“I have loved you with an everlasting love”. Jeremiah 31:3

Many hearts have been heavy around Kiowa County this week, especially after hearing of the deaths of Clint Bean of Lamar, an Eads High School graduate of 1990, and Judy Tuttle, Class of 1962 of Towner. Clint and Judy were my student-friends, so their deaths hurt even more. When Judy was a young girl, she lived north of Arlington on the Philpy place and, after college, she and her husband, Larry Tuttle, and two daughters, have lived at Towner, where she was a teacher at Plainview School for many years. Clint has left his wife and son and daughter to mourn. He is the son of the late Verle Bean and Judy Bean.

Dea and Samantha (Watts) Weeks’ son, Landyn, who is an elementary student in the Wiley School where his mother teaches, has been diagnosed with a type of leukemia. There will be fundraisers happening to help with the expenses for his parents while staying in Denver during his treatments. There will be a chili supper for Landyn October 10 at the Kiowa County Community Building in Eads.

On a happier note, our high school students were finally able to have a fun activity. They were all invited to the movie in the Plains Theatre last Thursday night. I am so glad for our teenagers because so much has been taken from them this year.

Since I have been yearning to go to football and volleyball games Thursday and Friday nights, I can just imagine how our teens and Eagle fans feel. However, the good news is that I have seen our Eads football guys practicing on the green field, and the girls are practicing inside. Senior Damian Barnes told me that they get to play football in early October. YAY!

Reese Barnett, who is a fourth grade student in Eads, has been winning many golfing tournaments for kids. This is so exciting to read about! One of these days we expect to be able to see her play on television!

The Eads High School golfers are playing well according to their coach, Justin McLoud. There are three seniors, Joe Haase, Brandon Lening, and Bradley Musgrave. Ross Brown, Brently Lening, and John Brown round out the team, and have been traveling lots of miles to meets each week.

About 40 years ago, the Eads Fellowship of Christian Athletes began having the first “See You at the Pole” gatherings after 7:00 a.m. on the third Wednesday of September to pray for their school, town, and nation. So, it was gratifying to see photos of so many students who met early before school last week to pray for their school, families, and country. Student Rhailie K. Rittgers delivered a powerful message to the youth who gathered at the high school flagpole.

Thanks to the County Extension Agent’s report about the Kiowa County Fair 4-H and FFA livestock sale, it was a really successful year. By the sale listings, the buyers were very generous with their money. According to the list of State Fair project winners, Kiowa County had even more 4-H members placing in the top ten winning projects in their division. Tearle Lessenden and Krystal Eikenberg, Colorado State University Extension staff, and the local club leaders and parents, are to be commended for these successes also.

There will be a senior citizen brunch Thursday, October 1, at 10:00 a.m. We are glad to know that we may be able to move into the new center before the holidays, we hope. Sharon Frazee told us that it would happen in our lifetime. Sadly, so many of the dear souls who worked hard to earn money for the restoration have died. We will have lots more space in the new place, so we do hope more people will feel welcome to bring a potluck dish or pay at the door to join our food and fellowship times.

One of the kindest volunteers we know around Eads is Gail Voss. Bless her heart. She spends hours at George and Dorothy Ellicott’s home helping them with their gardens and household needs. It is good that their grandson, Tyler Ellicott, has been here to help Gail and them with lifting and carrying the heavy stuff.

We had planned to go to the Global World Day of Prayer walk at the park in Lamar, but the Praise Community Church in Eads opened their doors at 7:00 a.m. so people could come at any time until 4:00 p.m. to pray for our nation and for repentance. The United States and world need to repent of their many sins if we ever hope to have peace and forgiveness.

Last week there was a lovely baby shower at Tina and Jerry Adamson’s home for Adrienne and Robert, who are expecting a child.

Men from Eads, Greeley, Kit Carson, Lamar, and other towns enjoyed a two-day golf tournament at the Eads golf course. It has been said that golfers enjoy coming from other towns to the Eads course, which is attractive and well maintained by Tom Richards, Gail Crawford and Larry Gifford among many others. As I remember, the club house was once the school building at Galatia. In the 1960s, I remember team teaching in that building with Richard Decker. It was first placed about where the FFA building is now. We called it “The Alamo.”

Shirley (Mays) White shared this quote: “The problem is Sin not Skin. The answer is Grace, not Race. Jesus died for all. Our Nation needs Jesus.”