November 7, 2011
CHAMPION—November 7, 2011
Champions find themselves in pretty good shape to start out the week. With much needed rain on the way, the garden harvest in, winter’s wood in the shed and a little brighter start to every morning with the time change, there is no complaint to be had by anyone around. One or two might grouch about having to do their chores, but Champions kind of like to have them around for contrast as a bench mark for the Bright Side.
About a week before his first birthday, Richard was surprised to find that he had a brand new little brother. Bob’s birthday is on the 8th of November and Richard’s is on the 15th. They grew up together and are for a few days this week the same age and that age finally has some benefit to it. They will have new identification cards to carry in their wallets and opportunities for health club memberships and reduced expenses in certain areas. Jealous, snarky family members will just have to wait for years and years to enjoy these excellent aspects of accumulated years. For some, age and maturity are not the same. Champion friends and neighbors say, “Happy birthday, brothers!” Since their birthdays are so close together they can party all week and chances are their celebrations will not get hijacked since most people only celebrate their own special day once a year and generally on the actual day. Carry on you Champions!
Pete Proctor writes to inform about the Veteran’s activities in the area. Pete is Commander of the VFW Post 3770 in Mountain Grove. He and the Commander of the American Legion will be folding the flag and doing the POW/MIA Missing Man Table at the Mountain Grove Senior Center at 10:00 a.m. Thursday. On Friday they will have a color ceremony at the Skyline School at 9:00 a.m. and then again at 11:00 a.m. that day on the Mountain Grove Square. These Veterans organizations are very busy this time of the year as they keep the National observances in the public eye. The support they provide for Veterans and active duty military personnel is invaluable. As more people return from active duty in war zones there will be more need. Champions join Pete in expressing Love and Gratitude to those who have served and to those who are doing so now. Friday, November 11, Veteran’s Day—Champion!
Strange slow moving pickup trucks are prowling the country roads again. There are rules about road-hunting and it is probably true that there is more game on places that keep no-hunting signs and tape up year round. By and large, the hunters who frequent Champion are respectful and well behaved and they do bring revenue into the area. This year they will be surprised at the marvelous new facility available in Champion. The Recreation of the Historic Emporium over on the North Side of the Square in Downtown Champion is an excellent place to stand around a warm wood stove and enjoy a good cup of coffee while swapping hunting tales.
Good conversation with Connie on Monday morning lets Champions know that Louise is doing well. With a lot of hard work and help, she is making slow but steady progress in her recovery. A note in the mail to a friend like Louise is a stamp well spent. Who knows what unexpected encouragement you might provide? Louise has typically worked circles around everyone and it must be very difficult for her to be sidelined this way. She is at Rt. 2, Box 276, Norwood, MO 65717. Wilburn gets down to Champion from time to time and he’s always a welcome sight. He has some good stories. He said that he and Fleming Geer were out in a field over by Skyline one time when they were boys and a dirigible passed overhead. Probably not too many Champions have ever seen a dirigible. Some may not even know that it is a big bag of inert gas. (The General does claim to have spent a hitch in the air-force.)
The General’s sainted wife celebrates her birthday on the 6th of November. That was Sunday and the news blackout from over in Vanzant was finally broken Monday morning with Himself nowhere in sight. She is much younger than he is and overall better natured and ever so much more decorous. Friends and neighbors have almost ceased shaking their heads at the unlikelihood of him being able to hold on to such a prize. Their good neighbor, Esther W. says that the neighborhood is pretty quiet now and things are as tidy as if one of the Champion parades had been through. Esther is busy piecing quilts and said that she and a bunch from the Fieldstone Church went down to help the folks at Odom with their meeting on Saturday. She said it was a good meeting and that the Odom people are awfully good about coming up to Fieldstone. Good neighbors are a Champion kind of thing.
As Champions settle into some lovely autumn days, they can spend a few moments reflecting on recent excitement. The fall was full of activity with the Champion School Reunion, the West Plains Wagon Club wagon train, the Pioneer Descendants’ Gathering, Bud Hutchison’s Fall Trail Ride and then the fantastic Grand Opening Celebration of Henson’s Grocery and Gas over on the North Side of the Square in Downtown Champion. It has been a whirlwind of activity and Champions will be pleased to take a moment to catch their collective breath. Thanksgiving will be the next order of business and Champions are already in the mood for it. “Hooray for the fun! Is the pudding done? Hooray for the pumpkin pie!” Send your favorite pumpkin pie receipts or better yet, sweet potato pie receipts to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to Champion at getgoin.net. Look in on www.championnews.us for that wonderful you tube movie of the Grand Celebration. There are lots of good photographs there too from that day and from other big time Champion events, so enjoy. For your overall betterment you are invited to come and Occupy Champion for a Look on the Bright Side!
