Goodbye 2022 and Welcome New Year 2023! The Service Club welcomes in 2023, but had a wonderful 2022! Because of the generous support of the wonderful citizens of POC, the Service Club was able to give back so much to the POC Community in 2022: New Sign for the POC Community Center; US flags and Pickle Ball Courts & Equipment for the Community Center; Start up $$ for POC Elementary Teachers: “Straight A” Awards for POC Elementary Students; Clay Shoot benefiting the “POC Community Center Beautification Project”; Awards for 4-H Members; Scholarships for POC High School Graduates; Contributions to POC’s Angel Tree Fund, Benevolence Fund, & POC Cemetery Association; our booth at “Trunk or Treat”; POC Senior Citizens Weekly Luncheons and Bingo Games; and whatever else the POC Community needed us to participate in and/or support!! We owe all of this to you, the POC Citizens, because without your ongoing, unwavering, and extremely generous support, none of what we accomplished in 2022, or all that we will continue to do, is possible! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts- we love and appreciate you all!!!

Farmers Market: Please visit the Service Club’s Booth at POC’s Farmers Market, held the 2nd Saturday of every month, next one is Saturday, February 11, 2023 from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon. We always have a variety of homemade breads and sweets, plants, hand crafted items, and, of course, our highly acclaimed “Service Club Cookbooks” and fabulous “POC- End of The Road” License Plate Covers, which are all selling like hotcakes! We also will be selling raffle tickets of $5.00 each for a beautiful handmade quilt donated by our wonderful Club Member, Carol Haverfield! There is something for everyone, so please stop by!

Meetings: The Service Club’s meetings will be February 2, 2023 and February 16, 2023 10:00 a.m. at the POC Community Center. Please join us if interested- all Ladies are welcome!

Spring Mega Garage Sale: The Club’s “Spring Mega Garage Sale” will be held on Saturday, April 1, 2023, and, as always, we appreciate your generous donations, and have a “Donation Drop Box” located at the front of our Donation Center for your convenience. If you have questions or need further information, please contact one of the Service Club Members below. Thank you for your continued support!

Alane Haardt- 281-416-6028
Marie Hawes- 361-920-2322
Nan Burnett- 832-276-5948
Nancy Ladshaw- 830-832-0510

Flyin’ First Class
Capt. Kyle Hodson
Bay Flats Lodge

We have always heard that it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the amount of fight in the dog that really matters when it comes to achieving a goal. That same winning sentiment is often the key to success in the sport of coastal fly-fishing, as anglers are always presented with uncontrollable factors. Such limitations sometimes come in the form of weather conditions, or even in the behavior of the redfish in any given situation. One thing’s for sure, the ability to minimize error and maximize results comes from a “can do and will do” attitude.

This past weekend I was reminded of the power of positivity in my angler. Our day started like many others. There was a great sense of anticipation, combined with dreams of redfish crushing a perfectly presented fly. It was similar to the feeling that a kid gets on the opening day of baseball.

I remember telling my angler it felt like a spring day, with the laugh of gulls working over the ditch, a predominant ESE wind with a smell of sargassum, and a combination of humidity and mosquitoes. We were coming off a full moon, had an inbound frontal system, and all of that was combined with the weekly changes in tides and water temperature. Even the marsh critters were acting a little “wonky” this morning.

Our first great shot at a redfish came in the form of a refusal. This might be a very generous description of the behavior, but the red wasn’t going to eat our preferred fly of choice. After a meeting of the minds, my angler and I decided to make a run across the bay and to switch flies.

Upon arriving at our destination, we were greeted with a nice school of reds mixed with a strong string of mullet flashing through the water on the flat. We were eager and excited about the things that were possibly about to happen. The school of reds, however, were uneasy and in constant flight.

We continued our journey into a maze of what we found to be a haven for redfish. There were miles of pristine marsh that looked optimistic in about any direction I wanted to push the skiff. The water clarity was fantastic and there was bait present everywhere, and the whooping cranes hunting in the marsh made things feel alive. Again, we found our shots, and again, we were greeted with refusals. Some would consider this to be a casting blunder. I have found, however, that often the angler must force-feed the fish by casting the fly right into the mouth of the fish. Those were my instructions to my angler, and that’s exactly what he did.

As a fly-fishing guide, the team aspect is very prevalent. I work closely alongside my angler, and as a unit we achieve our goal of feeding redfish in very shallow water. We accomplished our goal this day, but only because my angler had a winning attitude – the ability to overcome the obstacles, and to stay in the pursuit with a “can do and will do” mindset.

Clear Water Red
Capt. Kyle Hodson, Bay Flats Lodge

Schedule of Events

Friday February 3rd, 2023
Captain’s Meeting & Dinner
4-6pm- Open Registration at Castaway Lodge
6pm- Captains Meeting/Dinner

Saturday February 4th, 2023
7am- First Cast
2-4pm- Weigh-In at Castaway Lodge/Bayou Facility

Tournament Entry:
Redfish Stringer – 3 slot redfish (20”-28”) – $500 entry fee

Tournament Prizes:
Heaviest Stringer: Based on a 30 boat field @ $500 per team*.
(*- adjusted as needed per # of boat entries)
1st- $6,750 (60%)
2nd-$3,375 (30%)
3rd- $1,125 (10%)
25% of stringer will be donated to Castaway Youth Charity
+ Optional Side Pots

Calcutta Stringer: Combined total / 25% to Charity
1st – 60%
2nd – 30%
3rd – 10%

Youth Division: FREE (3-16)

Big Slot Redfish (20-28”) = Top 5 places will be awarded prizes.

For official rules see:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jRxdUrotAs6GwMjD_qmaieVzw4QouyrUgqTf6lFQYJ4/edit
Social Contact: www.facebook.com/castawaylodge

Rod and Sherry Taylor
“Happy Hearts”

In the Christian Standard Bible, Psalms 33:12 reads “Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord – the people He has chosen to be His own possession.” Rod and Sherry Taylor are two happy hearts who have made Jesus their Savior and it shows! They are long-time Seadrift residents who because of their faith have made a lasting impact in their sphere of influence.

Rod and Sherry have been married for forty-seven years this year! Today they are retired. Rod has been retired seventeen years, and Sherry fourteen.

Rod worked as a commercial fisherman on the bay oystering, shrimping, crabbing, and trout line fishing. Before he became a commercial fisherman Rod served our country in the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. He worked on the T-37 and T-38. We salute his service to our country! Nineteen years ago, Rod became a Christian. Rod says, “God brought me through some situations that I shouldn’t have made it through. Only God can bring you through those situations. I made it through storms on the bay and near collisions with trains.”

Sherry became a Christian when she was eleven years old at a church camp. Sherry worked at the Seadrift School for over thirty years as a substitute teacher, teacher’s aide, school secretary, and library aide. Sherry sang with the Seadrift Community Choir for thirteen years and has worked local elections for fourteen years. Sherry had this to say about the Seadrift Community, “I never felt the need to leave Seadrift. I love small hometown. Knowing most people, watching their children grow up, the church, our wonderful local library, and living by the bay.”

Rod and Sherry are members of Seadrift’s First Assembly of God Church. They have each served there for many years. Twenty-three years ago, Rod became groundskeeper and maintenance man. Today Timmy Goodman is groundskeeper at the church. Ten years ago, Rod became a deacon. Sherry enjoys working with children and has been teaching in the church most of her life.

Nursing home ministry plays an important part in both of their lives. Rod has been playing at the nursing home for twelve years. He plays four instruments: the mandolin (his favorite), banjo, fiddle, and guitar. Rod, also, loves to sing. Sherry started visiting the Seadrift people at the nursing home after Rod started playing and singing with the band that meets at the home.

In retrospect over her and Rod’s lives, Sherry says, “Life is better with Jesus.”