Team Butterballs won first place in fried turkey and first place in candied yams in the November 19th Turkey Cookoff held at Josie’s Mexican Food and Cantina. Team members and their support team were Jim and Jess Reed, Leroy and Karen Smith, John Wyatt and Lori Stafford.

Taking first place in smoked turkey was Eloisa Newsome. Sandy Taylor and Curtis Gosnell made the best Sangria.

Proceeds from the cook-off were given to the Port O’Connor Volunteer Fire Department. Turkeys were vacuumed packed and donated to the Port O’Connor Thanksgiving Baskets.

You will have several opportunities to enjoy Christmas music performed by the students of Seadrift School this holiday season. The schedule for singing at First National Bank, Seadrift is as follows:

Monday, December 12 2:30 Fourth Grade

Tuesday, December 13 2:30 Third Grade

Wednesday, Dec. 14 2:30 Second Grade

Thursday, Dec. 15 9:15 Fifth Grade

Friday, Dec. 16 9:15 First Grade

Friday, Dec. 16 2:30 PreK & Kindergarten

The recent child abuse allegations and scandal at Penn State University have brought the issue of child sexual abuse to the forefront of our nation’s media coverage. New audiences less familiar with this topic are now being educated on the issue of abuse, including sports fans, college students and the higher education community. It is more important than ever for adults to understand why they must take a stand for children. While the details of this case are startling, the facts are not unique. Child sexual abuse is an epidemic in this country. Recent studies show that only 6% of adults indicated that they made a report when confronted with suspected abuse.

Far too frequently, adults report suspected abuse to an employment supervisor or another adult rather than to the appropriate authorities. This has occurred within schools and school districts, day cares, places of worship, and other youth-serving organizations across Texas. Texas law mandates that adults suspecting child abuse or neglect should report directly to Child Protective Services through our state’s Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400, or to local law enforcement (generally 9-1-1.) The law in Texas is written in such a way that no ‘internal’ reporting is necessary or desired. The act of reporting cannot be passed on to a superior or delegated to another individual. Reports of suspected abuse must be immediately made to the agencies tasked with keeping our children safe. Adults who ‘handle’ an allegation internally and fail to report suspected abuse to one of these entities are actually in violation of state law.

Each year, almost 40,000 Texas children walk into a children’s advocacy center to lay down the heaviest of burdens – violence and abuse at the hands of a trusted adult. 75% of these children come to a center to recount, in the sort of exacting detail necessary for investigators, the sobering experience surrounding their own sexual abuse. It takes exceptional courage for a child to speak about sexual abuse. Often, after the abuse, these children are further victimized through threats, intimidation, or fear of social reproach.

We expect tremendous courage on the part of victims to make disclosures about their abuse. In turn, adults have a duty to believe child victims and report suspected abuse. Timely reporting cannot only alleviate a child’s suffering, but also prevent future incidences of abuse. Children inherently rely on trusted adults to listen, help, and report this crime as they may lack the capacity and resources to advocate for themselves. Responsible adults must be the voice for these children.

We believe that an informed community must have the tools necessary to face this issue, acknowledge that it does happen, and report suspected abuse. Consider the following tips:

• If a child discloses that he or she has been abused, remain calm and assure the child that they did the right thing by telling someone.

• Help the child to understand that they are not to blame for the abuse.

• Believe the child. If a child makes an outcry, be sure to react in such a way that indicates to the child that he or she is believed.

• Adults must make a report of the child’s outcry by contacting the Texas Abuse Hotline at 1-800-252-5400 or by contacting law enforcement.

Child sexual abuse is an issue that breeds in secrecy. This is why The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center is working to better educate our community and bring this issue into the light. We teach children what to do if they are abused and many children do report abuse early but we also see cases where children do not report for years. The problem is this: if we just expect children to report abuse, then we are putting the burden of their protection on them. Our education also includes primary prevention which means we want to prevent abuse before it happens.

In Texas, we have a network of support, provided through local children’s advocacy centers, which is ready to step in and provide a path to healing for these small victims. The Texas network of children’s advocacy centers now officially serves over 160 counties where 94% of the Texas population resides. For more information on signs or symptoms of abuse, or to learn about your local children’s advocacy center, please visit www.harboradvocacycenter.org or www.onewithcourage.org.

The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center
(361) 552-1982
t-harbor@tisd.net

With whooping cranes now making their way back to Texas for the winter, biologists are hoping this year will see a record number of the endangered birds in the state.

Their population reached a low 21 birds in the wild in the 1940s and again in 1954. The only remaining wild population now nests in northwestern Canada and spends the winter foraging in the wetlands and uplands of the central Texas coast. Last year 283 birds arrived in Texas. But with a reported 37 chicks fledged in Canada this past summer, biologists think that the Aransas-Wood Buffalo population, which once numbered only 17 birds, might hit the 300-bird milestone in Texas for the first time this year.

Though the whooping crane has made a remarkable comeback, primarily due to protection from unregulated shooting and habitat conservation, the species still faces daunting obstacles, especially in the 2,400-mile migration path traversed each spring and fall. Two-thirds to three-fourths of the annual mortality in the population occurs during the approximately nine weeks the cranes may spend in migration each year.

Even on the wintering grounds, where private and public land owners in the stretch of coast between Port Aransas and Seadrift have collaborated to help protect whooping crane habitat, additional challenges exist, according to Lee Ann Linam, a wildlife diversity biologist at Texas Parks and Wildlife.

“Despite the existence of protected areas such as Aransas National Wildlife Refuge and private land wners who are committed to habitat conservation,” she said, “broad threats such as shifts in climate and in freshwater inflow still provide challenges for conservation of whooping cranes and other coastal species. The comeback of the whooping crane will continue to be as vulnerable as the health of our coastal ecosystems.”

Whooping cranes are the tallest birds in North America, standing nearly five feet. They are solid white except for black wing-tips that are visible only in flight. They fly, usually in groups of 3 or 4, with necks and legs outstretched.

Anyone sighting a whooping crane can help by reporting it to TPWD at 1-800-792-1112 x4644 or 1-512-847-9480. Sightings can also be reported via e-mail at leeann.linam@tpwd.state.tx.us. Observers are asked especially to note whether the cranes have colored leg bands on their legs.

Bunco! Bunco! Bunco!
The next Bunco Party will be Tuesday evening, December 6th at 7:00 p.m. This will be our annual Christmas Party, and Grady Jean Clark with the superb assistance of Kathy Yearwood will be the hostesses. Attendees have been reminded to bring a gift along with the holiday mood. Call Shirley Gordon at the Library for further information, 983-4365.

The Service Club and its POC History Book Committee are still searching for a picture of the ranch house on the LaSalle Ranch preferably back in the 40’s. If anyone has a photo in their possession or know of someone who does, and will lend it to be copied, please contact either Chairman, Sue Kubecka, 798-0560 or our President, Janet Johnson, 983-4737.

The next meeting of the Sports Association will be Monday, January 16, 2012, beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Back Meeting Room of the Community Center. As we are now approaching the Holiday Season in a very rapid manner, this organization decided to suspend meetings until January. Contact either Sylvia Rodriguez, President, 655-3521 or Calvin Ragusin, Vice President, 655-0498 for further information. Membership in this organization is $10.00 per year, and its goals are extremely worthwhile for the benefit of both youngsters and adults of our community.

One of my very favorite events each year is the Halloween Carnival as staged by and for the Elementary School. This year it was Saturday, October 29th and judging for the costumes began at 4:00 p.m. If you’ve never seen the Parade of costumed entrants, you’ve really missed something special as you would see both exuberance and reluctance on the face of each kid. I was happy to have had my camera there as the kids were arriving, and have a number of pix of the entrants. If you would like a copy, please come see me at the Library and you can pick the pix you want. I’ll have them copied for you at a minimal charge. And would the Cave Man and Scary Pirate & wife please check in with me; I’ve got some interesting pix. Just call me at the Library or home (361 798-0560).

DID YOU KNOW that Alvin’s has moved? They closed as of November 12th but Janet & Crew will be moving shortly to the building now known as Squid Row at the corner of 8th & Adams Streets. Watch for a Grand Opening notice; should be soon!

A very astute resident who spends part of her time in Victoria and has been a resident of Port O’Connor for over 20 years says that she gets more news from the Dolphin Talk than the Victoria Advocate! Now that’s an accolade!

Attention: Seniors! Although it’s still in November, please make certain that you mark on your calendar Friday, the 2nd of December! This is the date of the Annual Christmas Luncheon for the Senior residents of our Community as put on every year by the Service Club. This year’s theme is Snowmen, and one will probably greet you at the door.

Hey all you Christmas Elves! It’s approaching that time when you start making your plans for your entry into the Annual Christmas Decorating Contest as sponsored by the Chamber. Contact Joyce Jordan, Chairman, 655-7999 for further information.

Music fills the air as you approach the School as the classes are all practicing for their Christmas program in December. The date of the Program is December 15th at 6:30 pm in the Auditorium of the School, and the kids will also be singing in the lobby of the First National Bank here in POC. But the best of all is that the kids will be performing at the Service Club’s Christmas Luncheon at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, the 2nd.

The 9th Toy Run will be here on Saturday, December 3rd, arriving at approximately 2:30-3:00 p.m. at Clark’s. This is a group of intrepid boaters who have occupied their past twelve months buying and getting donations of toys for the children in our Community that would not have a Christmas without the aid of these very exceptionally jolly elves. It’s difficult to believe that this year is the 9th of their foray into POC with each boat heavily laden with toys of all kinds. I definitely remember the first one when approximately four or five boats led by the “Mother Ship” with a decorated tree in its bow ventured this way from the Seabrook area in bad weather. To see these boats enter the Intercoastal and dock at the Fishing Center with bikes and trikes in the bows of each boat and many, many sacks of other kinds of toys stowed in each boat was an unbelievable sight. It really made you stop and wonder and so appreciate this outpouring of shared gifts to our Community. Each year, thereafter, the number of boats participating in this event has increased and therefore the amount of toys being donated to our Community. This year there will be 30 boats arriving; we in Port O’Conno0r and surrounding area owe a huge thank you to these wonderful Santas.

Following the Toy Run on Saturday evening, many of the participants will be decorating their boats to enter the Boat Parade beginning at 6:30 p.m. as sponsored by the local Chamber of Commerce. This Parade really makes a fitting ending to such a weekend of Christmassy pleasure beginning with the Service Club’s Luncheon for our Senior residents on Friday, the Toy Run earlier on Saturday and then the parade itself later that evening. Anticipated as entrants are many of the boaters from the Toy Run, but also many local residents who will have spent much time decorating their boats in both a nautical theme but also one with a pleasing Holiday theme. Additionally, expected with be some of our local shrimpers as well as our ever helpful Coast Guard men. If you wish to enter your boat, contact Joyce Jordan 655-7999 for further information.

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving and all are looking forward to the coming Christmas season!

suekubecka@yahoo.com
361 798-0560

If the reader wishes to add any news at any time to this column, please contact me at the above address or telephone number. And thanks in advance for reading.