About Town

By Ida and Doris Lessenden

December 24, 2004

It is so nice to see the lights and activities around the new Brad and Erin (Hieb) Morgan ranch home north of Eads. Their home has been stuccoed, play yard toys are added, and a new barn and corrals have been constructed. I remember they were excited about hosting Thanksgiving dinner for relatives in their new home. Now we wish them a "Merry Christmas" in their new home.

Members of the Artist of the Plains met last Thursday evening for their annual soup supper and gift exchange. Sandra Jones and Bonnie Lessenden made the soup and the other folk brought lots of foods for the meal. They still have many beautiful gifts for people to buy this week from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

We received a nice card from the SAGE Meals staff at Rocky Ford: Director, Marion Portner and Assistant Director, Vickie and, their secretary, Penny. Our local volunteers had all signed the card including, Eads Manager, Margie Wiltfang, Cook and Driver, Pam Hebberd, Center Helpers: Pansy Foxworthy, Faye Barber, and Jo Shoemaker. The folks who drive the meals about town are: Kim Richards, Joyce Berry, Max and Donna Owens, Penny Weirich, and Tiffanie Gooden. I can assure you that it is always so nice to look forward to seeing these friendly faces five days a week, plus it is fun to see what foods are in each container. This is a wonderful program and I know I do appreciate it. When Mother was home she liked the foods and eating all the entrees.

The honored parking place at Weisbrod this month is reserved for "Employee of the Month", Delisa Weeks of Eads. She always had such a sincerely friendly smile and greeting on her face. Administrator Yule said that people can vote at the Nurses Station. The employee also gets other benefits which I will tell some other day. Delisa has been dear to our family since she was a young girl in the Haswell School so my mother, Ida, enjoys seeing her even more.

A number of Eads Senior Citizens met last Wednesday for noon dinner. The elected new officers are: President --LaVerle Kelley, Vice President- Faye Barber; Secretary-Loretta Seibel, Treasurer—Shirley Krum. They enjoyed a sumptuous Christmas meal and some folk stayed to play cards.

We are glad that our neighbor, Esther McCoin is back home after being in the hospital. Through the years she has endeared her self to many folks in her jobs as a hospital nurse and the county nurse.

Robin Musgrave and I drove over to visit at the Haswell Post Office Saturday. We saw many patrons come in to enjoy Wanda Lessenden’s, Renee Zimmerman’s, and Erlene Karle’s good baked goods and candies. As we were driving up the ramp way, we saw Floyd Cordova in his electric chair with his faithful blonde dog bumping through the back way to his home.

Stockholders in the Kiowa County Growers Inc., also known as the Sunflower products manufacturing enterprise, met for their annual shareholders meeting last Tuesday evening. Linly Stum, Roger Saffer, and Phyllis Nelson were re-elected to new terms as officers. There was an Open House at the plant on 15^th Street before the business meeting. Refreshments were served at the meeting where those attending were informed of the progress of the company.

One of the happiest aspects of Christmas is all the cards and letters that come. Ida does enjoy those and thanks friends who send them. She really had a big smile on her face when I told her that Kelly Lujan called from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Garth Nieschburg brought a rum cake which his wife, Penny, had baked. Ruth Koch’s pretty daughter, Patty, was here over the weekend to brighten her world. Della Mae Brice had Sunday dinner with her family, and I’m sure many other family members have been coming and going to bring cheer to their loved ones. Diana (Pearcey) and husband, Ken, are here for their annual visit from Florida. They planned to watch Ken’s son, Kale’s, basketball games at the Lamar Tournament. Kale plays with the McClave team and is also on the Knowledge Bowl team.

Bill and Charlotte Woelk are happy and relieved that their grandson, Caleb Korrell, returned to Cheyenne Wells after two hectic days of trying to fly to Colorado from Japan. His dad, Mike, has had his fifth series of treatments in Houston and is better but suffering side-effects. Carley is not able to play basketball this year but she can practice with the Tigerettes for their trip to Florida in February.

Sunday evening, carolers came to our home and sang from the twinkling lights of their big wagon. Besides being so pretty, the adult singers were heart warming and the lights looked a bit like what we see on the television in city Parade of Lights floats.

The Eads United Methodist Church and Eads First Christian Church, and Kit Carson Lutheran Church had lovely children’s services Sunday the 19^th. The Christian Church will have Christmas Eve service at 7:00 p.m. and the Methodist will have Christmas Eve services 5:00 at Haswell and at 7:00 p.m. at Eads. The Lutherans are inviting folks to worship at 2:00 p.m.

Congratulations to C.J. Fillbeck of Eads who graduated from the Otero Junior College Police Academy. I have seen him about town patrolling. This is good because I have often heard people say through the years that they … "are glad to see our city and county policemen drive around the streets and alleys."

When I read L. G. and Phyllis Vanderwork’s letter, at first I laughed out loud and then had a few tears. She is such a good writer. Then last week, she mailed her newly published book of poems and stories to me. Now I am really blessed by the dear lady who lives right here in our home town.

There was an interesting article in the Sunday Pueblo Paper about the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium during WWII. Our very own Max Mays and perhaps others from the area were in that famed battle. Max said there was 10 inches of snow on the ground then. We thank Max and other men and women with sincere hearts for his part and their part in securing more freedoms for America and Americans.

Many Eads fans went to Lamar for three days and some nights of basketball games at the Holiday Tournament. Those of us who had to stay home or work appreciated the businesses that sponsored the radio broadcasts on KVAY 105.7.

Last week several ladies met at our home for Progressive Club. They brought lots of baked goods which my friend, Arêta Laird, took to the Eads Home for their Christmas treats. Each lady donated money for gifts or scholarships at Colorado Boys Ranch in La Junta.

We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to come. We pray that you can have some times of rest and time to reflect just why we have this time of Christian celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus, the Son of God, who came to earth in human form to later die on the cross for us if we will just believe in Him, the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, we can have the assurance of living in Heaven for eternity.