BULLETIN BOARD
DON'T MISS: County Texas Exes Kick-off Meeting/Party Wharton County Texas Exes host a kick-off meeting and game-watching party today, 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.

TODAY, SEPT. 6

BBQ Chicken & Sausage Dinner The boxing program at the Boys & Girls Club of El Campo hosts a barbecued chicken and sausage dinner fundraiser 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.

Rice Belt Coin Club Coin Show Rice Belt Coin Club hosts the 24th Annual Coin Show at the American Legion Hall today 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.

SUNDAY, SEPT. 7

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.

MONDAY, SEPT. 8

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 Booster Club Meeting Ricebird Booster Club meets Monday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. in the classroom located in the weight room behind home stadium.

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.

El Campo Book Club Meeting The El Campo Book Club meets Monday, Sept. 8 at 5 p.m. at the El Campo Library. This month the review is Quicksand by Iris Johansen or any Iris Johansen book. Johansen writes crime thrillers that will keep the reader's interest. For information call Phyllis Hodges at 543-8391. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Meat Loaf Or Hamburger Steaks Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church hosts a fundraiser of meatloaf or hamburger steaks, potatoes, corn, green beans, cake and bread for $7 per plate on Monday, Sept. 8. Pick up at 202 Sentinel Drive. Contact 979-332-1624 or 979- 635-0136. Serving from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Cotton Square Dance Open House Cotton Square Dance hosts an open house Monday, Sept. 8 and Monday, Sept. 15 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wharton County Fairgrounds, FM 960 and FM 961. Families, couples and singles are welcome. For information call Wanda Dorotik at 543-1974 or Teri Mund at 979- 532-4045 or 979-532-8810.

TUESDAY, SEPT. 9

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.

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 10

Make Pencil Critter At Museum The El Campo Museum invites all children to come during September to make a pencil critter. The museum is open Tuesday-Friday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. For information call 543-6885.

AARP Chapter Meeting AARP Chapter 1419 meets Wednesday, Sept. 10 at the El Campo Library. Lunch will be served at noon and the meeting will be at 1 p.m. Dr. Ted Scott, general surgeon, will speak on "health closures" regarding general surgery. For information call 543-3514.

Legion Monthly Executive Meeting Craig-Harriss American Legion Post 251 holds its Executive Committee meeting Wednesday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. in the auxiliary room.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 12

ECHS Mini Cheer Camp Performs Girls who attended the ECHS mini-cheer camp this summer are invited to cheer at the Sept. 12 football game. Parents need to bring their girls to the track gate by 6:30 p.m. Campers should wear camp shirts.

Lifesavers Team Bake Sale Lifesavers Relay For Life team hosts a Bake Sale on Friday, Sept. 12 at Mid Coast Medical Clinic in the Lobby. Sale starts at 8 a.m. Come by for breakfast or weekend goodies. Proceeds benefit American Cancer Society Relay for Life.

COMING SOON

Alpha Iota Chapter Of DKGSI Meeting Alpha Iota Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International will meet on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. at the Wharton Elementary (new school). The program will be on Autism and all visitors are welcome.

Garage Sale To Benefit Carmelite Missions A huge garage sale at St. Andrew Parish Hall on U.S. 59 in Hillje, sponsored by the Catholic churches of Hillje and Louise, is Thursday and Friday, Sept. 11-12 from 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 13 from 9 a.m.-noon. Cash sales only, shop in air conditioning and snack bar will be open. Proceeds benefit the Carmelite Missions of India and the missions of Kenya sponsored by the Incarnate Word Sisters of Victoria.

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.

EC Hillje SPJST Monthly Meeting El Campo Hillje SPJST Lodge 40 hold their monthly meeting in Hillje at the Lodge Hall on Sunday, Sept. 14 for a social and memorial service. A catered meal will be served at noon and registration at 11:30 a.m. Members are asked to bring a dessert. Guests are $5.

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.

4H Saddle Club Meeting The 4H Saddle club meets Monday, Sept. 15 at 5:15 p.m. at the Ozarka building. New members are welcome to enroll at this time.

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.

American Legion and Auxiliary Meeting Craig-Harriss American Legion Post 251 and its Ladies Auxiliary hold their regular monthly meeting Tuesday, Sept. 16 in the hall beginning with a social at 6:30 p.m. A meal will be served at 7:15 p.m. Ladies Auxiliary members are asked to bring desserts.

Boots & Bridle 4-H Meeting Boots & Bridle 4-H meets Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. at the Extension office in Wharton, 210 S. Rusk. Any youth in Wharton County interested in horses is invited to join. Call Melissa Locke at 979-532-0250 or Lora Cline at 979- 533-0464.

'Cancer Stampers' Host Baked Potato Supper The 'Cancer Stampers' Relay for Life Team of Wharton County hosts a baked potato supper at Country Pride Wednesday, Sept. 17 from 4:30-6 p.m. Tickets are $6. If interested contact Gigi Lewis at 543-8851 or Janice Winter at 979-578-0367.

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.

St. Philip School Students Selling Magazines St. Philip Catholic School students are selling magazine subscription as well as starting their brochure sales. If you are interested in ordering/renewing a magazine subscription, or would like to order from the brochure sales, contact St. Philip School students, Brenda Harp at 543-8547 or Michelle Willson at 543-3510.

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.

Horticultural/Creator Visits Bay City Mike Shoup, horticultural innovator and creator of the Antique Rose Emporium and president of the Heritage Rose Foundation, will appear at 10:39 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 20 at Myra's Garden in Bay City. Shoup is a nationally known expert whose work has been recognized in Smithsonian and National Geographic magazines and in many trade journals. For information call 979-245-3634.

Christ Lutheran Sausage Fest Christ Lutheran Church host the annual Sausage Fest on Sunday, Sept. 21 at the Fireman's Training Field. Dine-in or plates to-go available for $6. Serving from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Bake sale, quilt sale and live entertainment inside. For tickets call 543-5450 or 543-3251.

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.

Run Wild 5K Run/Walk Registration Come run wild with the El Campo Museum on Oct. 4 during the 2nd Annual Run Wild-5K Run/Walk, a 2-mile walk and kid's race. The entry fee is $20 if received before Sept. 26. Late registration is $25. Awards for top finishers in each age group for adults and kids. For information call 543-6885.

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 or for an application, or to help with the effort.

Veterans Service Officer Hours The office of Wharton County Veterans Service Officer Harvey H. Stelzel Jr. is open Tuesdays and Wednesdays through September. 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.