Third grade students at Seadrift School are learning how to use Thinking Maps. The students created circle maps to brainstorm ideas that tell what they know about themselves, vocabulary words, and fire drills.

5th graders at their reading workstations. They are working on Venn Diagrams, story plots, and transferring their thinking maps to a composition on their unit about chocolate.

Mrs. Henderson’s 6th grade readers put their heads together to create a Circle Map. Thinking Maps are a curriculum being used throughout the district. Pictured clockwise: Ethan Wooldridge, Edward Estrada, Mycheala Bierschwale, Torri Mikolas, Kelsey Vannoy, Abbigayle Luna.

What:   Seadrift Cub Scout and Boy Scout Round Up

When:   September 15, 2011 at 6:00 pm

Where:   Seadrift School Cafeteria

Boys in grades 1 – 8 are invited to join the excitement of Cub Scouting and Boy Scouting.

Please bring your parents with you.

Now that most legal and financial matters are in place for the Port O’Connor Sports Association, the officers will be meeting shortly with the Commissioners’ Court in Port Lavaca for the final step to proceeding with their plans for Phase I of the Sports Complex.

Phase I of the Complex will include a Walking Trail for adults and a small playground with picnic tables for enjoyment. Phase II will include areas for volleyball, basketball and tennis; and the final portion of the Complex will have both a baseball field and a golf driving range.

But the construction of these areas must wait until a survey of the proposed area has been completed, which will be followed by total landscaping plans. And all of this work is contingent upon the membership of committed individuals who will participate fully with ideas and work. To meet these needs, currently a Community-wide membership drive is in progress. Officers to contact are: President, Sylvia Rodriguez of Sylvia’s Hair Salon, 655-3521; Secretary-Treasurer, Amy Gosnell, 935-8745; or Vice President, Calvin Ragusin, 655-0498. Dues are only $10.00 per year; meetings are held in the Back Room of the Community Center on the 3rd Monday of the month, beginning at 6:30 p.m.

If an organization with these plans benefiting both the children and adults of this Community are of interest to you, please plan to call one of the officers listed above, and attend the September meeting on Monday, September 19. We hope to see you there.

Did you know that there were three Women’s Baseball Teams here in the 50’s? And that Lurleen Thumann was an outstanding pitcher?

Come to the tent next to POC Hardware on Saturday, September 10, and enjoy a great barbecue dinner featuring brisket, potato salad, beans, and bread. Serving starts at 10:30 a.m. Dine under the tent, or take your delicious meals to go.

The benefit is being held for Jacque Bechard, who lost her leg some months ago. Proceeds will go towards the purchase of a prosethesis, enabling Jacque to resume her normal activities, and no longer be confined to a wheelchair.

Your participation will be greatly appreciated.

Chairperson Phil Ellenberg began the celebration on August 20th by welcoming all to the 125th anniversary of the 1886 hurricane in Indianola. The morning was full of history and appropriately set up right in front of the LaSalle monument. A couple of unique visitors were also in attendance from The Texas Camel Corps…

Camels were first brought via Indianola from North Africa beginning in 1856 for the usage of a peculiar Army experiment. The purpose for importing the camels was to use them as pack animals. In 1995 after owner and zookeeper, Doug Baum learned of the US Camel Corps — combined desert ecology and the Texas Camel Corps was born.

As the celebration continued, Boy Scout Troop 361 then presented the colors and pledges, plus performed a Native American Welcome Song. The heat quickly set in and the morning celebration continued with music, recognition of descendants and a diorama was revealed. Reverend Howard Hartzog concluded the morning portion with a benediction.

Port Lavaca Mayor Jack Witlow commenced the afternoon ceremony at the Bauer Community Center. The festivities continued, following a poem of Indianola read by Tommy Garrison.

Mr. Garrison began by first describing the Indianola poem, “The Queen City of the West was best depicted as beautiful and successful.” It was denoted to be full of wealth, health and prosperity. He went onto read the poem setting the stage for us following Indianola’s final demise, the hurricane of August 20, 1886. “No signs of life remained and few homes stood,” he read.

Following the reading of the Indianola poem, Patsy Hand took the stage and explained the journey to how the Indianola Immigrant Database came into existence in 1994. The database was developed through her efforts and the Victoria Regional History Center. One may search by surname alphabetically for immigrants that arrived via Indianola. You may also submit information to the center for it to be updated.

Music was performed throughout the day by Boy Scout Troop 361. Brian Burns and the Folklorico Dancers performed two songs, “Favico Navico and Naranjo.”

Yolanda Chaco Beniquez of California explained the period attire, and how the dances were celebrated to commemorate gatherings. The dress attire is a precise reflection of the dancer’s natural environment and from where the dance originated. Some attire was often a reflection of political times and displayed the evolution of fashion. “Color represents the readiness of the people to have a fiesta,” said Yolanda.

Not only did the camels attend, but many attended from surrounding counties to celebrate the town once called, Indian Point. If you were not in attendance you missed out on many other presentations which were given with elaborate detail about the Chihuahua Trail, and African American, German and Tejano descendants.