Methodist Church after 1942 Hurricane

The year was 1942. The hurricane that came hit Seadrift with a category three wind velocity that leveled the Methodist Church. Having been in existence for over 100 years, the church has survived in spite of its challenges. Up from the ruins from that ’42 storm a new church building was built followed by the current one that was built in 1983. Just as America still stands today because of the dedication of freedom-loving people, the American churches are still with us because of the “Can Do” spirit of its parishioners.

Closing their doors during COVID was Seadrift Methodist’s most recent hurdle. In ‘42 it was the storm. In 1923 it was the need for a pastor.

Today the Seadrift Methodist Church congregation is served by Pastor Ron Shott with his wife Kathleen.

Located at the church the “Feed My Sheep” ministry provides food to those in need on the third Tuesday of each month. This is a coordinated effort of members and nonmembers alike. The local Scouts chip in as well as the community youth. Food collected from the Scout’s annual food drive is donated to the program.

Members of the Seadrift community meet at the church to rehearse for the Seadrift Community Choir which performs at different local churches and nursing facilities during the Christmas season.

The church has taken a leading role in organizing and participating in “Bay Praise” which is a non-denominational service held the last Saturday of each month during the spring and summer months at the Bayfront Pavilion.

In August the church sponsors an annual school drive for local children. In addition they send donations to areas impacted by disasters as the supplies are available. VBS is held in conjunction with the local Baptist church each summer.

The church offers the “Road to Emmaus” Christ-centered program to the public and there is a prison ministry in which the men volunteer. Cookies provided by the ladies is an added bonus!

Jesus made a profound statement about serving others. In Matthew 25:40 He said in serving others you are in reality serving Him!

First United Methodist Church
of Seadrift

Author’s Note:
As a kid growing up in Seadrift I remember going into the Methodist church that was rebuilt after the ’42 Storm. My family home was just two houses down from the church. I would go in alone (the doors were unlocked) and gaze at the beauty of its sanctuary. It was a place to meet God!

Servant Extraordinaire – Patricia Massey

By Tanya DeForest

Patricia Massey, born and raised in the Seadrift area, enjoys serving! She heads up the Seadrift Methodist church’s “Feed My Sheep” food program and enjoys every minute of it! Her job involves purchasing food items, applying for grants, and overseeing its operation. Patricia has been doing this for ten years.

It seems that Patricia has always been surrounded by opportunities to serve. Before leaving home she was involved in Scouts, 4-H, and church activities. College earned her a degree in Therapeutic Recreation with a minor in Music Therapy. Her career led her to be employed by the Extension Service, Gulf Bend, Martin Luther Homes which provides group homes, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice overseeing medical claims.

Upon retirement in 2013 Patricia came back to the Seadrift area to care for her mom and wanted to serve at her local church where she led a Sunday School class called the Women of Faith. Patricia, also, takes part in the many activities of the Seadrift Methodist church. She, also, serves on the Calhoun County Community Ministries board to represent the needs of the Seadrift community.

Patricia has two sons, Heath and Byron, who gave her four grandsons and one granddaughter!

Patricia says, “I feel fortunate to have returned to this community and be surrounded by family and friends. It is a place where you can call on your neighbor when you need help or an understanding ear. It is the best kept secret on the coast.”

Updates – First United Methodist Church of Seadrift:

The final Bay Praise Community Worship Gathering of the season will be on Saturday, September 24 at 6 pm at the Seadrift Bayfront Pavilion. We will begin again in March, 2023.

Coastal Bend District Women in Faith Annual Meeting – September 17th in Corpus Christi.

Feed My Sheep distribution – Tuesday, September 20th.

Clint and Corky

Rainfall and Island Quietness

Greetings from the island on this pleasant pre-Fall morning. I hope that everyone is doing well, and looking forward as much as I am, to Autumn (the more formal name) officially beginning next week on the 22nd.

The island finally got some much needed rainfall on Labor Day weekend, yay! From that Sat-Mon, my gauges showed exactly 5 1/2” fell on the island, filling my tanks and most certainly raising the underground fresh water level for our water wells. This summer has definitely been one of the driest June-Sept months that I have seen out here. I’m so glad that cooler weather is on the horizon, and hopefully more abundant rainfall will be in our forecast as well.

Of course with that much needed 5 1/2 inches of rain, comes a large amount of standing water for at least several days. And as all summer south Texans know, standing water breeds the devil mosquitoes, which has unfortunately happened out here on the island. It’s one of those “take the bad with the good” situations, so I’ll just grin and bear it, keeping a good supply of mosquito spray and those little Pic mosquito coils on hand.

This begins the time of year that the island starts to quiet down, meaning much less weekend islanders making the boat trek across the bay to spend time here. School having started, deer season preparations beginning, holidays forthcoming and hard bay crossing northers, all combine to keep island visitation at a minimum. Umm, YAY!! I’m somewhat kidding, but it is nice to enjoy the tranquil late Fall and Winter months out here, the quietness and cool north breezes, and rarely seeing a soul while beach combing.

Well it has taken about 18 months or so, but I once again have nice green grass covering my yard. During the summer of 2020, my entire yard was completely covered with Matagorda Bay salt water three separate times from storms. And then in February 2021 there was the devastating freeze that killed so much vegetation, including my two beautiful Norfolk Island pines, one palm tree, and also finished off my yard grass. And when I say there was no green grass, I mean not a single blade of grass existed, the entire yard was dead and void of any green grass. But over time it has slowly re-emerged and is once again thriving. I am very thankful to have a yard again.

That’s it from the island for now, everyone take care and enjoy these more enjoyable weather days.

Citizens Asked to Report Sea Turtles Seen on Beaches, Shorelines to 1-866-TURTLE-5

With a record number of threatened loggerhead sea turtle strandings occurring on the Texas coast this year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and local partners are urging citizens to report any turtles seen on the beaches or shorelines so that they can be rescued, transported and cared for by Service-permitted rehabilitation facilities.
Between April 1 and Aug. 19, 282 loggerheads have stranded in Texas, mostly in the Coastal Bend, between Calhoun and Kleberg counties.

“This is more than twice the average annual number of loggerhead strandings recorded from 2012 to 2021, which was 109, and annual numbers have increased during this decade,” said Donna J. Shaver, Ph.D., Texas Coordinator of the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) and Chief of the Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery at the National Park Service’s Padre Island National Seashore. “This dramatic increase in loggerhead strandings this year is alarming and has STSSN participants on high alert in the Coastal Bend to be ready for the increased influx of incapacitated loggerheads needing immediate rescue and care.”

Loggerhead sea turtles are one of five species of sea turtle known to inhabit the Gulf of Mexico. Adults are about three feet long and can weigh up to 350 pounds.

“In the Coastal Bend, around one third of the stranded loggerheads have been found alive and are receiving care at permitted rehabilitation facilities, including the Amos Rehabilitation Keep (ARK), Texas State Aquarium, and Texas Sealife Center,” said Mary Kay Skoruppa, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sea Turtle Coordinator for Texas. “The affected loggerheads have been found underweight and emaciated. They are receiving diligent care in rehabilitation, and we hope that most will recover and ultimately be released back into the Gulf of Mexico.”

Multiple researchers are investigating possible causes of these strandings. According to Dr. Shaver, the increase in strandings may be habitat-related, such as decreases in prey availability, freshwater inflows, and water quality, and exposure to hypoxic areas and contaminated prey.

To date, infectious diseases, biotoxins, and fisheries-related captures have been ruled out as the causative agents for the loggerhead strandings.

The investigation into the increase in strandings is ongoing and includes detailed necropsy of deceased turtles, extensive sampling of live and dead turtles, and environmental analyses to understand factors that may be contributing to these strandings.

If a sea turtle is seen on a beach or shoreline in Texas, it is either sick or injured, or could be nesting this time of year, and the Service advises citizens to quickly report the sighting by calling 1-866-TURTLE-5 (1-866-887-8535). Callers should be prepared to describe where the turtle is located, whether it appears to be dead or alive, and the size of the animal (estimated weight or length of shell – to know if it will require two or more persons to respond). If possible, callers should stay near the animal to help orient officials and protect the turtle from vehicles or scavengers.

“It takes a lot of coordination among trained, authorized individuals to successfully rescue stranded sea turtles,” Skoruppa said. “It is therefore critical that citizens report their sightings immediately, so that rescue efforts can begin quickly. Sometimes there are considerable travel distances to remote areas and other rescues may be happening at the same time, so we ask that people be patient after calling to report a stranded turtle.”

After rescue, stranded turtles are taken to authorized rehabilitation facilities where they are assessed and treated for illness or injury. Since sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act, rehabilitation facilities in Texas must be permitted by the Service, meet high standards for specialized care, and have appropriate experience to treat sea turtles. Once medically cleared by a veterinarian, the turtles are released back into the Gulf of Mexico.

Organizations and individuals involved with the rescue, transport, medical assessment, and care of stranded sea turtles in the Coastal Bend include Padre Island National Seashore – Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries, ARK, Texas Sealife Center, Texas State Aquarium, Texas Master Naturalists, Triton Environmental Solutions, LLC, JM DavidsonEngineering, Keep Aransas County Beautiful, and many citizens who have reported stranded turtles and assisted with rescues while recreating off the Texas coast.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit http://www.fws.gov/. Connect with our Facebook page, follow our tweets, watch our YouTube Channel and download photos from our Flickr page.
http//www.fws.gov/southwest/

The book club’s September hostesses Nancy Ladshaw, Mary Ann Claiborne, and Darla Miles (not pictured is Brenda Berger) show off their copies of To Kill A Mockingbird.

The ladies who attended September’s “Hooked On Books” Book Club meeting were treated to a fun and informative interactive multimedia presentation of Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill A Mockingbird. Hostesses Brenda Berger, Darla Miles, Mary Ann Claiborne, and Nancy Ladshaw took the ladies back in time to 1932, during the Great Depression, to the sultry Southern town of Maycomb, Alabama on Tuesday, September 13th, 2022 in the Multipurpose Room of the POC Library. The ladies were encouraged to wear overalls, or other 1930’s attire, hats, gloves, and pearl necklaces (all of which were a thread throughout the book); and they did not disappoint!

The ladies were treated to a “Genteel Southern Afternoon,” and a magnificent spread of period refreshments- lemonade, fruit, chicken salad sandwiches, chips, cracklin’ bread, angel food cake dripping with strawberries, chocolate covered pecans, and lemon drops! The multimedia presentation included photographs, excerpts from the book, and information from Monroeville, Alabama (Harper Lee’s hometown).

The hostesses also displayed a collection of artifacts and decorations (all of which were topics from the book) including: soap dolls, twine, Double-Mint gum, and shiny pennies; an autographed novel by Mary Badham (the actress who played Scout Finch in the 1962 movie classic of “To Kill A Mockingbird”); and a Monroeville telephone book full of Lees, Cunninghams, and Ewells (all of which were characters in the book).

After the presentation and refreshments, the group engaged in a lively discussion of the book’s timeless characters and the eternal “Life Lessons” learned from this wonderful book. All in attendance agreed that it was an interesting, engaging, enlightening, and fun-filled afternoon, and thanked their wonderful hostesses for the ingenuity, expert planning, and hard work put into making it all happen. It was definitely an afternoon to remember!

The Club’s next meeting will be held at 2:00 p.m. on October 11, 2022, and our October book is The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff.

If you are interested in joining “Hooks On Books”, please email your information to alanehaardt@yahoo.com. All are welcome!

Meetings: The Service Club meets the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month, with its next meetings being October 6, 2022, and October 20, 2022; at 10:00 AM at the POC Community Center. If you are interested in joining this fun, hardworking group, please feel free to contact one of the ladies listed below, or visit one of our meetings and check us out. All Ladies are welcome!

New Project: The Service Club is proud to announce that its new Community-wide Project for 2022 will be the funding and facilitation of the much requested, and long anticipated, “Pickle Ball Courts” at the POC Community Center Pavilion. For those who may not know, “Pickleball” is one of the most popular and fastest growing sports in America. The reason “Pickle Ball” is so popular, is that it requires very little skill or athleticism, is easy to play, and all ages can participate. The Community Center Pavilion is the perfect facility for “Pickle Ball” because it provides protection during inclement weather, and is large enough to handle two courts end to end, which will allow two games to be played at the same time, and more people to participate. In addition, the game can be played with doubles or singles, whichever is desired. The “Pickle Ball” Equipment has been ordered, and we will provide the Community with more details as soon as the equipment arrives and the courts at the Pavilion are ready. We also hope to enlist a professional instructor who can come out to give lessons to those who are interested. The Service Club is happy to once again give something back to the POC Community that its citizens can use and enjoy, thus enhancing all that is good about our beautiful POC Community. Please Stay Tuned!

Farmers Market: Please continue to support the Service Club’s Booth at the Farmers Market, held the second Saturday of every month, next one being Saturday, October 8, 2022. We have a variety of homemade breads and sweets, plants, hand crafted items, and, of course, our “Service Club Cookbooks“!! There is something for everyone, so please stop by!

Clay Shoot: Come One, Come All!!! The POC Service Club is proud to announce that it will be hosting POC’s First Ever “Clay Shoot” at 8:00 AM on Saturday, October 8, 2022 on the grounds of the POC Community Center Pavilion! All “Sporting Clay Shoot” enthusiasts, and spectators who love watching them, are invited to attend this inaugural event! All proceeds will go to the “Port O’ Connor Community Center Facelift Project.” You don’t want to miss it!

Trunk or Treat: Look for us at our booth at POC’s “Trunk or Treat” on October 29, 2022 at Front Beach!

Fall Mega Garage Sale: The Club is busily preparing for our Fall Mega Garage Sale, which is set for Saturday, November 5, 2022. Please mark your calendars, and “Save The Date”! We continue to accept your generous donations of gently used household, decorative and kitchen items; small appliances (in good condition and working order); clothing; shoes; toys; children’s and baby items. For your convenience, we have a “Donation Drop Box” located at the front of our Donation Center, which is the building immediately behind the Community Center Pavilion. As always, we appreciate your continued support so that we can keep doing great things for the POC Community. (Please note that we cannot accept computers, electronics, mattresses, or microwaves.) To donate, please contact one of the Service Club Members listed below.

Senior Citizens Christmas Luncheon: Each year the Service Club hosts a Christmas Luncheon for all of POC’s wonderful Senior Citizens, and this year’s Luncheon will be held on Friday, December 2, 2022 at 11:30 AM at the beautifully decorated “Merry and Bright” POC Community Center. All Senior Citizens are invited and encouraged to join us for this huge Christmas Celebration, help us ring in the Yuletide Season, and partake of a delicious meal of home cooked goodies prepared by the Service Club Ladies. Come help us celebrate with fun and festive Christmas caroling and merriment as we “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”!!!! There will be prizes galore, lots of fun and laughter, and it’s all completely free!! You don’t want to miss this wonderful Christmas Event!

Alane Haardt- 281-416-6028
Nancy Ladshaw- 830-832-0510
Marie Hawes- 361-676-3093
Nan Burnett- 832-276-5948