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.

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.

~ 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.