“Suffering produces endurance.” Romans 5: 3 ESV

Family and friends gathered at the Lamar home of Margit Parker to celebrate her 103^rd birthday! Her great granddaughter, Krystal (Eikenberg) Bartow of Eads, made and decorated exquisite cupcakes and cakes for the guests to enjoy. Margit lived her early life near Wild Horse, and much of her married life southeast of Eads before moving to a lovely home on a street near the Lamar City Park. Our former teacher, Barney Miller, was one of her neighbors who used to marvel to watch this pioneer woman. Wouldn’t he be glad and surprised to see how well she is today in her 103^rd year of life as she cares quite well for herself? We also have a lady in Eads, Ruth Rose, who is 103 years old. She celebrated her birthday last month. It is good to see how well she is doing in her daily life. She especially likes to play bingo! She, too, is blessed to have caring relatives around who visit her often.

Our community extends their sincere sympathy to Loretta Seibel of Eads and her children in their sorrow after the death of her daughter and their sister, Sandy (Knoblock) McCann. Loretta and some of her daughters went quickly to a hospital in Utah when they heard that Sandy had been taken there in serious condition. After her death, they returned to their homes to repack and go to Big Piney, Wyoming, to Sandy’s home, where they met with her only son, who had come from Texas. Sandy graduated with the class of 1978, several of whom live in and around Eads. Seven of her classmates live in the county: Mandy (Weirich) Adamson, Dana Brown, Kathy (Garrison) Eikenberg, Konda (McKnight) Howard, Monte Richardson, Lisa (Penn) Trigilio and Mark Weirich.

Change. There are lots of changes happening in our daily lives in America and around Kiowa County which effects what we are able to do or not to do in relation to being around other people because of the COVID-19 coronavirus. It makes things interesting or less interesting, such as having NO coffee hours, visiting, and Bible studies being cancelled at Weisbrod and Prairie Pines till further notice. Many conferences, ballgames, and meetings have been cancelled or discontinued. Last Thursday we were so glad that local businesses and schools paid for advertisements so we sports fans could listen on the radio to the basketball games at the Colorado State Basketball Tournament. But woe – Friday, all games were cancelled. Even the State Knowledge Bowl, State Spelling Bee, local youth wrestling tournaments and many other events have been cancelled or postponed.

Greg Neal had a fire at one of their out-dwellings. In going through items, he found and old Eads school annual. When I was leaving Prairie Pines Tuesday for the Hospital Auxiliary, he brought a scorched page of the Class of 1955 when we were in the fifth grade! Mrs. Legion was our teacher. I mainly remember her admonition that we should rub our necks upward so we don’t have wrinkles on our neck when we are “old.” That didn’t seem important to me then, but now that we have reached the “older” age, I can understand the reality of that little exercise. Some of our 19 classmates who still live around Eads are Billy Barnett, Verna (Kelley) Ebright, Madonna (Wissel) Pollreis, Keith Uhland and Doris Lessenden.

The Salvation Army spring fling sale will be Saturday, March 21. According to Realynn Riley, the volunteer workers will give customers sacks to fill. It will cost $5 for summer items and $1 for winter season clothes. The local Salvation Army store has many customers Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. who come out with big smiles on their faces as they carry their bargains. Here is a chance for shoppers to have a great time finding treasures for yourselves or just to give to someone else. The men and women who volunteer are very helpful.

Since this is spring break, one can expect to see children and youth around the community in the daytime. 

Saturday, the MQA class was scheduled. MQA means Meat Quality Assurance, which is a class that instructs Future Farmers of America and 4-H members who are taking any type of livestock project to learn about the care for their animals. 

Most homeowners probably have received their U.S. census 2020 envelope in the mail. It is easy to fill out and only takes a few minutes to complete the form and mail it, or if you prefer, one can fill out a form on the internet. It is so very important that all people respond to this census form. We heard at the Caucus last week that this accounting of people in the political district because it can determine the number of seats we are allotted in our district in the House of Representatives. The results are used to direct money for local schools, roads, and public service, as well as help with transportation and emergency readiness needs. ­­­

Last Friday we were blessed with a small snow which at least caused our alley to have a lot of standing water, which we so desperately need for our winter wheat and grassland, as well as our lawns. Another good thing is that God gave us free car washes.