A beautiful day for the Crawfish Festival
New Pavilion is at right.

We began, in the early part of the year, preparing for our 3rd Annual Crawfish Festival and Cook-off. The previous six weekends prior had been looking pretty gloomy, but two weeks out, we looked at the weather forecast and saw we were going to have a beautiful weekend for our Festival, and that is exactly how it turned out. The vision that a few of the Directors had several years back, has grown into a huge success story for the Chamber. Once we established the event, ideas were put into motion of an event that POC needed in attracting tourism.

No one really knows exactly how old the pavilion at King Fisher Park was –some say it was built in the mid 1960’s. This would mean the original structure was 50 some odd years old. I think we can all agree that it had served its purpose. The team of Chamber Directors decided to set a goal for a new pavilion. Within two years we raised enough money to put the wheels in motion and begin making this goal a reality. We then were approached by a very generous couple that wanted to help us make our vision happen, Larry & Sharilyn Carroll. A HUGE Thank you for being instrumental in moving this project along, goes out to not only the Carroll’s’, but also, Gary Cunningham with Tidelands, Bennie Ramirez of Ramirez Concrete Construction and GP Construction for helping us get this pavilion off the ground and in the air. It was a perfect setting for Crawfish Fest 2015. I may have walked many miles that day, but it was under shade most of the time! A great time was had by all. We had a total of 14 Crawfish Cook teams compete in the cook-off division, 11 in the side dish division and 10 in the Bloody Mary contest. We also had the crawfish eating contest that was entered by 20 contestants along with 27 craft vendors and 5 additional food vendors that serving BBQ, hamburgers, funnel cakes, blooming onions, fried Oreos, snow cones, crepes and much more. We had some great entertainment throughout the day. Boudreaux, of Rockport, started the event with his Cajun and zydeco music, next Andrea Marie and the Magnolia Band took the stage and we ended the day with some blues and old rock by the Mudcatz. AND we should not forget to mention that we sold a tad bit over 2000 lbs of mudbugs. Some asked ‘what are the funds from this event going to be used towards?’ and to answer that question, we still have electricity to put at the pavilion and basketball goals for the kids to play some basketball soon. It is our wish for all to enjoy this new pavilion and to take pride in King Fisher Park. If you happen to see vandalism or destruction happening, please do not hesitate to contact law enforcement.

I cannot THANK my team of directors, current and past, for all the support I have had during my term as Chamber President. Also, THANK YOU, to our Commissioners and Judge for all their support of the new pavilion and efforts in the destruction of the old pavilion, along with all the County workers that worked in such a professional manner with us throughout this entire project. This project shows that together we can make it happen. Please continue to support your Chamber of Commerce, especially the businesses in POC, as we continue to try and work to bring commerce to help your business prosper.

Thanks to all,
Mary Jo Walker, POC Chamber of Commerce President

A list of Sponsors and Volunteers is printed in the May 15 (print) issue of Dolphin Talk.

2,000 pounds of Crawfish
consumed at the
the 2015 Crawfish Festival

Gloria Fric with the Warrior’s Weekend sand sculpture
-Photo by Joy Fryou

Once again, my favorite lady, Gloria Fric, or more commonly known as the DRAGON LADY, is back in town! I was privileged to meet and talk with her on Thursday, the 16th of March, following her arrival in her camper accompanied by her loyal German Shepherd.

Speaking with Gloria and watching a portion of the 200 tons of sand arrive and be centered in the proper spot, I was previlidged to see her designs for the upcoming sand sculpture for Warrior’s Weekend here in POC. Gloria and her incredibly talented crew, with special artist, Karen Fralich from Canada in charge, have been working here on sand sculptures for seven exciting years. Each year they have brought another challenging view of an image that exemplifies what our Nation and its peoples owe to so very many. While we honor the heroes represented by Warrior’s Weekend, sadly, for 40 years or more the survivors of the conflict in Viet Nam were vilified and trashed; now, suddenly, they are finally receiving the respect they deserve.

I had the opportunity to really get to know Gloria and her stunningly talented crew of artists late one evening many years ago when they were pulling an overnighter due to weather. At that time, realizing the need for sugar and caffeine, I had made a large pan of chocolate and tasty cookie bars and Henry and I took it up to them, still warm from the oven. Later, Henry took one of our neighbors, an Army Veteran of Viet Nam, to see the work of these giving people. Our neighbor brought tears to the eyes of all those on site when he spoke of how much their work meant to him; and he also was the recipient of tears when these very wonderful people told him how much he meant to them. I won’t be tacky and say, “Pass the Kleenex, please”, but that was really what was needed, particularly when one after the other shared their experiences that friends, or relatives had told about their lives in Viet Nam and their experiences when returning to the States afterwards.
Gloria and her crew of artists honor our country’s defenders each year with a different, meaningful sand sculpture. My favorite was one done several years ago showing the boots of a soldier against the wall of names, and my photo was taken later showing a scorpion crossing the top of the boot.

This year there was a bit of a “hiccup” in the work as Gloria had fallen and broken the bones in her right wrist, thereby resulting in surgery and some time away from her project. As she had made an addition to the earlier plan, her presence was needed, broken bones and all, and therefore, she returned to the site with poise, enthusiasm, and just plain determination to resume her work. Actually, it was a very good action on her part arriving in POC two weeks early as several broken bones could not bring this lady down!

Glo received her name aka DRAGON LADY as a result of the many dragons she has sculpted in the sand for many years, many of them being Award Winning dragons. Both she and her sons and grand-daughters have spent many hours in the sand, putting together the long tail of each creature, and somehow, by many passersby admiring the dragon, she became known as “The Dragon Lady” – an appropriate “handle” for such a charming lady.

Gloria is somewhat of a world traveler, being born in Japan, educated in both France and Germany and many states in our country before arriving in Texas where her father retired from years in the Air Force. She then made Victoria, Texas, her home, graduating from Victoria High School where she keeps in constant contact with other fellow graduates in her class. But she continues to travel to many beach communities, constantly displaying her talent with once again, a stunning dragon. Her expressive face bearing a warm and congenial attitude shows that there are no strangers in her life; Gloria has beautiful dark eyes, a constant smile and a blond ponytail waving as she moves. This Lady Sparkles!

This is the seventh event in Port O’Connor for Gloria and her talented crew, and we trust we’ll see many of them again next year, captained by a totally healed Dragon Lady!

Start your family’s adventure of a lifetime!

Make this year the most exciting & enriching ever! Volunteer families are needed to host students, 15 to 18 year old boys and girls, from Germany, China, Brazil, Belgium, Italy, Czech Republic, Japan, Ecuador, South Korea, and several other countries. Families are able to review student applications and choose the boy or girl that best matches their family.

Host families provide: A bed, 3 meals a day as well as a loving environment, friendship and a desire to share American culture. The host family may also choose their own student that best fits into their family. SHARE! Students all speak English, come fully medically insured and with their own spending money for personal expenses. They attend the host family’s local high school for a school year or a semester.

Call Armi Today! 361-648-0775; sharesouthwest.org; facebook.com/sharesouthwest

Summertime is coming!  The official start to the summer season is Memorial Day and the weekend before.  So come out and enjoy the fun and fly your kite at the Annual Memorial Day Kite Flying Contest. It is Saturday May 23rd at the King Fisher Beach at 1pm. Registration will begin at 12:30.  So come out and put the windy weather to use and have some fun.  All ages welcome as well as all kinds of kites.