God says: “Cry out to me whenever you are in trouble, I will deliver you.” Psalm 50: 15 (CEB)

The verse above is so true for me. I don’t have very many problems, but if I do, I know to “cry out,” and the answer comes soon - maybe later, but it comes.

Happy birthday to Ruth Rose of Eads, who was 105 years old last Sunday! She is a resident of Weisbrod and, according to a photo posted by a niece, Ruth really looks quite well, like when I saw her 11 months ago. Ruth’s favorite activity is planning Bingo. What an honor to have such a pioneer lady in Kiowa County.

The Eads Future Farmers of America members received an FFA Foundation Grant. These grants help students to finance establishing an SAE Project that they are interested in. The hope is to start a business to produce future funds. Three of these students who will use some of this grant money are Rhealie Rittgers, who will buy a second breeding heifer to exhibit and to build a small herd; Ty Wilson, who plans to purchase high-quality boar semen to help improve genetics of his show pig project; and Bo Arnold, a first-year student, whose SAE project is to buy a registered Border Collie female to breed and to train to sell working dogs.

Happy birthday to Hazel Kruegar of Eads, who celebrated her 92^nd birthday. Hazel still lives at home thanks to her son, Monte, who is her caretaker. Bless his heart! She always welcomes visits from her daughter, Karen, grandchildren, and friends who come or call to visit. Hazel enjoys phone calls, she says she “can’t read, but I like to talk.”

Pastor Russell Parker and Briggden came from Holly to watch the basketball game last week. Russell said that their son, Caden, an Eads High School graduate, graduated from CSU-Pueblo Cum Laude in December. Right away, he began a teaching-coaching job in West Cliff at Custer County Middle and High School.

Raymond Wissel called his cousin, Madonna Pollreis, from Rock Springs, Wyoming, to ask about how people were doing in Kiowa County after the snowstorm. Raymond, like many people who live away from Eads, still has a heart and interest in their home community.

Several country fair exhibit clerks and superintendents met last week with Extension personnel, Krystal Eikenberg and County Extension Agent Tearle Lessenden, to evaluate possible changes or additions to the exhibit book. We are looking for some men and women who would commit to be volunteers September 6-8 for a few hours each day during the county fair. If you have questions or are available to help, you may call Krystal or Tearle at 719-438-5321.

Parent Night honored athletes and their parents between the basketball games between Eads and Crowley County last Friday. Ms. Alicia James and the cheerleaders gave fresh flowers tied with ribbons to the athletes to give to their parents. A nice tradition at Eads is that the program has photos and a short memory statement by each senior athlete. There are 13 seniors who are in two to four sports. The class of 2021 has the largest participation of the four classes.

Polly (Howe) Guyrman was working at one of the hospitality tables at the gym Friday. She told me that their daughter, Savanna, has a job at Wray teaching Physical Education to both the middle and high Schools there. She is happy to know several friends from the Kit Carson and Eads communities who live there. Her sister, Emily, is a first-year student at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.

Several relatives of Ally and Porter Spady came to the ball games to watch them play ball. They are both stellar athletes. No doubt there are many relatives of players who come, but I don’t recognize them.

I was greeted by pretty college sophomore, Kailee Wilson, who was here from Hastings College in Nebraska. It was a joy for her to see her siblings, Kara and Ty Wilson, and her cousins, Brandon and Brentley Lening, play as well as her grandparents, the Lenings and Crows, and great grandparents, the Williams, at the games.

Keenan Smith is a new student at Eads High School this year and wrestles with the County Line Rivals team. I was so delighted to see his parents, Justin and Brenda Smith, at the Ordway game (their alma mater). They have lived different places in the last 15 years, but decided that North Main Street in Haswell is their best place for a home. We are glad. Brenda was such a blessing during the months she team taught with me in career class before Keenan was born.

J. D. McEwen, former Eads High School graduate, is a senior Relationship Manager for Northern New Mexico. He recently received the “Q4 2020 Maximum Passionate-Service-Integrity (PSI) Award” for his work to make agriculture better in New Mexico. He and his wife, Heidi Weirich, gave his award money to Ronald McDonald House in appreciation of their hospitality when one of their daughters was hospitalized.

When we went into the Cobblestone Inn Saturday it was almost impossible to walk because it was so very windy. We went there for the 7^th Birthday of Saige Sagner. We had a nice lunch and later left after the electricity went off.