By Kathy Monnin
Versailles News
Life is filled with ups and downs, late summer/early fall is usually everyone’s favorite time of the year. Everyone’s life regains order and structure with the start of a school year and although it is not always easy to get it together the process simplifies in the weeks to come.
New schedules, bus drivers, teachers, classes, classrooms; it keeps the mind active with a sense of optimism in the air. A chance to sign up for different clubs, sports, extra curriculars, excel in studies, merit perfect attendance, the possibilities are endless in the first weeks of school.
Students may be going from elementary school to middle school, or middle school to high school. Others are beginning their senior year. Some are carrying a personal cell phone for the first time and others are driving to school. Young people all at different ages and stages in their education and life.
There is also anxiety in the air, with parents made cognizant that the child they raised is no longer an infant and is another year closer to leaving the nest. With mixed feelings they are proud of the person their child is becoming but silently aware that the problems of small kids are small, but the problems of big kids are big. Parents hope they will be up to the task of what lies in store for them in the days and years ahead. All these feelings are made tolerable with the cooler temperatures that lie ahead and the various picnics, celebrations, and sports that grace this time of year.
There is football nearly every day of the week. Freshmen play on Mondays, Junior High on Thursdays, Varsity on Fridays, and Junior Varsity on Saturdays. Cross Country on Saturdays, JV and Varsity Volleyball Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, JH Volleyball on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and Boys or Girls Golf nearly every day, except Wednesday and Saturday.
This is Labor Day weekend and Russia has their annual Homecoming Festival with a Queen of Hearts, the respect life baby contest, Alumni baseball game, a 5K, diaper derby, straw pile hunt, a lip sync contest, kiddie tractor pulls, junior firefighter challenge, square dancing, a clothing boutique for shoppers, a raffle table, fancy stand, bake wheel, lunch tent, chicken dinners, and lots of tournaments. If you want to enter a tournament you need to preregister.
Texas Hold ‘Em Tournament Friday at 6:45 p.m. under the lunch tent at St. Remy Hall. Seats are limited. Advance sign-up at [email protected] or call Jay at (937) 526-4842. You can try signing up 30 minutes before at the entertainment tent.
Co-Ed Sand Volleyball Tournament at 8:00 am Saturday. Limited to 8 teams. $60 entry fee. Register your co-ed team of 4 players (2 male, 2 female) by contacting Craig at (419)852-1335.
Men’s Alumni Basketball Tournament at 8 a.m. Saturday. To sign up contact David York at (937) 638-0047.
Dodgeball Tournament noon on Sunday. Four age divisions: 13 & under, 14-17, 18-30, and 30 & over. There is an entry fee per team and no limit on the number of teams. Cash prizes TBD by the number of teams. Six players to a team. Submit your team’s name to Paul at [email protected] or sign up at 11:30 a.m. day of at St. Remy Hall.
Adult Cornhole Tournament at 2 p.m. and Junior High/High School Cornhole Tournament at 6:30 p.m. both on Sunday. Sign up at the Beer Stand 30 minutes before hand.
Elementary Cornhole Tournament at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Sign up east of St. Remy Hall by 12:30 p.m.
“Describing her first day back in grade school after a long absence, a teacher said, it was like trying to hold 35 corks underwater at the same time.” ~ Mark Twain
“Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese Proverb
“Don’t let schooling interfere with your education.” ~Mark Twain
UPCOMING EVENTS
Friday – Sunday, Sept. 2-4, Russia Homecoming Festival. Go to www.russiahomecoming.com for a complete list of events and times.
Friday, Sept. 2, VHS Varsity Football at Versailles against Delphos St. John, 7 p.m.
Friday & Saturday, Sept. 2-3, Karaoke in the Versailles Vet’s Club Bunker beginning around 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 3, Paper Drive Fund Raiser for the Darke County Right to Life from 9–11 a.m. at the Osgood Park (just off State Route 705 on the west side of town). Or, contact Justin May (937-423-1824) to make special arrangements to deliver your paper and cardboard to his residence, 12292 Mangen Road, Versailles
Saturday, Sept. 3, Red, White and Blue Event from 11 a.m.–9 p.m. honoring Veterans, Police, Fire, and EMS personnel at the Greenville City Park. Food Truck Rally on site including Nacho Pig, Buckeye Burgers, Crème de La Crème, and Badges BBQ. Local band Mora & the Boys perform at 6:30 p.m., followed by Shannon Clark and The Sugar at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 4, Singo in the Versailles Vet’s Club Bunker beginning around 7:15 p.m.
Wednesday & Thursday, Sept. 7-8, Garage and Bake Sale at the Versailles Vet’s Club from noon–8 p.m. on Wednesday and 8 a.m.–6 p.m. on Thursday.
Thursday, Sept. 8, Card Night downstairs in the Versailles Vets Club Bunker beginning at 7 p.m. Open to the Public.
Friday, Sept. 9, Garage and Bake Sale concludes at the Versailles Vets Club from 8 a.m.–noon.
Saturday, Sept. 10, Versailles Music Fest at the Amphitheater in Heritage Park begins at 11:45 a.m. with a tribute to the veterans. There will be two stages. Noon–1 p.m. Versailles Community Band and Chorus, 1:15–2 p.m. VHS Show Choir, 1:30–3:30 p.m. Kim Kelly Orchestra, 3–5 p.m. Ohio Mystery Band, 4:30–6 p.m. DeMange Brothers, 6–8 p.m. Nightfall, 8–9 p.m. DeMange Brothers, 9–11 p.m. Eight Ball.
BUSINESS NEWS
Prosperity Promotions, 307 Warren Street, Versailles first started in Louisville 30 years ago by Kim Custenborder’s father, Lou Byron and herself. In 2013, Kim opened Prosperity Promo North with her two children Connor and Kelsey before moving it to the present location. Hours are 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Prosperity Promotions is a fullservice advertising specialties company with sales and customer representatives, as well as a warehouse staff. They offer a wide range of promotional items including screen printed and embroidered apparel and thousands of promotional products. They also maintain several corporate websites and handle fulfillment of these online stores. If you’re looking for fundraising ideas or a T-shirt for yourself stop by or call them at (937) 827-0049.
Winning Edge Physical Therapy: Elevating Wellness Inside & Out, 1320 E. Main St., Versailles has been operational since 2020. The business of Dr. Trina Winner, PT, DPT,OCS and Dr. Stephen Winner, PT, DPT, CKTP, CIDN was designed to promote comprehensive rehab and wellness programs for individuals to create and perpetuate healthy function of and habits for the body. Winning Edge offers viable options to heal the body or arrest pain without surgery or medication, which enables the person to improve in health and disposition. Each person is unique and treated as such. If you are interested in elevating your wellness, call their office at (937) 564-1777.
Happy birthday wishes to Miriam Wendel, Kate Custenborder, Miriam Poling, Ed Subler, Richard Frantz, Carolyn Armstrong, Karen Holsapple, Ben Monnin, Chris Lennon, Crystal Buteau, Joan Roll, Jean Worden, Garry Mumaw, Karen Platfoot, Barb Conkle, Betty Baltes, Katie Rutschilling, Theresa Berning, Anne Mangen, Deb Bensman, Ken Mertz, Becky Miller, David Keiser, Linda Ahrens, Mary Ann Winner, Kassandra Bateman, Miriam Poling, JoEtta Hess, Christina Bowersock, Leah Fletcher, Mary Willis Shumaker, as well as, anniversary wishes to Tammy and Bryan Shafer (28), Lynn and Kent James (42), Karen and Eldon Schultz (49) and all those couples celebrating anniversaries.
Please extend your sympathy to the family and friends of Gregory Francis (59), and all those who have passed, especially those whose anniversary of their passing nears. Please give your prayers of comfort and healing for the sick and suffering, for those who struggle, the caregivers and those who mourn the loss of their loved ones (because it never ends).
As an act of kindness recommend a local business that has served you well. People will be more confident in knowing the business does good work and the business will be happy for the word-of-mouth endorsement. Our words can be life giving when spoken with wisdom or they can be as harsh as a weapon. Choose your words carefully.
