By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School  seniors are on the final countdown to graduation,and their parents and community members are finalizing plans for the traditional Project Graduation party.

Project Graduation is an all-night drug-free and alcohol-free party following commencement exercises and has been an annual tradition in Albany since 1988.

This year’s fundraising drive has resulted in adequate funding, but chairman Kenzie Fairchild said this week that any additional monies given in the next week will subsidize the seniors’ gift card amounts.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany bands will end the year with a concert set for Thursday, May 19 in the main gym at the high school beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The concert will open with selections by the high school band, followed by the sixth grade and seventh grade bands, both separately and combined.

The high school band will play again to end the program.

According to director Will Vaughan, a number of outstanding soloist awards will be awarded, along with the announcement of the John Phillips Sousa Award.

By Sam Waller

The final week of the school year will start off with two days of fun and games for Nancy Smith Elementary School students.

The annual track meet will be held Monday, May 23 at the high school track.

A field day will be Tuesday, May 24 at Webb Park.

Lunch will be provided both days.

There will be no early dismissal Monday through Wednesday. Students will be released from the elementary campus at the regular times.

By Sam Waller

First Baptist Church of Albany will present Bibles to members of the Albany High School Class of 2022 at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, May 22 in the FBC sanctuary.

The event, a decades-long project of First Baptist, was combined with the school’s Baccalaureate two years ago because of COVID restrictions, and was also part of the same service last year.

The Bible presentation has been changed back to a separate event for this year.

By Sam Waller

A reception honoring retiring Albany Methodist Church pastor Tim Trimble will be held 2:00-4:00 p.m. Saturday, June 4 at The Feed Store.

Trimble is retiring after more than 16 years in the ministry, the last nine in Albany.

“It’s kind of a come-and-go event,” organizer Annette Harris said. “We’re going to have cake and punch and visiting for a couple of hours. Anyone who wants to stay the whole time is certainly welcome to.”

By Sam Waller

The youth department of First Baptist Church of Albany will hold a spag­hetti lunch fundraiser following church services on Sunday, May 22, at the Fellowship Hall.

FBC youth minister Eduardo San Lucas said there is no set price for the meal. Instead, donations will be accepted.

The event is to raise funds to send FBC youth to summer camp.

“Anybody from the community is welcome to come,” San Lucas said. “We’d love to have everybody support these kids to be able to go to church camp.”

San Lucas said plates will be available for carry-out.

By Sam Waller

Closet Angels and The Local Exchange are expanding hours during the summer.

Both ministries will open the second and fourth Saturdays for the next few months. The Local Exchange will open for one hour, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Closet Angels will be open from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Lori Reames said Closet Angels will continue with its regular schedule of 12:00 noon-6:00 p.m. Mondays and 4:00-6:00 p.m. Wednesdays.

Albany High School graduate Sarah Cotter has been awarded the Nancy and Ted Paup Big  Country Athletic Hall of Fame Scholarship. This scholarship fund is managed by the Community  Foundation of Abilene.

This scholarship goes to an Albany student who is in the top 25 percent of his/her class and  participated in varsity athletics.

Cotter will attend Texas A&M University in the fall and plans to study Business.

Jillian Guinn graduated Summa Cum Laude from Texas Tech University on Saturday, May 14 from the College of Media and Communications.

Because of her high grade point average, she was inducted into the elite Kappa Tau Alpha honor fraternity during a special ceremony the previous day.

On May 18, she began her new job as marketing and communication specialist for Visit Lubbock.

An Albany honor graduate, she is the daughter of Robbin Westmoreland and Shea Guinn.

By Sam Waller

Albany athletes came home with three medals – one gold, one silver, and one bronze – from the Class 2A state track meet, held Friday, May 13 at Myers Stadium in Austin.

Senior Sarah Cotter won the girls high jump, sophomore Adam Hill was second in the boys 110 hurdles, and sophomore Kiana Roberson was third in the girls shot put.