288 Express October 2020

Alvin, Manvel & Neighboring Communities

A Lifetime Of Memories . . . More memories than can be shared in one story

OCTOBER 2020 Volume 3, Issue 10

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A publication of the Alvin Advertiser

WHAT ’S INS IDE PAGE 4

Cover Story George A. Wallace, a Navy veteran of World War II, shares a few memories from his time before and after service.

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Absolute Volleyball Academy

School News

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Guest Columnists

Chamber News

Alvin, Manvel & Neighboring Communities

Editorial Writers & Photographers Stephen Collins • Michael Edmonds Graphic Designer Linda Knight

Advertising Account Executives Darlene Hall advertising@alvinsun.net Sheila Rieke ads@alvinsun.net Betty Crawford classifieds@alvinsun.net Office Manager Donna Hopkins

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Sam Houston State University announces Summer graduates and Spring dean’s list

L O C A L

The following area students received degrees during the 2020 Summer semester at Sam Houston State University.

From Manvel: Vivian Guerrero, Master of Science, Victim Services Management and Cheryl Peterson, Master of Science, Accounting.

The students listed on the Dean’s List of Academic Honors at Sam Houston State University are undergraduates who have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.5 out of a perfect 4.0 in all work attempted while enrolled in not less than 12 semester hours. The university would like to recognize the following students for earning the honor for the Spring 2020 semester.

From Manvel: Sarah Adair, Patsyjoyce Arenas, Matthew Burton, Sydney Cisneros, Jaquay Mcgowen, Nicolas Moeller, Christian Perez, Sandra Simmons, Sabrina Vazquez and Roger Vyrostek.

From Danbury: Kennedy Adams, Rosa Barron and Lindsey Toombs

Alvin resident graduates from Oklahoma Baptist University One Alvin resident received a degree during Oklahoma Baptist University’s Spring Commencement Saturday, Aug. 1, on the south lawn of Raley Chapel on the OBU campus.

United States Senator James Lankford delivered the address.

The event was rescheduled from its original date in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Graduates, with academic majors and scholastic predicates, include: Michelle Carr, sports and recreation management, magna cum laude.

Students who maintain at least a 3.70 GPA are designated magna cum laude.

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B U S I N E S S D I R E C T O R Y

Progress coming along nicely at the site of E.C. Mason Elementary in Manvel.

OCTOBER 2020 . . .

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COVER STORY

A lifetime of memories

by Sheila Rieke You might have seen Gilbert A. Wallace about town riding his scooter up and down the sidewalks of Alvin. Wallace, born August 23, 1923, recently celebrated his 97th birthday.

He served in the United States Navy from 1943-1946 as a Tin Can Sailor. “Tin can sailor” is a term used to refer to sailors on Navy attack transporters during World War II. He served at Guadalcanal and earned a bronze star in Bougainville, an island in the South Pacific, while serving in the Pacific Theater aboard the USS Crescent City. The Bougainville campaign was a series of land and naval battles of the Pacific campaign of World War II between Allied forces and the Empire of Japan, named after the island of Bougainville.

The Bronze Star Medal recognizes service members who show acts of heroism in the field, or who are meritorious in their work.

To qualify, service members must perform these acts during an armed conflict against an enemy of the United States.

He served on the USS Crescent City from 1943-45 and the USS

Henderson from 1945-1946. USS Crescent City served in the Second World War, contributing to the final US victory through troop transport, logistics functions, amphibious landings and even hosting an evacuation hospital. The ship’s performance in the

George gets around just fine in his current-day vessel.

Handsome in his uniform, George Wallace served his country proudly.

Asian-Pacific campaign earned her 10 battle stars, a Navy Unit Commendation, and an honored name in US history.

The USS Crescent was one of the four amphibious transports nicknamed the “Unholy Four” (along with the USS President Jackson, USS President Hayes and the USS President Adams).

The transports got their name when they crossed the international date line together. They lost Sunday when they crossed the line, going straight form Saturday to Monday. One of the US Marines on board said it was unholy to lose a Sunday. The captain entered his comment in the ship’s log and after that the four ships became Continued on page 5

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COVER STORY Continued from page 4

known as the Unholy Four.

The Crescent City received Navy commendations for their outstanding role and ship performance during the Asian-Pacific Campaign earning her 10 battle stars.

Wallace likes to tell one story in particular of when they were on the island of Bougainville.

There was a Japanese plane that came by every morning for about two months and “would drop a 250-pound aerial bomb every morning at breakfast”. The soldiers called him “Washing Machine Charlie” because of the sound of the plane.

They had all gotten so used to him coming that they stopped paying much attention until one morning when he dropped the 250 and it didn’t go off. It had landed right beside all of them where they were eating their breakfast. “If it had exploded it would have taken some of them out. It didn’t explode, but it was red and hotter than a firecracker,” told Wallace.

Wallace was most proud of running the searchlights during General Quarters (an announcement made to signal the crew to prepare for battle or imminent threat) so the gunners could see where the planes were. He had no marks against him and today proudly wears his buttons he received on his hat.

In 1945, Wallace went back to California for a 30-day leave.

From there, he boarded the USS Henderson and operated as a screen ship for escort carriers in Hawaii and then conducted experimental sonar tests with submarines.

Wallace wished he had been able to attend the reunions especially after losing touch with his shipmate and best friend “JD” from Mississippi.

For young sailors today, Wallace would tell them “that even though things are very different today, they should always do what they’re supposed to do and do your job to the best of your ability”.

Wallace’s race car which he called “Brand X” was sponsored by S&H Green Stamps.

Since his military days Wallace has worked in Austin at the fire department and owned a Shell gas station and a Texaco station.

In his spare time, he built a racecar which he called “Brand X”.

The sponsor for the car was S & H Green Stamps.

Wallace now lives with his son and daughter-in-law enjoying his golden years on the sidewalks of Alvin.

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FEATURE

Absolute Volleyball Academy moving into state of the art facility

by Stephen Collins, Sports Editor

Pictured is an outside drawing of the new Absolute Volleyball Academy facility in Webster from the organization’s website. With over 800 members, AVA has become one of the largest volleyball clubs in the state of Texas. AVA officials hope to have the facility fully functional by mid-October with a grand opening around Christmas.

(Photo courtesy of AVA)

Absolute Volleyball Academy is currently in the process of moving into its new facility in Webster. The organization is one of the largest volleyball clubs in the state of Texas with 800 active members, fielding several national championship teams and athletes from the Alvin ISD and surrounding Houston area communities.

The 56,000 square foot facility (380 Green Wing St.) has long been a dream of AVA cofounders Katy Garza and Jerry Linch. The club’s original facility is located at 451 Spruce Street in Dickinson.

“Probably the second year after we were together (2007), we started talking to different people about building a new facility, but something always went wrong,” Garza said. “We finally now had all the right people in all our life and our club to help us pull it together.

“Amanda Bunn, who was our varsity manager (at AHS) is our CPA now. She’s been a huge part of being able to get everything together financially. We owe her a lot. We’ve just had so many good parents working with us. Creed (Development Services) Company with (president) Ben Sims has helped us a lot. He has a daughter in our program and has been a huge help, guiding us along the way. “(Contractor) Wycoff has been wonderful with their developers.

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It’s just been a team effort.”

The facility will feature eight indoor courts and eight sand volleyball courts. The eight indoor volleyball courts will have four basketball courts over them.

“Every two volleyball courts will be one basketball court with drop nets between every two courts,” Garza said. “We are just waiting on approval from some pipeline companies on the sand courts, because they are going to be above ground. We hope to offer premier tournaments on this side of Houston, because the club sports has grown this much.”

Along with hosting camps and tournaments for volleyball, Garza added that they have several parents who have played college basketball and some pro basketball. The parents are helping AVA get connected with people, who run quality events for girls and boys in that sport. The goal is run some showcase events. The organization is also looking into adding the sport of pickleball during the day for adult fitness.

Continued on page 7

FEATURE Continued from page 7 Garza, a two-time first team All-American from the University of Texas, graduated from Alvin High School in 1990 after becoming the first high school AVCA All-American in state history. Garza later went on to coach a pair of state semifinalist squads at Alvin, as well.

Linch previously served as the head volleyball coach at Friendswood.

The pair merged their two competing volleyball clubs (Texas Riptide and Zero Gravity) into Absolute Volleyball Academy in 2006.

Garza (Alvin ISD) and Linch (Friendswood ISD) continue to teach with their respective school districts.

“We hope to be fully fuctional (with the new facility) by mid October,” Garza said. “We would like to have a grand opening, inviting all our alumni back, probably around Christmas.”

Absolute Volleyball cofounders Jerry Linch (left) and Katy Garza pose for a photo during the facility’s construction on Aug. 31.

(Staff photo by Stephen Collins)

The court flooring was installed for the new AVA facility during the second week of September. The facility features eight indoor volleyball courts and eight sand volleyball courts. There will also be four basketball courts above the eight indoor volley courts.

(Photo courtesy of AVA)

Other features of the AVA facility include the behind-the-glass spectator stands for both the lower and upper levels, allowing fans to get a clear view of the action.

(Staff photo by Stephen Collins) OCTOBER 2020 . . .

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FEATURE

Alvin resident, Sarah Whitlock, completes Disability Advocacy leadership training program Sarah Whitlock of Alvin recently graduated from Texas Partners in projects.

Policymaking, a statewide leadership training program designed to In her capstone project, Whitlock created a docuseries that impact disability-related policies in Texas. highlighted the daily structures, needs, and routines of individuals Whitlock lives in Alvin and is one of 28 graduates in the 2020 class with disabilities as well as the experiences of friends and family. of Texas Partners in Policymaking. Whitlock and The project offered an unprecedented view into her fellow graduates from across Texas will work the challenges, conflicts, and victories faced by to influence policy and change systems so more millions of people every day. The experiences people with developmental disabilities (DD) are covered in the docuseries included addressing fully included in their communities and exercise issues associated with caregiving; helping family control over their own lives. members understand hardships; navigating Over the course of the nine-month program, complicated medical situations and learning to Whitlock attended training sessions both in-person advocate in the process; and exploring employment in San Antonio and then online after COVID-19 options and other topics of importance. prompted the program to shift to remote sessions.

“The Partners in Policymaking Program has During the trainings, state and national experts been a truly life-changing experience in so covered various topics, such as disability history, many ways,” Whitlock said. “I made valuable inclusive education, the Texas Legislature, and connections throughout the great state of Texas. more. During the program, Whitlock and the other The knowledge and wisdom I gained will enable trainees also expanded their networks, developed me to educate, advocate, and actively contribute Sarah Whitlock informational resources, and completed capstone to my community and beyond.”

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COLUMN

Going underground to weed out the Truth

by Brenda Groves

Brenda Groves There is a patch of weeds along side our garage that appears to have been a flower bed at one time. Years ago, before we lived here, someone appreciated a nice garden. I think it can now be referred to as “Where the Wild Things Grow!”

Well, I also appreciate beautiful flowering plants but I have never really tried to maintain more than a few hanging ones.

(But I have managed to keep an aloe vera alive in a window seal for a number of years. I just leave it alone for the most part. It seems happy.)

Now this “flower bed” cannot be mowed because we have never cleaned out the broken rocks and pieces of rotten wood that once defined its border. But all of that is about to change! We have decided to make that eye sore a beautiful garden once again.

So first step, destroy the weeds, ivy and weird little tree things that have taken root. My husband suggested a weed killer that he had just used on the driveway.

Wanting to tackle the job

myself he told me to just spray it on the weeds, the poison will work its way down into the roots and within a few days the plants will die. Immediately I thought this is not entirely correct.

Actually, the minute the poison touches the roots of the plant that is when the plant actually dies, it just takes a day or two for us to see the results above ground with our own eyes.

My hubby showed me the brown plants in the cracks in our drive as further evidence that the substance he used really works.

This helped build my faith in it. I think you know where I am going with this.

All this brings to mind something that happened to me several years ago when a harmless freckle on my leg suddenly began to grow and change in shape and color. I have shared this amazing testimony of the power of God’s word spoken in faith through born again believers in Christ Jesus, but it bears remembrance.

I showed the spot on my knee to a couple of people at work who recently had skin cancers removed and both pointed to it and said, “You need to get that thing looked at NOW!” Fear gripped my heart as I headed to my computer to look up all I could find about skin cancer, but as I was walking to my desk I heard the Holy Spirit speak to my heart, “No, I want you to go to My word and find out everything I have done for you.”

(The Lord is saying to all of us, “be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil.” Romans 16:19. We know so much about

fallen man, but in comparison, we know very little about risen God.) Now at the time I had already been renewing my mind in the area of healing and I used Jesus’ example when He cursed the fig tree in Mark 11:12-33 to stand on.

“Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.

In response Jesus said to it, ‘Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.’ And His disciples heard it.”

“Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, ‘Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.’

So Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.”

So pointing to that thing on my leg I spoke directly to it using the word of God. I cursed the root of that cancerous looking thing.

“I don’t care what you are or what your name is because Jesus’ name is above your name and by His stripes I WAS healed. You are not of my God and you will bear no fruit in my body! You are

dead at the root.”

I want to point out to you where the verses in Mark 11 said Jesus “responded” to the plant. In other words the fig tree was talking to Him, conveying a message. It was saying one thing and Jesus answered it. Things are speaking to us constantly. They may not be conveying actual words but their messages are clear enough.

So we need to answer them with the Word of God and speak truth over them, rebuking any weapon trying to form against us or placing a judgment anywhere in our lives that is contrary to what God says.

Well, nothing seemed to change, in fact that thing started to grow larger over the next few days. I want you to know that Satan came at me from all directions like a barrage of gun fire. In the middle of the night thoughts would come, “It’s not working.” So I would answer that lie the way Jesus answered when Satan tempted Him, With the word of God ... “dead at root.!”

Now notice, I never once went back to God and said, “Hey wait a minute, what’s going on here, how come it’s not working? Why aren’t You doing Your part?”

Nope!

Because I believed in my heart when I prayed that it was done.

I settled it then and already saw it as finished, it was just a matter of time before my physical eyes would see the results on the surface. In my heart I saw the root of that thing on my leg See GOING on page 14 OCTOBER 2020 . . .

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SCHOOL NEWS

Alvin High School MCJROTC ranks 10 . . . OCTOBER 2020

SCHOOL NEWS

first as the MCRA Naval Honor School OCTOBER 2020 . . .

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SCHOOL NEWS

Cadet Captain Trenton Parker was selected as the Legion of Valor winner for Region 5.

Maj. Timothy Flynn, AHS’ senior Marine instructor and 1st Sgt. Stephen Garcia.

Prestigious Award for Alvin ISD Police

On August 6, 2020, the Alvin ISD Police Department received the award of “Recognized Law Enforcement Agency” from the Texas Police Chiefs Association Law Enforcement Recognition Program. This is the third time the Department has received this honor.

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SCHOOL NEWS

Manvel FFA “fill the trailer”

We Made It! Schools, businesses, churches and individuals from all over the county dropped off donations for east Texas and Louisiana

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CHAMBER NEWS

Coffee with Cops

Local members of law enforcement met with the community on September 15 to share a cup of coffee and conversation. From left to right: S. Green, Q. Santucci, R. Solano, M. Cruz, Capt. T. Hubbard, Daniel Pierce with Citizen on Patrol, Lt. S. Gilcrease, M. Jrab, Sgt. J. Schauer, Chief R. Lee and Z. Guthrie. These events allow citizens to see the police force as real people who care about the well-being of the families of others as well as their own.

(Staff photo by Sheila Rieke)

GOING

Continued from page 9 drying up when my words penetrated the skin. (Heb. 4:`12) The devil tried to cast doubt through the TV, “Doctors are seeing more cases of skin cancer than ever before.” I answered that suggestion also, “Not in my body in Jesus name, I’ll never have it!”

Through well meaning, “Brenda, I want to remind you that skin cancer runs in the family so watch out for it.” “Not in my born again blood line! I’ll never have cancer in Jesus name!”

I can’t tell you how many complete strangers just came up to me in grocery stores and parking lots “trying” to tell me horror stories about skin cancer. I would just stop them in mid sentence and tell them, “I’m sorry that happened to you but it won’t happen to me in Jesus name.”

Yes, people rolled their eyes and I know I sounded rude, but it’s mine and your lives that are in jeopardy. I’d rather be thought rude and live, than to politely die. “LIfe and

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death are in the power of our tongues, and those who love it will eat the fruit thereof.”

Proverbs 18:21 The devil is not playing games here but he has no power over anyone unless we allow him to deceive us, then we lose only by default. We relinquish our Christ-given right to walk in divine health.

Nothing seemed to change at all until one morning, that thing on my leg simply peeled right off. To this day there is only a tiny smooth light brown spot as a reminder of the power in the Word of God. Praise Jesus!!!

So the word of God, spoken in faith releases the power of God in our lives.

But if a person is just speaking the word ending with a “I hope this works,” attitude it only means they don’t actually believe it. That is a “fake it until I make it” type of prayer.

I didn’t understand how it actually worked in the spiritual realm but I trusted God’s word and believed in my heart that God’s word would “soak” down into the root of that infection and kill it! John 3:16 confirmed His love for us and I take that very personal and the heart knowledge of His love will replace

“hope so’s.”

“Faith works through love.” Gal. 5:6 We are not waiting for God to provide it, faith is simple reaching into the spiritual realm and taking what God has already willingly provided by His grace.

As far as our little garden the weeds turned brown in just a matter of days but I was already lining up the flowers to plant in their place. Believing in your heart when you pray will cause you to prepare your life for living not for dying.

Grow deep roots in the love of God “and the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen” Romans 16:20 “So shall my word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:11 But when it’s all said and done .... “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8 Contact Brenda Groves at: bkgroves1996@yahoo.com

COLUMN The Postscript by Carrie Classon

The Bear

Carrie Classon

The two women told me about the bear when I was on my hike.

They were on trail bikes and saw the bear in the direction I was headed. “It was scary!” one of the women said.

We were all a little nervous.

There had been a bear attack just a few weeks earlier up on the ski hill.

A couple had gone up to see the comet. They didn’t bring food. There were no bear cubs.

There was no reason to think they were in any danger. They were just sitting and watching the sky when a bear attacked, seriously injuring the woman.

Their dog ran away, and folks assumed she would not make it through the night.

Miraculously, the dog was found by some hikers the next morning, still trailing her leash. The woman was still recovering, and it was expected she would be for a full year.

This was on our minds, even though we were nowhere near where it had happened. We

talked about how terrible things can happen, out of the blue, when no one is at fault.

“It’s scary to know something like that could happen!” the biker said.

I agreed, but asked her, “What are the options?”

If I’m going swimming in the ocean, I will research to see if there have been any sharks in the area. But if no one has been bothered in 100 years, I figure I’m not likely to be the first.

“It’s like getting hit by lightning,” I added. “We know it can happen, but we also know it is a small chance. I can’t remove all risk. I can just be smart, research the dangers, and live my life as safely as I can.”

The two women agreed.

They were going to keep riding their bikes. But they were also going to keep their eyes open. I thanked them and said I would too.

I discovered the limits to my rational approach about thirty minutes later when I came upon a surprisingly large black bear.

First, I saw a deer take off right in front of me. It was scared of something and it wasn’t me. I looked up and saw the bear sitting quite close, right on the trail. The bear looked at me.

When I’ve seen bears before, they immediately run away.

It’s good to know the bear is as scared of me as I am of it. The bear directly in front of me did not move.

I looked at the bear. The bear looked back at me.

I backed up, slowly, until I was several yards away. Then I made my way up a hill, to the cemetery, so I could do a big detour around the bear. The bear did not move.

“There’s a bear on the trail!”

I told a man riding a bike, once I got to the cemetery.

“Really?” he said, then fell off his bike.

“Darn these toe clips!” he laughed.

We talked about how food was scarce for bears in the forest. I felt a lot calmer, just talking to someone about the bear. The next day, I was on the

trail again.

But if I am going to tell the truth (and I try to) I was a little afraid. Because I do my best to be smart and be careful, and I count on my cleverness to keep me safe. And, of course, I never really am.

It is probably a good thing to remember—no matter how clever or careful I think I am— the bears are always there.

Till next time, Carrie Carrie Classon’s memoir is called, “Blue Yarn.” Learn more at CarrieClasson.com.

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