Jr. high play cast to compete

By Kathy Thomson

Theater art students from Albany Junior High School will present Jerome McDonough’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” in the district one-act play competition taking place in the Albany High School auditorium Thursday, Nov. 14.

The public is welcome to attend the UIL one-act play competition, but guests are only allowed to enter and exit the auditorium between performances, not during a play.

“The one-act plays will start at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday and will have a rolling start,” said director Melanie Turner. 

Food to Go

Debbe Hudman (l) and Liz Green (r) prepare one of dozens of to-go containers that left the kitchen of Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church during last Saturday’s annual bazaar. The traditional turkey dinner was served, and crafts and baked goods were also popular items. 

Bazaar slated this Saturday

By Kathy Thomson

Members of Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will hold their annual Bazaar starting at 10:00 a.m. this Saturday, Nov. 9, and they have invited everyone in the community as well as out-of-town visitors to join them in kicking off the holiday season with a traditional Thanksgiving-type meal and the opportunity to shop for handcrafted Christmas gifts, foods, and decorations.

Members of the historical church have been decorating and cooking for weeks in preparation for this weekend’s annual fundraising event.

Student council collects for Albany Chest

By Kathy Thomson

The annual Albany Chest campaign is underway, with letters already mailed as directors attempt to reach the goal of $42,000 for the 2019 campaign. 

Twenty-four different organizations, including one new applicant, submitted requests for this year’s funding, all of which were considered by the board.

Local residents are reminded that everyone is not expected to give large amounts. 

Siren test set Nov. 13

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon next Wednesday, Nov. 13, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable.

Albany News

Grandparents invited to school

By Kathy Thomson

Grandparents and “substitute” grandparents of Nancy Smith Elementary School students are invited to join their family members for special lunch, classroom visits, and entertainment during Grandparents Week Nov. 18-22.

The students are encouraged to invite other relatives, neighbors, friends from church, etc. if they don’t have grandparents, or if their grandparents don’t live nearby.

Albany News

Basket applications available

By Kathy Thomson

Shackelford County residents who wish to be included in the Albany Ministerial Alliance’s annual Christmas basket drive need to turn in their applications before the Friday, Dec. 6 deadline date.

“Application forms are available at the Resource Center and at several of the local churches,” said Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins.

The filled-out applications can be turned back in at the same locations.

Local congregations collecting for shoebox programs

By Kathy Thomson

Congregations at First Christian Church and United Methodist Church are collecting shoebox gifts for the Samaritan’s Purse annual Operation Christmas Child, while a group at First Baptist Church is packing shoeboxes for Crossing Borders ministry. Everyone in the community is invited to participate in either of the missions.

Both of the missions are designed to provide underprivileged children with a shoebox full of gifts for Christmas, both to brighten their world and to show them love.

Albany News

Local Masons give tooth kits to first graders

By Melinda L. Lucas

All first graders at Nancy Smith Elementary School were recently given free prevent tooth decay kits through the Fantastic Teeth Fan Club. 

Members of Albany Masonic Lodge, led by John Tate and Robert Skelton, assembled and delivered 41 dental hygiene kits to the school.

School nurse Lisa Russell and first grade teachers Roxanne Raymond and Lori Warren taught a short lesson about tooth care.

The two Masons distributed the kits to the students to take home.

Extra venison can help hungry families

By Kathy Thomson

General hunting season for white-tailed deer opened last Saturday, and hunters that harvest more venison than they intend to use are encouraged to donate their extra bounty to Hunters for the Hungry.

Locally, field dressed deer can be dropped off at Escalon’s Buck N Hog, along with $35 to help cover the processing fee.

“The hunter pays $35 and gets the tax write off,” said owner Patrick Escalon. “We cover the rest of the $80 processing costs.”

Escalon’s is open seven days a week, from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. during deer season.

Albany News