March 18: Randall McLemore; Thomas Skalak; Stefani Spears
March 19: Cheryl J. Finster; Heather Osborn; Wanda Redding; Darin Luna
March 21: Ashley Johnson; Wesley Hempel; Kaleigh Diaz
March 22: Matthew McCauley; Peggy Guy; Skylar Fisher
March 24: Joy Fryou; Tammy Davis
March 25: Richard Aguilar; Ray Castillo
March 26: Inez Gendke; Stephanie Smolik
March 27: Pedro Saenz; Brandon Smolik
March 29: Valerie Keller; Monique Morlan
April 1: Ronnie Shields; Gina Woods; Kim Boone
April 2: Mike Overton; Kayne Carriles
April 3: Sarah Apostalo; Ann Pesek; Rachel Gregory; Kevin Ragan; Brandon Hobbs; Tana Pavlicek
April 5: Kimberly Gonzales; Dennis Oliphant; Than Thuy Nguen; Sarah Kay Reneau
April 6: Collin Anderson
April 8: April Skalak; Kim Sonnier; Alexis Carriles; Frank DeLoach; Kay Middleton
April 9: Pam Hecox; Kierstyn O. Milligan
April 10: Eric Clark
April 11: Linda Spencer; Lesley Alstrom; Michaela Harper
April 12: Jeff Hobbs
April 13: Kenneth Gregory; Eva Meitzler; Dustin Whisenant
April 14: Toby Torres
April 15: Diana Hardegree; John Wayne Helm; Mary Estes

AA meets each Saturday night at 7 p.m. at First Baptist Church in Port O’Connor.
Seadrift Chamber of Commerce meets the third Thursday of each month, 6:00 p.m. at First National Bank meeting room, Seadrift
Commissioner’s Court meets the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month at 10 a.m., 1st Floor of the Court House, Port Lavaca.
Crossroads Astronomy Club meets at 7:00 p.m., third Mondays, at U of H, Victoria, Room 223 info: wes81461@yahoo.com   935-2016
Calhoun County Quilt Guild meets the first Wednesday of each month at 9:30 a.m. at the Fairgrounds Exhibit Building.
Calhoun County Democratic Club meets the last Thursday of the month at CASA (Christians Against Substance Abuse) meets each Thursday from 7-8 p.m. Call 361-652-7451 for meeting place.
First Baptist Youth Group (Port O’Connor) meets every Wednesday night from 6:00-7:00 p.m. Grades 6th – 12th; Team Kids Grades 1-5
Friday Night Youth meets each Friday, except the first of the month, at Fisherman’s Chapel, Port O’Connor, 7-10 pm
Port O’Connor Cemetery Association meets 3rd Thursday of each month at POC Community Center
Ladies Bible & Book Study is held every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall in Port O’Connor
VFW Post 4403 meets first Tuesday of each month. 552-3886
Open Mon-Friday; Closed Weekends R. Guitierrez 210-872-1198

Sun., March 20    Movie “War Room” 6:00 pm Fisherman’s Chapel, POC, Free Admission

Sat., March 26    Easter Egg Hunt 2:00 pm  First Baptist Fellowship Hall, POC

Sun., March 27    Easter Sunrise Service  7:00 am  King Fisher Beach, Port O’Connor

Sat., April 2    Roll Off Bin for POCID Customers   8:00-2:00    16th & Harrison

Tues., April 5    Seadrift City Council  7:00 pm  Seadrift City Hall

Tues., April 5    Bunco  7:00 pm  Port O’Connor Community Center

Sat., April 9    Service Club Garage Sale  8:00-2:00    Port O’Connor Community Center

Sat., April 9    Taco & Fajita Bar – Benefit Friends of POC Library  12:00-3:30    Josie’s  Restaurant Parking Lot

Joane and Erny McDonough

Joane and Erny McDonough, pastors of Fisherman’s Chapel, were honored as the 2016 Citizens of the Year at the February 11 Sweetheart Banquet in Port O’Connor. The Sweetheart Banquet is a much-anticipated, well-attended, yearly event held for the enjoyment of the community by Port O’Connor’s First Baptist Church. In addition to all the preparation and work that goes into an event like this, those on the Banquet committee put careful thought into honoring a person or persons whom they feel have been a real asset to the community. Considering their dedication to the Port O’Connor community for the past 20-plus years, the McDonoughs were a natural choice to receive this honor.

Leaving their careers in finance in Houston, and moving to Port O’Connor, “the end of the road”, was quite an adjustment. Instead of everything you need at your fingertips, there was Alvin’s Food Store and POC Hardware and that was about it. But Erny didn’t just sit back and enjoy the quiet laid-back atmosphere. He set out to knock on every door in town, meeting everyone he could, spreading God’s Word and inviting everyone who didn’t have a church home to Fisherman’s Chapel.

It wasn’t long before Erny and Joane were busier than they’d ever imagined they could be. In addition to preaching and pastoral care, Erny was meeting folks and making friends working as a carpenter and helping Joane out with her housekeeping business. Joane also worked at the Dolphin Talk and was instrumental in keeping the paper going after the death of editor Margaret Jennings.

About 15 years ago, they came up with the idea of “Friday Night Youth”, a time when all kids of the community could come together for food, fun and fellowship. With help from church and community members, “Friday Night Youth” is still going strong.

While continuing her commitment to the church’s children’s programs and the many duties of a pastor’s wife, Joane attended college and earned her Master’s Degree in Counseling, a skill she currently uses both professionally and personally. She has also become an ordained minister, preaching and teaching at women’s conferences in the area.

Erny is known by those who fish Poco Bueno as the guy at the dock who asks if they’d like to contribute their catch to those less fortunate. Many fishermen are generous with their catches, and hundreds of needy people receive fresh fish. When Erny and Joane’s son, Ray, arrives back at the parsonage yard, many church members and friends are there to clean and package the day’s catch. Other tournaments, such as Lone Star Shoot Out, have contributed their catches also, making Erny and his many helpers responsible for processing and distributing thousands of pounds of needed protein-rich food.

Erny enjoys the spirit of comaraderie between the Port O’Connor churches and says his greatest desire is for Port O’Connor to be known, not as just a great place for fishing, but a community where Christ’s love is evident to all who venture here.

Some people might think there’s nothing much to do in a place like Port O’Connor, but most residents will tell you there’s plenty to do if you’re willing to get involved. And Erny and Joane McDonough are certainly involved: preaching and teaching, counseling and serving, helping with fishing tournaments or helping others through the food pantry; they never stop. Friday Night Youth, Warriors Weekend, Men’s and Women’s Retreats, Kid’s Camps, Chili Cookoffs, Kooky Christmas in August and ManCamp at the farm…these are just some of the ministries and outreach programs that these two have led.

With kids and grandkids close by and lots of mentoring and helping others, they have no free time, but they do have a commitment level that is incomparable and a heart for serving others no matter the cost.

Congratulations, Joane and Erny! You deserve it! Blessings on you as you continue to serve!

Grace Stone

Grace Stone is a remarkable woman; one who has turned 100 years of age recently, but one whose day is not spent staring at a television set or bemoaning her age.  This is a woman of incredible talent and imagination and one who remains as active as her daughter, Susan Onishi, does.  She lives in a small home adjacent to her daughter’s home, and the inner walls of this building are covered with many examples of her beautiful needlework and quilting; many that have taken prizes at the County Fair.  And most days, you can see Mrs. Stone exercising joyfully as she walks six or seven blocks on streets near her home, or  climbing a long staircase on an adjacent home six or seven times. These activities resulted as she had to stop riding her bicycle at age 89.

Grace was born and raised in a small community about 100 miles north of New York City.  There she attended school, and had the joys of being able to walk from her home to school, something that many students are unable to do in these tempestuous times.  Following graduation from high school in that town, she found employment with the local Montgomery Ward’s store, rising to become the manager of three departments before retiring.  Seeking a new attitude in life, she moved “bag and baggage” to Deland, Florida, a city containing a university, several private schools, huge museums, and lots of antique stores; a city that holds residents of all ages and interests.  Mrs. Stone made her life there, meeting many people and forming many friendships as she continued her artistic endeavors,  one of which was learning to form very unusual basketry from raffia and pine needles, with an astonishing result.  One of the major museums in Deland now boasts several of her hooked rugs.

When Carl and Susan Onishi left Houston and moved to their home in Port O’Connor, finding it such an enjoyable place to live, Mrs. Stone believed it was time to relocate too. She says that Port O’Connor  is the perfect place for her at this time in her life, doing her favorite needlework, and visiting with friends.  She also is an avid reader, enjoying some of the westerns that are available in our Library, and attends the Tuesday morning luncheons at the Community Center, and playing bingo, and winning.  Both she and Susan love watching football games on television; primarily pro games, and she is an avid rooter for the Houston Texans.  And since their freezer is stocked with Blue Bell ice cream, half-time during a game becomes a treat.

Not one to demand or complain, this delightful lady is not just self-sufficient, but very adamant  that “of course, she can do it”; she has a delightfully wry sense of humor with a charming smile on her face.  A beautiful woman who is small in stature with a pile of white hair that she wears twisted into a knot on the top of her head,  she lives each day with the philosophy that   “life’s too short not to have fun each day”, and this woman intends to keep doing that day by day.

Her greatest accomplishment in life is knowing that she raised her children well; they are both happy, healthy and successful in life.  She also says that she is only 100, but her spirit is younger and she has many years ahead of her.  And the plans for later this year will be designing and constructing bird houses out of some reclaimed lumber Susan has accumulated.  But she has also fallen prey to the latest adult pleasure of coloring designs of all types, and Susan has just purchased a large amount of coloring pencils for their enjoyment.

Although Mrs. Stone’s birth date is February 8, her birthday celebrations began in January and have lasted more than a month. It began with a visit from family members from California, then more family arrived from Chicago and Florida, followed by a visit from friends from Dripping Springs, Texas.

She enjoyed several luncheon dates, a birthday celebration at Fisherman’s Chapel, celebration with “100th” T-shirts at the Tuesday, February 16, Senior Lunch, birthday greetings posted on the large bulletin board at the POC Fire Station, five birthday cakes, plus several flower arrangements and plants and boxes of candy.
Of all this recognition, perhaps the most touching to her was receiving more than 150 birthday cards. According to Grace, all this celebrating has left her “a little tired, but a lot happy”.

Celebrating Grace’s Birthday at the Senior Citizens Luncheon

Marvin and Biddie Hileman (pictured with banquet emcee Doyle Adams) were honored at the 2016 Sweetheart Banquet as the longest married couple. Marvin and Biddie fell in love as school kids and he married Biddie at the tender age of 16. She had not finished school yet, so for two years she made the best grades ever since she had to bring her report card home for him to sign each semester. She never wanted to disappoint him. Kids and grandkids and lots of living later, she still loves him and wants to make him happy. They must be doing something right. Congratulations Marvin and Biddie Hileman.

John & Ashley Wyatt met in early 2014 at Ashley’s work and immediately hit it off. Engaged in April 2015, they went on to marry on a Texas ranch in November 2015 among friends and family. Ashley says they have the perfect marriage. “He does almost all the cooking and I do all the baking.” In their free time, which is a rarity these days, they love to go fishing on their boat. These two were the most newly married couple at the 2016 Sweetheart Banquet.
Congratulations John and Ashley!

Joan and Rob Childs met on Match.com following loss and sadness in both their lives. Life had lots in store for these two. They went on long dates and long walks through a short courtship that led to marriage six short months ago. They were honored as the second most newly married at the 2016 Sweetheart Banquet.
Rob and Joan are retired and love spending winter time on the Texas coast. They married on an Alaskan cruise, but the love has never been chilly and life is happy for these two newlyweds.
Congratulation Joan and Rob!