Shelby County Today

April 6, 2018 - The Angelina and Sabine National Forests are looking for volunteers to serve as campground hosts at two recreation areas.

Hosts are needed at Boykin Springs Recreation Area in Angelina National Forest, near Zavalla; and Red Hill Lake campground in Sabine National Forest, near Hemphill. 

In exchange for a camp site for their RV or trailer, hosts would be required to work a minimum of 20 hours per week mostly during daylight hours, most weekends and all holidays during the recreation season. Duties include mowing, performing minor repairs, cleaning picnic areas, shelters and bathrooms and interacting with the public.

For applications or more information, contact Marsha Cooper at mcooper@fs.fed.us or call 409-344 409-625-1940, extension 1013.

April 5, 2018 - The Shelby County Children’s Advocacy Center would like to thank Farmers State Bank for sponsoring this year’s butterfly release in honor of Child Abuse Awareness Month. We would also like to express gratitude to all those who attended. With your ongoing support, we can protect our children, stop abuse, and build a strong and prosperous future for our community.

All photos by Stephanie Snell

April 4, 2018 - The Seven Sisters Red Hat Ladies group met for their last official meeting in March at Rancho Grande in Center. The local group began some 15 years ago with the actual seven Thompson sisters meeting for lunch and other ladies were invited to attend.  

Winona Preston was the first Queen Mum of the group and recently Trudie Willis was Queen. All the ladies in the group have enjoyed the lunches and other activities but age and health concerns have hindered the group so it was decided to disband, at this time. The official Red Hat Ladies group began in 2001 and was started for older ladies to have lunch, a time of fun, and wear purple with red hats. 

The Seven Sisters Red Hat Group is no more, but the seven Thompson sisters, originally of Paxton, will still get together for family get togethers and will always remember their Red Hat sisters and the fun times they had.

April 3, 2018 - Shelby County VFW Post 8904 and the Auxiliary gathered on the downtown Center square at the Veterans memorial to honor those who served during "Operation Restore Hope" on Friday, March 30, 2018.

Larry Hume, Quartermaster, welcomed everyone and invited Chaplain Cynthia Islas to give the invocation.

Honoring those who served in Somalia, Hume said, "Americans consider themselves to be a compassionate people, and the United States military has a long tradition of humanitarian relief operations both within and outside the continental United States. And never has this humanitarian impulse proven more dangerous to follow than in 1992 when the United States intervened to arrest famine in the midst of an ongoing civil war in the East African country of Somalia. Ultimately hundreds of thousands were saved from starvation, but unintended involvement in Somalia’s civil strife cost the lives of thirty American Soldiers, four Marines, and eight Air Force personnel during the years of 1992 to 1994. The American military had established the conditions for peace in midst of a famine and civil war but unlike later in Bosnia, the factions were not exhausted from the fighting and were not yet willing to stop killing each other and anyone caught in the middle. There was no peace to keep and the United States withdrew all military combat troops in March of 1994. The American G.I. had, as always, done their best under difficult circumstances to perform a complex and often confusing mission. But the best military in the world can only lay the foundation for peace; they cannot create peace itself."

"And this morning we are going to lay our memorial wreath in honor of all those who served. Doing the honors this morning is a veteran, Mike Langford, who actually served in Somalia flying missions in and out taking cargo and so forth," stated Hume before inviting Langford to place the memorial wreath. Additional Somalia Veterans recognized were Sean Martin and the sister of Leigh Porterfield, Rena Rogers.

Taps was then sounded by bugler Mike Langford to end the ceremony.

Following the program, Hume gave special recognition, “One week ago we recognized a couple of people for their donation of hours to our Post Honor Guard. We gave Mary Fausett a 100 hours certificate and we gave Commander Hutto a 150 hours pin.” Hume continued, “We have today a 300 hour volunteer pin for Senior-Vice Commander Newton Johnson.” Hume then expressed appreciation to the three for all their efforts and time donated to the Honor Guard and said the families all appreciate it.