Dear old friends and kind good neighbors joined the family members who had come on long journeys from the four directions. They came to Veracruz on the first of July to honor the Old Champion on his birthday. He liked a good party. The crowd gathered under the big shade trees, getting acquainted with each other and telling their stories about an Old Guy who taught them a variety of valuable things over the many years. They splashed in the cold creek and feasted on an amazing spread of picnic food. They talked and laughed sharing their memories and they knew for certain that he would have approved of being remembered in such a loving way on what would have been his 87th birthday.

The General tells us there will be no Vanzant Jam on July 9th, because the 60th annual Vanzant Community Picnic will start on Friday, July 10th. It will go on from 6:00 to 10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday with fireworks at 9:30 on Saturday night. There will be games for all ages, lots of great food and music, music, music. The Eastern Douglas County Volunteer Fire Department sponsors this annual event that draws all our little communities together. See you there.

A regular visitor to Champion over the years, Sophia Zappler of Austin, Texas will celebrate her birthday on July 13th. The 15th is the big day for Champion Blaine Denlow Woods (BD), a barrel racing cowgirl, a t-ball player and a good singer. She will be in the first grade at Skyline this year. Sarah Harden enjoyed her birthday on July 1st and her husband, Andrew the trail blazer, will have his on the 17th. The 18th is for Champion daughter Janet Hazzard over in Georgia and for Skyline third grader Eli Johnstone. Nathaniel Kolterman-Young, a fifth grader, celebrates on the 21st, and Doug Larabee, a Veteran who serves in the American Legion Honor Guard, will celebrate on the 22nd. One fellow said he enjoys his un-birthdays more because there are so many more of them. Another fellow said that courage is knowing it might hurt and doing it anyway. The same is true he says for stupidity and that is why life is so hard. “Life gets tedious, don’t it?” Maybe so, but we stay grateful and optimistic in Champion—Looking on the Bright Side!

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