Sizzlin’ Summertime is here. Aren’t you lovin’ it! So many fun things to do. And based on the crowds of visitors and friends, it is no secret that this is one terrific and welcoming little community. People love coming to Port O’Connor.

Our Independence Day Celebration was red, white and wonderful, and the fishing tournaments have yielded some great catches and are bringing some awesome anglers to our small town. Compliments to our firemen chefs who fed so many so well at their annual barbecue. Here’s hoping their fund raising efforts were successful. Poco is providing perfect opportunities for boat envy and fisherman’s tales, and many of the fishermen are donating their catches to POC or other food pantry programs. Thanks, fisherman, for your generosity. Bomber© Fishing Lures out of Arkansas shot some promotional footage in our fishing waters in July, and the first annual concert/car show is harmonious fun for sure. The local kids, young and old, have been busy with camps, trips, excursions and other pursuits. Remember how much fun that was when we were younger? Enjoy the summer fun while you can because the school year will return sooner than you think.

And when school starts, the Service Club will again be actively involved in supporting our students, helping POC Elementary teachers to purchase necessary supplies for the school rooms, supporting the annual Holloween Carnival by rewarding costume entrants with a little cash, baking cakes, and volunteer labor, and helping in other ways throughout the year. At the end of school, POC Service Club awards scholarships to deserving Calhoun High graduates.

The POC Service Club met July 11th after the holiday fell on our usual meeting date, and 15 members were in attendance. While the summer schedule is a little slower, plans are in the works for some special projects and events. The History Book Committee is compiling a display book of POC history and is asking for people to loan for copy or donate pictures of POC people and happenings from 1910 to 1960 if you or your family members have them. They can copy and return your pictures and artifacts if you would like. Just call Janet Johnson at 983-4737 to make arrangements. The Service Club is also actively planning our fall Community Garage Sale and would appreciate your donated household items, clothes, toys, sport and fishing equipment. We will pick it up or you can drop it off at the County barn behind the JP offices. Call Lydia Strakos at 983-2003 for pick up information.

At our July meeting we were happy to welcome back Sharon Wood to an active role in our organization. Sharon and her husband Dean were Port O’Connor residents before moving to Port Lavaca. Sharon remained active in Club until illness in her family required her complete attention, but now she hopes to have more free time to renew her acquaintances here and be more involved in Club activities. Welcome back, Sharon!

Our August meeting will be Thursday, 8/1 at 10:00 a.m. in the small room at the back of the POC Community Center. We will return to our twice monthly meeting schedule in September, so even if you have been out of town or busy for the summer months, this is a great time to get involved. In addition to our Fall Garage Sale, we will soon be planning our yearly Senior’s Christmas Luncheon, and we never know what opportunities for service may present themselves in between.

We welcome all who want to join us. Contact our president Janet Johnson at 983-4737 for more information. Your skills or talents might be just what we need for our next community project.

So, until next time, be safe, live simply, love openly, forgive generously and remember this quote from the great leader and reformer Nelson Mandela who currently needs our prayers and thoughts as he faces serious illness. He said, “It always seems impossible until it is done. Maybe you can be the one who makes the difference and gets it done.”