DIANA REED Correspondent
I attended church camp this past weekend at Cross Timbers in Davis and for all of you wondering if I would survive, I’m happy to say I did. It was nostalgic for me because Cross Timbers Camp was once the Baptist Girls’Auxiliary Camp, Nunny-Cha-Ha which I attended when I was in sixth grade. I’m happy to say that the worst thing that happened to me at camp was when a basketball rolled towards me and tapped me on the back of my legs. I heard a boy from another church tell his friend, “You just hit an old lady.” I can’t argue with him since it was fifty-eight years ago that I attended the same camp as a youth. You gotta love kids – they tell it like it is. I had not attended camp as a counselor or cook for many years but I’m happy to say I went. Spending those four days learning about God with August was a joy and I’ll be packed and ready to go next year when Lincoln is old enough to attend. Gideon better watch out. Somehow, I missed those middle school camp years with him so I may have to show up at Falls Creek next year.
Gideon had a baseball tournament last weekend in the Oklahoma City area. Mom and I only attended Thursday’s game since I was away at camp. As I was putting my chair in place a man asked me if it was okay if he put his wife’s chair next to mine. I told him that would be great and asked him who he came to watch play. He told me he was from Choctaw and had come to watch his grandson Grant Murray play. I told him I was from Stroud, and he said, “Did you know Jean Bailey? She was my aunt.” So, we got to spend a few minutes reminiscing about days gone by in Stroud and his cousin Billy Bailey, with whom I graduated. After the game I went to get the car to pick mom up and as she was walking towards the car she heard someone yell from a distance, “Smalley!” She turned to see who it was, and it was former Stroud teacher Buddy Lawson. His grandson, Lawson Elliot from Cushing, plays on this team, also. Mom, Buddy, and Thelma Mauldin used to teach across the hall from each other in the 1970’s. They, also, had a nice visit reminiscing. As she continued to the car, she had a chance to visit with Mary Gail Ethridge Cain, Lawson’s grandmother, and one of Mom’s former students. Needless to say, not only did we get to watch baseball, but we had “old home week,” too. Gideon’s baseball team played again on Friday, but their games got rained out on Saturday. Sunday, they had two games and ended up winning all five games they played. Due to the rain, they were cochampions of the tournament. Gideon was named Most Valuable Player of the semi-final game for his pitching and Bryson Francis was named Most Valuable Player of the same game for his hitting. Bryson is the nephew of Stroud’s own dentist, Dr. Brett Francis. Cal Shields, another Stroud High School baseball player, also plays on this team and had a great tournament himself. Stroud and our surrounding areas are being well represented in the world of baseball.
To everyone who has been concerned about the puppy mill operating in our community, I am happy to inform you that it has been shut down and all pups have been rescued and placed in appropriate rescue facilities. Thank you to everyone who helped make this happen and to Representative Jim Shaw for his help in this matter.
Upcoming community activities include Stroud Community Clothing Ministry Thursday July 17th 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. on West Highway 99, Metal Detecting Club Thursday July 17th at 7:00 p.m. at City Hall, First Baptist Church Bible School Monday – Friday July 20th through 25th 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Stroud Arts Summer Arts Festival Thursday – Sunday July 24th through 27th. First Baptist Church is also offering a free American Sign Language Class July 19th and 26th and August 2nd and 9th from 4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Call the church office for more details.
The Class of 1981 lost a dear friend, Shari Cross Gilman, on Sunday, July 13th. Shari currently resided in Yukon to be close to her family. She was the general manager of Stroud Sonic for twenty-five years and was a great supporter of our community’s activities. She was named Stroud’s Citizen of the Year in 2006. Shari was the daughter of Charles and Bessie (Powers) Cross who both preceded her in death. She is survived by her sister Sandy Cross, her daughter MayLynn and son Elton and two grandchildren, Lexi and Olivia. Her funeral will be held Friday, July 18th at 10:00 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Stroud. Town Talk offers its condolences to Shari’s family and friends.
Putt Putt Kicks is now open Thursday through Sunday 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Come play a round and say hello to one of our lovely club house attendants. We couldn’t have Putt-Putt without these ladies. Staffing the course are Nissa Hughes, Jessica Martinez, Pam Hunt, and Andrea Thompson.
Town Talk is still raising money for the concrete flooring and map location bulletin board for the new Stroud Cemetery pavilion. Thank you to all who have donated. We receive new donations weekly. If you would like to donate, make your check out to Town Talk and mail it to Julie Bivin at 501 South Avenue or Aleta Smalley at 301 West 6th Street, both at Stroud 74079.
It’s hard to believe summer vacation is winding down and it’s time to start thinking about all those back-toschool necessities. You need to purchase them early because I see Halloween items already going up on the shelves. Check out our local merchants as you begin preparing for the upcoming school year. Have a great week and thank you for continuing to shop local……. first!