The House of Prayer, 502 W. Broadway in Seadrift, will be serving Thanksgiving Dinner on Thanksgiving Day to any and all who would like to come celebrate with them.

Turkey, ham and all the trimmings, plus lots of desserts, will be served from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m.

Thanks to Dick’s Food Store in Seadrift and HEB and WalMart in Port Lavaca for their generous donations for the dinner.

Though this is only November, Christmas is lurking in the air. Have you seen a branch of holly or evergreen standing by a window, or perhaps noticed the odor of cinnamon permeating the atmosphere? I don’t think this is really too premature to turn our thoughts towards our glorious Christmas Season here in Port O’Connor. For example, to get all four senses going, the Port O’Connor Service Club has now solidified plans for their annual Senior* Citizens’ Christmas Luncheon scheduled for Friday, December 7, 2012.

During the first several years of its inception in the 1980’s, the Luncheon had approximately 25 attendees and was held in a small room of our Fire Station. During the following years when that area became much too small, the Luncheon was held in the Parish Halls of the local churches. It was not an amazing or unusual sight to see a pickup truck loaded with a fully decorated tree proceeding to the chosen Church. Schlepping along behind the lead truck were the many cars of the members and their husbands fully laden with mouth-watering dishes of many kinds that contained the meal for the day as they made their way to the decorated Parish Hall. The menu for those early Christmas Luncheons would range from chicken spaghetti to chicken and dumplings with many desserts; and you would be correct if you would assume that there would not be a spoonful remaining.

When the area in the Parish Halls became too small to hold such a special event, and with the advent of the new Community Center, this celebration of our Christmas has now become a monumental annual holiday for many guests during December. And the Luncheon this year will not be amiss in following those earlier.
Scheduled for Friday, December 7th at the Community Center, guests will be welcomed at the entrance beginning at 10:30 a.m. Greeting each arrival will be our very special lady, Agnes Valigura who will urge each guest to stop at the Courtesy Table and sign our Christmas Guest Book and receive a ticket for the drawing of the door prizes. And do not be surprised if you happen to see a snowman nearby with a welcoming arm too!

But, please remember to pause and admire the beautiful Nativity scene designed by our President, Janet Johnson with the help from the many members of artistic talent. This display was created several years ago during many afternoons at Janet’s shop, and upon completion, luckily, Janet was able to encourage a very skilled gentleman to construct the manger for the Creche.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the students at the Elementary School under the direction of Ms. Lydia Strakos, Principal. As these youngsters have been practicing a medley of old and new Christmas music for several months, this will be a treat for us all. There is even a possibility of a sing-a-long of the many traditional Carols with the guests. Last year’s music was exceptional, and the singers were charming, and don’t forget the unusual Santa leading the group of musicians. This year the music will be better than ever.

And following the Blessing from a local minister, the center tables will then be laden with a variety of tempting and delicious foods. Once again Pat Ekstrom and Pat Turk have agreed to assume the leadership of setting the menu and assigning the cooking tasks to the members. Currently, the entrees will consist of hams and beef briskets and they will be accompanied by pans of sweet and mashed potatoes, various vegetables, salads and cranberries. And following the enjoyment of a full plate of those dishes, dessert trays filled with pies, cobblers, and even cherry or chocolate cheese cakes will be offered. However, do not miss Biddie Hileman’s fantabulous coconut cakes as they are not just delicious, but a work of art. Please plan to linger after eating to visit with other guests and enjoy another cup of coffee prior to leaving.

And do wander over and admire the decorations on the trees and tables; the Decorating Committee has really outdone themselves with the placement of Santas and Angels, Teddy Bears (that have been appropriated from several kids’ toy boxes) and a few Snowmen with red birds hanging around. Each year Chairmen Joyce Jordan and Sue Kubecka and their industrious committee seem to have outdone themselves; this year’s decorations are better than ever.

Why do the Club members go to this work and expense each year? The answer is a very simple one; this is our way of thanking the residents of POC for their support of our projects throughout the year. We do have various projects; some big and extensive such as the semi-annual garage and bake sales and then some much smaller such as a Valentine’s Bake Sale. Yet we can always count on the residents and business owners of this community for their assistance and support.

As our event is entitled “The Club’s Christmas Luncheon for the Senior Citizens* of this Community”, we have all been asked to define “Senior Citizen”*. There is really not an actual definition of a certain age or quality; one would guess that it would be someone over 50. However, I would need to take that definition up with our President and other members for a further and more extensive explanation. But, whatever your ‘senior’ age, we look forward to your presence at this Luncheon; in particular, we welcome the owners or representatives of those local businesses who very kindly let us use your walls and other prominent spots to display the Club’s notice of its latest project.

Again this year, there will be meals to go for those unable to physically attend; please contact Pat Ekstrom at 983-2030 with the recipient’s name and address to have the food delivered.

PLEASE DO REMEMBER: if you enjoyed yourself this year or in previous years at the Luncheon, that 2013 will be even better!

In the meantime, the following applies:

“Christmas is a’ comin’; The geese are getting fat;
Please do put a penny in an old man’s hat.
If you ha’nt got a penny; A ha’ penny will do.
If you ha’nt got a ha’ penny, May God Bless You!”
An Old-English Traditional Carol

See you on the 7th of December!

*SENIORS: 50 years of age and plus!

Allan and Delores Berger -Photo courtesy Victoria Electric Cooperative, Inc.

Allan Berger of Port O’Connor was honored at the Victoria Electric Coperative’s annual meeting October 30 for 30 years of service as a board member of the Victoria Electric Cooperative’s Board of Directors. Mr. Berger’s retirement gift was a lamp and a framed resolution of appreciation.

Mr. Berger has been a resident of Port O’Connor since October 1, 1950. He owned and operated POC Food Store in partnership with Boots Striedel for 32 years. The store was sold in 1982 and Mr. Berger retired to enjoy fishing.

In addition to his wife, Dorothy, Mr. Berger’s family includes: sons, Allan Ray and wife Brigid of Houston; Ron and wife Catalina of High Point, North Carolina; David and wife Stacy of Georgetown, Texas; Doug and wife Brenda of Canyon Lake, Texas; and James and wife Lisa of Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Greetings from the island everyone. Well Thanksgiving is already upon us next week, and I can smell the pans of dressing and pumpkin pie beginning to permeate through the air. Barnacle and I will give our thanks this year here on the island, enjoying a smoked ham that I ordered through a student’s school group. I’ll freeze half of it for Mr. Dog and me to devour as our Christmas meal next month. With some added grilled sweet potatoes and made from scratch (well using self-rising flour) biscuits, we’ll take an extra long nap after those meals.

In the past few weeks I’ve noticed the apparent beginning of the Fall bird migration across the island as they head south for the winter. It is very enjoyable sitting out on the front covered deck watching these beautiful birds as they scavenge for bugs and whatever morsels they can find before continuing their trek across the Gulf of Mexico.

The birds normally only stick around for a few days, probably knowing that the colder weather is on their tail feathers and they can’t linger too long. With the help of my Birds of Texas Field Guide, so far this Fall I’ve identified the Gray Catbird as visiting the island. Even though the book notes that this area is its year-round habitat, I’ve never before seen this beautiful gray and black with white markings bird here. The huge white pelicans also started arriving a few weeks ago and will stay along the shoreline and in the surf until early Spring.

I’ve still got a few hummingbirds coming to the feeders, and I’ll leave them up until I’m sure they have all left. I know that it is a full time Texas resident, but I’m beginning to see an abundant amount of the Loggerhead Shrike birds on the island lately. More commonly known to us as the Butcher Bird, these birds are known for skewering their prey on barbed wire fences and thorns to hold still while tearing apart to eat, as their feet are too weak to hold the prey it eats.

I know that many more migrating birds will begin showing across the island very soon as winter nears, and I look forward to enjoying their beauty and the entertainment that they will provide.

I want to say Happy Belated Birthday to Mom and Happy Birthdays to Dad and Little Sis (last year in your 40’s) in a few weeks.

Well that’s it from the island for now, everyone have a great Thanksgiving.