What a great turnout we had for the inaugural golf cart scavenger hunt this year! The weather was beautiful, and the scavengers were out and about! This was the first year for the POC Chamber to host this event, and what a success it was. We had 17 teams enter, with 50 participants. Hunters went looking for 84 items on their list and had 6 hours to do so. Returning to Josie’s in the afternoon, winners were announced, and raffle prizes were awarded. Congratulations to our winners!

Profits of $1500 from this event will go towards the 2018 Fireworks show. One of our goals is to bring awareness to our participating business members, by encouraging participants to shop to earn extra chances for a grand prize. We succeeded by bringing in almost $3,000 to our 12 business participants!

Thank you to Hurricane Junction, Sisters Gift Shop, Docks, Josie’s, POC Rod & Gun, J & H Shrimp, Sylvia’s Salon, Jeco’s, POC Liquor, Treasure Chest, Beacon 44 Seafood, and Cathy’s for participating! Everyone had a great time and can’t wait for next year’s scavenger hunt!

Darla Parker, President Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce

The Port O’Connor Chamber of Commerce Christmas Party was so delightful. It is such a blessing to see so many join us . This year President Darla Parker recognized some of our team players that chair some of the Chamber events or promote POC. Those recognized were Sylvia Rodriguez, Susan Braudaway. Donnie Klesel, Donny Haynes, James and Shirley Harper, Bill Tigrett, Joanne Morgan and Dave Thomas. The Chamber appreciates everyone who helps in any way. It takes a lot of folks coming together to do the events we do in our community.

This year we enjoyed food prepared from our local businesses. This has proven to be a crowd pleaser for the past few years and gives you an opportunity to try some of our local eateries amazing dishes all under one roof.

We would like to give a huge thank you to Josies Mexican Food, Docks, Hurricane Junction, Hoopers Bar and Grill, Cathy’s Restaurant, Mommas Pizza, Beacon 44 Seafood, Pullins BBQ Connie & Margaret. We also had great music provided by the Jesse James Band.

We cant Thank our Port O’Connor Service Club enough for leaving the Community Center decorated so we could enjoy for our event. Our Chairman for the party was Joanne Morgan. As always she did an amazing job at organizing such a wonderful gathering for our community! We ended the night with installation of directors. We will announce in January the officers for 2019. If you would like to be of help to us please feel free to contact us. 361 -983-2989. Our events for 2019: 7th Crawfish Festival, Memorial Day Kids Fish and Kite Flying Contest, July 4th Fireworks Show, 2nd Annual Golf Cart Scavenger Hunt and Christmas Boat Parade. -Mary Jo Walker

Here we are into the last month of 2018.  Chamber of Commerce sincerely appreciates and sends out a HUGH THANKS to each and everyone who has been a member, volunteered, made donations of time or money, to help make the events throughout the year such a success; you should be proud to be a part of this, without you it wouldn’t have been possible, Looking forward to working with you in 2019.

The 1st Golf Cart Scavenger Hunt was a great success, fun had by all.  The weather was also fantastic for the Lighted Boat Parade on the ICW – beautiful weather for all the beautiful boats. We’re so proud of all the people who took time to decorate those boats. On the 7th, the Annual Chamber Christmas Party was another success – fun enjoyed by all. “THANKS” to all who made this a success, to all who donated the variety of food, the wonderful live band.

The results for 2019 directors on election ballot was: Debbie Michalek, John Reneau, Mike Overton, Mary Jo Walker and Ronna Fishbeck. The Chamber appreciates all that Troy Wygrys and Staci Hein accomplished and helped with in 2018 and looking forward to working with them in 2019.

Next meeting January 14th-HOPE TO SEE YOU!!!

Check us out on Facebook & Instagram; 361-983-2898—361poc@gmail.com.
portoconnorchamber.com

New Members:
The Treasure Chest
Sister’s Gift Shop
Coastal Cleaning,Inc.
Connie Barrientes
Margaret Claiborne
Chris & Cindy Hanson
Jim & Amy Severson
Arnold & Melanie Martinez

Wishing all a Merry Christmas and a safe & Happy New Year!

Two months ago, we explored what I personally feel were the best Halloween films and TV specials to watch to celebrate the season and this month I figured we would do the same for Christmas:

1. Scrooged: Although this film is now getting upward in years, it is still in my opinion one of the fresher takes on the classic Christmas story A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.

Bill Murray plays Frank Cross, a TV executive who cares more about corporate success and money than people and being self-satisfied. The movie is hilarious with Murray’s brand of ‘dead pan’ comedy and the cast is great with notables like Bobcat Goldwaith, Carol Kane and Karen Allen.
If you want to never stop laughing while thinking about what is really important in life, this is the film for you.

2. A Christmas Story: Yeah, as you can see, I drift towards the comedy found in the holiday season and this is another great comedy that also in modern times is as much a Christmas Classic on television as Miracle on 34th Street or It’s a Wonderful Life.

Although the film is a blend of aspects of the 1966 short story anthology, In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, by author Jean Sheppard (who also narrated the 1983 film), A Christmas Story has become a welcome part of their Christmas celebrations
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3.Christmas Vacation: Much like Scrooged, some of Christmas Vacation’s humor may not be everyone’s cup of tea and although like most holiday fare it does have a happy ending, this one is just one great scene after another and of Chevy Chase’s best comedic performances in his third outing as family man Clark Griswold.

4. It’s A Wonderful Life: Well eventually we had to throw a ‘classic’ feature in this list and this Jimmy Stewart driven Frank Capra film is the one where the message is still just as strong as it was then in 1946 when it was released.

Telling the tale of a man who thinks the life he leads has no real impact on the world around him, the narrative expresses with aplomb how one seemingly insignificant person is so important to the society around him, even if in day to day life the person feels they are not impacting the world at all.

5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas: Another modern classic, this 1967 cartoon short was a combination of talent that perfectly fit the already brilliant children’s book written by the amazing and prolific Dr. Suess. Chuck Jones of Looney Tunes fame directed the animated masterpiece while the speaking role of the Grinch’s voice was given to Boris Karloff, a legend in film, particularly the ‘monster movies’ of the thirties and forties.

Again the message at the end is clear and Dr. Suess’ message rings true: Happiness and joy, may it be at Christmas or on any other day, are a product of what is in your heart, not in what objects surround you.

Merry Christmas!