August 3, 2009
CHAMPION—August 3, 2009
Champions hold fast the pattern of sound words and are ever busy about promoting the good. It is part of the Champion Identity to be optimistic and busy with good neighbor business. The Skyline VFD Picnic is currently the focus of much good neighboring. Gray-Mc Contractors out of Norwood were over on the picnic grounds the other day trimming trees and assisting with some infrastructure that was ready for a boost. Everybody is excited to see the weather warming up. “Just in time for the picnic!” they chortle as they go about gathering door prizes, silent auction items and pie promises. The word is spreading and the days are flying by!
Wow! What a tomato! Elmer Banks was down at Henson’s Store on the Square in Champion last Thursday talking about some ‘old boy’ who was showing off a huge tomato that he had grown. He said the guy lived over by Skyline and that the tomato was enormous and red and beautiful. Then Alvin Barnhart’s picture shows up in the paper holding that ‘Delicious’ wonder. It’s a good picture of the tomato and a good one of Alvin too who doesn’t look old at all! Banks is prone to colorful language since he is from Transylvania, Louisiana. His sweetheart is from Alsatia, Louisiana a little further South. They both went to Lake Providence to school. Someone said that Alvin and Beverly went to school together too. Ah! Sweethearts!
More interesting neighbor news has to do with Sgt. Charles L. Wilson who died in Korea in 1950. The soldier’s remains will arrive at Lambert Field in St. Louis on Wednesday and will be escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders back to his family in Ava. The VFW in Mountain Grove is organizing a tribute as the procession passes through that town about 6:25 in the evening. The information on the Internet indicates that the procession will be traveling at highway speeds until it turns off on to 5 Hwy at Mansfield. Then it will go about 40 miles per hour for the last 14 miles to Ava. Sgt. Wilson will be buried at the Vera Cruz Cemetery on Saturday, August 8. The Patriot Guard will again escort him starting from the Clinkingbeard Funeral Home at about 12:30 p.m. The date of Sgt. Wilson’s death is estimated to be on or about Nov. 27, 1950, five months after North Korea invaded the South, when the U. S. Army committed its first divisions to battle by battalion. The battalions usually fought often without artillery, heavy mortar or air support. Sgt. Wilson received the Purple Heart Medal, the Army Good conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with 2 Bronze Starts, the United Nations Service Medal, the Republic of Korea War Service Medal, The Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. The Patriot Guard Riders are escorting fallen soldiers home every day. They are showing the Love and Gratitude Champions and all good citizens feel for the sacrifices of those serving the Nation in and out of uniform.
More good neighboring news comes in the form of a benefit pie supper for Debbie and Mike Stone of Drury. They lost their home to fire recently and the Vanzant and Champion communities joined Drury and others to help out. Some pies were sold and then resold a number of times bringing in ‘big bucks!’ The overall proceeds reflect a generous and compassionate populace. To have a good neighbor, you have to be one… Champion!
Some bridge players are Buddhists but not all are. Some Buddhists play bridge, but not all do. Those that do live a life that promotes a doctrine of peace, inner resolve and tranquility and moral living. Fortnight Bridge celebrated the birthday of a favorite Buddhist bridge player from Seven Springs. She is ailing, but it is hoped that she’ll be shuffling and dealing again soon. Saturday’s game, hosted by Vera Cruz, was fast moving with only 910 points separating winner from loser. The host won the match and Champion split the money as low, each collecting $.35. Penalties for unbid slams made it an expensive evening, particularly for the Brushy Knob player who had to pay up four times and for Norwood’s player who had to pay for three unexpected slams. During the course of the evening a total of twenty games were won and seven contracts were lost and a luscious peach pie was consumed with ice cream. The phenomenal number of rules, conventions and possible contingencies make bridge a game that occupies most of the cognitive powers of a player. For the duration of the hand the declarer is completely occupied, giving a rest to the rest of the whirl of thoughts that routinely take up the consciousness. It is like a little vacation—like a meditation. No wonder they play.
Some feedback has come into the Champion News mailbox regarding using ‘Tums’ to treat blossom end rot in tomatoes. One old Champion girl thinks it works. “The calcium seems to be getting to the tomatoes! The blight is still making the plants look bad, but the fruit looks wonderful.” Now, perhaps with some sunshine and summertime, some ripening will take place and other heat loving crops will benefit. Dwarf, non-bearing, ornamental okra is ready for a change. Linda’s Almanac from the Plant Place over in Norwood shows that the 8th and 9th will be good days to plant root crops again. Turnips and beets will be welcome when the weather gets cold again—soon enough. “Time is filled with swift transitions” is one of those songs that gives a person pause to think. Champions recognize when things are good. “Summertime and the living is easy. The fish are jumping and the cotton is high. Your Daddy’s rich and your Ma’s good looking, so hush little baby! Don’t you cry.” Songs about when things are good are welcome at Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717. Sing one of those or another one out on the porch at Henson’s Store. Go inside and get some tickets for that $100.00 power drawing from the White River Valley folks. Or get some quilt tickets for that Skyline Picnic Quilt. There is a great color picture of it on the www.championnews.us website and it has sparked interest from far away places! A new shipment of Champion Picture Postcards has arrived so the sad, dull and dreary old world outside can get some of that good Champion view. Champion! Looking on the Bright Side!
