The Aguayo Family from Port Lavaca Angel, Joshua, Raymond, Justin, Angie, Amira, and “Tootsie”

This weekend has been a real healing experience for our sons,” said Raymond Aguayo, as he took a short rest between the bay fishing trip and the awards dinner on Saturday of Warrior’s Weekend.

Although he and his two sons were kept busy throughout the weekend, they still found it a restful and uplifting experience, even meeting up with some old buddies who had served with his sons.

The Aguayo family is from Port Lavaca. Raymond is a 20-year veteran of the Marines, who says he never saw any “action”. His two sons, following in the military tradition, joined the Army, where both were injured in the War on Terror.

Elder son, Justin served in Iraq and his brother Joshua served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Josuha is a recipient of three Purple Hearts.

Both sons are professional musicians, with Josuha having his own band, “Annabell Leigh”.

Joshua and his wife, Angel, live in North Carolina. They are expecting a child soon. Accompanying him and his wife was his cute-as-a-button 4 1/2-year-old daughter, Amira.

Justin has family in Canada and had plans to relocate to Seattle right after the weekend to be near them.

Their mother, Angie, spent Saturday afternoon with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter relaxing at Saltwater Lodge, which was one of many private lodging places graciously furnished by local individuals and businesses to the soldiers and their families.

Angie repeatedly expressed her thankfulness for Warrior’s Weekend and the respite it had given her whole family. “We could see and feel an overwhelming love,” she said.

Brandon Lloyd, a Bronze Star with Valor recipient, Natalie, Avery, Lucy and four-month old baby, with Ron and Sherry Kocian enjoyed staying in Dr. Neumann’s house for the week of Warrior’s Weekend. -Photo by Bill Tigrett

Charles and Joy Fryou enjoyed a day of fun on the island with Warrior’s wives and children. Two of the wives had lost their husbands in Afghanistan. One of the wives, Nicki Lowry, is the founder of Wounded Warrior Wives in Victoria. Her husband, Nick, received three Purple Hearts.

This year’s Sand Sculpture reached a new height of 15 ft. -Photo courtesy of Houston Holmes Photography

Even after Warrior’s Weekend is over, Port O’Connor has the honor of bringing attention to wounded soldiers’ service and sacrifice with the spectacular “sand castle” crafted for the event by an outstanding group of sculptors. Working long hours over a two week period, these master sculptors and their helpers form this patriotic tribute from 100 tons of sand. At times, including this year, they must work into the wee hours repairing damage caused by wind and rain, re-sculpting and re-engraving until the finished product is the work of art we now see.

Giving of their time and talents this year are:

Brad Goll from Austin.

Brad is a Master sculptor known in Texas as “The Sand Whisperer”. He went into construction after high school and earned enough money to move to California in 1985 where he created his first sand sculpture…a footprint. He now carves full human figures so well that you can see why he’s called “The Sand Whisperer.”

Brad entered beach competitions for several years and in 1992 was one of three founding partners of Sandscapes. He sculpts professionally at fairs, festivals, and shopping centers.

Brad teams up with Jon Woodworth in the Masters duo competition at the Texas Sand Fest in Port Aransas and they usually place first. Every year, with his partners, he competes in the World Sand Sculpting Championship. He has been part of the team each time Sandscapes won its ten world team titles.

This is Brad’s third time to carve for Warrior’s Weekend. In 2009 he carved the soldier reaching out to the Iraqi woman. In 2011 he carved “Remember Their Sacrifices,” which was two soldiers kneeling down consoling one another. He touched many people’s hearts with that sculpture.

Jon Woodworth from Leander, Texas:

Jon is a Master sculptor crowned “Sand Dad” by his four children. He’s just a kid at heart and as such, loves to play in the sand. His wife, Kristie, joins him when possible. Jon has been sand sculpting since 1991 and began entering amateur contests in 2000, eventually moving into the Masters division in 2006. Jon keeps busy with commercial projects, fairs and charity events around the U.S. He enjoys the competition of sand sculpting and is blessed by all the friends he’s made through it.

Jon and Brad Goll have usually won 1st Place in the Masters duo division at Sand Fest in Port Aransas.

This is Jon’s fourth year to sculpt sand for Warrior’s Weekend. Jon has carved the amazing Purple Heart the last three years and is honored to carve it again this year. In 2011 he also carved “The Soldier’s Cross” with a rifle, boots, helmet, and dog tags. It brought tears to people’s eyes.

Dee McElroy from Corpus Christi:

Dee started sand sculpting in 1990 and started “Sand Antics,” a sand sculpting company with her husband, Robert, also a master sculptor. They have competed in Texas and Florida and have won several contests, individually and in team competitions. Dee fell in love with carving highly-detailed castles, earning her the nickname the “Sand Castle Goddess.” Dee and Glo (The Dragon Lady) have joined up many times to create elaborate castles complete with guard dragons for many events. They have taught sand sculpting to adults and children, privately and for Girl Scout groups in cities such as Rockport, Port Aransas, and Port Lavaca.

Dee’s husband works overseas so they spilt their time between Europe, Dallas, and Port Aransas. “Even though we have carved sand all over the world, the best sand is in Port Aransas, Texas!”

Gloria Fric from Victoria:

Gloria (Glo) Fric, also known as “The Dragon Lady,” has been sculpting since 1994. She’s called the Dragon Lady because she used to only carve dragons at Port Aransas. Gloria started out in the “Amateur” division in Sand Fest and then moved up to the “Pro-Am” division. Her team has always consisted of her family and friends with around 15 to 20 members on “Team Dragon.” Gloria no longer competes in contests, but her granddaughters, Kaylan Fric (13) and Lauren Fric (11) have won the 1st Place trophy in the Youth division at Sand Fest by building five foot tall castles in 2010 and 2011. They just won 2nd Place in the Teen Team division in 2012 with a six foot tall castle. Their team name is “The Fric-n-little Dragons” and they plan to carry on the Team Dragon tradition for their Gramma Dragon Lady.

In 2009 Gloria got a group of sculptors together and they created the first sand sculpture for Warrior’s Weekend. This is the fourth year to honor our wounded heroes with a 100-ton sand sculpture. The Dragon Lady will spend 14 days on this pile of sand as a labor of love.

Dana Wright from Placedo:

Dana, aka “Sandana,” loves to play in the sand and has competed in three contests with Team Dragon in Port Aransas. Dana has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Arlington and taught Art for eight years at High School and six years at Middle School. She has carved at Warrior’s Weekend for two years and she’s back again to show her support and appreciation to the wounded soldiers by helping to create another patriotic sand sculpture.

Paul McGee from Port O’Connor:

Paul is a realtor here in Port O’Connor. He joined Team Dragon three years ago. He started out as a Sand Grunt at Warrrior’s Weekend but earned the same “Slick Wall Paul” after learning to smooth wall surfaces. Last year Paul was designated as a Sand Sculptor and is no longer a Sand Grunt. Christmas two years ago, Paul and a friend pulled their BBQ pit trailers to San Antonio BAMC and cooked 17 briskets for the Wounded Soldiers and their Families (about 400 people). This is Paul’s way of showing his appreciation to our wounded heroes who have sacrificed so much.

Wyatt Simmons from Austin:

Wyatt was given the sand name “The Chartreuse Cowboy” by his fellow sand sculptors. It started out as a joke but has stuck with him over the years. He has been a great help with the Warrior’s Weekend sand sculpture and this is his third year to help. He started out as a sand grunt but has learned to stack, pack, and carve with the best of them. Wyatt served in the Navy for six years and wants to do his part in honoring our wounded heroes.

Kim Sonnier from Port O’Connor:

Kim’s sand name is “Patty Cakes” because she packs sand with her hands with a vengeance. She’s the go-fer, spokes person, and meal finder. She has been a valuable team member by helping the team find what they need, when they need it, and then going and getting it. Kim lined up, in advance, all the meals the sculptors would need during their two weeks work. This is her third time to help the sculptors and this year she is also helping with the engraving on the sculpture.

Other Volunteers:

Ann Townsend, Tammy Davis, Marilyn Giessel, Jase, Colton and Cale Hummel, Shelley Gasch, Nick Williams, Mary Robinson, Rita Jenkins, Toi Rangnow, and Coast Guardsmen Jon Sperl, Sarah Kirkwood, Gerald Dennee, and Elizabeth Tate. (We regret if we have missed naming other helpers.) Mack Elliott furnished his big tractor to move the 100 tons of sand for sculpting.

Thanks from the sculptors:

Sculptor Gloria Fric made a special request that many thanks be extended to all those who have assisted with this year’s sand sculpture, especially to those restaurants, businesses and kind local folks who donated meals, snacks, and drinks during the two weeks they were working on the sand sculpture. They appreciate all the delicious meals and goodies that have so generously been made for them.

A big “thank you” goes out to the following: Art’s Bar-B-Q, Captain G’s, Cathy’s, Josie’s, Mama’s Pizza, Mini Mart, Speedy Stop, Treasure Chest Gift Shop (kolaches and cinnamon rolls), and Senior Citizens Tuesday Lunches. Thanks also to Martie Gonzales, Joane McDonough, Kim Sonnier and Ann Pesek for meals, salads, and banana pudding.

Some of the sculptors take a lunch break. L-R: Ann Townsend, Paul McGee, Cale Hummel, Jon Sperl, Gloria Fric, Kim Sonnier, Tammy Davis.

Sand sculpture organizer, Gloria Fric, completes a detail on the sculpture. -Photo by Bret Williams

Above 3 photos by Sue Kubecka

Back side of the sand sculpture welcoming the Warriors Photo by Patricia Mayall

Shrimp eating contestants, Howard Kitto, Clinton Wooldridge, Pete Sprague, Jose, Russell Cady, Elizabeth Cady and Azalea Bonneau all ready to chow down in the early 80s.

Jammin’ on the Bay Front, Part 2

As with most things, the longer you are involved with a particular place the more you uncover. It is sometimes difficult to piece the puzzle together, especially when you are not familiar.

While Shrimpfesters have celebrated the event for over thirty years, the event originated from a fund raiser held in the mid-70s which started out like a street dance, they blocked off the road along the bay front. In future years the fence was added and Shrimpfest was born. The Concerned Families Involved in Seafood Harvesting (Concerned F.I.S.H.) hosted the first festival on Bay Avenue. Their main goal was to raise funds to hire a lawyer to oppose a state bill which would designate red drum and speckled trout as game fish and prohibit the sale of these fish taken from public Texas waters.

While their efforts were strong and determined, they were no match for organizations such as the Gulf Coastal Conservation Association (GCCA) and the “Save the Redfish” campaign.

The Redfish Bill was passed in 1981. That single piece of legislation was a precedent and blueprint for similar regulations in other coastal states which were aimed at both commercial and sport fishing over-harvest. In fact, the GCCA was converted into the Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) to continue conserving and restoring our coastal marine resources.

Despite the loss, the festival has now evolved into a two day party with attendees from as far as Dallas, Austin and Houston! While a handful of events and attractions such as the carnival, old antique cars, fireworks, tin boat races, sexiest leg contest and blessing of the fleet are no longer a tradition, the Ms. BayRat Pageant has remained a popular tradition. A quick search on YouTube will give you an insight into what the pageant where men dress up as women is all about!

Another aspect of the event which has changed is the date on which Shrimpfest has been celebrated; it has fluctuated from previous years. It has been as early as the first week of May to the last weekend of July. In our last issue we published a photo from 1981*. In the photo, contestants were competing in an oyster shucking contest, April 31st is the last day of oyster season, which documents the event two months earlier than today. For the past seven or eight years the event has been the second weekend in June.

Another change in how the event was originally run are the beauty pageants. In the early years they were held the Thursday before Shrimpfest at the Civic Center or School. Contestants would have fancy dresses and costume changes. “We wanted to attract people to the event, so I suggested we move the pageants to the bay front,” said Brenda Edwards. “I remember my niece was a part of it the first year I helped. One year, the Coast Guard held a presentation in the bay right as I was starting the pageant. We stopped and watched them because everyone was so distracted.” She rolled with the punches and this is her ninth year to organize the event.

There are a lot of people who have done well for the event. The Seadrift Chamber is still in need of volunteers, if you wish to participate please don’t hesitate to contact the Chamber at 361-237-0406 or email Chamber president, Jason Jones at jason@seadriftchamber.com

Download the event entry form and find out more online at www.seadriftchamber.com.

Till next time.

* In the picture from last issue, Rita Miller commented to us that she recognized Patrick Henley, Blanco Gonzales, Russell Cady, and Peanut’s wife and daughter, Vanessa.

Elwood (Steve Boado) and Jake (Mike Powell), otherwise known as the Blues Brothers at Shrimpfest 2007 interviewing one of the Miss Bay Rat contestants.