POC Service Club invites area seniors to our annual Christmas Luncheon, Friday, December 1, 2017 at 11:30 a.m. Please arrive a little early as the students from POC Elementary will be our special guests and will sing around 11:30. The luncheon is free and open to all seniors and their caregivers in our area. It is a very special community event and we are sure you will have a great time. If your health makes it an impossibility for you to attend our luncheon, we will deliver you a takeout plate around 1:00 p.m.. Please call Kelly Gee at 817-929-2564 to reserve a takeout plate or if you have any questions. If you are able to come, please do. You will not be disappointed. There will be parkers and greeters out front if you need assistance entering the building, so do not let that keep you home. We look forward to seeing you there.

Holidays in POC are pretty special. The day after the Senior Christmas Luncheon, we will host the Toy Run and the Lighted Boat Parade on December 2nd. Friday, December 8th the First Baptist Church will be hosting a fundraiser for Linda Tippett and John ‘Killer’ Williams from 3-7 p.m.. They will offer homemade venison chili, homemade cookies baked by the POC Service Club women and the opportunity to make a donation to rebuilding the barn destroyed by fire at Linda and Killer’s home. This user friendly, easy to help event means you drive by, pick up dinner, make a donation and help a neighbor and friend.

Saturday, December 9th is the VFD Gun Raffle and Fundraiser, and our community needs to help our hardworking first responders in this annual endeavor as it funds safety equipment and supplies. Christmas baskets will be given through the POC Benevolence Fund the third week and don’t forget the many Christmas parties and functions and the Chamber Lights and Décor contest. These events are unique to our community home and something to share with family and friends. Don’t miss out on them.

If you would like to donate to the Thanksgiving or Christmas Baskets distributed to those in need in our community, please give at any area church or the First National Bank. Your gift made payable to the POC Benevolence Fund will help families in need. There is also an account for Linda T’s rebuilding fund at the bank you can donate to if you can’t make it to the chili drive up. Chamber is looking for locals to enter their boats in the parade, so consider being a part of this fun tradition.

The POC Service Club is still taking donations of like new clothing, décor and household goods for our Spring Garage Sale scheduled for the first Saturday in April. You can call Donna Vuichard at 361-237-0476 if you need assistance in donating to our sale.

While the holidays are especially busy, many find a desire to give back and give more during this season. If you are looking for worthwhile projects, fun and friends the POC Service Club could be for you. Bring your elf self and check us out. We meet at the POC Community Center on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month at 10:00 AM. Women of all ages are welcome to join us.

So, until next time, be safe, live simply, love openly, forgive generously and remember this quote Canadian artist and Poet Charles D. Gill said in the late 1800’s who said, “There are many wonderful things that will never be done if you don’t do them.” It is the most wonderful time of the year to get involved with some of the things we are doing. You can come and do them too.

Showmanship Winner, Jack Spivey
of the Pisceles Team with Hooper

Friends of the Port O’Connor Library held a Chili and Gumbo Cook-off at Hooper’s Bar and Grill on Saturday, October 28th. Jim Hooper was the host extraordinaire to seven competitive teams of cooks and the Friends sold raffle tickets. All proceeds from the tasting fees and raffle were donated to the library fund bringing us one step closer to achieving the dream of library completion. The ghosts and goblins of Halloween weekend found fun and food at the cook-off and added funds to the library cause. Thanks to all who sampled and sipped and congratulations to the cooks who took the titles. And don’t worry if you missed it this year because of the other festivities in town. Hooper has held this fundraiser for several years and will be ready next year. Thanks for your amazing support of the new library Jim Hooper, and thanks to all the participants as well. Here is a list of the winners that day.

Winners
Showmanship – Pisceles -Leroy & JoAnn Taylor, Jack & Angie Spivey
Margarita – Nice Rack – Becky Thompson
1st Place Gumbo – Coastal Oaks Cowboys
Mark Vinklarek, Steve Stolle, Mike & Toni Massey
2nd Place Gumbo – Toasted Cookers – Lorrie Turner
3rd Place Gumbo – Team Potlicker – John Hafernick,
Easton & Cheyenne
1st Place Chili – Toasted Cookers – Lynn Turner
2nd Place Chili – Chili Power – Randy & Mary Czaplewski
3rd Place Chili – Coastal Oaks Cowboys
Mark Vinklarek, Steve Stolle, Mike & Toni Massey

Raffle Winners
Jackson Cruise 12 ft Kayak – Joe Wiatt
ATI Tactical Semi – Auto Gun – Phyllis & Mike Bricker
Coasta Sunglasses Donated by POC Rod & Gun – Paul McGee
Yeti Rambler Gift Set Donated by Speedy Stop – Nita Lange
Quilted Wall Hanging Donated by Peggy Elliott– Stacy Hein

Enjoying the fellowship at Thanksgiving Service

With holidays come traditions. One of the special Thanksgiving traditions in Port O’Connor is attending the Community Wide Thanksgiving Service. This time of prayer, praise, fellowship and offering is shared by all three local church families. The churches share hosting duties moving to a new site each year, and the church leadership shares preaching and prayer duties as well. St. Joseph Catholic Church welcomed the rest in to their home church this year, and made all feel especially welcome. The worship, fellowship and delicious food was a wonderful community experience. Pastor Erny McDonough of Fishermen’s Chapel delivered this year’s message of grace and gratefulness, while Pastor Donnie Martin of First Baptist and Father Tommy Chen of St. Joseph’s Catholic shared scripture and prayer. A special offering designated for the Thanksgiving Baskets distributed by the Benevolence Fund of POC was received. Thanks to all who worked so hard to make this a special time in our community.
-Kelly Gee

Santa Is Coming
Sunday, December 10th from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.
Port O’Connor Fire Department

A Honor Roll
Front Row: Laela Aranda, Riley Pagel, Haiden Dean, Eli Busby, Marcos Blanco
Middle Row: Connor Ferrell, Grace Brown, Audrey Rhoads, Abygail Gonzales, Bradley Eure
Back Row: McKenna Guevara, Emily Ferrell, Byron Ferrell, Brayson Thumann, Dane Spencer, Nicholas Ragusin, Landon Jones
Not Pictured: Emma Sanchez and Clara Stryker

AB Honor Roll
First Row: Remington Eure, Skyler Pessall, Mimi Mezzell, Madden Guevara, Lillyan Gibson
2nd Row: Matilyn Gibson, Corbin Washburn, Leon Hill, Christian Gutierrez, Pryncess Few
3rd Row: Cole Spicak, Jaydin Rhoads, Lyric Lopez, Alex Lopez, Rylie Ragusin, Anthony Flores, Layne Brown
4th Row: Christopher Richter, Jackie Gutierrez, Adrian Ramos, Holton Hadley, Antonio Gloria, Keegan Short, Justice Epley
Not Pictured: Avery Gosnell, Blake Bowman, Maddix Delgado

Perfect Attendance
1st Row: Lexi Ruddick, Bryce Sandy, Dalton Wyatt, Toruun Short, Helios Ochoa, Grant Gregory, Blaklei Ruddick
2nd Row: Aubrey Ragusin, Pierre Wilburn, Reid Thomas, Timothy Reneau, Isaiah Ochoa, Kolt Leiker
3rd Row: Mato Sanchez, Skyler Pessall, Riley Pagel, Madden Guevara, Haiden Dean, Marcos Blanco
4th Row: Cole Spicak, Caiden Hobbs, Leon Hill, Kailey Guzman, Abygail Gonzales,Leland Carriles, Laela Aranda, Bradley Eure, Waylon Thomas
5th Row: Alex Lopez, Lyric Lopez, Kamyla Guzman, Emily Ferrell, Byron Ferrell, Alexandriia Flores, Adamariz Zuniga, Kyndra Carriles, Landon Jones, Pryncess Few,
Antonio Gloria, Audrey Rhoads
Back Row: Keegan Short, Christopher Richter, Adrian Ramos, Jackie Gutierrez, McKenna Guevara, Holton Hadley
Not Pictured: Brynlen Eure, Trooper Sanchez, Avery Gosnell, Emma Sanchez, Clara Stryker, Stephen Bowman