Not the same Ricketts #20

Entertainment is a big part of the 2nd Annual Rhea County Ag Day festivities, and 2007 was no exception. Their performers this Angela Davis, Jim Ricketts, Pickin’ and Dumplin’ and the Bush River Band. Bring a lawn chair and sit in the shade while you sip lemonade from the 4-H concession stand and enjoy southern gospel music and old-fashioned bluegrass.

Of course, that's on the fairgrounds in Evensville, Tennessee and therefore has absolutely nothing to do with Ricketts, Iowa, (we're in Crawford County, Iowa, that is). But most of this website is all about Ricketts, Iowa!

If you're from Ricketts, you're invited to their annual reunion, next year it will be on the fourth Saturday in July.

Now, if like Jim the Gospel Bluegrass singer, you're last name happens to be Ricketts, and you think it would be fun to have your family reunion in or around Ricketts, IA- more power to ya! Stop on by the Ricketts Kids' Reunion and say howdy when you're here!

As for everybody else, if you have memories or pictures of Ricketts to share, email them to our webmaster: ted.mallory@gmail.com I'll even accept funny, kitsch, or corny "Not the same Ricketts" ideas. Help put Ricketts on the map!

Smith Family Benefit

Mayor Connie Bridgeman and pal Tina Briggle serve up the laughs in the kitchen, while the boys manned the griddle and drinks. Lots of folks came in from the cold this Easter Saturday for a good cause.

Happy Easter!

Area kids hunted for Easter eggs in the Ricketts Community Center where it was safe, warm and dry- while snow flurries threatened and the wind blew with outside temperatures in the thirties. So much for the first weekend in Spring.

Poulation Boom; New Citizen!

Riley Leonard Luth born on the 14th of March at 6:31 weight in at 7 lbs and 10 ozs.

Born to Laurie Gress and Richard Luth. He has a older brother 13 waiting home for him. Dezmond Gress

Easter Breakfast!

The Triple Parish's Lutheran Youth Fellowship (LYF)
will be serving breakfast Sun 23rd
7-9 AM at the Ricketts Community Center

St. Patrick's Day Supper

At the Ricketts Community Bldg.
Saturday, March 22
5-8 pm
Rubens & Taverns
Free Will Offering

Benefit for the Steve Smith family who suffered from a house fire on Fri eve the 7th. Will be serving corned beef & cabbage, reubens, taverns, grilled cheese sandwiches and chili Also will be a bake sale (of course all homemade)

Ricketts Easter Egg Hunt

Saturday, March 22
1 PM at the
Ricketts Community Bldg.

"Dirt Roads," by Paul Harvey

What's mainly wrong with society today is that too many Dirt Roads have been paved.

There's not a problem in America today, crime, drugs, education, divorce, delinquency that wouldn't be remedied, if we just had more Dirt Roads, because Dirt Roads give character.

People that live at the end of Dirt Roads learn early on that life is a bumpy ride.

That it can jar you right down to your teeth sometimes, but it's worth it, if at the end is home...a loving spouse, happy kids and a dog.

We wouldn't have near the trouble with our educational system if our kids got their exercise walking a Dirt Road with other kids, from whom they learn how to get along.

There was less crime in our streets before they were paved.

Criminals didn't walk two dusty miles to rob or rape, if they knew they'd be welcomed by 5 barking dogs and a double barrel shotgun.

And there were no drive by shootings.

Our values were better when our roads were worse!

People did not worship their cars more than their kids, and motorists were more courteous, they didn't tailgate by riding the bumper or the guy in front would choke you with dust & bust your windshield with rocks.

Dirt Roads taught patience.

Dirt Roads were environmentally friendly, you didn't hop in your car for a quart of milk you walked to the barn for your milk.

For your mail, you walked to the mail box.

What if it rained and the Dirt Road got washed out? That was the best part, then you stayed home and had some family time, roasted marshmallows and popped popcorn and pony rode on Daddy's shoulders and learned how to make prettier quilts than anybody.

At the end of Dirt Roads, you soon learned that bad words tasted like soap.

Most paved roads lead to trouble, Dirt Roads more likely lead to a fishing creek or a swimming hole.

At the end of a Dirt Road, the only time we even locked our car was in August, because if we didn't some neighbor would fill it with too much zucchini.

At the end of a Dirt Road, there was always extra springtime income, from when city dudes would get stuck, you'd have to hitch up a team and pull them out.

Usually you got a dollar...always you got a new friend...at the end of a Dirt Road!