Good day to everyone! It has been beautiful this week in Patriot, Indiana and the surrounding community! The Ohio River has been especially beautiful, glistening in the sun and moonlight as it crowns our community!
This just in:
• This past week former Patriot resident Pearl Rider Minks celebrated her 95th birthday surrounded by family in Englewood, Florida. Her daughters Diana and Reta, and Diana’s granddaughter also visited and celebrated at Reta’s home in North Port, Florida. Pearl and her late husband Bennie lived and raised their daughters Diana, Reta and Bonnie on Second Street in Patriot.
• Denny Scudder, son of the late Delbert and Mary Ann Cook Scudder was surprised with a surprise birthday party at his own house! Denny turned 70 and celebrated with family.
• Rosa Jones, daughter of Patrick and Melissa Jones of Meades Ridge, traveled to Taylor High School in Cleves, Ohio on Saturday with the Switzerland County High School Band for marching competitions. Next week they will march in the Versailles Pumpkin Show. If you get a chance go watch them perform!
• Harold Thomas, Jr. son of Harold and Tina (Dawson) Thomas married Kayla Adkinson in a beautiful ceremony at the Red Barn Event Center in Madison on Saturday. Mike Jones, Pastor of the Patriot Baptist Church performed the ceremony.
• The Patriot Baptist Church has started Bible Study again for this year. They meet on Wednesday evenings at 6 p.m. They are studying Psalms and Proverbs and will then begin a study of the Gospels. It is very informal with a pot of coffee and snacks as well! The community is invited.
• Political signs are going up over town and the countryside as candidates prepare for the November election. It’s always great to see candidates getting out and meeting voters!
• The Town of Patriot recently held its annual Patriot Day 9/11 Memorial Service. It was well attended, and thanks to the Vevay American Legion and VFW for helping lead our Flag Exchange at the Town Flag Park. Stop by and see our beautiful park. The flags have all been at half staff in memory of Queen Elizabeth II whose funeral proceedings will conclude Monday, September 19th.
• Thanks to Jeff and Sue VanSickle for their hard work in keeping our town looking beautiful!
• Switzerland County Schools suffered a tremendous loss this past week with the sudden death of Special Education Director Jenna Homola. I had worked with Jenna for the past three years. She was a dedicated school leader who worked tirelessly advocating for students with special needs. Our prayers go out to her family and friends.
• Betty Hutchinson and her mother Kathryn Turner attended a marker dedication service in honor of Private Robert Gullion of the Pennsylvania Militia, a Revolutionary War veteran who is buried in the Gullion Ceremony in Florence, Indiana. Robert Gullion and his wife Barbara moved to York Township in 1799, they were some of the earliest settlers in Switzerland County. Kathyrn and Betty are fourth and fifth generation descendants of Pvt. Gullion. The service was led by the National Society of the Sons and Daughters of the American Revolution. It was a beautiful service and they were able to meet family members they were not aware of.
• Thursday is the first day of Autumn, and the farmers are starting the harvest. In days gone by, our lives centered around the tobacco crop. Fall was the time farmers were busy cutting and housing tobacco. Generations of families working in the fields together.
• That’s all for this week. Don’t forget to send your news to either: Mike Jones at mike1405@earthlink.net. or (812) 290-3088; or Barrie Watters at barrieleewatters@charter.net. or (828) 335-8270. You can also drop off news items at the Patriot General Store.
And remember to “show a little kindness and shine your light for everyone to see”.