Seadrift Pack 106 meets Wednesdays at 4:30 p.m. at the Scout Hall on Main St. and Rodney Taylor in Seadrift. We serve all of Calhoun County.

Come join the Fun!!

Text Rebecca Rodriguez 361-212-5308 or Leslie Shirhall 361-648-2510

Seadrift Boy Scouts were proud to present the colors at the recent Calhoun County Fair and to participate in Seadrift School’s Veterans Day Program on Friday, November 11.

“Beacon of Light…Anchor of the Community”

Library News:
Special THANKS to Susan Wallace, instructor of POC Swim, for the donation of an AED (automated external defibrillator) in honor of Marie Hawes for her years of service as an EMT to the Port O’Connor Library Branch. Marie is also the President of the POC Service Club and allows the use of her swimming pool for swimming lessons and aerobic classes.

On October 1st, a celebration with refreshments was served and Librarian and EMT Michelle Marlin demonstrated instructions on how to use the AED equipment. The POC Volunteer Firefighters came out to support Marie Hawes and her award for her service to the community.

POC Library and Friends of POC Library were actively involved in the POC Elementary School Book Fair. Thanks to the school for the gracious invitation. Penelope Gonzales, (K), Russell Schoneberger, (3rd), and A.J. Guzman, (PK) were the winners of the three $15 gift certificates provided by The Friends redeemable for books at the fair.

POC Library Hours:
Sunday – Monday: Closed
Tuesday – Friday: 10:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Phone Number: 361-983-4365
***Special Note for Library holiday closures:
Thanksgiving Holiday: November 24 through 26

Friends of the POC Library:
The Friends of the POC library is a support group and welcome all who would like to share kindness and talents with neighbors. All are welcome to join or contribute to this hardworking organization in supporting the POC Library.

The Friends donated $3,000 for Bluebonnet Award books to the Port O’Connor Library Branch. What is a Bluebonnet Book? Young readers in Texas vote on their favorite books each January to create The Texas Bluebonnet Award List, great books with the purpose of encouraging reading for pleasure for students in grades 3-6.

Giving Tuesday is just around the corner, Tuesday, November 29th. The Friends encourage everyone to find a community drive, fundraiser, or an event that matters to YOU and donate by whatever means you are capable. Your generosity is needed and much appreciated.

What a turn out for Riders of the Orphan Train, an adult program held in the POC Library Multipurpose Room, on October 27th! (Photo above) Thanks to patrons of The Friends and all POC businesses who agreed to post flyers in order to advertise for this event about the significant program which helped shape America and assisted so many children from 1870-1929. The Friends were very happy that we could bring it to the people of POC. Thank you to all who attended this event. You were a great audience.

Another fun children’s program was held on Saturday, Nov. 5th, making some holiday crafts, sharing snacks and spending time at our fantastic library.

Bob and Pam Hill

Weekly Events:
**Special Note: Use any of the following events or simply visit the library and see the awesome photo donation from the Friends and the custom frame donation by Bob & Pam Hill displayed in the Multipurpose Room.
Wednesdays: 8:00 AM-9:00 AM- Coffee and Conversation with “coffee mates” and get to know your neighbors.
Thursdays: 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m.- Bridge Fridays: 1:00-3:00 p.m.- “Mahjongg”

Adult Program: Christmas Wreath Making, Tuesday, November 29th, 2-4 p.m. Sign up and pay for your $25 kit by Friday, November 25th, at POC Library or POC Washateria. Space is limited to 30 people & light refreshments will be provided.

-Submitted by Darla Miles

If you’ve kept up with this column, you’d know personally I’ve been thrust into some pretty challenging circumstances.

Now, I’d like to tell you that this situation has changed. I’d like to tell you I found a steady income, a more permanent situation, and it became happily ever after…

Anyone who knows the reality of life will tell you I’d probably be lying as in the real world there are indeed good times, there are indeed good endings to the story (if you write one of course), but happily ever after is the stuff of fairy tales.

What isn’t an element of fantasy, what is in fact a tool to use to try and write those happy endings, that is the act of being grateful.

I’ve used this space to write about it before, especially during November when the beginning holiday festivities draw attention to being ‘thankful,’ but this time it’s different, this time being grateful means acknowledging the difference between shelter and no shelter, literal empty pockets to having something in them.

I’m grateful that I’m not as yet on the actual streets, I’m grateful that I’m not going hungry everyday, I’m grateful that even without my family by blood, I still have people that care about me and care enough to show it via choices and actions and not just words.

Most of the bills I do have were paid by the generosity of others, including one in particular who reached out to me after reading this column last month…it proves there is still good in the world, it shows that trying to give outwardly does indeed come back to you in time, but most importantly it provides hope, one of our most underappreciated essential resources to live life fully.

It’s a point that was proven again to me in a different way recently as well…I had to go into urgent care for an still unresolved abdominal pain radiating to the back and they gave me an electrocardiogram or EKG and the computer determined I might have had a heart attack.

When the nurse practitioner told me this along with the fact they believed I needed to immediately go to the ER to get it checked out, I was more scared than I’ve been in a while, even with the thought of being homeless still weighing over me.

It puts things into focus and perspective, even more so being where I am at the moment.

The phrase ‘it can always be worse’ comes to mind in a way, although that leaves it all a bit simplistic; it’s more like you have to recognize what you have because you always have to believe it can be better as well and the two balance each other out in some strange way.

I wouldn’t know a thing about sunshine if I didn’t know about rainy days, if that makes any sense.

So as I have this alphabet canvas I’ll say thank you. Thanks to those who care, thanks to those who kept me and others afloat, thanks to those who keep the fight going, thanks to the lessons that taught me to see this path the way I do…

THANK YOU

I would just like to say I am so blessed to have so many people in my life that care so much with all the prayers, for sure; all the people that did everything to support me in the benefit.

I am so blessed by everyone who baked and cooked, checked on my mom, took her food. I couldn’t have asked for such good people. Everyone who donated something, your time, your effort. I so thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you,
Sandy Turk Taylo

Where is God in today’s world?

The problem with life in today’s world is God has been taken out and thrown to the side. All the problems in our school systems, school boards, there is no prayer. Football games, there is no standing for the Pledge of Allegiance. All churches memberships are down all over America. The children raised by a single parent and do not know where their parents are. The breakdown of the relationship with God is not there. God is not there in America today. Look at all the problems we have today. God has been taken away.

I know God heals. He has healed me of cancer, went to our local hospital with heart attack. Oh, no, Mr. Cain, you have had a reaction to oriental seasoning, but we found a tumor on your right kidney. Spent next 2 1/2 months going back and forth to MD Anderson, that was 41/4 years ago.

Put God back in our government, local and national. This is why God is upset. Look at our world we have nowadays. Insures we are destroying our villages. We say Elvis has left the building; well God has left us. Look at all the problems we live in. God is upset. Look at what is happening.

If you have God in your life, things start happening. God does not care what party you are affiliated with. America needs to bring more God back in our lives, churches, school system, and college. Where is God now and look at all the issues we have today, America. Put God back in our lives. Our issues started when we removed prayer from the classroom. God does not like what is happening. God is there for all of us. Knock, the door will be opened unto all of us. We are father away from God and he does not like it.

God wants us to follow His commandments. Life in eternal, is forever. Follow Him and you will be rewarded.

Russell, Cain, concerned citizen

October 22, 2022
The Robstown Rally was one of a kind. 15,000 people and 100 portable pots. Standing in line for 2 hours in the hot sun. It was worth it. Donald Trump is more than worth it to see him in action. Trying to save our country and get the right candidates  elected. There was Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick who was riding all over the state for Attorney General Ken Paxton; Tom Holman and Border Control Chairman. U.S. Congremman Michael Cloud, our congressman, gave such a good speech. Telling us this is our last chance to elect our line of people in America, the conservative voice. We were 40 feet behind the podium. Trump is giving us a conservative point of view. I took turns going to the restroom all afternoon, hoping not to lose our spots. The food was good. Long lines, but it was worth it. When Trump flew over the Robstown fairgrounds, the plane was huge, flapping its wings. He was at the stadium within 50 minutes. Trump spoke on all the candidates running in Texas: Ronnie Jackson, running from Fort Worth; Adam Hinojosa running for U.S. Congress from the Valley. There were a lot of friends from all over the area. Man, did I get sunburned, but it was worth it. It will never come again; that was a historical event. There were 40 or more booths of Trump hats, shirts, flags, etc. The vendors were from all over America. Thank God for the breeze that afternoon. Our congressman got us a pass and parking. Trump is fighting for all of us. Let’s elect our new conservative candidates. There were many of our friends from our area there. Got home at midnight. Had 35 bike riders for our District Rotary Club the next morning. Man, I was tired. It is so worth it. We want energy independence, border security and low inflation. Help keep America red. Be a mega supporter. We are one generation away from extinction. Trump was fabulous. Put him back in office.
Russell Cain
Chairman, Calhoun County Republican Party