By Donna Traywick
Mt. Olivet News

We are so happy to report that the softball team the Wild Thangz won first place in the Bash tournament and third place at State.  Georgia Ware, daughter of Jeremy and Kayla, is one that team. 

The revival will start at Black Jack, July 24–26 with Ron Wilson as minister. Homecoming will be on Sunday, July 23.. Many people have moved out of the area, and some many miles away, but they always find time to come to Black Jack on homecoming.

Mt. Oliver choir did a very unusual special to commemorate the Fourth of July. We changed the words to Lee Greenwood’s song, God Bless the USA, where he sang “from the lakes of Minnesota to the hills of tennessee, across the plain of Texas, from sea to shining sea; from Detroit down to Houston and New York to L.A… I’m proud to be an American”

Our version was more local; we sang “from Tri-lakes of Mississippi, to the little Tallahatchie, to the rich land of the Delta. From sea to shining sea; from Memphis down to Batesville; fifty-five to New Orleans…I’m proud to be an American.”

Greenwood’s song has become synonymous with patriotism. In 1980 he went to his producers and told him he wanted to write a song about patriotism.

He said, “I’m from California and I know nothing about the rest of the nation.” That’s why the words of his song covered all four corners of the nation. We enjoyed changing the words to suit our area. The congregation enjoyed it also.

Do all of you have collections of things and stuff that you can’t seem to get rid of and really don’t know what to do with? Mt. Olivet will celebrate their joining the Global Methodist this Sunday July 9  at the 11-o’clock service. 

After the service William Bolton and Shipp Sissell will cook hamburgers and hot dogs. Ladies will supply desserts. There will be a bouncy house for the children. On Tuesday of that week, July 11-14 Mt. Olivet will have Bible School. Renae Johnson does a wonderful job as director. They welcome everyone to both programs.

When I downsized from Traywick hill (as called back in the Mt. Olivet community), I seemed to have brought a collection of stuff with me. For instance, I have a collection of wicker baskets. 

I’ve got plants in them, I’ve got magazines in them, and things I can find in them. Still more lying around in the closet. Anything roosters, Rooster dishes, rooster signs in the yard, and rooster pot holders. 

We may seem eccentric about some of the things that I’ve collected, but I didn’t feel so odd when I read about things that other people have collected.

Did you know that there is a banana museum? In 1976, Ken Bannister presented a photographic equipment company was attending a convention. He handed out thousands of Chiquita Banana stickers. 

His joke was that the bananas were shaped like a smile and it encouraged people to do so. From there it turned into a one room museum of 20,000 items related to the little yellow thing. You could join the “banana club” by sending in a banana related item. Bannister was the “Top Banana”. 

President Ronald Reagan was a member.

One Texas resident collection of barbed wire turned into the Devil’s Rope Museum. It is located in McLean, Texas. One of the strangest museums is the national museum of funeral history. It is located in Houston, Texas and contains a collection of artifacts and relics all related to funerals. They go all the way back to George Washington’s funeral. The hearse that contained the bodies of President Reagan and George Ford is there. 

The strangest item was a full recreation of Abraham Lincoln lying in repose at his funeral in 1865. There is an actual lock of his hair! 

My little collection of stuff doesn’t seem so strange after all. Someone asked me where I get all this information for my article. “Donna, do you make up half that stuff?” 

“No,” I replied. “I could never make up stuff that’s strange.” What is that old adage that says, “the truth is stranger than fiction.”

Text me with your information on your collection. Bet it can’t match some of this.

Phone or text Donna @ 901-828-8824.