By Paula Mitchell
The Pendleton County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting was held Saturday at the bowling alley in Franklin. The bowling alley gang catered a delicious meal to 100 guests. The presentation of the 40th annual service award was given to S. Thomas “Tom” Mitchell. He graduated from Franklin High School in 1957, attended Monterey Peninsula College in Monterey, California, for 2 years, followed with his graduation from James Madison with a business and accounting degree.
In 1961, he joined the staff of the National Bank of Keyser, remaining there for seven years, serving in a variety of positions. With this background of banking knowledge, he served in the capacity as a West Virginia Bank Examiner with the state banking department. He served there for eight years advancing to the position of top state bank examiner. His two-year employment as cashier at the Pendleton County Bank allowed him to complete courses with the American Institute of Banking and the West Virginia School of Banking.
He recalls growing up on a small poultry operated farm. At that time, everything was hand operated. In 1977, he began his own turkey operation with Rocco, and has seen the industry evolve in many ways during the years. During his 30-year career with Rocco, he kept abreast of the innovative ways to successfully produce the turkey on his farm by updating equipment, building a litter shed, and nurturing the fields in a farm conscious manner.
During the course of the years, Tom has worn “a hat of many colors.” He served two terms as county commissioner. During the course of his tenure, some of his achievements were renovating the court house to adhere to Judge Hamilton’s 1991 order; weathering the 1996 flood assisting many people who had damages; microfilming the records in the county clerk’s office; extending the water lines in Upper Tract and Brandywine; reducing the six magisterial districts to three districts; and ground breaking for the industrial park.
Nancy Gonshor appreciated Tom’s helpfulness with the annual county budget. She recalled Tom always bringing a turkey for the courthouse Thanksgiving dinners.
For 25 years, Tom drove a school bus for Pendleton County Schools, endearing many children who still hold him in esteem.
He held the treasurer position for the church he attends, raised cattle and made hay on the family farm.
He is a member of the Sugar Grove Lions Club and has served as treasurer since 1971. He has seen many accomplishments, including seeing that many persons needing eye sight attention were given that opportunity; a Halloween party was set up for the community children, which continues to this day; donating and rebuilding a Thorn Spring cabin that was destroyed in the 1985 flood; in 1989, a tennis court was replaced where the Sugar Grove School once existed; from the broom sales, proceeds were used to build racks and a barbecue pit to accommodate chicken barbecue which takes place twice a year; coupling with the Home Demonstration Club, and a fundraising opportunity to serve chicken pot pie at the Treasure Mountain Festival was done.
In time, the club ventured out to serve kettle beans and cornbread along with ham sandwiches which continues each year. From the proceeds the fruition of a ball park and playground equipment was added to the Sugar Grove VFW locality which is regularly used by local ball teams and games.
Coupled with the Franklin Lions Club, the outpatient therapy at Pendleton Manor was subsidized and saw completion and is heralded as an excellent therapy department. In addition, the Adopt-A-Highway project is done annually.
Tom has been awarded the Gold Centennial Award and the Melvin Jones award.
He is a charter member of the Sugar Grove Rescue Emergency Squad.
Since the age of 18, he has been a member of the Pendleton County/West Virginia Farm Bureau.
Tom’s hobbies are watching westerns, gardening, enjoying the Outer Banks, and traveling to see whether there is any place on this Earth that is any prettier than Sugar Grove.
Congratulations, Tom, for being recognized with the Pendleton County Farm Bureau Service Award.
Life’s lessons for daily living include the following:
1. Shine a light on those who need it the most.
2. Always be willing to laugh at oneself.
3. Don’t be afraid to age.
4. Remember one’s roots.
5. Give back to the community.
Nice hot weather has allowed making of hay viable. Farmers are happy about that.
Last Thursday evening was quite a historical time in the Sugar Grove community when a small twister landed creating havoc. Power lines were downed, trees uprooted, and water everywhere. Charles and Pidge Anderson’s porch was destroyed. Thank goodness a community effort played into making things better. Power was restored Friday afternoon. An interesting note is that during this time, the writer received .15” of rain, Sugar Grove 2” and Hoover Mountain 3”. No lives were affected for which everyone is thankful.
Dolly Parton quotes include the following.
“Wild flowers don’t care where they grow.”
“Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”
“Storms make trees take deeper roots.”
“The way I see it, if you want rainbows, you gotta put up with the rain.”
“If you see someone without a smile today, give ‘em one of yours.”
Take an umbrella with one when hearing the “Talk of the Grove.”
Charles and “Pidge” Anderson are so very thankful that all is well at their home. They are especially grateful for the community’s help in bringing things back to normal following the small twister that brought havoc to their home.
Eugene Varner enjoyed the weekend visit of his grandson, Bentley. They, along with Evelyn and Nathaniel, enjoyed the Saturday evening’s farm bureau dinner meeting.
Evelyn Varner and Wanda Pitsenbarger spent last Monday night with Joyce and Robin Marshall at McGaheysville, Virginia.
Last Thursday, Derek Crider came home to spend time with family. He then left early Saturday morning to participate in the West Virginia Spartan Race near the New River Gorge. Derek placed 29 out of 1,072 participants.
Sunday, Ken Roberts competed in the GFNY bicycle race in Bremen, Germany. Lots of wind, but ultimately a lot of fun. There were 2,000 entrants, and he was able to get second place for his age group. Ken was happy with that. Congratulations, Ken! Ken and Margie plan to spend this week in Berlin, Germany, before returning home. They have found the people helpful and kind, making the trip a real bonus.
Willard Rader is recuperating at home, following a few days in the hospital. That is good news.
Dolly Parton clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
She once lost a Dolly Parton lookalike contest.
She preferred pie over cake for her birthday.
Her first crush was Johnny Cash.
Dolly, the cloned sheep, was nicknamed after Dolly.
Reportedly, her enormous breasts were insured for $600,000.
Dolly and her husband, Carl Dean, raised five of her younger siblings.
September birthdays include Loretta Blankenship and Gail Bowers, first; “Butch” Puffenbarger and Shirley Sisson, second; Trent Alt, third; Eleanor Simmons and Ralph Parker, fifth; Sandy Smith and Mike Eye, sixth; Noah Kobetic and Dawn Frame, seventh; Kelly Sites and Allen Sisson, eighth; Lorena Hoover, Liz Summerville and Lucinda Harper, ninth; Cara Mitchell, 10th; Mary Simpson, 12th; and Barbara Woodward, Brenna Mitchell, Carrie Harman, Kyler Kiser and Laura George, 13th.
Concerns are for Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Dave Basagic, “Bo” Boggs, family and friends of Jimmy Bowers, Jeff Craig, Stanley Dahmer, Clinton Eye, Isaac Eye, Carl Gant, Sue Hall, Clyde Hamilton, Chip Harper, Armanda Heavner, Starr Hedrick, Keith Hoover, Mickey Huffman, Cynthia Hurry, Gary Jamison, Mike and Lisa Jamison, Tara Kelley, Stanley Kile, Keith Kimble, Lori Ann Lambert, Melissa Lambert, the family and friends of Nettie Losh, Skip and Roger Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Harold Michael, Dottie Mitchell, Helen Nash, Willa Nelson, Ronald Pitsenbarger, Alda Propst, Sheldon Propst, Willard Rader, Jimmy Rexrode, Robbie Sites, Kitty and Curtis Waggy, Jr. and Edwin Wimer.
