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Around Town
December 6, 2024 - The Center Woman’s Reading Club’s December meeting included a program on the value of letter writing along with presentations by local groups who give books to children for Christmas.
Alease Copelin, club president had the podium for the Thursday, December 5th meeting with a focus on reading and writing. She shared ‘good writers make good readers and good readers make good writers.’ She spoke about the book The Art of Correspondence: A Letter is Practically a Gift which is part of an 11 book series by the editors of Victoria, a women’s lifestyle magazine.
Copelin spoke about the disappearing art of letter writing which is terrible to see happen. She described her love of letter writing and the special gift it is to convey one’s thoughts and emotions in one’s own handwriting. The hand written letter can connect with other senses including smells absorbed by the paper or texture of the parchment felt as the recipient holds and reads. Emails and text messages can’t convey the same all inclusive experience plus they easily get lost under the daily arrival of junk and spam messages. Written letters can be kept and cherished for years as well as passed on to future generations.
Tools used with letter writing be bring a unique element. Displayed are wax seals, different pens, embossed seals, custom stickers, etc.
Fannie Watson, a club member shared a special hand written letter with the group. The letter was written by Mrs. Watson in the late 70s and had just been given back to her by a former student. She read the letter which was an encouragement to her student who today is a teacher.
Copelin encouraged everyone to write a letter and gift it to someone.
A special aspect of the meeting was appropriate for the season as club members who are great supporters of literacy collected books to donate to two groups who gift children with books - FL Moffett‘s Cookies and Cocoa and Center PD Operation Blue Santa.
From left to right: J.J. Ford (Blue Santa), Johanna Ruiz-Siso (F.L. Moffett), Amy Lindley (Blue Santa), and Amanda Rodney (F.L. Moffett)
From F.L. Moffett, teachers Johanna Ruiz-Siso and Amanda Rodney spoke about the upcoming December 14th Cookies and Cocoa event at Portacool Park from 9:30am until 11am. This is the schools 4th year to host the event which has been very well received and attended. Kids not only get to enjoy the event activities such as basketball, bouncy house, hot cocoa bar with sweet treats; but they get books to take home. The event is open to children of all ages and from any of the schools.
Next, Amy Lindley with the Operation Blue Santa team spoke. She shared the group helped around 370 kids with Christmas gifts in 2023. This year, Toys for Tots has partnered with Operation Blue Santa which will allow the team to expand their efforts to include other wish list items like clothing. The Toys for Tots donation boxes seen around town go to Operation Blue Santa and the toys stay in Shelby County. It makes it easier than ever for people to donate toys this Christmas. A big fundraiser coming up is the 10th Annual Cookies and Cocoa with Santa on Saturday, December 14 from 2pm until 4pm at the Center Community House. The event also includes a Coat Donation Drive. Blue Santa is accepting new Coats/Jackets of all sizes with tags.
December 3, 2024 (Photo Album) - The downtown historic square in Center was full of Christmas cheer as a large crowd gathered for the first Christmas Tree lighting ceremony on Monday, December 2, 2024.
Opening the celebration was Chris Watlington, “Welcome to a first, there is no way of knowing how we’re supposed to do this because we’ve never done it before. But that Christmas tree has been several years in the works with a lot of folks working hard - it’s beautiful.” Watlington gave recognition to the Christmas Committee made up of community volunteers and special recognition to Doug Gay, the Committee Chairman. Their hard work made the downtown Tree Lighting ceremony happen along with additional decorations being added to the downtown square.
An invocation was brought by Malcolm Monroe, Pastor at First Methodist Church in Center. He gave thanks for the gift of the magnificant tree, thanks for the community who has come together for the celebration, and thanks for God's gift this Christmas season - the birth of Jesus.
Abundant Love Youth Choir
Music was then performed by Danny Paul Windham and a couple of the Packs of Strays (Sally Windham and Reese Monroe). Next to bring Christmas music to the tree lighting was the Abundant Love Youth Choir.
At 6pm, it was time for the grand event - the tree lighting and special guest Silver Bell Motley had the honor of pushing the button and lighting the tree after Santa did a countdown from 10.
Silver Bell Motley pressed the button to light the tree!
Sponsors who helped to make the tree lighting possible:
- Santa Sponsor - Farmers State Bank
- Jingle Bell Sponsors - HOPE Community Medicine; Shelby Savings Bank; Tomlin Insurance; Windham Family Dental; Candy Cane Sponsors; Center First UPC; General Shelters of Texas; Hallmark Fixtures Operation; HR Group; Shelby County Chamber of Commerce; and Specter, Inc.
- Bright Star Sponsor - Brock’s Rocks
- Nutcracker Sponsors - Bounds Insurance; Focused Care of Center; Center Glass (2 Sponsorships); Chadwick Family; Elliott & Waldron/Shelby County Title; Fairchild, Price, Haley & Smith, LLP; Focused Care of Center; Gatherings; Granny B’s Sno Cone; Ihlo Sales & Import; Island Breeze Daiquiris; JBA Financial Services; Johnstone Brokerage; Mettauer Law Firm; Morrison Insurance; Scull Timber; Tammy Steptoe Realty; Three Birds Photography; Toledo Finance; Town & Country Real Estate; Watlington, Shires & Pierce; and Wolfpack Industries
- Elf Sponsors - Action Team Realtors/Laura Rowe; Bites & Brew; Blake Furniture; Mr. and Mrs. James Camp; Chambliss Real Estate (2 Sponsorships); Law Office of April Prince; Lush Nail Spa; Masterson Insurance; Primp Salon; Sandy Cox – State Farm Insurance; Shelby County Farm Bureau – David Hailey; Susan Snider; and Timberwolf Lake Works
December 2, 2024 - Santa’s Christmas Parade, presented by the HR Group, will be held on Saturday, December 7th beginning at 6pm. The theme for this year’s parade is “A North Pole Fantasy.”
Categories for the 2024 Parade will include: Individuals, Schools, Businesses, Churches and Civic Organizations. Judges will award cash prizes to the top three places in each category. The Float Competition Sponsor is the City of Center. The Sponsor for the Grand Marshal is Dazzle Me Pink and Blue. Silver Sponsors are Farmers State Bank, Holiday Nursing and Rehabilitation and Specter, Inc.
The Taste of the Holidays, sponsored by Shelby Savings Bank, will be held on Thursday, December 5th at the Windham Civic Center from 4:30-7:30pm. There will be delicious food samplings available.
For more information contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at 936-598-3682 or email info@shelbycountychamber.com.
November 21, 2024 - The staff of the Fannie Brown Booth Library have been busy boxing books with the help of the JCCs and volunteers. Between 350 and 400 boxes of books have been moved to storage. We moved shelves and furniture out of the library into the Redditt room with the help of the JCCs and volunteers. We had a young man come and take apart the counter. He also helped disassemble the double wide shelves and move them into the Redditt Room. The carpet installers have prepped the floor and installed the carpet. The next step will be the installation of new lighting.
Parade float entry registration free. Deadline to enter Dec. 20th.
November 14, 2024 - Plans are underway for the 2024 Santa’s Christmas Parade which will be held on Saturday, December 7th beginning at 6:00pm. The Parade is presented by High Roller Wells. The theme for this year’s parade is “A North Pole Fantasy.” Silver Sponsors are Farmers State Bank, Holiday Nursing and Rehabilitation and Specter, Inc.
Categories for the 2024 Parade will include: Individuals, Schools, Businesses, Churches and Civic Organizations. Judges will award cash prizes to the top three places in each category. The Float Competition Sponsor is the City of Center. The Sponsor for the Grand Marshal is Dazzle Me Pink and Blue. This year’s Grand Marshal will be J.J. Ford, the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award recipient.
Parade float entry registration is free and completed applications must be returned to the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce office by Monday, November 20th.
It is summer and it is hot, but it is never too early to start planning your float. Decorate your pick up truck, golf cart, horse and buggy etc. Join in the holiday festivities and have fun!
The Taste of the Holidays, sponsored by Shelby Savings Bank, will be held on Thursday, December 5th at the Windham Civic Center from 4:30-7:30pm. There will be delicious food samplings available.
For more information contact the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce at 936-598-3682 or email info@shelbycountychamber.com.
Corn Hole Tournament 1st Place Winners
November 19, 2024 (Photo Album) - Storm clouds cleared just in time for the 7th Annual Fall Festival of Hope to bring people to the downtown Center square on Saturday, November 9th for a good cause - to support Boo's Battle Support Fund. The festival activities included a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, cake 'dance' walk, bouncy house, 42 tournament, corn hole tournament, and a vendor bingo.
Corn Hole Tournament Winners (26 Players)
1st Place - Canon Hatcher / Richard Smith
2nd Place - Polar Bear / Zach Hicks
3rd Place - Platt Matt / Micheal Liem
42 Tournament 1st Place Winners
42 Tournament Winners (14 Players)
1st Place - Jeremy and Ashley Snider
2nd Place - Donny Fountain / Billy Neal
3rd Place - Rodger and Karen Fancher
The festival raised nearly $11,000 thanks in large to event sponsors. Every $1,000 helps one person who is battling cancer.
Thank you to everyone who came to the festival regardless of the dreary weather.
Thank you sponsors! Shelby Savings Bank, Magnolia Family Medicine, Magnolia Health & Wellness, Cornerstone Construction, Freedom Heavy Duty Parts, First Baptist Church of Haslam, Boles Feed, Ay Wood Products, Subway - Joaquin, Chrisco Bragg Plumbing, H & H Investments, 4G Contractors, Maple Springs Baptist Church, Wanda Scruggs, LPC-S, Brookshire Brothers - Joaquin, Jacobs Welding & Fab, LLC, Armadillo Signs, and Ram House Cafe.
November 18, 2024 - The Piney Woods Photographic Society held their regular monthly meeting this past Saturday. There was a workshop presented on photo processing using Lightroom/Photoshop. The November Challenge was "Streetscape Photography." There were some really great photos submitted by members and the Favorites are as follows. To view all the photos submitted to the challenge view our Flickr page, https://www.flickr.com/groups/pineywoodsphotographic/
1st Place Favorite - "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" by Bobbie Jean Wood
2nd Place Favorite (3-Way Tie) - "Mail Stop" by Billie Haggard Jones
2nd Place Favorite (3-Way Tie) - "Rio de Janeiro" by Lawrence Davis
2nd Place Favorite (3-Way Tie) - "Waiting" by Julie Cantrell-Green
November 15, 2024 - The inside of the Shelby County Historic Courthouse was full of Junior Chamber of Commerce helpers on Thursday, November 14 to start the process of decorating for Christmas.
The DRT ladies with the help of the JCC students accomplished much of the decorating on the inside. The Historic Courthouse will be open for tours next week, November 21st and 22nd. However, it will be closed the week of Thanksgiving.
Mark you calendar for Monday, December 16 for a Christmas Open house event from 12 noon until 2pm with the Excelsior Choir led by Tim Verner again performing in the upstairs courtroom at 1pm.
November 15, 2024 - An account has been created at Shelby Savings Bank, “Michelle Isaac Funeral Expenses,” to help in covering the expense of funeral arrangements. Michelle Isaac, 47 of Center, passed away on November 5, 2024. Donations may be made at any of the local Shelby Savings Bank Branches.
From left: (standing) Holiday Administrator Daniel Rogers, Mike Wulf, Zachery McCormick, Derrick Roberts, Larry Hume, Gene Hutto, Joy Hutto, and Mary Fausett, (seated) Robert Clifton, Luther Lorenz, James Clayton, Levon Andrews, and Roger Paxton.
November 13, 2024 - The Holiday Nursing and Rehabilitation celebrated and honored their veterans on Monday, November 11, 2024 and invited fellow VFW Post 8904 members as well.
Larry Hume, VFW Post Adjutant, spoke to the veterans in attendance explaining the reason for Veterans Day which is to recognize and honor U.S. military personnel and their service.
It was started November 11, 1919 on the one year anniversary of an armistice between Allied nations and Germany which is generally regarded as the end of the war to end all wars. Originally, the day was called Armistice Day which can be remembered to have happened on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. November 11th was signed to be a legal holiday on May 13, 1938 by the President of the United States and was set aside to honor Veterans of World War I. In 1954, the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938 by renaming the day Veterans Day with the purpose of a day to honor American Veterans of all wars.
Hume then recognized all the veterans in the room giving them an opportunity to say their branch and years of service. Others in attendance were then given the opportunity to say the name of family members who are veterans.
Facility Administrator Rogers then presented framed certificates to their resident veterans who are Roger Paxton - Navy 1963-1967, USS Regulus; Levon Andrews - Army 1972-1976, tank driver; James Clayton - Air Force 1962-1966, linguist; Luther Lorenz - Air Force, bombardier; Tommie Lathan; and Robert Clifton - Air Force, Retired, supply.
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