September 1, 2014
CHAMPION—September 1, 2014
It has been a busy week in Champion with another busy one ahead. Recent visitors have remarked that there seems to be a lot going on in a place so geographically small. That is because the community extends well beyond its borders. It turns out the world is full of Champions. It was a joy to have so many returning for the Champion School Reunion on Saturday. They came from Kansas, Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas and one was just back from Oregon. They shared good food and great conversations as old friendships were rekindled and renewed. Eight stalwart individuals made the “The Walk of Ages” which was routed from Denlow to Champion this year and was led again by Royce Henson. Mini Jo was at his side as well as their son Vaughn, and daughter, Valley and her husband Tom Mills. The route had been chosen by Kenneth Henson (Hoovie) who scouted it out back during the spring and allowed as how there were hardly any hills at all. He paid for the prevarication by huffing and puffing and dragging up the rear of the party. He was lucky that his wife, Dawn Henson, was willing to drive the support vehicle with the cool water. Brothers Pete and Frankie Proctor made that walk in honor of their Mother, Champion Ruby Hicks Proctor, who passed away since the last reunion. When the walkers arrived they found a nice crowd enjoying the day: Elva Ragland and her daughter Sheila Brown, Fae Krider, Wes Lambert, Elsie Curtis, Debbie Massey, Ethel Luellen Anderson from Kansas and her three daughters, Louise Rinebold, Ruth Daharsh, and Betty Bishop, Wilma Hicks Hamby, Glenna Lambert Henson, Vivian Krider Floyd, Irene Keller Dooms, Beverly Dooms Keller, Betty Henson, J.R. and Janet Johnston, Wayne and Frances Sutherland and Laine Sutherland, Robert and Sharon Upshaw, Darrel Hutchison, Harold and Eva Phillips, Jerry and Shawna Smith. Shawna is a collector of arrowheads and found a beautiful and perfect little white specimen out on the banks of Old Fox Creek. There were just over forty in attendance including prominent citizens and with only a hint of rain, some light sprinkles at lunch time, it was a perfect day for gathering on the old school grounds again to reminisce and to catch up with old friends. This was the 30th year for the reunion. Last year Russell Upshaw sat out under the trees visiting with family and friends until late in the day. He and a number of other dear ones were sorely missed this time.
Russell Upshaw was the inspiration behind the Vanzant Bluegrass Jam which is a pot luck affair happening every Thursday night at the Vanzant Community Building—supper at six. Readers of TCN ( The Champion News) on line can simply ‘click’ on this link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jm7UqsNZhaw&feature=share and see 38 minutes of a session in April, 2012. “This particular Thursday night there were people in the audience from New Jersey, Idaho, and Iowa. Max Cooley, playing dobro and singing, lives in Nebraska,” reported an attendee. Looking around the room it was like a Who’s Who of Bluegrass–a spectacular evening. David Richardson of Whetstone is probably responsible for the video. He records a lot of the good stuff that goes on in the area and it will be good to have another of his pieces up on the www.championnews.us website. More of the good stuff going on has to do with the community benefit for its Champion Ronnie Thompson. The advertisements in the papers say that it will start with a chili supper at 5 on Saturday at the Skyline School. There will be an auction and a volleyball tournament. Ashley Pierson (417-686-0164) is the contact person. The ad says to bring a pie for the auction. What the ad does not say is that the Thompson family has been a part of the real infrastructure of the community for generations—ideal neighbors and friends. Champion!
Wayne Anderson celebrated his birthday on Saturday. He took a rambling ride with his family over to the Clever Creek Unity Cemetery. It was established April 5th, 1928. The trustees were Elijah Anderson, president, Isaiah P. Henson, secretary, James H. Schudy, treasurer, Harve G. Mears and Fleming Ghear. From there the party made a swing up through Denlow, then over to Mt. Grove for dinner, and back down through Champion. They missed the school reunion but enjoyed visiting and hearing all about it. Laine Sutherland had been there and it was her birthday too. Bernice Wiseman said, “Thank all of you so much for helping me grow old. It is a pleasant journey with friends like you all. Appreciate everyone so much.” That was her response to the many birthday wishes she had received. Tennessee grandson Dillon Watts was in Champion on Sunday. He has just had his 21st birthday. His cousin, Drayson Cline, is a one year old boy now and on the run. It will take more than The Champion News to keep up with him. Larry Wrinkles birthday is on September 1st. Skyline sixth grade student, Ethan Poppas, has his birthday on the 4th. Eighth graders Derek Camp and Donavon Sarginson both celebrate on the fifth. Renaissance woman, Jeannette C. Tharp, will start merry making Friday for her Monday birthday. Her friends will help!
Ms. Ethel McCallie had her 97th birthday on August 11th. She was in town (Ava) for the Hayden Family Reunion over the week end. Her Champion friends missed getting to see her this time. They will make up for it with some nice telephone conversations soon just to see how it all went. She lives over in Bartlesville, Oklahoma but has deep connections to the area. Ethel is a good neighbor.
Because the Constitution Amendment #1 was approved on the August 5th ballot by less than one quarter of one percent of the vote, Mr. Wes Shoemeyer, President of Missouri’s Food for America, requested that the vote be recounted. The recount of the Douglas County votes will happen at nine o’clock on Friday, September 5th in the court room of the Courthouse in Ava. The county by county by county recount results will be published on the internet at www.sos.mo.gov/elections/Amendment1 The Secretary of State’s office takes care of that. Mr. Shoemeyer lives over in Clarence, Missouri just a little to the west of Hannibal. Folks on either side of the issue are aggravated that so many people did not vote and that many who did voted against their own best interest because of family tradition or lack of factual information. Ah! Democracy!
Soon it will be “Oh! Pioneer” as the Descendants Gathering comes together for the 13th time on October 4th and 5th. Before then, “Wagons, ho!” Fans of the West Plains Wagon Club will be pleased to know the wagon train will be back in Champion on Thursday the 18th of September. They will leave from the West Plains MFA Sale Barn at 10:00 Monday morning and pass through Champion for the noon time rest on Thursday. The General asked if there would be music again at the Champion Welcoming. That is a good question with a couple of weeks to answer it. He said that he would measure the response of the draft animals to the sound before he let too much air out of his accordion. (Note: He missed the Walk of Ages, having taken a wrong turn and winding up somewhere north of Spotted Hog before he came around.) Bring those guitars, fiddles, banjos, mandolins, basses and good voices down to the Wild Wooly Banks of Old Fox Creek any day of the week, but that particular Thursday will be a good one to show up in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!
