February 16, 2015

Diboll Civic Club’s Operation Clean-Sweep 2015 is coming on Saturday, April 18. The past events have seen improvements made on 88 homes with over 1400 volunteers participating. Once again, the Diboll Civic Club need volunteers to work at the job sites, along with providing tools, preparing food and making building material and monetary donations. Nomination forms for homes needing attention are available from Trey Wilkerson 637-3418, Diboll City Hall, Diboll Christian Outreach, Diboll Housing Authority and TLL Temple Memorial Library. Deadline: March 20.

Stay informed on Operation Clean-Sweep through the Free Press and the Facebook page “Diboll Civic Club” and the Facebook Event “Operation Clean-Sweep 2015. If you have any questions or want to volunteer, contact committee members: Burlon Wilkerson, Daniel Lopez, Dennis McDuffie, Elvia Esteves-Garza, Gary Jones, Gary Martel, Ginger Capps, Jan Wilkerson, Johnny McClain, Margie Harrell, Richard Nelson, Trey Wilkerson or Fran McClain, Chairman 829-2779 or franmc@consolidated.net Also, Diboll Beautiful Clean will sponsor the Texas Trash Off the same day, Saturday, April 18. Volunteers will be picking up litter around town. To volunteer, Contact Elvia Esteves-Garza at Diboll City Hall 829-4757.

While we are talking about projects in the city, I received an email from City Secretary, Sarah Thompson concerning the city’s website; she says: I am currently working on getting the city website updated and user friendly. I am also updating the calendar of events. This will give our citizens another reliable resource of what events is taking place in our community. Please let me know if you have an event you would like to add to our calendar. I also post events on our Facebook page.  Feel free to share with others you think would benefit from this email.  Please keep in mind the site is still under construction but I will be updating daily. I can’t totally change things over night but I will strive to improve the site daily. Please make suggestions of what you would like to see on our site. I am open to and encourage your input and ideas. Sarah Thompson 936-829-4757.

JoNell Placker was happy to visit with old friends that have fond memories of Diboll. Morris Drew McCall and his wife Dorothy stopped by and picked up JoNell to attend the funeral of a longtime friend of theirs, Raymond Weeks, who grew up and graduated from DHS. Morris McCall has been the County Judge in Port Neches for 40 years. His parents were Philippi and Austin McCall and his grandparents were known by lots of kids that attended Diboll schools, Sally and Oscar Davis. They were a cute couple; Oscar took care of the grounds and buildings and Sally worked in the cafeteria. Other classmates they saw at the funeral included Johnnie Simpson (all maiden names), Francis Kelly, Ima Riley, Bess Hooper, Sherrel Fears and Vernon Burkhalter. I thought it was ironic as JoNell was telling me this sitting at the round table that I reached and got a copy of an old photograph from the center of the table that had a picture of Raymond Weeks and many other familiar names, in Diboll’s Award Winning Rhythm Band. He was on the front row wearing his hat to the side with the familiar grin he was always known for. He is very much a part of Diboll’s history and we send our condolsences to Raymond’s family.

I was also sitting at the RT with Mark Hafernick when he shared that he and his wife Ann enjoyed the past weekend keeping their 2-year-old grandson, Gibson Mark Hafernick. Like most grandpas, Mark knows he has a very smart grandson but he is impressed that Gibson has already developed a sense of humor. These two guys were putting wooden puzzles together from Ann’s collection from years of teaching. It seems Gibson knew where each part needed to go but would start to place one in the wrong space, look up at Mark to see his reaction, giggle about it, then put it in the right spot. After all that work the guys went outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather and spent lots of time with the chickens and ducks. Gibson’s parents are Drs. Brian and Angela Haffernek who spend the weekend attending the Mardi Gra festivities in Galveston.

Some more folks are happy to be grandparents again. Roy Lee and Theresa Lyles and Mark and Lana Hines welcome Anslee Faith Lyles who arrived February 2^nd and weighed 6lbs. and 5 ozs. Her parents are Ashley and R. L. Lyles, Jr. Her maternal grandparents are Lanny and Paula Parrish. Congratulations!

Kayla Martel was in town with her fiancée, Adam Mary, and his parents, Richard & Dianna Wallace as well as Kayla’s grandparents, aunts and cousins, etc. to attend a bridal shower at Diboll First Baptist Church. The guys made an appearance at the shower and then most of them came to the round table to visit and drink coffee. Adam’s parents live near Waco on six acres and have use of the neighbor’s adjoining four acres. Richard is an investment broker and Dianna is a retired/rehired teacher; she and I have lots in common; love of animals. While the guys were sitting at the RT, Thomas Lowther delivered to me a pygmy goat and she is so cute! Cheyenne named her “Isabella”. Adam shared that when he was a young boy, he’s now a fireman for the City of Waco, they had a pet goat named “Sugar” that his mother would let come into the house (I told you we had something in common). Today, on their acreage they have a prize, female longhorn with a 72” spread; chickens, miniature Sicilian donkey and two paint Tennessee Walkers. Inside, Dianna keeps a prized Red Diamond dove in a large cage but the most interesting animal they raise is North American Timber wolves. They presently have three wolves and have an 8-month-old female for sale.

My always smiling friend, Carol Chalfant, sent me an email to remind everyone that The Angelina County Master Gardeners Annual Plant Sale is going to be Saturday, March 28^th at Angelina County Farmers’ Market. Mark it on your calendar for now and I will remind you again.

The Fish Truck will be here at Pouland’s February 25^th between Noon and 1PM.He will have channel cat, crappie, bluegill, minnows and more but he won’t stay but ONE hour. Don’t miss him if you are ready to begin stocking your pond.

Come see us…’round the table.