Ground breaking for the new Port O’Connor Library.

The New Port O’Connor Library

On the cool and breezy morning of October 27 the Friends of The Port O’Connor Library (FPOCL) celebrated with friends, neighbors, community leaders and invited dignitaries the groundbreaking for the new POC Library. This beautiful community resource will have something for everyone. Not only will it house a large collection of books, e-books, periodicals, media, music and movies, but it will offer children, youth and adult reading areas, commuter lab access and wifi zone, large meeting space and community use room. The beautiful design allows for people of all ages and various needs to have resources and room that have been lacking in our current space. The current library space has been utilized for many years and has no room to grow. The new library building will be adjacent to the current location, with the entrance on Main Street. It will be donated to Calhoun County and remain a part of the Calhoun Library System. It will house displays of our area history, interactive learning centers, space for classes and meetings, safe and dedicated children’s space, and endless potential for personal growth and learning. The building going up on site now is the start.

The ground breaking celebration was exuberant with more than 100 neighbors and friends, several local business owners and many special guests who were instrumental in making the dream of a new library happen including Mr. Jim Stofer who generously donated 2 lots to Calhoun County for the building site through the Stofer-McNeel Trust in honor of Preston-Rose Austin, Buddy Kamin of Kamin Furniture who generously donated furniture for the comfortable reading area, county officials Nancy Pomykal (who served as Mistress of Ceremonies), Commissioner Kenny Finster’s family, County Commissioner David Hall, multiple Chamber of Commerce members and Officers, Friends of the Library Board of Directors past and present, Texas State Representative Geanie Morrison, project supporter Teek Miller plus other individuals involved and invested in the success of the new library.

Ursula Price, FPOCL President, Marie Hawes, POC Service Club, Vera Wiatt FPOCL Board, Darla Parker Chamber President, Lynn Luster, FPOCL Capital Campaign Chair, Nancy Childers who was part of the original dreamers who incorporated the FPOCL in 1988 and others led the shovel brigade as Golden (painted) shovels adorned with bows in the signature logo blue and white were enthusiastically used to toss the ceremonial shovels of dirt up symbolizing the first phase of building the new library. With a goal of a completed exterior by December 1, the work is moving forward rapidly.

While there are still some funds and gifts needed to complete the project, the progress has been amazing and the community support invaluable. Opportunities to be a part Phase 2, which will complete the new POC Library, abound. Sale of Christmas Poinsettias begins now and will be delivered Dec 1 & 2 for holiday enjoyment. Brick pavers for the entrance are available for purchase by businesses or individuals make great gifts, honorariums or memorials. The online website for ordering either of these offers a large array of options for personalizing and making the most out of your paver purchase and provides detailed information about donating. Your help is tax deductible and benefits our community. After the holidays, the FPOCL Board of Directors and community supporters will push forward to raise the remaining money and gifts needed to bring the dream into reality by Spring of 2018. Thanks to the more than 500 donors who have responded to previous fundraising with donations and in-kind donations of services such as plumbing and HVAC and landscaping. Without your generous support, the library would not be growing. If you would like to know more, please visit the website at www.friendsofportoconnorlibrary.org/donate

Be sure to go by 506 Main and see the progress often. It is our library, so don’t miss seeing it grow.

There is always a lot of talk about the ‘War on Christmas’ and let me express, I think there is one, but it does not come from the lone voices who prefer to say ‘Happy Holidays’ over ‘Merry Christmas;’ it is the corporate greed that keeps many families from enjoying the holidays with all of their loved ones.

More stores are either open on the holiday itself or they open so early after the holiday that none of those people working at the retail location can even sniff the turkey or unwrap a present before rushing out to barter with people who might knock you out over a toaster or trample you as they rush to get these one-of-a-kind bargains, that have actually caused injury and/or loss of life.

All you have to do is type ‘Black Friday’ into Google or YouTube and you will be assaulted by numerous articles and videos that describe scenes that seem straight out of a post apocalyptic film where all the food and water have run out.

The basis of the holidays, without getting into a debate about history or religion, is to love your fellow human beings and foster a brotherhood of kindness, not trample over people as if your life depended on worthless baubles that are usually no lower priced then most days the store is operating, bar those two or three ridiculously low priced wares that they have a very limited supply of to draw you in.

In October I turned forty years of age and it seems that at certain points, regardless of how young at heart you are or how progressively you think, the world seems to take on a different hue at that point, as if the world has shifted just enough to make the changes stand out.

We always recall a simpler time, which, although it was never as simple as it seemed, and the properties of childhood and youth play a part, there is an undeniable feeling that the greed at this time of year is moving upwards, while the specialness of the holidays seems to be washed away in consumerism.

Personally, for the last five years I have been alone every holiday or birthday, which may sound depressing but I stated it to make a point: How can someone who does not even get all the baubles and roast beast dinners grasp the concept of the season better than those who have the trappings of the holidays in abundance?

In my opinion, it is the fact that the very message of Christ, regardless of personal belief, was all about being humble and loving all around you. Thing is, even Jesus understood the dangers of greed and the money changers being in the temple.

So I have a strong desire to flip those tables over when I see things like one video, where a woman almost knocks over a toddler age child while attempting to pry whatever rare [sic] commodity the child had in her hands.

So there is indeed a war on for the values of the holiday season that we have come to know in the West, but I think most people might be fighting on the wrong fronts. Time to recall the true meaning and not just while watching Dickens’ A Christmas Carole.

As the year comes to an end we can look forward to the Holidays.. The major ones are, of course, Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are others including the one to celebrate the ending of the old and the beginning of the new.

These year-end celebrations seem logical milestones in the cycles of the years that our planet makes. It is somewhat ironical that there is not this confluence of celebration in our individual lives. Perhaps that is because there is not a readily apparent cycle to the ending of a life.

It is true that many religions teach some version of a cycle to an individual’s life. Many of those versions teach of going to a better place. Some have a version of naughty or nice destinations depending of what has transpired in the individual life. Some teach of a restart or try over till one gets it right according to that belief. And some just believe there is an end and nothing more.

Hopefully, those that teach a version of going to higher planes are correct. We all are aware of the saying that ‘Getting old is not for Sissies.’ This is probably because all of us notice a deterioration of some, if not many, of the aspects of our life as we age.

I, for instance, have lost enough of my sight that I am no longer able to drive. An injury to my left leg has deteriorated to the point that my preference is to sit rather than move about. When I do move, a cane become more and more preferable, The loss of hearing makes communication difficult. Oh, if only folks would mumble less.

Some of the miracles of technology are DVR’s for TV which allows skipping through loud commercials, especially those for all those pills or injections that are supposed to cure the problems of age. I am pleased with E-readers that make the font big enough so these tired old eyes can still read. The fact is that here in the middle of my eighth decade there is a noticeable fade of exuberance.

Many of my relatives, acquaintances and erstwhile friends have “passed” to where I know not, but know where I hope they have gone. All my life I have wondered why those rituals called funerals are so often sad rather than joyous instead of celebrations like our traditional year-end ones like Thanksgiving or Christmas or even New Year’s Eve.

That celebratory type of transition of the yearly cycle seems to be more appropriate to those who believe in a “better place” than the sadness of a funeral.

These more of less melancholy thoughts are the results of the coming year end celebrations, the recent loss of respected friends, reflections on past joys and losses. They also include my own aches, pains as they have reduced my year end happiness.

So, I apologize and wish you a very happy rest of this year’s celebration.

I am truly glad this year is almost over! All we have left to do for 2017 is to “Count Our Blessings” and “Celebrate Our Lord’s Birth”! Both of these events come with a lot of activities for the Chapel.

Our Community Thanksgiving Celebration was a time for us to come together in “community” and give thanks for our Lord’s blessings. The Catholic Church did a wonderful job of hosting our community and the St. Joseph’s ladies did a splendid job of providing a time of fellowship around the tables. It is always good for us to come together, especially at Thanksgiving time to celebrate our common faith!

We received a special offering, which is combined with the giving of the Women’s Service Club, the individual churches, and special friends, to provide the food necessary for our Thanksgiving and Christmas Food Baskets. This year the needs have been greater, but together we are meeting the needs. The sign up deadline is Sunday, November 19. Please call 361/218-6693 if you need a food basket or know of someone who is in need. Remember, we attempt to feed NEED, not GREED! Baskets will be distributed on Tuesday, November 21, in time for Thanksgiving at the Chapel.

On Sunday, November 19, we will be having a special Thanksgiving All Church Fellowship. The Chapel will be providing King Ranch Chicken, and the side dishes will be provided by the congregates. Everyone is invited to attend with the activities beginning at 6:00 p.m. There will be plenty of time for fellowship and some excellent food to enjoy together.

Christmas activities begin almost immediately after Thanksgiving. We do not celebrate “Black Friday” at the Chapel, but we get the church decorated and ready for all our Christmas events.

On Sunday, December 3, we will host the ministry of Ric Gorden. Most will remember Ric’s unique singing style and the many songs he has written. No one who hears this outstanding minister will leave disappointed. Everyone is welcome to attend the 10:00 a.m. Bible Study time and the 11:00 a.m. Morning Service which will feature our special guest, Ric Gorden.

Our Christmas Sunday will be December 17. In the morning service, our children, under the direction of Angie Alderete, will be featured. We always enjoy our kids and they love to be a part of the Christmas activities. Our famed Christmas Party will begin at 6:00 p.m. on that date. Only those who enjoy great food, fellowship, and a lot of fun with much laughter are invited. We will share “white elephant gifts” during those activities.

On Wednesday, December 20, we will be going around our community singing Christmas Carols. We will return to the Chapel for some refreshments, including hot chocolate. When weather permits, we ride on an open trailer, sitting atop some hay bales. We just go around town singing at several houses along the way. It is a lot of fun and everyone is invited to participate.

On Christmas Eve, Sunday December 24, we will be having only one service, which will begin at 10:30 a.m. There will be no morning Bible Study or evening service to give families opportunity to be together and celebrate Jesus’ Birthday.

For those needing a Christmas Food Basket, we will be distributing them on December 19.

We sincerely believe one can never make it to appreciating the Manger and all that it means until they have been through Thanksgiving! Make Thanksgiving special and see the rewards it will bring.

The Chapel is an inter-denominational congregation whose goal is to see people have a better relationship with their Creator through Jesus Christ. One will always find a warm welcome at the Chapel and are all urged to, “Come, grow with us!”