Raymond News

R by Kara Culp For spring break my senior year of high school, my parents and I traveled the greater Chicagoland area touring potential college campuses as I made my final decision on where to spend my next four years. After visiting nearly all the Big 10 universities, I just hadn’t felt like I found where I belonged – until we made one last stop. In just 4 hours, we made it from our home in Libertyville, Illinois to Indiana University in the picturesque town of Bloomington. I instantly felt at home and I would soon call myself a Hoosier. While Indiana University is well known in the architecture world for its stunning limestone buildings, it is even more famous for basketball ticket. The their basketball program campus would be alive and, of course, the leg- with anticipation on endary head coach game day. I was lucky Bobby Knight. It just so enough to watch a handhappened that we toured ful of games throughout Indiana the exact same the years, but getting night Indiana beat Duke tickets was an expensive in an epic game that ordeal, even for stusent IU to the March dents. Football tickets, Madness Final Four. on the other hand, were After their impressive almost too easy to come win, the campus erupted by. The football program in celebrations. School was pitiful, so pitiful in pride was palpable as fact they would somemy parents and I stood times give tickets away on Kirkwood Avenue and for free. This made footwatched the streets fill ball games relaxing to with red and white revel- watch. There wasn’t ers. That experience much stress when we sealed my decision – KNEW we were going to Indiana was my school. lose. Somewhere deep in For the next four my disposable camera years, it was nearly files is a photo of me and impossible to score a my friends, just the five BY CAROLYN CLEMENT cjclements@bellsout or The Terry Hughes. Woman’s Club will meet Jo and David on Tuesday, Jan. 8 at Hester had a wonderful Buford Hall, First Christmas with family. Baptist Church, Terry. Marty and her two chilThe program sounds dren from Delray,FL quite interesting. It were here for the seems Rebel Academy Holidays. Dave and his has closed its doors and wife, Jennifer and two a new program, Mercy children from GA visited House for Women, is as well. starting up at the facili- It seems there ty. Mercy House is a has been a problem in ministry to rescue and Terry getting the utility rehabilitate women that company to replace have been in unthink- street lights. While driable situations. The ving through the town director is Lindsey one evening it appeared “I M MAGES IN ISSISSIPPI A Photographic History of Medicine BYDR. LUKELAMPTON& KAREN Is available for purchase at The Magnolia Gazet $60 + tax this book makes a great gift or a nice ad Call LMA-PA Big families are FUN! e of us, sitting in the stu- average of 23.9 million l e dent section of the viewers, with a peak of Y n bleachers all by our- 25.6 million. A far cry ( y selves. Indiana football from my early 2000’s M - actually gave us some of Indiana football games! k t our most favorite memo- Wow! l g ries together goofing off I’m told that the G e in the stands as IU lost Ole Miss Rebels are also P - yet another game. doing well this year. I J , Fast forward 24 cannot wait to report i e years (yikes!) and who next week to see if we f e would have ever guessed will have a truly unbe- t m that my Indiana lievable match-up H n Hoosiers are the #1 foot- between Indiana and Ole s - ball program in the Miss for the National e y entire country! Needless Championship. Now h - to say, the o spent our New Years Day thing? With Robert a t eating Hoppin’ John and being a University of h e watching football. The Mississippi Law School o Hoosiers’ 38-3 win over graduate, it would truly e n Alabama in the Rose be a “house divided” f a Bowl set a College here on Main Street! h d Football Playoff TV rat- Mary Etta Naftel a e ings record, drawing an shared details from her n C EWS INDS th.net 601 5 darker than usual. Even f d the light in front of the l donut shop was out, . making it extremely dark Anno - in the area. We hope the L utility company will step e up and take care of the Eng s situation. o I understand d Nancy Cohn was in town Upcom over the Holidays as e well. Welcome Home, n Nancy. & y Sorry to hear e Mary Joyce Shelton has - been ill and recuperating n at home. Get well soon! d How to ge INDS 601 nancymg or ca M : e in Mississippi” for m EVERS tte Office, priced at only ddition to any book shelf! y TODAY! S Cheaha State Park in Alabama. Eighteen of John and Mary Etta’s nineteen grandchildren were in attendance this year. The weather cooperated and many were able to enjoy hikes and other outside activities. Families take turns cooking the meals and some special entertainment was provided by John’s niece Rachel Mosness who conducted a cookie decorating class and John’s daughter-inlaw Kappi Naftel who held a workshop on flower bouquet arranging. This year’s event was also a retirement celebration and 70th birthday party for John’s sister Debbie Naftel. Congratulations! Big families are so much fun. I always enjoy hearing about the lovely Christmas/New adventures of the closeYear celebration knit Purvis and Naftel (although being families. Thanks for Mississippi State fans, I sharing, Mary Etta! know it didn’t involve a Stayed tuned lot of football)! next week for some highGranddaughter Peyton lights of my big Bob’s Purvis flew home from 2nd birthday bash at Jakarta, Indonesia, dur- Crechale’s Café. We are ing the Christmas break getting in one last birthfrom her teaching posi- day dinner and plate of tion at Sekolah Pelita chicken livers and onion Harapan Christian rings this coming weekschool. Family members end. As predicted, enjoyed hearing about Crechale’s will officially her travels and tasting close forever on some interesting snacks February 15, 2026. It’s as well as catching up on time to make some hugs. memories while we still John Naftel, the can! eldest of six siblings, had forty-seven members of his extended family Be kind and sufattend an annual three- fer well. night gathering at Call The 1-783-2441 for Birth ouncements, gagements, ming Events, & more!!! LMA-PA et in touch with the C G : 1-783-2441 or all more information LMA-PA