Look for the new lights which will be installed along the Pier at King Fisher Beach. The new solar LED lights will come on at dark and go off at dawn. They should be operational in the next couple of weeks.

Port O’ Connor seniors get your applications submitted for the annual Chamber Scholarship. We give one $1,000 or two $500 scholarships. Applications can be picked up at the Calhoun High School principal’s office. Chamber members will pick up those submissions on March 27th to evaluate and choose a winner(s).

Reminder that our 2023 membership drive is underway, and we are planning our Member Appreciation Casino Night for February 24th at the Community Center. All Chamber members and one guest are invited to attend and enjoy the evening. You may join the chamber online at www.portoconnorchamber.com/member/newmembership.

The Eleventh Annual Crawfish festival will be April 29th. Presale of entrance tickets was such a success last year that we will be offering that choice again this year. In fact, when you order your entrance tickets you can purchase your beer tickets at the same time. Look for these presale options on our website starting April 1st. Pick up will be Friday afternoon, April 28th from 3:00-6:00 or at the will call entrance, April 29th.

We welcome our new members for this month, Coastal Lawn & Maintenance which offers lawn mowing, weed eating, grass planting and other green space services. Port Lavaca Clinic which is in Port Lavaca and offers a multispecialty clinic providing health care services for the community for 61 years. Lester Contracting, Inc. (LCI) provides heavy/civil construction services to customers in the Texas Gulf Coast Region. Tracy Pershall, Realtor, who specializes in land, home sales, secondary/vacation homes in Port O’ Connor and surrounding areas. Mowdy Boats of Texas in Port Lavaca manufactures premium, custom made to order bay boats. Warrior’s Weekend is a non-profit, 501 (c) 3 Corporation dedicated to the support of veterans of The United States of America with an emphasis on those wounded in The Global War on Terrorism.

Spring is around the corner and there will be a number of fun events you don’t want to miss. Stay up to date by looking at the calendar on the chamber website at www.portoconnorchamber.com

The chamber meets the second Monday of each month at 6:30 at the meeting room at the Library. Our meetings are open to the public, and we encourage you to get involved.

This is Fjola’s first year as the Seadrift School’s Assistant Principal. Fjola’s full name is Fjola Cisotto Unnarsdottir. Fjola has a colorful background having lived in far away places. She was born in Keflavik, Iceland and lived there until she was five years old. She lived in Saudi Arabia where she attended an American school until she was thirteen. Fjola says she had a real culture shock when her family moved to Corpus Christi after living in Saudi Arabia (women didn’t drive with head coverings).

Fjola enlisted in the Army and was a MP Officer for five years. She was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood Army Base in Missouri which is the home of the MP Corp of the U.S. Army. Fjola says, “I joined because of friends who were stationed at Fort Hood who were deployed to Iraq during “Iraqi Freedom.” One friend passed away in the line of duty while in Iraq. His tank hit a IED and was killed.” Fjola told her friend after he passed that “I’m going to finish your fight.”

She earned her Bachelor’s degree through UHV in Katy, Texas having already gotten her Associates degree at Central Texas College in Killeen, Texas. Fjola has been with CCISD since 2018, teaching 4th grade ELAR (English Language Arts/ Writing) and had transitioned to being a dyslexia teacher.

In conclusion, Fjola wanted to share these thoughts to other veterans: “God bless you and thank you for your service!”

-Tanya DeForest

Chance Miller Boggess

Meet Chance Miller Boggess. He’s our featured guest in the February Kid’s Corner column in the Dolphin Talk. I hope you enjoy reading about Chance as much as I enjoyed interviewing him!

Chance is originally from Georgia. He says that he likes Texas better than Georgia, except for the mosquitoes. His parents are Bob and Melissa Boggess. Bob and Melissa have eleven children, four boys and eight girls. Chance says his family is “really busy!” The family has four dogs: Cleo, Arlington, Presley, and Koda… and don’t forget the fourteen chickens and one pig.

Chance is ten years old and in the fifth grade. He is enrolled in the “Time for Learning” home school program. His favorite books are about hunting. Chance loves to fish. He says that the biggest fish he has ever caught was a red fish caught at the Falcon Point Lodge where his parents work. When asked how big the fish was, Chance spread his hands out about a foot or more. (You could tell Chance was mighty proud of his catch!) Chance is a football fan and says his favorite football team is the Georgia Wildcats.

Chance considers Seadrift’s First Baptist as his church and comments that the church is “really nice.” He attends First Baptist’s children’s programs on Monday and Wednesday nights. Chance says that his favorite part of the Bible is the Creation Story because he likes animals.

The Seadrift Chamber of Commerce is deep in planning to show our pride in our community! Market Days start back on Saturday, March 25 at the Train Depot. Shrimpfest will be June 9-10 and we already have some amazing musical guests lined up! We’d love for you to join us at any of our monthly meetings – the next one is on Wednesday, February 15 at 6 pm at the Train Depot. Come and share your ideas and volunteer spirit!

2023 Officers – President – Lacey Vasquez
Vice President – Jennifer Boedeker
Treasurer – Mallory Maddux
Secretary – Gina Cady

February’s Book Club meeting was held on February 14, 2023, at the home of Hostess Nancy Ladshaw, who, along with fellow hostesses Connie Hall, Ursula Price, and Beth Smith, treated everyone to a “Hearts and Valentine’s Day” theme, in keeping with the special day, and February’s book, The Heart, by Maylis De Kerangal. The “menu” consisted of foods mentioned in the book (which is set in France)- three different homemade, heart-shaped pizzas- Margherita, Pepperoni, and 4 Cheese (Mozzarella, Parmesan, Gorgonzola, & Ricotta); Energy Bars; Pepito and Chamoix cookies; as well as a meat & cheese charcuterie board; vegetable tray, Pavlova (a meringue dessert); and homemade heart-shaped Red Velvet cake. Along with the meal, the Ladies enjoyed Pink Lemonade, Champagne, Choco Vine, Coca Cola; and flavored water. Everything was beautiful and delicious, and everyone was appreciative of the fun and festive goodies and ambiance!

Following the meal, the Hostesses led the group in an interesting and informative discussion of The Heart, whose theme circulates around life, death, organ donation, and the complex and lengthy process involved therein. The ladies discussed in depth the different characters in the book; their feelings toward the characters and circumstances in the book; and how they would handle the same if they or their loved ones were faced with similar situations. Most of us agreed that we had no idea what all is involved in the process of organ donation, or how difficult it would be if we were faced with the imminent death of a loved one, and had to make decisions during unimaginably stressful and difficult times. All agreed the book is well written and informative, and makes the reader aware of the importance of organ donation in saving those in need of transplants. The ladies enjoyed the discussion and the afternoon, and thanked the Hostesses for their hard work, planning, and delicious refreshments.

Our next Book Club Meeting is on March 14, 2023, and our Book of the Month is Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank. If you are interested in joining “Hooked On Books”, please email your contact information to alanehaardt@yahoo.com. All ladies are welcome!