With School Board Appreciation Week and Fire Prevention Week both celebrated October 4-10, it is appropriate to thank all those who serve our community as school board members and those who provide us with fire and ambulance services. Also, a big thank you to Martino’s for again donating 100% of all sales on October 10, to the Stanley and Boyd-Edson-Delmar Fire Departments. *** In case you haven’t noticed, work is underway at the former Shopko building. As reported previously, in this column and newspaper, it is being converted into the new location of Courtesy Ford, now located near the Thorp exit. The building will house a greatly expanded sales and service departments. The conversion entails retrofitting a retail store into a 36,000 sq. ft. Ford Auto Dealership. The 5.69 acre parcel also will provide space for the parking of over 300 automobiles and trucks on their sales lot. Because of COVID-19 delaying the receiving of necessary state approvals, the opening at the new location is not anticipated until the spring of 2021. *** As projected, McDonald’s remodeling was completed on October 2. As the saying goes, “What goes around, comes around.” In checking the remodeled McDonald’s out on October 3, I observed at least a partial return of booths along the east wall. There are three booths that comfortably seat six patrons each. The west wall continues to have bench seating with tables and chairs on the opposite side. There is one high table with six floor attached stools around it and several small two person tables and chairs. The “Men’s Room” has a new sink and wall tiles above it, with a mirror. There are two kiosk ordering stations and the former order counter has been totally replaced with a new design. Overall, I would give them a solid A for their new look, which is a vast improvement over the last remolding which hardly anyone liked. *** How do you compare? According to George Mannes, in an article entitled, “Are You Normal” (AARP Magazine August/ September 2020) people with incomes between $50,000 and $100,000 in 2017, who itemized charitable contributions, gave an average of $3,140 to nonprofits. People making between $100,000 and $200,000 donated an average of $3,910 and those in the $200,000 to $500,000 income range gave $6,520. +++ People older than 65 spend an average of $14 a month on pork and an average of $12 a month on chicken. While households headed by those ages 25 through 34 spend an average of $16 a month on poultry and $13 a month on pork. +++ One more – Older people are far more likely than millennial's to tip their waiter, or taxi driver, but less likely to leave a tip in a jar at the bar for the bartender(s). *** I hope you got all, or at least a good start, on your garden and/or lawn work last week. What a beautiful week it was to be working, or just being outside!! We even go our garage cleaned. Happy Fall To All. *** Recently, I spent time at the local museum trying to find a Stanley Republican article on the Cadott vs. Stanley football game back in 1914, when it was reported that Stanley beat Cadott 83-0. Unfortunately, the only report on the 1914 football season found in The Stanley Republican’s I looked through was Stanley versus Notre Dame (McDonnell) of Chippewa Falls. I then discovered a 1915 Stanley High School Annual, which provided a report on the 1914 Football Season. “The game with Cadott was easy to say the least, but it served to show a few weak spots which Coach Ruckweed patched up during the week, as we knew the Notre Dame game would be nothing like that with Cadott. Consequently when the teams lined up, October 11th, Notre Dame faced one of the best teams that ever fought for the Orange and Black. The fellows were in peak condition and full of the spirit that makes winning teams and fast snappy games.” The schedule for 1914 was: Stanley 83 Cadott 0 played at Stanley on October 4; Stanley 13 Notre Dame 6 at Stanley on October 11; Eau Claire 33 Stanley 0 at Eau Claire on October 18 and Stanley 6 Cadott 0 played at Cadott, November 1. The article blamed being outweighed by the Eau Claire team as the reason for the loss but the notation that followed was, “But the fact that we were outweighed will not permit some of those big Eau Claire men to forget those little fellows from up the Soo. The size does not count so much if a player has grit and hits his man before he gets hit himself. In every game we played this year we were greatly outweighed and it was only because of this grit and willingness, long known as the “Stanley Spirit” that the team accomplished what it did.” The reference above to Stanley being “up the Soo,” probably makes no sense to many readers today, but the history is that the team only played games back then that were in towns connected by the Soo Line Railroad, as the football team traveled by train to its out of town games. There were no school buses back in 1914. *** Speaking of football, former Cornell Coach Eino Martino, who coached back in the late 1950’s, when Stanley still played Cornell, recently was able to see his beloved Cornell-Lake Holcombe football team take on his alma mater Hurley at Holcombe. Not being able to get a ticket from Cornell, his daughter contacted Hurley who provided a ticket from their allotment. Martino was thrilled and not to show partiality he wore his Cornell jacket and a sweatshirt that featured the Hurley Midgets, where he graduated from in 1944. That should make him about 94 years young. *** Smile time. Thanks to a reader you have this humor. To me, “Drink responsibly.” means don’t spill it. +++ Age 60 might be the new 40, but 9 pm is the new midnight. +++ It’s the start of a brand new day, and I’m off like a herd of turtles. +++ The older I get, the earlier it gets late. +++ When I say, “The other day.” I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 years ago. +++ I remember being able to get up without making any sound effects. +++ I had my patience tested. I’m negative. +++ Remember, if you lose a sock in the dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers. +++ If you're sitting in public and a stranger takes the seat next to you, just stare straight ahead and say, “did you bring the money?” +++ When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say “nothing,” it does not mean I am free, it means I am doing nothing.