A Year in Review – Master Wellness Volunteer Initiative By Johanna Hicks
Note: This is the 4th in a series of “A Year in Review,” highlighting major program efforts in the area of Family & Community Health.
In the United States, 80% of all health spending is related to chronic conditions – things like diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and others. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these costs can be managed and potentially reduced through education and lifestyle modifications.
Relevance:
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Hopkins County provides many opportunities for individuals to learn to take better control of their health. However, there is a limit to the programming that one person can implement. Volunteers contribute greatly to extend education further into the community. A group of trained volunteers who also serve as advocates for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service can substantially increase the scope and impact of wellness programs. The Master Wellness Volunteer Initiative provides volunteers with 40 hours of training on health, nutrition and food safety. In return, volunteers are empowered to provide outreach and education, helping reduce the burden of chronic conditions in Texas communities.
Volunteer opportunities are plentiful. For those who enjoy meeting and mingling with others, health fairs offer the perfect opportunity! Perhaps being behind the scenes is more comfortable for others. Great! I often need assistance in preparing materials, stuffing goody bags, shopping for supplies and ingredients, and making phone calls. If hands-on activities are desired, several 4-H projects and activities offer the perfect opportunity to assist youth. I work closely with the current Master Wellness Volunteers to keep them up-to-date on opportunities for involvement, as well as professional development.
Response:
Hopkins County has nine trained Master Wellness Volunteers. A newsletter, “Volunteer Connection”, is sent out six or more times per year to keep in touch with volunteers and to announce opportunities to assist with various events and programs.
Volunteers are recognized annually at the Extension Leadership Advisory Board banquet, as well as at each event in which they participate. Their activities are also highlighted in each edition of the “Volunteer Connection” newsletter. Two Master Wellness Volunteer Luncheons also provide opportunities to fellowship and receive professional development training. These are held in the spring (April) and winter (December).
Results:
In 2018, Master Wellness Volunteers contributed over 500 volunteer hours, reaching nearly 3,000 individuals. Some of the activities with which they assisted were: health fairs (Sulphur Springs, Como-Pickton, and Cumby); Back to School Bash; Do Well Be Well with Diabetes series; Cooking Well with Diabetes series; Walk & Talk series; Christmas Joys holiday program; Fall Festival Creative Arts Contest; 4-H Foods Fun Day; 4-H Sewing Fun Day; Spring Break Sewing Workshop; Twogether in Texas marriage education workshop lunches; Ag-in-the-Classroom; Kids’ Camp: Fun, Food Fitness; Skills Camp; Judges’ Training for Fairs, Festivals, and Events; and planning meetings.
A recent luncheon hosted at the Extension Office welcomed four new potential Master Wellness Volunteers, and current volunteers told about the activities with which they had been involved.
Looking Forward:
In January, 2019, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will convene a statewide training for new Master Wellness Volunteers…and you don’t even have to leave Hopkins County! Two in-person sessions will be held at the Hopkins County Extension Office, and the rest of the training will be conducted online. No reliable computer? No problem! You are welcome to use ours!
The first in-person session will take place on Tuesday, January 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Hopkins County Extension Office, 1200-B W. Houston, Sulphur Springs. For more information, visit http://agrilife.org/mwv or feel free to call me at 903-885-3443. The fee is $75 if you register by January 14, so don’ delay! This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved doing things you love, while helping others!
Closing Thought
“There are no strangers here – only friends you have not met.” William Butler Yeats
Recipe of the Week
Pumpkin Spice Latte
Make this wonderful beverage for your coffee-loving friends – or enjoy a cup for yourself!
Ingredients:
- ½ cup breakfast blend coffee
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 qt. (4 cups) water
Instructions:
1) Place coffee and spices in filter in brew basket of coffee maker.
2) Add water to coffee maker.
3) Put milk and sugar in empty pot of coffee maker.
4) Brew coffee. When brewing is complete, stir until blended.
To give as a gift, measure the first three ingredients into a zippered bag and the sugar in another. Attach instructions for completing the beverage.
Willis Scores 29 in Wildcat Victory at 61st Annual Whataburger Tournament
Keaston Willis scored 29 points to lead the Wildcats to victory in their first round game at the 61st Annual Whataburger Basketball Tournament Thursday. The Wildcats defeated Class 6A #18 Katy Morton Ranch, 67-60. The championship team in each of the three brackets of the tournament will bring home a $1,000 scholarship for their school. Finals are Saturday.
The first round win sends the Wildcat into Friday for a 2 p.m. game against the winner of the Justin Northwest vs. Duncanville game. The Friday game will be played at the Birdville ISD W. G. Thomas Coliseum in Haltom City.
Along with Willis 29 pts, DaDa Hall scored 14, Cameron Kahn put up 13, Xavier Cork added 5 and Jeremiah Roland and Grayson McClure scored 3 each.
The Wildcats are now 13-6 for the season and are 4-4 against ranked class 6-A teams.
Donation Made to Meal-A-Day
Shown in Photo: Kimberly, Lexie and Kayla Slaughter, Karon Weatherman ,
and Mary Ivey, 2018, Ms. Hopkins County Senior and Meal A Day Volunteer
Slaughter’s BBQ and Fireside BBQ teamed up on Saturday, December 22nd and did a Fund Raiser and Canned Food Drive for the Meal A Day Program.
David and Kimberly Slaughter along with Glenn Norfleet set up their Food Trucks in front of Fix N Feed and held a “Food Truck Food Drive”. They raised $ 91.00 and a lot of Canned Food for the Meal A Day Program. They gave out FREE Hot Dogs, Chips and Water when people made a donation.
Lady Cats Advance to Championship Bracket in Idabel Winter Classic
Lady Cats defeated Arkansas High of Texarkana 54-41 in the first game of the Idabel Winter Classic in Idabel, Oklahoma Thursday morning. The Lady Cats have now won 16 including 7 wins in a row. The Lady Cats have only lost 3 games this season.
The Lady Cats advance in tournament play and will face either Idabel or Northwest Classen of Oklahoma City at 4 p.m. Friday in the Championship Bracket of the Winter Classic.
Thunderstorms Produce Heavy Rain and Minor Flooding in Hopkins County
Reports of from 2.5 inches to over 5 inches of rain were made from across Hopkins County Thursday morning as a series of lines of thunderstorms moved across the region Wednesday night and into early Thursday morning. Due to minor flooding discovered Thursday morning, the local Community Chest and Food Pantry will be closed Thursday and a flood warning has been issued for the South Sulphur River along the Hopkins, Delta County lines. Other minor flooding has been noted in the county as well.
Rainfall amounts include 2.5 inches at Pickton with wind, loud thunder, and heavy rain. At Rocky Ridge, just over 2.5 inches of rain was reported. In Cornersville, the 5-inch measuring gauge was overflowing and all sizes of limbs were down. Wood County Electric, which supplies electrical power to that area, was also reporting outages through the night.
The Community Chest and Food Pantry, 217 Linda Driver, Sulphur Springs, will be closed due to flooding, Thursday, December 27, according to staff.
A Flood Warning has been issued until Friday morning, December 28th, for the South Sulphur River near Cooper. At 5:15 a.m. Thursday the stage was 18.02 feet. Flood stage is 16 feet. Minor flooding is occurring and minor flooding is forecast. The river will continue rising to a crest near 19 feet and should fall below flood stage some time Thursday.
At 20 feet moderate out of bank flooding will occur along the river reach. A few rural roads and farm and ranch land adjacent to the river will be flooded. Do not drive vehicles through the flooded areas. Use caution when walking near riverbanks.
Significant Weather Advisory for Hopkins, Rains, Delta, Lamar Counties
AT 9:40 p.m., Doppler Radar was tracking a line of strong thundertorms from Honey Grove to near Canton, Movement was northeast at 50 mph. Wind Gusts up to 50 mph will be possible in these storms. Sulphur Springs and Hopkins County along with Emory, Cumby, Cooper, Como, and other cities are included in the advisory area.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to localized flooding.
HE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED TORNADO WATCH IN
EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST THURSDAY FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
IN NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS RAINS and VAN ZANDT COUNTIES
Miller Grove, Saltillo Cross Country Team Members Named to All-State Teams
Saltillo and Miller Grove Cross Country Team members were named to All-State teams recently.
MileSplit Boys 2018 All-State Cross Country Teams includes 1st Team All State Isaiah Billingsley, Miller Grove and Garrett Tarver, Saltillo. Matthew Bignon and Grant Earp of Miller Grove were named third team and Jayden Holloway, Saltillo, is Honorable Mention
Cross Country Coaches Association of Texas All-State Team named Tarver of Saltillo and Billingsley and Earp of Miller Grove along with Kobe Robertson, Lance Verner Davis, and Matthew Brignon of Miller Grove. There are 15 1A Boys on the Coaches Association All-State Team.
Berger Officials Expected at Local Facility Thursday
Due to the dollar amount loss sustained in a fire Monday at Berger Horticulture, federal fire investigators with the ATF will be on scene this week. Assisted by the Sulphur Springs Fire Marshall, they will seek the cause of the fire that destroyed the industrial facility located in Hopkins County on State Highway 19N near Birthright. Local fire personnel have been on sight since the fire and were to remain until investigators take charge of the scene, according to County Fire Chief Andy Endsley.
Berger officials are expected at the facility Thursday. Their access to the facility will be depend on the completion of the investigation of the fire.
Cooper Lake State Park January Schedule; Winter is Special Time to Experience
Sulphur Springs, TX— Cooper Lake State Park is a special place to experience winter in Northeast Texas. During the month of January, the park will host ten programs focused on family fun and learning about our natural world. To kick off 2019, both Cooper Lake State Park Units will host our annual First Day Hikes to get the new year started off healthy. The park will also conduct a ranger led hike near the lake which winds through a dense oak forest later in the month. Have fun learning about how past generations lived in the area. Also learn about the plants and animals common to this part of Texas and so much more. Bring each fun and learning packed Saturday to a fitting conclusion with your family and friends around a campfire at the park! Campfires are part of our collective human DNA. The flickering light and warmth of a winter campfire will lift your spirit and reconnect you to feelings shared by past generation.
Bring a picnic and enjoy the day-use area on a warm winter afternoon. Fish off our pier or rent a boat and try your luck throughout the lake. Crappie, bluegill, bass, and catfish are commonly caught. Hike our trails or just relax under a giant oak tree or camp at one of our tree canopied campsites recharging your soul!
Park entrance fees are $5 for adults with kids 12 and under always free. Senior Texans 65 or older will only pay $3 to enter the park daily with a Bluebonnet Pass. Unlimited park entrances for you and everyone in your vehicle can be accomplished with the purchase of a Texas State Park Annual Pass for $70 which is good for over 12 months. All programs are free with paid entrance fees. For more information on this or other events and programs at Cooper Lake State Park, please visit and friend our Facebook pages (Cooper Lake State Park – South Sulphur 903-945-5256 and Cooper Lake State Park – Doctor’s Creek (903) 395-3100).
Doctor’s Creek Unit (Northside
of Cooper Lake – Delta County)
Jan 1 – 1pm – First Day Hike: Start off
your year right with a nature hike
Jan 5 – 12pm – Buds, Blossoms, & Bounty: Learn about flora before and after
wildfire
Jan 6 – 10am – Bringing Back Bygones: From natural fires to prescribed burns
Jan 21 – 12pm – MLK Day Hike: Celebrate his birthday by hiking side by side
Jan 26 – 12pm – Birds, Butterflies & Beyond: Winter brrrds and butterfl-ice
South Sulfur Unit (Southside of Cooper Lake –
Hopkins County)
Jan 1 – 3pm – First Day Hike: Start off your year right with a nature hike
Jan 12 – 12pm – Birds, Butterflies & Beyond: Winter brrrds and butterfl-ice
Jan 19 – 12pm – Buds, Blossoms & Bounty: Native flora used during the Civil
War
Jan 20 – 10am – Bringing Back Bygones: Boycott technology and march through the
park
Jan 20 – 9:00pm – Celestial & Star Stories: Observe and learn about the
Total Lunar Eclipse
##
Berger Fire Under Control Monday Afternoon; Cause of Fire to Be Investigated; County Fire Chief Commends Effort Made to Control Fire
The first call came in Monday at 11:28 a.m. of a possible structure fire at Berger Horticulture located near Birthright on State Highway 19N. The fire was officially under control at 3:20 p.m. Monday, December 24, 2018. Hopkins County Engine 20, Sulphur Springs Fire Department Engine, and North Hopkins Volunteer Fire Department arrived at the scene at the same time. Noting the fire was consuming the front side of the building, an all call was given to all county volunteer departments. County Tankers from surrounding counties–Lamar, Franklin, and Delta–and the City of Commerce responded.
Traffic was routed around the location between Mahoney and Birthright. County Sheriff’s Department detoured traffic around the scene. With county, city, and multiple county departments responding, County Fire Chief Andy Endsley said the progression of the fire was stopped. He said it could have gone on all night had it not been for the sacrifices of the crews involved. He noted that even though it was Christmas Eve Day when many would be finalizing shopping and family activities, their dedication to the task keep the fire from escalating to a greater level.
Endsley said the entire building was consumed. Emergency Haz-Mat for the county found there was limited inhalation hazard for the fire fighters. Only those fire fighters who had breathing equipment went into the areas of hazard. There was no hazard for the community according to the professional Haz-Mat personnel called to the scene.
Due to the monetary loss, both the Sulphur Springs Fire Marshall and the ATF have been called to determine the cause of the fire. Personnel will remain at the scene until Wednesday when the investigators are expected to arrive.
