Thanks, Gary, for making the "banner-project" FLY!

Things are going at "warp" speed regarding "Forward To Fredonia!" I've called the Fredonia Chamber of Commerce. WE ARE IN!!!!!! They will be lining out the parade order next week and will e-mail me WHERE WE ARE in the parade! Yvonne, from the Chamber, said, "We're so excited you're coming! There will two other bands in the parade and you'll make three!" She did ask this one question, "You won't be too loud, covering up the other bands, will you?" I told her that we would "hold back" to make sure the other bands were heard! :)

I will contact G.A. and Madge with our plans~!

HONORING 1950'S CV TEACHER GEORGE BEGGS

HEY CV MEMORIES BLOGG READERS.....THERE’S A GROUP OF EXCITED 50'S CV GRADUATES THAT ARE PLANNING TO PARTICIPATE IN A PARADE IN WHICH GEO BEGGS IS GRAND MARSHALL. WHILE WE ALL CAN NOT BE THERE IN PERSON WE CAN BE THERE IN SPIRIT TO HONOR MR. BEGGS. THE PROPOSED TRUCK TO BE USED IN THE PARADE I THINK NEEDS A COUPLE OF BANNERS ON EACH SIDE WITH SOME WORDING SOMETHING LIKE: “CEDAR VALE STUDENT OF THE 1950'S IN HONOR OF GEORGE BEGGS, GRAND MARSHALL”.

I KNOW THERE ARE A LOT OF BLOGG READERS THAT DO NOT PARTICIPATE IN THE BLOGG, BUT WHO WOULD HOPEFULLY SUPPORT OLD CV HIGH AND ONE OF ITS FORMER GREAT TEACHERS. IF SOME ONE IN THE AREA WOULD TAKE THE “BULL BY THE HORNS” AND HAVE BANNERS MADE FOR THE PARADE, I AM SURE THERE ARE SEVERAL BLOGG READERS THAT WOULD CONTRIBUTE TO THE COST OF HAVING THE BANNERS MADE. NANCY AND I WILL PLEDGE $50 TO THE CAUSE. ALL WE NEED IS A NAME AND MAILING ADDRESS OF SOME ONE WHO IS WILLING TO TAKE ON THE TASK OF HAVING THE BANNERS MADE.a

This just in from Thayne Oltjen (known as T.D. to those of us who knew him as a kid). I'm taking the liberty of posting it since many of his old friends and buddies will want to know about his recent hospital stay.

I'm back after being rushed to the hospital Aug 3rd to Pulmonary ICU .. My lungs had filled up with Carbon Dioxide, being I can't breath very well.. I am told that I was very out of it for several days prior to the 3rd.. My breathing was very short and all I could do was speak in a whisper one or two words at a time. So on the 3rd I CRASHED and rushed to ICU, and I stayed there for 10 days hooked up one place or another. After some length of time,( I don't how long ) I kinda came around, I could see people through the walls and ceiling, parades , some kind of games, ?? , .. I am told I had a lot of visitors , But what did I know about it.. I was put in a Bi-Pap unit which blows oxygen and air into your lungs until it looks like your eyes Will pop out then it reverses and sucks all of it out,  then it dose it again and again . I had these treatments for 3 or 4 days. I do remember what a trip the last session was, I tried to pull the mask off, but I couldn't because IT WAS HOOKED BEHIND MY HEAD.Any way , starting to come around pretty good knowing  and what was going on around me. They also gave me 3 units of Oxygen Rich  Blood which helped a bunch , and having my Pacemaker  changed 10 units , this really got things to going..  On the 13th, I was released or transferred to Sandpiper Rehabilitation Center to get my strenght back.I was pretty weak after all of the things I had been through. Stayed there for 2 weeks or so , trying to get up and walk ,( as when I entered the Hospital ,I weighed 89 lbs.) So with their help, started waking a few steps at a time and the next day a few more, then  I could go by myself behind a wheelchair up and down the hall several times ,If I got tired I would set down for a while. Also lift weights for my arms and back. The people  They did a really great job for me. The food was really good. All I had to do was punch a button and someone would come right now to see what I needed or wanted, Wow what service.. Private room , I could watch traffic on 235 bi-pass.. or watch TV. Anyway I was released to go home  September 5th, which is good to be home. I feel really great ,better than I have in the past few years and eating a whole lot better. Now to do more walking and weight lifting .Now I'm on 8 ltr Oxigen 24-7 full flow.  And takring more pills than ever ,,, BUT I'M STILL HERE !!! Thank GOD and all  of his helpers.  LIFE IS GREAT................................... THAYNE

More Memories From Loyd Call

I graduated from High School in 1935, Olin Wilson was the manual training teacher. My brother, Kenneth started to High School the next year and Earl Vore came as manual training teacher.
I remember he came out to the farm and we went quail hunting. He did other carpenter and cabinet work at various times.
As you probably know, Ray Houston and I stayed together all thru the war. We were instructers in the Army Engineers.
Earl came through our classes as a member of Officers Candidate School from Fort Belvoir, Virginia. We visited with him several times in Washington D.C. His wife was on the base with him-I think her name was Irene Gilkey from the Irish Flats neighborhood. [note from dfc--Irene Gilkey's sister was/is Evelyn who married Glen Toothacher. He will be remembered by some as the electronics wizard who fixed and mended radios, TVs and other appliances for L. C. Adam Merc.] Earl built some kitchen cabinets for my folks. After the war he came back to Cedar Vale and lived in the Seybolt house and cabinet shop.
I see in the last LOOKOUT he did some work for Duane Woodruff in 1947. Loyd

A Road Trip

In the days since Don Shaffer wrote about G. A. Beggs’ big day on October 4, I’ve been turning a rather insane plan over in my mind. Let me share it with you.

Elyn leaves for her three-week trip to Spain late in September and I will have that time by myself here in Santa Fe. I’ve been wanting to perhaps make a road trip and see some of my old haunts during that time. It occurs to me that, if I am out on the road during that period I might just drop in on G. A.’s big day. I even am contemplating taking Don Cox up on his query about someone giving him a ride to Fredonia that day!

So, a plan is beginning to form here. I would, for sure, want to visit CV and environs to visit places and people (those who are left, that is), take some pictures to post to the blog, visit my remaining relatives in northern Oklahoma, perhaps venture up to the north a bit to see some of that country, and maybe even cross back through Colorado to see some friends there.

I know that my armchair planning is easy compared with the actual stress of being on the road for a week or so, but here is fair warning, those of you who are still in southern Kansas—the bad penny may be returning. Don’t be surprised if I turn up on Main (Cedar) Street CV one of these days soon!

G.A. Beggs, Grand Marshal!

Friends of G.A.!

G.A. is going to be the Parade Marshal for the Fredonia Fall Festival/Parade, Fredonia, Kansas, on Saturday, October 4! The parade starts at 11:00 a.m. If any of you are in the vicinity that day, you might want to drop by and see an 84 year old man that is 48 at heart!