Cody Hamilton Wins the Silver Stick Award - March 12, 2010
Submitted by Tammy Hamilton

Each year at the Shelby County Livestock Show a senior is selected to receive the coveted Silver Stick Award. This award is given in Memory of Mr. Bill Cooper by his family. This year’s recipient is Cody Hamilton.

Cody is a senior at Joaquin High School; he has been participating in the County Livestock Show since 1998. The show began in 1997, with the help of Mrs. Jane Cooper, and the next year a pee wee class was started. Cody began his show career with a pen of rabbits at the age of 5. After showing rabbits for a few years, Cody began raising goats and he has been showing goats ever since. He raised his first heifer when he was only eight, at that time you had to show a heifer before your first steer. Since then he has shown five steers and raised a scramble heifer. Cody always enjoyed raising and showing cattle, but the drop in the number of animals auctioned kept him from showing one anymore. Cody has been very fortunate to win several Grand Champion Awards, Reserve Champion Awards and other prizes. Because of many businesses and families like the Cooper’s continuing to give and support the kids in our community, many winners are still to come.

Cody would like to say “THANK YOU” to each and everyone who has ever given and supported the county show, because of you he will always have many fond memories to look back on.

Pictured is Cody Hamilton receiving his trophy belt buckle from his FFA Advisor and Ag Science Teacher Josie Nichols.

Pine Grove Residents and Staff Appreciate Hillcrest Baptist Church - March 12, 2010
Submitted by Peggy Hughes

Each Friday morning, David Lee, Sylvia Hearn and Allie Hughes bring smiles to our resident’s faces with the faithfulness of a handshake, a hug followed by an old fashioned Heavenly Highway sing along.

Bro. Vaughn then shares the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Bro. Vaughn has been a volunteer here since the building first opened many years ago.

Hillcrest Baptist, thank you for your personal touch in our residents lives each week!

I will do whatever you ask in my name” John 14:13

Thank You from Lacy White Terry - March 11, 2010
Submitted by Lacy White Terry

My family and I would like to thank everyone for the gifts, calls, visits, and especially the prayers, during my illness and hospital stay. God is good to me and has blessed me beyond measure with loving family and friends. Please continue to pray for me and may God bless each of you.

Your wholehearted efforts and the warmth you share clearly show how much you care of others.

This morning Gina Porterfield, Delicia Eaves, Christy Mills, Christene Borders, and Hugh Fleming shared the blessed hope of Christ in song, with the name of Jesus being lifted high. Some of the old familiar hymns sang were, This World is Not My Home, O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing, He Keeps Me Singing, and many more.

Pine Grove residents join in singing along.

This morning a special guest, Charles Gilbert shared his piano talents and was loved by all.

We invite you to join us the first Wednesday of each month at 10:00 AM to listen to Pastor Steve Harris, and the second Wednesday beginning at 10:00 AM the Border Sisters are faithful to come and sing.

Volunteers are helping people by touching lives!

Thank You From the McCollister Family - March 10, 2010
Submitted by Joyce Johnson

The family of Mr. Kenneth McCollister, would like to take this time to thank everyone for your prayers, flowers, food, phonecalls, and whatever you've done to console our hearts during our time of bereavement. We would like to extend a special thanks to Hicks Mortuary and our local VFW Post #8904. May God bless each of you.

Logansport AA and Al-non Recovery Group Meetings -March 09, 2010
Composed by Leah Williams

The Logansport Recovery Group would love to invite anyone in recovery to one of their meetings.They will be having AA and Al-non meetings on Monday at 7pm and Thursday at 8pm. The group in located at the Logansport Chamber of Commerce. All meetings will be open meetings. For more information please feel free to contact Regina at 936-248-3904.

Taylor Hughes took 1st runner-up for her solo in the Judges Choice Award at Talent on Parade competition in Texarkana Texas. She is the granddaughter of the late Mayor Steve Hughes of Joaquin and Lessie Hughes of Carthage.  Taylor also won lots of other awards for her group numbers.  She takes dance at Rowes.  She is 5th grade GT student at Baker Koonce in Carthgage.

Thank You From Daughters of the Republic of Texas - March 9, 2010
Submitted by Billie Dawson, Chapter President

The William Carroll Crawford Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, would like to thank the many people that helped to make our
“Republic of Texas Celebration” a success. Our Corp. Sponsors: State Farm Ins., Boles Feed, Ace Hardware, Monco Motors, Mangum Funeral Home,
Ray Jones Chevrolet, Napa Auto Parts, Center Tire, Nacogdoches Coca-Cola, Texas State Bank, O’Rielly Auto Parts, Farmers State Bank, Auto Trader.com, Town & Country Real Estate, Nobel Energy, Bounds Ins., Shelby Savings, Stock It & Lock It, Wal-Mart, and Brookshires. Individual Sponsors: Judy & Tommy Lee, Roscoe Mc Swain, Sarah Hribal, Lewis Jones, Venorah Mc Swain, Lavonne & Mike Wood, and Gail & Nolan Sholar.

A special thank you to the many community volunteers; Barbara Mc Clelland, Jennifer Whittlesey, Nora Robinson, Madeline Gill, Linda Perry, Carolyn Hooker, Linda Sholar, Terri Lacher, Kim Wolf, Kim Payne, Sommer Heardon, Elaine Bailey, Amber, Sally, Nicolle, Kerri, Penny, Roy Masterson, Dorman Edison, Steve Edison, Don Casto, Leonard Irish.

To the husbands of the DRT, I know thank you can not cover all the things you have done in preparation for our event as well as everything you did on Saturday, we know without you it would not be possible, so KUDOS TOO YOU!!!!

Our hope is that the community enjoyed the day as much as we did, we look forward to next March and dedicating the “Reba January James Heritage Library”

The money earned from this event is the beginning of the “Reba January James Heritage Library” fund. If you would like to donate to this fund you may send a check made out to WCC/DRT (put library fund in memo section) Elizabeth Pate, 394 CR 1601, Center, Texas 75935.

Thank You and God Bless Texas

The East Texas Disciples Meeting - March 8, 2010

The East Texas Disciples, a new chapter of the Christian Motorcyclist Association, is forming in Center. CMA National has chapters through out the USA and CMA International has chapters in 26 countries. Membership is approaching 150,000. There are no membership dues or fees. CMA is funded mainly by one fund raiser held in May each year called Run for the Son. Forty percent of the funds raised are used to support CMA. The other sixty percent is given at twenty percent each to, The open Doors Ministry (bibles distributed all over the world), The Jesus Film (shown world wide) and Missionary Ventures (motorcycles and other forms of transportation given to pastors and missionaries to enable them to get to small towns and villages). The only qualification for membership is that you are a Christian; you don't have to ride a motorcycle. The next meeting of the East Texas Disciples will be held at Sam Samford Lodge, located on Hwy 96 south between Hwy 7 and Loop 500 at 2:00pm.on March 13th. The State Coordinator and Northeast Texas area Representatives will be present. Weather permitting, ride your bikes. We will have a "Bike Blessing" and go for a ride after the meeting. Contact, Paul Ragan at 936488-1168 or paulragan@hughes.net for more information.

Timpson Volunteer Fire Department Thank You - March 5, 2010
Submitted by Beth Andrews

The Timpson Volunteer Fire Department would like to gratefully acknowledge contributions and thank all for their continued support.

James & Nita Foret and Don & Mary Gatliff all made donations to the Timpson VFD in memory of Gene Bogue.

Howell Glen Hudson and Lillian Courtney both made donations in memory of Wayne Oliver.

Relay for Life T-Shirts for Sale - March 5, 2010
Submitted by Kristin Whisenant

We still have Relay for Life t-shirts for sale. They are $18/each. Contact Kristin Whisenant at 591-9506, Christie Stringer 598-6627, or Tiffany Pope 591-8933.

Fifty Dollars Could Win You a 2010 Ford Mustang - March 4, 2010
Submitted by Martha Rushing

Farmers State Bank Employee Relay for Life Team will give away a Red 2010 Ford Mustang for a $50 donation raffle. Drawing will be held at the Shelby County Relay for Life 2010 on April 30 at 7pm at the Center Roughrider Stadium. All proceeds will go to the Shelby County Relay for Life fundraiser. For more informatin about Shelby County Relay for Life, visit Relay for Life online at http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=24203

Raffle Rules: You must be at least 18 years old to win. The winner will be responsible for all taxes, title, registration fees and insurance and vehicle will not be delivered until all taxes and fees have been paid by the winner. Winner must also provide a SSN, which will be used solely for filing IRS Form 1099 as per Federal Law. Purchase of raffle tickets are not tax-deductible contributions.

To purchase tickets, ask any Farmers State Bank employees

22nd Annual What-A-Melon Festival Logo Design Contest - March 4, 2010

Entries are now being accepted for the Annual What-A-Melon Festival Logo Design Contest.

Logo Design entries must be at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches and limited to no more than four (4) colors including (black). Entries must include the following elements in the design:

1) What-A-Melon
2) Center, Texas
3) July 8, 9, & 10, 2010

All designs must be original. Pictures will not be accepted. One entry per person. The winning design will become the property of the What-A-Melon Festival.

Entries should include on the back of the entry the name of the artist, address and phone number.

The contest is open to students, amateur and professional artists. Only one design will be chosen and the winner will be awarded $100.00.

Entries must be submitted to:
Vickie Hudson, Edward Jones Office
720 Hurst Street, Suite 1
Center, Texas

For More information, you may contact:
Vickie Hudson at 598-5011.

Entries will be accepted March 8-31, 2010