Champion News

The next time Father’s Day will overlap with the Summer Solstice will be June 20, 2037. While that may seem a long way in the future, just look at how fast the last eleven years have gone. Those kindergarten students who graduated back in May will be high school seniors in 2037. Some of us who are in our third trimester may just be distant memories. But on this longest day of the year, we remember our fathers for their strength and courage, for their sacrifice and encouragement, for their good life lessons and for the love and kindness they freely shared. For those observing the holiday for the first time without their fathers it is particularly poignant. We miss our auld man.

Champion’s own Beedee, wearing a t-shirt that said “Mama Tried” did some fine singing out on the wide veranda Wednesday. “Twinkle Twinkle,” “Itsy Bitsy Spider,” and “Jingo Bells” were her tunes. Later in the week she was busy shaving seconds off her barrel racing time. Mena D. is making progress toward being a real fiddler. “The Old Spinning Wheel” and “Cripple Creek” are a couple of her good pieces. The General was in the company of an aspiring banjo player and Carissa from up on the High Road reached new heights with her lovely voice. As the afternoon progressed a few Veterans sat around to reminisce about their time in the service. Thank you, gentlemen.

The number of beautiful things in your life depends on your ability to notice them. Friends and family will gather down at the Mill Pond on Wednesday, the first of July, to celebrate a very special Old Champion. Skyline School’s bookkeeper, Sarah Harden, and pianist, Mike Upshaw, up in Springfield, will also have birthday parties that day. We remember the lovely Beverly Barnhart on July 2nd. That’s the birthday of Erica Sudderth, our Skyline School custodian and a detailer deluxe. Virginia Canada lives up in Moline, Illinois, but has a slew of Denlow kinfolks. On the 5th we celebrate her and the 6th is for Janet Burns down in Arkansas and Hunter Hall who was an eighth grader at Skyline last year. Walter Darrell Haden (7-6-31—10-28-2019) wrote “All the Late News from the Courthouse.” The 6th is the birthday of the Dali Lama who says happiness comes from our own actions. We are active in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

David Scrivner fiddles all over the place and surely was fiddling somewhere on his birthday on Saturday the 13th. Mena Dutton fiddled out on the wide veranda on Wednesday and is looking forward to meeting David as she transitions from violinist to fiddler. Other birthdays to celebrate include those of Tyler Clark on the 20th, Champion Linda Krider Watts on the 21st, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Ava’s beloved Cinita Brown on the 22nd. The 24th is for Skyline 8th grader Kash Hurt. On the 25th we remember friend Nicholas Massey and George Orwell whose fiction seems to be altogether too factual these days. The 25th will be on a Thursday and the whole Vanzant Jam will be singing “happy birthday” to Sherry Bennet, whose songs always make us smile. It was all smiles there last Thursday with Miss Willow Rose and Master Jeffery Dutton cutting capers around the floor. The innocence and energy of toddlers somehow capture the attention and brings joy to the hearts of every old soul.

Dancers hit the floor at the Senior Center in Mountain Grove on Friday morning the way they do every Friday to the country, gospel, Bluegrass, and oldies tunes of the Whetstone Band. They were then ready for the good lunch served up by the Senior Center. Down the road it was a hot day for showing livestock at the Tri County Fair. Brixey farmers made a good showing of their Jerseys. Jenna won the prize for senior showmanship. Champion Blaine Denlow rode a bull at the rodeo. It was the second time she had ventured into bull riding, and she seems to like it. Saturday’s rodeo was cancelled due to the rain.

Rain did not stop Kaitlyn McConnell from taking some of her followers on a deep dive into Ozark Americana on Saturday where knowledgeable presenters gave detailed histories of the unique and interesting development, growth and changes of several sites along Route 66.

The Second Saturday Skyline Swap Meet went on in the wet morning with four vendors selling eggs, pies, onions, ducks, rabbits, chickens and some beautiful crochet items. The next one will be on July 10th and hopefully the weather will be better. It will be another opportunity to say, “Howdy” to some good neighbors and to tell them that their efforts go a long way toward making our communities better. Some old guy was feeling bad because he had to ask his son-in-law to help him with his firewood. His friend reminded him about how good he felt when he was young and able to help some old guy. The suggestion was that it is doing those young folks a favor when you ask for help. Whether or not they see it that way, one elderly neighbor is grateful for all the help of a couple of young folks from the Denlow Valley Ranch. Thanks! We enjoy gratitude and optimism in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Ten years ago, it was reported by The Champion News that the rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain but in Booger County it falls harum-scarum. Sunday afternoon gave us a twenty-minute deluge. Haymakers probably had all their bales up if their equipment was working well. Hardworking gardeners who got an early start are being rewarded with bountiful returns already. Though the year is about half over, there is still time for late planters to glean some goodies from their good ground. Trusted almanacs say June 10 and 11 and 14 and 15 will all be good days to plant root crops. Above ground crops will do well if planted on the 18th and 19th. Almanacs prioritize moon phases and astrological signs to maximize yields, but any time we can get out there to get something done is a good time and well worth the effort come harvest time if the deer, rabbits, ground hogs, moles and myriad insects, flying and crawling, allow.

Young Jeffrey Dutton’s provided some excellent entertainment out on the wide veranda on Wednesday. His sister, Mena, played her fiddle with the Sometimes Porch Band while he charmed the crowd with his two-year-old antics. Kaitlyn McConnell and Mike O’Brien stopped in for a brief visit and heard the Seed Tick Song inspired by David Richardson who has yet to hear it. They were on their way to CedarCreek to see the new roof going on the firehouse there. Many fans of Ozarks’ Alive look forward to Kaitlyn’s next Folk Lure Exchange program on Friday, June 12th — “Ozarks Ghost Towns and Lost Landmarks.”

Kaitlyn celebrated her birthday on the 6th. She enjoyed good wishes from all around the Ozarks. Skyline School’s fourth grade teacher Sydney Fox has June 9th for her birthday. Sonny Reed will be a second grader in the fall and his birthday is the 10th of June. Champion grandson Zachary Coon rides a loud motorcycle and celebrates his birthday on June 15th. Foster Wiseman, also a Champion grandson, will enjoy his birthday on the 16th over in Tennessee where he lives now. Happy birthday to all of you from your Champion friends.

Meanwhile, cowgirl Blaine Denlow had her best time so far earning second place in the six and under barrel races and her first time getting money at a rodeo—good for her. And following the Old Champion’s advice, “when it’s good, say so,”: Good neighbors are a blessing. The Denlow Valley Ranch is full of good neighbors. Farm Fresh Eggs from Madelyn are especially good. She is a Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

The fortieth and final Denlow—Fairview School Reunion occurred on the Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend. Somewhere between 30 and 50 people attended and among them four alumni—Frankie Proctor, Robert Upshaw, Kenneth Anderson, and Pete Proctor. One of them speculates that there are about seventeen students still living, though some of them have never attended the reunion. The Denlow School closed its doors in 1955. The first reunion was held in in 1987 with 250 in attendance. Though the numbers have dwindled, the nostalgia, the fun and feeling of community persists. Pete and The General waxed eloquently over the old school days and a bevy of beauties, Elizabeth Lawrence, Debora Barker, Phoebe Ward, Elva and Loretta Upshaw, and Tanna Wiseman, reprised their cheer squad from the late 1980s. Ed Williams and his staff provided the main course and the tables were filled with all the favorite potluck dishes that cause us to overeat. The dinner will continue next year under a new and as yet not determined name, and the community feeling will carry on. The Memorial Day weekend was designated as the most appropriate time for the reunion for a number of reasons, not the least of which had to do with the many Veterans who had attended the school as children. It is said that a true tribute is in living a life worth the sacrifice made by our Veterans. It has been said that there is good in this world, and it is worth fighting for.

Some of the good things to celebrate are the birthdays of the grandpapa of Felix the Farmer on June 2nd, and of banjo expert, David Medlock who will celebrate on June 6th, which is the kickoff day of the 43rd Annual Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Association Spring Bluegrass Festival. He will have fun. On the 7th we remember Champion Wayne Sutherland who was 85 in 2015. He is well remembered for his good humor and is much missed by his many friends and family members.

In these fast moving, tumultuous days, an Old Champion insisted that there are plenty of things to aggravate us and to complain about, but when things are good, we ought to say so. So spread the appreciation around any chance you get the way we do in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Because of the early deadline all the exciting news about the Denlow/Fairview 40th School Reunion will have to wait for the next edition. Expectations are that it will be/will have been another lovely affair. Stay tuned. Memorial Day barbeques, picnics and parades give us a chance to gather to celebrate all those who have sacrificed their lives in the U.S. Military during our two hundred fifty years as a nation. Many folks make a tour of all the local cemeteries to pay homage to their friends and loved ones resting there. It seems the longer we live the more people we know who have moved on off into the afterlife. Rest in peace.

When Tom Peters posts a video of elders dancing at the McClurg Jam on Mondays, it turns out they are Elders! Jane and Andy Elder are regulars at McClurg and reported that there was a rousing happy birthday chorus for Alvie Dooms who had just turned 96. They paid a visit to Champion on Wednesday just for the fun of it. They made some new friends, enjoyed the picking and singing, and had the opportunity to observe a tick struggling to get out of a white enamel ash pan by the old wood stove. It came in on a piece of early morning firewood. The General named the tick David after his fellow guitar player who has great curiosity about them. He kept asking, “What do they eat?” They eat blood, David. He thinks a song should be written about ticks.

Among those polled, it seems that the favorite ground beef to fat ratio is about 80/20, though a few are 90/10 people, while Donnie Strunk thinks 83/17 is about right. He, like the pollster, probably enjoys fish as much as ground beef…maybe more. It might be a seasonal thing, but it is clear that cowboys like to go fishing.

Skyline’s Summer Learning Academy had students learning about tie-dyeing and some carpentry skills building bluebird houses, and about weathering, erosion, rivers and mudslides. They also enjoyed a program presented by Mrs. Rebecca from the Missouri Extension office through the 4H program on insects. School is out and all the joy of summer is upon us. As children, summer seems to stretch out into the far distant future. As old folks, it slips by in a trice. We are grateful for every beautiful day in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

The Saturday of the Memorial Day weekend, May 23rd, will again find former students of the Denlow and Fairview Schools gathering at the Denlow Church and Cemetery. This is the 40th year of this event. Former students, their descendants, and everyone else with ties to the community are welcome. Lunch will be served at 12 noon. Ed Williams and staff will provide the main course of the meal. Attendees are encouraged to bring a side dish or dessert. A prominent alumnus says, “Thank goodness descendants of former students show up for this reunion as there are not too many former scholars still around. Denlow’s last school year was 1955, Fairview was 1958.”

Memorial Day on Monday unofficially marks the beginning of the summer season. Officially it became a federal holiday in 1971 and celebrates and honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. Military. 620,000 soldiers died in the Civil War and were honored with Decoration Day. Today we decorate and contemplate our many losses.

In 1896 the US Postal Service began rural free delivery. It is a vital public service. Route 72 is about 120 miles long, much of it on gravel roads. We celebrate and appreciate our rural mail carriers. We also celebrate Teresa Wrinkles on May 22nd. She has moved away but is still remembered for her wonderful pies. Keller Boehs is glad school is out. His birthday is also the 22nd. Skyline Jennings Harley’s birthday on the 24th. Jennings will be in the third grade when school starts. Chase Cauthron’s mom also celebrates on the 24th. The 25th is for Leana Bell Wagner. Skyline Counselor Leslie Top will enjoy the 26th for her birthday as will John Webber. On May 27 we remember Champion’s Ed Henson, born in 1903. The 27th is also the day all her children and grandchildren celebrate Paula Mudd. Brylee Clark is one of those great-grandchildren. Her birthday is on the 28th, the same day as Presleigh Miller’s who will be in the 4th grade at Skyline. Dale Thomas also has the 28th for his big day and it is the day we remember Jessie Mae Miller who was born in Denlow in 1926.

When, in the course of human events, we are called far away for family events joyful or somber, returning home marks the high point of the trip. Driving back into the Ozarks this time of the year we love all its ups and downs, its curvy undulations, amazing deep lush green foliage and oxeyed daisies sprinkled along the roadways. We have precious memories of our family time, but we know there is no place like home. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

On May 5, 1862 a small, poorly equipped Mexican Army under the command of General Ignacio Zaragoza defeated the French forces of Napoleon III who were trying to establish a monarchy under Maximilian of Austria. The unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla symbolizes courage, resistance against foreign intervention and Mexican American culture.

On May 6th five stalwart equestrians set out from Champion on their annual spring trail ride in fun and in memory of a great Champion Bud Hutchison. Karen Brown of Norwood was on her horse Cedar, Don Hamby of Dora on Domino, trail boss Andrew Harden of Ava on Mable, Calvin Chambers of Dora on Renegade, and Mena Dutton of Norwood on Charlie. They reported having a good time in the company of a big white dog all the way there and back.

Skyline’s Second Saturday Swap Meet happened on the 9th, always a good happening. Mothers all over America enjoyed the attention of children, grand and great ones too. We are reminded that there are only two kinds of people in the world—mothers and everyone else. So, lucky are all of us to have had one.

Birthdays to celebrate include those of a Champion cat, Ms. Bitz, who was thirteen years old on the 6th of May. We remember fiddler Candi Bartsch on her birthday, May 14th. That is the big day for Margie Carter too. She is often at the Vanzant Jam and chances are someone will sing that song to her. May 15th is for Champion granddaughter, Elizabeth Heffern, and for Champion resident, Linda Cooley. Ivan Moses out in San Diego will celebrate on the 16th as will Karen Grizwold and Champion Alvie Dooms. Alvie is still making it to the McClurg Jam and the world of music is better because of him. The 16th is also the big day for Hazel Wiltse who will be a Skyline first grader next year. Others who will be Skyline first graders are Emelia Parker, whose birthday is on May 19th. And Levi Johnstone who will have his party on the 21st. Your friends and families are happy about you. We are awash in love and gratitude in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side.