October 19, 2015
CHAMPION—October 19, 2015
Home is where the heart is and to return there after a fortnight’s absence is to walk into the perfect place. Home–where everything is comfortable and familiar. “Home,” where some guy said, “if you go there, they’ve got to let you in.” Home is the most venerated of all human notions. Champion!
The Skyline School Fall Festival was a resounding success. The school parking lot was packed and the school was filled with children, teachers, parents, grandparents and friends—a great evening. There was royalty—a king and queen, as well as Princess Jaycee Hall and Prince Caleb Barker. Alyssa Strong was the Queen and it was her grandmother, Lana Hampton, who won the fifty-fifty drawing. Grandmother Karen Hall won the chili contest. Her grandchildren are Hailey Hall and Jaycee Hall. The pie contest was judged by James Brixey, Joshua Strong and Joseph Georges. There were eight pies entered and each was judged by its appearance and its taste. It was a difficult choice. Bridget Hicks won for an apple pie that judges think would be good the year round—an “anytime” pie. Her prize included a ceramic pie plate and a golden spatula. She has three sons in school, so the community will probably get to enjoy more of her pies in the years to come. Jude is a preschool student, Wyatt is in the 5th grade and Levi is a 6th grade student. The Pumpkin contest was won by Matty Hutsell for an entry called “Matty Spider.” Go to www.championnews.us to see all the creative entries. The silent auction had some excellent student art as well as Silver Dollar City tickets and items generously donated by local merchants. The PTO is already planning ahead for next year. They will have to go a distance to beat this one. That is what the Parent Teachers Organization is all about—going the distance to help our children, our greatest resource, get the education they need to have the quality, productive, happy lives we want for them.
Marty Watts lives way over in Tennessee. He has a birthday on October 20th, and he is lucky to have birthdays. Lonnie Krider once said he should have shot Marty the first time he saw him walking up his driveway. That was just because Marty was there courting Linda. Now Marty and Linda have grown children. Cyanna Davis is a sixth grade student at Skyline. She shares her birthday with Marty. The 21st was the birthday of Anna Henson (1905-1983), who, with her husband, Edgar Henson (1903-1998), ran the Champion Store for many years. The Champion News’ correspondent claims the same day as her own and considers herself to be in excellent company. Mountain Grove’s Randy Abbot, the world’s wonderful Tejana, Cidneye Godkin, and Alfred Nobel are also acknowledged that day. Alfred Nobel (1801-1872) invented dynamite and made enough money off of it to finance the Nobel Prize every year. Amazing. Donna Moskaly is an award winning artist who has been living in Champion for about a decade now shares her birthday with Skyline students, 1st grader Haylee Surface and Talia Mancia, 8th grader. Ms. Beth is a cook at Skyline and will be celebrating on the 22nd. Thomas Wyatt is in the 8th grade and will celebrate on Friday the 23rd. Happy birthday to Breauna Krider (Mother of Taegan and Lux) and Sandy Chapin (grandfather of Atticus) on the 24th and to Roger Miller on the 25th (1936-1992). He wrote and sang, “You can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd, but you can be happy if you’ve a mind to. All you got to do is set your mind to it. Set your mind to it and do it! Do it! Do it!” That is sage advice.
Champions note that a few garden things have been quite chilled but there has not yet been a frost. A little fire in the morning is feeling good as some of those heavier clothes come out of the back of the closet. The foliage seems to be changing from moment to moment and flurries of activity to get ready for the coming cold manifest themselves in a variety of ways. The garden is giving its last fruit; the woodshed is filling up; various repairs and improvements are suddenly racing with the season for completion. It is an exciting time of the year. Linda’s going out of business sale is going well. There are lots of great bargains to be had and a chance to wish Linda all the best in her ‘retirement.’ Her sale will go on through the end of the month. Hardworking people rarely stop working at retirement. It is a given that she will stay busy. Her Champion friends hope that she will be able to work in a few more bridge games. Meanwhile, they will enjoy with her the anticipation of a new epoch.
“Worry pretends to be necessary, but serves no useful purpose.” That observation was made by Eckhart Tolle. Another person said that worry is a kind of negative prayer. It is hard not to worry when there seems to be so much stress and negativity in the world. Fortunately there are a few places in the this realm where people can gather to discuss their concerns, compare and draw on histories for help with current issues, exchange meaningful views with one another and offer encouragement. Such a place is found in the meeting room of the Recreation of the Historic Emporium on the North Side of the Square in Downtown Champion. Any day is fine, but Wednesdays seem to be prime for a meeting of like minds (as well as polite dissidents). Enjoy these beautiful autumn days with another of Roger Miller’s refrains: “Walking in the sunshine, sing a little sunshine song. Put a smile upon your face as if there’s nothing wrong. Think about a good time you had a long time ago. Think about, forget about your worries and your woes. Walking in the sunshine, sing a little sunshine song” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!
