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CHAMPION—July 12, 2010

          Champion is poised for change.  It is an attribute that distinguishes the character of the place.  Poised.  Stable and steady, yet ready.   An evenly balanced place, carrying itself in equilibrium, supported by the fulsomeness of the past, near and distant, bears the wonderful weight (wait) of tradition and history.  Residents had become accustomed to the unadorned foundation of the Replica of the Historic Emporium as it baked in the sun of haying season with the promise of the finished edifice hanging heavy in the air.  A great mound of pea gravel covered the piping inside the foundation and it baked in the summer sun a while.  Then, as if suddenly, a stem wall appeared and evened out the foundation that now had a sill beam of pressure treated two-by material fastened to the jay bolts.  Now a forest’s worth of two by twelves are lined up on narrow centers—hundreds of feet of perfectly parallel floor joists are lined up just waiting for all that sub-floor stacked up under the big tarp. Things will move quickly now—except for rain delays and the like.  Poised and patient—Champion!

          Ladies of the Skyline Auxiliary, meeting in the Loafing Shed, were entertained at their last meeting by a pair of young deer who wandered out of the dense woods on the Fox Creek side of town.  The sleek young animals strolled about at the crossroads with impunity to the delight of the onlookers. However, the ladies soon got down to business with the serious planning for the Skyline VFD picnic.   A workday at the picnic grounds has been scheduled for Tuesday, the 27^th of July.  Members and volunteers will meet at 9 a.m. to ready the kitchen and to begin the work that will need to be done to the grounds to make them pleasant and comfortable for the many hundreds of people who will attend the stellar event of the summer.  Anyone interested in joining the skyline Ladies Auxiliary or who would just like to pitch in for a little old fashioned volunteering is welcome to come.

          Gardens are burgeoning and neighbors are sharing produce with each other.  Linda’s Almanac from over at The Plant Place in Norwood says that the 17^th through the 20^th will be good days for planting above-ground crops and seed beds.   The 21^st and 22^nd will both be good days to prune to discourage growth.  Eva Powell and her family enjoyed the bounty of granddaughter Emily’s garden as she cooked dinner for the bunch on Sunday.  Tennessee boys with their parents were visiting over on the Krider Farm and the merriment spilled over to much of the Champion community.  Summer-fun is Champion.  Look for Linda’s Almanac in the ‘links’ section on www.championnews.us.  There is also a beautiful picture there of the Skyline VFD Picnic quilt that will be a featured part of the fundraiser this summer.  A big colored picture of Jr. Mudd and his June Monkey can also be found there.  He surely has a sweet smile.  The Skyline Mascot Monkey of the Month for July is said to be ‘on its way.’   Champions are patient.

          Neighboring Vanzant had a grand picnic success with a huge turn-out. The politicians were out in full force pressing flesh and making their positions clear.  Every psephologist in the area will have eyes on the upcoming elections.  They will be clean and orderly—an example to the rest of the world.  All eyes were on the spectacular fireworks display as the picnic came to an end Saturday night.  Roger Wall had just finished his presentation when the sky across the road erupted in booming showers of colored light.  It went on for twenty minutes with the spiraling, whistling, crackling, sputtering and spewing effusions of brilliance and the boom, Boom, BOOM.  Those sounds were softer on Esther Wrinkels’ front porch.  She left the picnic a little early so she could be home in time to see the fireworks from there.  She gets a nice view.  She had really enjoyed the picnic and the chance to visit with many old friends as well as the chance to finally meet Taegan Krider, who was at her first picnic in the arms of her parents.  Ruby Proctor had a good time as she usually does.  She just brings a good time with her, wherever she goes.  She came to the picnic with Pete, who was still reporting on his excellent experience at the Viet Nam Memorial Wall that had been in Cabool over the 4^th of July.   Many conversations included statements to the Love and Gratitude felt for the Veterans who served during the Viet Nam era and those who serve today.  A whole new generation of Veterans will hopefully be met with the understanding and support they have earned from the Nation.

          Some Champions were mighty pleased to make the acquaintance of Mark McIntosh.  He is from Norwood and works for those nice Centurylink people.  After years of struggle and waiting, Champions are one by one getting connected to the high speed internet.  Mr. McIntosh has been in the area doing the final hook ups and everyone is happy to see him coming up the drive.

          During these ideal summer days when the temperatures are about to rise again, Champions are encouraged to spend some time in the Loafing Shed next to the Temporary Annex of the Historic Emporium on the West Side of the Square in Downtown Champion.  The opportunity to see magic happen—to witness History in the Making does not come around every day.  “Your cares and troubles are gone.  There’ll be no more from now on.  From now on Happy Days are here again.  The skies above are clear again.  So, let us sing a song of Cheer again.  Happy times, Happy nights, Happy days are here again!”  This was a popular song in 1932, about the time of the original construction of the Emporium.  Spin some yarns, make inquires, or report any kind of happy times to Champion Items, Rt. 2, Box 367, Norwood, MO 65717 or to Champion News.  A trip to the bustling burg itself is the best idea.  If you are there, you are in Champion and perforce Looking on the Bright Side!