Chamber Connection For July 25, 2019
By Lezley Brown, Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce president/CEO
I’m just so excited about the upcoming 4th Annual Chamber of Commerce Photography Contest! Let me review the basics. Anyone of any age can enter as we have a children’s category. The picture must be newer than Jan. 1, 2017, and must have been taken in Hopkins County. The contest will be open from Aug. 1 to Aug. 31. There are seven categories you may enter: Natural World, Travel, People, The Hopkins County Experience, Altered Images, Mobile and Children’s Category. Only digital images are accepted (no prints). To submit your photograph, email the picture to [email protected]. Rules and releases will be available on the Chamber of Commerce website. I cannot wait to see your beautiful photos!
It’s time again for a huge night of networking sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce! The Chamber is hosting The Chamber Showcase, a night of networking that features Chamber members in Hopkins County, on Thursday, Aug. 1, at the Sulphur Springs Country Club. Booth space is already sold out, but we encourage you attend the event for $10 and enjoy the opportunity to do it all in one night … just imagine food show + exhibit hall + speed networking! This will be a huge value and opportunity for you and your business! Only Chamber members may host booths, but anyone may attend to network and meet business professionals from our area. You will be so glad you came! Call the Chamber at (903) 885-6515 to ask questions or make reservations.
The Chamber is excited to announce our vendor call for the Stew Fest Market! The Chamber is currently accepting vendors for the Stew Fest Market, which will be located on the south side of Buford Park during Friday night and Saturday Stew Contest activities. This is a great opportunity to sell goods or to promote your business to 7,000 people who attend the Stew Contest annually. Vendors may rent booth space to sell goods or distribute information about their business. Booths will be assigned on a first-paid basis. Access to electricity is not guaranteed. Generators are permitted. Desserts may be sold, but no other food or drinks may be distributed. Vendors who are interested in purchasing booth space, call the Chamber of Commerce at (903) 885-6515.
Every year, the Chamber allows a non-profit organization to sell drinks at the Stew Cook-off. There are several rules and regulations to follow, but if you are interested in placing your organization’s name in the hat, please call the Chamber. You will be asked to come in and sign an understanding agreement in regard to rules and expectations. Deadline for volunteers is August 30th. Once we have all our volunteers in place, we will literally pick one out of a hat and award drink sales to that organization. Please call if you have any questions.
Aaaaaaannnnd, let me not forget to mention that we are preparing to send out the Cook and Sponsor letters for the 49th Stew Contest as we speak. Check your mailboxes and our website for information about stew very soon!
Main Street Theater Children’s Workshop Presents Jungle Book
The Main Street Theater Children’s Summer Workshop Presents Jungle Book on two upcoming weekends. The first weekend is July 26 and 27 at 7 p.m., with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on the 28th. The second weekend of performances will be Aug. 2 and 3 at 7 p.m., with a matinee performance on the 4th at 2 p.m. Online reservations can be made at www.communityplayersinc.com or by calling (903) 885-0107. Main Street is located at 225 Main Street in Sulphur Springs.
CANHelp is hosting their 2019 Back to School Fair on Friday Aug. 9 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
CANHelp is hosting their 2019 Back to School Fair! Through the support of community and corporate sponsors, this event will be a one-stop destination to prepare the whole family for the start of school! The fair will offer free health and vision screenings, dental screenings and fluoride applications, immunizations for children and adults, haircuts, food and drinks, backpacks and school supplies (for low and moderate-income families of Hopkins County) and more. The 2019 Back to School Fair is scheduled for Friday, August 9th from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Hopkins County Civic Center, 1200 Houston Street in Sulphur Springs. You must register for school supplies in advance. Call CANHelp at (903) 885-9797 (ext. 1) or visit www.canhelponline.org for more details.
Alliance Bank is hosting a Cash Camp
Alliance Bank is hosting a free educational day for students in 7th-12th grade called Cash Camp. It is designed to teach students about budgeting, about determining wants vs. needs, and about learning banking terms and financial principles. It will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Students in 7th-9th grades will attend from 9 to 11:30 a.m., with lunch being served at 11:30 a.m. Students in 10th-12th grades will attend from 12:30 to 3 p.m., with lunch being served at 11:30 a.m. as well. Cash Camp will be held at Clarion Pointe, located at 411 East Industrial Drive in Sulphur Springs. Admission is free, but you must reserve your spot before they fill up. To sign up, call Charlotte McFadden at (903) 885-2187 or email at [email protected].
Ribbon Cutting
Meraki hosted one-year anniversary celebration
Meraki, located at 217 Main Street in Sulphur Springs, hosted their one-year anniversary celebration and ribbon cutting at noon Wednesday, July 10. Make sure to go by and congratulate Meraki on their first year of business in Hopkins County.
Bountiful Blessings Served Weekly At The Dinner Bell
Sheriff’s Office Recognized For Assistance To Community
Bountiful blessings are served up each week at the Dinner Bell by volunteers, sponsors and patrons.
July 24, 2019 – Each Tuesday a group of dedicated volunteers from First United Methodist, St. Philip’s Episcopal and other churches gather to chop, stuff, dress and otherwise prepare what is often more than 100 pounds of vegetables and meats. They are then joined Wednesday by more community members, who dedicate their time to help cook and serve lunch to Dinner Bell patrons.
“We’re happy to do it. It’s a wonderful thing to be involved in,” said Judy Gilreath with Dinner Bell.
People from community businesses and organizations too get in on the blessing by helping to sponsor the costs of food for the weekly meal and helping serve those who partake of it.
“If you want to help, we want you,” said Gilreath.
This week, Dinner Bell Chair Jimmy Jones extended special thanks to Hopkins County Sheriff Lewis Tatum and the sheriff’s office for “all the assistance given to the community.” One of the many ways that’s done is through the sheriff’s office’s trustees program.
Jones expressed appreciation to the county employee and jail trustees in the program for their help each week at Dinner Bell, as well as the sheriff and staff for providing it.
Male trustees, under the supervision of a county employee, arrive early each week to set up tables for Dinner Bell patrons, eat with them, then take down and store the tables and chairs so they’re returned to order for other church activities. This week, Dinner Bell volunteers were also joined by a group of female trustees, sheriff’s office staff and emergency management personnel, who were excited to have the opportunity to help out serve.
“They are a service to us. Thank you, sheriff’s office, for providing this service to us,” said Jones said prior to the July 24 meal.
Anyone or business interested in volunteering or sponsoring a Wednesday Dinner Bell meal is encouraged to call 903-885-2185.
The Dinner Bell ministry was started to help combat hunger in Hopkins County by providing fresh, hot, nutritious meals to anyone in need of a lunch on Wednesdays. The first meals were served on Feb. 1, 2012.
On average, 175 plates are served to people of all ages, from children to elderly, who visit FUMC’s Fellowship Hall each Wednesday at 11:45 a.m. This week, 205 plates of food were served at Dinner Bell.
Usually, 25-30 of the meals are put in take-out containers and delivered by volunteers to FUMC church members who are home bound. The rest are served on-site.
No one is turned away, and patrons who want seconds can go back through the line again.
“There’s no questions. If you walk in the door, we’re glad to see you,” Gilreath said.
Volunteers greet and welcome all equally. And, anyone who arrives and is identified as handicapped or in need of assistance are helped to and served their meal at their table.
Donations are accepted for the meal, but there is no fee or other requirement for the a plate of food — just show up when Dinner Bell opens, take a plate and eat.
A blessing is said prior to the meal and prayer requests are taken from among the gathering for whatever needs are voiced.
And, no food is wasted. If there’s any food left over after all patrons are served, it will be packaged up and taken to Lil 4’s where it will be used to children who attend.
Discount Offered For Early Registration In YMCA After School Program At SSISD
Parents planning to enroll their student in the YMCA After School Program at Sulphur Springs Independent School District can save $50 if they they complete their child’s registration this weekend.
YMCA will waive the $50 registration fee for parents who register their child on July 26-29 on YMCA Dallas’ website. Anyone not registered on those days will be assessed a one-time nonrefundable $50 registration fee.
A $40 per week fee will be charged per child for participation in the program during the 2019-2020 school year. Families with more than one child registering are eligible for $5 fee for siblings. Financial assistance and income-based memberships area available for qualifying students.
SSISD students who are 4 or older and in any grade from pre-kindergarten up through fifth grade is eligible to participate om the YMCA, which will be held five days a week from the time school is dismissed until 6 p.m. However, students must be potty trained to register.
The YMCA After School Program at SSISD will be located on the Barbara Bush Primary campus will be bused to that campus from Travis, Sulphur Springs Elementary, Bowie Primary and Lamar Primary campuses.
Upon arrival, each student will check in and have an opportunity to eat a health snack. They will participate in physical exercise activities, have homework time and enrichment curriculum activities.
The focus of the YMCA After School Program is spirit, mind and body. This will be attained through relationships, core values and belonging, achievement, arts and crafts and STEM focuses, fitness, wellness and nutrition.
For more information, contact the YMCA business office at 469-276-8396 or [email protected].
Tira News For July 24, 2019
By Jan Vaughn
Joyce Dodd reports that the next Bible Study at the Tira Methodist Church will be on July 30 at 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome.
She adds, “Our little food pantry has been emptied almost daily this summer. With kids being home, it takes more food. We have some very generous people who help us out on a regular basis, but we are still running low. If anyone feels moved or is interested in helping out, we would appreciate any help they can give. We need non-perishable foods, such as canned meats, veggies, fruits, cereal, peanut butter, etc. No fresh foods or foods that can’t be in the extreme heat without spoiling.”
If you would like to make a donation or have questions, please call Joyce Dodd at 903-945-2155. As always, we appreciate everyone who donates and those who keep the pantry stocked.
Malcolm Joslin went with a group of friends from work on a guided fishing expedition on Lake Texoma on Saturday. They had a great time and caught a lot of fish! They are looking forward to going again sometime.
Tiffany (Vaughn) Gilbert and her daughter, Jaidyn Joslin, drove in from Malvern, Arkansas on Sunday morning and picked up Jaidyn’s friend, Eden Lewis, and then they went to McKinney and met Tiffany’s friend, Stephanie Weaver. They spent the day at Hawaiian Falls Water Park in The Colony and then enjoyed a meal together, before Tiffany & the kids came back to Tira. Jaidyn spent Sunday night with Eden, and then she and Tiffany visited with Laiken, Dixie, Rylan, Brailon and Slaiden before heading back to Arkansas on Monday.
Chip and I took a little belated anniversary trip to Lake Texoma over the weekend. We went on a dinner cruise on Friday evening and a sight-seeing/history cruise on Saturday afternoon. We, also, enjoyed driving around and seeing the big boats and marinas. On the way home, we stopped in Paris and ate at the Fish Fry. Chip’s mother, Grace and Malcolm joined us for lunch on Sunday.
I always need and appreciate input from my friends to help keep me informed of news in our community. If you have any news pertaining to Tira residents, past or present, please contact me, Jan Vaughn, at 903-438-6688 or [email protected].
Hare Estate Auction on Saturday July 27 at Talco
Home, property and possessions of Jr. and Martha Hare will be sold in Estate Sale and Auction on Saturday July 27,2019 at 9am by SRS Auction Services, 903-439-9013, srsauction.com
Three Age Groups of Dixie Softball Players Coming to Sulphur Springs For World Series Next Week
For the first time since 2006, Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County are hosting the Dixie Softball World Series at Coleman Park, Aug. 2-7.
The previous one featured one age group only. This time, three-age groups (9-10 year old Angels, 11-12 year old Pony Tails and 16-18 year old Debs) will be competing at the same time.
Joey Martin, president of the Hopkins County Girls Softball Association, is coordinating the big event. He says his group pitched Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County to Dixie officials, who liked what they heard.
Twenty-nine teams are coming to town. Host Hopkins County has a team in each age group. There is a Coldspring, Texas team of Debs, and Mount Vernon, Franklin County teams in Angels and Pony Tails. The rest of the teams come from Dixie softball states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Virginia.
Martin says all the teams will attend an Opening Ceremony Dinner at the Civic Center on Friday, Aug. 2, and then will go downtown to watch A League of Their Own on the Plaza.
Games begin Saturday, Aug. 3 at Coleman Park. All six fields will be in use Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 3-4 at the Park.
Martin says his group is still seeking sponsors and volunteers. Those interest may contact Martin at 903 348-4728. There is also a Hopkins County Girls Softball Association Facebook page and website.
There will be an admission fee to attend games and day passes will be available to purchase. All parking lots at Coleman Park can be used. Little shuttle vehicles will be available to take fans to the fields.
Martin says the six-day event will have a big economic impact on the city and county. Martin says all hotels in Sulphur Springs are booked during the event, and some teams will stay in Mount Vernon and Greenville hotels. Martin says the teams’ fans will be buying gas, eating at restaurants and making stops at places like Wal-Mart, Brookshire’s and Walgreens.
Band Drum Line Camps Lead Into Start of Summer Band Next Week
Jeffrey Garza, the Wildcats’ Marching Band percussion instructor, says the drum line is the heart in the center of any musical group. He says if they are not right, it means trouble for the entire band.
To get percussion players on the same page in time for the start of summer band next week, Garza has been holding drum line camp last week and this week, July 22-26.
Last week, he worked with the front ensemble including keyboards. He says that group features lots of incoming freshmen.
This week, Garza is working with the veteran filled batterie featuring players of marching snares, quads and bass drums. They are working outside as well as inside the band hall.
Garza says this fall’s band show features the drum line in a big way. He says the students seem to be enjoying the music of the show called “It’s a Wonderful World.”
Last year’s show had a lot of modern music in it. This year’s has a different mix including classical and Louis Armstrong jazz.
After a business day Monday evening mostly about paperwork and forms, the band will hit the field for the first sessions of summer band at 8 a.m. next Tuesday.
Meet Bob Haydon: Local Author, Artist and Musician
On the KSST Good Morning Show on July 24, 2019, Enola Gay’s guest was musician Robert Haydon who shared highlights of some of his music adventures to the bluegrass tunes he presented on his 1956 Mastertone banjo.
Robert Haydon was born in Maryland and his family moved to Highland Park in Dallas, Texas in 1957 when Bob was 13 years old. Newly enrolled at Saint Mark’s Catholic School, and with no real friends yet, he made the acquaintance of another young guitar player, a kid named Steve Miller, and during the next three years, these youngsters along with drummer Baron Cass, took Dallas by storm as The Marksmen Combo. Their music was upbeat, dance-able fun for teens. Through 1958 they played school functions, birthday parties and even a National Cheerleaders Convention held on the campus of SMU. That opened doors for more gigs, and soon they were being booked for sorority and fraternity events and a teen event booked by the downtown Dallas Neiman Marcus store. From 1959 through 1961, the group expanded to five pieces and one of the new band members was classmate Boz Skaggs. These were years of songwriting, travel and high excitement, also of exploring styles and tastes in music as well as learning to manage the money they were making. At the end of a busy summer season in 1961, both Steve Miller and Boz Skaggs were hired by a new band and left Texas for Wisconsin. Meantime, Bob stayed in Dallas and formed The Marksmen II. His original song ‘Suzanne’, made it to #3 on the rock and roll charts in March of 1964, and that summer was spent opening for the Beach Boys during their Texas concert tour. Those were heady times and fondly remembered. A professional musician, Bob also forged ahead with his education and earned a degree in Art while continuing appearances around North Texas. In 1998, he produced a bluegrass album “Collage” and his old friend Steve Miller shared in the recording of that popular album.
Bob became a resident of Winnsboro in 2018 and quickly acclimated to the music scene there and in surrounding towns. He has also recently published three books, a memoir called ‘Kensington’, a murder mystery called ‘The Panhandle Murders’ and it’s sequel, ‘Tunnels and Caves’. All his books are available on Amazon and Kindle. In his spare time, Bob continues working on numerous art projects and has some work in galleries in Sulphur Springs and nearby cities. You can catch Bob at the Reilly Springs Jamboree on September 21 and at the Chili Cookoff in Heritage Park in Sulphur Springs during October 2019.
3 Jailed On Local Warrants
Three Sulphur Springs residents were taken into custody Tuesday by local officers on warrants, including two women arrested by police at the municipal court on misdemeanor warrants and a man held in another county’s jail on a felony Hopkins County warrant.
Hopkins County Sheriff’s Deputy Steve Shing traveled to San Patricio County Jail and took Dylan Lee Reed, 22, of Sulphur Springs into custody at 3:36 p.m. Tuesday, July 23. Shing transported Reed to Hopkins County, where he was booked early Wednesday morning, on a warrant for violation of probation, which he was on for possession of a controlled substance, according to arrest reports. Reed was also noted in jail reports to be wanted in Wood County for driving while intoxicated. He was held in Hopkins County jail on the local charge Wednesday morning, July 24; bond on the Wood County charge was set at $10,000, according to jail reports.
Sulphur Springs Police Lt. Pat Leber took a 31-year-old Sulphur Springs woman into custody at 3:28 p.m. July 23 at the Municipal Court on an outstanding speeding warrant. She was released from jail later July 23 on the charge, according to jail reports.
Leber also took a 34-year-old Sulphur Springs woman into custody at 2:52 p.m. July 23 at the Municipal Court on two theft warrants, according to arrest reports. She remained in the county jail Wednesday morning, July 24, according to jail reports.
