Champion News

The investigative reporter for The Champion News did not follow up on the report of a surprise visitor to the Skyline R2 School on Thursday. Forty-six people responded to the on-line post of a photo of a sheep on the playground at one of Douglas County’s two remaining rural schools. Did it follow Mary to school? Why this day? An update appeared saying, “Sheep has been picked up by owner.” Those forty-six were hoping for more information. Tune in next week for answers. Meanwhile, tune in on December 19th, for the Frosty Fun Christmas Concert at Skyline. Jingle all the way, starting at 6:00 pm. “See you there!” Christmas makes children of all of us. We cannot help it.

Champions home at last from distant travels are optimistic that the internet they experienced in hotels, airplanes, and in various cities across states and oceans will one day be available out on hillsides and in deep valleys right in the heart of Booger County. White River Connect will connect us. And in a trice we will be able to learn things like this: Voltaire said, “Common sense is not so common.” Arthur Ashe said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Alex Ellie said, “Work harder than you think you did yesterday.” Newt Gingrich said, “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Ann Landers said, “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” Robert Heinlein said, “Progress isn’t made by early risers. It’s made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.” George Carlin said, “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.” Dr. John said, “Ya never too hot, never too cold, never too young, never too old, never too skinny, never too fat, never too dis, never too dat, ya just where ya are and dat’s where it’s at.” We can also learn that plateaus are the highest form of flattery and all kinds of interesting things.

Sometimes people with birthdays in December are expected to use their birthday money to buy Christmas presents for other people. That may not be the case for Skyline fourth graders Levi Hall and Westin Nava who both celebrate on December 10th. Felix’s Aunt Kai Parsons has her birthday on the 11th. The 12th is for Blaine Denlow’s great grandmother, Ilene Woods. She shares the day with The General’s fair daughter, Loretta Upshaw. Kennedy Hinote is in the seventh grade with a birthday on December 13th. The 14th is for famed photographer, Shannon Alexander, and for the famous musician and band leader, Spike Jones, who was born in 1911. He made music with slide whistles, and cow bells, and he could gargle a good tune. However you go about singing that “Happy Birthday” song, sing it with gusto to show your dear ones and friends how much they are appreciated.

Christmas songs were being practiced at the Vanzant Jam back before Thanksgiving. That holly jolly weekly event happens on Thursdays with a potluck supper at 6:00 and music starting at 7:00. Everyone is welcome. The music circle varies in size but is always full of good cheer and the good music that is some of the good medicine that helps us be optimistic Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

Early last week the roads were full of expectant people hurrying off to the embrace of family and the annual ritual of feasting together with love and gratitude. Later the roads were full of happy, satisfied people longing for their homes and hearths and full of precious memories and the idea of adhering to a sensible diet until Christmas. The long road trip home gives them time to reflect on the growth of the young ones and the decline of the old ones. Counting the number of Cowboy Churches and the number of Dollar General stores adds fun to the journey. Out on the blue roads and the interstate highways the industry of America is very evident. We are an industrious, hardworking people.

Somehow it got to be December. We know it comes around every year, but we did not expect it to arrive so quicky. Miss Luxe Krider, a Champion granddaughter, celebrates her birthday on the 2nd. Lorelai Day has the 3rd for her big day. On the 4th we remember Lonnie Krider, a real Champion. The 5th has Skyline first grader Levi Crownover and eighth grader Michael Hall celebrating along with Bobette Spivey and Dawn Henson. The 6th is for Zack Godshall down in Lafayette, Louisiana, and for Missey Rogers in Eastern Douglas County. Ethel Leach has the 7th for her big day. She shares the day with Noam Chomsky who was born in 1928. Ethel is much younger. We remember Chris Tharp on the 9th. He passed away recently and is much missed by his many friends. The 9th is for Elizabeth Raelyn Johnson, a Skyline prekindergarten student. It is also the special day for Richard Johnston, a Champion born in 1955. Kris Schewe just had a birthday. Your Champion friends wish you all happy birthdays with the love and support of your family and friends, cake and ice-cream.

One Old Champion rushing into Mountain Grove to get last minute chores done in a hurry before her Thanksgiving Odessey, found a light flashing on the dashboard indicating an issue with the inflation of her tires. It was a new light she had never seen which alarmed her and had her ‘stepping on it’ in a panic for the last ten miles. Austin at the Super Lube happened to be wrestling with the long air hose as she pulled in and, in a jiffy, had her reassured and ready to go. He said the colder temperatures had lots of those lights flashing. Among the many things we have to be grateful for, competent, kind, helpful people are some of the bests. Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

Gratitude has been the theme of this week. Last week our Skyline R2 School students were grateful to the Ava Masonic Lodge for having given new shoes to every student. That was a generous gift from a generous outfit that made all the students and staff smile and say, “Thank you!”

Saturday found Champions with a long list of things for which to be grateful. The Historic Emporium was packed to overflowing with good neighbors, friends and family all gathering for a bounteous pot-luck feast and opportunity to visit and catch up with some who are seldom seen. The official head count was fifty-six, but there may well have been more. The whole thing may have been cooked up by a retired mail carrier and a surgical nurse—the first annual Champion Friendsgiving Day. Thank you. Kaitlyn McConnell and Mike O’Brian made it all the way from Springfield for the occasion, Kaitlyn with her trusty pie basket to add to the feast. Her Champion friends will look forward to the pie recipe book she is compiling from old cookbooks published by area fire departments, churches and neighborhoods.

By the time this is in ink and out into our rural mailboxes, leftovers will be the fare on many tables. A favorite keepsake from one Old Champion’s Mother is a wooden plaque hanging in her kitchen. It says, “Thank God for dirty dishes. They have a tale to tell. While others may go hungry, we’re eating very well. With home and health and happiness, I wouldn’t want to fuss. By this stack of evidence, God’s been very good to us.” While we rejoice in our good fortune, we are mindful of the suffering of many in our own country and all around the world.

These days we hear it said that closeness has not all that much to do with geography. Still, many are on the road and in the air looking for the warm embrace of family. We wish everyone safe travels there and back home. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Champions are making good progress in recovering from last week’s inundation. Neighbors have helped with projects on the square. The church is being cleaned. Song books are drying out. People have been working hard to get things working again. Steel fences down by Fox Creek are twisted and down and matted with debris. The great power of water is evident in many places in Booger County. Road crews have worked overtime to get us back on the road and their efforts are much appreciated. There is still plenty to do. Champions are resilient.

Unseasonably glorious weather had old gardeners out working to get ready for next year’s growing season. Tenacious vines, both tomato and morning glory, wrapped tight around the woven wire tomato cages, came loose with significant effort. Perhaps some creative person with time on her hands could become a basket maker. There are plenty grasses, vines and roots, willows and oak splits to work with, but time is the scarce commodity. Birthdays slipped by us. Skyline School third graders Elaina Homer and Aiden Strong have their birthdays on November 5th. Sixth grader Owley Sudderth celebrated on the 12th and the 13th was for kindergarten student Aceton Fox. Eighth grader Isabella Jeffrey partied on the 14th. The 27th will be the day for 5th grader Aubrey Lewis to party and the 29th will be the big day for Christopher Boyd who in the 3rd grade.

On November 11th, a dozen veterans attended the Skyline Veterans’ Day celebration that included the Pledge of Allegiance, and a parade of the Military Branch flags and anthems. Mr. Joe Henry Harley shared his experience of going on the Honor Flight and about his time in the Air Force. Ms. McKay said, “The Presentation of Poppies Ceremony was accomplished by David Ball’s ‘Riding with Private Malone.’ This is always a very touching part of the program.” She reported that Mr. Terry Prock, former teacher and coach at Skyline, attended and represented the VFW. Mr. Prock presented the Patriot Pen Awards to Skyline students: Grace Rystad, 8th grade, took 1st; Jersey Hall, 8th grade, took 2nd; and Morgan Johnson, 7th grade, took 3rd. Our Skyline students salute our Veterans as part of the education that will make them good citizens.

The Vanzant Jam enjoyed a good house full of visitors on Thursday, some who have not been there for a while. One such person, all the way from Las Vegas, had the opportunity to learn about reincarnation from her distant cousin who has, over the years, explained the complicated notion to a number of friends and family members. It is generally met with the good humor that goes along with the music that everyone agrees is good for us. Rudy Valley sang, “Keep a little song handy wherever you go, and nothing can ever go wrong.”

Sports fans understand that there is no glory in defeating a weak opponent. The Chiefs were not weak and are still on top in the rankings, but Buffalo came out on top on Sunday. Alas! Meanwhile, the woods are full of hunters and the deer harvest is on. It all started so beautifully then Monday came with gray skies, stiff winds, intermittent drizzle and rain. The General reported in a newsbreak, “From the Vanzant Big Q Channel 88 Eyewitless News Room: Gusty wind today toppled the three foot weather balloon launching tower. On a lighter note, winter is just around the corner.” The report was dated November 18, 2017. He said, “Dey jay view!” Better days are ahead. Youth hunters enjoyed much success last week and hopes are the firearm season will be productive and safe for all those out there in the woods stalking deer. Safety is the watch word for good memories around the deer camp, and good food around the table in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

During World War 1, the fighting ended on November 11, 1918, when an armistice went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. Veterans’ Day is a special celebration, but we celebrate and honor our Veterans every day of the year. They make up about six percent of the civilian population currently. Thank you for your service. Active-duty service members now comprise less than one percent of all U.S. adults. Thank them too. Our Skyline School had a lovely Veterans’ Day tribute this morning. Mrs. Barker’s second grade class up in Norwood produced some fine art in celebration of the day and were given a chance to visit with the Master Sargent General himself.

Monday’s torrential rain wreaked havoc on Champion’s beautiful country roads and made creek crossings difficult and dangerous. Fox Creek jumped its banks and rose to the third step of the Recreation of the Historic Emporium and floated the pews in the church. Road crews are busy, but it will take some time to get everything back to normal. People downstream may find treasures though they might be in rough shape. Lawn chairs, picnic tables and barbeque pits among other things like propane tanks and outhouses may be sowing up in unexpected places. Champion neighbors have stepped up to help with the cleanup. We have hopes are that neighbors up and down the flooded areas will have such good neighbors.

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Though the Brushy Knob Church polling place was without electricity on Tuesday, votes were cast, and poll workers reported a good turnout. Some are happy about the results and others not so much, but knowing that it was a free and fair election is a comfort to everyone. The majority rules in America.

Sharry Lovan’s Benefit was a beautiful success. Auctioneer Billy Sexton said it best, “This community never fails to show up for somebody.” Tonight, this community showed up for a very special person. It was an honor to witness the generosity, love, and prayer poured over this woman.”

Saturday found the Manes community up north of Mountain Grove gathering to celebrate the lives of Chuck and Cathy Baldwin who lost their lives in flood waters on their way to work in the election. Family, friends and neighbors filled the Manes School gymnasium to share their stories and memories of the couple who had made their home there for more than fifty years. They will be remembered for their willingness to help anyone in need, for their commitment to the community and for their zest for life—Champions who were looking on the Bright Side.

 

It happens that there are currently 8.2 billion people in the world. Over in Edinburgh, Scotland, 5.43 million people are overnight guests there in a year’s time. 36% of them are domestic local visitors, 64% are international, 52% are repeat visitors, and 15% are taking the trip of a lifetime. The town teams with excitement. Over here in Douglas County we have our share of visitors who come for the family ties, the beauty, the quiet, the nostalgia and the calmness of a bucolic interlude from the hecticness of the world. Welcome. For those of us fortunate to live here, we sing, “There’s no place like home.”

The time has changed. We have fallen back. Just last week Halloween was everywhere. Pictures have emerged of people who were nuns last year and are now witches—tap dancing witches. The Gipsy seemed much the same in her lovely exotic regalia, while The General seemed to have taken on a look more like that of a vaquero. The Whetstoners turned into a Pink Lady, a Motorcycle hoodlum and Ms. Stands with a Fist. Meanwhile, on Halloween, Skyline preschool and kindergarten students enjoyed pumpkin activities. They estimated how many seeds might be in the pumpkin, scooped out the guts, and counted the seeds by putting them into groups of 10. 628 seeds later, they were given to Mrs. Rhonda to roast and enjoy during their party that afternoon!

Counting is important. In order to serve as an election poll worker, one must raise his or her right hand and swear to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Everyone who has served in that role comes away with confidence that the system works well. It makes for a long day, but it is an excellent experience to participate in democracy. Do it if you have the chance.

The amazing amounts of rain falling Monday night will likely have an effect on voter turnout. We hope everyone gets to exercise their franchise and it will be an interesting week waiting for the results. Another big win for the Kansas City Chiefs helped to keep minds off the election for a few minutes.

As daylight reveals the extent of the flooding and storm damage we hope for the best for our neighbors out here. A favorite Scots sailor says, “Worse things happen at sea!” Optimism is the watchword in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Pictures of the big full Hunters’ moon and the T-Atlas Comet from all over the world remind us that we are all living here together, that closeness has not all that much to do with geography. To quote Monty Python, “Just remember that we’re standing on a planet that’s evolving and revolving at 900 miles an hour!” He goes on to say things about our galaxy and the universe that give us a good perspective on our own tiny little spot in it.

The report is that it was a beautiful day at Vera Cruz for the celebration of the life of Chris Tharp—a sunny warm day with many old friends sharing good memories of a good friend. Among his many talents was storytelling and a gathering at the creek was just the place for it. A friend writes, “Through the fog this morning the forest below the glades just seems to be a bit empty.”

The Skyline VFD and the Eastern Douglas County VFD caution against burning. They say chances for showers are on the horizon and we hope they materialize. Today in Edinburgh we had 53 degrees with a sustained wind of 20 miles an hour with gusts up to 60 miles an hour with intermittent rain and sunshine, often simultaneously. We hear the wind is strong in Booger County too and we hope everyone is being prudent. The woods are full of fuel from our wonderfully wet spring.

Felix the Farmer is getting postcards from Scotland and reading them to his old grandfather. He has probably been busy doing those garden chores that make it a productive patch year-round. If his energy could be harnessed and duplicated to share with old folks, the way he is willing to share his beautiful garlic, their gardens might be as beautiful as his.

There will be an auction, supper and concert at the Sharry Lovan Benefit at the First General Baptist church in Willow Springs on November 9th. Sharry has her hand in about every good work around, including bringing HOBA bluegrass to Cheyenne McIntosh’s great guitar classes at Skyline. Someday those kids will be in the circle at the Vanzant Jam. The therapeutic value of music cannot be overstated, particularly in these extraordinarily stressful times. Cheyenne and Sharry are keeping it going for future generations.

Brad Oglesby and Shala Clark have birthdays on the 26th of October. That is also the day we remember Champion Harley Krider. Skyline 4th grader and prekindergarten student John Sudderth both celebrate on the 28th. Addison Burns is an 8th grader at Skyline. His birthday is the 30th, also the big day for Connie Lansdown. It is a day when we remember Royce Henson who often made the ‘Walk of Ages’ to the Champion School Reunion.

Every year, the Missouri Division of Tourism recognizes one of the state’s media outlets with its Navigator Media award. According to its website, the award is “presented to a media outlet that promotes tourism in Missouri and its importance to the state’s economy.” This year, Kaitlyn McConnell and Ozarks Alive were chosen for this honor. Kaitlyn is a frequent welcome visitor down at the Historic Emporium on the wide, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek, often bringing a pie, and always shining a bright light on Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!