Spiker Family Auction Supports South Fork Cemetery

For the past several years auctioneer John Spiker has been displaying items up for bid at the Annual Spiker Family Reunion’s Auction. His rapid-fire, rhythmic chants energize the slightly listless and motivate the most reluctant in the crowd. By the end of the sale, everyone is happy. Donors are flattered that their contributions are well-received. Winning bidders are thrilled with their newly acquired treasures. And best of all, the proceeds from the sale benefit the South Fork Cemetery.

If you will be attending the reunion next month, we hope you’ll participate in our auction by donating an item (or two) for our sale. Need ideas? Take some clues from previous contributors. The family cooks have brought fresh-from-the-oven cakes and pies. The family gardeners have delivered home-canned fruits and vegetables. The family artists have offered their hand-made crafts and paintings.

Some of the most popular items are those with a familial connection. Jeff Spiker carved walking sticks of wood salvaged from the old silo on the Spiker Farm. Melanie Fouse burned the image of the Spiker house onto a wooden memory box. and Cathy Gregis painted it onto canvas . Brada Stotts shared “baby” spider plants propagated from the “mother” plant that had belonged to Aunt Jean. Melinda Chambers sewed pillows from quilt squares that had been pieced together by Grandma Gay.

Join in all the fun. Come to the reunion with a covered dish, a hearty appetite, an item for our auction and a few bills in your wallet. Leave with an empty platter, a full stomach, a treasured auction purchase and the satisfaction of knowing your lighter wallet is supporting the family cemetery at the South Fork Baptist Church.

1. The reunion is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, 2009.
2. We will have a camp fire visitation session the Saturday night before the reunion. (Paula Nolan is the special guest fire maker.)
3. We now, or will have, electric hookups for campers if someone wants to come a day or so early.
4. We will also have the gift drawing and if someone wants to advertise their business, bring t-shirts, hats, etc. we will give them away.
5. I would like to have the family photo BEFORE lunch in front of house so we do not lose anyone to pond, river, 4- wheeler and/or horse rides, etc. like we do each year. I am available Sunday morning for comments on this change in the schedule.

Announcements

• Submitted by Paula Nolan – We are very excited about the arrival of Logan Paul Thrush, son of Evan and Jen. Logan arrived on March 27 at Johns Hopkins hospital in Baltimore. Obviously, we are happy that Paul was chosen as his middle name after his father and great-grandfather. Logan’s brother, Liam is 17 months old. Evan and Jen will be busy parents. As we told you last month, his cousin, Alexis Margaret was born on March 9 to Chris & Jenny.
• Submitted by Shelly Curry – Clayton (Yeager) is First in the state in shot put and will be moving from Fifth in the state to Second in discus. He’s only had about five meets so far and placed First in shot put in every one of them. He beat the school record of 43’ 2 1/4” when at his first meet he threw 44’ 2 1/4”. You can view his current rankings at Run WV where they will continually update the stats.
• Submitted by Shelly Curry – “Little Robbie” (Curry) was on TV for entering into the grassland competition at the WV Beef Expo at Jacksons Mill. But the best news was with the state ham, bacon and egg show where he placed Eighth in the state with his ham this year. That’s good as they only take the first 50 places and there are hundreds of entries.