I believe that it was the legendary sports writer Grantland Rice that once wrote something to the affect that: "When it comes time for the Great Scorer to write the score against your name, it matters not whether you won or lost, but how you played the game! In this age of highly competitive sports, a lot of folks have apparently forgotten those lines.

However I am reminded of them almost every time that I watch our Jellico High School team play football. No one could ask for better effort from some of the Blue Devil players who are often so greatly overmatched against the competition they must face. Several of their opponents have "powerhouse" teams with a far greater number of players. Jellico does have some outstanding football talent but there is just not enough of it and unlike some other sports, it makes things very tough on football players who give great effort on the gridiron every week in practice and in the games. When you watch them, you just have to remember Rice's meaningful poem and admire the heart demonstrated by those guys!

But what is the answer to Jellico High's problem? In this day and age of high school teams with linemen weighing in excess of 300 pounds with a 350 pounds or greater bench press along with agility and amazing foot speed for their size, for a school to even be competitive in football, it must have a very dedicated and on-going program of off-season weights and conditioning. And even more importantly, it must have adequate depth - depth that can no longer be provided by one elementary school feeding the program. Jellico Elementary School simply cannot supply enough players to the high school each year for it to remain competitive on a consistent basis against the opponents that it must face.

The Campbell County Board of Education to give immediately give serious consideration to assisting Jellico High in retaining and improving their football program. We have local elementary schools serving Jellico High that do not have any level of football participation - a rare situation this day and age when most elementary schools no matter how small, field teams on the 3rd and 4th grade level as well as the 5th and 6th grade level. The lack of football at those schools badly hurts our high school program and it deprives our area elementary students of an opportunity to participate in a very popular sport as most other kids do - which is a very unfair situation for them and for our high school.

Football could easily be started at Elk Valley Elementary and White Oak Elementary as well as at Wynn Elementary (That school would probably send most players to Campbell County High and help that program. But JHS might enroll some as well). And I don't think that it would be a great difficulty for the Campbell County Board to work with the Claiborne County Board in starting football at Clairfield Elementary that also sends students to JHS.

It is well past time for the Board to act to correct an unfair situation for a relatively small amount of money when compared to the benefits for both our area sutdents and our high school.

Not many folks like to go to the hospital - whether as a patient themselves or even to visit others who are. But there is something new at the Jellico Community Hospital that is worth a visit to that facility.

A "Garden of Prayer" dedicated to Dr. Charles Wilkens is a beautiful addition that has won the acclaim of all those who have seen it for the very first time. And I am sure that it will provide a source of comfort to a lot of folks in the future.

Dr. Wilkens is certainly deserving of such an honor. He is a widely known and renown surgeon and medical care provider that has contributed greatly to both the improved health care and medical facilities now found throughout our entire area. His decision to come to our area several years ago has been a blessing for all of us - and certainly to me personally. I will never forget the night that he performed surgery upon me and had prayer before starting. That was comforting to say the least!

True to his word, Mike Siwinski, editor and publisher of "The Christian Journal" has already begun work on the former laundry mat building on North Main Street next to the Kentucky line. Siwinski earlier promised that his building would be the "best looking building in Jellico" before he is done with it and when I stopped by there the other day, he showed me some of the things that he has in mind to accomplish that very thing. I was not familiar with some of the materials and designs that he mentioned for the exterior but they sure sounded impressive. He says that he also plans an awning that should add a lot.

He also hopes to place two electric lamps in front of the building that have a gas light effect much like the true gas lamps in front of the Tramell Building. That should really set the building off and be very appropriate for the upcoming Christmas season.

As has become a tradition of long standing, the city of Jellico will pass out candy to the "trick or treaters" at the fire hall on Halloween 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM. The police and rescue squad possibly along with some firemen and other citizen volunteers, will patrol throughout town.

Everyone is reminded to drive very carefully during those hours and the kids need to be under close adult supervision and wearing clothing or markings that are clearly visible to drivers of vehicles. Thanks to the cooperation and help of our city employees and citizen volunteers, we have been able to avoid the major tragedies that have occurred in larger towns and cities. I want to welcome to Jellico our new Indian Mountain State Park Ranger Rachel Bridges from Lawrenceburg, Tennessee. Ranger Bridges is a graduate of the University of Tennessee at Martin and she will be doing educational programs at the park and in local schools - including topics dealing with the environment, our cultural heritage, etc.

Park director Jerome Cummins and the staff too will give out candy this Friday evening (4:00 PM - 7:00 PM). And Ranger Bridges will tell ghost stories around a campfire. That sounds like a great idea and folks are asked to bring the kids - along with some lawn chairs - and sit around the campfire to listen and enjoy. (Does that remind you of the old Andy Griffith Show episode when Andy one night told a ghost story around the campfire that didn't bother the kids, but kept Barney awake all night long with his eyes open as wide as quarters?)

The Tourism Commission voted during its last meeting to conduct a "Veterans Observance" on Sunday, November 9th at 2:00 PM to honor local veterans. A short ceremony will be held at the Veterans Memorial Monument followed by a reception for veterans and their families in the conference room of the Tramell Building (Tourism/Library).

All veterans are asked to attend and active service men and women are especially welcomed including those that have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The ticket sales for "Grace Moore: The Tennessee Nightingale" were going very well when I last checked with Tourism Director Jake Bennett. The production scheduled for the Jellico High School auditorium/theatre on Saturday, November 15th (7:00 PM) is a "once in a great while" opportunity to see a quality professional production right here in Jellico and I hope that everyone takes advantage. (Jake was just sending out the publicity to the media at that time and he was directing it toward a large area in East Tennessee and Southeastern Kentucky.)

The annual lighting ceremony for our city of Jellico Christmas lights will be held on Thanksgiving Eve, Wednesday, November 26th (as soon as darkness arrives. We refer to that time around here as "dark thirty"). It's usually pretty cool by that time (and sometimes down right cold) and traditionally hot drinks are provided. There was a massive amount of hot chocolate drunk last year and here's hoping that we have it again this year.

I want to thank the Utilities Department that has never yet failed to have the lights up and ready for the ceremony although this is typically a busy time for them. But the lights sure add a great deal toward getting in the holiday spirit and their efforts are certainly appreciated.

The Christmas Parade has been scheduled this year for Sunday, December 14th and it seems that every year there is the same discussion concerning selection of a grand marshal. Some want a local person every year and others want a Knoxville television or other media personality.

Those wanting to recognize a local individual or individuals say that those who have contributed to our town should be honored rather than someone who may never have ever even been in Jellico before, will only be here for a very few hours and probably will never be here again. They say that it is a slap in the face of all those who genuinely want to see Jellico grow and improve and who constantly work toward that objective. However those favoring the "outsider" say that it will prevent hard feelings and charges of favoritism, politics, etc.

Last year was an easy choice since Lawrence Hall was a genuine war hero and liked by everyone. But we have a lot of people who are also highly deserving of the honor and one name that comes up fairly often who too served in World War II and has made numerous contributions to our town and our area, has never been requested to serve as our honored individual.

The Commission generally compromises and did so again this year. They agreed to invite a television personality and that will be fine. But in future years, I favor going the local route. Everyone that attempts to do something positive and works toward that objective makes enemies. It just comes with the territory and those folks should not be punished for making effort as has happened so many times in the past - a fact that has discouraged a lot of folks from getting involved in community projects. If folks get angry at Christmas time over who is to serve as grand marshal of our parade, then they are missing the entire meaning of Christmas anyway.

(I remember one individual of many years ago who was well liked by about everyone. But I do not recall anything that he ever did except go to work, do his job and then return home. He never got involved in very much community service of any kind to my knowledge so he made very few enemies. Other than the fact that he was a decent, law-abiding citizen, I cannot recall a positive contribution that he made to our town and our area. But as I said, he was well liked.)

Next year I hope that the Commission will select the above mentioned individual and continue the practice in future years of selecting deserving locals regardless of public reaction.

Woe and agony on all of us Volunteer fans living on the Kentucky border. It seems that every radio station in Knoxville has a sports call-in show during football season. And one station the other day asking about the rest of our season, had seventy-five percent of its listeners to call in an predict that Kentucky will beat Tennessee in Lexington this year. "SAY IT AIN'T SO JOE!" JOHN CLIFTON, Mayor, City of Jellico