November 9, 2015
CHAMPION—November 9, 2015
It is timely to have the dust washed out of rain gauges and a definitive frost that says, at last, the seasons have changed. Nature alters familiar scenes suddenly sometimes to make them appear new, as if being seen for the first time. Autumn colors fade fast. Brilliance, in its scarcity, is all the more visible. Champion is indeed a colorful place, if mostly bronze, brown and beige now against the evergreens but just for a while. Stars are showing up in bedroom windows again, and big nests in high trees are becoming noticeable as are many homes, now revealed after their summer seclusion.
“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.” Veterans’ Day is dedicated to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice at the behest of their country. In America it is officially celebrated on the 11th, but the Love and Gratitude due all those who have served and those who serve still is a year round debt.
Backyard Bluegrass gleaned hearty applause and multiple Facebook ‘likes’ as a result of their performance at the Eastern Douglas County chili supper and auction on Saturday night. It was an affair initiated by the Missouri Department of Conservation to honor the fire district for having achieved “Firewise Communities USA” status. The food was good—heartburn chili at its best and Steve Moody’s pulled pork, plus membership supplied deserts. Music is a solid tie for the great sense of community that frequently shows up at the Vanzant Community Building—particularly this music. Esther Wrinkles would have loved it. She was a big fan of D.J. from the time he was very young and of all things bluegrass. Myrtle Harris was there Saturday night. She loves the music and, just as Esther did, claims to have the greatest neighbors in the world. Congratulations to the firefighters for their accolades and to the people of eastern Douglas county for such essential support for a vital organization.
Foster and Kalyssa spent Sunday with their grandparents Wayne and Bernice Wiseman. Wayne just had his 82nd birthday on Saturday. With those grandchildren around he is sure to have had a great day. Chuck Barns, Linda’s dad, is remembered on his birthday, November 11th. Sherman Hall is an eighth grade student at Skyline with a birthday on the 12th. Madelyn Vivod is a kindergarten student there. She shares her birthday on the 13th with the dazzling Jill Sterling of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Rich Heffern, a Champion living in Waldo, has his birthday on the 15th and forth grader, Raven Hull, celebrates on the 16th. Kindergarten student, Caleb Barker, will be partying on the 17th. He has grandparents who know how to have fun at a kindergarten party.
Up in Mountain Village, Alaska on the banks of the Yukon River Lannie Hinote is experiencing the aurora borealis and snow over ice that makes the four-wheeler a challenge. Soon there will be enough show for the snowmobiles to operate and life will be moving along a little faster for her. What an adventure she is having and how generous she is to share it with us in the lower 48.
 Cody Alan Humphries
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The Wednesday meeting at the Historic Emporium was a pleasant one. Bob was congratulated on his birthday and Ethel, referring to Elmer’s story last week, remarked that there is a colony of white squirrels up around Marionville. The National Geographic did a piece on them a few years ago. It seems that they were already in the country when it was first being settled by immigrants before the Civil War. At the time the article was written, there were about three hundred white squirrels living in the area. Marionville traffic laws give them the right of way. They have black eyes and are part of the Eastern gray squirrel family, just white. There is a colony on the grounds of the Texas Capital and in other places around the country. National Geographic was recently purchased by Rupert Murdock. Champions will hope for the best and will look forward to being featured again someday in a new release of “America’s Hidden Corners.” Meanwhile, some of the discussion included alter egos of country music singers. Ferlin Husky was known as Tex Terry, Terry Preston and as Simon Crum when he comically impersonated other singers of the day. Hank Williams Sr. recorded frequently as Luke the Drifter. Hank Wilson, country singer, was known more widely as rock and roller Leon Russel. Elmer Banks talked about his grandson, Cody Alan Humphries, who passed away recently over in Tennessee. He was only twenty-five years old and for the past ten years had been battling a serious illness resulting from a bone marrow transplant. He was brave and uncomplaining through his struggles. Elmer said that he learned a great deal about the young man at his memorial. His short life had been full of service to others in many ways. A math whiz, he volunteered in the math lab at Volunteer State Community College where he tutored and encouraged numerous other students. He loved music and is said to have always found the good in people—the kind of person that makes others glad they knew him. He sounds like a real Champion.
Chris Hays says, “Here is a cardinal rule in American politics, one that we ignore all the time: Do not elect people to run a government who demonstrate a fundamental contempt for what government does.” Another guy, John Fugelsang, said, “America—where some Americans love America so much they’ll hate other Americans for not loving America in the exact same way.” In some places Veterans have a hard time voting because their VA identification is not deemed sufficient. In some places women are having a hard time voting because the name on their birth certificate does not match the name on their voter registration because they have married and taken their husband’s name. In both cases, it takes trips to the court house and money to get it straightened out and that is a “poll tax” if ever there was one. Anyone who conspires to deter any eligible voter from voting is an enemy of democracy.
Friday will be the last odd day this century. That is to say, the date will be written 11/13/15. There will not be another odd day on the calendar until 1/3/2105, but chances are few celebrating Friday will be around for the next one. Come down to the wide, wooly banks of Auld Fox Creek on Friday or any day to exhibit your oddness. Describe it in pros or poetry at champion@championnews.us or by snail mail to The Champion News, Rt.72 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717. A very good looking man, an actor, comedian, guitarist, singer, songwriter and wonderfully odd fellow, Ferlin Husky, was born in Flat River, Missouri in 1925. He wrote, “On the wings of a snow white dove, He sends His pure, sweet love, a sign from above” in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!
