Working at the Garage & Bake Sale, some of the Service Club’s longest-serving members:
Left to Right: Nancy Childers, Kay Middleton, Marie Hawes, Pat Ekstrom and Mary Ann Claiborne
-Photo by Barbara Rhyne
On August 21, 1980 members of the Calhoun Home Extension Club in Port O’Connor voted to call themselves the Port O’Connor Community Service Club. The first officers of this new organization were: President, Emma Powers; Vice President, Jane Overton; Secretary, Frankie DeLoach; and Treasurer, Teresa Riley. There were 24 original members.
The Club currently has 48 members, three of whom have been members 20 or more years: Nancy Childers, Marie Hawes, and Kay Middleton. Officers are Marie Hawes, President; Alane Haardt, Vice President; Nancy Ladshaw, Secretary and Nan Burnett, Treasurer.
The purpose of the Service Club is to serve our community for the betterment of all. Throughout the years, fund raisers have been held and donations made to many groups and causes such as the Food Bank, Scouts, Senior Citizens, Friends of Youth, Scholarships, Fire Department, the Library and local school.
Birthday cards honoring many senior citizens in various nursing-residential homes and Christmas Cards have been sent throughout the years.
The Club’s first major project began in October of 1985. They began raising funds by holding bake sales, book sales, and their Club-made fried pies to raise money to create a library for our community. Opening on May 31, 1986 in the back section of the Fire Station, the library was staffed by Club members and open two days a week for two hours each day. Several years later, the library became a part of the Calhoun County library system; an addition was built and Shirley Gordon was hired as permanent librarian.
Club members created the “End of the Road Cookbook” in December of 1983. Since then, both a second and third edition have been printed, and is a steady fund raiser for the Club.
Every year the Club gifts the community with an outstanding Christmas Luncheon. This event began in 1980 in the Community Center section of the Fire Station. Then, as now, the food was prepared by Club members. As more residents began to come to the dinner, the Fire Station became too small, so it was moved to local churches. When the Community Center was built, the luncheon was held there, where it continues to be held each December.
The Garage Sale
The bi-annual Garage Sale is the most time consuming effort the Service Club does for the community. It provides the funds to accomplish other projects and re-purposes items that would otherwise be trashed. It serves not only our community, but other non-profits.
The donation center located at the back of the Community Center pavilion has a bin for donated items. There are seven Club members who check the bin on a daily basis and place items in the building. At intervals, these items are then sorted and placed into storage containers on shelving. There are approximately ten members at each sorting.
Three days prior to the sale, tables are set up and the kitchen area cleaned in preparation for the bake sale. Tables are labeled according to the items to be placed upon them.
Thursday prior to the sale, all items are removed from the storage building and placed under the tables. Approximately 35 members and volunteers are involved in this work.
On Friday, members remove all items from the storage containers and placed upon tables. Work usually starts at 8:00 a.m. and work until 3-4 p.m. They are assisted by trustees from the Sheriff’s Department, students from the high school, and Coast Guard, when available.
Before 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning, members arrive (many with home baked items for the bake sale), There is always a crowd waiting for the 8:00 a.m. start. At 2:00 p.m., when the sale is over, members pack up all leftovers and then assist Restoration Ministries of Victoria in loading on trucks. Then all tables are broken down and placed in storage and all equipment belonging to the Club is put back in the donation building. Everything is usually accomplished by 4:00 p.m.
In addition to these pictured above, the sign outside the Community Center was purchased by the Club. There are many other less visible projects: sponsor Angel Tree children at Christmas; Provide and set up flags lining the highway into town for Warrior’s Weekend; Scholarship programs for graduating seniors; Recognition to elementary school students for all A’s & A&B’s, and perfect attendance; Help Elementary School teachers purchase items for their classrooms; Bi-annual donations to the Benevolence Fund for Thanksgiving Christmas Baskets; Memorial donations to local organizations in memory deceased Port O’Connor residents; Donate baked goods for various events in town; and work with other local organizations in support of their efforts. Currently the Club is helping with raising funds for the Community Center Facelift Project. They have been instrumental in planning, conducting grant writing for this project for over a year, Two Club members, Nan Burnett and Marie Hawes are Community Center Board members.
If you are 60 years old or older, you may want to join in one of the programs the Club initiated a few years ago: Tuesday’s Senior Lunch. Several Club members (who have faithfully served for years) serve the meal provided by Calhoun County Senior Citizens. Bingo is played afterwards, if you care to. The meal costs $5, but no one is turned away for lack of funds. The lunch is served each Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at the Community Center.
If you are a community-minded woman of any age who might enjoy being a part of the Service Club, come see what it’s all about, the first and third Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. at the Community Center.
Thanks to Nan Burnett and Marie Hawes for their assistance with this article.
