Ivan D.E. Beaumont.
The ball program.
Charlie Doeden is making plans for the Jaycee summer ball program scheduling T-Ball, girls softball and boys baseball. It promises to be another busy summer with games every night on the three diamonds.
Joe Fletcher who coached the Optimist team for a few seasons, is getting itchy feet and thinking about coaching another ball team.
We had a "parents" part in one of his teams. That means we transported the neighborhood players to practice. Joe had to be at work at 8 a.m., each day and that meant 7 a.m., practices.
The boys put their hearts into it and their season record was good.
I helped once. Joe asked me to catch for Gary Nerison.
"You mean that little husky fella there on the mound?"
"Yeah," Joe said. "Go right ahead. He needs some warm-up."
"Okay . . . Gary ole' buddy, put her in there," I called to him.
"k-e-e-r-r-o-o-POW !(That smarted just a bit, but I didn't let him know).
"Okay, Gary, stop messing around . . . grandma would have belted that one into Steinhart pond," I assured.
"k-e-e-r-r-o-o-POW !"
This went on for some time . . . too long a time, really. When I gave up the catcher's glove to Dave and walked away with a swollen hand, I could hear the chatter from David . . . "come on Nerison, now REALLY start throwing 'em."
David and Jayme Gruber alternated catching the entire season.
I never went back to the catcher's box again.
A whole lot of thanks.
The $1,000 checks from the three businesses in Nebraska City to the Rescue Squad was about as fine a start for a fund drive that we've seen.
The checks were presented to the squad by Ellsworth Merkel, president of Otoe County National Bank, Arvon Marcotte, executive vice president of Farmers Bank and Duane Hall, president of Midwest Federal Savings and Loan.
Rescue Chief Don Chapin said the new emergency vehicle will cost about $35,000 when fully equipped. The squad plans to phase out its 1967 vehicle when the new unit is put into service.
Meanwhile, the squad is pepping up its training programs offering more first aid classes. The only cost is for the books.
Anyone interested in taking Red Cross first aid class may call the squad's business phone, 873-3444 or drop a note to NC Rescue, Box 333, Nebraska City, 68410.
A jazz session.
They had an oldtime jazz session in Falls City the other night. George "Pee Wee" Erwin put his trumpet to his lips and Judge Al Maust tongued the reed of his saxophone.
It was old time jazz by "old-timers" played for the benefit of the Falls City teen-agers.
The late Vern "Pick" Pickering who worked at the News-Press for many years, spoke about "Pee Wee" many times. Pick would have fit right in the group.
He traveled all through this area for many years with his band, Pick and His Tophatters.
Others in the band at Falls City were Dr. Robert Hoban, Bob Shields, Harley Ridgway and John Bremer of Syracuse.
From Germany.
Harvey Varenhorst, a graduate of Nebraska City High School, writes from his headquarters in Munich, Germany, that he enjoys reading the News-Press and offers help to visitors.
Mr. Varenhorst said, "I am always reading about the people of Nebraska City or Otoe county who are visiting in Germany."
He said anyone from the area is invited to drop him a line and he will give them his phone number.
His address is:
Harvey Varenhorst.
American Consulate General.
DEA-Justice.
APO, New York, NY 09108.
Mrs. Arthur (May) Whyte.
May Whyte died the other day in Hamburg. She had lived 92 long and wonderful years.
We have always enjoyed her notes in the mail and her visits to the News-Press. She was here just a couple weeks ago on one of those especially windy days.
She was given some assistance with the doors as she entered the newspaper office, moving slowly but smiling her usual bright self. She admitted only, "I'm not as strong as I used to be."
Her pleasant attitude toward life and her alertness to the world happenings around here constantly made us aware she was one of those special people in Dr. Stonecypher's book who are growing older . . . gracefully.
We miss you, May.