City bids out leaf collection in 1996

There actually was a time when Norwalkians did not see smiling city street department employees picking up their leaves in the fall.The city beat writer for the Reflector on Oct. 2, 1996 reported that city council gave unanimous approval for a private company to pick up the leaves. The legislation was passed on emergency in order to have the service director have some time to successfully process bids in order to start pick-up work in two weeks.Originally, Mayor Louis Frey had Barnes Nursery ready to go but when other contractors surfaced stating they want a shot at the business, Frey decided to retract his proposal, allowing for competitive bidding.Whoever is successful in getting the bid, they will be able to use the city's three vacuum trucks providing they provide insurance and show paperwork in satisfying workman's compensation laws.FTMC auxiliary officersThe Fisher-Titus Medical Center Auxiliary named its 1996-97 officers at a luncheon held last week. They included treasurer Reita VanHyning, secretary Ann Obermiller, second-vice president Gloria Vogt, first-vice president Edyie Robuck and president Joyce Gubesch.Trucker homecoming courtThe 1988 Norwalk Homecoming Court was chosen in preparation for the Friday night game against Bucyrus. The court included freshman attendant Abby Vogus, sophomore attendant Melissa Alexander, junior attendant Tara Dufur, EHOVE representative Kristy Townsend and senior queen candidates Kelly Hams, Michelle Carpenter, Tara Still, Amanda Gordon, Britt Nickoli and Erin Wilkinson.The male escort list included freshman Derek Pigman, sophomore Dan Boguszewski, junior Adam Rosekelley, EHOVE representative Justin Conley and senior king candidates Austin Chapin, Kevin Woodruff, Aaron Johnson, Andy McClain, Keith Malson and Cory Gardner.Debbie does a no-noDebbie Leffler's son told his mother it was a bad idea to park in a fire lane at the high school. She did not take his advise. After all she only had to run in and get her frozen foods order per the Music Boosters fund-raiser.Then it happened. Upon returning with the order, the car would not start.Debbie wrote about the embarrassing predicament in her column.All she faced was the following: frozen foods that would quickly thaw, a child with no ride to a piano lesson another child about to miss a scout meeting, a sudden rain storm, no help from a husband who was out of town, the possibility of a hefty parking fine and, unquestionably, embarrassment.Things did happen for the better, however. But, only after Russ and Debbie went back to jump-start the car in the rain with another car only to hook the jumper cables up the wrong way, sending showers of sparks in the air. A reverse of the cables was the answer. Both cars made it safely home as did the children. A new battery was purchased and Debbie looked into getting a horse for transportation as horses are hitched to a rail and don't give off sparks when the rider tells them to move.Taylor-Dryden place at PinehurstWord funneled back that Bill Taylor, Jr. and Perry Dryden teamed up to place fifth in the championship division in the recent national Elks Four-ball Golf Tournament played annually at Pinehurst (Southern Pines), NC.The duo, part of a 22-man local contingent, finished the 54-hole event even par.The A flight pairing of Scott Terry and Floridian Gary Keefer won with a 219, while Mike Schneider teamed with another former Norwalkian, Texan Andy Woelfling, to finish third in the same flight.Two other pairings, Matt Gross and Don Leto and Chuck Furey and Fred Waugh, also finished in the money.The other member of the local contingent included playing partners Jim Ramsey Sr. and John Kaiser, Jr., Paul Smith and Jim Hivnor, Dale Casper and Jerry Breslin, Dan White and Gary Gibler, John Payne and Steve Fries and Al Koontz and Bob Schoenegge.In other golfing news, Bill Stewart and Ergun Baharoglu defeated Keith and Greg Ensign to win the second-half title of Sycamore Hill's Monday Night League.Bill Taylor Jr. had his name in copy any number of times late in the season. He teamed with Dan Spettle for a 66 at Sycamore Hills to win the 2-Man blind draw (low net) event. They split $100. Ed Leroux and Bob Kleis won $60 after figuring a 67 for second place.Taylor started the month of October with an ace at Woussickett. He slam-dunked it on No. 5 with Don Helton, Rick Perry and Jim Geiger watching. It was his second. He made his first on No. 3 at SycamoreOver at Plum Brook, veteran player Alice James won her 21st Women's Club Championship. This one was close, however, as she won on the last hole to get the nod 1-up over Barb Bergquist.Transplanted Norwalkian, Mary Bleile, now a Huron resident, won the B Flight championship.The Eagle Creek team of Mel Holida, Rod Bordman, Scott Terry and Steve Schneider finished a ways down the list at the well-represented Shelby Invitational. The winners from Marion Country Club played the weather-shortened event in 1-under. It got each of the four players $200.The Bubba Memorial, played annually at Woody Ridge in memory of a popular William "Bubba" Van Wagner, was again super-competitive. To win it, the four-man team needed to play the course 15-under.Ruth Templer turns 100Ruth Templer from Greenwich turns 100 today.She believes her longevity is because she regularly eats butter, candy and drinks strong coffee."The amount of candy I eat would put most people in a coma," she told Reflector reporter Kathy Root. "I have no idea what my cholesterol count is and at my age I am not going to chase it down.The long-time teacher daily welcomes into her Seminary Street home a group of five or six ladies."Local physician Adelaide Sauers and I can demolish a pot of coffee in nothing flat," she said.Greenwich Mayor Maurice Fishbaugh has issued a proclamation declaring Oct. 12 as "Ruth Templer Day." There will be an open house at the high school.Her first teaching position was at White Hall, a one-room school house on Rome Greenwich Road. She walked there daily. She was 17. The year was 1914. Eventually, she found her way to Greenwich and then South Central where she taught for 34 years. Along the way, she met and married the man wo would eventually be her boss, superintendent Kent Templer.Homecoming winnersAs an answer to the above story on the Norwalk homecoming court, Erin Wilkinson, the daughter of Roger and Mary Wilkinson, was named queen while the king crowned was Austin Chapin, the son of Travis and Karen Chapin.For the record, Norwalk lost that homecoming game to Bucyrus, 42-22. It gave up 21-first quarter points, most of that total rolled up on Ron DeLuca's team from 345 total rushing yards.Mindy Cook won the Monroeville queen title in 1966. She is the daughter of Richard and Trena CookMeanwhile, the Willard queen was Rachel Lydy, the daughter of Gary and Jean Lydy.Golfers advanceNorwalk golfer Alan Furey was the lone advancing Trucker from the DIV II Galion Country Club sectional. He carded an 83. The other team members included Andy Oberle (87), Chris Seitz and Matt Chill (both 92) and Mark Crawford (109).Meanwhile, Plymouth advanced from Thunderbird North and why not. The Big Red squad finished the season at 14-0. But, it was the scores from three juniors and a sophomore that helped Tom McConahay's team advance to Forrest-Creason in Bowling Green. Junior Scott Albright, who finished the season with a 37-stroke average, shot an 82 to lead his team. His help came from junior Andy Beebe, Ryan Rook, Travis Hall and Jason Hale. The team played without starter Beth Fidler who played in the girl's district.John Frank's St. Paul squad included Scott Hammersmith, Ryan Milks, Brad Goodsite, Steve Ware and Adam Alt.South Central's Tod Fox advanced to Bowling Green as one of three individuals. He shot an 81.Centers big on numbersThe sports editor in 1966 was Joe Centers and Joe was big on numbers. Weekly, he ran a statistic column, numbers he religiously kept from weekly games.Here are the leaders (sorry, no numbers) by teams at this juncture of the season:RUSHING: Norwalk Josh Schlotterer and Aaron Johnson; St. Paul Mike Morrow and Dan Pugh; Willard Steve Stower and Greg Ditz; Monroeville Clint Poths, Joe Roeder; Edison Sam Springer and Adam Santi; Western Reserve Dustin Dow and Sonny Bivens; New London Anthony Daniels and Josh Merrit; South Central Jason Furr; Plymouth Casey Harrington and Fred Hawk.PASSING: Norwalk Brad Moore; St. Paul Aaron Kalizewski; Willard Chris Ludban; Monroeville Chad Ackerman; Edison Jake Deehr; Western Reserve Sonny Bivens; New London Ben Pack; South Central Doug Dendinger; Plymouth Kevin Rodman.RECEIVING: Norwalk Aaron Johnson, Mike Gottfried, Keith Malson; St. Paul Frank VanDresser, Mike Morrow; Willard Brock Barnett, Steve Stover, Sean Slater; Monroeville Brandon Smith, Don Clark, Brad Smith; Edison Sam Springer, Josh Jamison, Dan Bibb; Western Reserve Brian Foster, Jeff Lymer, Alex Zoldesky, Charles Wheeler; New London Anthony Daniels, Keith Sanders, Brad Hall; South Central Brandon Osborn, Matt Stryker, Ty Stevenson, Nick Caudill; Plymouth Nathan Brown, Matt Kennard, Casey Harrington.And, finallyThe story on Monday, Oct. 7, 1996 read:LAS VEGAS — Tiger Woods staked his first claim to greatness on Sunday when he won the Las Vegas Invitational, his first professional championship.Woods parred the first hole of sudden death, defeating veteran Davis Love III.Woods was well-known in golfing circles after his three wins in the U.S. Amateur Tournament. This was his fifth start on tour.To those who read this column and would like me to touch on other subjects, shoot me an e-mail. I'll do what I can to accommodate you. The address is dhohler@neo.rr.comDon Hohler is a longtime Reflector sportswriter.