Old Man Winter finally brought something besides bitter cold to Elm Springs last week; the whole community is blanketed in a healthy coat of snow. Several children reported having fun sledding over the weekend.

Tucky and Linda Tift of nearby Owanka hosted a wedding reception for their daughter and her new husband in New Underwood Saturday night, which many of the kind citizens attended. Roberto and Kristy (Tift) Vega were married December 30^th in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.

For quite a while, Matt Trask was the only attendant at St. Margarets Saturday night Mass in Lakeside, besides Fr. Leo Hausmann. After being sternly admonished to behave himself, Matt was allowed to sit in the front row. But Matt was greatly relieved when Philip and Mary Kay Wilson showed up, because he was having trouble relying on himself to recall the words to all the prayers.

The Country Red Hat Ladies went to Rapid City Wednesday to celebrate Judith Olsen’s 90^th birthday at Diamond Dan’s restaurant. They brought along a cake made by kind citizen Shirrise Linn. CRH attendance was impressive at this function, which included Judith Olsen, Jean and Kellie Linn, Carolyn Anders, Caroline Wilsey, Dorothy Anderson, Maxine Smith, Twila Trask, Norma Pellegrin, Paula Eisenbraun, Joanne Fenner, Natalie Tines, Francis Kellum, and a woman named Ruth.

The Elm Springs School “upper room” spent Monday and Tuesday visiting the Mobile Science Lab in Union Center. And the Elm Springs eighth graders had a field day in Pierre on Thursday.

Clyde and Connie Arneson took a business trip to Faith Saturday.

Ryan Elshere and his dad Jim made a bet concerning the outcome of a certain football game, with the agreement that the loser had to cook dinner for the winner and his family. As the loser of the bet, Ryan and Chrissy Elshere and family visited the Jim and Lana Elshere residence Sunday to cook steaks for dinner and spend the afternoon. Lucky Clyde Arneson accompanied the Elshere’s to the Elshere’s, so to speak.

Lonnie Arneson visited the “Upland Trask” residence Wednesday.

Lawrence and Doris Burke went to Rapid City Wednesday to do their taxes. Thursday morning, Clyde Arneson visited the Burkes for coffee.

Jason Fields arrived at the Lynn Fields residence Saturday to help for a few days. Sunday visitors at the Fields residence were Lawrence Burke in the morning and John and Jean Linn in the afternoon.

The Sam Johnstons attended the Philip Invitational basketball tournament in Philip on Saturday, at which Calder and the Wall Junior Eagles placed 2^nd. Carson Johnston was an overnight guest at the Andy Linn residence Saturday.

Clyde Arneson visited the Andy Linn residence one day, but no one seems to remember which day it was. Our resident fraud Matt Trask gave Andy and Jacob Linn their first banjo lesson Friday, after only beginning on the instrument himself last week. Soon he will most likely be trying court cases and delivering babies all for the modest price of a free meal.

John and Jean Linn attended the Legislative crackerbarrel in Union Center Sunday.

Morris and Shirrise Linn spent Monday night at the Gene and Marsha Pluth residence in Rapid City. Clyde Arneson was a coffee visitor at the Morris Linn residence Friday morning, while Jean Linn visited Saturday. Sunday, Shirrise attended a stamping party in Union Center. Melissa Byrne of Viewfield was a visitor Sunday afternoon.

Coby Tines spent the weekend at the Cary Tines residence. Saturday afternoon, Kyle Scott of Plainview visited the Tines’. Cary and Pam and friends went to Deadwood Saturday night.

Darlene Wulf, Alisa Machado and Devon Antone visited the “Upland Trask” residence Thursday. David Kalil of Rapid City was a visitor Saturday. RoseMary Trask attended the St. John’s Guild Ladies Tea in New Underwood Saturday afternoon, and then joined Pat and David and Candy Kalil in Rapid City for supper at the Outback Steakhouse.

Matt Trask attended the Badlands Invitational AAU wrestling tournament in Wall Sunday to watch Autumn and John Deering compete. They placed 2^nd and 4^th, respectively. On the way home he stopped at the Schell Ranch, where the gang was building a temporary living quarters for the night calver.

Kenny and Janet Wilson hosted the Philip Wilsons and the “Elk Creek Trasks” Sunday for Kenny’s birthday party.

The kind citizens need to go find their snowboots.