Out and About – Week of March 9th

I normally place these trivia items at the end of this column, but I’m sure everyone has had enough of the winter weather, so I thought I’d add these fun-facts at the beginning. Fear not, for I’ll add something at the bottom of the column.

Some fascinating facts that you might enjoy knowing. I didn’t check SNOPES, so I won’t swear to the truthfulness of the following:

The NFL (National Football League) requires that all football stadiums be built facing north/south, so that the sun never interferes with a play.
The Dallas Cowboys haven’t played in Dallas since 1971. The Cowboys stadium is located in Arlington, Texas.
It takes 600 cows to make enough footballs for one NFL season.
The total playtime in a football game averages eleven minutes.
It seems the older you get, the more funerals you attend; in other words, you start losing more and more friends than you did thirty years ago. Last week I lost another friend. Lion George Cole passed away Monday, March 2, after a brief illness.

I met George when I joined Lions almost fifteen years ago. Since that time I have gotten to know him, respect him, and love him. George was a Lion just short of forty years, yet I’m sure that he had the spirit of a Lion his entire life. He was part of the reason that I worked diligently to move my way up to the position of District Governor in Lions. George was District Governor from July 1, 1988 through June 30, 1989. Lion George inspired me to follow in his footsteps. The act of returning the Governorship to Three Rivers was overdue.

George Cole was not just known as a dedicated Lion in the Three Rivers club, but he was well-known throughout the state of Michigan.

Colleagues would joke about George when it came to his size. Someone might say, “Stand up, George, so that we can see you better.” George would quickly reply, “I am standing, so sit down and listen to what I’ve got to say.” I remember one comment that went, “George might be short in stature, but his heart is bigger than one can possibly imagine.” Truer words were never spoken.

Lion George Cole, your job here on earth is complete. You’ve walked the walk and talked the talk. I join the many Lions who thank you for your service to others. I find it difficult to find anyone who could have done a better job and loved it as much as you. I will never forget you and will miss you until I see you in Heaven’s Lions Den.

If you didn’t know George Cole, you missed a lot. If you did know him, consider yourself to be one of the luckiest people in the world.

St. Patrick’s Day is next Tuesday. If you choose to celebrate, do so responsibly. St. Patrick’s Day is in the middle of the work week, so it probably wouldn’t be smart to call in sick on Wednesday.

Easter comes a little early this year, which means we are now observing Lent. I’m not the most religious person around, but I did give up lima beans for Lent. We should all make sacrifices.

In going along with the Easter season, the First United Methodist Church of Three Rivers will offer a Lenten Breakfast on Thursday, April 2, at 10 AM. Chaplain Dan Lane will be the vocalist and guest speaker. The church is located at 215 North Main Street in Three Rivers.

Some old sayings worth remembering:

Heads should be weighed, not counted.
There are only two kinds of people who fail: those who listen to nobody, and those who listen to everybody.
See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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