plaque will be attached to a large boulder and will sit between the museum’s southeast wall and the sidewalk. The cost of the plaque is $6,500. As of Monday, less than $1,000 was needed to cover the cost.

Any funds collected over that amount will be applied toward the purchase of another sculptured figure for the museum.  It would be of Jack Swilling, He is credited with being the individual who started the city of Phoenix. He made his fortune by growing crops along the Salt River utilizing the remnants of ancient canals originally dug by the Hohokam Indians for his irrigation system. Among his crops was hay for the U.S. Army horses at Fort McDowell.

Keith loved to read everything he could find about Swilling. He considered Swilling to be “one of those unique characters in history that you can’t get enough of.”

The Swilling figure would be added to the River Tamers display in the museum and would be dedicated to the memory of Keith.

Artist Rex Wittee will be sculptjng the Swilling figure. He created the conquistador that is in the Explorers and Trappers display. A cost has not been established.

I know Keith wanted to see Swilling standing in that display in the worst way. If you feel Keith touched your life or business, then I make a plea to you to contribute to the fund. Contributions can be sent to the   Fountain Hills Historical Society, (Keith McMahan Memorial  Fund) P.O. Box 17445, Fountain Hills, AZ 85269.

The McMahan projects are also supported by the Public Arts Committee. Dr. Martin Brown is chairing the fund-raiser for that organization.