November 12, 2007
CHAMPION–November 12, 2007
An enterprising Champion proposes to construct a Mobile Toll Booth (MTB) which he will set up and man on the ‘shares’ with land owners who would like to know who is on their property. For people who do not hunt, hunting season is kind of stressful. Hopefully, all the hunters have heard that it is important to put ice in those cavities as soon as the deer has been cleaned on account of the warmer than usual weather. Also some Champions are worried about the hunters’ camp fires and if they are paying attention to the dryness of the season and the still heavy foliage. In every community there is a worry-wart. Hunters have been here always and it is an excellent circumstance to be living in an area where wild game is plentiful and the heavy traffic is only a seasonal thing.
Hunting is one of the major topics of conversation at Henson’s Store this time of the year. Overheard the other day was a Champion who has hunted bear successfully up North somewhere in Canada. He remarked that when skinned out, a bear looks very much like a man. He said it was ‘spooky.’
An e-mail came to the Champion News mail box: “ Dear Champion News, We read your article in the Herald every week and have no pictures, recipes or squirrel hunts to report. I do have a favor to ask of you. A group of us “seniors” get together once a month and decided it would be ok to send goodie boxes to soldiers overseas. One of our boxes came back this past week as the soldier we sent to hopefully came home. Would it be ok if we send our returned box to your soldier in Afghanistan. Thanks so much, awaiting your reply, Pat Wrinkles” For some unknown reason the ‘return mail’ part of the e-mail program didn’t work so a postcard was quickly dispatched to the effect that it is perfectly alright to send the package to Champion’s soldier. SSG Moreno, Raul / 4-319th TF SABER / FOB NARAY / APO AE 09354.
The following statement is taken from the Presidents Proclamation concerning Veteran’s day 2007. “Throughout our history, America has been protected by patriots who cherished liberty and made great sacrifices to advance the cause of freedom. The brave members of the United States Armed Forces have answered the call to serve our Nation, ready to give all for their country. On Veterans Day, we honor these extraordinary Americans for their service and sacrifice, and we pay tribute to the legacy of freedom and peace that they have given our great Nation.”
Petty Officer 2nd Class Kevin R. Bewley, 27, of Hector, Ark., died Nov. 5 of wounds suffered when an improvised explosive device detonated while he was conducting operations in Salah ad Din province, Iraq. Bewley was permanently assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit 11, Oak Harbor, Wash.
In pleasant conversation with Pete (Lyman) Proctor about the Veteran’s Day celebration he reported that the VFW post 3770 was sponsoring a Veteran’s Day celebration at Mtn. Grove High School on Sunday afternoon at 20m.. The POW/MIA Missing Man table was presented.
Currently missing or captured in Iraq:
Staff Sergeant Keith M. Maupin since 16th of April 2004.
Spc. Alex R. Jimenez: status missing-captured since 12 May, 2007.
Pvt. Byron W. Fouty: status-missing—captured since 12 May, 2007.
The American Legion presented a Twenty One Gun Salute for the people to see what that is like. Pete says that every year on November 11th, the VFW has a Flag ceremony on the Square in Mtn. Grove at 11 a.m. They have done it for years. In conversation about the current conflict he said that every community feels the war someway. From Champion he and his brothers Gary, and Frankie all went to the service during the Vietnam War. They were stationed in different places because in those days they tried not to have brothers serving in the same dangerous place. Pete’s son, Bryan Proctor, has served three deployments to Iraq and has also been to Afghanistan. He is thirty nine years old and is currently stationed at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. He has children and five more years service ahead before retirement. Pete says that Bryan is ready to go back any time he is asked.
A chance trip to Henson’s store on Thursday found Don Viles there from Springfield and his brother Jim Viles from Marshall, MO. They were out on a tour around the old stomping grounds of their family. Their parents were Lorene and Ernest Viles who used to own the store at Champion. They sold out to Ed and Anna Henson in 1940. There was some reminiscing of the past including the fact that in the old days nothing was wasted right down to the brains of the squirrels. There was some talk about politics as well including a story about some folks years ago up in Mtn. Grove who hated FDR so badly that all they could do was drink beer and cuss about him. A great number of sentiments were discussed around the stove that day including the concept that often enough a war comes as a tool to boost the economy. It was also noted that there is a lot of profit to be made by people who are already extremely wealthy and a lot of sacrifice made by poor and middle class people in terms of an inequitable tax structure and the actual people serving as cannon fodder. Presidential politics came up in the conversation and there was the suggestion that a random drawing should be made for the office every six months. That’s about the limit an honest man (or woman) could stand before the corruption would begin to eat them up.
It was a grand time at the Herald’s Fish Fry on Friday! The fish and fixings were very tasty and it was most pleasant to meet the people that put this whole thing together. It’s eye opening! Later that day the violin-mandolin concert at Jean’s Healthway was well attended and much enjoyed by a number of Champions together with music appreciators from far and wide. A grandson of Champions will be marching in the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City this year. He is Tristan Mudd who is a junior in High School in Springfield. He is going to be the only Ozark Mountain kid there. It’s very exciting.
Foster (Scooter) Wiseman is not much slowed down by the bright green cast on his lower left leg. It has let him concentrate more on his music and he was heard singing, “Down the road! Down the road! I got a pretty gal down the road!” Little sister, Kalyssa, seems to like his singing. It is clear that he will be back up to full speed before long. Friends and family are relieved.
Friends, family, coworkers, students, parents and the general community will get together on December 1st at the Skyline School to benefit Lannie Hinote. There will be chili and music and a silent auction and plenty of opportunity to support a solid and selfless individual who has been the chief wrangler, instructor and inspiration for Skyline’s finest wild and woolly eighth graders for a long time. It will be the best possible use of a Saturday night and an excellent chance to meet some other real Champions.
Enterprising ideas, squirrel receipts, hunting tales, and musical reports are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717. Any suggestions for the Champion Thanksgiving Day Parade can be e-mailed to Champion News. So far the Champion Parade Committee has fended off suggestions of a Conga line of turkey impersonators and of a raid on Spotted Hog for some Revenge Ham as some are still harboring resentments over perceived injury relating to the missing (but now restored) Champion signs. Eulalia Jasmin says, “Just get over it!” Political discourse seems inevitable at Henson’s Store in the Geopolitical Center of the very representation of the Heart of Douglas County where the sentiment remains: Champion–Looking on the Bright Side!
