Fall Mega Garage and Bake Sale: Please mark your calendars for the POC Service Club’s Fall Mega Garage Sale and Bake Sale to be held on Saturday, October 12, 2024 from 8:00 AM-2:00 PM at the POC Community Center Pavilion! There will be something for everyone- delicious homemade bread and baked goods; adult and children’s clothing and shoes; toys; baby items; linens; kitchen, household, and decorative items; pet supplies; framed art; lamps; fishing and sports equipment; lawn equipment; furniture; and much, much more!  We appreciate your generous donations of any and all items as we prepare for the Garage Sale, and have a “Drop Box” in front of our “Service Club Donation Center” for your convenience.  For questions, or to donate, please call one of the ladies listed below.

Farmers Market:  October’s Farmer’s Market will be on the same day as our Service Club’s Fall Mega Garage Sale, so our “Farmer’s Market Service Club Booth” will be at the Garage Sale on Oct. 12, 2024 8:00 AM-2:00 PM.  We will have potted plants, hand crafted items, Service Club Cookbooks“, and “POC- End of The Road” License Plate Covers, and more!! Please come to the Garage Sale and check out our Farmer’s Market Booth.

Memorials:  The Club made donations to the POC Cemetery Association in memory of Mary Gonzales and Walter Shotwell.

Medical Equipment For Loan:  The Club has a variety of medical equipment (walkers, wheelchairs, shower chairs, crutches, orthopedic boots, knee scooters, etc), which we loan free of charge to POC citizens who are in need. For information, please contact one of the Ladies listed below.

Service Club Meetings:  Club meetings are the first and third Thursdays of the month, with the next ones being October 3, 2024 and October 17, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the POC Community Center.  Please come join us- all Ladies are welcome!

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

The Labor Day fireworks and vendor show ended up being a great way to end the summer in our little village. Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a great success. Hopefully next year we will have the show during the fourth of July weekend.

We are excited to announce that the Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce has partnered with Elite Fishing Series and the Speedy Stop Open Championship to be held in Port O’Connor on September 19th – 21st. Port O’Connor will be featured and promoted throughout the event, including having our logo on the checks, trophies, and other media. The support of this event will be the first ever frogg toggs Elite Solo Tour and Brecknell Elite Kayak Tour, held in our great community. Our sponsorship with this tour completed the package, allowing the event to be filmed and produced for one of the Elite Solo Tour Episodes on the Discovery Channel.

Our Second Annual Port O’ Connor Boat and Fishing Expo, is scheduled for October 4-6, 2024, at the Port O’ Connor Community Center. There will be a variety of vendors providing marine and fishing products, guide services and several boat manufacturers. We are currently working on the schedule for our Culinary Corner and look forward to learning, from some amazing chefs, how to make some tasty seafood dishes.

Grab your spooky decorations for your vehicle, golf cart, trailer, etc. and decorate your canine too and join us during Trunk or Treat at King Fisher Beach (Park Avenue) on Saturday October 26th. This is a great event for the kids to safely celebrate Halloween and fill those treat buckets. There will be a $100 cash prize for the best decorated and then a prize for Best Dog Costume. Look for the Chamber tent and bring your pup by at 7:30 for them to showcase that costume.

The second Saturday of each month you need to visit the Port O’ Connor Farmers Market at the Kingfisher Beach Pavilion from 8:00-12:00. You can usually find fresh vegetables, jams and jellies, homemade breads, and fresh eggs. Our local artists are there as well with beautiful coastal pieces.

We appreciate our new and renewing members Towboat US-Marine Towing & Salvage in Port O’ Connor and the surrounding areas since 2007. Teresa’s Salon-A full-service salon offering hair, manicures, pedicures and spray tans. Morris Moon Mercantile -Will feature a selection of refined yet approachable pieces, from beautiful home décor to distinctive gifts.

For more information on these businesses and our other chamber members please visit our website at www.portoconnorchamber.com.

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.