The Seadrift Band will have a BAKE SALE on Friday, April 15th, starting at 4:00 p.m. at Dick’s Food Store in Seadrift.

Please plan on buying lots of goodies.

Port O’Connor School will have a BAKE SALE on Friday, April 22 starting at 7:00 a.m. at Speedy Stop.

When I first moved to this county, I was intrigued by the amount of history and events that take place in this tight-knit community. Although small compared to the big city life I had become accustomed to, it was full of potential clients and exciting projects. In the last couple of years I have helped with the public relations at our local airport, Calhoun County Airport. It brings me great joy to promote events such as fly-ins, art contests and learning to fly.

In the beginning of March, most of my time was consumed with a particular event which was very near and dear to airport manager, Dianna Stanger’s heart. Her passion for aviation is contagious; she does everything in her power to educate our youth about the possible careers available in aviation and aeronautics. Now, I even aspire to learn to fly someday in the near future.

The first annual Women Of Aviation Worldwide (WOAW) Week was scheduled for March 7-13 2011. We hit the ground running a week prior to the event. The goal was simple: to introduce as many females to aviation possible in one week by taking them on an introductory flight. We put a spin on the promotion and invited any female involved in a non-profit organization on a free helicopter ride!

Helicopter pilot Dianna proudly stated, “It was an eye opener to many of the girls to ride in a helicopter. They had the opportunity to fall in love with flying; that was heartwarming to share my love of aviation with so many others who could do it too.”

The calls began to trickle in and our schedule quickly filled for the weekend. All of the ladies to whom I spoke were beyond excited to view the world in a whole new perspective. It’s difficult to describe the first time you experience flight. I remember the first time I flew with Dianna in her EC120 helicopter. The slight nervousness quickly faded away as we lifted off of the ground and I felt no fear dangling out of the helicopter to take photos.

The girls and women from the local 4H group, Women Have Options, YMCA and others all gathered together on March 12th and 13th at Calhoun County Airport. One of the girls, Ali Mason, said, “My first flying experience was amazing! One thing I never knew is that we were surrounded by so much water, more than what I thought. This is a day I’ll never forget.”

Helicopter pilot, Dianna Stanger helps Kelly Wildes settle into the co-pilot seat.

Of 707 girls and women worldwide who went on their first flight during the 2011 Women Of Aviation Worldwide week, helicopter pilot Dianna Stanger was responsible for taking 99 of those females! “Well, it was probably the best fifteen minutes of my life so far,” commented 15-year-old Grace Carr.

I am very proud and elated to inform the Dolphin readers that earlier in the week, Dianna Stanger was awarded the “Most Dedicated Female Pilot in the World” title by Women Of Aviation Worldwide! I won the “Most Creative Aviation Advocate” title and Calhoun County Airport came in 2nd runner up for the “Most Female-Pilot-Friendly Airport in the World.”

Future female pilots, Karly Kade Critendon, Peyton Rudellat and Leanna Gottschalt can barely contain in their exitement to fly above their hometown.

Words can’t express how much it means to reach new heights with such a fantastic team of pilots who simply want to share their passion for aviation; I can’t wait for the next promotion challenge!

Till next time.

The Port Lavaca Art Guild’s annual Spring Art Show & Sale will be held Saturday April 16, 2011 at the old depot in Port Lavaca in conjunction with the Kite Fest.

Members of the Port Lavaca Art Guild, plus non-members are encouraged to enter Paintings, Drawings in Pen & Ink or Pencil, Pastel, Crayon, Collage & Sculpture. There is a $1.00 entry fee for each entry entered by non-members. Entries will be accepted at the depot Saturday morning from 8:00 am till 9:00 am. Judging begins at 10:00 am.

The show will be opened to the public at 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. Admission is free to the public. Entries are open to all ages, adults, youth and children, at all levels. For more information and rules contact a Guild member, call Carol at 361-552-6070, Janice at 361-552-6225 or Mary at 361-552-5170 or 361-552-2673 www.PLArtguild.com

The Conservative Club will hold its regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 12, 11:15 a.m. at the Heritage Center. Lunch is $5 per person, served at 11:30 a.m.; program at noon.

The speaker will be Billy Wiggins, new CCISD Superintendent. Even though Mr. Wiggins is new to Calhoun County, he will speak about school budgets and unfunded Federal and State mandates. A question and answer period will follow Mr. Wiggins presentation.

The public is invited; however, if you are not a regular attendee, please contact Connie Hunt, 552-0917 for reservations.

The Harbor Children’s Alliance and Victim Center (215 W. Railroad in Port Lavaca; phone 552-1982) reminds us that April is awareness and prevention month for both child abuse and sexual abuse. All types of child abuse affect a child, often with lifelong effects. Many adults who have trouble managing their emotions and developing healthy relationships were the victims of some type of abuse. Often this leads to a dependency on alcohol and/or drugs, and attitudes and behavior resulting in an unproductive life, perhaps even incarceration.

Sometimes parents who were the victims of abuse unwittingly perpetuate abuse on their own children. The Harbor offers Parenting and Anger Resolution classes which can be of help in such situations. Call 552-1982 for information on these classes.

Of course, it is important to discipline your child, but in a way that will be helpful, not hurtful to him. Here are some points to consider from Child Discipline Guideline: Guidelines for Parents by Gary May:

What is the Difference Between Discipline and Abuse?

Discipline helps a child learn a lesson that will carry over and positively affect future behavior.

Abuse affects the future in a negative way, leading to anger, hatred and more deviant behavior.

Discipline enhances the child’s sense of self worth, helping the child learn self-control and thus becoming comfortable within the family and in society.

Abuse robs the child of self worth and causes him/her to feel outcast and resentful.

Discipline is not shame or guilt.

Abuse is shame and guilt which satisfies the needs of the parents at the moment and destroys the self image of the child in a hostile manner.

Discipline is taught by example. But so is Abuse!

Sometimes parents cross the line between discipline and abuse. Here are some ways from Helpguide.org that might help you know:

• You can’t stop the anger.

• You feel emotionally detached from your child.

• Meeting the daily needs of your child seems impossible.

• Other people express concern.

Perhaps you have come upon a situation where you felt a parent was physically or emotionally abusing his/her child. You probably didn’t know how to address the situation, or thought the parent’s action might be justified, or just thought it was none of your business. Here are some tips on what your could do, from the National Committee to Prevent Child Abuse:

Start: Start a conversation with the adult to direct attention away from the child.

Divert: Talk to the child to divert the child’s attention if misbehaving.

Look: Look for the first opportunity to praise the parent and child.

Offer: Offer assistance if the child is in danger. For example, if the child is left unattended in a grocery cart, stand by the child until the parent returns.

Avoid: Avoid negative remarks or looks. These reactions are likely to increase the parents anger and make matters worse.

The Harbor Mission Statement: Our mission is to lessen the trauma to victims of sexual assault, child abuse/neglect, and other crimes and their families, and to improve the response of the criminal justice system by uniting the efforts of public agencies and enlisting support from the community. By providing a safe haven for these victims of crime, our goals are to advocate for their rights and specific needs and create an environment where violence is no longer tolerated.

The Harbor Children’s Alliance & Victim Center is dependent on monetary donations (which are tax deductible) from the community. They also have need of volunteers to serve in several capacities: clerical, special events, crime victim advocate, speaker’s bureau, mentors, and Crisis Hotline. Please contact Carissa Soliz at 552-1982 if you would like to help.

24 Hour Crisis Hotline: 361-552-4357

Help The Harbor

The Harbor Children’s Alliance & Victim Center is in need of the following items:

Wooden Trash Can Holder

Recordable DVDs

Postage Stamps

Wal-Mart Gift Cards

HEB Gift Cards

Bottled Water

Canned Sodas

Individually Packaged Snacks

They are still accepting items for their recycling efforts: used toner cartridges and old cell phones.

The Harbor is located at 215 W. Railroad St. in Port Lavaca. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Their phone number is 361-552-1982.