Champion News

CHAMPION– June25, 2012

           A Champion off in distant places occasionally meets up with a music promoter who is given to drink.  While never totally inebriated, he seems to be half way there continually.  He has grandiose schemes for the advancement of his musician friends and is want to sprinkle his prose with the word ‘opperchancity.’  Upon first hearing it, the Champion thought, “What an interesting misspeak,” but subsequently he found that it is just a part of the publicist’s lexicon of drunk-speak.   Still, it is an interesting word that goes along nicely with the Champion Word of the Week, ‘impetus,’ which is anything that stimulates activity; driving forces or motive; incentive; impulse.  “The Champion impetus is to maximize every pleasant opperchancity.”  What a place!

          The opperchancity for some ‘porch-picking’ is here.  Friday, the General himself has been invited to bring his guitar up on the porch at Hensons’ Grocery and Gas over on the North Side of the Square in Downtown Champion to entertain shoppers and visitors.   Some delusional person suggested that he might bring his accordion or, at the very least, some musical friends.  It will be the first ever ‘last Friday of the month Champion porch-picking’ and area musicians are encouraged to dilute the program.

          The Old Grandfather of Tar Button Road celebrated his birthday on the 25^th of June and the 26^th had Sweet Dancing Nancy of Westava just in the planning stages of her own festivity.   Casey Boyd, Skyline 8^th grader, and Devin Scott, second grader, also celebrate that day as their own.  River Clunn, a Skyline fourth grader will be nine on the second of July.  Summer school is still in session at Skyline and the busses seem to be jolly as they roll down the scenic country roads.  The 28^th is the birthday of Ester Wrinkles, but her party will be on Saturday, the 30^th.   Friends will gather over at the Vanzant Community Center from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. to make merry on the occasion of her 95^th birthday.   Friday the 29^th is the birthday of Mrs. Eva Powell and of KZ88 Radio personality, Butch Kara.  Champions are hoping they will both make it down to the square in Downtown Champion to join in the fun of a community day.   It is presumed that there will be at least one oration of the “Near Drowning of Cowboy Jack” during the day and perhaps some new adventures will be recounted of the Crystal Creek Gang or of the Fox Trot Follies.

            Get well cards are in the mail to Sue Upshaw who has taken a fall.  Her many friends are hoping that her fractures will heal in short order and that she and her pleasing smile will soon be back out among them.   Someone said that an arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward.  When life is dragging you back with difficulties, just imagine that it’s going to launch you into something great.  At some point, however, one hopes for more gentle launchings.   Neighbors over at Mad Goat Flats seem to have had a nice launching of a worthwhile community enterprise.  A vacuum has been filled in a most pleasant manner and Champions applaud the initiative!

          Route 2, Champion mail carrier, Karen Ross (not Goss or Doss) has already canned 32 quarts of green beans!  She lives up on top of Whetstone Hill and some Champions think that her elevation and sunny location is the reason for her great agricultural success.  Others know it is on account of her hard work and her accumulated knowledge of garden lore.   Linda’s Almanac from over at the Plant Place in Norwood says that from the 26^th all the way through the 3^rd of July will be a good time to plant crops that bear their yield above the ground.  Get a good look at the new Almanac on the bulletin board at the Historic Emporium in Downtown Champion or at www.championnews.us.   It is available up at The Plant Place too.  Linda will soon get a good visit with her granddaughter who has just returned from a two week school trip to Spain.  Linda is excited to hear the details.  So far all she has heard is that Danielle had a good time but did not really care for the food.  Olivia, Charlene’s granddaughter, is visiting from Florida.  She will be nine in October and is quite a charming young lady.  Grandson, Harper, has been visiting over at Teeter Creek with his Rock and Roll Grandma and will have some good stories to tell when he goes back home to Arizona. 

           The Skyline Auxiliary will have its meeting on Wednesday the 27^th for the purposes of planning the Skyline VFD Picnic.  It is an exciting time of the year in Champion.  Friends are excited at the possibility that Louise Hutchison will make it to the meeting.  The organization has felt a void for some while now and it will feel whole again to have her there.   Connie Lansdown spends a lot of time with Louise and Wilburn and reports that they are doing fine.  She also wanted to make a special point of saying how very much their family appreciated all the calls, cards, and letters and all the wonderful food that people brought for them during recent weeks when they were experiencing a succession of sad losses.  Family members came in from out of state and it was a difficult time made less so by the compassion and kindness of the community.  Connie says genuinely, “Thank you, everyone.” 

          Buffy St. Marie is a folk singer who has written many interesting songs.  One is “If You Ask Me.”

She says, “He’s got shoulders like a mountain and a smile like a sunny day, the patience of a gardener and the will to find a way.  We love him more than tongue can tell and more than song can sing.  He’s a pretty good man, if you ask me.”  Husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, grandfathers and friends in Champion can have this song sung about them on their birthday or on any day of the week.  The Veterans and those serving currently can have it applied to them as well with Love and Gratitude.   One of the rules about living a Champion life is, “When it is good, say so.”  So Champions are pleased to say they love their men folk and their soldier folk.  Send your favorite ’when it’s good say so song’ to Champion Items, Rt. 2 Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to Champion@getgoin.net.   Come on down to the Historic Emporium on the North Side of the Square at the end of WW where the banks of Old Fox Creek flatten out to incorporate all the placid beauty that is Champion!  Looking on the Bright Side!