Students Win Awards at County Fair

Several of our students were recognized for their artistic ability recently at the County Fair. The following students received awards for their art in different media types.

Pre-K:
Jenna Branch- 1st Place
Maddix Delgado – 2nd Place
Aiden McClelland – 2nd Place
Angela Salinas – Participation

Kindergarten
Melany Romo – 1st Place and Grand Champion
Cody Branch – !st Place and Grand Champion

1st Grade
Chase Harding – 1st Place
Keaton Cady – 3rd Place
Makayla Reed – 1st Place and Reserve Grand Champion

2nd Grade
Amy Resendiz – 1st Place and Reserve Grand Champion
Sarah Doggett – 2nd Place
Anthony Luna – 1st Place and Grand Champion
Madison Stringo- 2nd Place

3rd Grade
Taylor Ragusin – 3rd Place
Ally Luna – 2nd Place
Brooklyn Redmond – 1st Place

4th Grade
Oscar Resendiz – 1st Place
Hannah Tucker – 1st Place
Adriana DiClemente – 3rd Place
Carly Rosenboom – 2nd Place
Javier Ayala – 1st Place
Dillon Hobbs -2nd Place

5th Grade
Marshall Arlitt – 1st Place
Cierra Harper – 2nd Place
Gavin Gosnell – 1st Place

Art Exhibitors - PreK through 2nd Grade - First Row: Jenna Branch, Angela Salinas, Keaton Cady, Cody Branch, Melany Romo, Maddix Delgado; Back Row: Chase Harding, Sarah Doggett, Madison Stringo, Makayla Reed, Aiden McClelland (Not pictured: Anthony Luna)

Art Exhibitors - 3rd through 5th Grades - First Row: Brooklyn Redmond, Taylor Ragusin, Adriana DiClemente, Oscar Resendiz, Hannah Tucker; Back Row: Ally Luna, Gavin Gosnell, Marshall Arlitt, Carly Rosenboom, Dillon Hobbs, Javier Ayala

Students Show Animals in the Fair

Port O’Connor Elementary students who showed animals in the fair include:

5th Grade: Cierra Harper, Pig 5th place
4th Grade: Thomas Hawes, Roaster-3rd place; Elizabeth Carey, Roaster-5th place; Canion Epley, Breeding Gilt-3rd place and Market Swine-8th place
3rd Grade: Dalton Alford, Turkey- Grand Champion

First Row: Cierra Harper, Elizabeth Carey Back Row: Dalton Alford, Thomas Hawes, Canion Epley

Melany Romo Wins Huge Robot

Congratulations to kindergarten student, Melany Romo. She participated in the School Mall program and won a large robot in a giveaway contest. The robot even got to ride the school bus home with Melany.

Students Raise Money for United Way

Classmates raised money for United Way and showed their support for the CHS Sandcrabs by having their hair sprayed black and gold. Each child donated a dollar to the United Way and in exchange received a new sparkly hairdo amid lots of squeals, laughter and requests for more glitter by the boys and girls. Principal Strakos even got her hair striped black and gold.

Front Row: Keven Salinas, Maddie Hawes; Middle Row: Alex DiClemente, Jordan Blevins, John Rosenboom, Tarah Munsch; Back Row: Joey Helms, Jocelynn Miller and Principal,Lydia Strakos

Mrs. O’Neill transforms student, Ethan Redding’s hair into a black and gold masterpiece.

Pre-K Students Get Ready For Halloween

Students in Mrs. O’Neill’s Pre-K class made spider headbands as an art project for Halloween.

Front Row: Harley Maraggia, Kilea Sibley, Antonio Gloria, Aiden McClelland Middle Row: Maddix Delgado, Jacklyn Guiterrez, Angela Salinas, Liz Ixtepan Guzman, Jenna Branch, Stephen Bowman Back Row: Justice Epley, Christopher Richter, Kayla Resendiz, Keegan Short, McKenna Guevara

The Reading Corner… from Our Librarian, Andi Munsch

The Texas Bluebonnet Reading Program encourages children grades 3-6 to read a selection of 20 books. Participating students will then be eligible to vote on the books they have read and help the other students across Texas name the winner of the 2011-2012 Bluebonnet Book Award! A copy of each book is available to the students at the school library, and also at the POC Public Library. Everyone has been doing a great job reading!

Check out the competition at www.gaggle.net/blog/dolphinlibrarynews

The library is also kicking off the Six Flags Read to Succeed Program! All students at POC School are encouraged to complete 6 hours (360 minutes) of fun reading. Parents will need to verify that the students have read at home by signing the log sheet given to the student. When the reading log is complete, they will be submitted and receive one ticket for admission into Fiesta Texas in San Antonio!!! Logs need to be turned in by February 20, 2012.

The Book Fair will be here soon…..we’ll be sending more information out so you can get a jump on your holiday shopping….Books make great gifts.

Halloween Carnival

Don’t forget the annual Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 29th. The costume contest is open to everyone (adults too) and begins promptly at 4:00 in the school gym. To enter the pumpkin carving/decorating contest, bring your pumpkin to the school auditorium by 3:45 p.m. the day of the Carnival. The ever popular Cake Walk will also be up and operating immediately following the costume contest. By the way, we would sincerely appreciate anyone who can donate a cake to the cake walk. If you’d like to donate a cake, please bring it to the school auditorium on Saturday, October 29th.

Raffle tickets are still available and can be purchased at the school or from any PTO representative. Ticket cost is $5 for 6 tickets. There are some really great prizes this year so be sure to get your tickets. The raffle begins at 6:30 p.m. and you do not have to be present to win.

For more information about the carnival you can call the school (361) 983-2341 or got to the PTO page on Facebook www.facebook.com/pocpto .

Dates to Remember

October 29 Halloween Carnival 4:00 p.m. Costume Contest begins

November 2 Picture Day

November 11 Fourth & Fifth Grade Field Trip Goliad

November 14-18 Book Fair – School Library

November 17 K-5th Victoria Symphony Musical Petting Zoo

November 21-25 School Holiday

Early voting in the Constitutional Amendment Election is taking place until November 4, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the Calhoun County Courthouse, 211 S. Ann St. in Port Lavaca. Voting day is Tuesday, November the 8th, from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. at the following polling places:

Pct. 1   Calhoun County Library, 200 2. Mahan St., Port Lavaca

Pct. 2-3-4   CCISD Special Services Complex (Hope High School), 300 S. Alcoa Dr., Port Lavaca

Pct. 5-6   Guadalupe Blanco River Authority Office, 1604 State Highway 316, Port Lavaca

Pct. 7-8-9-10   Calhoun County Courthouse Annex, 201 W. Austin St., Port Lavaca

Pct. 11-12-13   Salem Lutheran Church, 2101 N. Virginia St., Port Lavaca

Pct. 14-15   Port Lavaca City Hall, 202 N. Virginia St., Port Lavaca

Pct. 16-17   Bauer Community Center, 2300 N. Hwy 35, Port Lavaca

Pct. 18   Point Comfort City Hall, 102 Jones St., Point Comfort

Pct. 19   Olivia Community Center, 90 County Rd. 304, Olivia

Pct. 20-21-22-23   Hatch Bend Country Club, 579 Meadowview Ln., Port Lavaca

Pct. 24   Seadrift City Hall, 501 S. Main St., Seadrift

Pct. 25   Port O’Connor Fire Station, 101 S. 6th. St., Port O’Connor

An explanation of proposed amendments, along with arguments for and against, can be found at: www.lwvtexas.org

Myanmar: Faith over Family

A young Christian in Myanmar was forced to choose between faith and family recently when her relatives demanded that she recant her faith. On Sept. 19, 2011, 21-year-old Ying was preparing to leave for classes at an underground seminary when her relatives locked her in the house. They threatened to disown her, beat her and withdraw support — including food — if she continued to attend seminary or church. In addition, they threatened to send her to a remote village with no known Christians if she did not recant her faith. Instead of giving in to their demands, Ying ran away from home and left her family behind.

Ying’s mother died when Ying was young, and her father left her with an aunt and two stepsisters. Although she grew up and lived in a Buddhist family, Ying became interested in Christianity. When she was 20 years old, she overheard an evangelist telling a neighboring family about Christ. Ying approached the evangelist and asked him questions about Christianity. At 20 years old, she became a Christian.

Ying began to attend seminary immediately after her conversion. Since leaving her family last month, she has had no means of support. VOM is now helping pay Ying’s seminary fees and living expenses. After she completes seminary, Ying hopes to serve as a missionary to people who have never heard about Christ.

International Day of Prayer – November 13

Christians around the world will unite on Nov. 13 for the International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church. Although we should always remember those in chains, IDOP is set aside as a special day to focus our prayers on the thousands of Christians around the world who are persecuted and martyred for their Christian faith.

The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church reminds us to respond to the request that we hear so often from persecuted believers — “Pray for us.” We can ask God to strengthen their faith and grant them strength and courage when they feel weak, tired or scared.

Join The Voice of the Martyrs as we unite with Christians around the world to pray for the persecuted church on Nov. 13. If you would like to host an IDOP meeting at your church or home, you may be interested in VOM’s IDOP kit, available at www.persecution.com/idop. The kit includes a short video, brochures, prayer cards that offer details of several restricted nations and other tools to help you spread awareness of persecuted Christians. Order your IDOP kit today, and fulfill the Scriptural mandate to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world.

“Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.” – Hebrews 13:3

The Voice of the Martyrs is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization dedicated to assisting the persecuted church worldwide. VOM was founded in 1967 by Pastor Richard Wurmbrand, who was imprisoned 14 years in Communist Romania for his faith in Christ. His wife, Sabina, was imprisoned for three years. In the 1960s, Richard, Sabina, and their son, Mihai, were ransomed out of Romania and came to the United States. Through their travels, the Wurmbrands spread the message of the atrocities that Christians face in restricted nations, while establishing a network of offices dedicated to assisting the persecuted church. The Voice of the Martyrs continues in this mission around the world today.

Voice of the Martyrs
P.O. Box 443
Bartlesville, OK 74005-0443
Ministry Information: (877) 337-0302
Orders & Contributions: (800) 747-0085
www.persecution.com

Oompapa: The great sounds of the base horn or tuba is recognized world wide as the opening of Oktoberfest. But it didn’t begin with just a renown celebration of music, food and beer, it began as a simple celebration of Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later crowned King Ludwig I) to announce his coming marriage to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810.

He invited countrymen from far and near to enjoy music, beer gardens and horse racing. That tradition continues until this day almost world wide but with the merriment at hand, the horse racing was eventually discontinued in favor of music and serious beer drinking as only the Germans would know.

After World War II, a couple of unsuspecting soldiers in the U. S. Army stationed in France, heard of the Oktoberfest celebration in the Bavarian Alps. With a three day pass in their pockets, a short train ride took them to the first major tent which housed the most elaborate beer garden they had ever seen. Steins of beer were on hand for all and the two young soldiers seemed to fit right in with the festivities except they knew not one word of German.

While hoisting the second stein a robust German joined the pair that set the style of the day. Complete with a neatly trimmed white beard, lederhosen attire (short leather pants, tall socks, suspenders and wool hat adorned with a grouse feather) the huge man insisted on starting a conversation only in German. One of the soldiers was a slight man hardly five feet tall and small stature totally unlike his new German friend of a huge build. But the soldier had almost a cherub smile and a likeable demeanor.

The German giant would tell a story in German and the soldiers would laugh. Then they would tell a story and the German would laugh only to be accented by a huge slap on the back of the tiny soldier. And the beat went on and so the story of Oktoberfest.

IN CONTRAST: October is the month of great mysteries not to belittle the classical stories of Halloween and weird tales of goblins and murder. One of those stories out of many has been handed down for generations. It is the bizarre story of The Tell Tale Heart.

Long after the manservant had murdered his master, he could still hear the beating of the poor man’s heart though that would seem impossible. To dispose of the remains, he had lifted the boards of the floor and placed parts of the dissected body so it couldn’t be found, hopefully.

However, a neighbor called the police because she heard the muffled scream of the dying man being smothered by the servant. The servant had a very unusual calmness about him and invited the detectives into the room in which the crime was committed. In fact, he seated them in chairs placed on the very boards under which the deceased was laid.

Continued investigations were about when it was determined that the manservant had an obsession about his master’s unusual eye. In his mind the eye was clouded but appeared to be the staring eye of a vulture. It was constantly staring at the manservant which tormented him to plan such a murder.

As time went on, the manservant continued to hear the beating of the heart of the deceased beneath the floor. However no one else heard it. Maybe it was the clicking of flesh eating beetles beneath the floor that caused his eventual confession of the murder. Accordingly, the manservant met his own fate in the hands of the executioner.

Of course, this October short story is in its classical setting of early 1848 and was written into a play that is still performed in this country around October. The short story/poet author is well known today. He was Edgar Allen Poe (Jan. 19, 1809-October 7, 1849)

Bob Jamison is a columnist and book author and still thinks history and literature is exciting.
jbobalong@yahoo.com

Guess we’re about done for fishing tournaments this year, which is really unfortunate, as I understand that fishing really starts to take off in the latter part of the year. And speaking of later months, the unexpected bit of coolness earlier last week gave everyone hopes for a true Autumn. But, guess not, as the temperatures again moved into the 80’s later in the week. Oh, well, maybe that will take care of any lingering mosquitoes.

If you have not entered the 3rd Annual Chili & Gumbo Cookoff at Hurricane Junction on Saturday, October 29th, you still have time. Contact Hoop at 983-4249 for further information. And if you’re not cooking, do plan to come and sample the chili and gumbo of these outstanding cooks; my mouth is watering already!

One of my very favorite events each year is the Halloween Carnival as staged by and for the Elementary School. This year it will be Saturday, October 29th and judging for the costumes will begin at 4:00 p.m. If you’ve never seen the Parade of costumed entrants, you’ve really missed something special as you will see both exuberance and reluctance on the face of each kid. I’m privileged this year to once again act as a Judge, which will become extremely difficult to select a winner.

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 and will lend it to be copied, please contact either Sue Kubecka, 798-0560 or Janet Johnson, 983-4733.

Have you seen the extensive remodeling to the home on Maple Street? When it started, it seemed as tho it would only be a small addition; now it looks as though the home will be almost doubled in size.

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.

The next Bunco Party will be Tuesday evening, November 1st at 7:00 p.m. in the back room of the Community Center. Call Shirley Gordon at the Library for further information, 983-4365. This is an amazing group of fascinating women that play Bunco each month; ages ranging from 20’s to +++! We all have a great deal of fun while checking with everyone to learn of the latest trip, story or event in their lives. Our hostesses will be Debbie Michalek and Melissa Satterfield; as this is a Mother-Daughter combination, it should be a Fun evening.

The members of the Service Club want to thank everyone who shopped at their Fall Garage Sale on Saturday, the 15th of October. And if you didn’t find that special item you were seeking, don’t forget, the next one will be in April! But hope you were lucky enough to buy that special dessert from the Bake Sale as the Club members are famous for their outstanding talents in the kitchen!

Guess it’s my turn now to get somewhat philosophical (hope I spelled it correctly, but am sure that Joyce will fix it!) about the very uniqueness of our Community. That is a word that I hesitate to use as it can be extremely overplayed. But where can you take an early morning walk, with or without your dog, and marvel at the yellow streaks of light prior to the sunrise that sends its rays dancing on the water; see the lone pelican or sometimes blue heron standing guard by a moored boat; hear the snuffles of a dolphin in the Intercoastal; smile with joy from the wave of a passing driver yet wonder at the identity; see someone in a store who smiles and asks how you’re doing; you may not recognize the face or remember the name, but this is not a stranger. All of these components make Port O’Connor the very special Community it is. Unfortunately, change will come as it always does, but let’s hope it’s not too radical, or too soon.

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.