Champion News

         A few quiet days between the holidays allow for reflecting, planning and bird watching. The feeder provides enough entertainment to make those chores around the kitchen sink more pleasant. Occasionally a sudden mass flurry into the brush points to the presence of a hawk. The natural world outside our kitchen windows–a good place to look for harmony. Old hippies are still looking for ‘peace, love, and understanding,’ and for better days ahead for everyone. January is almost here. By the time this is in ink many will have had their black-eyed-peas and cornbread. Why black-eyed-peas? An old farmer said it is in hopes that we might eat this well through the year.
        January birthdays start with Champion Arne Coon and Teeter Creek’s Jan Liebert on New Year’s Day. Kabela Clark was born on 01-02-2012. The 3rd is for Jacob Coon and for Greta Thunberg who said, “No one is too small to make a difference.” Sami McCleary and Lee Ray celebrate on the 4th. Skyline first grader Amelia Johnson will party on January 5th and the 6th is for Felix the Farmer, born in 2018. Thank you all for giving us more reasons to celebrate in January.
         The KC Chiefs did not disappoint on Christmas Day. We can approach the New Year with hope and optimism, not just for the Super Bowl, but for the world in general. Boxing Day found the internet full of family photos celebrating another beautiful Christmas. Sweet smiles came with the satisfaction that the special gifts carefully chosen were well received. A few days of leftovers gave cooks a little break while they assessed the success of this year’s roast beast with all its accompaniments. Some are just giving their scales a sidelong glance, promising to step upon them again sometime late in January.
        Ending the old year, looking back through the archives here in The Champion News, we learn that old people have a wonderful advantage in life. We can close our eyes and wait a few moments, taking a few deep breaths, and open them again on a whole new perspective. The ability to see life happening through the eyes of others is a gift. It comes with experience and is called empathy. Champion grandchildren have experienced the fading of a dear grandparent, maybe some of their first experiences into sadness. Fathers are themselves re-blossoming as they watch sons bloom. Suffering siblings are endeavoring to persevere. Distant young family members are growing, thriving, striving and succeeding in their exciting eclectic lives. They keep connected and seem to revere the old folks, looking for family history, keeping memories alive. It is joyful to know they are pursuing the good lives the old folks hoped for them. A gentleman friend from the Yukon Territory, Canada says, “Sadness may knock at your heart’s door many times a day, like an uninvited guest seeking entry to your most tender space. But don’t let it make you mis joy’s gentle knock–those precious moments come less often, and you must embrace them when they arrive.” He lives 2,600 miles away but sounds like a real Champion–Looking on the Bright Side!

          Early in the morning on December 21st, about 3:00 a.m. our time, at the prehistoric stone circle known as Stonehenge, hundreds of people gathered to sing and dance in celebration of the winter solstice. Rejoice! Our days are getting a little longer day by day. At noontime here, Champions gathered for a potluck dinner at the Historic Emporium to celebrate the solstice and the joy of community and renewing old acquaintances. Fifty plus people feasted and visited, met old friends and made new ones. Almartha’s first gentleman spun yarns about his two two-year-old pups and bragged about besting his lovely sister in their yearlong weekly scrabble game. A rousing ‘happy birthday’ song for Butch Stone rocked the joint. He was there with Dawn and their daughter and grandson visiting from Colorado. Butch had quite a hand in building The Champion Store. It must be said that is is much more than a building. And the continual hard work that goes into keeping this vital center of the community going does not go unappreciated.
          By the time this is in ink we will know who was naughty and who was nice. The tissue paper, gift bags and boxes that littered the floor have probably been delt with. The joy of Christmas with its religious significance and sweet family time marks the high point of the year. Some mandate that Christmas decorations be packed away by New Year’s Eve. Others leave a few ornaments up all year to keep them reminded of the beauty of the season and precious memories going all the way back to childhood. If you have had the opportunity to attend a school Christmas program, you cannot have left without a sense of optimism and delight. To hear those little ones belting out their songs and reciting their parts in the play, you see bright young people learning how to cooperate and to be part of something bigger than themselves. They are the farmers, teachers, doctors, bankers, musicians, artists, mechanics, and community leaders who will be running things in just a little while. We applaud their sterling efforts and count ourselves lucky to see them in action.
          An unprecedented amount of seasonal silliness had the Vanzant Jam jamming Thursday. Fourteen players filled the circle. They and the onlookers were all decked out with headdresses of Christmas trees, antlers, and Santa hats. David Richardson’s “Where’s the line to see Jesus” was a favorite and just one of the many Christmas songs around the circle. A rousing “Happy Birthday, dear Mary” celebrated Mary Goolsby. The evening ended with some raucous bluegrass and good cheer. Thursday, after Christmas on Wednesday, is Boxing Day and Vanzant will have its Jam! Perhaps someone will instigate that song for The General himself who celebrates his birthday on December 31st. He was recently online recanting a statement he had made concerning the Winter Solstice of 2019. He said, “Fact checkers prove it to have been parsley wrong.” His previous piece allowed that “The winter solstice causes the north star to be so high in the sky you have to look south to see it. And the ‘Big Dipper’ appears to be only half full.” He said the alert from the Vansant Metro Meterollogical Observatory would expire during the New Year’s Eve party. He has indicated that he will not make it to Champion on New Year’s Day, though the store will be open for business. He may be recovering from the whole world celebrating his birthday with fireworks and firewater.
          We can take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism. Groucho Marks said, “I’m not crazy about reality, but it’s still the only place to get a decent meal.” Someone else said, “Time is free, but it is priceless. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can’t save it, but you can spend it. Once you have lost it, you can’t ever get it back.” You will be making good use of it if you wander down to the end of the pavement to the wide, wild, wooly banks of Old Fox Creek where country roads meet, and the watchwords are Love and Gratitude–Champion! Looking on the Bright Side!

               The full Cold Moon showed up on Saturday night, a day early, to illuminate a heavy, dense fog, turning Champion into something like a pre-dawn luminous pearl. Every season has its beauty and winter’s appears in contrast among the tall bronze waiving grasses, the pale greens of foraged fields, and the evergreens. We are living in a beautiful part of the world even with all the shades of gray and brown.
Dusty Simon is a kindergarten student at Skyline. His birthday is December 18th. On the 19th, Skyline will have its Christmas program, this year jingle all the way to Frosty Fun. Everyone is welcome. It starts at 6:00. Chances are very good that Cheyenne McIntosh’s guitar students will be performing. Last week at school a stray sheep fount its way onto the school grounds. Your investigative reporter learned the sheep belonged to Donna Clark, who was alerted and retrieved her animal before the day was over. The episode provided some excitement for the student body as well as for the staff.
               Mary Goolsby loves Studebakers and music and shares her birthday on December 20th with Possum Trot fiddler Herbie Johnston. Chances are pretty good that the Vanzant Jam will be rocking “happy birthday, dear Mary!” Paige Jonas is a seventh grader celebrating on the 21st. That is also the day we remember another favorite fiddler, Jerry Wagner, who sang, “Just Bumming Around.” Braxton Loveless, in prekindergarten has the 22nd for his big day and fifth grader, Chase Cauthron, shares his birthday with his Dad on the 23rd. Longbow master, fletcher and flint Knapper, Butch Stone, also celebrates on the 23rd, as does Blaine Denlow’s great grandmother, Sharon Sikes. Blaine’s other great grandmother, Ilene Woods, ran 8.3 miles on her 83rd birthday back on the 12th, which was also the big day for The General’s fair daughter, Loretta.
              Christmas Day is the big day for Grannie Grunt, Joanne Anderson enjoys her birthday then. Champion grandson, Eli Ogelsby, has the 30th of December for his birthday and the year ends with a celebration for young Arvin Schroder, a Champion, and for The General himself. Happy birthday and Happy New Year. God bless us every one!
Suzie Freeman draws and paints her own Christmas cards every year. This year it says, “Wishing you all the timeless treasure of Christmas and warmth of home, the love of family and the company of good people! Season’s Greetings to Missouri!” She signs it, “The Freemans Wesley and Karen in Texas.”
               The shortest day of the year will be Saturday, December 21st. Thereafter, the days will be getting a little longer one day at a time. Saturday will also be a fine day for a noontime potluck dinner where everyone is welcome. Maybe Jody Henson will be there. She writes that she and Royce would have just celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary and says how much she misses him. There are many with deep ties to Champion. Hopes are they will join some of the new folks to the neighborhood and longtime locals for the joy of celebrating Christmas with old friends and new ones in a place that is more than special for all of us–Champion! Looking on the Bright Side!

The investigative reporter for The Champion News did not follow up on the report of a surprise visitor to the Skyline R2 School on Thursday. Forty-six people responded to the on-line post of a photo of a sheep on the playground at one of Douglas County’s two remaining rural schools. Did it follow Mary to school? Why this day? An update appeared saying, “Sheep has been picked up by owner.” Those forty-six were hoping for more information. Tune in next week for answers. Meanwhile, tune in on December 19th, for the Frosty Fun Christmas Concert at Skyline. Jingle all the way, starting at 6:00 pm. “See you there!” Christmas makes children of all of us. We cannot help it.

Champions home at last from distant travels are optimistic that the internet they experienced in hotels, airplanes, and in various cities across states and oceans will one day be available out on hillsides and in deep valleys right in the heart of Booger County. White River Connect will connect us. And in a trice we will be able to learn things like this: Voltaire said, “Common sense is not so common.” Arthur Ashe said, “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Alex Ellie said, “Work harder than you think you did yesterday.” Newt Gingrich said, “Perseverance is the hard work you do after you get tired of doing the hard work you already did.” Ann Landers said, “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognize them.” Robert Heinlein said, “Progress isn’t made by early risers. It’s made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something.” George Carlin said, “May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.” Dr. John said, “Ya never too hot, never too cold, never too young, never too old, never too skinny, never too fat, never too dis, never too dat, ya just where ya are and dat’s where it’s at.” We can also learn that plateaus are the highest form of flattery and all kinds of interesting things.

Sometimes people with birthdays in December are expected to use their birthday money to buy Christmas presents for other people. That may not be the case for Skyline fourth graders Levi Hall and Westin Nava who both celebrate on December 10th. Felix’s Aunt Kai Parsons has her birthday on the 11th. The 12th is for Blaine Denlow’s great grandmother, Ilene Woods. She shares the day with The General’s fair daughter, Loretta Upshaw. Kennedy Hinote is in the seventh grade with a birthday on December 13th. The 14th is for famed photographer, Shannon Alexander, and for the famous musician and band leader, Spike Jones, who was born in 1911. He made music with slide whistles, and cow bells, and he could gargle a good tune. However you go about singing that “Happy Birthday” song, sing it with gusto to show your dear ones and friends how much they are appreciated.

Christmas songs were being practiced at the Vanzant Jam back before Thanksgiving. That holly jolly weekly event happens on Thursdays with a potluck supper at 6:00 and music starting at 7:00. Everyone is welcome. The music circle varies in size but is always full of good cheer and the good music that is some of the good medicine that helps us be optimistic Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

Early last week the roads were full of expectant people hurrying off to the embrace of family and the annual ritual of feasting together with love and gratitude. Later the roads were full of happy, satisfied people longing for their homes and hearths and full of precious memories and the idea of adhering to a sensible diet until Christmas. The long road trip home gives them time to reflect on the growth of the young ones and the decline of the old ones. Counting the number of Cowboy Churches and the number of Dollar General stores adds fun to the journey. Out on the blue roads and the interstate highways the industry of America is very evident. We are an industrious, hardworking people.

Somehow it got to be December. We know it comes around every year, but we did not expect it to arrive so quicky. Miss Luxe Krider, a Champion granddaughter, celebrates her birthday on the 2nd. Lorelai Day has the 3rd for her big day. On the 4th we remember Lonnie Krider, a real Champion. The 5th has Skyline first grader Levi Crownover and eighth grader Michael Hall celebrating along with Bobette Spivey and Dawn Henson. The 6th is for Zack Godshall down in Lafayette, Louisiana, and for Missey Rogers in Eastern Douglas County. Ethel Leach has the 7th for her big day. She shares the day with Noam Chomsky who was born in 1928. Ethel is much younger. We remember Chris Tharp on the 9th. He passed away recently and is much missed by his many friends. The 9th is for Elizabeth Raelyn Johnson, a Skyline prekindergarten student. It is also the special day for Richard Johnston, a Champion born in 1955. Kris Schewe just had a birthday. Your Champion friends wish you all happy birthdays with the love and support of your family and friends, cake and ice-cream.

One Old Champion rushing into Mountain Grove to get last minute chores done in a hurry before her Thanksgiving Odessey, found a light flashing on the dashboard indicating an issue with the inflation of her tires. It was a new light she had never seen which alarmed her and had her ‘stepping on it’ in a panic for the last ten miles. Austin at the Super Lube happened to be wrestling with the long air hose as she pulled in and, in a jiffy, had her reassured and ready to go. He said the colder temperatures had lots of those lights flashing. Among the many things we have to be grateful for, competent, kind, helpful people are some of the bests. Champions—Looking on the Bright Side!

Gratitude has been the theme of this week. Last week our Skyline R2 School students were grateful to the Ava Masonic Lodge for having given new shoes to every student. That was a generous gift from a generous outfit that made all the students and staff smile and say, “Thank you!”

Saturday found Champions with a long list of things for which to be grateful. The Historic Emporium was packed to overflowing with good neighbors, friends and family all gathering for a bounteous pot-luck feast and opportunity to visit and catch up with some who are seldom seen. The official head count was fifty-six, but there may well have been more. The whole thing may have been cooked up by a retired mail carrier and a surgical nurse—the first annual Champion Friendsgiving Day. Thank you. Kaitlyn McConnell and Mike O’Brian made it all the way from Springfield for the occasion, Kaitlyn with her trusty pie basket to add to the feast. Her Champion friends will look forward to the pie recipe book she is compiling from old cookbooks published by area fire departments, churches and neighborhoods.

By the time this is in ink and out into our rural mailboxes, leftovers will be the fare on many tables. A favorite keepsake from one Old Champion’s Mother is a wooden plaque hanging in her kitchen. It says, “Thank God for dirty dishes. They have a tale to tell. While others may go hungry, we’re eating very well. With home and health and happiness, I wouldn’t want to fuss. By this stack of evidence, God’s been very good to us.” While we rejoice in our good fortune, we are mindful of the suffering of many in our own country and all around the world.

These days we hear it said that closeness has not all that much to do with geography. Still, many are on the road and in the air looking for the warm embrace of family. We wish everyone safe travels there and back home. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

Champions are making good progress in recovering from last week’s inundation. Neighbors have helped with projects on the square. The church is being cleaned. Song books are drying out. People have been working hard to get things working again. Steel fences down by Fox Creek are twisted and down and matted with debris. The great power of water is evident in many places in Booger County. Road crews have worked overtime to get us back on the road and their efforts are much appreciated. There is still plenty to do. Champions are resilient.

Unseasonably glorious weather had old gardeners out working to get ready for next year’s growing season. Tenacious vines, both tomato and morning glory, wrapped tight around the woven wire tomato cages, came loose with significant effort. Perhaps some creative person with time on her hands could become a basket maker. There are plenty grasses, vines and roots, willows and oak splits to work with, but time is the scarce commodity. Birthdays slipped by us. Skyline School third graders Elaina Homer and Aiden Strong have their birthdays on November 5th. Sixth grader Owley Sudderth celebrated on the 12th and the 13th was for kindergarten student Aceton Fox. Eighth grader Isabella Jeffrey partied on the 14th. The 27th will be the day for 5th grader Aubrey Lewis to party and the 29th will be the big day for Christopher Boyd who in the 3rd grade.

On November 11th, a dozen veterans attended the Skyline Veterans’ Day celebration that included the Pledge of Allegiance, and a parade of the Military Branch flags and anthems. Mr. Joe Henry Harley shared his experience of going on the Honor Flight and about his time in the Air Force. Ms. McKay said, “The Presentation of Poppies Ceremony was accomplished by David Ball’s ‘Riding with Private Malone.’ This is always a very touching part of the program.” She reported that Mr. Terry Prock, former teacher and coach at Skyline, attended and represented the VFW. Mr. Prock presented the Patriot Pen Awards to Skyline students: Grace Rystad, 8th grade, took 1st; Jersey Hall, 8th grade, took 2nd; and Morgan Johnson, 7th grade, took 3rd. Our Skyline students salute our Veterans as part of the education that will make them good citizens.

The Vanzant Jam enjoyed a good house full of visitors on Thursday, some who have not been there for a while. One such person, all the way from Las Vegas, had the opportunity to learn about reincarnation from her distant cousin who has, over the years, explained the complicated notion to a number of friends and family members. It is generally met with the good humor that goes along with the music that everyone agrees is good for us. Rudy Valley sang, “Keep a little song handy wherever you go, and nothing can ever go wrong.”

Sports fans understand that there is no glory in defeating a weak opponent. The Chiefs were not weak and are still on top in the rankings, but Buffalo came out on top on Sunday. Alas! Meanwhile, the woods are full of hunters and the deer harvest is on. It all started so beautifully then Monday came with gray skies, stiff winds, intermittent drizzle and rain. The General reported in a newsbreak, “From the Vanzant Big Q Channel 88 Eyewitless News Room: Gusty wind today toppled the three foot weather balloon launching tower. On a lighter note, winter is just around the corner.” The report was dated November 18, 2017. He said, “Dey jay view!” Better days are ahead. Youth hunters enjoyed much success last week and hopes are the firearm season will be productive and safe for all those out there in the woods stalking deer. Safety is the watch word for good memories around the deer camp, and good food around the table in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!