On July 31 faculty and staff of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service from across the state gathered in Bryan-College Station for the agency’s Superior Service Awards, the highest recognition given to AgriLife Extension employees in honor of their exemplary service and programming. Among the honorees were Calhoun County agents RJ Shelly and Emilee DeForest.

Shelly, after just four and a half years of dedicated service, was recognized with the Emerging Issues Individual award for his exceptional networking abilities, establishing strong relationships throughout the Gulf Coast, and greatly enhancing the prosperity of numerous coastal communities. Shelly’s leadership in oyster mariculture solidified his reputation as a key advocate for advancing the industry within Texas, spearheading various impactful programming initiatives.

Additionally, Shelly was recognized by Capital Farm Credit as the 2024 County Agent of the Year – Risk Management & Marketing for work done on the economic impact of the Ayres, Mesquite, and Carlos Bay oyster harvesting closures.

Receiving the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Rising Star Award for exceptional work within the first three years of employment was Emilee DeForest, Calhoun County’s 4-H and Youth Development Agent. DeForest was in the first cohort of Rising Start Award winners, representing Texas A&M AgriLife Extension District 11. Emilee has been involved in numerous youth and adult programs including Livestock Judging, Livestock Quiz Bowl, Sportfishing, Consumer Decision Making, Sewing, Shooting Sports, and Food & Nutrition project areas.

Calhoun County is fortunate to have among its AgriLife Extension staff, these two award winning agents.

Not really knowing what I was getting into I gladly agreed to attending an event at Josie’s in Port O’Connor this past 9/11. What I found was a bunch of God-honoring patriots that have served their communities as police officers and their country as servicemen. Thanks to the efforts of John Collins (pictured in the middle of the picture above) and his volunteers there has been an effort to host retreats for these officers as well as for our servicemen over the years. John believes strongly in giving these men a “time-out” as they have served their fellowmen well in pouring out their lives out for others. Retreats have included hunting, fishing, and golf tournaments.

This past 9/11 event was a fishing retreat for policemen and soldiers. In the group there were ten soldiers who had been awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in action and six policemen. Two of the policemen (pictured left John Klesseraht and pictured right T.R. Hughes) were from New York. They were there when 9/11 happened. The 9/11 attacks were the deadliest terrorist attacks in our history, killing 2,977 people.

Terry Godfrey
A Self-Made Man

Terry Godfrey is a self-made man. On his own at age eleven Terry did what he could to make some money. He entered the Army when he was seventeen. Terry completed basic training at Ft. Polk, Louisiana. His duty stations were in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina and at Camp Casey and Camp Edwards in South Korea. He was honorably discharged from the Army. We salute Terry’s service to our country. Thank you, Terry!

Terry’s dream was to become a crew boat captain on a 100 ft. boat. He went to Captain’s School in New Orleans, Louisiana and was later hired by Arthur Levy Seahorse, a crew and work boat company. For eleven years Terry Godfrey drove crew boats back and forth to oil rigs in Texas and Louisiana. When the oil field collapsed, he drove flat bed trucks for thirty years for different companies. He’s been to all forty-eight states!

Terry was water baptized when he was eleven in a Baptist Church. Commenting about his water baptism he said, “I felt a peace and serenity that passes all understanding.” He, also, stated that “I felt that same peace when my mother passed.” Again, Terry said, “When I rededicated my life at thirty years old, I felt that same peace.” Another comment Terry made about his faith was: “My grandmother read to me on a feather bed the Bible and it saved my life a thousand times over.”

It’s not hard to see that Terry loves the water. He said that when he was growing up his family loved to vacation in Galveston. Terry was born in Arlington, Texas in 1953 and for the past two years he has lived in Seadrift. Terry said, “I looked around and I fell in love with Seadrift and its people.”

Terry is a member of what he calls “the welcoming people” of the Methodist Church. Terry was impressed as a child with the Methodist Church because of its welcoming people. Terry states, “I want to stay in Seadrift because of the people of the Methodist Church.”

-Tanya DeForest

Terry Godrey Then and Now

4-H enrollment is going on now. You must be enrolled by October 1st. Farm Bureau members can take invoices to the Port Lavaca FB office for reimbursement.

If you would like to join Intercoastal 4-H club the meetings are on the first Sunday of the month at 5:30pm at the Port O’Connor Community Center.

Calhoun County Fair starts October 15. Animal check in and judging will take place October 16, the auction will take place October 17th at 6pm in the show barn. Come out and support all the kids showing animals. -Bryce Sandy- Reporter