Champion News

It has been an eventful week all over the northern hemisphere. The aurora borealis wowed about half of the world. It was spectacular here in Edinburgh, Scotland. For those of us who had never seen it, all expectations were beautifully met. Then Saturday found an enormous comet making its closest pass by Earth. They say it should be visible through the end of the month clear skies permitting, a fuzzy circle with a long tail streaming behind it. Somebody on the news will tell us where to look.

Plans had been to send postcards from Scotland to many friends and family, but we find that a postcard costs $.44, but it costs $3.67 to mail it to the US, so they might get hand delivered or mailed from home. The Royal Mail has been privatized over here, which has made it less efficient and more expensive. We hope that never happens to our great USPS. Thank your rural carrier and leave a treat in the mailbox every now and then.

Darcy Upshaw Cecil, down from Boise, Idaho, looked up to see Trevor Richardson in his paraglider coming in for a landing at the Vanzant Jam on Thursday. The General reported that flight time is 42 minutes from Norwood to the Vanzant Air Strip. While in the neighborhood Darcy took a drive up County Road 153 for some sightseeing. The Quarter Mile Racetrack is up that way, commemorating her Alsup ancestors. Meanwhile, the whole Alsup, Ousley, Livingston gang, numbering fourteen, were together for another family reunion, this year sadly missing, Karen Fae Upshaw Krider who passed away on October 6th. Her place in the Champion community can never be filled. She was a kind, gracious good soul, mother of a big loving family and dear friend to many.

The second wave of linemen from our wonderful White River Valley Electric Cooperative that were sent to assist in restoration efforts from Helene are still hard at work. Crews are still facing many hours of work because many of the repairs that remain are individualized; crews may work for hours on one repair and that repair may only bring power back to one member. The White River folks say, “As they face these challenges, we can’t help but think back to the summer storms of 2023 when our members were without power for several days. By day four, it seemed like eons they had been in the dark. These Cooperative members are on day 17 of now power due to the destruction. We ask our members to keep all these Cooperative family members in their thoughts as they deal with the reality that is their situation.”

Birthdays to celebrate include those of Darlene Connor and Champion grandson Carson Cline on the 18th. We remember Anna Henson on the 21st. The 22nd is for Donna Moskaly and for Skyline first grader London Coon. His lovely Aunt Eva Clark had her big day back on the 14th. Another Champion grandchild, Esther Grace Ogelsby, has her big day on the 23rd. The 24th is for Skyline fourth grader Grant Strong and for Champion Breauna Krider. We always celebrate songwriter Roger Miller on the 25th. He was born in 1936 and passed away in 1992. He gave us a lot of good music. Another great musician we have been remembering is John Prine, who lived from October 10, 1946 – April 7, 2020. He was known for his signature blend of humorous lyrics about love, life, and current events, often with elements of social commentary and satire, as well as sweet songs and melancholy ballads. Then we think of Waylon Jennings who said, “I’m just a man, no more or no less. Bad as the worst, good as the best.”

Sarah Harden shared photographs of the Champion Trail Ride, while we do not have the names of the riders and their horses or where they hail from, we know they had a great time in and out of Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!