In conjunction with Sanctity of Human Life Sunday, which was observed on Jan. 20, several local church congregations are participating in the annual Baby Bottle Boomerang to help raise funds for The Open Door Ministry based in Cisco and servicing area communities including Albany.
Special empty baby bottles were distributed during Sunday services and after being filled with donations, should be returned to the participating churches.
The members of the Albany Ministerial Alliance will not host a chili luncheon this year.
In past years, the chili lunch was prepared by members of the Ministerial Alliance, and the community was invited to the fundraising meal. The proceeds raised were donated to ResourceCare for community outreach programs.
“The last few years we have had such poor attendance at the meal that we decided to just submit a donation to ResourceCare instead,” said Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins. “We tried to make the donation about the same amount as what we raised with the chili lunch.”
Pick-up dates for the February distribution of the commodity food program are Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.
On Thursday, Jan. 31, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.
Albany families who have been certified eligible for the February food distribution program can pick up their commodity food Friday, Feb. 1, at the rear door of the JP office (the former county jail) from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.
Kyle Viertel, who along with his son Mackenzie is a worship leader at First Baptist Church, has invited locals of all faiths to a Worship Night at FBC from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30.
“Everyone in the community is invited,” said Viertel. “We intend to do this the last Wednesday of every month.”
Kyle and Mackenzie Viertel are members of the FBC Praise Band and lead the youth worship on Wednesday nights, typically playing three or four songs.
Three Albany siblings showed goats at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, Colorado last week, and all three placed in both their goat classes on Wednesday, Jan. 16, and in the showmanship finals on Tuesday, Jan. 15.
Paisley also completed in the Junior Market Goat Fitting Contest that took place on Tuesday, Jan. 15.
“Connor had been to the National Show in Denver once before, and he wanted to go back,” said their mother Tammy Clark. “The twins had never shown there, and they wanted to go also.”
The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $51,963 from the state this January. The amount is up 19.81 percent from the $43,371 payment received in January of 2018.
The city of Moran will receive a net payment of $1,475 this period, for a 5.16 percent decrease from the $1,555 received in January 2018.
The Shackelford County Youth Livestock Show starts Thursday, Jan. 31, one week from today.
“We’ll start clipping pigs sometime toward the end of this week, probably Thursday or Friday, then start work on the lambs and goats over the weekend,” said Albany ag instructor Chris Beard.
There are 137 exhibitors entered in the show this year, according to Shackelford County agent Michaela Bradford.
The Lion varsity basketball team has gone 4-0 in district thanks to another a pair of wins in the last week, setting up a showdown against the Stamford Bulldogs on Friday for control of the District 8-2A race.
Stamford is also 4-0 in the district race, pitting the top two teams to determine the first half winner. Tip-off at the local gym for the varsity boys is expected at about 7:30 p.m. immediately following the varsity girls game.
The second round of district action will open next Tuesday in Roscoe. Game time is again at 7:30 p.m.
The Lady Lions slipped to second place in the district race with a loss last Friday to the Haskell Maidens.
Albany opened the second half of district on Tuesday with a 43-38 win over Cross Plains. Details will be reported next week. The win improved the varsity record to 18-9 overall and 5-1 in district.
The district race continues on Friday with Albany hosting the Stamford Lady Bulldogs. Tip-off for the varsity is set for 6:30 p.m. The JV girls will also take the court against Stamford starting at 4:00 p.m.
Fifth and sixth grade youth basketball season continued with games in Eula and Stamford Jan. 19.
Both fifth grade teams brought back victories from Eula, but the sixth grade boys and girls did not fare as well in Stamford.
5th Grade Boys
The fifth grade boys are undefeated this season, improving to a 4-0 record after two wins on Saturday.
“The boys played really well in our first game against Hawley,” said coach John Tom Heatly. “The score was 18-7 at the half and 43-11 at the end, which shows how well our team played in the second half.”
