“The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything…but present your request to God.” Philippians 4: 4-6

The verse above has been my favorite guiding verse since 1973. Mike Weirich had hit the exciting basket at State Basketball Tournament that afternoon. Some girls wanted devotion time that night. When I looked for a Bible passage during an AA game that night, I found this verse that has encouraged me for many years.

For the past four Sundays, the Sheridan Lake Pumpkin Patch at the Rick and Kim Harris Farm has brought so much joy to families and, especially, the younger children who like face painting, hayrides, and farm fun. Last Sunday, the Sheridan Lake Bible Church teamed up with the Harris’ for more fabulous fun. There was the usual maze, hayrides, and games out at the Pumpkin Patch. There was a “Trunk or Treat” and a chili supper cook off in town at the church.

One of Dora Pearcey’s last request to her children before her death was that her children would stay in close contact, therefore they decided to have a “sibling reunion.” The three couples flew to Asheville, North Carolina, where they enjoyed touring the Biltmore Estate, fine dining, and took a lovely tour train ride through the Great Smoky Mountains. The couples were Jack and Angie (Pearcey) Barnes, Scott and Shelley (Watts) Pearcey, and Ken and Diana (Pearcey) Flory.

Pete West (Richard Alvin) always seemed to like to come back to his adopted town of Eads even after years after moving to the Colorado Springs area in 1969. His children, Vickie, David, Dana, and Jamie, gathered at the Eads Cemetery with many friends for his burial October 21. Afterwards, they had a good lunch served by the ladies of Praise Community Church. Gail Voss and Areta Laird arranged to bring two lovely mum bouquets up to Bob Miller and me, and the other 10 fall bouquets to Prairie Pines.

According to Raina Kleisen Lucero, the Alumni Committee was very pleased and thankful to many individuals who made this scholarship endeavor so successful. I would like to have repeated her colorful golfing adjectives in describing this day, but I could not do it justice. I know they were grateful for all the people and businesses who donated money, time, and food. 

The “Flying High Golf Tournament” organized by the Eads Alumni Association at the Eads Golf Club was a terrific success for 17 teams, the fans, and the planners. Eads High School junior golf team member Colin Nelson, dressed in that huge hot Eads Eagle costume, made the first powerful play at hole 1. Then the real fun of athletic skill and talent began in friendly bantering and competitiveness. Sean Lening and Jason Huddleston placed first, with Roger Eder and John Davis coming in a close second in the first flight. In the second flight, a happy father-daughter duo, John Philpy and Caitlin Philpy, claimed first place, with Cory Miller and Remington Brandt placing second. The championship round was won by Monte Crawford and Ryan Wyatt, with Mark Stevenson and Doug Tallman taking second, and Cody Cordova and Justin McCloud in third place. The Alumni Committee was grateful to all the hours that Marty Miller and Justin McLoud spent to arrange flights, score cards, and the day. They also appreciated the golfers - many who traveled a lot of miles to be here - and the donors. 

While looking through the many photos that Shawn Kraft at Kiowa Pharmacy printed off for me, I realized that the reason that the Kiowa County fair parade is so great is that many businesses and individuals participate. Some that you may not have seen or recognized are the GN Bank employees walking to hand out “super gifts,” the Hoffman 911 Shop, the ESTRA truck - probably driven by local technician Adam Watts - carrying those two pretty lady employees from Hugo, and the many horsemen and horsewomen from other counties. Cardon and Joyce Berry’s family members drove several of his beautiful cars from his auto collection as well as the pretty light blue ford carrying the Parade Marshall, Alice Glover, who is “Citizen of the Year.” Six Eads High School vehicles carried the homecoming royalty were special, as well as the Prairie Queen 4-H Club float.

Our sympathy goes out to the family of Sue Ramsay, formerly of Eads. Donna Owens of Eads was telling us at senior citizen coffee hour last week that she went to Sue’s funeral at the Lamar Christian Church. It sounds as if they loved and appreciated Sue as much as we did in Eads. I particularly remember how many months she planned ahead for Vacation Bible Schools for the children of Eads.

Thanks to Jimmy and Amanda Brown for bringing the “Down East Boys” concert to Eads for over 30 years. They sang in concert at the Praise Community Church in Eads Sunday evening, where people came from many towns and communities in eastern Colorado. Talara Coen took her mother, Vera Hammons, from the Weisbrod Hospital Extended Care Unit Friday night to their concert in Lamar. Vera was so thrilled to hear their harmony and humor at the gospel concert.

The clinic staff hosted a baby shower for Allison Hollis-Ramos last week. Her coworker, Christina Wolf, made and decorated elaborate pink cake pops and little white romper cookies in white with green trim and a pink flower.

This is a busy time of the year for Future Farmers of America chapters. In Eads, Justin Lenox, and in Kit Carson, Richard Gekler, are guiding their students in Creed Speaking contests, having chili suppers, officer training sessions, and planning for the National Convention in November. The Eads FFA has a good-sized favorite hog out at their farm named “Fred.” He is a “rescue” pig from Aurora - “city boy” brought to the plains.

Peace be with you.