 Members of the Holden Area Chamber of Commerce met at Tiger Jack’s for their regular monthly meeting Thursday morning where they learned that 50 members have renewed their memberships and more are expected.
Embarq received a free 2010 membership from a random drawing and it was reported that volunteers for various committees are needed.
There was no report available from government affairs or the fall fiesta, but the rodeo committee has had a meeting and reported the possibility KDKD radio might partner with the chamber to present a music themed event. Sam Raber suggested the Fall Fiesta as a better venue. Discussions are still in the planning stages.
Dennis Mason reported the community betterment committee is requesting volunteers because work is needed on sidewalks, underground utilities, and Christmas lights. He said the plan for the new directional signs is to do only a few at a time because of the expense. He also said the committee has contacted Terry Scott about making the signs.
News from the downtown park committee reveals only a small number of pavers have been ordered, but an order of 50 is needed to get enough of a discount for the committee to break even. New committee members for the downtown park are John Yoder and Sharon Briscoe.
Mike Ringen, superintendent for the Holden R-III school district presented the education committee report. He detailed the Vision Intervention Plan (VIP) which is designed to identify children that have vision problems such as an inability to read across a line and similar impairments. In the future, staff will be working with students to overcome these problems.
He also said that the backpack program is proving a success for students who need extra nutrition on the weekends. The organization Harvesters is supplying the school with free snacks for the program. Backpacks are filled with healthy snacks and send them home with the children on Fridays. When the child brings the bag back it is refilled for the next weekend. They must bring the bag back to get the snacks the next weekend.
The Tau Pi sorority is sponsoring a blood drive in the high school cafeteria, hosted by the school on February 20 from 2:30 to 7p.m. All donors will receive a free tee shirt.
In other news, the economic development committee will hold a public meeting in March or April concerning the draft of the comprehensive plan. Details will be announced.
Bill Dryer reported that Whiteman Air Force Base will have Holden Community Day on March 5. The chamber will sponsor 10 students to attend and experience tours of the base and the B-2 aircraft.
The military enhancement committee has requested the Holden chamber to participate in encouraging the Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) to locate at Whiteman. The base is one of six under evaluation. If the command chooses Whiteman it could mean up to 900 additional people moving into the area and many civilian employment opportunities. The chamber members agreed to draft a resolution to encourage the AFGSC to locate at Whiteman. Sam Raber agreed to help with the wording.
Dryer also reported the Whiteman golf tournament will be held in April. He suggested that along with a monetary donation, the chamber put together a team for the tournament.
The St. Patrick’s Day parade will be held March 15 at 4 p.m., beginning downtown and ending at St. Patrick’s church where a corned beef dinner will be served directly after. Tickets for the dinner have just gone on sale. The parade starting point has not yet been determined. So far, no volunteers have come forward to take charge of the parade but someone is needed. Superintendent Ringen will see if there is a school organization interested in organizing the parade. Pat Zvacek volunteered to be the contact person for the event.
In regard to the Christmas lighting, the current charge for this display is approximately $2.50 per linear foot. This past Christmas cost the Chamber more than $6,000. Mason said the businesses involved will need to meet to discuss a plan for the next Christmas display.
The next Chamber after Hours will be held February 16 at Heiman’s and catered by Tiger Jack.
The Chamber after Hours for March will be hosted by Godfathers.
The students on the Holden Elementary Student Council challenged the students in each preschool through fifth grade classroom to donate 100 canned goods or non-perishable food items to commemorate the students’ 100th day of school which was January 26.
The students rose to the challenge and collected 2,507 canned goods and food items during a one-week food drive which started on January 26. At the end of the week, high school FFA members helped load the large quantity of food collected on a trailer and delivered it to the Holden Food Pantry.
Elementary school Student Council sponsor Kari Collett said, “I was amazed at the amount of food students brought to school and very pleased with the results of the food drive.”
Holden Elementary Student Council sponsors Kari Collett, Ruth Brockhaus, Dana Patton, Kathy Kilgore and Melody Hoffman knew that donations to the food pantry slow down after the holidays, and the food pantry would need donations. They thought the more students could bring, the better it would serve those in need in the Holden area.
Students at the Holden Elementary School are no strangers to donations and kind deeds. The food drive is one of many community activities in which the Student Council is involved. Before Christmas, students collected toys and personal items to fill shoeboxes to give to children around the world for Operation Christmas Child project, helped collect toys for local children for the Holden Police Department’s Kops for Kids project, sent cards and letters to troops overseas, and held another food drive for the local food pantry.
Executive director for HOPE Coalition Danny Crews has announced that due to a large amount of perishables that Harvesters has because of demand, they will be expanding their drop-offs in Holden.
“This will be a trial basis, but they will be delivering twice a month at the Community Service Center,” said Crews.
Beginning in February, the two drops per month will start; they will have their normal distribution which is the first Thursday of each month; and also add the third Monday of each month.
The dates for Harvesters will be February 5, 16; March 5 and 16; April 2 and 20; and May 7 and 18. The trial will run until the first part of the summer to see how things go, according to Crews.
This year the Kingsville Tigers are inviting the Chilhowee Indians to step into “Blackout in the Jungle”. This year’s homecoming events will take place on February 20, during halftime of the varsity boys’ basketball game.
Homecoming queen and king nominees include: freshmen, Meghan O’Hare and Steven Holbrook; sophomores, Jill Ring and Matthew Hawley; juniors, Santana Fannin and Aaron Howerton; seniors, Kayla Cox and Cody Hughes; basketball, Kaylee Herring and Ross Shull.
The week of February 16 will be Spirit Week. Each day, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to show school spirit by dressing up for each theme day. The theme days are as follows: Monday - no school; Tuesday - Class Color Day: Brighten up the blackness of the jungle. Wear designated class color. No hats or full face paint (none at all for the elementary) on this day please. Kindergarten - orange; first, yellow; second, green; third, white; fourth, blue; fifth, gray; sixth, brown; seventh; orange; eighth, gray; ninth, yellow; 10th, green; 11th, white; and 12th, blue; Wednesday - Crazy Hair/Mismatch Day - There’s no need to be stylish while in the darkness of the jungle. Let one’s hair go crazy and mismatch one’s clothes. No face paint, hats, or spray hair color on this day please; Thursday -Blackout in the Jungle Day: night time is no time to be in the jungle. Dress in all black and/or animal print/jungle attire to show the Indians what it’s like to be in the jungle at night. No full face paint (none at all for the elementary) or hats on this day please; Friday - School Spirit Day - wear Kingsville Tiger gear today. One may wear a hat only if it is a Kingsville or Tiger hat. Spirit beads will be on sale at the cost of 50 cents per strand or three strands for $1.
The cheerleaders will hold a pep assembly during seventh hour (2-2:45 p.m.) on Friday, February 20. Alumni and community members are welcome.
It was a tough week for the Holden High School boys’ varsity basketball last week as they dropped two Missouri River Valley East Conference matchups to drop their league record to 1-3.
On Tuesday, the Eagles lost to a streaking Higginsville team by a score of 55-41 and also fell to the Spartans in Richmond, 75-53, on Friday.
During the week according to head Eagle coach Dale Wescott, the boys’ “aquilles heel” was their shooting. “We shot 29 percent from the field against the Huskers and 28 percent versus Richmond,” he added. “We also were below 50 percent on free throws in both games.”
Coach Wescott said that the boys were getting their looks, but just not finishing. Also, Holden didn’t take care of the ball very well against Higginsville, but seemed to get that problem straigntened out against Richmond. In the contest with the Spartans, the Eagles only turned the ball over nine times.
Leading scorer in the game against Higginsvillle was Bryce Evans, who canned 15 points and pulled down nine reb ounds. Other scoring included: Trevor Yancey, nine points; Crosby Coleman, six points; Deron Binkley, five points and four rebounds; Zak Anstine, four points and four rebounds and David Lerda, two points.
At Richmond, Holden was only down by three at the halftime, but the Spartans returned to the court on fire from behind the arch. They drained 11 three-pointers in the second half alone shooting 57 percent from long range in the contest. Once again, the Eagles couldn’t buy a basket.
Statistics in the Richmond game were: Yancey, 13 points; Evans, 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists; Binkley, 11 points and eight rebounds; Coleman, eight points and seven rebounds; Anstine, six points, five rebounds and four assists; and Lerda, three points.
After a game Tuesday night with Carrollton on the road, the boys will return home to entertain the Knob Noster Panthers tonight (Thursday) in the HHS gymnasium beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday night they will hit the road again to play their old nemesis Sherwood in Creighton.
Winning Coach Wescott’s players of the week honors were Evans, offense; Lerda, defense; and Coleman, hustle.
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After the tough loss to Class 5 Lebanon in the championship game of the Clinton Invitational, the Holden Lady Eagles varsity basketball team got back on the winning track, defeating Missouri River Valley East Conference foes Higginsville and Richmond last week.
The girls edged the Lady Huskers 37-36 in Higginsville Monday night and crushed the Lady Spartans, 61-27 Thursday night in the HHS gymnasium. The two wins moved the girls conference record to 4-0 and an overall mark of 13-3.
Head Lady Eagle coach Travis Fleming got 32 points from his bench in the victory over Richmond as nine of the 10 girls on the varsity squad scored in the contest.
Several of the reserves sparked a 10-0 run at the end of the second quarter to propel Holden to a 13-point halftime lead after getting off to a slow start and leading by only three at the first quarter buzzer.
“That group off the bench really gave us a lift in the game and I started them in the second half,” praised Coach Fleming. “I got tremendous effort from Kelsey Whitehead (11 points and seven rebounds) and Kelsey Holmes, (six points and 11 rebounds). Holmes did a great job of defending and rebounding and Whitehead was a difference-maker. Also, Jenna Brockhaus showed her true value the way she passed in the game making the other post players around her much more effective. Lauren Adams also gave me valuable minutes with six points off the bench.”
The coach said that because of an overplaying man-to-man defense Richmond employed, the Lady Eagles scored a lot of their points in the paint He also praised Stacey Calhoun’s point-guard play when regular quarterback Valerie Lambert was on the bench with fouls.
The coach’s only criticism of the effort was the 14 for 28 record from the free throw line.
Statistics for the win included: Kelsey Carver, 12 points; Whitehead, 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists; Calhoun, eight points, seven rebounds, four assists and five steals; Brockhaus, seven points; Lauren Geisler, six points; Adams, six points; Holmes, six points, 11 rebounds and three steals; Calla Burden, three points and three rebounds; Katie Passler, two points and three steals; and Lambert, seven assists in limited playing time due to foul trouble.
Lady Eagles 37
Lady Huskers 36
Holden’s win Monday night over Higginsville was a real battle. Down by three at the end of both the half and third quarter, the Lady Eagles battled back in the final stanza to out-point their opponents by only one.
“We started off slow and didn’t attack their zone defense,” stated Coach Fleming. “Our first couple of shots missed their target and we settled in for a long night. They had our number all evening, but we made a good run at the end of the third to pull back within three and scored the first basket of the fourth quarter on a great look from Brockhaus to Whitehead. The girls coming off the bench played a huge role in the victory with Lauren Adams doing a great job of handling the ball and taking a leadership role. I was impressed with her composure. Those kids came in and changed the momentum of the game in the third quarter. We needed a lift and their scrappy defense, diving after loose balls, and rebounding did the trick. We were happy to escape with the win.”
Leading the balanced scoring attack was Lambert with eight. Other included, Adams, seven; Brockhaus, six; Carver and Calhoun, four apiece; Geisler and Burden, three each; and Whitehead, two.
After a home game with Carrollton Monday night, the girls will travel to Knob Noster tonight (Thursday) to take on the Lady Panthers. Tuesday, they will go up against Lexington in another home tilt.
Winning the coach’s players of the week honors this week were Calhoun, offense; Holmes, defense; and Whitehead, hustle.
The Kingsville Tigers boys’ varsity basketball team traveled to arch-rival Leeton Friday night and came home with a one-point victory over the Bulldogs in a spine-tingling contest.
“It was a great, exciting game,” head Tiger mentor Mike Bodenhamer said. “Late in the fourth quarter, we were ahead by seven and they hit two three-pointers to move within one point. They then tied the game with about a minute to go. Levi McKiddy hit a free throw with 20 seconds left and Leeton committed a turnover to secure our victory.”
The coach said that his Tigers played great team defense and rebounded well. “We also shared the ball unselfishly,” he added.
Leeton came into the game with a 13-2 record.
Leading scorers for the Tigers were McKiddy with 20 points, including five three-pointers; and Ross Shull with 10 points and six assists. The win pushed Kingsville’s season record to 9-8 overall and 1-0 in conference play.
Archie 58 Tigers 52
In a game earlier in the week, Kingsville lost to a “very good” Archie team. Even though the boys came out on the bottom, Coach Bodenhamer still said he saw some encouraging signs from their play. Once again leading the way was McKiddy with 20 points, while Shull dished six assists.
The Tigers will travel to Lakeland tonight (Wednesday) and take on Wentworth in the Kingsville gym Friday starting at 5:30 p.m.
OBITUARIES
DONALD DELMER KELLER
Donald Delmer Keller, age 61, Knob Noster, Missouri, passed away Thursday, February 5, 2009, at Johnson County Care Center in Warrensburg.
He was born July 30, 1947 in Urich, Missouri the son of John W. and Dorothy (Dew) Keller. He had lived in Holden, Clinton, Centerview, Sedalia and several other towns in the area before moving to Knob Noster in 2005. He was a welder.
Survivors include three sons, Donald Keller, Jr., Knob Noster, MO, John Keller, Warrensburg, MO, and Thomas James Keller, Lexington, MO; two brothers, James Keller, Chilhowee, MO, and Charles Keller, Holden, MO; and nine grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by four sisters and a brother, Annie Morrison, Charlene Keller, Sarah Gillespie, Virginia Mae Keller, and William Keller.
Memorial services were held at 11 a.m. Monday, February 9, 2009, at Ben Cast & Son - Wood Funeral Home, Holden, MO with Pastor Michael Wakeman officiating. Cremation.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Donald Keller Memorial Fund.
VENCIL MONROE MASKAR
Vencil Monroe Maskar, age 92, Joliet, Illinois, passed away Saturday, February 7, 2009, at Sunny Hill Nursing Home in Joliet.
He was born September 23, 1916 near Holden, MO, the son of Jerry and Eddie Gertrude (Huffine) Maskar.
Vencil farmed most of his life near Holden and moved to Joliet in the late 1990s. He was a member of the Woods Chapel United Methodist Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, LaVerne Lambeth. He leaves nieces, Deana Stasiuk and Kay McKee; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, February 12, 2009, at Ben Cast & Son - Wood Funeral Home, Holden, MO with Pastor Bob Jeppson officiating.
Music will be “The Old Rugged Cross” and “Amazing Grace.”
Pallbearers will be Don Pemberton, David Carlyle, Bob Ramey and Les Brooks.
Friends may call from 1-2 p.m. Thursday. Interment will be at Woods Chapel Cemetery, Holden, MO.
LOIS LEE NEWLAND
Lois Lee Newland, age 90, Tulsa, Oklahoma, passed away Thursday, February 5, 2009, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa.
She was born October 5, 1918 in Holden, Missouri, the daughter of Dr. Arnott Brown and Bertha Maude (Chappell) Newland. She graduated from Holden High School in 1936 and earned a bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Central Missouri at Warrensburg. She taught commerce classes (typing, shorthand and bookkeeping) two years at LaMonte, Missouri and three years in Blue Springs, Missouri. She then joined Skelly Oil Company in Kansas City where she worked for 15 years. In 1964, she was transferred to the company office in Tulsa. She retired in 1979 after 30 years with Skelly.
Lois was a member of First Christian Church in Tulsa, and active in the Friendship-Galilean Class. She also served on the board of the church’s Happy Timers senior social organization.
She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, James Carey Newland.
She leaves many wonderful classmates and friends including dear friends Keith McMillin and Linda Chamberlain, who became family to her.
Graveside services were held at 2:30 p.m. Monday, February 9, 2009, at Holden Cemetery, Holden, MO, under the direction of Ben Cast & Son - Wood Funeral Home, Holden, MO with the Reverend Richard Morris officiating. Interment was in Holden Cemetery. Friends called from 1-4 Sunday, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Holden First Christian Church or the Happy Timers of Tulsa First Christian Church.
ROBERT “BOB” SEXTON
Robert “Bob” Sexton, 74, Kingsville, Missouri, was delivered home Thursday morning, February 5, 2009 at the Lee’s Summit Hospital.
Bob was born on July 31, 1934 in Albany, Missouri, the oldest of four children born to Bernice (Jefferies) and B.H. Sexton. He graduated from Missouri School for the Deaf in Fulton. He moved to Kansas City after graduation to search for a job. While in Kansas City, he met and married Josephine Cole. The couple just celebrated 49 years together on the fifth of February.
He retired from General Motors. Bob was a member of Deaf Liberty Baptist Church in Overland Park, Kansas and the UAW. He loved to spend time with all his kids and grandkids...the more the merrier.
Surviving family include his wife, Josephine, of the home; six children, Leca and Doug Weber of El Dorado, Kansas, Kevin and Angie Sexton of Carrollton, Lori and Gordon Hocker of Harrisonville, Linda Nagy and Tim Clark of Greenwood, Lynette and Mike Sticht of Cape Girardeau and Kyle Sexton and Cassandra of Holden; his father, B.H. Sexton of Albany; a brother, J.W. Sexton and his wife Margaret of Independence; and a sister, Verdean Chapman and her husband, Wilber of Liberty. Survivors also include 22 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Bob was preceded in death by his mother; a brother, Bill Sexton; and an infant grandson, Cory Hocker.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday, February 9, 2009 at Williams Funeral Chapel in Holden with Reverend David Hanson of Deaf Liberty Baptist Church officiating. Interment followed in Kingsville Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Ryan Weber, Robert Weber, Kenneth Gorham, Clint Hocker, Chris Clark and Michael Bruns.
The family received friends from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, February 8, 2009 at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Deaf Liberty Baptist Church in Overland Park, Kansas.
Online condolences may be left at www.williamsfuneralchapel.net.
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