Please send your news item to Jean Borgeson at jeanb@iowatelecom.net
Reminder: Rippey fundraising car show Saturday, Sept. 23, from 11 am to 3 pm.
Friends of Rippey will meet Sunday, Sept. 24, at 7:30 in the community room. Items to discuss will be possible grants to continue improvements at the baseball field, election of new officers, and a Christmas event.
Rippey library: Librarian Shawneene Kenan; phone: 515.436.7714; website: www.rippey.lib.ia.us; E-mail: rippeyli@windstream.net.
Fall hours are in place. The library will be open Monday thru Friday, 1-5 pm.
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Phil and Toni Roberts spent the afternoon Saturday visiting Toni’s sister at the Good Samaritan nursing home in Algona. Although conversation was sometimes difficult, Toni was happy to be with her sister and help her celebrate her 80th birthday. Afterwards they stopped for a visit with Joyce’s daughter Stacy Barber and enjoyed watching part of the Iowa game. Returning home Toni was relieved that Joyce still recognized her and was so happy for a visit.
Connie Neese and Jean Borgeson spent a pleasant afternoon after church on Sunday, Sept. 17, visiting Eleanor Whiton and Ben Vannatta at the Rowley Home in Perry. Ben’s daughter Jeannie and her husband Pete Kottra of Ankeny were visiting Ben, so it was an extra treat to visit with them.
Central College football team dines in Rippey – The Central College football team stopped at Rippey Saturday evening to eat their post-game meal following their game with Buena Vista at Storm Lake. This has been a continuing tradition since 1986 when Velda DeMoss first suggested the idea.
Quoting Velda in her “Velda’s Varieties” column in the Globe Free Press Nov. 21, 1996, when she recapped that evening: “Of course I no longer know any of the Central College players, only the coaches and wives. But the players look the same, well-dressed, well-behaved young men. I’m sure many were trying to figure out why they were eating supper in a church in Rippey instead of a restaurant along the route. Hopefully the coaches can explain the tradition to them. I remember Marc’s reaction to my suggestion that the team eat in Rippey on the way home from Storm Lake. ‘Oh, geez, Mom, you can’t do that!’ Oh, yes I can!”
This year was no exception. The players are still well-dressed and well-behaved. A bit subdued by their last play loss to BV, but were able to consume the meal in a short time and sing their fight song! Only one player/coach, Jeff McMartin, is left who played with Marc DeMoss on the team for which Linda Borgeson was the manager. He asked about both and I filled him in on their families. Touching on their last minute loss to BV, I had to mention the young man who made the play is one of our local boys, T. J. Lint, and he was quick to compliment him on having a great game!
Kevin and Mary Hick cooked the meal and with the help of many willing helpers, including the youth group, and alumnus of Central, David Weaver. Also, Schyler Bardole, who just a short time ago was a teammate of some of the players, helped served 86 plus the help.
I was able to grab one of the players for a “family” picture. Trevor Smith, a graduate of Audubon High School, is the grandson of the former Nancy (Darling) Smith, who grew up in Paton. His aunt Judy Wilson still lives there. He had been “warned” that I may seek him out and I was impressed that not only was he willing to take a picture while his buddies were watching, but he actually knew that his grandpa Eldon Darling was my dad, Ellwin’s brother!
Whether this tradition continues is speculation, but of all the news articles Velda wrote about events in her life, the Central College football supper was one of her favorite subjects. It sure makes great memories for those of us who shared her enthusiasm!
