About Town
By Doris Lessenden
“Always remember to forget the troubles that pass your way BUT never forget to remember the blessings that come each day.” Anon.
It was a happy week-end for many people who went to Hays, Kansas, to attend the wedding of Garrett Smith formerly of Eads to Jena Mathis formerly of Northern Nebraska. The young couple met at Fort Hays State University where their circle of friends and families celebrated with them. Garrett teaches Science classes at Cheyenne Wells, CO, and will be the head coach of the Tiger football team this fall. Jena has a job in the medical offices there. Garrett is the son of Glenn and Tracey Smith of Eads.
Trevor Randel who is a junior at EHS had quite an eventful summer during his world travels. In May, he flew with a Colorado group that included his classmate, Mariah Smith, of Eads to tour in England and France. In July, he flew to Australia and Hawaii where he wrestled in several different settings with the USA Ambassadors. Trevor has been an outstanding athlete in football, wrestling, baseball, and track at Eads High. No doubt his grandfather, Jim Randel, missed having his grandson help him on his ranch north of Wild Horse.
The first day of school in Eads was last Thursday the 11th. It has been neat to see photos of children on their first day of school. What a blessing for children to have caring and loving parents. We have good schools in Kiowa County who have fine teachers and support staffs. School open house will be Thursday evening, August 25th.
Kiowa County Employees had their annual summer picnic last Wednesday evening. I noticed that their children were excited about getting to swim.
It is less than a month until the Kiowa County Fair on September 7th to 11th. Brooklyn Jones, the daughter of Trent and Melissa Jones is the Rodeo Queen this year. She is a sophomore at EHS. Kiya Leonard is the Rodeo Princess. She is the 13 year old daughter of Yonda Leonard and Levi Leonard. Little Savanna Brown who is the first grade daughter of Josh and Therisa Brown is the Tiny Tot Princess of this trio. These young ladies looked lovely in the Prowers County Parade last Saturday. The try-outs for the 2017 Royalty will be Sunday, August 28th at 6:00 p.m. at the fair grounds.
A tip for saving some dollars is to buy your gate admissions bracelets from Krissy Ray in the Commissioner’s office after the 25th. This two-day gate admission also gives one a ticket to two rodeos and both the beef and pork barbeques on Friday and Saturday noon.
A new feature of the county fair is that there will be a Mini Bull and Mini Bronco competition on Saturday at 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. According to Fair Board member, Jay Stum, this event brings to Eads many families from around the country who travel great distances to bring their young children to compete on smaller bulls and broncos.
Last Monday most of the county 4-H members spent the day at the Community Building for the project Exhibit Day interviews and judging. In the evening the council hosted a fundraiser spaghetti supper and then there was a food auction. After the fashion show, the awards were announced. Reagan Johnson modeled a lovely sage green dress and matching jacket that she constructed which won her the right to model in the State Fair Fashion Show. Junior member, Alexa Nelson modeled a pretty lime green stripe dress and won Reserve Champion. Other members received awards and ribbons for projects such as baked foods. Entomology, rocketry, vet science, wood working and leather craft and other projects. This week, the winning projects have been taken to the Colorado State Fair for judging with the other 62 counties.
This last year I have seen many nurses from the Hospice Center in Lamar going in and out of the Prairie Pines Retirement Center and Weisbrod Hospital facility, and some homes. This is a marvelous heartwarming service to people of our county. I do encourage people to be willing to donate to their fundraisers or to just donate, because they help not only the patient who is not well but support the families so very much. Hospice does not necessarily mean “end of life” because they also have “comfort care”. This is most helpful to family members who are caretakers because they need a relief or time to get out of the house for shopping or appointments.
Lives were interrupted a bit the last few weeks when the stop lights on the highway in Eads and near the underpass. An Iowa Erosion company was and is working around the clock to repair places in the cement highway, (287). Sometimes there are incredible amounts of semi-trucks and other vehicles waiting in long lines. That is fine because those roads really need to be mended.
There is an exodus of former student athletes to college. Tyler Rouse is pitching for the Colby, Kansas team and Tanaia Hanson will be playing Volleyball again with the Lamar Community College. Eboni Nash will continue at Hastings College in Nebraska in their Track and Field events. Daniel “Boone” Weirich will be in his fourth year at Colorado State University-Fort Collins as a thrower in Track. 2016 EHS grads, Bryce Batterton will be in Texas on a rodeo scholarship and Reagan Lane received a wrestling scholarship since he graduated.
We give much thanks to the Adamson and Jensen families who gave the left over clothing to the Kit Carson Trinity Lutheran Church for our project to deliver goods to the Orphan Grain Train center in Julesburg, CO. From here the bags are taken to the Burlington church where people like Connie Bergman Harvey sort them by sizes into bags. This vision came about after Brooke Crawford a Kit Carson college student went on two mission trips to Haiti and saw so much poverty. The KC Vacation Bible School children donated money for shipping a large metal container; so we do appreciate all the bags of clothing and bedding that has been brought to the church. I appreciate Mike Arth’s help in carrying these bags in and out of my house and van and then the church.
There is so much need in the world. Actually, most anyone who reads these lines is
Probably living very affluent, comfortable lives compared to many people of the world and America. Orphan Grain Train does help people in our nation who suffer from natural disasters.
