February 22, 2009
CHAMPION—February 22, 2009
After 20 days on the road and 2700.00 miles on the trip meter, a wandering Champion can dutifully report that a dead skunk in the middle of the road smells the same no matter upon what highway in America the lovely fur is spread. Driving along a person can always say, “It smells like home!” Home. What can be better?
Among the pleasant surprises waiting the wanderer, an email: “Hi, I am writing to say how much I enjoy your article in the newspaper. I am not a native Championite however my husband’s family owned the Cold Springs store as long as it was in operation. My husband, Jay Mallernee, passed away in 1997 and all his siblings and of course his parents have passed away. His sister, Vivian Robertson, taught school at Champion. Pete Robertson, J.D. Elliott and myself are the remaining in-laws. I have many friends that grew up and lived in the Champion and Cold Springs area. Jay and I graduated from Ava high school and lived at Denlow before moving to Kansas for 23 years. Keep up the good work in writing the weekly articles……Sincerely, Catherine Mallernee”
Tersera, the third child in her family, writes of the importance of a matter under consideration by the current state legislature. It has to do with proposed changes to the Historic Tax Credits program. This Champion from Champion—South strongly believes that there should be no change since these tax credits are very important to jobs and the economy of the State. Many small contractors and their employees will be impacted by major changes in this program. These Tax Credits create jobs (40,000 since the program began) and better our economy by lowering slum and blight, crime, and other problems in our older communities. She suggests that citizens become informed and contact representatives, senators, and the governor to let them know that it makes no sense (given the employment, housing, and banking crises in our State and in our Country) to change this program that produces jobs when we have this level of unemployment in our state and unemployment continues to rise. Champions are ever on the look out for the benefit of their neighbors.
“Lemon tree, very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet, but the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat!” That is an old calypso song that some old Champions might remember. It turns out to be partially true. The lemon flower is the most deliciously fragrant bloom and the leaves of the tree so shiny green. The trees are big—fifteen feet in every direction—but these Valley Lemons from the Rio Grand Valley are not at all impossible to eat. They are big and juicy with thinner skins than the bright yellow ones found in the grocery store and puckery good. With luck, that traveling Auxiliary woman will bring some to the Silent Auction at the Skyline Chili Supper on Saturday. They say there will be some real surprises at this auction. Excitement is building as preparations are getting underway. It will be the first of these events for a visiting double cousin, though she has been hearing about them for years. She is a real pie lover, so she is in for a treat! She has her quilt tickets and is ready for fun!
In 1942 the Army Emergency Relief was founded to ease cash emergencies of active-duty soldiers and retirees and provide college scholarships for their families. Its emergency aid covers mortgage payments and food, car repairs, medical bills, travel to family funerals, and the like. The AER is the biggest charity inside the US Military and active duty soldiers and retirees fund it. The American Institute of Philanthropy is one of the watchdog organizations that look at all charities for fundraising practices and distribution. The AER was graded “F” by the oversight organizations because of hoarding. The charity has been stockpiling tens of millions of dollars meant to help put returning fighters back on their feet. Most watchdog organizations view 1 to 3 years reserves prudent, but the AER currently has enough reserves to last about twelve years at its current level of aid. Contributions to the fund are often extracted from enlisted personnel by what amounts to coersion by superior officers and commanding officers make the determination about who is eligible for help. That any soldier is in need is a shame, and more is the shame when help is available and withheld. These are troublesome times. Champions agree that active duty soldiers and veterans all have coming to them the Love and Gratitude of their Nation. A helping hand helps.
Champion gardens are still chilling out. Champions know that things are beginning to percolate under the soil, however, and soon Spring will be busting out all over. A cousin in Arkansas already has planted a hundred pounds of potatoes! Buddy likes to get them in the ground by Valentine’s Day. Up here St. Patrick’s Day is the target date of some gardeners. Mrs. Buddy hates gardening so much that she said she would wish to get snake bit just to get out of the pea patch! Linda over at the Plant Place in Norwood will soon have her planting guide almanac ready. Champion gardens are happy places.
Tales of the open road are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO. 65717. E-mail calypso music or letters to the gov’ment to Champion News. Bob Conrad from Spokane, Washington sent a note asking about how to find the most current Champion items on the www.championnews.us website. Then he e-mailed to say that he had found out how to go to the archives to get the latest news. If he were here, he could get it around the stove at Henson’s Store. The great Armadillo Round Up may be a topic of conversation there if the General wanders in. He ‘generally’ only shows up to stir up trouble or mischief of some kind. Still he is a welcome site in the cultural hub of Champion. It is on the North side of the square, just off Lonnie Krider Memorial Drive. The picture postcard business is booming in Champion. Far-flung Champions and other unfortunates have their optimism renewed by that great view: Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!
