“The Lord loves to be gracious to you.” Isaiah 30:18

“See you at the pole” at Eads High School. We started this tradition in the early 1970s. It was a movement through teenagers to meet at the school flagpole during the third or fourth week of September Wednesday morning about 7:30 a.m. Leaders of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes would take the lead. Eventually, the circle grew larger. I was gratified to see photos from Deborah Gooden of Eads and  Tracey Jacobs of Kit Carson that there was a large turnout of students and adults who came to pray for their school, their student body, teachers, and the United States of America. I remember how the students loved Betty Shotton’s donuts, and  Deborah Gooden has often brought treats for the students. This is a blessing. Prayer is so needed these days of uncertainty and unrest. I was glad to see photos of some adults standing with teenagers. I feel children and teens need the support and security of an adult they trust.

When one turns on Maine Street between 14^th and 13^th Streets, it is a real shock to see the three beautiful trees cut down! This is a part of the Crow-Luther Cultural Events Center project to place bricks with names of the donors on them. As a result, the old bumpy sidewalks need to be torn out. This is a good thing because part of it has become a hazard for some people to walk on. Another result is that we did not know what wonderful shade those trees provided for the new senior center across the street, so we must order more window shades, and that, too, will cost a lot of money. New pipes are a must also. Marty Barnett and some young men will be working hard on this for weeks. 

Floyd and Phyllis Griswould were about to celebrate their 61^st wedding anniversary when they had word that Phyllis’s great niece, her sister, Lois Wissel’s granddaughter, had died. After the funeral, they returned to their winter home in Arizona.

I was so glad to see Sheriff Forrest Frazee back at a table at noon in JJ’s Restaurant. He said he is recovering well after an accident.

Several grade school children are participating in a voluntary out of school program called “Little Eagles.” Their fans are following their football and volleyball games on the weekends.

We visited with the Addington sisters, Brenda Stoker and Julia Larrew, before they took off on a road trip to Texas to visit relatives. We marvel that we used to ride the school bus to the Eads school over fifty years ago. Time flies by.

It is good to see that more people are staying in the Traveler’s Lodge or have an apartment there. This does help our housing shortage.

The Eads senior citizen brunch will be Wednesday, October 5. We thank Scotty Englehardt, who has given his mother, Cleta, several dozen eggs. She gave them to our director, Gail Voss , so she can make her popular baked eggs. Last month, eggs cost $8.00 a dozen. No wonder more people are beginning to raise chickens in their back yards.

I heard that the firefighter’s demolition derby was a big success. We want them to have the equipment they need. These are volunteer people who work in dangerous situations to protect us. Thank you for protecting us.

There are several small group Bible studies happening around the county as a result of the Come to the Table event in August. As readers may remember, I encouraged people, especially during the COVID months, that getting together in a small group could be quite mentally healthy.

Our hearts go out to Liz Reyfield, who has broken her hip. She was in surgery last Wednesday.

We were prayerful last week for Esther McCoin, who had to have surgery for her heart pacemaker. Now she is better and, “going again like a bunny,” she says.

This is homecoming week at Eads High School. There are designated “dress days” for Freshmen students and the upper classmen. Friday, all students from Kindergarten through twelfth grade are encouraged to wear purple and/or gold colors. It would be good if hometown people would wear purple and gold also. The community pep rally will be at 6:30 p.m. at the football field Thursday. Friday, the middle school matches and games begin at 4:00 p.m., high school girls volleyball at 5:30 p.m., and the football game at 7:00 p.m. The crowning of the king and queen will be during halftime of the football game. A good change is that the homecoming dance will be on Saturday night at 9:00 p.m.

Here is another new change to prepare for: “Merry on Maine” is Saturday, December 3. The Crow-Luther Cultural Events Center will relate more details later for their talent show. Do you remember Kenan Gooden when he was about five years old playing a tiny violin? Now he has four little performing Goodens. Or Alicia James at age six in a green velvet dress sewed by her grandmother, Dora Gulley, who has sung widely since then? They had their start in Eads at the Fine Arts Club talent show.

Shalom—Peace.