Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
A strong civic organization exists in Sugar Grove, meeting on the third Thursday of each month. It is the Sugar Grove Lions Club which was organized May 16, 1960, under the sponsorship of the Franklin Lions Club. It was organized by Arthur Karnstedt, Lions International district governor, Elmer Buhs, lieutenant district governor, Ted Watts, state secretary, and George Filip, extension committee chairman.
Charter members who held offices were H. Middleswarth, president; Lyle W. Luebke, first vice president; Cameron Eckard, second vice president; Archie Graves, third vice president; Elmer P. Snyder, secretary/treasurer; William Bowers, Lion tamer; Gordon Todd, Lion twister; B.H. Mitchell, Reid Homan, Harold Mitchell and Walter Mitchell, directors; and Virgil Homan, Jr., committee chairman.
Other charter members were John Bowers, Otho “Dick” Mitchell, Everett Rexrode, Richard Homan, John Lindley, Norman Simmons, Hurl Mitchell, Albert Joseph, Everett Rexrode, and James T. Rexrode.
After the 1985 flood, members completed the tennis/basketball court which lies north of Trinity Church. In a cooperative venture with the VFW, a playground and barbeque pit have been added to the VFW park. Ongoing progress to the ball field is a given.
Although the membership has changed, the club remains active and continues to meet the third Thursday of each month.
Present members are William Arrington, Shaun Bowers, Stuart Bowers, Jeff Bowers, Sam Cockran, George and Cary Hevener, Gernon Hoover, Brandon Mitchell, Tom and Paula Mitchell, Dennis Mitchell, Jacob Mitchell, Noah Nelson, Jarrod Nelson, Garland Propst, Ken Roberts and Cindy and Eugene Varner.
Some community activities that the club has been involved include:
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The annual tractor parade which precedes the South Fork Rescue Squad’s lawn party in August. This venture draws around 58-60 tractors from various communities.
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In conjunction with the Franklin Lions Club, donations were raised for the Pendleton Manor’s therapy department, which is utilized by many in the county.
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Collects eye glasses, which are collected at Bowers’ Store.
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Maintains the ball field and playground at the VFW Park.
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Provides a ham and beans/cornbread stand at the Treasure Mountain Festival.
This February, mankind will celebrate the Miraclein. This means there will be four of each weekday, Sunday through Saturday.
The impending storm got everyone excited. Worship services and schools have been called off with the residents “hunkering down” at home. As of this time that the writer is penning, there have been at least 8 inches of snow coupled with lots of sleet. Temperatures have remained in the teens, with forecasts of much lower temperatures. Sleet avalanches caused havoc to the landscape. Across the river from Phil Downs’ residence was a sleet avalanche that caused the grader that was operating to clear the road and go off the bank. Seth Bowers’ wrecking crew assisted in recovering the grader. In due time, the road was clear and passable.
The instructions for living life are as follows:
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Write thank you letters.
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Cry during movies.
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Learn to watch snails.
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Nuzzle a puppy.
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Walk somewhere.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” — Robert Frost
“Don’t waste your time in anger, regrets, worries, and grudges. Life is too short to be unhappy.” — Roy T. Bennett
“We pass through this world but once.” — Stephen Jay Gould
“You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need.” — Vernon Howard
“We are here to add what we can to life, not to get what we can from life.” — William Osler
Sitting by the fire to hear the “Talk of the Grove” is the best place to be.
Spending several days with Phil Downs was his daughter, Tara Kelley of Springfield, Virginia. While she was here, she took Phil to the doctor on Friday, before returning to her home on Saturday.
Attaining the status of being on the West Virginia University’s Dean’s List for the 2005 fall semester is Morgan Hoover, daughter of Tim and Jennifer Hoover of Bridgewater, Virginia, and granddaughter of Roger and Donna Hoover of Franklin, and Tom and Paula Mitchell of Sugar Grove. Morgan plans to graduate in May with a business management major and human resources and international business minor.
Clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
•In 1947, prisoners in Folsom Prison in northern California begin producing license plates.
•In 1959, the first Barbie doll was released.
•Richard Nixon was the first president to visit all 50 states.
•The potato was the first vegetable ever to be grown in space.
•The bubonic plague “Black Death” swept through Europe in the 1300s.
Concerns are for Charles Anderson, Joan and Roger Ashley, Mike Baker, Dave Basagic, Allen Beachler, Bobby Bodkin, “Bo” Boggs, Larry Byers, Doreen Calhoun, Marie Cole, Kim Crane, Stanley Dahmer, Kim Davis, Tommy Davis, Phil Downs, Steve Durham, Jennifer Errett, Isaac Eye, Mary Eye, Carl Gant, David Gillispie, Nan Goland, Kevin Gonshor, Patsy Green, JC Hammer, Wayne Harman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Hannah Hedrick, Jack and Starr Hedrick, Jim Hiner, Evan Hise, Tim Hively, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Karen Holsten, Julia Homan, Charlie Marie Hoover, Keith Hoover, Bob and Cynthia Hurry, Mike and Lisa Jamison, Linda Jones, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, Tara Kelley, Ruth Kile, Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Laura Kropp, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, Shannon Maloy, Donna Mallow, Roger and Skip Mallow, Audree Marsh, Yvonne Marsh, Ed May, Dave McConnell, Gene and Joan McConnell, Gary McDonald, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Dottie Mitchell, Jamie Mitchell, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Gloria Moats, Sherri Moyers, Helen Nash, Aaron Nelson, Dominique Nelson, Dwight Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryle Paine, Terri Parker, Andy Pond, Janice Propst, Alda Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, the Bob Puffenbarger family, Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger, Tom Rader, Willard Rader, Linda Reed, Jason Rexrode, Jimmy Rexrode, Linda Fay Rexrode, Vesta Ruckman, Bernie Sasscer, Annie Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Greg Simmons, Judy Simmons, Nelson Simmons, Tonya Simon, Robbie Sites, Mike Skiles, Bruce Smith, Ed and Carolyn Smith, Iva Smith, Natalie Stephenson, Tina Stuben, Steve Stump, Carolyn Thomas, Riley Thompson, Linda and Larry Vandevander, the Judy Vetter family, Peggy Wade, Junior Waggy, Mary Louise Waldschlager, Rene White, Sherry Wilfong, Judy Williams, Patty Willis and Ann and Ed Wimer.
