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4-H awards youth achievements from staff reports
Howard A and B took on Forney
9.17.2014
Ellis County 4-Hers and adult leaders were recognized and honored for their projects and accomplishments at the annual 4-H Achievement Banquet on Saturday at the Ninth Grade Academy. 4-H is a program open to all youth, ages 9-19 years. The 4-H program teaches leadership, citizenship and life skills. 4-H is also about having fun, learning, exploring and discovering. In 4-H, young people make new friends, develop new skills, become leaders and help shape their communities and counties. The highlight of the evening was the Gold Star Award, the highest County
award a 4-Her can earn. Peter Chomicki earned the award, presented by County Commissioner Bill Dodson. Peter will be honored at the District Gold Star Banquet on Oct. 20 in Waco. Gold Star winners from 22 counties will be honored at this event. Peter is the son of Joe and Irene Chomicki. Other top awards, also presented by Commissioner Dodson, include: Danforth I Dare You: Jay Hamer Silver Awards: Ashley Blaser and Courtney Craig Bronze Awards: Cade Ferry and Brayden DeBorde Rookie Awards: Natalie Blaser, see youth, page 2
Gold Star recipient Peter Chomicki (right of center) poses with Commissioner Bill Dodson (center) and his parents.
Restoring History
Brookshire’s to award local high schools FROM STAFF REPORTS
WFD Mack Truck ‘62 See a photo collection of the 1962 Mack truck restoration in progress on Waxahachietx.com.
WAXAHACHIETX.COM /MULTIMEDIA
PHOTO SLIDESHOW
See more photos with this story at waxahachietx.com Photo by Andrew Branca/Daily Light staff writer
Waxahachie firefighter Matt Rodgers stands in front of the department’s 1962 Mack fire truck, which he and many others are working to restore for preservation of the department’s history and for parades.
Inside look at Medal of Honor Waxahachie firefighters work to restore piece of department’s history See the Medal of Honor be presentated to a veteran.
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WAXAHACHIETX.COM /OBITUARIES Christabel Bowden, 86, Waxahachie n Geron Birmingham, 46, Waxahachie n Martha Braden, 92, Waxahachie n Mary Hartsfield, 80, Waxahachie page 12 n
TODAY’S EDITION /WHAT TO DO
Sept. 20 8 a.m.
VFW Post 3894 will host a cancer walk from Getzendaner to Lions Park.
By ANDREW BRANCA Daily Light Staff Writer
Waxahachie firefighters are restoring their department's history bolt by bolt as they rebuild a 1962 Mack fire truck. “This truck is getting pretty much what we call a frame off restoration. Everything is com-
ing off. It is going to be sand blasted and cleaned and then completely repainted from the ground up,” Firefighter Matt Rodgers said. “Right now you can see that we have the wheels off and the brakes off. Slowly piece by piece we are putting it together.” Rodgers said the idea for
the project came about several years ago after talking with then Fire Chief David Hudgins, who shared Rodger's passion for history. The department had ordered two identical open cab fire trucks from Mack in 1962 and retired them in the early 1990s.
Sending one text message a day could pay off big for local high schools. Brookshire’s stores in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas will donate more than $170,000 to local high schools during the football season as part of it’s extra point program, said Brookshire’s public relations coordinator Nikki Lively. From Aug. 27 - Nov. 11, each of Brookshire’s 118 stores will donate $1,000 to a local high school during a home football game, she said. The Midlothian presentation for the donation is scheduled for the football game on Sept. 26, and the Waxahachie and Red Oak presentations for Oct. 17. But schools can win up to $20,000 more through a keyword text contest. A keyword for each school will be displayed on the sidelines at the football game, at local stores and online at www.brookshires.com/extrapoint, Lively said. The keyword can be texted by each phone number once a day to “43101” until Nov. 11. The number of messages will be compared to the number of students enrolled in the school to help determine rankings, Lively said. The school that receives the most keyword texts will receive the $20,000 grand prize, she said. The school with the second most texts will win $15,000 and the school with the third most will receive $10,000. Customers who text the keyword will also be entered into an instant
see history, page 2
see brookshire’s, page 5
SAGU to host pro life CD release Texas Film Commission from staff reports Southwestern Assemblies of God University (SAGU) will host the "Songs for Life" CD release and free benefit concert at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 in the Sheaffer Center auditorium. The "Songs for Life" CD is part of the Music for Life campaign that is being sponsored by the FirstLook outreach, a non-profit, interdenominational organization that strives to equip
and empower men and women to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health. FirstLook offers life-affirming options with practical support, and all of its services are provided confidentially and free of charge. "Songs for Life" is comprised of original songs from several worship leaders in the Waxahachie area that highlight the value of unborn life. The worship leaders are as follows: Clayton
comes to Ennis Sept. 22 from staff reports
Brooks – The Oaks; Joel Warren – The Avenue; James Alexander – First Baptist Church Red Oak; Tim Hale – First Baptist Church Midlothian; see pro life, page 5
Alicia Downard, Production and Community Relations Specialist for the Texas Film Commission, will give a presentation about the media production industries in Texas at the Ennis National Bank Event Center in Ennis on Monday September 22 at 6 p.m. Community leaders, city officials, residents and business owners are invited to attend and learn
about effectively working with on-location filming for a range of projects, including studio and independent feature films, television shows, commercials and still photo shoots. “On-location filming has a positive impact on local economies, providing jobs for local crew, generating spending on goods and services, and providing see film, page 5
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PAGE 2 | WAXAHACHIE DAILY LIGHT
WAXAHACHIETX.COM/news youth
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Sam Burkhalter, Kayden Carpenter, Makayla Carpenter, Rose Cecrle, Zane Cecrle, Sydney Clark, Joshua Craig, Lleyton Francom, Sophia Francom, Mary Lofreddo, Alexandra Grena, Max Grena, Byron Ingram, Kess Ingram, Ian Krnavek, Jamie Sledge, and Ty Wilcox. Honor Roll Award, for junior 4-Hers that have completed projects, record books and club activities: Sydney Clark, Joshua Craig, and Brayden DeBorde. All Star Award, for intermediate members that have completed specific projects, record books and county activities: Ashley Blaser, Rebecca Blaser, Courtney Craig, Aaron Dobyns, and Jayce Nixon. Letterman Award, for senior members who have completed specific projects, record books, and activities on the club, county, district and state levels: Daniel Craig and Melanie Craig Dennis Turner Award: Daniel Craig District Leadership: Hannah Craig, Melanie Craig and Ava Hinson Friend of 4-H: Commissioner Bill Dodson and Mike Jenson Honorary 4-Her: Tommy Hamilton & Commissioner Ron Brown Outstanding Adult Leaders: Julie Hinz and Don Williams
Approximately 200 youth received certificates for their project work in these areas: Beef, Citizenship & Civic Education, Clothing & Textiles, Communications & Expressive Arts, Companion Animals, Computer Science, Dairy Cattle, Entomology, Family & Consumer Sciences, Family Life, Food & Nutrition, Goats, Horses, Horticulture, Housing & Home Environment, Leadership, Outdoor Education, Photography & Videography, Poultry, Public Speaking, Rabbit, Recreation, Safety, Science, Engineering & Technology, Sheep, Shooting Sports, Swine, Theater & Performance Arts, Veterinary Science, Water, Wildlife & Fisheries, and Youth Entrepreneurship. Youth completing Record Books received special recognition for their efforts, as well as those that competed at the District and State competitions. Matt Dawson, a member of the Shooting Sports Club, received special recognition for his participation in the National 4-H Shooting Sports Competition. A traveling trophy was at the banquet, as Matt was a member of the Texas team that placed 1st nationally. A dessert auction took place, raising more than $4,000 for 4-H scholarships. Businesses and individuals contributing to the scholarship fund included: Featherston Auto, Waxahachie Equipment Company, Toby Thorton, Bryan Ingram,
Ellis County 4-H Youth Council officers for 2014-2015 stand in front of the audience at the annual 4-H Youth Achievements Banquet on Saturday at the Ninth Grade Academy.
The Nay Company, Joe Garcia of TenTex, Jim Lewis Sales, Cindy Ermatinger, Bishop Law, Cowboy Bank, Pearman Oil & Gas, Bird’s Radiator & Hydraulics, Vintage Bank, Boyce Feed, and Heath Sims. Ellis County 4-H Council officers for 2014-15 were installed: Chairman Melanie Craig, 1st Vice
Chairman Ben Terry, 2nd Vice Chairman Samantha Garcia, Secretary Ava Hinson, Treasurer Parys Bishop, District Delegate Hanna Craig, Sergeant at Arms Ethan Brazell, Reporter Dakotah Van Huss, The Ellis County 4-H Program is under the direction of County Extension Agents Mark Arnold and Rita Hodges.
history from page 1
“We used those as backup pumpers for our first line pumpers because that is all we had. Then we turned one of them into a rescue truck,” Hudgins said. “We made several calls out into the county with the Macks.” Hudgins said if the weather was bad, the open cab made it difficult to drive and shift gears if it was raining. Also, without any power steering, steering the Mack could be a chore, he said, noting that in spite of their minor inconveniences, the Macks undoubtedly served an important role during the years they were in use. “My hat is off to him and the whole department for doing this project,” he said regarding the restoration. “ This is something that will be here when we are long and forgotten about. It will show the new fireman what fireman before them had to go through. I think that it can help them appreciate what they have now. It is important to preserve things like that.” Former Waxahachie firefighter and now Mayor Kevin Strength remembers driving the Mack on fire calls. “It had a humongous steering wheel like a Greyhound bus. You felt like a little kid sitting in a truck looking though the steering wheel,” Strength said. “If you were out in any kind of weather, the wipers really didn’t take anything off of the windshield. If there was a hail storm, you had to put your helmet's face shield down and hope it didn’t hit you in the mouth as you were driving down the road.” Strength said every time there was inclement
weather, firefighters would take strategic positions throughout the city to respond quickly to calls and keep an eye on the sky. He recalled one such day, sitting in the Mack pelted with rain and hail watching to report any signs of a funnel cloud. “I could see the water (collecting) and swirling around in the floorboards where the clutch went through the floor,” Strength said. Retired Pump Engineer Randy Johnston remembered responding to a call in the Mack truck when it nearly cut out while driving down the road. As now retired firefighter Jeff Sport was cranking the siren from the passenger side, Johnston said Sport wound it up so much all of the electricity was drained from the motor and the truck started to peter out. Sport quickly stopped cranking the siren and Johnston was able to pop the clutch to get the truck's motor running again. Of the two Mack trucks, one bearing the service number 886 was sold to a private individual and is now part of the Texas Fire Museum in Dallas on Chalk Hill Road. Rodgers, who previously worked at the museum, is leading the restoration with which other city departments have assisted. The truck,
once referred to as Rescue 1, being restored was placed into storage at the city's Parks and Recreation Department garage after being taken out of service. “We took all of the Christmas decorations off Photos by Andrew Branca/Daily Light staff writer that were on top of it and The Waxahachie Fire Department previously restored one of two Mack trucks purchased got it out. That is when in 1962. The second truck is now undergoing restoration to preserve the department’s history and for the public’s viewing in parades. the process for this truck started. It really didn’t need a whole lot of repair to get it running. It needed brake and fuel lines. The motor did smoke a little bit, but other than that it was in pretty decent shape,” Rodgers said. “That was six or seven years ago. It got put on the back burner when our 1926 American La France started having some motor problems. As soon as that was done this was brought back again.” Rodgers said when the restoration of the Mack was brought up to the department’s new fire chief, Ricky Boyd, he shared the same interest in preserving a piece of the department’s history and the project started again. “It is important to preserve the history of this organization,” Boyd said. “A prime way to do that is to maintain the old equipment and putting it in parade condition to continue to utilize it and honor our past.” The restoration work on see history, page 5
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Red Oak resident shares story for National Recovery Month By Audrey Crouch Special to the Daily Light
I had my first hangover at age 12, my first drug-induced high at 16. Most of my late teens and 20s were spent in a constant cycle – I’d use and abuse, then get help and then fall back into addiction. While I was high or drunk, I’d do terrible things to myself – I’ve got the cut marks all over my arms as a constant reminder. I’d feel euphoric one moment and depressed the next. I lived on the streets some, witnessed enough death and violence to last a lifetime, lost custody of my kids. When I was sober and living clean, I was able to hold down good jobs, spend time with my kids, live a quiet life. But it never lasted. Life is full of emotional blows – in my case family issues – and when we are faced with something that makes us depressed or angry or scared it’s human nature for us to find a way to numb the pain. For some people, that’s exercising or immersing themselves in volunteer work. For me, it was alcohol, cocaine and heroin. But, recovery from addiction is possible. I was finally able to break out of the cycle of addiction in 2004 and I’ve been in recovery for over 10 years now. Instead of spending my days in a daze, I’m busy raising my kids, working toward a master’s degree in counseling and working
history from page 2
the truck was made possible in part because of Rodgers' skill and the department's ability to do most of the work in house saving much of the cost, Boyd said. The Mack truck will require a professional paint detail, but all of the mechanical work is being completed in house. One of the main issues Rodgers
Paul
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about customers liable to pay U.S. taxes. On the monetary policy front, the SNB sold about 60 percent of Switzerland’s gold reserves during the 2000s. The SNB has also in recent years established a currency peg, with 1.2 Swiss francs equal to one euro. The peg’s effects have already manifested themselves in the form of a growing real estate bubble, as housing prices have risen dangerously. Given
full-time at the Greenhouse, a local addiction treatment center and a constant reminder that one bad decision and I could become an addict again. This September, along with the millions of other Americans in recovery, I’m celebrating the 25th annual National Recovery Month, an initiative sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). People in recovery are all around us. They are mothers and fathers, co-workers and friends. It is my hope that all North Texans will reach out to a person they know in recovery and offer their support and encouragement. It is also my hope that my fellow North Texans will reach out to those currently battling addiction and help them begin the road to recovery. According to the 2012 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 9 percent of Americans needed treatment for a drug or alcohol problem yet only 1 percent received treatment at a specialty facility. We need to reduce the stigma surrounding addiction and help more people get into treatment programs. Join me in celebrating National Recovery Month and make a promise to yourself to speak up or reach out to a person in recovery or struggling with addiction. Together we
brookshire’s from page 1
win game for a chance to receive free item offers and yourpoints, which are bonus points for the company’s regular incentive program, Lively said.
pro life from page 1
Brandon Hixson – Tabernacle Baptist; Tim Edwards – Covenant Life; and Graham Hicks – FirstLook. The CD will be available for $10 during the event. Southwestern Assem-
film Audrey Crouch can help others realize the promise of recovery.
Author Bio Audrey Crouch is an Intake Supervisor at the Greenhouse Treatment Center. She has a degree in Chemical Dependency Counseling from the University of North Texas and is a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor. Along with her education in the field of addiction she has sustained 10 years of personal recovery in Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Audrey may be reached at ACrouch@ContactAAC.com.
and others are tackling is sealing up the motor so none of the oil valves leak. “The motor ran, and we could drive it but it smoked a little bit. For it to be a parade truck, we don’t want it to be blowing exhaust all over everybody,”he said. Another obstacle the department has faced in the restoration is finding replacement part for the 52-year-old truck. The gaskets set for the engine had to be handmade by a company in Port Orchard,
Washington. During the restoration Rodgers has been in contact with the Mack Truck Museum in Pennsylvania. The museum supplied the department with the original build sheets for both trucks, which list all the original equipment, paint codes, provides a mock of the gold loral design on the hood and the lettering for the department's name on the door. “This truck and the other truck in 1983 they were both kind of scorched in a
fire and the paint bubbled,” Rodger said. “So the guys at the time pulled them into the engine bay, sanded them down and painted them right there. That is when they got repainted the first time and when they moved the letters to the door.” Rodgers said they plan to move the department's name back to the hood in its original placement. Rodger said everyone at the department has shared their expertise and knowledge to make the
the action by the European Central Bank (ECB) to engage in further quantitative easing, the SNB’s continuance of this dangerous and foolhardy policy means that it will continue tying its monetary policy to that of the EU and be forced to import more inflation into Switzerland. Just like the U.S. and the EU, Switzerland at the federal level is ruled by a group of elites who are more concerned with their own status, well-being, and international reputation than with the good of the country.
The gold referendum, if it is successful, will be a slap in the face to those elites. The Swiss people appreciate the work their forefathers put into building up large gold reserves, a respected currency, and a strong, independent banking system. They do not want to see centuries of struggle squandered by a central bank. The results of the November referen-
dum may be a bellwether, indicating just how strong popular movements can be in establishing central bank accountability and returning gold to a monetary role.
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points of tourism,” said Heather Page, Director of the Texas Film Commission. “Ennis is a classic, cinematic town and we look forward to meeting with area residents so we can work together to show filmmakers everything Ennis has to offer.” “I am proud that the Texas Film Commission recognizes that Ennis and Ellis County is a great destination for film industry projects and is working to help us attract more filmmaking to the region,” Rep. Jim Pitts said. “I look
project a success in every area — from working on the engine to helping reupholster the seats to restoring the fire truck's original equipment. Of course responding to emergency calls and the daily duties at the fire station take first priority, Boyd said. The firefighters have selflessly worked on the truck during down time or during off-duty hours, and the out-ofhouse work on the truck is being funded out of the department's annual
School rankings can also be viewed online. Red Oak had reached 49th in the ranking at press time, Midlothian High School was in the 120th spot and Waxahachie was ranked at 122.
blies of God University is a private, Christian university located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas. The university was established in 1927, and now offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees on campus or online. forward to seeing movies and television shows filmed in Ennis and the many benefits these opportunities will bring to our community.” Established in 1971, the Texas Film Commission is a division of the Office of the Governor that supports and promotes the film, television, commercial, animation, visual effects and video game industries in Texas. The Commission helps connect filmmakers with locations, crew, vendors, support services and permits in Texas. More information about the Texas Film Commission is available at www.texasfilmcommission. com. maintenance budget. Rodgers said he hopes to have all of the mechanical work on the truck finished by October and the remainder of the work finished in time for the truck to debut in this year's Christmas parade. Contact Andrew at andrew.branca@ waxahachietx.com or 469-517-1451. Follow him on Facebook at www. facebook.com/AndrewBrancaWDL or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ AndrewBrancaWNI.
Ron Paul is a former Congressman and Presidential candidate. He can be reached at RonPaulChannel.comThis column has been edited by the author. Representations of fact and opinions are solely those of the author.
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