Brac Jones honored at retirement reception
After 41 years, Brac Jones, husband of Patsy, is retiring from Texas Farm Bureau Insurance. His last day at the office was March 31. A come-and-go retirement reception was held in the Grimes County Farm Bureau meeting room.
Most of the 54 years that my parents, Frank and Dolores Hoffart, owned and operated their general merchandise store in Dobbin, they were members of Farm Bureau. My dad used to sell Farm Bureau tires and batteries. I remember driving them to the main office in Waco years ago to be honored for their service to Farm Bureau. Brac was their agent for many years and my mom dealt with him and trusted him to the fullest. Brac has served his clients with superior customer service through the years and his experience and knowledge will be greatly missed. I asked him if the person taking his place knows as much as him. He replied, “I doubt it.” I doubt it too. Brac plans to spend more time with family, hunt, fish and travel more.
In 2016, Kristen Keally Carroll had to come up with a community service project for the Texas FFA Ford Leadership Scholars program. Her idea was providing an animal rescue shelter for Grimes County. She talked to Sheriff Don Sowell about using inmate labor and to former Judge Ben Leman and began putting a board of directors together. The original is still intact and has been by Kristen’s side through the whole adventure.
Glen Love of GCSO and the diversion crew talked with Kristen to develop a plan to see how they can assist with her mission. The GC Animal Rescue grand opening and ribbon cutting was held Sunday, April 2, at the Christy and Dan Agan Animal Shelter located on the county property near the Justice Center. She commented that she never dreamed that it would take this long. The shelter officially opened Monday, April 3. Congratulations to Kristen on a superb job well done.
Anderson Food Pantry, 367 Fanthorp St. will be open Thursday, April 6 from 9 a.m. until noon. All residents of Grimes County in need of food can participate. For more information, contact Renee Fredwood, 936-873-5005.
If you are not a registered voter or if you recently moved to Grimes County and have not registered to vote here, Thursday, April 6 is the last day to register in order to be able to vote in the May 6 election.
Zion Lutheran Church in Anderson will have an Easter egg hunt and other activities Saturday, April 8 from 9:30-11 a.m.
Here’s your chance to take a Stagecoach Tour of Anderson. On Saturday, April 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Fanthorp Inn would like you to hop aboard the replica stagecoach for a tour of what contemporaries called the “Rome of Texas.” Along your journey a historical interpreter will travel with you and inform you about the way the town has changed over the generations. The Texas Historical Commission presents Fanthorp Inn to you without admission fees but with a suggested donation of $4 ($10 with coach ride) for adults and $2 ($5 with coach ride) for children. Contact Chandler Wahrmund, Chandler.Wahrmund@thc.texas.gov or 936-878-2214, ext. 250, for more information.
April events:
April 16 – Knights of Columbus Blood Drive at St. Stanislaus Parish Hall.
April 22 – 3rd Annual “A Cause for Paws” fundraiser festival at Grimes County Expo Center.
April 22 – Anderson VFD Annual Steak Dinner, live auction and gun raffle at St. Stanislaus Parish Hall.
April 29 – Town of Anderson Clean-up Day – 8 a.m.- noon.
Happy Birthday to those celebrating this week: April 6 – Margaret McClosky, Janice Branch, Phil Deaton; April 7 – Barbara Kapchinski, Hallie Eisenman, Darren Cosby, Calan Johnson, Jimmie Lipscomb, Hallie Hejny, Tami Perry, Kallie Giles; April 8 – Clayton Molitor, Brittney Moreland, John LeFlore, Keaton Sayers, William Lewis, Alivia Garcia and triplets McKenzie, Sadie and Corie Nienstedt; April 9 – Matthew Borski, Dakota Yargo, Brycen Pasket, April Bay; April 10 – twins Kaylee and Kylee Kimich, Jim Andrews, Haleigh Jo Seifert; April 11 – Barbara Brooks, Kevin Brady; April 12 – Dennis Wehmeyer, Darrell Borski, Sofia Prado, Brady Neuman, Linda Finch, Mauri Pasket, Raquel Thomas and Nancy Buckley.
Happy Anniversary to those celebrating this week: April 6 – Blake and Loren Burns, 10 years; April 7 – Michael and Frances Molitor, 44 years; April 8 – Thomas and Frances Kowis, 62 years; April 9 – Michael and Samantha Kimich, 12 years; April 9 – Kenny and Kathy Diehl, 12 years; April 10 – Brady and Melissa Frenzel, 13 years; April 11 – Kyle and Cassaundra Klawinsky, 8 years; April 12 – Daryl and Mandi Alford, 26 years.
If you have special news about what goes on in your family or life, let me know by calling 936-870-6842 or email me at gailmsowell@yahoo.com. I would love to share with others.