Polk County News - Breakout

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From Enterprise Staff

A youth theater production of “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will be presented in the sanctuary of the First United Methodist Church of Livingston at 6:30 p.m. Friday with a matinee performance at 2 p.m. on Saturday.

The production is being put on by the Performing Arts Society of East Texas (P.A.S.E.T.), a ministry of FUMC Livingston.

A special “invited dress rehearsal” preview performance will be held at 5 p.m. Thursday for anyone unable to attend the other performances. Please note that to attend the “invited dress rehearsal” an RSVP is required by calling the director at 936-327-7100, ext. 118.

While this and other projects have been in the planning stages for some time, previous attempts to launch P.A.S.E.T—FUMC’s newest ministry and outreach project—were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic. As such, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” will serve as the much-anticipated inaugural event in what the church hopes will be an ongoing effort to bring quality, live entertainment to Polk County and the surrounding area by way of theatrical productions and other events that promote Christian values through uplifting and edifying programming that ministers to audience members of all ages and backgrounds.

The production is directed and produced by FUMC’s Director of Music & Performing Arts Jonathan N. Kupper with sets and costumes by former FUMC children’s director Sally Frasier and Polk County Memorial Museum Curator and longtime theater technician Betsy Deiterman.

The show stars young actor-performers from around the Polk County area including Dean Culp in the title role as well as principle roles played by: Jami, Mikayla and Evelyn Grimes, Austin and Addison Poe, Zoe Benningfield, Aubrey Hall and Landon and Austin Cruise among several other talented, young performers.

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a general admission production with no ticket price. Instead, donations will be accepted and encouraged at the performances of the show with all proceeds going to support the music and performing arts ministry of Livingston FUMC.

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By Emily Banks Wooten
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The filing period for county, district and statewide offices for the 2022 Texas Primary Elections began Nov. 13 and will conclude at 6 p.m. Dec. 13.

For primary elections, candidates file their applications with their state party chairs or, in the event that a district is wholly contained within a single county, their county party chairs. The state and county chairs, in turn, upload approved candidates into the Texas Secretary of State’s portal. Early voting for the March 1, 2022 Primary Elections begins on Feb. 14.

Polk County Publishing Company has a policy to run a free announcement with photo in the newspaper for every candidate who runs for a political office in the county, or as a representative of the county, allowing the candidates to have the opportunity to introduce themselves and their vision to readers.

The photo should be a large .jpg and the announcement should be typed in a Word document not to exceed 400 words. Both should be emailed to the editor or can be brought into the office on a flash drive.

In addition, a candidate may choose to pay a one-time charge to be added to the official Political Calendar. This advertisement runs every week in the newspaper through the election and includes the candidate name/position/party affiliation. The cost is the same if you sign up early or late for the calendar. The pricing is as follows: $100 for precinct offices, $150 for county offices, $200 for state offices and $250 for national offices.

According to PCPC Publisher Kelli Barnes, all political advertising must be paid for by 5 p.m. Monday of the week you want your advertisement to run in the newspaper. Late advertisements can only be accepted as space allows due to press concerns. Advertising position requests can accompany advertisements. We do not charge more for location requests and we cannot guarantee location without advance notice of two weeks. We no longer accept political ads for our Facebook page. Ask to speak to an advertising representative at your newspaper to discuss paid advertising. 

Barnes added that the PCPC Print Shop is available to help with political signs and other print materials. Contact Jessica at 936-327-4357 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for pricing and availability.

“We look forward to helping all candidates in their campaign efforts,” Barnes said. 

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Patsy WilsonBy Brian Besch
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Last year, in celebration of Center of Hope volunteer Patsy Wilson’s life, the Wilson family donated bags of oranges and candy canes to help those in need around the holidays. A total of 112 bags of Cuties and 3,024 candy canes were donated around Christmas.

Growing up in Tyler, Patsy’s favorite thing at Christmas time was receiving an orange. It was outside the means of her family’s budget, but a treasure for that time of year.

This year, the Wilsons are beginning the second annual Patsy Wilson Citrus Drive in hopes of helping even more. Her daughter-in-law, Leigh Wilson, said her family would attempt to reproduce the success of last year.

“Because none of us are physically there this year, I called Gloria (Barber, Center of Hope Director of Operations) and said that all of us were going to donate money to the mission,” Wilson said. “That is what we’re going to do for our Christmas for each other. We picked the food distribution date of Dec. 16 to be when they will give out the oranges and candy canes as they did last year.”

The family’s goal this season is to raise $5,000 for Polk County Center of Hope. It is a busy time of year for the Center, and the money could go a long way toward helping those in need.

“Last year we kind of did it spur of the moment and, in the obituary for Patsy, asked to please make donations to the Polk County Mission,” Wilson said. “This year, we’re going to challenge Polk County to meet us and take what oranges they can, and whatever leftover money, to send so Center of Hope can use however they think is most needed.”

Wilson said the family is hoping to make the citrus drive an annual event, giving something different to the people of Polk County and providing a memorable Christmas. In the past, the Wilsons would donate to charity causes instead of purchasing Christmas gifts for each other.

The family is asking those who would like to participate to tell the Center of Hope “Patsy sent me,” with groceries, produce, checks or cash. The Center of Hope has a few Facebook messages this week encouraging the same. As of press time, $1,000 has been raised.

“The funds that come in specified for this time of year, we add to the food choices for Christmas dinners,” Barber said of Center of Hope’s efforts. “We try to just meet the needs of everyone and it is a hard time of year for a lot of people. We try to make it a little more cheerful.”

The Center’s director said toys for children are also part of the Christmas delivery.

“We don’t purchase, we have had a lot donated. The Hook ‘n Needle Club has crocheted more items and donated toys. Central Baptist has also donated toys, so we won’t purchase any, but we will hand out those
that have been donated. The main thing that we will purchase will just be extra food items, that way, you don’t just get the basics. You will get citrus and you will get stuffing and things that will help meals and spread a little cheer.”

If the Wilsons can reach their goal of $5,000, it would enable the Center of Hope to double the amount of families they reach. They already serve between 550 and 600 families in a month, which feeds 1,600-1,700 individuals.

“It just does your heart good to have people reach out,” Barber said. “Not just this group, but we have had food drives from the probation department, from the Montessori school, from different churches and Pedigo’s. The community just comes together and we live in a great community. It still always just warms your heart to see how many
people want to help in whatever way they can for the season.”

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By Emily Banks Wooten

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The Polk County Emergency Health Board (PCEHB) is a 501(c)3 organization that was established in 1986 to assist low-come (by federal guidelines) children and families with acute illnesses requiring immediate attention.

“What a year it has been as so many changes have happened to everyone because of the pandemic. Unfortunately, we have been unable to schedule our annual shrimp boil fundraiser at the Cochran-Hughes Ranch, but we’re hoping to have a Spring 2022 shrimp boil and we want to let you know that we’re still reaching out to those who need critical medical assistance, especially with medications, medical supplies and/or gas to get to medical appointments,” PCEHB President John Muzny said.

“We continue to need your financial support for those who have limited financial resources and little or no family support for medical essentials that are often life threatening,” Muzny said.

Six hundred patients were served in 2018 at an average cost per patient of $42.47. Six hundred eighty-two patients were served in 2019 at an average cost per patient of $31.85. In 2020 only 431 patients were served at an average cost per patient of $26.49.

The social work staff and volunteers at the Department of State Health Services screen the applicants, who are referred primarily by other agencies, churches, school personnel, hospital staff and the Polk County Indigent Program. Many applicants are also referred to other programs and clinics, such as the Health Center of Southeast Texas in Livingston. Most of the families served do not qualify for government programs or may receive only limited benefits.

Medication is the primary request, with transportation assistance running second. If a child is in need, the prescription is filled and the family is given assistance in filling out a Medicaid or CHIP application. Often it is necessary to limit assistance to adults, as their medications are so expensive.

Muzny gave the following examples of Polk County residents who have been helped by PCEHB during the past year:

• A mother who is taking care of a young adult son with a brain tumor called for help as the doctor had prescribed new medications and they could not afford the insurance co-pays.

• A single adult with disabilities needed multiple medications (including mental health meds) and had reached indigent program limits for the month.

• A family needed assistance to pay for medications for a special needs child as his father had contracted COVID and lost his job, including his insurance.

• A senior couple with disabilities and on a limited income just lost their son to COVID and no longer had help with paying for medications (including insulin and diabetic supplies).

A widowed grandmother who is the guardian of three grandchildren needed help to buy medications after an emergency room visit so that she could continue caring for them with no disruptions.

“The telephone calls to PCEHB volunteers may come as a last resort from a family member, caregiver, social worker, home health or hospital staff, but all are reaching out to find assistance for patients who are often in a crisis situation and have no other options to obtain needed medications,” Muzny said.

“We all want to do our part in making the community that we share a better place. We want to continue providing medical assistance and referral services to help them avoid the ER, saving money for everyone. Because volunteers provide needed services, only minimal administrative costs for mailings are needed for this program,” Muzny said.

“A gift of love to PCEHB from your heart to the hearts of those who desperately need it is so precious to out Polk County neighbors. Where does the love go? It is in the bottle of medications that you provide, in the gas to get to medical appointments, in the medical supplies to bind an open would, and in the sharing of our blessings with those who not only need our help, but hope and a future,” Muzny said.