Much has been made in the ESN of the many fine qualities of the kind citizens of Elm Springs, among them ambition, cheerfulness, graciousness, readiness, intelligence, kindness, and industriousness. Now beauty, personability and talent can be added to that list as none other than young John Paul Trask was crowned Homecoming King of Wall High School on Monday and also earned Athlete of the Week honors. Besides the adulation of the masses, which young John Paul will have to accustom himself to, he got to ride in a convertible Camaro in the Homecoming parade. Homecoming Queen, it should be noted, was the lovely Amanda Walker of Wall.

And the Elm Springs Rebels basketball teams competed against the Enning Eagles in Union Center in what kind citizen Shirrise Linn called “very, very good games” Thursday. The little boys team in particular won their contest in overtime.

Two of Elm Springs youngest and finest, Emilee Pauley and Kail Larsen, began kindergarten at the Elm Springs School Wednesday.

Many of the kind citizens, of course, attended various WHS Homecoming activities, including a rather surprising drubbing of the Harding County Ranchers football team Friday. In addition several of the kind citizens attended the funeral of Joe Price in Philip on Tuesday, and the much ballyhooed John McGriff auction on Sunday. In addition to some nice equipment, there were several downtown lots for sale in everyone’s favorite town of Wasta, where the auction was held.

The WTL club met at the John and Jean Linn residence Monday. Club members present, besides Jean, were Kelli and Shirrise Linn, Dorothy Anderson, Margee Willey, Sandy Fields, and Linda Tift.

According to Clyde Arnesons unhelpful calendar, he went somewhere on Thursday at ten in the morning, but neither Clyde nor the calendar can remember where.

Lawrence and Doris Burke went to Rapid City Wednesday, where among other things, she went shopping at the Rushmore Mall while he went to visit Jack Gravatt in rehab. And Russell Burmeister was a visitor to the Lawrence Burke residence Friday afterrnoon.

Kody Devries’ dad and niece, Kerm and Bailey DeVries, were visitors to the Kody Devries residence over the weekend, to help work cattle on the Sam Johnston ranch.

Chrissy Elshee’s business partner and former kind citizen Mandy Wilson was a visitor to the Ryan and Chrissy Elshere residence Thursday. Saturday, young Kassandra Linn was a visitor at the Elsheres in the afternoon, and the Elshere family were supper guests at the Sam Johnston residence Saturday night.

Dave Mathison of Nashville TN was a weekend visitor at the Sam Johnston ranch and residence, also to help work cattle.

Andy and Kelli Linn hosted John, Jean, Jim and Kassandra Linn for supper Sunday night.

Young Kassandra Linn resumed piano lessons in Wall Monday, with a visit to the Sanden and Elaine Simons residence afterwards. Scott Simons and Nick Trask were supper visitors at the Morris Linn residence Tuesday night. On Thursday, Morris and Shirrise went to Rapid City. The Morris Linn weekend was very busy and crowded, and the narration could get confusing; Andy Linn, Jack Simons, and Ryan Elshere were Friday afternoon visitors. Also Friday afternoon, Gene Pluth of Rapid City, Dave Hicks of Yankton, and Bob Parks of Arizona arrived at the Morris Linn residence, where they spent the weekend. Saturday Sandy Van Vleck visited from Wall. Camri and Carter Elshere visited for playtime, and were subsequently picked up by Ryan and Chrissy. Clyde Arneson joined Sandy Van Vleck and the Weekend Visitors for supper at the Morris Linn residence. Sunday, Shirrise attended a stamp party at the Launa Grubl residence near Opal. John and Jean Linn were visitors at the Morris Linn residence Sunday afternoon, and Matt Trask made his requisite weekly appearance Sunday night.

Bunny Pauley and girls visited the John Bolt residence near Isabel Thursday, where they picked pumpkins and squash, which they gave away to various Elm Springs churchgoers Sunday. And Rex and Cheryl Burghduff were visitors to the Pauley residence Sunday.

The “Upland Trasks” were of course very excited by John Pauls Homecoming honors. John Paul, it should be noted, is the second Homecoming King in the family, joining big brother Al, who was King at St. Thomas More High School in Rapid City in 1999. But in addition to Homecoming activities, Pat and Ray Olsen made a trip to Murdo Thursday, and the “Upland Trasks” celebrated mother RoseMary’s birthday Sunday with dinner at Steve’s in New Underwood and birthday supper at the “Upland Trask” residence. Steph left Sunday night for Hyannis, NE, where she will help generate membership in the new independent Cattlemen of Nebraska (ICON, clever ain’t it?) organization. After the football game Friday, several of the “Upland Trasks” joined a girl named Agnes from Romania, who had been employed at both the Wall Drug Store and the Cactus Cafe, to recelebrate her and Julie Trasks 21^st birthdays, which were the same day over a week ago.

Matt Trask accompanied Leo and Rosalie Stangle and Bill and Marion Kelly to Rapid City Christian High School Tuesday night to watch Marla Kelly and the rest of the Philip Lady Scotties play the RCC Lady Comets in volleyball. On Thursday night, he accompanied Leo and Rosalie Stangle and Matt Kelly to the Bill and Marion Kelly residence in Hermosa for supper, where he displayed his prodigious talent at ridding the world of leftovers, even before they become leftovers. On Friday, Matt met Matt Kelly and Marshall Stangle at the new IHOP restaurant in Rapid City, where he ate twice in one sitting. And on Saturday, after visiting at the New Underwood Tines residence, Matt was a supper guest at the Justin and Kayla Wulf residence, where he got his first taste of Halloween candy. Yes, Matt loves October. Pat Trask was a coffee guest at the Matt Trask residence Sunday morning. It should be noted that Pat owns the house and probably paid for the coffee.

Caroline Wilsey was an overnight guest of Carol Price in Philip Monday.

Mandy Wilson, in addition to visiting at the Elsheres, was a visitor at the Kenny and Janet Wilson residence Thursday. On Sunday, Janet Wilson took Kelli, Tomilyn Trask, Gemma Trask, Mayzee Pauley, and Mary Berry to Rapid City for girl fun, which apparently includes dinner and a movie, while Kenny and his motorcycle spent the day together in the Black Hills.

Some mention should be made in the ESN of South Dakota’s own Jeff Willert of Kadoka, who has managed to hold the top spot in the PRCA Saddlbronc standings all summer, further securing that position with a second place showing at the Pace Picante Challenge held in Omaha, NE over the weekend. It should be noted that Mr. Willert took second in Omaha to South Dakota’s own Billy Etbauer, who now lives in Oklahoma and year after year remains a classy saddlebronc rider.

The kind citizens are cheering for ‘em both!