“Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

Hello, Reader, I do hope you are practicing and using those words and lifestyle to encourage your family members, fellow workers, and citizens as this Bible verse suggests. Then we will have a happier world.

After living in and around Eads for most of my 80-some years, I so appreciate that our county has good people who are generally positive, thoughtful, and kind to have lived around and with. I do admit that times in the world have changed immensely since I was a youth. People were more caring in the earlier years of our lives, and we spent more times in each other’s homes or at the lakes having fun hours of visiting, sharing meals, and helping others around their homes and ranches - not reading our cell phone screens or watching television. Maybe that was before those communication devices were invented.

August 29, our Brenda Leon arranged for Terry Stillwell, formerly of Scott City, Kansas, to sing for an audience at Prairie Pines Assisted Living Community. He sang so wonderfully so many songs familiar to us from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, through the 90s and 2000s, to a few present-day country artists. We loved to hear these beautiful love songs, ballads, and sad songs too, that reminded us of our younger years. Sometimes his melodious voice and style reminded me of some trips to California night clubs. Those are such pleasant memories with Jenness and Ann Klieboeker and Suzanne Proctor in Nevada. The Weisbrod residents who rode over to Prairie Pines enjoyed the evening with such an accomplished singing artist, his attractive wife, the hospitality of the Pines, and hostess-activity director, Charlotte Gunning, our director, Brenda Leon, and assistant, Linda Hopkins.

Last week we were pleased to watch the photo shoot by Raina Lucero of our dietary employee, J. B. Brown, who was given an impressive gold medal by Josh Vanderpool of Sheridan Lake, who was at Weisbrod to thank the young man for saving a resident’s life by doing the Heimlich maneuver.

All this rain this summer has been a real blessing, except last weekend the rodeo arena southeast of Kit Carson was just too wet to have the traditional rodeo for youth and older participants. However, there was their wonderful barbeque and parade, followed by the popular duck race, and the Melodrama was fine. Our own Morena Lowe was in the Melodrama. She is the Theatre Director at the Crow-Luther Cultural Event Center in Eads, and works at Crow’s Stop and Shop. Their sports games went well, and the Trinity Lutheran Church group sold out their bake sale. By 7:00 p.m. there was another huge rain, but they were able to move their outdoor dance to the community building. Those people like to dance up there!   

By the time you may be reading this, the last county fair of the season will be in full swing in Eads. Plans are made to host a great fair in our little but great town, and the junior high and high school volleyball and football teams will be hosting Wiley. The junior high volleyball game starts at 3:00 p.m., and the night ends with the high school football game at 7:00 p.m.

It is a delight to visit with tall, blonde Reese Barnett, a freshman at Eads High School. This season, she has already played in tournaments that are usually about five hours long at CSU in Fort Collins, UNC in Greeley, and this week in Thornton/Denver.

I was sad to read of the death of Richard Ritchie, a graduate of Eads High School. I remember him as friendly, outstanding leader, and such a good athlete. Although he lived most of his adult life in Illinois as a successful businessman, we remember how he liked to return to Eads, especially at Kiowa County Fair time, to have a great time camping and visiting with his siblings, most of whom all returned for a reunion during the fair.

Jack Johnson’s family returned to Kit Carson last weekend to have a burial for their father and relative. We surely do miss him sitting in his usual pew at Trinity Lutheran, and his weekly column he had in the Kiowa County Press.

Ron Mannering of Lamar’s Family Grace Church Center was our guest Pastor at Weisbrod Home in Eads last Sunday. His message is always a blessing.

We often see hospice service nurses in our town who come to facilities and homes to give medical service and comfort to so many people and families. They come from the Lamar area.

Since school began, we like getting to know Kara Wilson of Sheridan Lake, who is a senior at Eads High School. She comes at least once a week to observe and assist around Weisbrod because she would like to have a career in the medical field. What a good way to help youth make final decisions about their future studies and educational training.

The Chamber of Commerce leaders have given plaques to the worthy persons who have been chosen to be our parade marshals. They are Chad and Beth Bell, the “Citizens of the Year,” and Ken Flory, the “Volunteer of the Year.” Beth is the CEO of Weisbrod Health, the long-term care unit, and clinic, and teams with the new addition of the Prairie Pines Assisted Living Community on the south side of Eads. She is also a volleyball coach for the Eads junior high team, and a mother of two young boys. Her husband, Chad, owns the Muscle Farm Gym on Maine Street, plus he buys, remodels, and rent homes, and has electrical skills.