10th and Poplar
On four-lane Highway 51
Cairo, IL  62914
618-734-0319

Sunday, August 29, 2010
 

Farewell, Ol’ Blue

Dear Blue,

We were so proud when Rodney, Dorothy and Donald brought you home from Faribault, MN, on Sept. 11, 1992. You were quite a step up from anything we had ever had before. Thank you, Blue, for 18 wonderful years. Goodness, hardly any pastor even stays that long at one church.  Our young adults who are now 30 were only 12 when you came along. Those in their 20s have never known any bus but you.

We’ll never forget those trips to Gatlinburg, Panama City Beach, Myrtle Beach, and those all-night trips to Disneyworld when you carried us through the Great Smoky Mountains, on down I-65 with Georgia on our mind but Florida in our hearts.

And how about that first trip to New York when you took the SCC Choir and Band to see our kid, Chris, as Simba in The Lion King. You nearly exploded with excitement as we crossed the George Wahsington Bridge and motored all the way down Manhattan’s Broadway with 48 noses pressed against the windows and 96 eyes glued to the street scenes.

Maybe your proudest moment was when you rolled out of here at 9:30 one night with the families of the National Guard unit on board, getting them to Wisconsin by noon the next day in time to see their soldiers arrive from more than a year’s duty in Iraq.

Your five trips to Kalahari have made volumes of memories for our young families. And how about all those runs to Branson? We can’t count the blessings you have brought us; we almost can’t count the trips.

And now it’s time to say “Farewell, Ol’ Blue. Well done, thou good and faithful bus. Thanks for the memories…and all those miles.”

Reception for Big Blue II

Hey, Rookie! You’ve got a lot to live up to because you are following a Legend! But we don’t expect you to duplicate Ol’ Blue. You just be Big Blue II, and do your own thing.

There are no more Lion Kings; we don’t do Camp Live It Up anymore; and Lake Benton Baptist  Camp is gone forever. But you will find new destinations, vistas and horizons, along with fresh adventures near and far.

And Branson is still there, just waiting to meet you. Kalahari is on our map, and you’ll love taking the kids there.

New Blue, we are so glad to have you. You are bigger, longer, taller, wider and younger. We’re going to love your comfort and all your bells and whistles. We sure will enjoy the monitors; the guys are impressed with your Caterpillar motor, and that’s a great name you bear—Mighty Rivers. Blue II, you will make a lot of friends quickly, and you’ll be an instant hit.

We are so thankful  Rex and Jason found you. They passed up on buses in Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana and Florida, but when they saw you, up in the corner of Iowa, they knew you were the one for us. So on this 29^th day of August, in the year of our Lord 2010, we commission you into service, to be used for God’s people and for God’s glory. Happy Trails to you, Big  Blue II. LET’S ROLL.

Rob’s Report on the Upward Golf Scramble

I have to admit, the economy worried me when it came to planning this year’s Upward Golf Outing, but  God supplied 1 more team and 2 more hole sponsors than we had last year.

We had 18 teams, 44 hole sponsors, 15 dessert makers, plenty of help, and a beautiful day! Golfers: Brock Moore, Jackie Moore, Buddy Walls, Carol Bourland, Jerry Gunn, Jack Pitts, Bob Shoemaker, Courtney Blackburn, Rick Loker, Rick McGovern, Kobe Beasley, Tony Davis, Kyle Whitmore, Daniel Beasley, Dr. Kobler, Bubba Kobler, Dino Bankson, Debbie Adams, Dr. Dewey Dixon, Brady Dixon, Chris Kepner, Gene Adams, Larry Dowdy, Kenny Calvet, Carletos Meeks, Gary Goins, Gene Kennedy, Brent Kennedy, Bryant Nichols, Chris Stringer, Steve  Williams, Bobby Williams, Jerry Calvert, Ronnie McClendon, Chuck  Bonifield, Bo Evers, Ken House, Gary Buckner, Tim Brown, Gary Hankins, Chris Smith, Chris Kaufman, Donald Johnson, John Simpson, Larry Lambert, Donald Koch, Roy and Shirley McHarry, Steve Thurman, Denny Putnam, Judy  Wadley, Clinton Pecord, Bob Conroy, Tony Helton, Tony Wolford, Jeff McCrite, Jeff Stoner, Jackie Baugher, Jimmy  Warden, Les Warden, Billy Helton. We had 2 teams enter from Spaulding Farms and Wilburn Farms and Excavating that couldn’t play due to working on our beautiful new bus. Both, however, donated their entry fee!

Hole Sponsors: First State Bank of Olmsted, Oil-Dri, Mighty Rivers, Lloyd “Bo” Bosecker, Bryan Curry, Buddy Walls, Gene Kennedy, Julie Sauerbrunn, Tim Brown, Gholson Financial Services, Wilburn Farms & Excavating, Farrow Lumber, Illinois  Fire Service Institute—University of Illinois, Dixon Chiropractic Center, Stop & Shop, Monte Russell, Steve and Debbie Spomer, Hair Works, Mark Twain Real Estate, Delta New Holland-Charleston, Honey’s Tire Center, Crain Funeral Homes, Bennett Real Estate, Britton Trucking, Charles Caldwell, Britton’s Wrecker Service, Mounds Transportation & Distribution, Consolidated Grain & Barge, Capaha Bank,  Cache River Chevrolet, Eddie and Nancy Doss, Nixon Farms, Rogan’s Country Pharmacy, A+Medical Equipment, Mr. and Mrs. John G. Holland, Johnson & Schneider L.L.C. Attorney’s at Law, Donna McCann, Charles McGinness, Cairo Elks, Timmy and Stephanie Gibson, Spaulding Farms, Wissinger Construction, Cairo Public Utility, Guetterman Motors.

Prizes:  First State Bank of Olmsted, Alice Cox, Donna McCann, Lloyd “Bo” Bosecker, Rob and April Moore, Jackie Moore, Giant City Lodge, MidCountry Bank, Capaha Bank, Egyptian Country Club, Gambit Golf Club, Union County Country Club, Country Insurance Agent Gene Kennedy, B & B Florist, Judy Wadley, A+ Med. Equipment, Shawnee Development, Dick’s Sporting Goods.

With our catered meal we had desserts, desserts and more desserts! Stephanie Gibson, Cecelia Honey, Nancy Doss, Jackie Moore, Pam Hoppe, Joyce Adams, Nannie White,  Mary Ann McGinness, Lydie Nordman, Sandy Potts, Agnes Wehrenberg, Taunia Fair, Jane Adams, Kelli Kern, Erikia Davis.

Gene and Sherry Crippen provided “Hole In One” prizes—fabulous trips on #8, #17, #18, and $10,000 for #9. Water and sodas and hotdogs were FREE on the course all day. The water was donated by Koerner Distributing (Rock Hileman); sodas by Pulaski County State’s Attorney, Donna McCann; Ball Park hot dogs, buns, and condiments by Jackie Moore. Gary Buckner donated all the donuts.

Finally, I would like to give a special “thank you” to Tony & Erikia Davis, Kelli Kern, Heather Murphy, Taunia Fair, Timmy and Stephanie Gibson and my wife, April, for volunteering most of their Saturday to this event. Upward realized a profit of $4,400.00. God.  provided. Let the planning begin for our 5^th Annual Upward Golf Scramble!!!