Area News

Twenty-five members and five guests attended the Sept. 27 meeting and luncheon of the ExxonMobil Annuitants Club at Ponderosa Steakhouse in Vandalia.
The pledge of allegiance was followed by the meal blessing by LaVerne Laux.
After the meal, President Dean Black opened the meeting and welcomed everyone.
The secretary and treasurer reports were read and approved.
Birthdays and anniversaries for September were read. Madelon Fisher read an article, “Car Keys,” and Jo Fairley read, “Old Flame.”

Death
Helen Stine, 90, of Brownstown, died on Sept. 22. The funeral was held at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church on Thursday of last week.
Benefit
Several people from St. Peter attended the benefit for Rita Siemer, mother of Amy Reiss of St. Peter, in Sigel on Saturday.
Among those attending were Dane and Belinda Harpster, Larry and Sue Urban, Jed and Lori Goeckner, Shannon Brauer, Robbi Meade, John and Judy Schnarre, Leland and Amy Reiss, and Braden Will.
St. Peter Church
Sunday morning worship attendance was 190.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Wednesday, October 3
• Wright’s Corner Unit of Home and Community Education, 1 p.m., Loudon Town House.
Thursday, October 4
• St. Elmo Business Association, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• St. Elmo Women’s Civic Club members will meet at 6:15 p.m. in the St. Mary Catholic Church parking lot to pool rides to the Happy Hollow Pumpkin Patch and Summer Breeze Winery, both south of St. Elmo. The first stop will be at the pumpkin patch; club business meeting and refreshments will be at the winery.

Trauma on the Homestead
(Or ‘A Close Encounter of the Worst Kind’)
Katy, the new Homestead (puppy) Critter, seems to have a talent for escaping her pen (which is plenty roomy, has a gazebo, and a good view of the house and the goings-on, thereof).
The first time, she learned to unfasten the gate. The second time, she dug a hole under the fence. The good thing is, both times she stayed near the house, although we weren’t home and as she hadn’t seemed to bother anything or anybody, there seemed to be no real problem … we thought.