Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
The Sugar Grove Lions Club held its monthly meeting at the home of Jeffrey and Kathy Bowers. Included in the business agenda was a recognition of Tom Mitchell upon his retirement from the office of being treasurer of the Lions Club.
He became a member of the Sugar Grove Lions Club on Jan. 20, 1972, and was sponsored by Elmer Snyder. Following Dolph Day’s retirement as treasurer, Mitchell took on that role in 1979.
During the course of the years, Tom has noted many things that the Sugar Grove Lions Club had undertaken, namely:
•Broom sales being a fundraiser.
•Each spring, the motorcycle club was served barbecue chicken, with the proceeds becoming a fundraiser. In time, the club had racks built, as well as a barbecue pit which was located where the tennis court now exists. This fundraiser continues hand in hand with the VFW at their location where a barbecue pit was built, with the proceeds being split between the two clubs.
•The club coupled with the Home Demonstration Club to serve chicken potpie at the Treasure Mountain Festival for many years. In time, the club ventured out to serve kettle beans, with the addition of ham sandwiches several years later. The club continues to remain active with this fundraiser.
•The Sugar Grove gym was where the monthly meetings took place. Each member took on the responsibility of undertaking a dinner which was served to the members. The annual visitation of the district governor and zone chairman and a joint meeting with the Franklin Lions Club, took place at the August ladies/family meeting.
•In the early 1980s a Halloween party was set up for the community children. Judging of costumes, games, and food made the evening an all-time fun time. This activity still holds to this day.
Projects during the course of time included the following: the flood of 1985 took out the cabin that the Sugar Grove Club had donated and built. So, rebuilding the cabin was necessary; the tennis court replaced the Sugar Grove School in 1989; coupled with the Franklin Lions Club, the outpatient therapy department at Pendleton Manor was completed; Adopt a Highway for picking up trash has been an ongoing venture each spring; collecting eye glasses; and introducing and maintaining a ball field/playground where the rescue squad and VFW are located and is regularly used by local ball teams/games , and for the tractor parade in the fall, where 50-60 tractors from far and near enter. The tractor parade is a joint venture with the South Fork Rescue Squad’s lawn party.
Tom has been awarded the Gold Centennial Award, and the Melvin Jones award. He has served the club in the capacity of being treasurer for 46 years. Until recently, the treasurer’s position also included the office of secretary. A round of applause, coming from the Lions members, was given in his honor.
Life’s little instructions include the following:
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Call a grandparent or a loved one just to talk with them.
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Offer to help someone.
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Spread some encouragement online.
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Smile at everyone who passes one.
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Pick up litter.
The wind has been quite aggressive lately, bringing in bone chilling gusts. Just walking to the mailbox is right up there with swimming the English Channel. What is left of a hairdo flies 40 ways from Sunday! What else can one say about March?
Morning temperatures have been gripping, with lows anywhere from 12 to 15. Snow squalls dumped snow last Tuesday. Killdeers have returned from their winter journey, and the robins hop randomly to seek earthworms for their diet. Soon, the hummingbirds will arrive, and with that a reminder to ready the hummingbird feeders to welcome them into the community.
Spring ushered in on Friday, and with that rain fell, gurgling from downspouts. This was welcomed heartily from the residents and nature. Spring medicates the bones and revives the spirit.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“To succeed in life, you need three things: a wishbone, a backbone, and a funny bone.” — Reba MacEntire
“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” — Marianne Williamson
“It takes considerable knowledge just to realize the extent of your own ignorance.” — Thomas Sowell
“Joy is a net of love which you can catch souls.” — Mother Teresa
“When a man’s wrapped up in himself, he makes a pretty small package.” — Jan Karon
Sitting by the wood stove is where one hears the “Talk of the Grove.”
The quilting group, who met at St. John Lutheran Church during the season of Lent, has completed their knotting tasks with 200 quilts to send to World Relief. So many folks find comfort by having a quilt…be it here or overseas…during disastrous situations. Many thanks to those who helped in some way to make life a little better for someone else. The churches will be celebrating with a quilt blessing on Palm Sunday.
On Sunday, Charlotte Hoover saw her first swallow.
Judy Costello of Verona, Virginia, spent Saturday and Saturday night at the home of her mother, Evelyn Varner.
Willard and Judy Rader, along with Pidge and Charles Anderson, went to Windy Ridge Snack Bar for lunch. They enjoyed listening to Noah play the guitar and sing. They had a great time.
On Monday, Pidge Anderson took Charles to Augusta Medical for a doctor’s consultation.
During the weekend, Bill and Donna Arrington visited with friends in Monterey, Virginia. They also enjoyed the Maple Festival.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
•Papua, New Guinea, boasts an estimated 735-897 species of butterflies.
•The Vatican City is the world’s smallest independent nation state by area.
•Fermented soybean paste is the main ingredient in traditional Japanese miso soup.
•An adult typically has 32 teeth.
•Uranus rotates on its side.
April’s birthdays include Charlie Marie Hoover, first; Judy Austin and Nancy Evick, second; Greg Hoover, third; Derek Crider, fourth; Wes Puffenbarger and Danielle Hoover, fifth; Ed Wimer and Keith Kiser, sixth; Margaret Sasscer and Judy Rader, seventh; Diana Mitchell, Maxine Rader; John Todd and Vera Teter (99), ninth; Haven Parker, Sherry Wilfong and Thelma Puffenbarger, 10th; Jim Holstein, Sonny Morrison and Mike Alt, 11th; Landon Bowers, 12th; Bryer Puffenbarger, 14th; Ava Bowers, Terry Simmons, Frankie Roberson and Beth Propst, 15th; and Brody Wimer, 16th.
Concerns are for the family and friends of Richard Arbaugh, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, “Bo” Boggs, the family and friends of Dot Brown, Larry Byers, Stanley Dahmer, Isaac Eye, Carl Gant, Marlene Harman, Armanda Heavner, Keith Hoover, Cynthia Hurry, Melissa Lambert, Roger Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Sheldon Propst, Eldon Rexrode, Bernie and Margaret Sasscer, Robbie Sites, Kitty Waggy, the family and friends of Rene White and Ed Wimer.
