Sat., Jan. 19    Ribbon Cutting for Port O’Connor Library 10:00 am    506 West Main St.
Fri., Jan. 25    Tribute to Merle Haggard 7:00 pm    Bauer Community Center 361-552-1234
Thurs., Jan. 31    POC Service Club 10:00 am    Port O’Connor Community Center
Sat., Feb. 2    Warrior’s Weekend Muster starts 2:00 pm    VFW Hall, Port Lavaca
Mon., Feb. 4    Know Your County Govt – Sheriff Vickery 6:00 pm    Republican Club, Grace Episcopal, PL
Mon., Feb. 4    Intercoastal 4-H Club Meeting 6:30 pm        Port O’Connor School Library
Tues., Feb. 5    Seadrift City Council 7:00 pm        Seadrift City Hall
Tues., Feb. 5    Bunco 7:00 pm        Port O’Connor Community Center
Wed., Feb. 6    Calhoun Co. Parks Board Public Meeting 6:00 pm        Port O’Connor Community Center
Thurs., Feb. 7    Calhoun Co. Parks Board Public Meeting 6:00 pm        Port Lavaca Bauer Exhibit Hall
Fri., Feb. 8    Calhoun Co. Parks Board Public Meeting 6:00 pm        Magnolia Beach Fire Station
Mon., Feb. 11    Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce 6:30 pm        Port O’Connor Community Center
Thurs., Feb. 14    Sweetheart Banquet 6:00 pm    Port O’Connor Community Center
Feb. 15-17    Matagorda Bay Birdfest Palacios   Matagordabaybirdfest.org
Sat., Feb. 16    Abandoned Crab Trap Removal  713-829-2852
Sat., Feb. 16    Youth Dance honoring Carly 6:00-9:00 pm    Port O’Connor Community Center
Tues., Feb. 19    POCID Board Meeting 6:00 pm    39 Denman Drive, POC

Oliver Wendell Holmes said, “A mind stretched by a new idea never returns to its original shape.”  If there is anything we need today as we begin this New Year it is to stretch our minds! It is so easy to believe in the old tried and proven methods that we never grow enough to see better things that can happen if we will allow them. I believe we, as God’s creation, should be the most creative  things in our universe, but often “things” outspace “people”. I want to discipline my creativity and to challenge others to do the same. Allow me to share what I will call “creativity maxims” to help us move forward in our thinking.
 Change of pace + change of place = change of perspective. If we work out the same muscles with the same exercises in the same sequence every day, we will eventually hit a point of diminishing return. We have got to disrupt the routine, thereby confusing our muscles. The same is true in every area of our lives. Once a routine, no matter how productive, becomes routine, something must change for growth to continue. We need to fish in a different spot occasionally, eat at a different restaurant often, and even sleep in a different bed (travel a little) to get a new perspective and increase our productivity.
 Strategically manage time. Most of us are either morning people or evening people. I personally like to have most of it done before lunch, then take a break. Pastor Joane is a night person, who often stays up all night to accomplish things she could never get done during the day. Stop wasting time with your phone! What is there will be there later when you schedule it! Never allow crisis to manage your day or you will simply jump from one fire to another, unlcss you are a firefighter!
 Follow Jesus’ example – take a nap. Productive people throughout history found time for naps – like Napoleon Bonaparte, Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison, and Ronald Reagan! We all know the old adage – “If we don’t come apart to rest, we will simply come apart!” For some, that will be a 10-minute power nap to get that second window of creativity. Others need some caffeine to awake them from a nap so they can get back to work.
It takes a team. I have found two types of people: internal processors and intra-personal processors. Allow me to explain. The internal processor gets their inspiration from a book or taking time in meditation. Others get charged with synergy of creativity, which happens only with a team. It takes a sounding board, not only to discern between good ideas and bad ideas, but also to turn good ideas to great ideas. The combination of gifted people who have strengths in other areas yields far more creativity than any one of us could produce alone.
Creativity can not be scheduled. My creative writing professor at University taught us that the great source of creativity would come with “a deadline”! How often had I found that to be so true! Creativity never happens on a schedule. It happens in wide-open spaces, which means we need some margin in our schedule. The more margins we have, the more creative we will be. Take time for that walk on the beach!
Criticize by creating. Instead of taking potshots at those doing something, “because I know a better way,” try to share a better idea. Write a better work, start a better business, draft better legislation, and produce better films. Criticism is a cop-out! It is the easy way out. Michelangelo said, “Criticize by creating!”
A lack of creativity is actually a lack of effort. It takes effort to design a better “mouse trap,” but excellence in the little things will be regarded with a new and better contract.
Get a life. Too many of us are boring because our lives are boring! We need to get a life outside the norm, whatever is normal for you. Start taking some risks. Heighten creativity by recreating.
Our world is filled with the potential of greatness beyond what we have ever seen. There are more new inventions yet to be found than those that have already been patented. There are many places that have never seen any human interaction. There are new buildings that have never been built. When we will allow the Lord to help us, we will find creativity that we never believed lived inside us. I have known of people who had projects they could not possibly every create until they dreamed the answer or had a vision of the completed item. Allow the Lord to expand our thinking so our minds will never be as small again!

Citizens of the Week at Port O’Connor School
Week ending January 11: PreK- Luke Breedlove; K- Abigail Gutierrez; 1st- Audrey Breedlove; 2nd- Avery Gosnell; 3rd- Audrey Rhoads; 4th- Nicholas Ragusin; 5th- Jaydin Rhoads

Congratulations to Kenny Finster and Teddy Hawes who were honored as Outstanding Citizens of the Year at the 2018 Senior Christmas Luncheon. The Port O’Connor Community Service Club chose to honor them for their selfless service and many contributions to our community.

Seadrift native Kenny Finster has served as the County Commissioner for Precinct #4 for 24 years. . In that time, he has fought for POC and Seadrift and made a difference in our communities and our lives. This local son has fought hard battles and won wars of words and found funding ways to make things happen both in and out of Commissioners Court, all without losing his infectious sense of humor or his 1000-watt smile. In the midst of pressure situations his best funny story and genuine smile would diffuse the conflict and save the day again and again. When others said it could not be done, Kenny found a way.

He has worked on numerous projects, too many too list, and all have been important to him; but Kenny says he is most proud of the new EMS station between Seadrift and POC because it saves lives and will continue to make a real difference in the south part of Calhoun County. He is one of those guys who doesn’t mind hard work and can sweat with the best of them; but, he admits that the Hurricane Harvey recovery work and its myriad challenges was the hardest task he has faced. Preparation and anticipation, meetings and paperwork, devastation and possible years of recovery made it hard both personally and professionally. He wishes the best to the new commissioner and is confident he is leaving the task in good hands.

Now that he is retiring, this husband, father, grandfather and friend plans to take a few months to relax and unwind and then says he will tackle whatever each day brings that just seems right. He is looking forward to new projects and opportunities that may come his way and hopes to finish some past projects on his family land and around home. More time with his busy wife Dwana, his four great kids and five precious grands will be a big plus.

Kenny says a big thanks to all of the citizens that have helped make his 24 years such a success. We say Thank You Kenny Finster for your hard work and perseverance and years of service. You will never be replaced. We hope retirement is full of new memories and lots of fun and we will see you around the neighborhood.

Port O’Connor native Teddy Hawes is part of the third generation of family to leave footprints in the sands here that the waves could never wash away. Teddy’s dad was a shrimper who raised 14 children in POC. Teddy is #5 by birth but #1 favorite if you ask his siblings who are all still living and see each other often. Family is priority to Teddy. His siblings, daughter and grandsons are part of daily life as he works tirelessly at his successful POC Hardware Store.

The small business has big heart and a little bit of everything. If you need it and they don’t have it, they will help you find it. You can also rest assured that if there is someone in a bad way and Teddy Hawes can help, he will help; and never take a penny or a second of credit for it. He wants to give and prefers to do it anonymously.

When not at his store he is hard at work around the house or on his land. A couple of times each year he travels to Guatemala to assist the Catholic Church there with repairs and assistance to those in need. When asked by his grandsons about his trips to Guatemala, he told them his happiest times are playing with kids like his grands and those kids he helps in Guatemala.

Ask anyone who knows him and that is the kind of man Teddy is even when nobody is watching. And he doesn’t want the acknowledgement, he just quietly works to help whenever and wherever he can. He is a faithful part of the St. Joseph Catholic Church family in POC and serves there as well.

In running a successful business, Teddy has hired, trained, and, yes, even fired many of our hometown own. He has shaped the lives of many in and around our community. Young men on the lumber loading team learn to work under his guidance. Youngsters wanting to have a bake sale or car wash learn to be part of community life through his cooperation. Clerks and distributors, businesses and customers learn to be personable and professional when interacting with him.

His business has a big impact in our community. Whenever supplies are needed for community efforts or to help our local folks whether kids or adults, Teddy is always willing to do his part.

He made a face at his sisters and daughter when this award was presented to him, but we like them, know that Teddy Hawes is a gentle man with a servant’s heart. So, if you are the recipient of his kindness, he would say, “don’t thank me, just pay it forward.” Thank you, Teddy Hawes, for all that you do for others.