I apologize to anyone who has tried and failed to reach me lately. I have had major problems with my phone and internet. The internet is working (as I write this), and I have an alternate phone number: 361-408-3651. I’m sorry for the inconvenience and especially if I missed receiving some news you had for us. Joyce Rhyne, Editor

Lacey Vasquez
Seadrift Chamber President

When you think of the Seadrift Chamber of Commerce what comes to mind?…

Shrimpfest, Market Days, the Seadrift Sports Plex, or maybe all of the above?
Perhaps you’ve seen the new “Welcome” sign on Hwy 185 that the Chamber has put up or heard about the scholarships they have given away? Maybe you even took part in one of their holiday events of the year?

Let’s just say the Seadrift Chamber of Commerce enjoys being part of the “heartbeat” of Seadrift in providing activities for families to enjoy.
So, who’s behind all this joy that is brought to the Seadrift Community? Currently, Lacey Vasquez is the 2022 Chamber President. She, along with her fantastic team, do what they do for the community! Lacey says this about her team, “The Team is what makes dreams a reality.”

Speaking of dreams, Lacey has big dreams about Seadrift. There are two big dreams on Lacey’s heart: a sports complex that would include a soccer field, basketball court, and playground equipment. Another dream is a new community center for Seadrift that would include a fully equipped kitchen and an outdoor area.
What motivates Lacey and her team to dream dreams for Seadrift? Lacey put it well when she said, “I want to be the Change that I want to see.”

-Tanya DeForest
More info on the recent Shrimpfest in the July issue.

Region 3 Early Childhood Intervention Program

“Early is Best” is our motto when it comes to helping children. At Region 3 Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Program, we serve families with children birth to 36 months that have developmental delays or disabilities. ECI provides family support and specialized services to strengthen the family’s ability to access resources and improve their child’s development through daily activities. Most of the children we serve have diagnosed conditions which affect their development and children with conditions that are not typical which affect their development such as muscle tone issues, behavior concerns and feeding issues. Our program started providing services in the Golden Crescent in 1981, and we currently serve over 1,000 children, across 13 counties!

Many people have never heard of us or our services before, so here are some questions and answer that we typically receive:

Q: Where do we go for services?

A: While we are based out of Victoria, our therapists always come to you! We are able to conduct our therapies in your home, at your child’s daycare, and also on Zoom… whichever option is most convenient for you!

Q: How much will it cost me?

A: We are unique because we can bill through insurance, and we are also Medicaid reimbursed! Often, families do not pay for our services, as they are covered through these options. If neither of these options apply, we calculate a family cost share, which again, typically does not result in the family paying much out of pocket. Our most important goal is to make sure the child is getting the help they need!

Q: How do I start?

A: Anyone can call us and ask for an evaluation! You do not need to have a doctor’s referral. Our evaluations are always free and, again, we come to you! So, if you are concerned, or simply just curious, about your child’s development, feel free to give us a call!

Q. What types of therapies and programs are offered?

A. We have a wide variety of specialized and licensed staff to ensure we have the right people for your child’s needs. Our therapies include physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and nutrition therapy. In addition, we have a partnership with Pathways – a parent-training program for children with autism. On top of these services, we also provide free group classes to our ECI children to help further their development including Little Movers, Little Learners, Infant Massage, Baby Yoga, Music Makers, and much more!

At Region 3 ECI, we love our babies and want to ensure we reach every child that needs our services. We believe “early is best” because we know that the most formative years for the brain occur between birth and age three.

If you would like to receive a free evaluation, please give us a call at 361-541-0200! And if you would like to learn more, you can find our website at https://www.esc3.net/domain/87 , as well as on Facebook.

Victoria Electric Cooperative (VEC) has awarded $1,500 scholarships to 20 graduating seniors.

Criteria Criteria considered include a student’s diversification of skills/hobbies/interests, their past civic and volunteer efforts, demonstrated leadership attributes, and grade point average. Applicants were also required to submit a 500 word essay which covered experience from their life and how it influenced their development. Scholarship winners were selected by the Scholarship Committee at Victoria Electric Cooperative based on open competition among all applicants. The panel of independent judges was composed of VEC members.

“All of the recipients are very active in school and extracurricular activities, as well as active in their volunteer efforts in our community. All have excellent grades and VEC is very pleased to award them scholarship funds to assist them in continuing their education,” said Charolette Whitley, HR & Communication Manager.
The Victoria Electric Cooperative youth scholarship program is funded entirely by unclaimed capital credit money that would normally have to be turned over to the state. “We at VEC absolutely love supporting our area youth, particularly their dreams to further their education
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We wish them the best in their future endeavors,” said Whitley.

Scholarship recipients graduating from Calhoun High School are:
● Morgan Harkey, Texas A&M, Biomedical Science
● Tarah Munsch, Tarleton State University, Bachelors of Science in Nursing
● Savannah Lane, UT or Texas A&M, Bachelor of Finance and Master’s in Real Estate
● Geraldine Tavola, UT Austin, Pre-Med & Bachelor of Science in Microbiology