Port O’Connor Volunteer Fire Department Fund Raiser Bar-B-Que

July 7th, starting at 11:00 a.m. at the Port O’Connor Fire Station

Bar-B-Que and all the trimmings

Come join us and support our local Volunteer Fire Department!

The bay front was full of fun festivities!

Another Shrimpfest has come and gone! Plans went off without a hitch even though the weather threatened to put a damper on the event. Two days packed with beauty pageants, tournaments, pony rides, contests and best of all – music and great food! This year there were over fifty vendors with arts, crafts and a variety of delicious dishes. Vendors brought everything from shrimp po-boys to snow cones!

For me, Shrimpfest starts off my summer. I look forward to watching the bay front come alive with all of the fun festivities which Chamber members plan for months. A captivating addition to this year’s line up was the Brazos Bottom Cowographers. They drew quite a crowd, bringing the spirit of the Old West to the coast. The music line up was fantastic and drew in quite a crowd. Till next year, look for more updates and photos online at www.seadriftchamber.com

– Jasmine Gordon

Uh-oh, looks like there’s trouble. You missed an awesome show by the Brazos Bottom Cowographers! They drew quite a crowd.

Shrimpfest Contest Winners:

WASHERS:

1st – Ben Plummer & Ronnie Gooden
2nd – Diana Plummer & Branden Plummer
3rd – Amanda Plummer & Evan Mutchler

HORSESHOES:

1st – Walter & Kyle Loose
2nd – Laurie Luna & Cheryl Henning
3rd – Katy & Faith Fojt

KIDS FISHING TOURNAMENT:

Age 2-5 – Biggest Fish – Zachary Charles (5) – 15 l/2” Flounder
Smallest Fish – Haley Clemons (5) – 13 ½” Redfish

Age 6-9 – Biggest Fish – Skyler Rodriguez (8) – 8 ¾” Redfish
Smallest Fish – Nicholas Chancellor (8) – 7” Perch

Age l0-12 – Biggest Fish – Jacob Arevelo (12) – 13 ¼” Redfish
Smallest Fish – None

Winner of Hard Luck Fisherman – Ethan Wooldridge (12)

VOLLEYBALL TOURNAMENT

1ST – “Mixed Equations” – Cindy Nguyen, Steven Nguyen, Sarah Dommell, Kelsie Farmer, Joseph Trinh, Jerry Smalley, Karley Rasmussen
2nd – “Go Big or Go Home” – Christine Villareal, Amanda Luna, Johnny Gonzales, Juan Luna Jr. Ashley Gonzales
3rd – “Beach Babes” – Dymin Ureste, Kassidy Colianni, Lexi Kurtz, Ciana Tankserial, Annie Hernandez, Megan Hilshire

“MISS BAY RAT”

“Bodaous Brittany” – Colton Williams

Shrimpfest Pageant

Pretty Baby Girl Pretty Baby Boy

Winner: Avin Rasmussen
1st runner up: Gavin Gonzalez
2nd runner up: Bryce Sandy
Photogenic: Gavin Gonzalez

Beach Baby

Winner: Laney Leos
1st runner up: Lola Leos
2nd runner up: Karley Sexton
Photogenic: Laney Leos

Beach Boy

Winner: Deegan Resendez
1st runner up: Thomas Skalak
2nd runner up: Noah Padron
Photogenic: Noah

Little Miss

Winner: Sydney Rasmussen
1st runner up: Jada Dean
2nd runner up: Mirakle Gutierrez
Photogenic: Sydney Rasmussen

Miss Pre-Teen

Winner: Alyssa Reyna
1st runner up: Meghan Sparks
2nd runner up: Briley Maldonado
Photogenic: Briley Maldonado

Jr Miss Shrimpfest

Winner: Ahniwake James
1st runner up: Haley Harper
2nd runner up: Ashley Cunningham
Photogenic-: Ashley Cunningham

Miss Shrimpfest

Winner: Kelsyi Meza
1st runner up: Hailey Penney
2nd runner up: Christian Harper
Photogenic: No entries

Kids had a blast at the Fun Station!

A Shrimpfester climbing to the top! You go, girl!

Carlton “C.J.” Hall – son of the late Carlton “Pete” Hall and retired teacher, Lea Hall, of Seadrift – and his partner, Jason Cade, coming in to the finish line of the Texas Water Safari this past Saturday in Seadrift. Aptly touted as the …world’s toughest canoe race the team in boat 9009 beat the deadline by 33 minutes. They were cheered on to the finish line by the entire crowd at the Seadrift Bayfront Park.

The finish was the fulfillment of a Hall Family lifelong dream. Hall’s team consisted of his wife, Lorna, and his sister, Tyra Hall Randall. His mom, Lea Hall, followed the team on the Texas Water Safari tracking site the entire race and was there to honk the horn all the way down the bay front to welcome her son and his partner home.

It was an emotional ending to see them standing underneath the finish line, a sign that Pete Hall designed so many years ago. He is smiling down on Carlton and his entire family from some fishing hole in Heaven. 🙂

A dual ceremony was in order on the 9th of June in Indianola as the Indianola, Old Town and Zimmerman cemeteries placed a plaque celebrating the efforts of restoration of the historical burial places as well The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, who helped fund the important restoration work.

On hand were names such as Sue Quinn, the Texana Chaplin of the Daughters, as well as Phillip Ellenberger and Mary Belle Meitzen, chair and Vice Chair of the Calhoun County Historical Commission respectively. Calhoun County Judge Michael G. Pfeifer was also at the event to present the plaques.

Presentation of the colors as well as the introduction of the Pledge of Allegiance was handled by VFW Post 4403.

Mary Belle Meitzen, dressed in period costume for the occasion, is mindful of what the restored cemeteries stand for beyond the obvious historical significance:

“The cemeteries represent the trials and everything that the people looked forward to when they came to the new land and yet their lives were shortened by the seas, the Civil War…but I think of everything they endured, it gives me the strength to look forward to the future.”

Meanwhile Phillip Ellenberger sees the dedication as a step forward if any further restoration is to be done in the future:
“We hope that [the dedication] raises awareness of the cemetery and that people will watch it a little closer in terms of taking care of it. Hopefully bringing new attention to it when it needs repair.”

Kids ages three to twelve, along with their parents, were ready to go at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 26, for the annual Kids Fishing Tournament sponsored by the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce.

Fishing off the pier, the children caught an array of fish ranging from a 1 1/2 inch hardhead to 19-inch drum and sheepshead. Trophies were awarded in three age groups for the largest, smallest, and most fish caught.

Holden Spears won all three categories in the 3-to-5 age group.

In the 6-to-8 group, Evan Clifton brought in the largest and the most fish. Clara Flessner won the trophy for the smallest fish (the 1 1/2” hardhead).

Caleb Gregory’s 19” sheepshead won the trophy for the largest fish in the 9-to-12 age group. Tiffany Guhlin caught the most fish in the group, and James Mayes caught the smallest.

The Chamber thanks all who participated and welcomes you to come back again next year.

-Mary Jo Walker
-Photo by Barbara Crouch