Kiwanis Club Prepares for Annual Thanksgiving Project

Kiwanian Ed Paulus, co-chair of this year’s Thanksgiving Day
project, passes along a filled dinner container to Pat Phillips
as Kiwanian Ruth Workman fills bags with the meal, dessert and
fruit. Dave Phillips is co-chairing the 2009 project with Paulus.
2008 file photo by Arlean Selvy
In its 86th year, the Woodsfield Kiwanis Club takes its national
motto, “We Build,” seriously as planning begins for the annual
Thanksgiving dinner project. Ever mindful of the hardships that
many Americans have experienced this year as a result of
uncertain economic times, war, and stressful family
circumstances, members of the club are grateful for an
opportunity to serve the needy and elderly in the community with
a traditional holiday meal.
We strive to build a close relationship among club members,
community businesses, and dedicated volunteers with the
Thanksgiving dinner project,” said Kiwanis President Sam Moore.
The club has served 3,500 meals over the past 20 years or so.
“We believe the Kiwanis principles to be timeless, with a
commitment to service at the center of our activities,”
Moore
added.
On Nov. 26, Kiwanians will use the facilities of the Woodsfield United
Methodist
Church
to prepare and deliver a meal of turkey, dressing, sweet
potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, roll and butter, and
pumpkin pie and fruit.
Co-chairmen of the project, David Phillips and Ed Paulus, are
appreciative of the club’s efforts to build youth leadership
qualities. “Each year we see several children of club members
and Key Club volunteers returning to help cut pies, carry meals
to the door, wash dishes nd do other jobs,” said Paulus. “We
hope they are on their way to becoming future Kiwanis leaders.”
“The volunteers for this project are terrific,” said Phillips.
“I appreciate each and every one of them. Jeannie Dixon, for
example, bakes 32 turkey breasts on thanksgiving morning. Other
volunteers and club members give part of their Thanksgiving Day
to help prepare the meal, bring pies to the church, deliver
meals to recipients and just plain spread a lot of cheer and
friendliness.”
“Kiwanis builds the spirit of generosity,” said Kiwanian Roger
Claus. “One of our objectives is to give importance to the human
and spiritual, rather than to the material values of life. We
try to serve others by giving of ourselves through caring and
sharing. This helps us to realize and be grateful for the
everyday good in our lives.”
Money, Meetings Requested
by Arlean Selvy
Publisher
A bid was awarded Nov. 9 by
Monroe
County commissioners, who
also heard requests for matching funds and scheduled meetings
with Team Monroe representatives.
Officials awarded the bid for address corrections for the E-911
project to Swiss Valley Associates in
Sardis, The bid was for $20,768.43 and
will be paid with a grant from Rural Development.
Gwynn Stewart spoke with commissioners about the possibility of
using the remaining tourism monies from several years ago to
match a 50 percent grant for brochures, should a grant be
approved.
Stewart explained that the Quilt Barn brochures need to be
updated and the cost for 25,000 is $4,200. Stewart plans to make
application for a Farm Bureau grant and another through the
Governor’s Office of Appalachia.
Commissioner John Pyles indicated he will explore the
possibility of the match
David Pyles and Aaron Miller, Team Monroe, asked officials if
they might set a monthly or bi-monthly time when they can meet
with commissioners. David Pyles said they could update
commissioners on what Team Monroe is doing and commissioners
could report on county projects. He indicated the two entities
may be able to help each other by sharing information about
projects.
David Pyles reported a Pow-Wow is being planned by a Team Monroe
committee with the hope that it will bring tourism money into
the county.
Miller told about a meeting of the American Blonde d’Aquitaine
Association which was hosted in
Monroe County. He said the group traveled around
the county and was impressed with its beauty.
One of the things Miller and Pyles feel is needed in the county
is a hotel/motel to accommodate the people who come here. “We
want to develop what Monroe
County
has to offer,” said Miller.
Our
Readers Write
Around
the Burnside
A real friend never gets into your way, unless you are on the
way down.
You can’t touch another’s heart with anything less than your
own.
How about this weather? They call it Indian Summer, however, I
would like to see it last till about April. It would be great
except for the H1N1 flu.
We’ve also had several days of honoring veterans and those who
are presently in the armed services.
I was fortunate to be invited to a couple of elementary schools
for their Veteran’s Day program. One at
Caldwell
and one at Little Hocking. This was the ninth year at Little
Hocking.
I know many, perhaps all the schools, have a day honoring
veterans and probably most invite veterans to attend. It makes
you feel good to get an invitation by mail.
Both of these schools make veterans appreciate being honored.
Walking into the gym with all the students singing and waving a
small flag really makes chills kind of go up your back.
At Little Hocking the veterans get an opportunity to meet with a
couple or three classes and tell their stories of their
experiences and answer questions. Believe me, they can ask
questions. It’s also interesting to hear other veterans’
experiences. OK, there are some we don’t share.
I was interested Sunday at noon watching NFL on Fox pre-game
show. I watch this show every Sunday unless our minister is
wound up and goes a tink over and I miss the first part of the
program. They went to where the servicemen, women are to have
their programs. Really good.
Things are a lot different now than when I went into the Service
right out of high school. We need to honor and appreciate those
who are in the Armed Forces and what they are going through for
us.
Well, now that football season is over for our teams we can turn
our attention to basketball. The Monroe Central team had another
excellent season this year. OK, they didn’t make it as far as
they wanted but they had an excellent season and I know several
hundred high school football teams would have been happy to
accomplish the same thing.
Have you ever seen so many pumpkins as you do this year? We call
them punkins here in Southeast Ohio.
Just about everywhere you look you see one or two or a dozen. A
good year for growing pumpkins and the price seemed to stay up.
This kind of made me wonder about something. Does anyone take a
pumpkin and actually make a pie or so out of it or do we run to
the store and buy a can to make our pies and bread and the other
pumpkin things that show up around Halloween and Christmas time?
Then again I like pumpkin pie anytime of the year.
Another thing. Isn’t this the time of year we gather walnuts to
use this winter? I think this is another thing that has faded
from our work.
I can remember gathering up a big sack of walnuts about this
time of year to have during the winter. Nothing like sitting
around the old stove and cracking a few walnuts and digging out
the goodies with a sharp pick. I wonder if there are any of
those picks around any more.
I had a few buddies who tried to see how stained they could get
their hands by hulling walnuts. Do any kids come to school
nowadays with walnut-stained hands? I wonder what would happen
if they did. I really wanted to hull some walnuts and stain my
hands, but Mom wouldn’t let me. We had to spread them out on the
ground, pound off the hulls with a large mallet and gather up
the walnuts after the hulls had dried. No stain. Now you can go
to the store and buy a whole sack of walnuts, no hulling, no
cracking and no picking; just open and use. I enjoyed a few
English walnuts at Christmas time. Just crack and find the big
goodies easy. Kids just don’t know how to have fun today.
Ha, I didn’t mention FFA this week.
Don’t forget church as Christmas is coming.
The finest forgiving is forgetting.
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Erica Helps Warm the
Children

Erica Logston, Clarington, delivered $384 to Arlean Selvy,
Beacon publisher, last week for the Warm the Children program.
Erica has been collecting for the program since she was in the
second grade. Warm the Children was initiated by the Beacon
about 10 years ago.
Photo by Sheila McKee
She first started giving money, including her birthday money,
to Warm the Children when she was in the second grade. Five
years later, Erica Logston is still collecting donations from
family and friends and saving her nickels to fill the “poor box”
she made years ago. She said her grandfather gave her $24 in
nickels and she saved $41 of her own nickels.
The handmade “poor box” is her own little bank for Warm the
Children.
Each year, Erica’s goal is to surpass the amount of money raised
the previous year - and so far, she’s done that. This year she
raised $384.
Although her grandmother said $384 is going to be hard to beat,
Erica was not disillusioned. “I don’t care if it’s just a penny
over,” she said determinedly.
Erica has raised over $1,000 over five years. In 2008, she
donated $308.25 to help the children of needy families.
Erica said when she came home one evening last week she found a
pillow case on her bed. Inside the case was $77 in change, which
put her over goal. “Nobody will tell me who put it there,” she
said.
“Maybe,” suggested her grandmother, “ a little fairy left it.”

~ Running
Barefoot Across
America
~
Tellman Knudson has decided to do what no one has done before –
run barefoot across America. Knudson
set high school cross country running records at
Mascoma
Valley
Regional
High School in Enfield, NH,
class of 1995. The barefoot runner came through Monroe County
last week, stopping for a photo op at the Beacon. His goal is to
raise $100 million for homeless youth. He began running in
Battery Park, New York City. His half-way mark will be Tulsa, Oklahoma and he
will conclude the run at the Santa Monica Pier in California. You can visit him on his website
for an update of his progress at www.runtellmanrun.com
Peoples Savings Adds
Location
A grand opening celebration was held at
1203 Main St.,
Lower Salem
on Nov. 14 for the newest office location of The Peoples Savings
Bank.
“The community has been very supportive of our endeavor to
re-open a banking office in Lower Salem,
and we look forward to serving our new friends,” said Ron
Cooley, CEO of The Peoples Savings Bank, New Matamoras. “Lower
Salem, like New Mata-moras, has been home to a bank
since 1911. This expansion is our effort to continue to be a
local bank for local people.”
The Peoples Savings Bank is a locally owned community bank
established in 1911 with offices in New Matamoras,
Newport and Lower Salem.
Cooley announced that Patrick E. Lang has joined the
Lower Salem
bank in the position of assistant vice-president and branch
manager.
“Lang’s knowledge and commitment to the community will be a
great asset as the bank expands its presence in the
Lower Salem area,” said Cooley
Lang brings 30 years of banking experience to the position. He’s
served the Lower Salem community since 1979. He has participated in
several banking and community organizations over the years and
currently lives in
Lowell with his wife, Amy, and three
sons.
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~ Veterans’ Day Observed at
Oaklawn
Cemetery
~
Veterans’ Day services were held at
Oaklawn
Cemetery Nov. 11 at 11
a.m., hosted by Woodsfield VFW Post 5303. Introducing David
Ricer as master of ceremonies was Post 5303 Commander Alonzo
Wilson. The invocations were given by Chaplain Vernon Burke.
David Ricer led the Pledge of Allegiance and Robert Hall sang
the National Anthem. St. Sylvester’s choir sang
America
the Beautiful and God Bless
America. Dorothy Ricer read her
poem “Open Letter to G.I.s.” Featured speaker was James Heimann
of Post 5303. Also speaking were Betty Weber, past district
president; Martha Ackerman, president of the Monroe County
Veterans Committee; Steve Swallie, men’s auxiliary; and Shiela
Lasko, president American Legion Post 87 auxiliary. Laying
wreaths were Carol Jones, Post 5303 auxiliary, and Phyllis
Adkins, American Legion auxiliary. Taps played by Bob Podlasiak
and a 21-gun salute concluded the services. Shown, from left,
are, seated, Dorothy Ricer, Betty Weber, Carol Jones, Shiela
Lasko, Phyllis Adkins; standing: David Ricer, Vernon Burke,
Alonzo Wilson and Steve Swallie. See Ricer poem, page 10.
Photo by Martha Ackerman
OBITUARIES
ROBERT C. LEEPER
Robert C. “Bob” Leeper, 83,
43188 Sandbar Rd., Lewis-ville, died
Nov. 8, 2009 at Marietta Memorial Hospital.
He was born Sept. 20, 1926 at
Cambridge, a son of the late Myron and
Alice Hill Leeper.
He was a retired Command Sergeant Major in the U.S. Army serving
during WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. He was a member
of the Church
of Christ; a member of
Stafford Lodge #300 F & A.M.; a member of the Ancient Accepted
Scottish Rite, Cambridge; a member of the Osiris
Shrine Temple,
Wheeling,
W.Va., and a member of the American
Legion Post #87 Woodsfield.
Surviving are his wife, Eleanor Yockey Leeper, whom he married
on June 4, 1988; a daughter, Kathy (Larry) Thompson of
Tuscaloosa, Ala.; two sons, Darrell (Cynde) Leeper of Lower
Salem, Mark (Sheryl) Leeper of Richmond, Ky.; a step-daughter,
Gyl (Rodney) Sealand of Mercer, Pa.; a step-son, Eric Miracle of
Dallas, Texas; a sister, LaQuita (Joe) Davis of Lore City; seven
grandchildren, Nathaniel (Leigh) Thompson, Jessica and Derek
Thompson, Amy, Sara, Heather and Emily Leeper; three
great-grandchildren, Natalie, Hope and Taylor Thompson; two
step-grandchildren, Logan (Derek) Norman and Nick Sims; two
step-great-grandchildren, Radisson and Wyatt Norman.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his
first wife, Vera June Smith Leeper in 1986; and a brother, Dale
Leeper.
Friends were received Nov. 11, at Watters Funeral Home,
Woodsfield, where funeral services were held Nov. 12. Burial
will follow in Stafford Cemetery,
with full military graveside services by the Guernsey County
Veterans Council.
Masonic services were held Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the funeral
home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of the donor’s
choice.
Online condolences may be expressed at:
www.wattersfuneralhome.com
JOHN T. MAGYAR
John
T. Magyar, 68, Sardis, died Nov.
5, 2009, at Barnesville Hospital. He was born March 7, 1941 in
Marshallville, a son of the late Joseph and Margaret Ocasi
Magyar.
He was retired from Kenmack Lumber of
Newport, worked for Republic Steel in
Massillon, and was a bus mechanic for
Frontier
High School. He was an
active member of the Woodsfield Eagles, Moose Lodge, VFW and
American Legion.
Surviving are his wife, Susie Ferrell Magyar of Sardis; three
sons, John T. Magyar of Navarre, Richard (Barbara) Magyar of
Woodsfield, Stephen (Marsha) Magyar of Wileyville, W.Va.; five
brothers, George Magyar of Doylestown, Paul (Pat) Magyar of
Doylestown, Michael (Cheryl) Magyar of Canal Fulton, Anthony
(Rhonda) Magyar of Canal Fulton, James (Jackie) Magyar of
Sterling; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a
brother, Joseph Magyar and a sister, Mary Ann Smith.
There was no visitation. A private memorial service will be held
at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Diabetes Association.
Arrangements by Bauer-Turner Funeral Home, Woodsfield.
Condolences may be expressed at:
www.bauerturner.com
ZELLA B. CALDWELL
Zella
Beryl Caldwell, 79, Beallsville, died Nov. 6, 2009 at her home
after a lengthy illness from cancer and side effects of
radiation. She was born May 25, 1930 near Beallsville, a
daughter of the late Roscoe and Freda Howell Crum.
She was a loving wife and mother and a member of the Beallsville
Church of Christ, where she served as a Sunday School teacher.
She worked for many years as an LPN and was the manager of the
former Swiss Hills Nursing Home in Beallsville.
Surviving are seven children, Terry (Emma) Caldwell, Janice Ray,
David (Karon) Caldwell, Tim (Joyce) Cald-well, Debbie (Tim)
Arnold, all of Beallsville, Rick Caldwell, Robert Anthony “Tony”
Cald-well, both of Hebron; 17 grandchildren, Michael, Christian,
Troy, Trent, Sara, Misty, Tara, Traci, Alisha, Ryan, Courtney,
Christopher, Larissa, Brett, Latara, Bryant, Brandy; 14
great-grandchildren, Terence, Tyler, Lexie, Jasmine, Aidan,
Stacia, Dalton, Tori, Teryn, Spencer, Xander, Zoey, Ella, Gwen;
two brothers, Gerald (Nellie) Crum of Beallsville, Clayton Crum
of Malaga; four sisters, Joan Decker of Navarre, Freda Maya
Barkheimer of Massil-lon, Donna Ruth (Bill) Kettering of
Malvern, Patty Lou (Eugene) VanDyne of Beallsville; several
nieces and nephews and many friends and neighbors. Zella was
also a foster mother to Mike and David Seladoki.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her
husband, Robert E. “Bob” Caldwell; two sisters, Velma Hickman,
Hazel Jenewein; two brothers, Chalmer, Bernard Crum; a
son-in-law, Randy Ray; three brothers-in-law, Ray Hickman,
Melvin Jene-wein, Charles Barkheimer; and three sisters-in-law,
Zella Crum, Stella Crum and Nancy Crum.
Friends were received Nov. 9 at Harper Funeral Home,
Beallsville, where funeral services were held Nov. 10, with Jeff
Rich officiating. Burial followed in Beallsville Cemetery.
Online condolences may be offered at www.harperfh.net
RAYMOND WEBER
Raymond Weber, 92, Woodsfield, died Nov. 14, 2009.
Friends will be received 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Nov. 18. Services will
be held Nov. 19, at 11 a.m. at Bauer-Turner Funeral Home,
Woodsfield.
CLARABELL BAKER
Clarabell Susiejane Baker, 76, formerly of
New Castle, died Nov. 14, 2009, in
Barnesville Health Care Center. She was born Sept. 30, 1933 near
Cameron, a daughter of the late James David and Alice Jane Baker
Mellott.
She was a member of the
Jerusalem
United
Methodist
Church
Surviving are two sons, Bob and Charles (Amy) Baker of
Beallsville; four grandsons, Brandon, Austin, Adam, Ethan; two
step-grandchildren, Taylor and Tristan; and several nieces and
nephews including a niece whom she reared, Bessie Alice (Dave)
Baker of St. Clairsville.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by two
brothers, James and Perry Mellott; two sisters, Emma Thornberry,
Bessie Carpenter; and an infant son, James.
Friends were received Nov. 17 at Harper Funeral Home,
Beallsville, where funeral services were held Nov. 18, with
Pastor Eddie Emory officiating. Burial followed in
Jerusalem
Cemetery.
Online condolences may be offered at www.harperfh.net.
MARY GERHEIM
Mary Gerheim, 80, Woodsfield, died Nov. 1, 2009 at Barnesville Hospital.
She was born April 4, 1929 in
Cleveland.
Surviving are a son, Dennis Gerheim of
Sebring,
Fla.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard James Gerheim
Dec. 22, 1987.
There will be no visitation. Burial in
Moffett
Cemetery near Woodsfield
at the convenience of the family.
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