By Sandy Morris

The 2020 Believe Tree for Teens applications are due at The Feed Store this Friday, Nov. 20.

The Albany Ministerial Alliance is the sponsor for the tree which provides gift assistance for Shackelford County junior high and high school students.

Applications and wish lists are available at ResourceCare in Albany or from any church in the Ministerial Alliance. 

The Ministerial Alliance also is working with the junior high and high school counselors in Albany and Moran to identify students who may need gifts for Christmas. 

By Sandy Morris

& Lynsi Musselman

Albany Chest directors continue to be very concerned about this year’s slow progress toward the $41,000 goal.

This week, the campaign saw only a $200 increase from last week’s ending total, bringing the current balance up to $7,670. 

“By this time last year, we had collected more than half of the goal, which was the same as the 2020 goal of $41,000,” said board vice president Melinda Lucas. “More than ever, we need local residents to give what they can, even if that’s only a small amount.” 

By Sandy Morris

The holiday season is here, and there are several opportunities to help others in the community.

Special Gift Drive

The Wallace Insurance Agency of Breckenridge is hosting a Christmas gift drive for local students in Albany and Breckenridge. 

“We are calling it a ‘gift drive’ because the students need more than just toys,” said Jessica Holmes, gift drive chairperson. “Any kind of donation will be accepted – cash, gift cards, new unwrapped toys, new shoes, gloves, and hats.”

By Lynsi Musselman

Albany’s Cause for Paws helps keep the stray animal population under control by contributing towards the cost to spay and neuter local dogs and cats.

However, the non-profit is struggling to keep up with the requests for assistance, and they are asking for help themselves.

Cause for Paws member Lacey Anderson said there is not an official campaign  this year to refund the organization, but members have asked for donations to be made if possible.

The News will be printing Santa letters and holiday essays in the Christmas issue to be published on Thursday, Dec. 24.

Students at Albany and Moran schools will be writing letters at school, which will be submitted to the News office by their teachers.

Children at several other local facilities, such as First Love Day Care,  will also be assisted by their instructors in writing letters to Santa.

By Sandy Morris

Albany fans are invited to join in several of the activities planned by the Albany Athletic Booster Club to help motivate the Lions to be at the top of their game for Friday’s playoff bout with the Ralls Jackrabbits at Tiger Stadium in Snyder. 

Kickoff for the area game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19. 

Tickets cost $6 for adults and $4 for students and are available through a link at albanyisd.net. 

By Sandy Morris

Shackelford County residents will be able to enter their prize pecans in the upcoming 2020 Abilene Area Pecan Show on Tuesday, Dec. 1.

According to Shackelford County Extension Agent Kloey Painter, entries will be accepted starting Monday, Nov. 23 with a deadline of 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 30.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Thanks to her determination over the last eight years, senior Elia Hebel signed last week with D1 University of Louisiana at Lafayette to play softball for the next four years.

Hebel, an Albany softball standout both for the Lady Lions and her travel teams, is part of what has been determined as the top-ranked recruiting class this year in NCAA softball. She will join six of her Houston-based travel club teammates at UL Lafayette to play for the No. 8 ranked Ragin Cajuns beginning in the fall.

By Sandy Morris

 The district-wide canned food drive competition sponsored by the Moran junior and senior classes is still going strong.

 According to Moran ISD principal Jo Hise, the food drive has become very fierce.

“Right now, we have a close tie between the pre-K and third grade classes,” said Hise on Monday. 

The food drive will continue after the Thanksgiving holiday with Friday, Dec. 18 being the final day to make a donation. 

All donations will be delivered to local needy families. 

Big Country Electric Cooperative requests your help spreading word amongst local 10th, 11th and 12th grade students about the Government-in-Action Youth Tour, an all-expense-paid trip to the nation’s Capital. 

Big Country EC will send three students on the 2021 Youth Tour, scheduled June 13-22. Students’ parents/guardians do not have to be members/customers of the Cooperative to compete in and win.