Optimist Club

Optimist Club of Corsicana held its youth appreciation banquet April 2 at The Cook Center on the Navarro College campus.

Kim Wyatt, Optimist president, gave the welcome followed by an invocation by Steve Moss of First United Methodist Church. Following the reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance and dinner, Wyatt introduced the speaker, Doc Blakely.

Awards were presented to the students by Wyatt, director Steve Petty and secretary Lelanie Petty. Reciting the Optimist Creed concluded the program.

Navarro County students who were awarded are as follows:

Corsicana High School — Lindsey Stevens, Taylor Jacobson, Jonathan Neal, Antonious Restom, Katelyn Nease, Andey Means, Latesha Collins, Michael Williams, Omar Castillo, McKenzie Jordan, Alexander Kolosta, George Villa, Christian Seth, Tamra Norris, Ashley Gegenheimer, Hannah Douglass, Brenna Conklin and Alyssa Starling.

Frost High School — Jose Antonio Anaya Jr., Daisy Perez, Samuel Prentice Stroder and Charity Votolato.

Dawson High School — Morgan McCrory, Cameron Johnson and Dustin Griffith.

Mildred High School — Emily Hines, Morgan Weaver, Amanda Raley and Frederick McDonald Jr.

Blooming Grove High School — Cheyanne Livingston, Lane Matous, Johnna Smith and Andy Corpus.

Kerens High School — Kirby Jackson, Shawnee McClure, Jamal Ross and Susan Greenwell.

Rice High School — Sam Gunter, James Konieczny, Lakeshia Small and Danielle Marshall.





Woman’s Club House Association

The board of directors of Kinsloe House invite you to a musical treat May 6 to celebrate Kinsloe House’s birthday.

Kinsloe House will present Janet Martin and Todd Jones with Sandra Huffman giving a musical revue of songs from “I Do! I Do!”

With joyous music to celebrate Kinsloe House’s birthday, Martin and Jones have previously presented programs at Kinsloe House and they have always been a hit.

Invite your friends and come to be entertained. See old friends, make new friends, and relax and have a good time listening to good music.

Kinsloe House presents entertaining programs at noon each Wednesday. If you are a member of Kinsloe House and haven’t been coming, let this be the time you start back.

Please make your luncheon reservation by noon May 4 by calling (903) 874-5791.

Also, members are advised that lunch will be served on May 10 to members and guests in observance of Mother’s Day. Tickets are $15 and reservations must be made in advance.



Corsicana Art League

The Corsicana Art League will meet at 6 p.m. May 4 at the Senior Activity Center, 919 W. Park Ave. The public is invited to attend.

Francys Flanagan from Ferris will present an oil demonstration as the program. She is a figurative artist and teaches group and private lessons at her studio in Ferris. She also is an instructor at the VECAS Art School in Cedar Hill.

Flanagan is an artist driven by a passion for self-expression through art. Her works are often noted for their unique style, elegance and technique. Flanagan paints with a style that blends precise realism with impressionism. Her use of vibrant colors and soft edges make her work a choice for a wide range of purposes. She is accomplished in using the traditional glazing technique first developed by the old masters. Her work has been influenced by several instructors. The greatest influence on her art was the late Dick Turner of Houston.

“From the time I was a small girl I knew I would be an artist. I just didn’t know what kind,” Flanagan said. “I read book after book about painters, musicians, dancers, and writers. In 1977, through a chance meeting with Dick Turner, I knew that I, too, would be a painter. I was so overwhelmed by Dick’s work and mental approach to it that I immersed myself, soul and body, in that pursuit. I studied with Dick from 1977 until 1982, taking five and six classes a week at his private art school.”

Flanagan is presently represented by Prellop Gallery in Salado and Visual Expressions Gallery in Cedar Hill.



NARFE

Ellis-Navarro Chapter 1191, NARFE (National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association), met at 11:30 a.m. April 14 at Ryan’s Steakhouse in Waxahachie with 28 members and two guests present.

After the meal, the meeting was called to order by chapter president Moses Miller. Invocation was by Bobby Montgomery and pledge to flag led by Cecil Windham. The speaker, introduced by Ralph Nelson, was Bob Alexander of Maypearl.

Alexander is an ATF retiree and is very knowledgeable about the history of the West. He has written several books and his latest will be released in June of this year. His presentation featured the history and tales of the Texas Rangers (law enforcement). He said that the first Texas Rangers were young and didn’t stay long due to the danger and stress of the job. Their role then was somewhat different than it is now. He stated that currently there are six Ranger companies consisting of 110 Rangers.

After the program, a business meeting was conducted during which Bob Kral, membership chairman, welcomed three new members in attendance. Chapter 1191 has an average of 23 at each meeting and the meetings are rotated among Corsicana, Waxahachie and Ennis. Besides striving to preserve earned federal employee benefits, Chapter 1191 donates to the Alzheimer’s Fund, contributes to local charitable organizations and members perform volunteer duties.

The next NARFE Chapter 1191 meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. May 12 at Sirloin Stockade in Corsicana. All active and retired federal employees, their spouses and guests are invited to attend. For more information, call Bob Kral at (903) 874-3092.



Thomas Meredith Chapter

Thomas Meredith Chapter, Colonial Dames XVII Century, will attend the birthday luncheon at Kinsloe House at noon May 6. Chapter members should call Gelene Simpson at (254) 478-1656 by May 1 for reservations.



José Antonio Navarro Chapter

José Antonio Navarro Chapter, Daughters of the Republic of Texas, will attend the birthday luncheon at Kinsloe House at noon May 6. Chapter members should call Gelene Simpson at (254) 478-1656 by May 1 for reservations.