We have received word that Valley Home 4-H sign-ups will be held later this month for new members, the exact date yet to be decided. This year the club is again being led by President Carly Thomason. Club officers held their first meeting last week and are very excited about plans for the coming year. One of the exciting items discussed was a community service project being led by Ashlyn and Bailey Bertao to help with the cost of replacing a police dog that was recently killed in the line of duty. We are told that the Bertao sisters have a lot of great ideas and a real wish to help the officer involved who lost his partner. We are told that more details will be coming soon concerning the project.
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Jenna Heaton has recently returned from showing her meat goats at the State Fair. We understand that Jenna did very well with her goats, earning Reserve Champ Showman, which entitled her to compete in the Master Showmanship competition. In only her first time in competing, Jenna placed 4th overall! Way to go, Jenna, Valley Home is proud of you!
Also seen showing at the State Fair was Valley Home’s own Gunter Brisi, who was there showing his lambs. Congratulations are also in store for Gunter, who we understand had a great showing!
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What fun it would be if we could all take a giant step back in time and enjoy one of Valley Home’s fun events of yesteryear! How many residents remember the great times enjoyed by all at the Labor Day festivities? People came from all the surrounding areas to join our residents in a day of fun and great food! There was a parade with colorful decorated floats, one of which the parade queen and her attendants were seated upon in their colorful gowns, smiling and waving at the crowds lining the street. There were even flower-bedecked carts pulled by children in costume who waved happily at the crowds lined up along the street in front of the Ben Aker Valley Home store and businesses. There was the aroma of barbecue in the air and the excitement of carnival rides to look forward to later in the day and dancing the evening away to band music in the old Valley Home Clubhouse. Alas, all good things must come to an end, and overly boisterous crowds attending the dances held in the clubhouse and the approaching World War II sounded the death knell to the festivities, but not to the memories of those “good old days.”
