You might see some new and unfamiliar faces next year at POC Elementary. We will be welcoming 4 new members to the staff! Of course, that means that we will miss 4 wonderful people! Mrs. Gosnell (4th grade), Mrs. McCauley (2nd grade), Mr. Adolf (custodian), and Mrs. Sandra (food service) are leaving us this year to start the new adventures of retirement! They have a combined total of 88 years at CCISD!

All of us at POC Elementary would like to wish them well as they sleep in and travel the world! I know we will see them here at the school visiting and maybe even volunteering???

We asked them a few questions about their upcoming plans and the things they will miss about being at POC and wanted to share their thoughts:

Lynda Gosnell

After teaching for 28 years, Mrs. Gosnell is leaving 4th grade to travel, spend time on the water fishing & boating, and to spend time with her grandchildren.

When asked about her favorite thing about teaching at POC, she said, “I feel that I was blessed to work in a small community school with a wonderful group of teachers and many great groups of students over the years.”

And, what will she miss the most?

“I’ll miss the kids of course, but I think I’ll miss the excitement of the first day of a new school year most.”

Paula McCauley

For the past 35 years, Paula McCauley has been teaching in CCISD. She spent 7 years at CHS and 28 years in POC (2 years in 5th grade and 26 years in 2nd grade).

Mrs. McCauley’s favorite “thing” about working at POC:

• being a part of a hard working, dedicated, award-winning, excellent team of teachers and staff

• support of the POC parents

• teaching the children of ex-students

• technology (thank you, Lydia)

• most of all the wonderful, excited, hard working, award winning students

What will Mrs. McCauley miss the most???

• the moments when the light comes on and a student or students “get it”

• the day to day fellowship with the teachers and staff

• the smell of my classroom, Room 3

• the sweet hand written, drawn notes and pictures from students

• decorating my classroom at the beginning of the year

• “Hi, Mrs. McCauley” from all the kids

• hum of children working and learning

Sandra Karnstadt

Sandra has been with CCISD for the last 12 years and spent 16 years at RRISD. She looks forward to spending more time with her family and being able to travel to different places!

Sandra’s favorite thing about working at POC Elementary is the kids. “You never know what they will say. One year a PK student came to lunch the first day and said he wanted fried shrimp”!

Adolfo Covarrubias

Mr. Adolf has been with CCISD for the last 13 years. You will be able to find him working on projects around the house once he retires. He and Mary will also be spending more time with their children and grandchildren.

Mr. Adolf’s favorite thing about working at POC Elementary has been the company of the teachers and the students.

We asked him what he would miss the most about being at POC, he told us that he will miss the energy and the “fullness of life” that the children have and that energy they pass off to him.

Lynda Gosnell, Paula McCauley, and Adolfo Covarubbias at their Retirement Party May 24th

How much do we really appreciate what we have in life?

The old saying goes that we never really know what we have till it’s gone, and like most nuggets of wisdom that constantly are passed down through the ages, there is a lot of heavy truth in some very simple words.

Do these handed down pieces of knowledge sometimes fall by the wayside in our daily lives, only to be overtaken by the stress and strain of a world that sometimes moves too fast and draws us away from what we really should consider to be important?

Of course for most of us, reality is reality. Between kids, jobs and bills that demand to be paid, we might find it hard to consider that really important stuff well…important.

But beyond our nine to five jobs and phone calls that keep getting put off to a ‘tomorrow’ that might never come, we tend to lose the scope of what life is really supposed to be about. It is the structure of modern society that sets us up for failure, claiming that you need tons of inanimate objects that in the end will never comfort you on a cold night and will not bring you any sort of happiness?

That brings in another old saying, that you cannot take it with you.

Worst of all, the most pleasurable things can really be the most simple and easy to accomplish, making it even harder to contemplate how much of a complete bone head you have been by ignoring the simple things in life.

Look out your window…

Whether you live right in the middle of nature’s glory or find yourself staring onto an expanse of concrete, there are redeeming factors that you can use to make yourself and those around you happier, healthier and perhaps even a bit more aware that all around you there is a hidden and secret world waiting to be discovered.

There is as much beauty in an old faded building than there is in a gleaming new high tech skyscraper. A person we might consider to have no value due to their manner of dress or appearance may have once saved the country we live in or has more interesting stories to tell than the flashiest dressed man.

Essentially I am taking the opportunity to use this space the newspaper gives me each issue to implore you to start enjoying your life, no matter what your stature or condition. Thing is that we don’t really know how much time has ticked by for our pets, relationships or even our own mortality.

Somewhere amongst the people reading this I can hear cries of doubt and loud huffs and puffs of air as someone scoffs at these ideas, yelling in their heads that they are too old, too broken and too far behind to start to do any of these things you say.

Well, I can tell you that you are not too old, nor too hurt, nor too lacking in any area to ever make a positive change and start looking at the world in a different light.

Before you ask how this author, aged 34 and practically a Spring chicken, could possibly have any insight into what it means to have an issue that might perhaps lower your expectations of life or make you feel bitter or angry, let me explain.

Every morning due to allergies and asthma, I must use an inhaler before I can feel properly alive or awake. I have two arthritic ankles and one arthritic knee that at times has made me feel like I cannot do what I once did. Due to the varicose veins condition that exist in both legs as well, I also get ‘weeping’ wounds on my feet that require daily care.

All this added into some of the more dramatic incidents of my youth made me feel like I was sinking into a hole that many do not experience until they have another thirty years or so under their belt.

It also made me bitter and jealous and made me forget the wonderful things that were there in my life and that I was lucky to have. The intruding sadness made me forget the abundance of sunshine that was given to me that I was too blind to see.

I have been published in a book and work for a paper and can actually call myself a writer, some thing I did not think would be possible years ago. I have step children who, no matter what, adore me and I know that I have made a positive impact on both their lives.

My reason for begging this of you is that I may have lost a large chunk of that sunshine that God saw fit to give me due to the very things I mentioned above, all because I could not look to the light rather then the dark. Therefore, I could not let the opportunity pass to inform others not to make the same mistakes I have been guilty of.

Please treasure the good things around you every day and never lose sight of who you really are.

Patsy Irvin, age 81 of Port O’Connor, TX, passed away on May 25, 2012. Mrs. Irvin is preceded in death by her husband, Robert “Bob” Irvin, Jr.; brothers, Roy Holder, Robert Holder, Edward Holder; daughter-in-law Mary Irvin and is survived by sons, Hiram Duffy and Richard Irvin; daughter, Vicky Skaines and husband Jerry; brother, Tommy Holder; grandchildren, Laura Stanton and husband Erick, Robert Malone, Amber Straten and husband Jason, Adam Straten and wife Lynn, and Mandy Pace and husband Josh; and great grandchildren, Elam, Miles and Jack Stanton, Mariah Perez, Blake Straten, Cassie and Marina Malone, Ethan and Logan Pace.

A Graveside Funeral Service was held on Friday, June 1, 2012 at Brookside Cemetery with Pastor Marcus Goelke officiating.

(Guest Book @ www.canonfuneralhome.com)

La Salle District – Boy Scouts of America

The LaSalle District of the Boy Scouts of America held its annual Leaders Awards Banquet in the Formosa Family Center. Rev. James Amerson, Pastor of the United Methodist Church and Chairman of the LaSalle District, welcomed and thanked everyone for their hard work during the previous year. He also spoke about the community support received and thanked various businesses and organizations, including Formosa for hosting the dinner in their beautiful Family Center.

Two special groups of Cub Scouts were also recognized. First, Cindy Shilinga recognized the three Packs who sold the most popcorn as a fund raiser. They include Pack 422 from Mission Valley who sold $8,385, Pack 101of Inez, whose boys sold $ $20,115 and Pack 364 from Victoria who sold $30,175. The three top Troops, all from Victoria were Troop 364 who sold $9,290, Troop 104 who sold $10,335 and Troop 363 who sold $11,695. Cindy also pointed out that the Boy Scouts collected 5,385 pounds of food for the local food banks last year.

Then Dave Kouba introduced the eighteen boys who earned their Eagle Scout Award. They included Eric Mansker, Troop 363; Case Wayne Stillman, Troop 135; Christian Schneider, Troop 137; Josh Morgan, Troop 368; Brian Wayne Bubela, Troop135; Ian Lueckemeyer, Troop 108; Keith Jahn, Troop 137; Chance Poulton, Troop 135; John Cole Wozniak, Troop 363; Shane Van Thedford III, Troop 135; Steven Sudheimer, Troop 364; William “Billy” Pugh, Troop 101; Nathan Marrriga, Troop 101; Harrison Garrett, Troop 363; Juan Cabrera Jr., Troop361; Nicolas Garza, Troop 364; and Kyle Hardegree of Troop 363. Through their combined efforts, these Eagle Scouts saved the taxpayers of the LaSalle District $35,125.30 in tax dollars with their projects.

Pack 116 from Port O’Connor was recognized as coming in second in Advancement and third in Membership Retention, which go hand in hand. Each boy retained from the previous year does not have to be recruited again.

James W. West Endowment Awards were then presented to Mr. Mike Deming, Rev. James Amerson and Cindy Shilinga, for their work as exemplary scouts.

The Cub Scout Award of Excellence, a district award, was presented by Susan Orr to Beverly and Richard Seals of Pack 364, Kelley Drastata of Pack 105, and Fred Mendez of Pack 106.

The Distinguished Assistant Scoutmaster awards, presented by Ralph Belter, went to Pierce Thedford Jr. of Troop 135, Charles Bonorden of Troop 364, Cindy Bacak of Troop 135, and Wayne Bubela of Troop 135.

Ronnie Williams presented the LaSalle District Award, to Michelle “Shelly” Larson for numerous Leadership positions in several units and Dr. Art Munford for time and effort he put into the new LaSalle District organization. The next went to Cindy Shilinga for the fine job she did as District Information Co-coordinator. The Award also went to Larry Ray Thompson for the work he placed in the College Commissioner of Science, for assisting on Wood Badge staff.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the District Award of Merit. Dave Kouba, District Advancement Chairman, presented one of these coveted awards to Benjamin Huante of Troop 364, sponsored by Our Lady of Victory Cathedral in Victoria.

Ben and his wife, Nora have two sons, Matt and David, both Eagle Scouts. Ben’s primary registration is as an Assistant Scoutmaster in Troop 364. His career began in 1988 when he followed his first son in the Cub Scout program. He served double duty when he had one boy in the Cubs and the younger in the Boy Scouts. Ben served as a Den leader, Advancement Chairman, Weblos Leader and several other positions in the Pack. In the troop he participated in numerous camp-outs and summer camps. He attended Philmont Scout Ranch in 2002 and 2005. He served as Outdoor/Activities chairman, Committee Chairman and as Assistant Scoutmaster from 1999 to present. He is a Brotherhood member of the OA. He is active in the Catholic Committee on Scouting, where he received the Bronze Pelican and recently the St. George Award. He is also a Member at Large of the LaSalle District. Ben is employed as a reliability Engineer at Invista for the last 29 years.

The second District Award of Merit went to Helena Edgley of Pack 366. She joined scouting when their son joined in 2005 and went to get her training as Day Camp Director. She also completed the Trainers Edge, Tiger Cub Den Leader, Wolf Den Leader, Bear and Weblos Den Leader. She received her Cub Scout Fast Start in 2005 and her Cubmaster training in 2007.

Her service to Scouting includes holding all of the above positions she trained for. In addition she became Cub Day Camp Director in 2009 and 2010. She is currently Cubmaster for Pack 366 and a LaSalle District Committee Member.

Helena is a CCD Teacher at Our Lady of Victory, Girl Scout cookie chairman and Girl Scout Leaders Assistant. She is a Registered Nurse at Citizens Hospital

District Award of Merit Helena Edgley and Benjamin Huante

Adriana Carriles and McKaelyn Carriles are shown here on June 2 outside Speedy Stop selling T-shirts to raise money for summer camp.

Final preparations are now being made for this year’s Vacation Bible School, which begins this Monday, June 11 at 9:00 a.m. Each day, Monday through Thursday, June 11-14, the children will gather from 9:00 a.m. until noon to witness God’s “Amazing Wonders Aviation”. They will begin their adventure each morning in the Worship Rally Hangar to pledge allegiance to the U.S. Flag, the Christian Flag and the Bible. They will say the motto and sing the school songs. Each of the classes, PreK, Grade 1&2, Grade 3&4, and Grade 5&6, will then go into their individual hangars for Bible study. After Bible study, the classes go into the Missions Hangar, then to the Crafts Hangar, then to the Music Hangar, and on to recreation and snacks – a full three hours of fun and excitement packed adventure. All children, PreK through Grade 6, are invited to join in the excitement next week. Candice Stryker is Director of VBS and she is joined by some 25 volunteer helpers. On Thursday night at 6:00 p.m., everyone is invited to the Big Graduation Program. The students will receive their diplomas and their parents, relatives and friends will witness their children’s program. Refreshments will be served. The church van will be running daily to pick up the children about 8:30 a.m.

This past Sunday night the Church held a special High School Graduation party for Rebekah Grant. Rebekah graduated from Calhoun High School on June 1, 2012 at Sandcrab Stadium.

A large group of Port O’Connor children in grade 3 through grade 6 will depart for a four day Summer Children’s Camp on Monday, June 18 at Palacios Baptist Encampment. They will return on Thursday, June 21.

The Church Youth, grade 7 through grade 12, will depart for Summer Camp at Camp Zephyr on Monday, June 25 and return on Friday, June 29. Camp Zephyr is in Sandia, Texas on the banks of Lake Corpus Christi.

The children and youth are selling T-shirts of various sizes and colors to earn money for camp. The T-shirts are $10 each and on the back of the shirt is the inscription of a flounder and the words “Don’t Flounder Around, Get Hooked on Jesus”. Your purchase will help send a child to camp. Thanks!

Prayer meetings are being held each Tuesday at the church for our September 16-19 Revival. The men meet at 7:30 a.m. each Tuesday morning and the ladies meet at 6:00 p.m. each Tuesday evening. Brother Shannon Talley, Pastor of McAllen First Baptist Church, will be preaching both services Sunday, September 16 and each evening on September 17, 18, 19. Pray for this coming Revival in Port O’Connor.

See you in church Sunday!