BULLETIN BOARD
DON'T MISS: Labor Day Solid Waste Schedule The Labor Day holiday schedule for solid waste collection is: No service Monday, Sept. 1; if your trash pickup is Monday it will change to Tuesday, Sept. 2; Tuesday trash pickup will change to Wednesday, Sept. 3, and Thursday and Friday will be usual service. Containerized commercial garbage service will not change. No bulky/brush pickup this week.

SUNDAY, AUG. 31

St. Mary's Festival/Homecoming Fundraiser St. Mary's Parish Annual Festival and Homecoming at the Nada Community Center is Sunday, Aug. 31 with a meal of barbecued beef and sausage from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Plates are $7 and include tea and dessert. Drive-through plates to go will be available until 1 p.m. The bazaar will offer pastry booths, a country auction at 1 p.m., food and refreshments served all day and evening, train ride, Bouncin Buddies Water Slide (children bring swimsuits), special appearance by Rainbow the Clown and entertainment by DJ Big Mo and karaoke by Frankie C. New this year is the antique tractor and equipment exhibition from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The parade of tractors is at 11:30 a.m. A raffle drawing at 8:30 p.m. for 26 nice prizes concludes the festivities.

Gospel Singing Group at First Lutheran First Lutheran Church, 304 Oscar hosts the gospel singing group The Telestials in a concert of Christian music at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 31. The public is cordially invited. A free-will offering for the group will be accepted.

MONDAY, SEPT. 1

DAV and Auxiliary Meet Monday Wharton County DAV Chapter and Auxiliary 72 meet Monday, Sept. 1 at the VFW Hall. Covered dish meal served at 7 p.m. and meeting to follow.

'Hope After Shattered Dreams' Meeting Hope After Shattered Dreams Ministry meets Monday, Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the El Campo Church of Christ, 315 E. Calhoun. Anyone who has experienced loss resulting from, but not limited to death, divorce, job or deteriorating health is welcome to attend. For information call 543-4279.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 2

Ricebird Booster Club Meeting The Ricebird Booster Club meets Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. in the classroom located in the weight room behind home stadium.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 3

Chicken Fried Steak Fundraiser El Campo Ricebird Band Boosters host a chicken fried steak fundraiser Wednesday, Sept. 3 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. Pick-up only at Staffs Food Service, 502 E. Jackson. Presale tickets, call Maria Barnes at 541-5926 or Wanda Evanicky at 979-578-0793 or 979-559-0298. Plates are $7.

THURSDAY, SEPT. 4

Join Cub Scouts Cub Scout Packs 196 and 1249 will recruit new Scouts Thursday, Sept. 4 starting at 5:30 p.m. in the cafeteria of Myatt Elementary. Cub Scouts is for boys in grades 1-5. All boys registering will receive a free T-shirt. For information contact: Pack 196, Dawn Merta at 543-4542 or dawnmerta@yahoo.com or for Pack 1249, Dawn Collins at 979-618-6518 or dawn_to_dusk@excite.com.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 5

Labor of Love Distribution Friday Those who have applied for the Labor of Love food program may pick up their commodities at Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church from 8:30-10:30 a.m. on Sept. 5.

COMING SOON

BBQ Chicken & Sausage Dinner The boxing program at the Boys & Girls Club of El Campo hosts a barbecued chicken and sausage dinner fundraiser Saturday, Sept. 6 from noon-2 p.m. at Alamo Park pavilion on Alamo Street behind the El Campo Post Office. Tickets are $6 per plate. For information call Silvester Arrambide at 543-6357.

WC Texas Exes Kick-off Meeting/Party Wharton County Texas Exes host a kick-off meeting and game-watching party Saturday, Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. at the FireHouse Bar & Grill. The first event of the year will be to reconnect with your fellow Wharton County Longhorns. For information call Lane Lauritsen at 979-635-4432 or lanelauritsen@remax.net.

Rice Belt Coin Club Coin Show Rice Belt Coin Club hosts the 24th Annual Coin Show at the American Legion Hall on Saturday, Sept. 6 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Free admission, everyone is invited, free parking and door prizes every hour. A free dated buffalo nickel or liberty head to children. Buy, sell or trade U.S. and foreign coins and currency. On-site security and refreshments. For information call Steve Harris at 543-1230, Gerd Conner at 543-3493, Preston Hicks at 543-5635 or Johnnie Bartosh at 543-3600. Call Johnnie Bartosh for dealer tables.

ECVFD Annual Fried Chicken Dinner The El Campo Volunteer Fire Department hosts its annual fried chicken dinner from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 7 at the ECVFD training field behind Friendship Park off of North Wharton Street. Plates to-go only are $7 and the menu consists of fried chicken, rice salad, corn and pinto beans.

Derby Doll Booster Club Meeting The Derby Doll Booster Club meets Monday, Sept. 8 at 5:30 p.m. at the ECHS new practice gym.

Ricebird Cheerleading Booster Club Meeting The Ricebird Cheerleading Booster Club meets Monday, Sept. 8 at 7:15 p.m. at the El Campo High School seminar room.

Aggie Moms Meeting Aggie Moms meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 at JBrew in El Campo, across from the El Campo post office. All moms of Aggies are urged to come. You do not have to be a member, just a mom of a current or former Aggie. Moms exchange information about happenings at A&M and share tips on how to manage college life. Door prizes for students and moms will be given. For information call 541-4914.

Customer Service Excellence Seminar El Campo Chamber of Commerce hosts a Customer Service Excellence Seminar from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15 at the Northside Education Center. Event is free for Chamber members, $15 for others. Lunch is included. Seating is limited. Call 543-2713 for reservations.

Blood Drive At ECMH A blood drive is set for Tuesday, Sept. 16 at El Campo Memorial Hospital, 303 Sandy Corner Road, from 12:30- 5:30 p.m. in the front parking lot. Tote bags for all donors. Call Donna Mikeska at 543-6251 with questions or to sign up. Photo I.D. is required. Anyone age 17 or older, who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good general health may donate blood. Eat at least four hours before donating blood.

Cholesterol Screening at ECMH El Campo Memorial Hospital's lab offers various blood screenings Thursday, Sept. 18. Call 979-578-5185 for an appointment; space is limited. Do not eat or drink for 12 hours before screening. Cholesterol/triglyceride test is $5, HDL, LDL and triglyceride is $10 and the HDL, LDL, triglyceride and glucose test is $15.

Pre-Register For QuickBooks 2008 QuickBooks 2008, a hands-on training seminar is Saturday, Sept. 20 from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at Northside Education Center, 707 Fahrenthold. Includes instruction, manual, refreshments, light lunch and follow-up consultation. Cost is $99 and must be pre-paid. Call 543-6750 to register.

Louise/Hillje C of C BBQ Cookoff Festival The Louise Hillje Chamber of Commerce hosts the 3rd Annual Barbecue Cookoff and Fall Festival Friday, Sept. 26 and Sat., Sept. 27 in downtown Louise. Taking applications now for vendor booth space: Call Pam or Liz at 979-648-2026. Call Darla at 979-541-6905 for cookoff applications and Motorcycle Fun Run information.

Heritage Center Clay Shoot The Rotary Club of El Campo and Garwood Sporting Clays are teaming up to raise money for The Heritage Center of El Campo with a sporting clays shoot Saturday, Sept. 13 from 3-7 p.m. The $75 entry fee includes 100 targets and a barbecue dinner. Raffle tickets for a $1,300 shotgun are $25 each. Advertising sponsorship signs are available for $300. To sign up as a sponsor or to participate in the shoot, or to get raffle tickets call Michael Jones at 543-5998 or John Petty at 543-3373.

ECHS Class of 1978 Needs Addresses The ECHS class of 1978 holds a reunion Oct. 11. All classmates are invited; however, current addresses are needed. Call Martha Bartosh Cerny at 543-5197 or Donna Schoenfield Kocurek at 543-7210 if you have an address change.

ECHS Class of 1963 Needs Addresses The ECHS Class of 1963 holds a reunion in October. Addresses are needed for about nine classmates. Contact Jane Newton Reynolds at janereyn@onr.com.

Locals Going To 'Women of Faith Conference' The 2008 Women of Faith Conference, "Infinite Grace," is Oct. 24-25 at the Toyota Center. If interested in going contact Linda Alderson at 543-7342 for tickets, hotel information and travel arrangements. A limited number of tickets are still available at the group rate of $65.

Children's Programs At EC Library The El Campo Branch Library has resumed its programs for children with Storytime Tuesday mornings at 10:15 a.m. for children ages 3-5 and Toddler Time for children ages 6 months to age 3 on Wednesdays at 10:15 a.m. Schedules are available at the library, 200 W. Church. For information call 543-2362.

Back To School Supplies Drive The Pilot Club of El Campo is sponsoring a back-to-school supply drive. Collection boxes are located at Commercial State Bank, Lacks Furniture, NewFirst National Bank and Walgreens. Contact person is Brenda Steelman, 979-541- 4316. Your support is greatly appreciated.

Stray Pet Outreach Team Newsletters Wharton County SPOT - Stray Pet Outreach Team - is sending out newsletters. If you want to be on the mailing list and learn more about SPOT and how you can help, e-mail wcspot@hotmail.com.

Memorial Bricks For Your Veteran Based on requests, American Legion Post 251 is enlarging its Veterans Memorial site to include 160 additional memorial bricks at $100 each. A brick may contain three lines with 15 letters/spaces per line. Deadline is Jan. 15. After deadline, the cost will increase to $150. Contact Noel Fuller at 543-3684 or Merrill Adamcik at 543-5513.

Early Help For Children Important Region III Education Service Center Early Childhood Intervention Program provides support and services to families with children, birth to age 3, with developmental delays and disabilities. For questions call Region III ESC ECI at 1- 888-909-3512. ECI screenings and evaluations are free.

Spay/Neuter Assistance Available The Matagorda County SPCA has a program to help financially disadvantaged people in Wharton, Jackson, Matagorda and the southern part of Colorado County get their dogs or cats spayed or neutered. Please call the SPCA at 979-323-8787 for information.

Veterans Service Officer Hours The office of Wharton County Veterans Service Officer Harvey H. Stelzel Jr. is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays through the month of Sept. Office hours are 7:30 a.m.noon and 1-4 p.m. The office is located at 1017 N. Alabama Road in Wharton. Phone 532-1311.