Trinity County News - Breakout

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Well, we have almost reached the middle of the 2023 year, and the fun in the sun has just begun. The scorching hot is on the way, and it is hard to believe the beautiful greenery everywhere will soon turn to orange, yellow, or brown foliage.

As I report the activities scheduled to happen in Trinity County during July and August, I am thankful to reminisce toward the future and look for cooler weather. For instance, the Trinity Community Fair is held at the end of September, and we start looking for the fall season and October events shortly thereafter.

•The Trinity Community Fair Association will hold its fair on Sept. 29-30. This is our 75th fair celebration. This week applications for the vendors were online, also with new rules attached. The price is still the same, $75 a booth each day. For more information, contact Kim Wheelless at (936) 661-1568.

•I did check to see if the “Treats on the Street” was still scheduled for Oct. 31, and it is. The Trinity Police Department sponsors this event, and we still have lots of time to get ready for this Halloween occasion; you need tons of candy for the Trinity children.

•Don’t’ forget. Vacation Bible School programs abound this month. I listed them last month and last week, but this week I am listing two activities for free school supplies. Remember TISD school starts on Aug. 8, and free supplies are given away in July.

Two events that are offering free backpacks and school supplies are happening on the same day, which is  July 29.

One event is Prayer in the Park, sponsored by the ROTC organization to be held at the Trinity Community Center located next door to McDonald’s from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Free food, music, school supplies, booths, games, and speeches are the enjoyment for the day. For more information, please call Karen Dixon at (936) 581-6531.

The second event for the TISD students to receive free school supplies is the School Supply Drive being held by the Lone Star MBC on July 29 starting at 11 a.m. until all supplies are gone. Supplies are for children, Pre-K through eighth grades only. The church is located at 502 W. Main. For more information, please call Pastor Isaac DeBose at (936) 355-1967.

•Correction Please. This week the schedule for the Martin Senior Service Center has a correction that needs to be made on the Friday menu. Friday is our fish and chicken nugget luncheon, with French Fries, fried okra, salad, dessert, and a drink for $6 each person, but no taco salad. No Taco Salad, on Friday, July 14.

More new adventures scheduled this month are:

•The Port Adventure Community on Highway FM 356 is sponsoring a subdivision two-day garage sale on Friday and Saturday. The event starts at 7 a.m. and ends at noon each day. The public is invited to attend.

•Trinity Youth Cheer & Football League is hosting a fundraiser to support the Trinity children and their youth games. The League is sponsoring a car wash and a bake sale on July 15 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Trinity Church of Christ, located behind the Trinity Fire Department’s Downtown Fire Station. Please support your Trinity youth programs.

•On Monday, the Trinity Historical Society’s quarterly meeting will be held at the Trinity Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Building on Stadium Street at 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

•On July 22, VFW Post 6899 is hosting a dance from 8 p.m.-midnight featuring the Double Shot Band. For more information, please contact Kim Tullos at (936) 661-1568.

•Don’t forget to bring your children to the Blanche K. Werner Public Library every Tuesday and Thursday of the week for story hour from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The library staff has so many fun activities and crafts each week for the children’s enjoyment, so please call (936) 594-2087 to see what the summer fun is each week.

New August activities to report currently are:

•First Methodist Church of Trinity is hosting a free movie night in the church fellowship hall, located at 131 N. Elm St., starting at 7 p.m. The movie is entitled “On a Wing and a Prayer.” Light refreshments are available. Donations are welcome. The public is welcome to attend.

•On Aug. 5, Trinity Church of Christ is hosting their Vacation Bible School Program starting at 8 a.m. The “Moo-ve on Over” class starts at 6 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m. Lunch and light refreshments will be served during the day. The church is located across from the Old Red Schoolhouse or next to the Trinity Volunteer Fire Department on Jefferson Street. The public is invited to attend.

On Aug. 5, VFW’s afternoon dance sponsored by Maxie, and Eddie, featuring Country Classic music, which is being provided by the Joey Ward Band, and starts at noon and ends at 4 p.m. The cover charge is $12 per person and includes dinner. The public is invited to attend. They are located at 400 Caroline St. For more information, please call Dawn Bray at (936) 594-9467.

•On Aug. 19, in the Groveton High School gym, there is a Cancer benefit for Weston Due, which starts at 6 p.m. The Groveton event, “Poppin Pajama Purse Bingo” cost $40 each person and tables can be purchased for $360. Bingo starts at 7 p.m. and continues throughout the night. Please contact Hydee Drake at (936) 661-4140, or Danielle Parker at (936) 435-4332 to purchase tickets, donate, or help.

•The Haley Burk Scholarship Foundation is concerned with the homeless situation in Trinity regarding our youth. I was unaware that there are children living in cars and on the streets in Trinity and was shocked to find out their parents are not concerned about their health, wealth, education or welfare.

Consequently, the Haley Burk Scholarship Foundation has decided to help these children by supplying everyday needs, such as deodorant, combs, brushes, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc., on each TISD campus. They are pleased to announce this new helping hand will be known as “Haley’s Closet” and the supplies will be located at every campus manned by Shane Pringle.

For more information, please call Shane at (936) 662-8180. You can donate items by mailing them or shipping items to 351 E. Caroline St., or you can also make donations and leave them at Dulce Vida Hair Salon located at 103 E. Main St.

•This week I saw on Facebook where the Fair on the Square in Huntsville has begun to advertise their event for the first Saturday in October. The Huntsville Chamber of Commerce hosts the Fair on the Square Oct. 7, and if you want more information, call (936) 295-8110. This year marks their 49th Fair.

See you around Trinity when the temperature goes down.

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Jaccen Lee helps a young contestant compete in the Sack Race.

SJNT staff

SHEPHERD — The youth of Texas, particularly in Shepherd, still appreciate the freedoms of America.

Maj. Edward McDonald (Ret.), senior Army instructor for the Shepherd High School ROTC program, said he believes the young people attending Shepherd’s Independence Day celebration on July 1 still get the true meaning of the holiday.

“I was raised patriotic and all that goes with it,” he said. “The older you get, you learn to be more patriotic; I think the younger generation understands that.”

Also, the younger generation is learning about civic duty.

“We try to help out wherever we can,” McDonald said. “We can’t do enough to support the community.”

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LADIES IN ACTION IS OPEN AGAIN- More than 30 years ago, Clara White established a food distribution center in Groveton. To purchase the food, she opened Ladies in Action Thrift Store. The store also helped people in need with clothing and household items. On Tuesday, the store reopened, and food will be given out on the third Thursday of each month starting on July 20. COURTESY PHOTO

By Tony Farkas
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COLDSPRING — Trinity River Food Bank and its hub sites in Cleveland, Huntsville, Trinity and Coldspring have permanently closed.

The pantry’s website displays a single message: “Attention: our pantry site is permanently closed. If you are in need of food assistance, please go to www.houstonfoodbank.org/find-help or call (832) 369-9390.”

Christine Shippey, former CEO of Trinity River Food Bank, said that while TRFB is no longer a food bank, they still are taking phone calls and directing people to other food distribution agencies under their umbrella of Covenant with Christ International.

CWC also has a mobile literacy bus for rural counties helping with child literacy and connecting families to social services in their area, such as food stamps, and attempts to help communities in any way possible, she said.

According to information from representatives of Houston Food Bank, there were four hubs that were closed in each county — Liberty, Trinity, Walker and San Jacinto — and each of these had on-site pantries and held food distributions to the partners with limited to access, or where HFB trucks could not access.

A press release states that HFB has plans to provide extra distributions via mobile deliveries to partner sites that are willing and able to safely receive food.

Houston Food Bank will continue to have HFB staff working in the four counties, including Community Partner Liaison, Community Assistance Program benefits staff, and a Community Relations Specialist who is working to develop underserved communities with TEAFP (The Emergency Assistance Food Program) for eligible families experiencing food insecurity.

Deliveries can be any of the following options: food fairs, mobiles sites and direct deliveries to the pantries. The method of delivery largely depends on the type of partnership (i.e., mobile distributions receive mobiles only, pantries can receive food fairs and direct deliveries, and some pantries that have high traffic areas can also request a mobile).

Residents in those areas that were receiving assistance from TRFB will be able to get assistance from Houston Food Bank, which serves 18 counties in southeast Texas, including the four counties in TRFB’s service area. Our network of partners throughout these areas is open and available to help.

To find a partner site near you, please call (832) 369-9390 or visit www.houstonfoodbank.org/find-help/agency-locator/.

Partner sites in Trinity County include 365 Food Pantry, Liberty Christian Church, Trinity Loaves and Fishes, Martin Senior Service Center and Riverside Baptist Church in Trinity, and Ladies in Action in Groveton.

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TCNS staff

TRINITY — The Trinity ISD School Board of Regents were filling open teaching slots during its summer vacation meeting.

Superintendent John Kaufman said that on June 26, the board approved new hires for the district.

Among the new employees include Aretha Jenkins, second grade teacher; Brandi Calkin, high school math; Mary Morris, first grade; Krista Althaus, sixth grade science; Myles McGruder, business information management, coach; Cergio Alfaro, second grade; Brandy Hill, PE, coach; and Bailee Chambers, high school English.

The board also discussed training for itself following a discussion on board self-appraisals. Kaufman said the board will determine three areas for improvement, and then contact Region 6 Education Service Center to schedule training.

In other business, the trustees:

•approved renewing the contract with ESC Region 6 at a cost of $120,000 for the year;

•tabled renewing a health insurance plan until budget discussions; and

•appointed Board President Kevin Searcy as delegate to the TASB state convention, with Trustee Dorothy Franklin as alternate.