A special thank you to David Evans, Lyndon and Lisa Patton, Bryan and Mary Vickrey, Julie Bivin, Cathy Terry and Andrea Thompson for helping lay the weed control barrier for the miniature golf course last week. Also, on hand to supervise the project were Aleta Smalley and Steve Bivin. Not only did we need to lay the barrier but it had to be secured with landscape staples. Hammering those into the ground was no easy task; in fact it was almost impossible in most places. That ground is more like rock than soil. It made me wonder if that is why nothing has ever been built on that piece of property. As far back as I can remember it has been a vacant lot. We even laid a few holes down and plan this week to have all nine holes in place.
Many of you have asked what is being built at the corner of Main Street and First Avenue. Dr. Francis, our dentist, is building a new office on that corner. I know it’s going to be a great aesthetic addition to our Main Street. We are getting more businesses on the east which is nice to have activity from one end of Main to the other.
My dear friend Jo Braden was planning on moving to Oklahoma City to live with her sister but instead has decided to make Prairie Pointe her residence. I hated to see Jo leave Stroud. She is a Stroud graduate and moved home many years ago with her late husband, Dick Braden. Jo is the sister to the late Pauline (P.J.) Jenkins who was a life-long resident of Stroud and one of our favorite citizens. Jo has been an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Town Talk and First United Methodist Church. I’m glad to see that she’s decided to stick around town.
I want to give a shout out to Stroud graduate Johnny Terry, Jr. or as we all knew him in school, Peewee Terry. Johnny has been a resident of Colorado for years but visits Stroud every chance he gets to visit his sisters. He is currently battling leukemia. I know he reads this column and sends me comments from time to time or shares stories with me. I want him to know his hometown of Stroud is thinking of him and sending prayers and positive thoughts his way.
One of Stroud’s iconic neon signs, Skyliner Motel, is lighting up the night sky. When I drove by the other night, I noticed all the letters are in working order. Thank you to owners Alfreidya Webster and Larry Ferguson for working hard to keep the neon burning.
While I was watering flowers last week, I noticed Amedisys was all decorated for Halloween. It looked quite spooky. Thank you to all business owners who take pride in their store fronts and keep up with the different holidays. It makes our Main Street look very festive.
There is a correction I need to make you aware of from last week’s Town Talk. I mentioned that Roy and Wanda Gilman’s daughter that lived in Stroud was Melissa. That is incorrect. Their daughter is Kim Gilman Stewart. I apologize for that error.
The weather has been cooler and that makes it just the right time to take a stroll down Main Street and check out all the veterans who have been honored by family members and friends. While strolling about be sure and stop in any or all of our Main Street businesses and see what they have in stock for their fall line-up. Have a great week and thank you for choosing to shop local……….first!