The Wills Point Post Office combined efforts with local residents May 14, collecting non-perishable food items as part of the annual National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Donations received and collected by post office employees will be distributed to food banks in an effort to help fight hunger in the local community.
For the 24th year in a row, letter carriers across the United States could be counted on to display concern, compassion and commitment to their postal customers—and to the communities in which they work and live—by participating on Saturday, May 14, in the Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, the nation’s largest one-day food collection effort.
“It is gratifying to see so many NALC members and other volunteers sacrifice their time and energy to make sure this humanitarian effort is a success, year after year,” NALC President Fredric Rolando said. “I’m sure that the recipients of our efforts appreciate it.”
George W. Pierce Jr. of Wills Point has been recognized by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association for 24 years of safe, accident-free driving of a commercial tractor-trailer.
The OOIDA Safe Driving Award Program is sponsored by Shell Rotella and is designed to recognize and reward OOIDA members for their safe, accident-free years while operating a commercial vehicle. Safe driving awards are available to all eligible OOIDA members who qualify based upon the number of years for which the member has operated a commercial vehicle without being involved in a preventable accident.
Kitchen detail gets ready for missionaries. Jeff and Dawn Blanco and Associate Pastor Heath and Katherine Gregory will head up the meals being offered for free during the four day Missions Conference at Followers of Christ Church next week.
Followers of Christ Church will be holding its 19th annual Missions Conference May 25 through May 28.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Pastor Tom Oothappan from India, a graduate of the Dallas Christ for the Nations Institute.
Pastor Tom along with his wife, Sushan, have devoted their lives to planting churches throughout the southern Indian region. They also minister to widows by teaching them a trade, as well as running an orphanage.
Pastor Tom has attended the conference now for many years and will be sharing some of his experiences, organizers said.
Grab your partner and start practicing your tossing skills as the Free State Jubilee will be hosting a Corn Hole Tournament for adults.
The Free State Jubilee is set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 18 at The Arbors on First Monday grounds in Canton.
The winning corn hole team in the tournament will win a cash prize of $200 for being the tournament champion. The second place team will earn $100 and third place , $50.
The entry fee for the adult tournament will be $20 for each team which will consist of two members.
The Wills Point Police Department upgraded its fleet May 6, taking possession of a brand new 2016 Police Chevrolet Tahoe paid for through a federal grant. The fully equipped police vehicle was paid for with Federal Department of Justice funds secured by the police department. It has numerous new safety features including back up camera, back up warning system, computer assisted crash avoidance, safety transport seats and restraints and emergency firefighting equipment. WPPD Chief Rob Powell noted, “By securing grant funds from the Department of Justice, the savings were passed on to tax payers.” Police officials added that they were excited to announce the arrival of the Tahoe into the Police Department fleet, replacing aging and less reliable older police vehicles that are requiring increased costly maintenance and in need of retirement.
The North West Van Zandt Crime Watch held their spring meeting on May 7 at the home of Carolyn Minor.
The program for the day was a meet and greet with the two candidates for VZC sheriff, Dale Corbett and Ron Carroll, and newly elected Pct. 3 Commissioner Keith Pearson.
Each candidate addressed the group and answered questions. Election day for the sheriff’s run off race is May 24.
Followers of Christ Church in Wills Point will host a four-day missions conference later this month. The event will feature pastors from the area as well as from other parts of the world.
Followers of Christ Church, located on Highway 751 in Wills Point, will be the host once again for an annual gathering of pastors and missionaries from around the world for a four-day conference May 25 through 28.
Begun in 1997 by founding Pastor David Bridges, the vision has been that every church become “missions-minded.”
Haven of Memories Veterans Memorial Service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 28 at Eubank Funeral and Cremation Services Haven of Memories Memorial Park. For information, contact 903-567-4111.
The May meeting of the Van Zandt County Retired Teachers Association will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 17 at the American National Bank in Canton.
The program for the meeting will be the annual visit from the TRTA District VII President, Penny McDonald.
During the program, scholarships from the Van Zandt County Retired Teachers Association to three seniors who are going to attend college with plans to become teachers will be awarded. The three seniors to receive the scholarships are from Wills Point, Van and Canton.
