If you or your company would like to sponsor the next newsletter, please contact any officer or mail your check. The cost is $165 which covers postage, paper and mailing labels.

Thanks to all of you who have helped with our work and fund raising projects so far this year.

Two dates for you to remember are July 15^th when the 1:00 PM quarterly meeting and potluck lunch will be held at the O’Lystra Picnic Shelter on W. Blue Grass Trail and the October 21^st Homecoming celebration and meeting which will be held on the former school campus. It would be great to see each and every one of you there.

George H. Peery, Jr., 75, Ceres Alumni Association founding member and member of the Board of Directors, died July 3, 2006. Services were held in the Sharon Lutheran Church with internment in the Sharon Cemetery.

George was keenly interested in his community and was a valuable asset to the Association. He seldom missed a meeting and donated countless hours of service. George will be missed.

Helen Hanshew Eddingfield

Ima Jean Creggar Harden

W. H. Cregger

Kelsey Ann Groseclose

George H. Peery, Jr.

Oma Cox Lambert

Appreciation is expressed to Roxanne Winesett for the donation to the kitchen of fifty 5-piece place settings for dinner ware and fifty 3-piece settings of silver ware. Thanks! We are looking forward to using it.

The books will sell for $50.00 plus S/H. No doubt there will be a great demand for these books.

Thank you, Clark.

The Pat Neel Turner original oil painting of the former Sharon College is now on display in the Museum. Thanks Pat for doing such a super job to preserve this bit of Ceres history. The idea of having prints made of this large painting is being explored.

Laymond and Debbie Barger have donated four bricks from the original Sharon College. These will be exhibited in the Museum. Thanks!

The Henry C. Groseclose Museum was delighted to receive very special gifts from Leo Groseclose of Windsor, Kansas, and from Lance Williams of Carnegie, Ohio.  These were presented on Sunday June 18, 2006 during the Groseclose Reunion.

Lance, a Groseclose descendant, wrote a term paper at age 20 while in college.  It is entitled "Henry Casper Groseclose 11" and gives a very detailed story of the life of Henry.  Lance copied and bound the paper and sent it to us so that many other people can enjoy it.  It has created much interest already, and many people have visited the museum and read it.

  Leo fulfilled his promise from the last reunion to bring to Ceres several antique farm items that he felt should be here.  He brought a pickup full to the top! There were a total of 16 items, ranging from an 1880 Kokosing Cutter (Hexel) for fodder which uses a wheel designed and patented by his grandfather, Clarence Groseclose, to books which included German Hymnals.

  The Museum continues to grow, and plans are already underway to finish the renovation of the Shop area this summer and fall.  It is good to be a part of  such an exciting venture.

A future newsletter will address some of the other outstanding and much appreciated donations to the Museum.

Members of the Alumni Association and the Bland Courthouse Relay for Life Team sponsored a spaghetti supper as part of the 2006 Relay for Life campaign. $876.38 was raised for cancer research. Bland County in its second year of Relay for Life participation raised over $55,000.

In celebration of the 70^th anniversary of Future Farmers of America, a film was presented at the Virginia State FFA convention on June 21, 2006. Featured in the film were scenes taken in Ceres of the Henry C. Groseclose FFA & Agriculture Museum, at the Groseclose highway marker and in the Sharon Presbyterian Church. 2005-2006 State FFA President and Secretary, Sarah Jo Helms and B. J. Boothe, narrated the production which was filmed by Mr. Andy Siebel. Kristy Hussman took lots of still photographs.

We hope the film and photos will be available for viewing in the Museum at a later date and that they will be shown at the National FFA Convention and other FFA events.

Two 2006 Harry P. King Memorial Scholarships, donated by the King family and several area citizens, were awarded to Kayla Mae Bowman and Kelsey Ann Groseclose, both of Ceres. Kayla, daughter of Jerry and Rebecca Bowman, graduated from Northwood High School. Kelsey, daughter of Victor and Carla Groseclose, graduated from Bland High School. The community was shocked and saddened by Kelsey’s untimely death four days after her graduation.

One hundred thirty (130) of those attending the national Groseclose family reunion at Pipe Stem, WV and several area family members and friends visited Ceres on June 18^th for Church Services at Sharon Lutheran Church, a dedication service in the Sharon Cemetery, visit to the H. C. Groseclose highway marker, tours of the Museum and gymnasium and for a catered lunch. The visitors represented many states from as far away as California. The CAA received $468.45 in donations and from sale of memorabilia in the Museum.

If interested in the CPR classes to be held in the gymnasium or for more information, call Wade Hall at 682-4380. Indicate if day or evening classes would be most convenient for you.

The Federal appropriation containing the $120,000 designated for the Ceres Alumni Association must pass through the budget of the State in which the money will be spent. The funding will not be made available until the Commonwealth of Virginia resolves that portion of its budget. Stay tuned for more news.

The Flea Market and Yard Sale on May 5^th and 6^th was a successful and enjoyable event. There were plenty of bargains and hand-made items to choose from. The Alumni Association made $932.67 from vendor spaces rented, food & donated yard sale items sold and $394.10 from selling food at the Peery farm auction the following week.

It is anticipated that $600 of this will be matched by a grant from Thrivent for Lutherans, a fraternal organization composed of Lutheran Church members or employees of Lutheran organizations. This match is for fund raising conducted by the Association and is co-sponsored by the Sharon Lutheran Church. Another $1,300 is anticipated to match funds raised in the fall raffle. Appreciation is expressed to Thrivent Financial for Lutherans & the members of Sharon Lutheran Church.

The Museum now has folded note paper and envelopes for sale. The front contains a picture of the Henry C. Groseclose Agriculture and FFA Museum building reprinted from a drawing by Jack Emmert of Bland. A set of 5 sells for $2.50.

RAFFLE

We have been requested to conduct another fall raffle and are now receiving prizes to be used for that raffle. Tickets will be available by the end of July. A complete list of prizes and donors will be published later. We already have some very nice prizes including:

A very nice prize will go to the individual who sells the most tickets. Last year, one member bought and gave several books of tickets to friends and relatives. We would appreciate your help again this year. This is our largest fund raiser. Also, if we make $1,300, it will be matched by Thrivent for Lutherans.

We were requested to repeat this from the last newsletter. Association dues are $25 per year or $100 for 5 years. Dues are for the Jan.-Dec. calendar year. It is hoped that everyone would pay their dues in January but if the dues are sent in later in the year, they are still credited for that calendar year and a card is mailed to the member indicating the dues are paid through that calendar year.

July 15, 2006 at 1:00 PM

O’Lystra Picnic Shelter on Route 42.

Covered dish picnic.

Presbyterian, Dr. Roger Conn, will be present to discuss the fate of the Sharon Presbyterian Church.

Everyone interested in Ceres is invited.