About Town

By Ida And Doris Lessenden

November 21, 2003

Much anticipation and planning has been going on for the annual Family and Friends Thanksgiving Dinner with the residents of the Weisbrod Nursing Home which was at noon Sunday the 16^th. It was such a lovely warm November day that the residents were transported in the fine open air carriage that Bob Howerton designed and constructed. It took a couple trips to get us out to the fairgrounds community building. The dietary staff baked the turkeys donated by Joe and Faye Schmitt along with the dressing, potatoes, and gravy. The tables were loaded with salads and desserts brought in by family and friends. The staff as a whole worked to decorate beautiful tables and make the day so exceptional. The residents wore corsages or boutonnières made by Teresa Witte. We felt special. My nephew, Phil Pollreis, played the dinner music and it was so good to have his wife, Madonna, and his mother, Rosamond Pollreis, there also. Over 200 people came from far and near to be with their relatives for this Thanksgiving Dinner. The reason I know is there were a lot of questions of: "Who is that?" (smile).

Our sincere sympathy to the families of Roy Robertson who passed away last Monday. His funeral was Friday with many family and friends traveling to honor this well-known rancher who worked most of his life in the Chivington community. His wife, Alma, and family appreciated the Eads United Methodist ladies who hosted the meal and visiting time.

Saturday Mary Anne Koch and her friends of the Bridge Builders, hosted speaker and singer, Julie Martinez, who was born a Jew and after much searching and study has become a Christian. People came from many communities to hear Julie and see her slides of her trips to the Holy Land of Israel. She related Biblical and historical facts to places she has seen. Julie drove over the mountains from Pagosa Springs where she is a nurse and EMT.

Our condolences to the families of Pete Stoker formerly of Haswell. Pete had recently moved to La Junta to be near two of his sons and families. One of our brightest memories of Pete was that he was always on hand at the Haswell United Methodist Church to open the doors and ring the church bell. His memorial services will be at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, November 22^nd at the Haswell Community Building.

Over forty singers came to the first Cantata practice Sunday. The directors say that they still welcome more people to come to the practices at 2:00 p.m. on Sundays. The men’s choir and the women’s choir will sing also. The children in Kindergarten to 5^th grade are practicing at 6:30 p.m. before King’s Kids Youth group at the Assembly of God Church according to children’s director, Cheryl Wyatt.

Wayne and Alice Glover’s parrot, Roco, likes to greet their visitors with "Come In". Wayne had an especially happy birthday last Wednesday when his grandson, Jeffery Dunlap, returned from Marine boot camp. Jeff’s mother, Peggy, and friend, Shane were down for lunch along with Wayne’s mother, Beulah, and sister-in-law, Betty Glover were here from Lamar with Richard and Koy Glover and Bill Glover. The Roy Pearceys and the Darryl Hebberds, and Marty Miller dropped by in the afternoon.

This week the athletic teams throughout the state will be practicing. The first home Middle School basketball games were on Tuesday the 18^th and the High School teams will travel to Fowler on December 4^th.

Pastor DeEtta Goettel with the help of Social Services Assistant Kay Brown and Robin Musgrave carried in a lot of sacks of groceries into the courthouse last Tuesday. The Pastor said she and the youth group were surprised to see how much food was given in just 25 minutes. Thanks to the teens. These teenagers are also having a "Drive-In" Friday. People can buy tickets for a certain time after 4:30 p.m. on November 21^st and then drive through the church alley and pick-up their chicken or beef oriental dinners after they have told the teen greeters their names and then their orders are bought up from the basement kitchen.

We were so sad to read in the newspaper that Teresa is closing her Maine Street Boutique. We like to buy flowers for many occasions from Teresa. She has been such a blessing to us and to so many people. The one consolation to her patrons is that she will continue to design casket arrangements.

The Hospital and Nursing Home Bazaar will be Saturday November 22 out at the community building from l0:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. I always enjoyed that event to sit at our Lutheran Ladies booth and to visit and watch the shoppers scurry about to do their Christmas shopping. If you read this on the 21^st, there are only 34 days left till Christmas. Oh, My!

A number of 4-H members went to the All-Nighter at Lamar High School Saturday night. They look forward to fun activities planned for this night and staying up all night. There were a lot of tired kids and parents on Sunday.

Ashley Brown, the Arkansas Valley District FFA President, spoke on behalf of the area FFA Chapters at the Town and County Banquet in Lamar last Friday. She was accompanied by Eads FFA members Hollie Watson, Tasha Hueller, Matea Mayo, and Destiny Saffer, who helped served the annual banquet.

Suzzane Williams was the hostess for the Chivington Friends Women who met at the bank meeting room last week. Their guest speaker was Peggy Sheldon of Eads who grew up and went to school in Pakistan where her parents were missionaries. Peggy knows the language and has many interesting experience to share. Her brother and his wife have been back in the USA on a furlough from Pakistan where they are missionaries also. They have also been visiting Peggy’s mother who lives in a retirement home in Greeley.

A number of Eads senior citizens enjoyed the hospitality of the school at the annual Thanksgiving dinner which was prepared by Konda Howard , Deb Kliesen, and Nancy Walker. Chad Barnett and Linda Offill also helped in the serving. The guests were greeted and served by eighth grade boys and girls with Tamara Ullman as the hostess and moderator for the event. Taya Jager’s first grader students entertained following the meal. The guests thank and commend the school personnel for their hospitality.

Dr. Catherine Anderson is hosting a "Harrah for Medicare" open house Saturday November 22 from 2-4:00 p.m. or so. When I wasn’t sure what this meant, Caty Lou said, well I only celebrate my birthday every 5 years…this year I am 65. What a lot of humor that lady has!

Sandy ( Knoblock) McCann of Big Piney, Wyoming, spent Friday afternoon visiting Doris Lessenden. Sandy is really doing well after having brain surgery and then a stroke, but she is recovering from that also. Sandy who is here visiting her mother, Loretta Seibel, was wearing a lovely diamond ring, a gift from Dan on their 25^th Wedding Anniversary last week. She had photos of a huge 7 foot Black bear that had weighted 475 pounds and was 17 years old. This bear had been preserved by a taxidermists and stands on a rock in their living room! Sandy says, "Well, I didn’t want to walk on his pelt or have it on our bed and it was too big to hang on the wall!." The photos were an amazing sight.

Zelda and Carl Peterson look forward to having their daughter, Janette (Peterson) Kochis travel to Eads once a month where she is a Dietary Consultant at Weisbrod. The ladies had lunch with Melissa Peterson, Arêta Laird, Laura Negley, and Doris Lessenden Monday at Our Place Restaurant. Janette travels to many facilities and institutions in various communities in Colorado and Kansas during the month.