"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." I Thessalonians 5:11

What a good scripture above to remind us that all of us often need encouragement.

Gail Voss, the Eads Senior Citizen Center Director, was pleased that there were more diners for the monthly lunch than usual. Most of the Weisbard Health residents came, and their wheelchair pushers stayed to enjoy the ham meal. Seniors seemed to enjoy the new recipes of sweet potato casserole and white potato casserole, plus salads, pies, cakes, and other good dishes. Sylvia Weeks chaired the meeting and shared the activities of the use of the center by other groups who rent the spaces. Joyce Berry, the Treasurer, shared about our fund’s donations to Prairie Pines. This is a very important home for our elder friends, and we are concerned that it can financially survive so our loved ones can continue to live there.

We have been hopeful since the COVID days that we could revive the attendance of community “coffee hour” at Weisbrod on Thursdays. We were so pleased that, when our leader, Brenda Leon, changed the hour to 2:30 p.m., a lot of ladies came! Now we will do this every third Thursday.

Marla Gwen Darnell and Sara Ivicic opened a new store in Kit Carson on 103 East Highway 287 which is near the filling station on their comer of Main Street. It is in the attractive new white and black building with a station for charging electric vehicles. These ladies and Marla’s son, Logan, open at 5:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily except Sunday. They will have a “grab and go” breakfast menu and lunch foods until 2:00 p.m. with the beverage machines on hourly. One can look at the photos on Facebook to see the new “Buc–up Boutique.” It will be a nice place to shop for gifts, candles, cow hide and leather handbags, and Sara’s handmade towels, blankets, and other items. They also have a wonderful display of handmade jewelry by local artist, Patsy States.

Randy and Rhonda Bolander returned from a visit to their daughter’s family in New Zealand. Years ago, their daughter fell in love and married one of those tall handsome young men we often have seen who come to southeastern Colorado on aarvest crews from Australia or New Zealand. Randy says it is a 36-hour flight from New York to New Zealand but it is worth it to get to see their daughter and husband and grandchildren, a teenage boy and girl. We admire the Bohlander’s so much because they come to visit Quintella McLean every morning before noon. What good friends!

The teenagers and their families are getting excited about the proms in their towns. Eads juniors and families are decorating this week for the prom dance in the senior center and the “After Prom Party” at the school Multi-purpose room. People can watch and see the couples in the grand march at the Plains Theatre across the street - if you can find seating. After the couples are presented on stage, they walk across the stage for photos, and then presentation. Then they go back to continue the prom. The prom royalty are usually presented at this time also.

Lamar Community College has a large group of young men and women who are studying for the Certified Nursing Assistant degree. Their class is larger than usual. This class has been here a few days learning how to care for us. We observe that the men and women who have gone through CNA training are usually better prepared to be a registered nurse in regard to their nursing skills.

Gail Voss led the church service at Weisbrod last Sunday. What a blessing it is to have people such as Gail to give of their time to share with others about God’s word and music.

Another lady who gives extra time to enlarge other people’s lives is Charlene Gifford. Last week Brenda Leon took Betty Crow and Lucy Barnett to the Elementary School cafeteria for lunch with their “third grade adopted children.” These ladies were as impressed as some of us were who had visited before to see their good behavior, food, and how gracious that the children were.

We celebrate a lot of good things and times in Eads, and most towns do so also. Sunday was Phyllis Nelson’s birthday party. This is such a happy time for residents when their families come to visit. About 50 folks sang to her from the courtyard and veranda, including her daughter, Kendra and husband, who traveled from Kentucky to be with Phyllis.

This spring, fans, parents, and grandparents are enjoying the first of the school baseball games. Another first is that now we have Junior High School baseball for the first time in history. Last Thursday, our friend, Lucy Barnett, was able to watch her grandson’s first game from her daughter’s car.

School buses and vans are widely used across the state these past weeks of school as students and their fans compete in sports, music, theater events and sight-seeing trips.

We who live in rural Colorado are experiencing relatively safe and good lives. When we take time to watch the world news, there are alarming reports of wars, weather problems, and tragedies. We need to take time to pray for world peace and wise choices.

Again, let us pray for rain.