About Town

By Ida and Doris Lessenden

March 19, 2004

Our sincere sympathy to the family of eight year old Lara Morlan who was a second grade student at Eads school. Lara’s parents, Rob and Lori Morlan, and brother, Josh, Cody and sisters, Matea and Hallie, live south of Eads. Lara died after an auto crash. Her services were at the Eads School auditorium with a community pot luck lunch at the community building following the services hosted by the Assembly of God church family.

Doctor Bilal Ahmad will be honored with an Open House for the community to meet him on March 19^th. This reception is at 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Weisbrod Hospital. We welcome this fine young doctor to our community.

If the towns of Eads and Kit Carson seemed rather "empty" last Thursday through Saturday, it was because so many fans were in Pueblo to cheer for the boys teams. On Friday, Eads, the 4^th ranked I-A team in the State of Colorado won an exciting game over the No. 1 ranked team, Pawnee, whose record was 24-0. Wow, to me, it was like winning the championship on Friday. This win therefore pitted the Eads Eagles again playing the Kit Carson Wildcats. In the end, Kit Carson won the gold ball trophy. This was the first State Title that Kit Carson had ever won so one can understand the joy of the fans and families. Coach Shawn Randel and his team of 10 young men (4 of whom are freshmen) played super games! We are so proud of them and grateful to Lane Gooden and Billy Koehler who were coaches also.

Before the State Tournament, The Rocky Mountain News/News 4, named Jake Trahern of Kit Carson, the Class 1A Player of the Year. Other students who were nominated for the honor from this area were Steven Gilmore and Jessica Watts, seniors at Eads High and Randy Wilson of Kit Carson. After listening to the first two state games on the radio and watching the Championship game, I feel that Eads seniors, Levi Kraft and Anthony Voss really stepped up to the plate and played skilled games also. In the Sunday newspaper, Steven Gilmore was listed with the five students from four schools on the "All Tourney Team". Congratulations to our Eads Senior, Steven Gilmore.

The Spring Sing-a-Long Community Family night is next Sunday, March 2lst at 6:30 p.m. Do come early to the Eads United Methodist Church to enjoy the soup supper from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. Mary Eikner and Tom Davis will be the MC’s for this lively, entertaining and worshipful evening. Some of the Musical Moms have been practicing for three weeks with Jimmy and Philomene who will be switching playing the piano and organ. A children’s choir will sing as well as some novelty Christian numbers will be performed for this sure-to-be memorable evening.

I caught a glimpse of a really tall man near the Post Office. He used to be called the "Gentle Giant" when news stories were written about his playing on the basketball floor back in the late l980’s . Marvin Watts and his wife, Cheryl, and two children were here from Houston, Texas, to visit his mother, Shirley Watts and other relatives last week.

The residents at Weisbrod Nursing Home really look forward to the monthly afternoon visit from the Eads third graders and their teacher, Charlene Gifford. Last week they were busily coloring and cutting out lovely butterflies of various bright colors as they sat by their Adopted Grandparent. Now the butterflies are handing in and around their adopted grandparent’s rooms.

People who would like to donate money to the Memorial Fund in the name of Lara Morlan, may do so at the Kit Carson State Bank, Eads Valley State Bank or Teresa’s Maine Street Boutique. These donations will be used for the school library. Friends may donate for family and funeral expenses if they wish. God bless their family now and in days and weeks to come.

Bobbi (Spady) Wroblewski was amazingly surprised on her 60^th birthday to find that her two daughters, Cari and Linda, had flown in from Arizona and grandson, Dustin, and parents, Joe and Tammy, came down from Hudson as well as her brothers and their families. Her sister, Bonnie, and Dwight brought her mother, Hazel, from Eads. So what Bobbi was thinking was sort of a "bummer" birthday turned out to be a great evening of good foods and fellowship with her relatives and friends at her brother, Roger’s home in Lamar where his wife, Vernie, and the girls hosted the celebration.

Ethel Richards is home from a long visit in Australia where she went to the funeral of her brother. Her friends at the Artist of the Plains Gallery have been wondering when she would return. And I along with lots of other people have been calling the Kiowa County Press offices to confer with her daughter, Jeanne Sorenson, who was with her mother in Ethel’s homeland. Jeanie is a competent computer consultant whom I really do appreciate.

Brent and Kent Stoker and Pam Mousel of Strasburg met the men’s parents, Frankie and Rosemary Stoker, and brother, Paul and Glenda, Blake and Colby at a restaurant for lunch before they went to the State Tournament in Pueblo. Pam was interested in seeing her cousin, Traci Elpers, who is an assistant coach of the Strasburg Indians State 2A Champion Basketball Team.

We extend our sympathy to FFA instructor, Lance and Taya Jagers and his family who lost Lance’s grandfather last week. Some of Lance’s students went to the funeral in Wiley. That means a lot when your students share your sorrow. I remember well.

Good friends. Proverbs 17:17 says that "A friend loveth at all times". Mother Ida and I experience that so many times. For me, it was last Saturday when Arêta Laird went with me to Pueblo so I could enjoy seeing the State Basketball games and also see friends. For many years, we have seen former Eads Superintendent, Max, and Lanita Bridgeman who are well and always eager to see friends at the State games.

Nancy (Schmitt) and Richard Olson of Tonganoxie, Kansas, recently visited her sister, Rosemary, and husband, Frankie Stoker, at their home in Haswell.

Next week is such a busy week for many people. Some people we have talked to are looking forward to attending the Southeast Power Company dinner which is in Eads on Thursday the 25^th. Four-H members will serve the dinner and there will be a business meeting and drawing for prizes.

Students in the Drama Club have been practicing and building their sets for their performance "The Beauty and the Beast" at the Crow-Luther Arts Center on Maine Street. The performances will be Thursday and Friday the 25^th and the 26^th. People can attend the Freshman Class fundraiser dinner from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

The Eads STAND Club will host their annual Belle Bonfils blood drive on Tuesday afternoon, March 30^th at the multi-purpose room. Please call the school, Linda Trosper or possibly students, Raina Kliesen or Rachel R. Buck to make your appointments for this very, very important life saving effort. Your blood is needed.

The first track meet will be at Lamar and the Junior Olympic Wrestling Tournament will be hosted here in Eads. This meet always bring hundreds of children and their families to Eads. Volunteers will be needed and there will be good food available too.

T.J. (Trenton) Watts, Eads junior has been competing in some amateur team steer roping on weekends in Kansas and Colorado. Later he and his brother, Trice, will be going to high school rodeos.

Kaye Splitter is coming from Holly to our home to lead an "Easter Good News Party." This gathering at my home, 305 E. 13th Street will feature a Bible lesson, songs, and memory games. Children are invited to come from 1:30 p.m. to about 3:00 p.m.

The Haswell Westenders and other folks are traveling to Tribune, Kansas to attend the concert by musicians from Branson, Missouri Friday, March 26^th.