When asked to attend and report on the First Baptist Church’s 26th Sweethearts Banquet, I agreed with a very simple goal in mind: to gather facts from the event and report those facts, giving this publication’s readers a glimpse into the evening.
Here are the facts…

At 6:00 p,m, Thursday, February 9, 2023 the First Baptist Church, Port O’Connor presented Sweetheart Banquet #26 at the Port O’Connor Community Center. Team Kids, First Baptist Church’s youth group, served approximately 60 “Sweethearts” a tasty meal of brisket, sausage, beans, coleslaw, cheesy mashed potatoes, and dessert, with coffee, tea, or water to drink.

After the lovely meal, Event Organizers recognized Couples Married 50+ Years, the longest-married being Red and Nancy Childers, married 66 years. Recognized as the most recently wed were Forrest and Michelle Marlin, marked 14 years married last December.

Diane Cooley was named Citizen of the Year and immediately after, her husband Jim, joined her as did Bill Moore Surprise! Not one, but three, outstanding members of our community now share the deserving title of Citizen of the Year. Diane and Jim Cooley both received recognition for doing so much to support the POC First Baptist Curch and the POC community, in general, and Bill Moore, a long-time POC resident and FBC Choir member, who unwaveringly supports and serves his church and the POC community in myriad ways, including serving as the Team Kids bus/van driver and his role as church trustee.
As in years past, Dorothy Ruehman entertained event goers with a song before leading them in choruses of “Let Me Call You Sweetheart” and “Daisy, Daisy” to close out the evening.

Have these facts given you a glimpse into the evening? Maybe, partially. But the facts alone can not convey the event’s atmosphere of kinship and unity. The facts alone do not hint at what’s required to put on an event such as this or the dedication of all involved in every stage, from planning to implementation to clean-up.

From the time I walked in the door and was greeted with a hug (It was lovely meeting you, Ms. Evelyn Kitchens) until the time I left with a “to-go” container full of a variety of cake slices – shared, I promise – I was reminded of something I had not adequately appreciated until recent years. We are a community blessed with more than our fair share of “Sweethearts” who care about our community and unselfishly give of themselves to serve others.

I’d like to personally thank First Baptist Church for recognizing those who go above and beyond and for hosting an event where we have the opportunity to do the same.

Congratulations to Diane, Jim, and Bill on receiving this year’s honor and thank you for all that you do;
Happy Early Anniversary (February 20) Red and Nancy Childers. We could all take lessons in commitment and compromise from you both;

Congratulations to our “newlyweds”, Forrest and Michelle Marlin and warm wishes for many many more happy years together; and

To all the other “Sweethearts” of our beautiful community, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are all “Citizens of the Year”.

I love you, Port O’Connor!

The POC Community Garden Club hosted a “Come Help Us Grow” dinner and auction to a sold out crowd on the evening of January 28, 2023, at the Port O’Connor Community Center. Guests were treated to appetizers, games, a silent auction that boasted many choice items that were so generously donated by community members and businesses, and an open bar that featured a “Blueberry Lavender Vodka Spritzer.” Guests then dined on a wonderful meal and unlimited wine provided by Danny McGuire with Texas de Brazil, Pam Johnson with Texas Saltwater Fishing Magazine and dessert provided by Kim Dickens with Josies Mexican Food and Cantina. Entertainment was provided by
Lilli and Jan. All guests walked away with “veggie” cookies made by Brookies Cookies. The fundraiser was a “green” success and we exceeded our fundraising goal!

The Club would like to thank not only those Club members that volunteered to decorate, serve, and clean-up but to the many folks that contributed monetary donations, silent auction items, food items and beverages. Also huge thanks to Barbara Briggs, George Ganem, Joy Wehmeyer, Jerra Lee, Wellman Insurance Agency, and Frances Alexander for their cash donations.

We are in the process of constructing the raised beds and will have them ready for spring planting. We are in the planning stages for Phase II and are working on planting fruit trees and designing chicken coops.

Our next Membership Educational meeting is 6:00 p.m. on February 21st at the POC Library. Master Gardener Mike Martignoni from Victoria will speak on Pest Control and Companion Planting. If you would like to join the Garden Club you can do so at the meeting for $20 for the year, or $5 a meeting.

Late Winter Island Birds and Sunrises

Greetings from the island everyone, I hope that all of you are doing well, and hanging in there with these cold temps and high winds. Spring is a mere month or so away, soon to be bringing warm sunshiny days and green grass growing and ready to be mowed.

Even though winter is roughly two-thirds over, I’ve learned to never discount that there could certainly still be some cold and frosty days forthcoming. My dad has always said to be very cautious about planting anything in the ground before Grandpa Otto’s birthday on March 12, as there is always a possibility of frost or freeze before then.

I’ll soon be getting my tomato seeds started in my little greenhouse, with expectations of those plants going in the raised beds and large tub containers around the first of April. The late hard blowing north winds are my primary young tomato plants enemy out here on the island, always needing to offer them protection until they become established and stronger.

I’m not sure if it’s an indication that Spring is nearing, but I’ve been seeing a lot of little birds throughout the island. Mainly little sparrow sized birds, along with doves and blackbirds. I’ll be sitting outside on the porch, and the little sparrows will occasionally land on one of the chairs or tables edge for a few moments before taking off. I’m gonna need to get me a bird feeder and hang somewhere, to hopefully keep them coming back each year.

Another much larger bird that I enjoy watching this time of year are the beautiful white pelicans. Every year around the beginning of December, when the weather begins turning cooler, the white pelicans begin arriving. They certainly appear to be larger than our brown pelicans, and are so graceful both in flight and on the water. Sometimes, in the very early morning hours, I’ll wake up to a large flock of them having made their way into the lagoon in front of the cabin. I’m sure they are looking for baitfish to feed on, and they will stay for awhile before paddling back out into the bay. In the Spring, the white pelicans migrate back to their summer nesting areas in the Great Basin and Great Plains, or the northwest regions of the United States. I always look forward to seeing them here every winter.

I’ve been enjoying some beautiful island sunrises and sunsets over Matagorda Bay lately. Cold mornings and evenings tend to have that clear crispness, making sunrises and sunsets much more vibrant and stunning. Even though those early mornings are too cold to sit outside for coffee, I’ll watch the sunrises from the bedroom upstairs before I head downstairs to start my day. And the late evening sunsets over the waters of Matagorda Bay, are beautiful to see. There’s just something about a sunset over water that makes it a bit more special.

Well that’s it from the island for now. Everyone take care and have a most wonderful day.

Another successful fundraiser is behind us (Chili Cookoff) and our next project is to have a booth at the Crawfish Festival, April 29, put on each year by the POC Chamber of Commerce. We will be continuing to sell raffle tickets on our Texas bench and add two new raffle items. The two new items, a neon sign donated by the POC Chamber and a basket of items to put on your own crawfish party, will be drawn for at the festival. The bench winner will be announced at our Derby Day fundraiser on May 6, to be held at the Community Center. Mark your calendars and stay tuned for all the other activities planned for that “First Saturday in May” event. So much excitement and fun. You won’t want to miss it.

You can continue to purchase raffle tickets at First National Bank POC for the bench or to donate to the Facelift Project. We are a 501c3 nonprofit raising funds to refurbish the POC Community Center and Pavilion, provide new appliances, add outside restrooms, replace all tables and chairs, and redo landscaping. This center is one of the main focal points of POC. So many functions are held here each year and many use the grounds and buildings for free. It was built to be a place people could gather and now it needs some freshening-up. The goal for Phase 1 is $150,000.00 This will cover all the plans for the Pavilion. Be part of the solution and show your support by donating today.