The D.I.V.A Girl (Dream-Inspire-Volunteer-Achieve) program for girls 7-17 located in Seadrift is hosting a “BUDDY DRIVE.” The goal is to DONATE 84 Buddy’s to THE HARBOR for children in Calhoun County effected by abuse or neglect.

If you would like to help the D.I.V.A Girls achieve this goal please contact Lisa 361-648-6782 or email Lmclean1967@yahoo.com. The cost of 2 buddy’s is $26.68 total. –Thanks for your generosity this holiday season. By purchasing these buddy’s you are helping children in the D.I.V.A Girls program and The Harbor 🙂 Ordering while supplies last and before Dec. 5th so they can be presented to The Harbor by Dec. 18th!!

For more info about D.I.V.A Girls: www.Divagirlnow.com

For more info about The Harbor: http://harboradvocacycenter.org

Lisa McLean
361-648-6782

Seadrift Parade

Do you want to have FUN and help celebrate the 100th “Happy Birthday, Seadrift” on December 1, 2012? The Parade starts at noon at the Bay Front Pavilion.

If you are interested in decorating your golf cart, buggy, or any ATV, please call Kristine at 830-445-9889. There is no entry fee and this is a great way to show your civic pride.

Seadrift Centennial Live Music Schedule

11:00 – 12:30 PM……Po Boys………………………………………….Main Street

12:30 – 3:00…………..Jack Motley and Friends……………………Main Street

3:00 – 3:30…………….Vietnamese music by Rocky………………Main Street

3:30 – 5:30…………….Jackie and The Round-Up Band…………Main Street

7:00 – 10:00 PM…….Tahni Handel & Love Generator..Bay Front Pavilion

Purchase a Remembrance of the Seadrift Centennial

During the December 1 Seadrift Centennial Celebration “City Reflections” by Tanya DeForest will be on sale for $5.00 at the “General Store”, along with a coloring book “A City Tale”, written by Mrs. DeForest and illustrated by Thomas Rendon, which can be purchased for $3.00. Be sure to get your copy as a remembrance of this historic event.

The 2012 Lighted Boat Parade, sponsored by the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce, will be held on Saturday, December 1st. The parade is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. in the ICW from west of Larry’s Harbor to just past Caracol. It is open to boats of all sizes that meet the minimum U.S. Coast Guard Safety Requirements and there is no fee if you decide to enter a boat. Froggie’s, The Fishing Center, and the end of 2nd Street are some of the best places for viewing.

The Captains’ Safety Meeting will be held at the Inn at Clark’s at 5:30 p.m. on December 1st along with registration and assignment of parade positions. The U.S. Coast Guard will have a member at the safety meeting in case of any questions or concerns.

Locals and tourists alike look forward to this annual event, and it is hoped that many boat owners will participate. Prizes will be awarded in several categories. This year, as in the past several years, we are happy to announce that the U.S. Coast Guard along with participants in the Toy Run are planning on being a part of this great tradition. It looks like this year is no exception – that it is going to be a fantastic lighted boat parade.

Lighted Boat Parade Chairman, Bill Tigrett, has stated “I anticipate as many as 40-50 boats will be participating.”

If you would like to be a part of this year’s boat parade, or for more information, please contact Chairman, Bill Tigrett at 361-983-2671 or email him at bill@tigrett.com in order to receive an application. Otherwise, applications can be picked up at his office (Tigrett Real Estate) located at 1842 W. Adams Avenue (Highway 185) in Port O’Connor. Remember there is no entry fee – just the joy of the Christmas Season and fun of participating in the parade.

So, mark your calendar for December 1st and be sure to attend this event either as a participant or with all the fun of an observer of the parade along the ICW.

-Joyce Jordan

Madden’s Open House

Celebrating Seadrift

The past three years have come and gone in the blink of an eye; I’ve truly enjoyed interviewing and learning about the people that make up this coastal community. What seems even more difficult to believe is that the Centennial Celebration is now upon us. I can remember hearing about it two years ago thinking how far away the date was, alas, the time has come. By the time this paper begins circulation we will have only two weeks until the day is here. My mind was flooded with names, photos — I knew exactly who to call for the scoop.

I dialed the familiar 785 number and was greeted by the same hello I’ve always been welcomed with. Just as I suspected, Janie Waghorne quickly caught me up with latest news about the day’s events.

The Centennial Celebration will begin at the school in Seadrift with a 5K run and walk at 8:00 am and end with live music at 10:00 pm at the bayfront pavilion on Saturday, December 1st. The centennial committee has been working diligently and have multiple events planned throughout the day including: a historical tour, parade, dedications, historical exhibits, videos, fireworks and live music. Bands from Seadrift, Port O’Connor, Edna, and the Austin area will all be featured. There will also be demonstrations of various activities specific to the region: arrowhead making, medal engraving, oyster opening and net making. The civic center will have a General Store booth in which committee members will sell books, dvds, postcards, toys, t-shirts, etc. One very popular book which was produced for Texas sesquicentennial in 1986, Seadrift Memories, has been reproduced and will be available for purchase. It is a limited edition so make sure to get a copy! I know I’ll be first in line; much of the information I’ve been able to use in this column the past three years.

Amongst preparing the city for the centennial, Kathy Sayre has refurbished several murals around town. In addition a new mural which Robert Avery of Humble has painted a mural on the city hall building which incorporates Seadrift’s past and present.

The historical tour will include twenty-two markers of which four are permanent cast metal signs donated by various centennial supporters: First National Bank of Seadrift, Lilian Stubs; Seadrift Harbor, Juaniece and Lewis Ray Madden; Pavilion site, Formosa; Seadrift Depot, Dow and City of Seadrift (city hall) the Texas Historical Commission.

Our conversation of the day’s events led to the theater, fountain and Western Auto which were all owned by Lewis Ray and wife, Juaniece Madden in the 1950s. Janie and I continued to reminisce; I told her how it’s instances like these that inspire this column, finding out another piece of the puzzle and how they all fit. It makes me feel like Nancy Drew; she laughed and said she felt the same. It brings us all closer together — discovering information about Seadrift’s history, browsing through black and white photos and sharing stories about the original families, old depot, ice plant, harbor and pavilion. All of which are either gone, tattered or faded due to time or weather. I can still remember the first interviews; they often sparked a conversation with local residents. They were always eager to give me leads; I would always scramble to quickly scribbled names down and now I still find myself amazed at just how much history I’ve learned about Seadrift.

I am happy to report that the Seadrift Legacy Project will have the dvds featuring local fishermen for sale. Since meeting with videographer Ken Dvorack and Pam Booton, I’ve been waiting with anticipation to see the polished interviews. Each participant will receive their own interview, the ninety-minute dvd featuring over twelve interviewees will be on sale at the centennial.

I am eager to for the day to arrive; there are many people that have put countless hours and time towards this event’s success. Included in this article are just a couple of photos that you can view at the Centennial. Hope to see you there.

Till next time — Happy Birthday Seadrift, Texas.

One of Seadrift’s first street lights in about 1956-57 Back row L to R: Unknown teacher in Seadrift at the time, Bill Cook, E.B Sanders,W.G. Jordan, Bill Watkins. Front row L to R: CP&L rep, Mayor Lewis Ray Madden, CP&L rep.

Photo: Opening of Madden’s Fountain in the 1950’s.

The Annual Port O’Connor “Thanksgiving Service” will be held in Port O’Connor’s Fisherman’s Chapel on Sunday evening, November 18 at 6:00 p.m. – a proper time for all of us to praise God for everything he has given us this year! St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Fisherman’s Chapel and First Baptist Church sponsor this joint special service every year. This year Rev. Donnie Martin, pastor of First Baptist Church, will be delivering the Thanksgiving message and the First Baptist Church Choir will be singing special music. Fisherman’s Chapel will be providing refreshments after the service.

Everyone is invited to join us. If you can, please bring a canned good to include in our Thanksgiving and Christmas Baskets. Don’t miss this very special Thanksgiving service!

Doyle Adams