“Greater love has no one but this: to lay to down one’s life for one’s friends.” John 15: 13

The highlights around the Eads school last week were the huge Regional Knowledge Bowl, with many schools from the large plains division, and the basketball games with Cheyenne Wells and Wiley. It was such a delight for me to get to go to the Eads High School basketball games Friday night with Cheyenne Wells playing on the Eads home court. The new gym floor is beautiful to see. The Eads Eagles won both games, which were really exciting. The Tiger boys were ranked number one in the State, so when Eads boys won, it was a surprise to many, but so exciting to watch! Soon after the boys’ game, Porter Spady of Eads was presented with a big bold sign acclaiming his making 1,000 points in his career! Congratulations, Porter!

Immediately after the girls’ game ended, Betsy (Legg) Barnett gave a summary about the 1984 State Champion Basketball team and the nine championships that have occurred since then. At that time Shelly (Watts) Peacey, Trudy Howard, Kristen (Kelley) Schwartz, Shannon (Lessenden) Dixon, Heather (Mosher) Awtrey, and Denny Joe Haught (Terri Wall Haught’s son from Nevada) came to represent his mother, who is deceased, and Cindy (Engelhart) Pitman, Manager came to the gym floor. Other team members who could not attend and were recognized were Kristy (Hines) Huppert, Dana (Legg) Sorton, Shelly (Hines) Rogers, Diana (Mitchell) Sniff, Kristi (Griswould) Hirsch, Lori Jones, Coach Howard Mestas, Landa Eikner, manager, who died in 1987, and head coach Gail Crawford.

The Lady Eagles, in their white uniforms, presented a bag of gifts to each team member from 40 years ago. I understand there was an Eagle t-shirt, and a key chain designed and made by Debi Derby. It was made from wood from the former gym floor, with the name and number of the team member, and also included a team photo. Now that is a treasure! Another point that was special to the fans was the admission fee was free, thanks to very generous donors. Those donors who paid for 338 or more people were Hometown Gas and Grill, Crow’s Stop and Shop, Kiowa Independent, Eads Consumer Supply, Golden Plains Insurance, CWC Railroad, Kiowa Drug, Teddy B’s, NAPA, GNBank, and Saffer Spray Service.

According to my friend, Robin Musgrave, who went to the wrestling regionals at La Junta with Dorie and Tim, the following wrestlers from Eads High School won their matches to go to the Colorado State Wrestling meet in Denver: senior, Keenan Smith, and junior, Spencer Uhland. Aaron Musgrave, who is a student now at McClave and wrestles on the County Line Rivals team, won a berth at State. Other team members earning a place to wrestle at state finals are Will Pacino and Chason Turner. Dixie Bitner will wrestle in the girls division. Best wishes and cheers for these wrestlers at state this weekend,

The Sunday church hour at Weisbrod Hospital and Prairie Pines Assisted Living Community was much more special because Pam Crow and Sharon Woodward came to share with us representing the Baptist Church. Sharon played the piano while we sang hymns on the “love” theme. They shared scriptures and visual examples of sharing love.

Friends of Floyd Griswould are extending their sympathy to Floyd’s wife, Phyllis, and families following his death. Floyd was buried Wednesday afternoon at the hilltop cemetery near Arlington where many of his relatives are buried. His memorial gathering will be in Haswell June 16, the day after his nephew, Hayes Griswould’s, memorial in Colorado Springs.

Jaton Wallace and Linda Hopkins planned such nice Valentine and Super Bowl parties for residents last week, with festive decorations, games, and foods. I want to thank all the adults and children who took the time to make or send the senior residents pretty Valentines. We like them very much, and it was such fun to open our sacks of many Valentines. We recalled our grade school days, when Valentines were exchanged.

Connie Weber of Sheridan Lake is a frequent visitor at Weisbrod to visit her uncle, Mike Gorman, and at Prairie Pines Assisted Living Community to see Mary Marble. She recently had a wonderful trip to Thailand, Taiwan, and other interesting countries.

Eads senior citizens, your noon meal is February 21, and the Haswell senior’s meal is that evening at 5:30 p.m. These groups are blessed to have Gail Voss in Eads and in Haswell Pam Lessenden to prepare main dishes, organize events, and make contacts for their groups. If you are in the senior age group, I do encourage you to go to one of their meetings, meals, or game times. It can enlarge your life. One can have an enjoyable time visiting ,and sometimes learn or gain new experiences and health services.

Basketball district games will begin soon in Lamar. Thank you to the Eads cheerleaders, Breanna Scranton-Wilson, Catherine Trosper and Hailie Trosper.

Pam Lessenden and Glenda Stoker do thank the families who donated foods, the ladies who helped in the kitchen, and the men who moved furniture to accommodate the large group who attended Diane Davis’ funeral at the Haswell community building last week.

Wednesday evening in Kit Carson, Ash Wednesday services were held at the Catholic and Lutheran Churches, as they will be for the next six weeks until Resurrection Sunday (Easter) March 31.

Shalom, friends.