Members of the community and of all local church congregations are invited to gather Sunday, Nov. 18 for the traditional community-wide Thanksgiving service.

“We hope that a lot of people will plan to attend,” said pastor Sonny McCauley.

The program is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m. in the sanctuary of the Albany Church of Christ, according to McCauley. 

It is sponsored annually by the Albany Ministerial Alliance.

Members of the Alliance will participate in the program, with the message to be delivered by Jeff Turner, pastor of First Baptist Church.

OVER THERE

The Men of the 

West Texas Plains 

in World War One

They were known and loved. The Henry and Durham families of Blackwell, in Nolan County, knew John Pate because their children had gone to school with him. 

Singer, rancher, poet, talk show host, songwriter, actor, author, musician, and native Texan Red Steagall was in Albany last week on Wednesday, Oct. 31, to film a segment about the Fort Griffin Fandangle for his TV show.

“We had planned to maybe go out to the Fandangle grounds and pull out the stagecoach and a few other props,” said Fandangle Association president Steve Waller. “But when Steagall was here, the rain was pouring down so hard there was no way that we could film outside. We went to the Old Jail instead, and they filmed the interviews in the archives building.”

This week’s Fifth Quarter fellowship will be held at the Feed Store Friday night. Nov. 9, following the Albany-Hamlin football game.

The party concludes a series of fellowships hosted by local churches after home football games. All Albany junior high and high school students are invited to attend.

First Baptist Church will host this week and will be serving sub sandwiches, cookies, and soft drinks, according to church secretary Carolyn Waller.

The event will end at 12:00 midnight, so parents are asked to pick up their non-driving students at or before that time.

The final games of the youth flag football regular season are scheduled to take place tonight (Thursday) and the Super Bowl will take place next week, according to organizer Anthony Ceder.

Although there is an 70 percent chance of rain in the forecast, the 49ers and the Rams plan to take the field today, Nov. 8 at City Park for a 5:00 p.m. bout, followed by the Bills and Redskins at 6:00 p.m.

Christmas gift ideas are quickly filling store shelves, and ResourceCare employees are hoping that donations will allow them to share holiday presents with all of the local children, teens, and seniors that request their assistance this yuletide season.

Toys for Tots

Marine SSgt. Doug Beaty coordinates the local Toys for Tots campaign, which provides gifts for Albany children ages zero to 11, working through the Resource Center. 

All veterans in Shackelford County are invited to attend a special Veterans Day luncheon sponsored by the Albany Study Club today (Thursday) and are also requested to join local students at two separate Veterans Day ceremonies to be held at Albany High School tomorrow and at Moran ISD on Monday, Nov. 12.

The three Veterans Day events will honor local veterans and thank them for their service to America.

Study Club Luncheon

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. 12-16.

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

The Moran Independent School District will host its annual Veterans Day luncheon on Monday, Nov. 12.

“We are having a hamburger luncheon to honor our veterans beginning at noon on the 12th,” said superintendent Danny Freeman. “All local veterans and their families are invited.”

Although there is not a formal program planned for the event, pictures of several Shackelford County veterans will be on display, and current Moran students will help serve the meal.

World of Work

Local junior high thespians are rehearsing for the upcoming UIL one-act play competition.

“We will be performing Antic Spring by Robert Nail,” said director Jenny Scott. 

Written by Albany native and Fandangle creator Nail, Antic Spring follows the humorous misadventures of a group of young people as they head out on a picnic.

The competition will be held at Albany in the AJHS auditorium on Nov. 15, with Roscoe stepping into the stage lights first, at 12:00 noon.