RCNews, Nov 10

Thanks to everyone for the great casseroles and desserts at our last fundraiser. The items donated for the raffle were terrific and we really appreciate your generosity. A couple of comments were made about having the recipes.  So I ask those of you that participated to share those recipes with me and I will put together a little cookbook and they will be offered as an additional fundraiser at future events. Send them either typed or handwritten along with your full name, phone number or email address to Charmaine Wolfe, PO Box 52, McCracken, Ks 67556.
 
Audrey and Chet Irvin were guests of Don and Dena Irvin Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 30-Nov. 2, while their parents Chad and Amber were gone.  They enjoyed trick or treating in Rush Center Sunday evening and in La Crosse Monday evening. 
 
Small World Story.  Tyler Harms, Hutchinson, and a friend of grandson Zach Higgins is a guide for a goose hunting company in Peace River, Canada. The man that owns the company is a friend of Ted and Mary Jane Kamieniecki who live in Maning AB Canada. Mary Jane wrote to someone in McCracken in 1998 when our grocery store was closing as her maiden name was McCracken. Whoever it was gave the letter to Carolyn and Shirley and we have been in contact with her ever since. The man that owns the company sent Tyler to visit with Mary Jane. They visited over three hours and she couldn’t believe it when he said he and Zach were class mates in middle school and played football together. (Shirley couldn’t believe it either, gave me goose bumps). She said the weather there this year has been awful. It has been a wet, cool summer and fall, crops were drowned out and they had poor germination as it was very dry in May and June. They had 45 days of rain during the summer.
 
Last Sunday lunch was shared at the home of Kellye and Sandy Irvin. Those attending were Don and Dena Irvin, Scott Irvin and Ruth Irvin.
 
If you would like to send a card to Lorraine Ryan, her address is posted in the post office.
 
An article in the Wichita Eagle recently titled ‘Small Towns Struggle’ told about Hudson losing its post office along with many other small communities. Some western Kansas counties have less than 2,500 people in the entire county, young people are leaving and the older ones are dying off. There was a column in the article titled ‘Making it Work’. In McCracken, Eric Davis went against the norm. At age 28, he and his wife, Melissa, moved back to McCracken two and a half years ago to start a Café. At first glance, the Rush County town of only 200 people didn’t have much going for it. It had a grain elevator, gas station and post office and that was it. Davis though had a dream. He wanted to open a restaurant as it was here where his grandmother had run the Davis Café for years and he wanted to carry on the torch. A French chef in Omaha and North Carolina, Davis wanted to feature classic comfort food and upscale bar food at the Boondocks Bar and Grill. People from Wichita to San Diego have made pilgrimages to his restaurant. Since Davis moved back to McCracken, he said four other young couples also have moved back. “We are building a foundation here”, he said. “We may get paved roads around here, yet.”
 
Congratulations to Hutchinson High School, LaCrosse, Plainville and Otis-Bison. . .they are still playing football.
 
Austin McGaughey had rotator cuff surgery this past week; Sheryl Burns had knee surgery also this past week.
 
Please Notice…….The McCracken Library will not be open Wednesday evenings due to lack of patrons!!
 
Tomi and Tony Rues, Joann Micheli and Mark McCormick were some of those that felt the tremors from the earth quake in Oklahoma.
 
A big thanks to everyone who donated to the 2011 Rush County United Fund Drive!! This is McCracken's best year yet! Everyone's contributions are making a difference right here in Rush County. Thank you, thank you!!
 
Carolyn and Shirley recommend the book “South of Broad” by Pat Conroy.  Very good.
 
Reba Davenport Baker, Ray and Marilyn Slemp, two of our Oklahoma residents felt the tremors of the earthquake but are ok.
 
Birthdays:  November 10, Machree Jones; November 11, Danny Mills, Janice Haney, Kelli Sloan; November 12, Kyle Hovey, Brandon Engleman; November 13 Deb Derr Rogers; November 14, Kayla Weskamp; Jeff McCormick, Heather Hart, Khloe Boese; November 15, Aaron Hale; November 16, Adam Taylor, Twilla Grumbein, Robert Thompson, Sr., Emma Rues, Kevin Miiller.
 
Anniversaries:  November 20, Melvin and Karen Simmerman; November 11, Vic and Susie Parsons; November 13, Sean and Laura Bookstore; November 15, Neil and Rhonda Allen; November 16, Richard and Corrine Baldwin.
 
Congratulations to the following ladies: Kathy Huddleston Coen was 60 on November 7. Janice Stull was 70 on November 8.   A November 7 birthday was Donna McKinney.  Sorry we missed these special birthdays last week.
 
Rain - we are so happy.
 
All honor to our Veterans and those serving in the Military - November 11, 2011.
 
The Dream group met at the home of Kathleen Kuchar in Hays on Thursday.  Those attending were Kathleen, Carol Heiman, Christine Wagner, Carolyn Thompson and Shirley Higgins.
 
Al and Judy Hugh, T. J. Milam and Deb Luft were here on Sunday to visit Ben Thompson.  They also had lunch at Boondocks.
 
Kansas History Questions
Who was the noted Swedish painter at Lindsborg who taught for 52 years at Bethany?  Birger Sandzen
 
What was the first book written about Kansas?  "Kansas and Nebraska"
 
Who coined the name "Cathedral of the Plains" to the church in Victoria?  William Jennings Bryan
 
Who wrote "The Last Cattle Drive" Robert Day
 
Who wrote "Yankee on the Prairie" Dr. Allan Miller
 
McCracken History Notes
 
November 1911
Mrs. Drew Robertson of Ellis went to Oakley Wednesday morning to look for a house as they expect to move there in a short time.  Drew runs on the Salina-Oakley branch of the railroad.  Mr. and Mrs. Perry Yawger, Mr. and Mrs. John Lovitt and J. Yawger of McCracken spent last Sunday with Mrs. Drew Robertson.
 
November 1941
Mrs. Mary Higgins and family have moved into the home of Mrs. Emma Start for the winter.  Mrs. Emma Start, Mrs. Lena Barnett left with Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wagner for Arizona and Riverside, California Monday.
 
For Sale: Turnips, $1.00 a bushel - Henry McGaughey.
 
Mr. and Mrs. George Myers at Hoisington are the proud parents of a baby girl, Janice Marilyn, weighing six pounds and seven ounces, born Saturday morning, November 8.
 
November 1961
Leroy Herdman is attending barber school in Wichita.
 
November 1981
Born to Mr. and Mrs. William Coffman, a son, Andrew William, November 14 in Ransom.
 
Lonnie Irvin has been hired as coach of the girl’s basketball team at LaCrosse High School and will teach P. E. in LaCrosse West.