PSALM 23:4 “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you (God) are with me.”

Two wonderful volunteers, Esther McCoin (94) and Rita Mousel (93), retired this month from their work as volunteers at the Eads Salvation Army store. These two precious ladies were recruited by the late Charlotte Phillips. These ladies told me that the work of sorting, washing, and displaying items is important and quite a task some days. Esther has worked there about 28 years since she retired from being a registered nurse. Her close friend, Rita, said that she has volunteered since she and Orville moved here from Florida. Rita and Orville grew up west of Cheyenne Wells, and Don and Esther grew up in South Dakota. These volunteers said that it is so amazing how many bags of goods people give away and leave at the Salvation Army store on 10th and Wanstead Street. They said people who want to volunteer could check at the Social Service office on Maine Street. A huge thank you goes to Rita and Esther for their service to others and for their sweet spirits!

Andrea Morgan was busy in the Kiowa County Health Office hosted the many people who flocked there to get flu shots Thursday. The next day, families went to the clinic for their shots. County nurse Whitney Barnett was assisted by another charming lady to administer the shots. 

Across the street from the health office, Bud and Dixie Bennett were flying pretty pink flags all week to remind people that October is breast cancer awareness month.

Eads senior citizens certainly devoured those luscious chicken fried steaks with gravy cooked by Gail Voss, and mashed potatoes brought by Cardon and Joyce Berry. I heard that at Haswell the Westenders had smothered steaks brought by Wanda and Virgil Lessenden. Now this is the good life! Marsha and Pam Mousel were there from Denver and Bennett at the Eads meal to affirm that they are supplying the turkeys for Thanksgiving. The speaker was Sherry Evans, who is the marketer for the Lamar Homes that is patterned like a nursing home and is a rehab center. Sherry’s sister, Sharon Fulton, is the administrator of this home. I remember when she worked at Weisbrod. I asked Sherry if I had met her before. She told me that her husband, Jeff, said I was his Sunday School teacher in Kit Carson, and his mother’s name is Rose Evans. Madonna Pollreis chaired the meeting and encouraged people to take a tour of our future senior center with the construction foreman, Allen, and the architect, Belinda Zink, October 23 at 11:30 a.m.

Pansy Foxworthy’s funeral is scheduled for Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. She lived to be 103 years old. She was a dear friend and neighbor to many people about town. She told me that when she was a young girl her family, the Moshers, would ride in a horse drawn wagon from the Prairie Queen community northwest of Eads. They hitched their horse to a water tank behind where Lou Turner’s tall gray home is today south across from Weisbrod Hospital. Pansy was invited to Sunday School by our “adopted Grandmother,” Cora Lee Gass, and has been associated with the Eads Christian Church all these years.

Sue Fox took photos on my camera of the homecoming royalty. My, what handsome and lovely teenage boys and girls we have been blessed with. 

Liz Hulteen left two big bags of Hamentaschen cookies on my doorknob as she was leaving to drive to Alama, Missouri. These Hebrew cookies are commonly called “Haman’s hats.” Even though Haman was such a wicked man in the Book of Esther, these cookies are really good. My favorites are filled with cream cheese and chocolate chips and nuts.

Mary Ann Ure, who lives at Prairie Pines, was so delighted to get a letter from Polly Collins Johnson. Their sons, Toby Johnson and Greg Ure, were in the same class in Kit Carson High School.

Jimmy and Amanda Brown brought the Down East Boys, a southern gospel quartet, to Eads again last Sunday. It is a joy every year to get to hear them. This quartet, and others, have been coming to Eads America for 20 or more years. At the concert, the bright spot for many of us was when Jimmy Brown played the grand piano while we sang congregational hymns. He is an amazing pianist who plays all those beautiful runs on the keyboard.

The junior class will be serving a fundraiser Mexican dinner at the Eads school cafeteria October 24. Adult tickets are $10, and senior citizens and kids (age 6-12) are $8. Kids under three are free. Come between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m. This is also parent-teacher conference night. There will be a book fair next week at Eads School. Parents and the public may to peruse the books in the multiple purpose room - just check at the office if it is school hours.

Most every week till about the end of March, middle school and high school Knowledge Bowl team members with their sponsors, Mrs. Dawn James and Mrs. Sue Fox, will be traveling or hosting Knowledge Bowls in the region.

Alicia James and McKenna James and little Everly had a girls’ weekend in Dallas, Texas, last weekend where they really enjoyed visiting their sister, and sister-in-law, Jennifer, and husband and little children, Charlie and Alice.