April is Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. Scotty’s House Child Advocacy Center will host the Grimes County Blue Ribbon Ceremony, along with local law enforcement and child service agencies, to raise awareness of the serious problem of child abuse and/or neglect in our community. The event is set for 10 a.m. Thursday, April 4, at the Law Enforcement Center, 382 FM 149 in Anderson. The ceremony will be dedicated to the 64 confirmed cases of child abuse and/or neglect in Grimes County in 2018. A reception will follow the ceremony at the LEC.

•Sunday was the perfect day for the car show in downtown Anderson. Way more cars, trucks and unique vehicles came out than expected. A total of 102 classics showed up and 56 registered to compete. Thanks, once again, to Charlie Diggs for helping put Anderson on the map for those who have never been here before.

•Clean-up day for the town of Anderson is from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, March

30. A dumpster will be placed at the corner of FM 1774 and Main St. Start preparing to do some spring cleanup around your place and take advantage of this dumpster right at your fingertips!

•The Robert Raines Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) recently donated a WWI monument to Grimes County and it will be erected at the Anderson Historic Park. Unveiling of this monument will take place in the park with a ceremony at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 6. Geoff Horn and Children of the American Revolution (CAR) will ring the Methodist Church bell three times to signal the beginning of the ceremony. Local and state officials will be on hand to speak and present proclamations; a bugler from the Texas A&M University Aggie Band will call the assembly to order and also present Taps at the end; Heroes of ’76 from College Station will post the colors; invocation will be given by the Rev. Jeremy Woodley; Robert Raines Chapter NSDAR Regent Kathy Wells will give the welcome, history, recognition of veterans and closing remarks; Johnny and Lisè McNally will sing the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful, while Mackenzie Mayfield will sing Amazing Grace; VFW Post 4006 Commander Carl Dry will give the benediction; and many other key people and organizations that were instrumental in making this event happen will also be on hand. Last minute details are still being worked out, but it will surely be a special day to honor our WWI Veterans so please mark your calendars now!

•The Grimes County Sheriff’s Office Relay For Life Team is participating in the canned food drive. Please consider donating canned foods to help “feed the community” and “knock cancer off the board!” A drop off box for the food drive is located in the lobby of the sheriff’s office until April 22. Please contact Michael Briggs or Caryn Searle at the SO, if you need more information.

•Happy birthday this week to Anna Mae Vezurk, Carley Burzynski, Grace Ann Mock, Sharon Kolenda, Robert Trimm and twins Caleb and Abigail Schoessow, March 28; Ryan Schroeder, March 29; Colton Spinks, Ethan LeFlore and Harper Burns, March 31; Angela Petitt, Justin Barnfield, Cecilia-Ann Gurka, Cody Wright, Ann Weaks and Justin Groves, April 1; Lou Abatie, Natalie Bachmeyer, Mercedes Rackley and Brenda Kott, April 2; and Philip Pasket, twins Harley and Marshall Taylor, Megan Barcak, Makayla Marek and Sheriff Don Sowell, April 3.

•Happy anniversary this week to Russell and Renee Fredwood, celebrating April 2.

If you have special news about what goes on in your family or life, let me know by calling 936-870-6842 or emailing me at gailmsowell@yahoo.com .