Champion News

CHAMPION-September 29, 2025

          It was a red-letter day for our great Skyline R2 School on Wednesday when they boasted 100% attendance. Every single student from prekindergarten to the eighth grade were the beneficiaries of a staff dedicated to providing the education and encouragement they need to take over the running of the farms, businesses, banks, schools, hospitals, and government when their time comes. Talk around the cold old wood stove that day had to do with ‘kids today.’ The old song goes, “Why can’t they be like we were, perfect in every way? Kids! What’s the matter with kids today?” On Old Champion’s grandfather, born in the late 1880, dying in the early 1970’s, said that he was born before there were cars and he lived to see a man on the moon. Things are still changing just that fast. Old folks, as always, stay bewildered about the young in an era moving faster than they can comprehend. When we see some youngster who meets our expectations, let’s give him or her a big thumbs up, and for the others let’s give them encouragement and the benefit of the doubt. Skyline’s Fall Carnival on October 3rd will be a chance to support our precious little rural school whether we have kids there or not. Food at 5:00. Games and prizes start at 6:00.
            The musical story told at Tom’s house by twelve musicians among the thirty-six guests started with Bennett’s Reel with David Scrivner on lead fiddle. Then it was Hell Again the Barn Door when My Little Lady rode the Single Foot Horse to catch the Last Train Home, the Cincinnati Hornpipe, singing Star of Bethlehem. Such a beautiful evening at McClurg had Kaitlyn taking us on a stroll online out on the beautiful fall evening with the quarter moon shining down. We are grateful that Tom has kept the McClurg Jam alive and that Kaitlyn takes us all through this beautiful part of the world.
            Recent rains, as welcome and wonderful as they were, were not enough to mitigate our persistent drought. Fire danger persists. Hopefully that goat (Fred?), displaced by the catastrophic fires of last March, will be ready to assist our steadfast volunteers again when the need arises. Hopes are that the need will not arise, but the ample spring rains produced lush foliage that has been desiccated by summer’s heat, a recipe for combustibility. We aspire to be as fire aware as we are “Bear Aware” this time of the year. While we are at it, let us applaud and support those folks who leave their beds, their jobs, and their dinner tables to protect our lives and property.
            The little bit of rain and slightly cooler temperatures have some Old Champions out finally getting their turnips planted. They are also going through their heating systems, getting ready for cold weather, cleaning the flu and dusting the space heaters. The rapid passage of time has us moving from season to season before we know it.
           Calvin Chambers and his cowboy buddies took off on September 23rd, “on the road again,” they said. They are roaming around Brice Canyon Valley, Utah on their beautiful mounts, filling the internet with breathtaking scenes of the majestic mountains. Hopefully they will be back in time to saddle up for Bud Hutchison’s Memorial Trail Ride, headed up by Andrew Hardin, on October 8th. Riders who have been doing this for long time welcome new folks on the ride to hear the old stories and enjoy being part of new ones in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

CHAMPION—September 22, 2025
            Champion was the third spot in an epic music tour by the Schlichting couple, Steve and Sharon, from up around Osceola. They are farmers talking about how many bushels to the acre of corn they got this year and how much they enjoyed the Music at McClurg on Monday and at Roy’s Store in Dora on Tuesday. They sat out on the wide veranda and hummed along to “Wildwood Flower” and “An Old Spinning Wheel.” They have been camping on this adventure enjoying the beauty of this part of the country. Steve had a beautiful mandolin, electric, made by a skilled luthier from a chunk of walnut tree grown on his old home place. He expects that his talented granddaughter will inherit it and put it to good use. He and Sharon made their final stop Thursday evening in Vanzant, then on home to that granddaughter. Meanwhile there were lots of good stories about chicken plucking, hog scalding and coon hunting.
          On Friday the Skyline preschoolers and kindergarten students had the chance to explore the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department’s patrol car. Deputy Harley gave them a tour. Maybe he will come to the Skyline R2 Fall Carnival on October 3rd. The dinner will start at 5:00 and then the games and prizes will commence. The bounce house might be off limits for deputies.
Skyline seventh grader Myson Loveless shares his birthday on October 1st with a Prominent Champion who always gets a postcard in the mail that says, “Remember, if you act like you are having a good time, pretty soon you will forget you are acting, and you will really be having a good time.” Jana Barnes-Brixey is a Champion dairy farmer and teaches school up in Norwood she and high school senior Lydia Harden also celebrate on October 1st. That is also the day we remember Pete Mullins. He and Bonnie were regulars at the Denlow School Reunion in the old days. Ben Stewart, who lives on Fox Creek Road, will be 2 years old on October 2nd. Champion grandson William Tucker Clark was born October 2, 2015. Mahatma Gandhi was born October 2, 1869. He was a lawyer famous for leading the Indian Independence Movement. His nonviolent methods resulted in India gaining independence from British rule, though it was not easy. Unfortunately, our forefathers had to fight for our independence. Skyline sixth grader, Evan Homer, shares his birthday on the 3rd with Champion Gary Clark. The Upshaw twins were born on October 4th. We remember well and miss Fae Upshaw Krider and wish Kaye Upshaw Johnston a good and happy day in the company of her big loving family. Skyline’s head cook, Rhonda Nava will celebrate her birthday on October 5th. Happy birthday to all of you from your Champion friends, families and neighbors.
         Tom Peters said there were three generations of jig dancers at McClurg on Monday evening. The “Shepherd’s Wife Waltz” had some up waltzing and “Leather Britches” had some toes tapping. “The eighth of January” and “Seamus O’Brien” kept the evening lively. Up in Minneapolis, Willie Nelson and his boys, Billy Strings, Jessie Welles, and many others put on the 40th edition of Farm Aid. Music helps in many ways. The internet has been full of the Hootin and Hollerin Festival over in Gainesville including Bob Berry’s “People’s Choice Award” for Mary’s beautiful Studebaker Lark. The Starvy Creek bluegrass festival has been going on with all its great music. Next week the internet will be full of the Heart of the Ozarks Bluegrass Association shindig in West Plains. This is an exciting time of the year. ‘Er long Andrew Harden will be heading up Bud Hutchison’s Memorial Trail Ride in Champion—October 8th. Saddle up and join a long standing tradition.
           Some Old Champions woke up Friday morning with as much as half an inch of rain. They were delighted to be awakened in the wee hours of Sunday morning by thunder and lightning and a few more tenths in their rain gauges. By Monday morning the measurement was up to two and a half beautiful inches. Cool damp days ahead have them relaxed and optimistic. Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!