“You will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of God.” Philippians 2:15-16

Joyce and Cardon Berry are such blessings to our community. They found a standing flower box that matches the one that Janet and Jerry Frederick set in front of the National Park Service office. Every evening, Joyce drives down to the senior center and waters the pretty yellow and white blossoms she planted. When Eads senior citizens gathered for their monthly noon meeting last week, they were greeted by the pretty blossoms and the red-white-and blue decorations at the center. Thank you to Gail Voss and Sylvia Weeks, who bought more patriotic decorations for our center. Gail worked for two days to make bread dough for the bierocks for the main entre’ and they were very good. We were pleased to have Loy and Betty Jones come from Colorado Springs for our dinner. Sylvia Weeks and Larry Michael were first in line because it was their birthday month. Madonna Pollreis read the minutes and Joyce Berry gave a Treasurer’s report and said that bids have been accepted for adding more electric wiring to the north side of the room. This may have to wait a bit because we have a birthday party and wedding already scheduled for July. We will have coffee hour for men and women every Tuesday at 2:00 p.m., and card games on the first and third Tuesday of the month at 6:00 p.m.

I listened to the Crow-Luther Cultural Events Center Board meeting Wednesday evening. The sketch of the plans for the Maine Street Bash looks as if it is going to be bigger and better, with many more entertaining events. Besides the food, music, and games, there will be a car and motorcycle show. People can sign up with Krystal and Karl Eikenberg to show and parade any model of car or motorcycle for $20, and if they enter more, it is $10 per vehicle. The board welcomed Claire Prince as the new board member.

Virgil and Wanda Lessenden hosted their annual picnic at their ranch for the Haswell Westender senior group last Wednesday evening.

Our sincere sympathy is extended to Van and Leanna Brown for the loss of her sister, Deanna Law. Liz Hulteen and Tina (Hulteen) Adamson attended Deanna’s funeral services in Jetmore, Kansas. Deanna was their long-time childhood friend.

Some friends of Evelyn Garner, former Eads resident now deceased, are pleased to recognize one of Evelyn’s treasured purple tall purple ball-shaped flowers blooming in their yards.

Many people attended the auction in Haswell Saturday. Some of my relatives were at the big track meet in Limon to support Colby and the Eads Eagle team, and others were in Hugo at the fairgrounds to attend the memorial service for Keith James, brother of Louis James of Eads.

Last week, a big tour bus brought over 30 students from a city to have lunch and a lecture in the Eads senior center at noon. They had visited Bent’s Fort and were going to tour the Sand Creek Massacre site north of Chivington after lunch.

Every week I enjoy the opportunity to facilitate Bible devotions and singing at the Weisbrod Hospital Extended Care Unit and Prairie Pines Assisted Living Center where I hear heartwarming stories about their parents and families. I hope you, dear readers, remembered to call or do something kind for the fathers in your lives last week.

Thursday evening, County Extension Agent Tearle Lessenden welcomed the audience and 4-H members to the district creative cooks contest and cake decorating contest in the new Eads senior center. Girls and boys from Cheyenne, Baca, Otero, and Kiowa counties competed. We really enjoyed watching the 4-H members show their skills and talk about their project. What was awesome to me was to watch a family of three generations who had their start right here in Kiowa County. Sonja (Cook-Watts) Simmons was there with her daughter, Annie, who used to be in the creative cooks contest here, and now her middle school daughter is a star in the contest. Sonja’s granddaughter, Raelee Walters, won the $25 check from the cattlewomen’s group for her beef meat loaf shown on a table set in yellow sunflower motifs. It was nice that Chase Stolzenberger, who is the District 4-H Council President, came in from his fieldwork to help present the awards and ribbons. Another reason this evening was “dream come true” for Director Gail Voss and me was that we spent three days several years ago in Lamar at Philanthropy Days vying for funds and to get grants for our senior center. One of our “pitching points” was that we hoped to host youth events such as this.

Zachary Flowler was named most valuable player in the baseball game Friday at Holly against the Simila team. The Eagles had a great season. We are proud of them!

Betsy (Bergman) Evans was the key hometown lady who helped organize the Kit Carson Alumni Reunion that included a tea, banquet, and dance besides other gatherings.

Joyce (Harwig) Koch reported that her mother, Beatrice, who was age 100, died last week. She is also the aunt of Phil Pollreis of Eads.

Saturday, June 26, will be the first 4-H District 6 horse show that Kiowa County has hosted in many years. People may watch from bleachers in the pavilion at the Kiowa County fairgrounds.

Russ Watson has a great new location for his barbequed foods in the former Cinnamon Joe’s shop on Highway 287.