Ramona: Residents celebrate the last days of summer
By JESSICA GILBERT
Ramona correspondent
(785) 965-2621
With just days before school commences once more, kids and adults alike are enjoying last-minute adventures.
Fern Leach took her son, Josh, and headed for McPherson Water Park Monday to meet up with Fern's daughter, Jenny Davis of Salina. "It was Jenny's last day of freedom," explained Fern, "since she's a teacher and had to report to work on Tuesday."
Fern's favorite water park ride was the Lazy River where you plop down in an inner tube and float along. The ride could be termed a "cheap thrill" since it costs only $3 for adults to enter the entire water park and inner tubes are provided. "I've not felt so relaxed in a year," said Fern with a huge smile on her face.
After a fun day in the sun and water Jenny took her mom and brother out for a steak dinner. Fern had to return to Ramona in time for the monthly 7 p.m. city council meeting where Fern serves as treasurer — now that's an abrupt shift in reality!
Cole and Bryanna Svoboda have been in Ulysses visiting their uncle, Scott and his family for a week. Sandra Svoboda, and her mother, Frances Buxman, drove to Hutchinson a week ago to connect with Scott Buxman, who took Cole and Bryanna home with him. On Friday Sandra and Frances took the five-plus-hour drive to Ulysses to spend the weekend and bring the kids back to Ramona.
"It was a very enjoyable weekend," said Frances. "Sandra went shopping for the kids' school supplies in Garden City and I stayed home and visited with Scott and Annette."
Frances Buxman's son, affectionately known as Tooltime Tim, celebrated his 45th birthday Friday. When he got up at 6 a.m. to go to work he found the cab of his truck filled with happy birthday balloons.
"Who got up in the middle of the night to do this?" he wanted to know. My sister, Pat, admitted to cooking up the idea, I admitted to blowing up all the balloons and hiding them in my room, and both of us set an alarm clock for 5 a.m. so we could stuff the balloons in the truck without being detected.
"I had to let some of the balloons out of the truck and on my driveway so I could drive to work," said Tim, "but at the end of the day I still had half a truckload."
Hidden among the balloons was a box of donuts for everybody Tim works with at the Martin Marietta quarry.
On Friday evening Tim enjoyed a birthday supper of ribs and corn on the cob with chocolate molten lava cakes and homemade ice cream for his birthday dessert.
On Saturday Tony Meyer asked me to drive him to the wedding of his great niece, Jacque Windholz, in Gorham. Tony's brother, George and all their children attended the wedding. George and Millicent's granddaughter was the bride. Their daughter, Natalie, was the bride's mother.
"This is the first wedding we've had in our family in 14 years," said Ed Meyer, George and Millicent's son. "Seems like we've just been going to lots of funerals lately. So it's great to have this happy reason to get together."
What was astonishing to me was how the Meyer family came to the wedding entirely color-coordinated. "Oh that was my sister Elaine's doing," said Madeline. "She talked to our sister, Natalie, and discovered the colors for the wedding were eggplant purple and yellow, and then she got online and bought Mom's dress and Dad's matching shirt and tie, and we just followed with the theme."
Tony was determined to stay until the dancing commenced at the reception. But folks were in no hurry to transition from dinner to dancing since they were enjoying visiting. As the DJ set up his equipment for the dance Tony tried to sit patiently in one of the few padded chairs in the auditorium. But as 15 minutes turned into 30 he was heard to say: "Let's get this show on the road — my butt's getting flat!"
Marge and Lowell Hanschu celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this month. No large parties were planned, just a quiet recognition of the many years they've been devoted to each other. The Hanschus recently put up a "for sale" sign in front of their home on 4th Street. While we're sad to think of them leaving Ramona, we understand their desire to be closer to their children in Missouri when health issues arise for Lowell.
Maureen Fike was spotted coming out of the Ramona Post Office Saturday as she picked up her mother-in-law's mail and a few of her belongings.
"Naomi's doing so great now that she has the pacemaker," said Maureen, who's married to Steve Fike. "She's going to be in Marion Manor for rehab. She doesn't have a phone yet, but we're working on it."
Naomi was in Herington Hospital and then went to Salina Aug. 3 to have a pacemaker put in. After her release from the hospital Saturday, she checked into Marion Manor where she'll be while she regains strength. You can send cards to Naomi Fike, Marion Manor, 1500 E. Lawrence, Marion 66861.
The latest word on Harold Ohm is that Betty will be bringing him home later this month. Harold has been undergoing rehabilitation in Wichita for over a month.
The work was definitely dirty and it was treacherously hot, but that didn't stop city councilman Jayme Brunner and Johnney Harold, husband of another council member, Angel Harold, from doing a good deed to beautify the city.
The city recently purchased the property at 311 C from an out-of-town owner who was unable to care for the property. The city council planned to have a work bee in September to dismantle the house that has been abandoned for many years, but before that could take place the weeds needed to be cut, the tree limbs picked up, and the property cleaned up a bit.
"I had the time so I figured I'd just go do the mowing," said Jayme, who was on vacation. Johnney, who suffers from a debilitating illness and is unable to work, chimed in, "When I went to see my doctors recently they said my illness had plateaued. I'm not any better and I'm not any worse, I can't do lots of lifting," continued Johnney, "but I can offer my equipment and ride a mower." Several dusty hours later the property looked 100 percent better!
At Monday night's city council meeting the city was relieved of the September task of dismantling the house when Lisa and Ronnie Hanschu came before the council and asked if the Sader family could purchase the property and create a memorial to Annie Sader who lived there for many years and was beloved by the community.
The council voted to sell the property at a price that covered the city's costs connected to the land.
The city council also grappled with budget issues at Monday night's meeting while being sensitive to the residents' wishes that Ramona's mill levy not increase. Because of Ramona's low property values the city's mill levy is the highest in the county as the city attempts to generate enough revenue to keep the town viable.
At July's budget meeting with the city's accountant it was recommended the mill levy be increased to create a surplus at the close of the year. This surplus is used for emergencies and also as a carry-over for the beginning of the year so there are funds to pay bills while the city waits for the first revenue from the county. But after considerable discussion the council voted not to increase the mill levy and to cut the budget instead. Council and audience agreed this would mean that some maintenance projects around the city will need to be done by the council or volunteers.
This turn of events happens to coincide quite nicely with the fact that Ramona's maintenance man, Don Matkins, accepted a full-time position at Cardie Oil in Tampa. Now Don's expertise and skill will be shared with the entire community. Don still plans to be Ramona's maintenance person, but will handle priority projects while the council and community pick up the slack and at the same time save money.
And that's the news from Ramona where a traffic jam is two parked cars and a dog in the road.
