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!

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