The 6th Annual Gumbo and Chili Cookoff as staged by Jim Hooper of Hurricane Junction is set for Saturday, October 25, 2014 at the Hurricane, located on 15th and Maple Streets.   Contestants with their superlative and authentic family recipes of gumbo are urged to contact Hoop for more information concerning this exciting happening.  And those Texan cooks who excel in the preparation of chili should also get in line quickly.  Besides, Guys, a team of females from Austin took 1st Place last year with their Chili!

As there will be a number of entries from teams composed of just plain cooks as well as those being sponsored by an organization or business, that Saturday will become a lively affair in the area outside the Hurricane.  Requirements for each entry consist of preparing and cooking your special dish on a propane-butane stove that you bring with you.  There will be electrical capacities set for the usage of fans etc., but ALL COOKING MUST BE DONE IN YOUR AREA ON GROUNDS OF THE HURRICANE.  Other requirements are that there will be NO beans in the chili and NO rice in the gumbo.  A minimum entry fee with a maximum of 4 persons per team will be charged with your entry form.  However, only 1 chili or 1 gumbo per entry is allowed per team.

A panel of judges will be there to do a blind taste test of each entry, (aren’t all judges supposed to be blind?), and we will be honored to have an incredible group of mostly sighted people to perform that illustrious task.  As Hoop will be the Person In Charge, there will be no favoritism or special gifts sent to the judges by any entrant allowed prior to the judging.

The public is definitely welcome to come by and see their favorite team of cooks in action and give moral support to each.  Additionally, bowls to sample the many entries will be available for a minimal charge.   Setting up the individual cooking areas will start at 9:00 a.m.; and the judging should commence about 4:30 p.m. inside the Hurricane.  Following the judging the final bidding on the silent auction will commence.  And if those items for the auction are anything similar to last year’s, the winning purchaser will definitely go home happy.

So, guys and gals, get your favorite organization or business to sponsor a team of cooks for this Event.  Hoop says he has at least 20  spots for teams to set up their places   and strut their stuff!

And once again, Hoop will donate the funds from this event to our Library’s Building Fund.  So, we invite anyone with a yearning to compete in a cookoff, to contact Hoop for entry forms, and we also invite all interested persons that Saturday to come and see what a cookoff entails.  Besides, the aromas from the various entries will certainly be more than enough to inspire you to stop and check out this event.  And when you check out some of the prizes available on the Silent Auction, you will definitely be tempted to stay and put in your bids.

If anyone is unable to be present on that Saturday, please remember that all donations can be delivered to Hoop personally at the Hurricane or to Shirley Gordon, our Librarian, at our Library on 6th & Adams Street.  And Hoop, being the sponsor of this event, has made a very emphatic statement that all monies received will return to our community.

Lion President Rachel Enax, Seadrift Principal Dwana Finster, and several teachers of Kindergarten, First, and Second grades

On Friday and Saturday, August 8 and 9, the Seadrift Lions hosted their second annual school supply drive at Dick’s Food Store in Seadrift to benefit the students of the Seadrift Elementary and Middle Schools. Thanks to the generosity of residents and weekend visitors, we collected $254.10 in cash donations and numerous bags and boxes of school supplies. Additional supplies will be purchased at mid-term using some of the donations collected based upon the needs of the school at that time.

We would like to especially thank Dick’s Food Store for supporting the Lions Club and allowing us to use their parking lot, not just for this event but also our blood drives and other fundraising events.

Lions Clubs International is the world’s largest service club organization with nearly 1.4 million members in approximately 45,000 clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas around the world. Since 1917, Lions clubs have aided the blind and visually impaired and made a strong commitment to community service and serving youth throughout the world. For more information about Lions Clubs International, visit the Web site at www.lionsclubs.org.

POC Lions Club President Lynn Reeves presents a check for school supplies to Judy Anderson. Also pictured, Lion Joyce Jordan.

Members of the Port O’Connor Lions Club participated in the collection of school supplies and cash donations from the community at Speedy Stop and First National Bank – Port O’Connor during the month of August until after Labor Day Weekend. Donation cans and blue tubs were placed at these establishments to receive donations of cash or supplies to be given to the Port O’Connor Elementary School. In addition, two members, Lynn Reeves, President and Zone 12 Chairman, and Joyce Jordan were at Speedy Stop on Saturday, August 16th from 9:00 a.m. until around noon to personally accept donations. The community and visitors to POC responded very well. The first installment of funds collected were presented to Ms. Judy Anderson, Teacher, at POC Elementary by Lynn Reeves and Joyce Jordan in the form of a check in the amount of $438. just at the beginning of school.

The second and final installment of cash in the amount of $162. and two tubs of school supplies received were presented to Principal Tiffany O’Donnell by members Dell Weathersby and Joyce Jordan after the Labor Day Weekend.

Thanks to John at Speedy Stop and all the Speedy Stop employees and also thanks to Dell at First National Bank – Port O’Connor along with the First National Bank employees who all helped in the collection of cash and donations for the Port O’Connor Lions Club School Supply Project in order to make this a success on behalf of the Port O’Connor Elementary School. Our thanks also go out to all those who willingly and generously gave donations, without which we could not have succeeded to present the total of $600. to the school along with the school supplies. And just think, many of the donors were from out of town.

THANKS TO ALL, WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU!

For information on the Port O’Connor Lions Club projects or to get information on how you can join our team, please call either Lynn Reeves at 361-746-2524 or Joyce Jordan at 361-655-7999. We are part of Lions International and as such help support the Lions Eye Bank of Texas, Texas Lions Camp for handicapped and diabetic children located in Kerrville, White Cane Day, the collection of used eyeglasses for refurbishment and re-distribution by the Lions Eyeglass Recycling Center to those who cannot afford eyeglasses, Leader Dogs for the Blind, World Services for the Blind and Texas Lions Foundation along with other humanitarian projects. Our other recent project for the community was to provide swimming lessons for the children of Port O’Connor through the help of the POC Elementary School and Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Clark.

Should you have any used eyeglasses, please deposit them in the yellow box at Cathy’s Restaurant and thanks for those who have already done so.

State Representative Geanie Morrison and Calhoun County Republican Club President, Larry Robinson

State Representative Geanie W. Morrison, R-District 30, updated members of the Calhoun County Republican Club on the status of Texas House of Representative Committees; and on the financial impact that securing our borders and housing/educating illegal immigrants costs Texas taxpayers.

Guest speakers for the next meeting on October 6, 2014, will be U.S. Congressman Blake Farenthold, R-District 27, and Lois Kolkhorst (R), a candidate for SD 18 should Senator Glenn Hegar win the November, 2014, election for State Comptroller. Before taking the oath of office for Comptroller, Senator Hegar will resign his Senate seat and a special election will be called to fill his unexpired term.

In business matters, Anna Goodman was elected to serve as CCRC Treasurer and the meeting time was pushed back to 5:30 pm to accommodate members who work out of town.

Please note that a meal of $7.00 will be served at the new time of 5:30 pm. Reservations are recommended but are not necessary. Call 281/898-6057 to RSVP or for more information. Speakers will start at 6:00 p.m. Meeting will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, Port Lavaca.

Topic: Affordable Health Care Act

The Calhoun County Democrats Club meets Thursday, September 25, with social at 5:30 p.m. and meeting at 6 p.m. at the American G.I. Forum, 2718 West Main (HWY 87 between Finca’s Cafe and Rexco).

The speakers, Keith Rucker and Arturo Lara, Gulf Bend Center Health Care Navigators, will give a presentation on the Affordable Health Care Act and how it relates to you. Question and answer session to follow. Re-enrollment starts November 15, 2014.

The public is invited. Come one! Come all! For more information, please call Evelyn Burleson at 552.2791 or 210.232.8066.