“Start children off in the way they should go … and when they are old they will not return from it.” Proverbs 22: 6

When we watch the news casts, very often one or more ladies ask, “Why do those kids do that!” Then the scripture above comes quickly to my mind. A loving firm parenting style is important!

With all the happy and entertaining happenings going on around southeast Colorado, probably the highlight of every community, was or is the children’s program at school or church. In Eads, it was the elementary musical concert at the high school gym. We were greeted by new principal, Trey Eder, who relayed the house rules and asked the parents to meet their child as he or she were released by the teachers from the stage. The teacher-instructor was Monica Uhland, who is absolutely marvelous! Those five grades sang and swayed with precision as they performed their songs. All their hand and arm movements were perfect as they sang to recorded music. The last solo was by a snowman. Many of us were marveling to hear the wonderful singer inside the snowman costume. During the finale, we saw the outstanding singer with such perfect hand and arm movements was fifth grade student Jett Dienes. For four days, I talked about and thought about how blessed our school is to have wonderful a teacher-musician like Monica Uhland to instruct our children. They looked so lovely and handsome in their dress clothes of bright colors and fashion. December 15, the third through fifth grader students sang their concert songs to us at the nursing home. We were thrilled, and so was the staff who could hear or come to take a peek at these singers.

Last weekend was the “Border Wars,” which means four Colorado schools competing in a basketball tournament with western Kansas schools. The Eads girls team won every game and were the champions. The Cheyenne Wells boys were also 3-0. The Eads boys teams had a challenging time.

The Eads-Wiley wrestling team competed in a two-day tournament in Limon December 12-13. Shane Winder of Eads won second place overall in his weight class. Jaden Self and Ben Torezz of Wiley lost in their consolation rounds according to coach Reagan Lane.

There was a large gathering at the Eads Senior Citizens Center for lunch December 17 where ham was served with scalloped potatoes and sides of green bean casserole, roasted carrots, salads, deviled eggs, an array of lots of pies and holiday cakes with warm and cool beverages. The officers warmly presented a money gift to our director, Gail Voss. We do so appreciate all the work and organization that Gail does for us. We decided to have brunch January 1, and maybe stay after brunch to play cards, games, or visit. President Sylvia Weeks introduced poet author Bill Three Feathers Bunting. He and his wife, Cheryl, came for lunch, then Bill recited many of his poems to us. I bought one of his books of poetry. Bunting’s other talent is that he creates these very large, welded works of art. Many of these are welded very tall structures of human’s, crosses, or designs. I like his pencil drawings in the book. It is a treasure that I can share with many others.

Our senior center has been used even more this year for parties by many businesses and clubs and families. Often, I do wish we could the tell people who worked so hard over the past 20 years all the ways we have improved and use what they worked for us and other people to enjoy and use. 

We are so sorry to hear of the death of a former student Eric Zimmerman.          

Bob Coats was a friendly man, a former farmer from Wiley who became a trucker for many years after an unfortunate farm accident. We met him when his wife, Trudy, was a resident in Weisbrod also. Bob’s funeral was last Saturday.

Another tall rather quiet man that we have enjoyed was Ellis Wilson of the Hartman community east of Lamar, who was also a resident here. Julie (Oswald) Kelley always went to visit him when she came to see her mother-in-law, LaVerle Kelley. Her own father, David, was Ellis’ college friend at Lamar Community College, where they worked in the college kitchen together.

My friend Robin just called me to tell me that the newspaper reported our friend, Tim Hier, died. He and his late wife refurbished Lois and Roy Sibcy’s home on Maine Street in Eads. They moved to Eads from Denver.

Thursday through Saturday of this week you, may be sure that many people from small towns on the southeast Plains will be traveling to the Lamar Community Building Gym, or listening to radios or television, for accounts of the many games at the holiday basketball tournament. The directors and organizers of this huge traditional tournament are Dr. Sean Oquist and Chad DeBono. Oquist says they really do enjoy this work and service for the schools.

I wish you all a blessed Christmas holiday ahead. Let us be aware of the welfare of our children of all ages. Think positive thoughts as you live through Christmas week.