By Melinda L. Lucas The deadline for this year’s Albany Ministerial Alliance Christmas basket program is just a little over a week away, with applications due on Friday, Dec. 6. Forms for Albany and Moran families are available at participating churches and at ResourceCare.

By Kathy Thomson The fifth grade class from Nancy Smith Elementary School attended Camp Grady Spruce, an outdoor educational camp on Possum Kingdom Lake, last week.

By Kathy Thomson The Albany student council will host a blood drive at the secondary campus next Monday, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. “The blood drive is open to everyone,” said advisor Donnie Lucas.

By Kathy Thomson Nancy Smith Elementary School fourth grade students and their teachers traveled to the Abilene Ballet Theatre’s 32nd annual performance of The Nutcracker last week at the Paramount Theatre. “It’s always a really great event,” said NSES fine arts instructor Robbin Westmoreland.

By Melinda L. Lucas Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will host its third annual Cele-bration of Remembrance on Sunday, Dec. 8, at 6:00 p.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas Friendship Baptist Church members held their fourth annual Harvest Acres on Saturday, Nov. 23.   “The baked goods flew off the table pretty much as soon as they were set down,” said church member Danita Johnston.

By Kathy Thomson Two Shackelford County 4-H members placed well at the District 7 Food Show on Thursday, Nov. 21 in the Big Country Hall located at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene.

By Kathy Thomson Moran Independent School District is off this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, and school will resume at the normal time on Monday, Dec. 2. MISD’s annual Thanksgiving Meal took place on Friday, Nov.

By Kathy Thomson Two items that Moran residents may need to put on their calendar for next week include the government commodity pick-up and the annual holiday craft fair. Commodities The pick-up day for Moran commodities has been moved back to Thursdays starting in December.

By Melinda L. Lucas Four local candidates filed their paperwork for placement on the March Republican primary ballot with county chair Lynne Teinert last Wednesday, Nov. 13, according to County and District Clerk Cheri Hawkins. Teinert also submitted an application to continue as county chair.