About Town
December 10, 2004
Betty Jacobs recently returned from an 11 day vacation with her family in Oklahoma City. All four of her children were able to be there for Thanksgiving: Reta Saltzgaver of Long Beach, California, Lawanda Allee of Pasadena, California; Scoot Fischer and family of Arkansas City, Kansas, and the hostess, Kas Davisson. This was also a delayed celebration of Betty’s 80th birthday. A wonderful time was had by all!
Members and parents of the Prairie Queen 4-H Club spent most of Sunday afternoon and evening making about 30 snowmen wall hangings and sacks of sweet goodies to deliver about town to older friends. These unique snowmen were made of three sizes of can lids, painted, and decorated. After parents taxied members about town, they returned to a bountiful buffet of roast beef, warm rolls, and several crock pots of vegetables that Bonnie and Dwight Lessenden had been cooking most of the afternoon. The families brought salads and desserts to compliment the meal. Jose Ramos, Keith Hester, and I were privileged to be guests for the meal. Afterwards, Leader Dawn James, handed out the project completion awards, the member’s Standard Report Form , record books, and showed the members the new traveling plaque with the Club’s name that had been engraved on it for being the "Outstanding 4-H Club" of 2004.
Services were held for Henry Burrell Wissel at the Eads United Methodist Church Saturday morning. His wife, Ruby, and sons, Ken and David and their families will miss him as we in the community will. I liked to listen this year to Burrell’s stories about World War II and the places he traveled. We appreciated his humor and singing voice at Weisbrod also.
Maxine Mays of Eads accompanied Ronald and Shirley White of Kit Carson to Ulysses, Kansas, to visit her sister, Ruth Foos last Friday. They also went to Liberal, Kansas where they visited Shirley’s sister, Bonnie, and Jerry Rogers. Shirley and Bonnie went to a Crafts Show one day. They returned home on Sunday afternoon. Maxine has been suffering from a fall so we are glad that she could be well enough to "get out of the house" for a little trip.
This is the big week we have been waiting for, the Annual Community Cantata where the 40 voice choir will sing the Handel’s Messiah. We encourage you to attend the 6:30 p.m. performance of the Messiah Sunday, December 12th at the United Methodist Church. Talented people are also playing instruments, singing solos, or performing in groups. We have always felt that these beautiful concerts that have been performed for over 50 years make Christmas time even more meaningful.
According to Linda Trosper, STAND Club Advisor, the Belle Bonfils Blood Drive, held at the high school was a success with 41 people coming. Linda and the student members appreciate the people who came to give blood and also those people who were walk-ins. Another Blood Drive is planned for the spring.
Lil Penn returned from two weeks in Camarillo, California where she visited her daughter, Lisa, and granddaughter and grandson. Lil said, "I am glad to be home in Colorado! It was too cold in California." Lil can be found most any day working or painting up at the Artist of the Plains Gallery where they have so many beautiful gifts for sale.
Eads Eagle fans were excited with the varsity wins over the Fowler Grizzlies basketball teams Friday. Although they lost in games at Sharon Springs, Kansas, on Saturday, the scores were close.
The Eads Eagle Wrestlers traveled to Akron Saturday. Their team placed 5th of 12 teams in the competition. Eads Wrestler, Kelly Lindholm won first, Brandon Cordova won 2nd place and 4th place was captured by Kevin Lindholm, Tyler McCracken, and Jacob Kraft in their individual weight classes..
Reports are that Mary Vasquez is recuperating at home following surgery. She has not been well this fall, but she will be better soon. She and her English students are eager for her to get back to school.
Middle school basketball teams have a busy slate of games the next few weeks. Coaches are Betsy Barnett, Janell Randel, Lane Gooden and Larry Gifford, are training our youth this year and cheer coach is Jessica Borns.
The FFA chapter had a Fall Ball Dance last Thursday evening. Students brought canned foods for admission. These foods will be added to the Food Drive to be given to families this month.
Three boys and three girls won the basketball hoop shoot contests at Eads School. These youth went to the Elks Hoop Shoot in Lamar Saturday. Remington Brandt won first in his age division so his next competition will be in La Junta. The other students who represented Eads were Adam Watts, Blaine Winder, Lori Weirich, Emilee Weirich and Chelsea Crosby.
Jennifer Johnson, of Kit Carson who is a sophomore at Princeton University runs with the University’s track team. Recently, her parents, Scott and Jean Johnson, and grandmother, Polly Johnson, flew to New York City where they saw her run in a race in a large park there. They also went to a Broadway Play, Rockefeller Center, learned how to get about on the subways, and had a great time in the city.
It would be good to take a drive about town to see the beautiful lights on many homes and businesses. I like the waving eight foot balloon Santa Claus outside the Artist of the Plains Gallery. Also the wooden art scenes are placed at the Eads Road Side Park on Highway 287.
The "Tree of Life" Christmas trees at the Hospital entry way and in the bank have little envelopes for donations to help the Resident Council Fund. Any pledges or donations will be most welcome.
I was glad to find Just Betty’s open Saturday I have been wanting to buy one of her good broccoli and cheese baked potatoes. She said she has another part-time job of working with auctions and she does catering. Betty and her staff catered the meal for the Indians and local guests on Thanksgiving Day. No doubt Alexa Roberts who works with the Sand Creek events appreciates Betty’s services. Betty said she cooked for 300. I have attended some of Betty’s catered dinners and I know she is a good cook!
It was wonderful to talk on the phone with Becky (King) Morgan Monday evening. We had received an invitation to the Open House of their new venture, Hasty B and B Retreat. Her husband, Gary, and her brother, George, have worked for months on several cottages in the village. Saturday and Sunday are their Open House days.
Remember Eads Senior Citizens that your noon dinner meeting is December 15th at the Center.
Here is a thought from David McCaland: "Time is one of the greatest gifts we can give each other." He writes: "We must seize each moment we have to love and honor our families. The opportunity won’t last forever." He suggests three plans of action: 1. Plan a regular time to call a family member. 2. Help an aged relative with a project or housework. 3. Write a letter to someone you love but cannot visit."