Julie Bivin, my mother Aleta Smalley, and I traveled to Albia, Iowa this past week to visit the Welcome Home Soldier Memorial.
The Memorial was a vision of local resident and Vietnam veteran Jim Keller and seeing it was worth the trip.
My brother, Gary Smalley, was a truck driver before his death in 2022 and he and his wife Lisa happened upon the Memorial as they were driving through Iowa.
Gary was so touched by what he saw, especially their Bugle Boy that played Taps and Reveille, that he insisted Stroud needed its own Bugle Boy. He would not be quiet until I agreed Town Talk would take on the project.
With fund-raising efforts and your contributions, we were able to dedicate our own Bugle Boy at Stroud’s War Memorial in Ed. Smalley Centennial Park in May of 2023.
Gary was one of the many victims of the COVID virus and did not live to see Stroud’s Bugle Boy come to fruition but because of his insistence and patriotic spirit our Bugle Boys stands today in honor of all soldiers and Armed Services personnel with the playing of Reveille, To The Colors and Taps.
If your travels take you towards Albia, be sure and stop at this Memorial.
We had a nice trip and took our time, so we spent a couple of nights away from home. I had a new “dirty clothes bag” which I had purchased for the trip.
Mom and Julie commented on my “fancy” bag, but Mom informed me that she put her dirty clothes in a Williams’ grocery sack because “she shops local.”
I had to laugh but I thought that’s the goal, to have that mantra on our minds and on our lips. Keeps us thinking about where our priorities should be.
Thank you from Town Talk and Stroud Booster Club to everyone who has purchased blue light bulbs to show your Tiger Pride. The response has been so positive, and we have more on order so it’s not too late to purchase one if you haven’t already. Julie Bivin and I went door to door around the football field neighborhoods selling bulbs.
While I was out, I finally got to meet Okie Tom and his wife. They live on Seventh Street, and they bought four bulbs even though he told me he only had three light sockets on his front porch.
Now, that’s a Tiger fan. I told him I had four bar stools sitting in my kitchen, so I had supported Okie Tom’s, too.
A big Town Talk thank you to Nissa Hughes and Andrea Flatt Thompson for their help, too, in selling bulbs.
Some of Stroud’s upcoming activities include Columbus Day, Monday October 14th, Middle School Football Game, Monday October 14th Jack Poskey Field 5:30 p.m., Stroud Food Pantry, Tuesday October 15th 9:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m., No School Wednesday October 16th – Friday October 18th, Stroud High School Football Game, Thursday October 17th in Newkirk, Stroud Fall Festival Friday October 18th 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Foster Park and Saturday October 19th 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Foster Park.
Due to Fall Break the Tigers will be playing football this Thursday night instead of Friday so let’s remember to light up the sky this Thursday night with our blue light bulbs.
Have a great week and watch out for the kiddos playing in your neighborhood over Fall Break. As always, thank you for continuing to shop local…………..first!