Seems the Memorial Day Weekend really kicked off the summer activities in Port O’Connor. If you missed the activities on King Fisher Beach on May 28th, it was a beautiful day and lots of people in town and on the beach. Here we are already into June, there are Tournaments all summer, you can find a calendar of events posted on Port O’Connor Chamber Facebook. Some of the tournaments are to benefit very worthy causes and all are for enjoyment. Seems to be plenty of fish being caught, even with the high winds, most people are still catching limits.

The membership applications for 2011 have all been mailed out, if you would like to be a member and we missed you, please call 361-983-2898 and I will get your application in the mail. The Chamber is working to promote the businesses and our community. Meetings are the 2nd. Monday of each month at 7 p.m. at the MUD Office. This year the membership drive has not been our best, it’s very slow. Please return applications and dues as soon as possible. Any suggestions as to how to promote POC are welcome. The 43rd. “ANNUAL FIREWORKS DISPLAY” will be on July 2, 2011. Donny Haynes, our Chairman for the event, says all is ready to go; so mark this date on your calendar, for the BEST yet. -The display is funded by donations only.

New Members

Business:
Middleton Outdoor Advertising
Inn at Clark’s/ Clark’s Marina
Texas Title
Froggie’s Bait
Sonny’s Marine
Urban Surveying
Beacon 44 R.V.Park, Propane and Seafood
St. Christopher’s Suites and Marina
Coastal Safari’s Charter Boats
Vantage Marine
Dyes Diving Cap. G’S
Couples:
Arnold & Keiko Gordon
Mark & Lisa Crull
Rusty & Chryl Brhlik
Gary & Carolyn Garrison
Clarence & Naomi Albrecht
Johnny & Patricia Johnson
Singles: Mary Ann Claiborne; Doris Van Trease; La June Pitonyak; Nancy Pomykal

New-4th Donations:
Middleton Outdoor Advertising
Neil Bishop & Barbara Moore

Thanks! POC Chamber

Just received additional information concerning the Summer Reading Program at the Library. The programs have started here on Tuesday, June 7th and will last until Tuesday, July 12th. Although registration began on Tuesday, May 31st, you can still get your child involved in the program. See Ms. Shirley here at the Library for further information. This can be a fun morning for the kids as various speakers will be here to talk about what’s going on!

Summer is really here; just see all the kids at the Front Beach! Which also means that your time becomes limited when it comes to settling down with a good book? Therefore, if you are looking for amusement and a slight distraction from dishes and the never ending laundry, pick up one of the following books. They’re deep enough to involve you personally, but not so much to put the laundry off for a month! And after all, we’re settling down to re-runs on television anyway.

Erica Spindler is an author I’ve never explored, but many of our patrons delight in her books. I read one of her earlier books, Fortune as printed in 1997 and found it quite interesting. Set in the windy city of Chicago and concerning a major family of phenomenal jewelers in that City, the heroine is forced to discover her past and her family’s past. Further in the development of the story, the heroine then confronts both her previous forgotten memories and the patriarch of the family. The book details some of the steps involved in the casting of jewelry and leaves the reader seeking more information along that line. Ms. Spindler seems to be another author who features the protagonist as female; she also would be described as writing “Chick Books”.

Occasionally, I will re-read a book that I had enjoyed earlier, but, perhaps, in the eagerness to follow the story line had missed other portions of the book. This is what happened with John Grisham’s The Partner. I’ve always liked Grisham when he burst upon the scene with his second book, The Firm. Although I still believe that his first, A Time To Die was far superior in plot and character development. The Partner details the escape from every day living of a junior partner in a law firm in Biloxi, Mississippi. He embezzles a $90M payment to a fraudulent client and runs. And his life for the next four years is spent looking over his shoulder. Grisham being Grisham has laid out the ups and downs of the legal profession, and, even more startling (at times) the wondering belief “What If?” I enjoyed this book even more the second time around.

And, another book for light summertime reading is Iris Johansen’s The Ugly Duckling. This is a little heavier than Ms. Spindler’s book, but still somewhat light and very easy to read. The plot will captivate you; after all, how many of us have wished for the opportunity to turn our face into one that conveys unbelievable beauty? Or why are plastic surgeons so busy? The heroine is involved in a brutal attack by several known assassins in a castle on a Greek Island. Her beloved daughter is killed as is her husband. Somehow, she manages to return to a normal life following extensive therapy and plastic surgery. But her goal is to find the assassins that have killed her daughter.

We have a number of books, both hard cover and soft cover, available for sale; at the prices of $1.00 for hardcover and $0.25 for the soft. They make excellent companions when you go on a trip and don’t want to worry about a due date from our Library. Do come and check them out! You won’t be disappointed.

“When an old person dies, a Library burns down”
Karin Gillespie

ATTENTION!!!!!!!
BIG PARADE & PARTY THRU THE STREETS OF P.O.C!!!
August 6th , 8:30 P.M. Don’t miss the fun & revelry!
The world famous PISCECLES arrives at Kingfisher Beach at 8:45 PM. COME ON OUT & JOIN THE FUN!

The Heart Gallery of South Texas is a traveling art exhibit featuring photos of foster children in the state’s conservatorship who are seeking their forever family. This year, the Heart and Soul Gallery was created to feature African American children legally free for adoption, with hopes of ending disproportionality.

The Museum of the Coastal Bend served as a backdrop for some of these photographs, and will host the Heart & Soul Gallery exhibit for the dates of June 23 – July 23. MCB has partnered with Golden Crescent CASA and Devereux Texas – Victoria in the presentation of this exhibit.

The Heart and Soul Gallery is a project of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Region 11. The purpose of the project is to find stable loving families for foster children needing permanent adoptive homes. Many of the children in the Heart Gallery are considered more difficult to place because they are older or in a sibling group. The Gallery serves as a reminder that children never outgrow the need for parents.

The exhibit will also feature original artwork by children involved with the mission of Golden Crescent CASA and Devereux Texas – Victoria, as well as information about fostering and adoption efforts of agencies in the Victoria region.

An opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Thursday, June 23 at the Museum of the Coastal Bend. For additional information please contact the museum at 361.582.2511.

The Museum of the Coastal Bend is located on the campus of Victoria College, Victoria, TX, at the corner of East Red River and Ben Jordan. Viewing hours are Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

We were disappointed this past weekend that Sam Craig and his Eagle Wings Camp boys were unable to come to Port O’Connor. During the freeze that Houston had early this year, school was closed for three days. The school time lost had to be made up, so Houston Schools had to continue for an extra three days. Sam and the boys were very disappointed, as they really enjoy the fishing, swimming and fun things in Port O’Connor before going to their Eagle Wings Camp on the Medina River.

Vacation Bible School begins this Monday morning, June 13. Our church has been decorated to look like New York City, The Big Apple! The theme this year is “The Big Apple Adventure – Where Faith and Life Connect”. There is “Times Square”, “Statue of Liberty”, “Ellis Island”, “New York Pizza”, “Brooklyn Bridge”, “Central Park”, “Manhattan”, “Harlem”, “Taxis”, “Broadway” and “Yankee Stadium”. The children will enjoy the worship rally video which continues each day. There are exciting stories of missionaries and their work in various countries. The daily Bible stories are exciting and adventurous. This year, the children will have an enjoyable and exciting time during their recreation period on a “Play Place”, brought in especially for VBS! Crafts will be a fun time and this year’s music is fantastic. Snack time will offer a real taste of New York’s Big Apple! On the last day, the children will be treated at noon with all the hot dogs and chips they can eat. All children, PreK though the sixth grade are invited to attend Monday through Thursday, June 13, 14, 15, 16 from 9:00 a.m. until noon each day. The church van will pick up and deliver the children each day. Pick up time is 8:30 a.m.

Vacation Bible School Graduation Program is Thursday evening, June 16, at 6:00 p.m. All children, parents, grandparents, friends and relatives are invited to attend. The children will have a program showing what happened each day and everyone will tour the rooms, crafts and decorations. Refreshments will be served and Graduation Certificates will be presented to the children.