NETX Crossroads August 2022

C NETX

ROSSROADS

Pittsburg’s Peach Queen

MAGAZINE

Lewis sets precedent as first African-American superintendent of Daingerfield schools

By TONI WALKER, page 10

By ELIZABETH LANNING, page 6

New Boston’s Kelley Branson

More than three decades of carrying the torch for the Hottest Festival in Texas

By HEATHER RUSSELL, page 24

Atlanta Founder’s Day Festival Packed with fun for everyone By

KATE STOW, page 32

... and more!

WHAT WILL YOU BE? Brian Ramirez, Recent NTCC Graduate

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We are here to help you shape the future you desire. Whether you want to transfer to a university or learn a skilled trade that can put you to work sooner - we have what you need to be successful.

Remember, NTCC is YOUR local college and we will be here for you when you need us. Our friendly staff will guide you through the entire process from application to enrollment. We can’t wait to meet you and welcome you to the Eagle family.

Get Started Today!

www.ntcc.edu/registernow

About the Cover

AUGUST 2022

Hadley Smith of Texarkana enjoys the spray and foam provided by the Hughes Springs Volunteer Fire Department.

Hadley is the daughter of Nerissa Smith of Hughes Springs.

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S D A O R S S RO

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CONTENTS

Photo by Toni Walker

E MAGAZIN

Keely Henry rides her way to the top

Lewis sets t as firs precedent ican er m -A n ca Afri dent superinten eld rfi ge n ai D of schools

By TONI

Pittsburg’sen Peach Que

By ELIZA

BETH LA

NNING,

page 6

n’s New Bosto son n ra B y e ll e K an three decades

More th r the the torch fo of carrying val in Texas Hottest FestiSSELL, page 24

By HEAT

WALKER

16

, page 10

under’s Atlanta Fo al Day Festiv n h fu Packed wit ne for everyo By

W, KATE STO

page 32

In Tune

re! ... and mo

HER RU

Northeast Texas’ Lori Springer steps up to support Ag youth

20

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29

NETX

ROSSROADS Published and distributed by

MAGAZINE

Northeast Texas Publishing, LP in Bowie, Camp, Cass, Gregg, Morris, Titus and Upshur counties.

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Physical therapy with a twist

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tony Basso Di Ana Fitzgerald Elizabeth Lanning Heather Russell Kate Stow Toni Walker PHOTOGRAPHERS Elizabeth Lanning Toni Walker GRAPHIC DESIGNER Joni Guess

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Relax and reel in the good times at

LAKE BOB SANDLIN STATE PARK

By DI ANA FITZGERALD

T

ucked into the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas, Bob Sandlin State Park has something for the nature lover in all of us. From wilderness walking trails to fishing to programs for children, this 640-acre park is the perfect escape.

The wooded oasis of Bob Sandlin State Park sits along the north shoreline of the lake in southwest Titus County, an area rich in history.

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, the Caddo people occupied East Texas from A.D. 800 to 1860. The French and Spanish periodically lived in the area and established relations with the Caddo.

Choctaw, Cherokee, Alabama, and Coushatta people moved into East Texas in the late 18th to early 19th century.

By 1838, Fort Sherman, a Republic of Texas wooden stockade whose site is in or near the park, was established. The Fort Sherman cemetery can be found in the park near the fishing pier. Since 1860, settlers used the land for farming and ranching, and in 1979, TPWD acquired the land. The park opened in 1987.

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This park offers fun on water and land. Visitors can swim, fish, paddle, and boat on the 9,000-acre lake, or picnic, hike, camp, geocache, mountain bike, and nature watch under the trees. Visitors in autumn get to see spectacular fall foliage provided by the oak, hickory, pine, dogwood, redbud, and maple trees in the area.

Fishers don’t need a license to cast their lines from the shore or the fishing pier at Bob Sandlin State Park. Along with the lake stocked with largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie, the park is also home to a trout pond and brim pond. TPWD stocks the trout pond with rainbow trout each winter.

If hiking or biking is more your speed, you’re in luck. Bob Sandlin is home to over three miles of wooded trails waiting to be explored. The park even offers tours and nature walks on most weekends.

If you’d like an extended stay, the park offers a few options. There are 75 campsites equipped with water and electricity, along with numerous primitive campsites and cabins. Bring your RV or travel NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

Online Banking and Mobile Banking available any time, any place.

trailer and have the comfort of home in the most peaceful area around.

For locals, there are plenty of programs for kids to get them involved in area wildlife. The most popular program is the Junior Ranger program. Kids borrow an explorer pack, loaded with tools for exploring the park, along with a free Junior Ranger Activity Journal.

As kids complete tasks in the journal, they can earn badges. As an added bonus, kids 12 years and under get into the park for free!

Lake Bob Sandlin State Park has its gates open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day, and the office is open from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Adults get in for just $4 each.

Next time you need a break from the office or just the hustle and bustle of everyday life, take some time to visit this beautiful, idyllic lakeside park and reel in the good times.

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AUGUST 2022

5

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

The 2022 Peach Queen is announced

Peach Queen

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH LANNING

Right to left: James Wallace, President of the Peach Queen Association, Peach Queen Melani Flores, First Runner-Up Princess Allyson Burns, Princess Taryn Keefer, Princess Kyleigh Posey, Princess Zaydin Doddy, and Princess Kimberly Slone. Not pictured: Princess Rylie Crawley.

By ELIZABETH LANNING

The Pioneer Peach Queen Association announced Miss Melani Juliana Flores as Peach Queen to reign over the 2022 Pioneer Days Festival September 10-17. Queen Melani is the daughter of Arasele and Alfredo Flores, and is sponsored by Spear “H” Longhorn Ranch.

First runner-up is Princess Allyson Lou Burns, daughter of Jarrett and Amanda Burns and sponsored by Mayben Realty. Princess Allyson will serve in the Queen’s Royal Court, along with Princess Kyleigh Brooke Posey, daughter of Josh and Raven Posey and sponsored by Pittsburg Kiwani Club; Princess Zaydin Simone Doddy, daughter of Brent and Shelby Doddy and sponsored by Southern Wind Manor-Assisted Living; Princess Keira Jean Slone, daughter of Joseph and Kimberly Slone and sponsored by Pittsburg Lions Club; Princess Taryn Gail Keefer, daughter of Harley and Nikki Rozell and Wesley Keefer and sponsored by UT Health-Pittsburg; and Princess Rylie Cole Crawley, daughter of Caleb Crawley and Jennifer Easley and sponsored by Pittsburg Rodeo Association.

The contestants raised money selling tickets to the Peach Queen Pageant, Community Leaders Luncheon, and Beans & Cornbread cook-off along with numerous raffles ranging from jewelry and designer purses to fire-arms. The contestants also sold advertisement 6

AUGUST 2022

space in the Pioneer Days Festival guide and accepted donations as sponsors for Pioneer Days Festival events. The contestants raised a total of $109,000.00. These funds are used as financial support to enhance the events of the Pioneer Days Festival, support scholarships, and other worthwhile community events.

The Peach Queen event is sponsored by the Pittsburg Peach Queen Association whose board members are James Wallace, President; Kimberly Mercer, 1st Vice-President; Marci Parker, 2nd Vice-President; Kortnie Griffin, 3rd Vice-President; Ronda Burns, Secretary; Kim Daily, Treasurer; Holly McGraw; Makala Burrow; and Emily Shearin.

The Queen’s Coronation Pageant will be held during Pioneer Days Festival on September 14, at 7 p.m. at the Pittsburg High School Auditorium.

Melani Juliana Flores Miss Melani Brooklyn Flores is a 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by Spear H Longhorn Ranch. She is active in High School Cheer group. She ranks among the top 10 percent of her class; is Cheer Captain; HOCO Court; and three years All American NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

Melani Juliana Flores

Allyson Lou Burns

Kyleigh Brooke Posey

Cheerleader. Her plans for the future are to attend Baylor University and major in Business and Marketing. She is the daughter of Alfredo and Arasele Flores of Pittsburg. Her grandparents are Miguel Magane and Elving Rios of Pittsburg; and Alfredo Flores and Rosamaria Flores of Mexico.

Allyson Lou Burns Miss Allyson Lou Burns is 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by Mayben Realty. Miss Burns is ranked in the top 10 percent of her class. Her activities are participation in Volleyball from 2019-2021; Varsity Softball 2019-2022; Debate Team form 20192020; and Citizen Bee. She is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa at NTCC. She has been a member of the Interact Club for two years and served as the Treasurer, and also a member of the Student Council for four years serving as Executive Secretary from 2020-2021, and Executive Vice President from 2021-2022. She is a four year Honors Spanish Student and in the National Honor Society. She was awarded a scholarship for selling the most ads while competing for the title of Miss PHS. She currently has 36 college credit hours. Her future goal is to attend Texas A&M and become a student of Mays Business Program. She is the daughter of Jarrett & Amanda Burns of Pittsburg.

Grandparents are Bobby and Janie Burns of Mt. Pleasant; Dana Kaylor of Pittsburg and the late John Kaylor of Pittsburg.

Kyleigh Brooke Posey Miss Kyleigh Brooke Posey is a 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by Pittsburg Kiwanis Club. Kyleigh is a Varsity Cheerleader and participates in Varsity basketball; volleyball and track. She is an A&B’s Honor Roll Student; participated on the Academic All District; 2nd Team All District Basketball; and Honorable Mention All District Volleyball. Her future goal is to attend Texas A&M and major in business. Kyleigh is the daughter of Josh and Raven Posey of Pittsburg. She is the granddaughter of Terry and Pam Posey of Mt. Pleasant; and Richard and Terry Clifton of Pittsburg.

Zaydin Simone Doddy Miss Zaydin Simone Doddy is a 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by Southern Wind Manor-Assisted Living.

She is a member of the Student Council and active in the Cheer group. Her future goal is to attend University of Texas and study to NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

Zaydin Simone Doddy

Keira Jean Slone

Taryn Gail Keefer

become a Neo-Natal nurse. She is the daughter of Brent and Shebby Doddy of Pittsburg. Her grandparents are Francis Cheatum of Mt. Pleasant; Peggy Doddy of Daingerfield; and James and Linda Kirkland of Mt. Pleasant.

Keira Jean Slone Miss Keira Jean Slone is a 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by Pittsburg Lions Club. She is an active member of the FFA; Band; Majorette; Floriculture team & Floriculture Club.

Keira has received recognition for UIL State Qualifier for twirling in 2019; 2020; and 2021. Band UIL State 2021. Her future goal is to attend Texas State University and study Horticulture and twirling.

She is the daughter of Joseph and Kimberly Slone of Pittsburg. Her grandparents are Rhett and Kathy McCullough of Pittsburg; and Jo Slone of Gladewater.

Taryn Gail Keefer Miss Taryn Gail Keefer is a 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by UT Health-Pittsburg. She is active in varsity Softball; Robotics; Volleyball; Powerlifting and GLP athletics. She is among the top 10 percent of students in her graduating class.

She lettered in Softball and 3rd year Robotics. She was recognized as PHS Excellence Academic awards in Physics, Spanish culture, and Robotics. Her future goal is to attend Texas A&M and major in nuclear medicine radiology. She is the daughter of Harley and Nikki Rozell; and Wesley Keefer of Pittsburg. Her grandparents are David and Karen Walton of Pittsburg; Todd and Penny Neighbors of Ewell; James and Wanda Curry of Leesburg; and John and Lisa Keefer of Copperas Cove, Texas.

(Editor’s Note: We apologize that we had not acquired a photo of Princess Crawley by press time.)

Rylie Cole Crawley Miss Rylie Cole Crawley is a 17 year old senior at Pittsburg High School, sponsored by Pittsburg Rodeo Association. Rylie is active in Cheer club and a member of the high school Golf Team. Her future goal is to become a Pediatric Dentist. She is the daughter of Caleb Crawley and Jennifer Easley of Pittsburg. Her grandparents are David Easley of Longview; Ceryl Wright of Rogersville, Alabama; and Kelly and Shelby Crawley of Pittsburg.

AUGUST 2022

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Disco Belles & featuring 2022 Peach Queen Melani Juliana Flores

Peach Queen

2021 Peach Queen Sadie Lee Burrow

September 10

Little Miss Peach Queen Ball @ The Bleu Hen Event Center

September 14

Peach Queen Pageant @ PISD HS Auditorium Featuring “Disco Daddy” from the Metroplex Evenings – Thursday through Saturday Carnival

September 15

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AUGUST 2022

Leadership Luncheon featuring Sally Baskey as Ida Mae Fudpucker @ The Bleu Hen Event Center

NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

&

Pioneer Trails

Pittsburg, Texas

Pioneer Days Entertainment Schedule

Friday Night, September 16 Latino Heritage Night on the Main Stage Mirna Torres—Live Radio 6:30—Tamale Eating Contest 7:30 – 10:00—Virgillo Valle and Su Groupo 8:30 – 9:30—Mexico 2000 Folklorico Dancers

Free Hot Dog Luncheon

Saturday, September 17 Pioneer Days on the Main Stage 11:30 – 12:15—Mariachi Aaraigo de America 2:00 – 2:30— Bagpipes 2:30 – 3:00—Saxophone Instrumentalist 3:30 – 4:30—Jake Williams, acoustic performer 5:00 – 7:00—Billy Cody Three Piece Classic Rock/Country and Originals 7:30 – 11:00—Street Dance with Darren Morris

Pioneer Days at the Pendergrass Gazebo 11:30 – 12:00—Memory Makers Clown Show 12:00 – 12:45—Kerry the Critter Guy 12:45 – 1:30—Magician David G. Wonders 1:30 – 2:00—Kerry the Critter Guy 2:00 – 2:45—Magician David G. Wonders 2:45 – 3:15—Kerry the Critter Guy

Ice Cream t and Desser Contests

3:15 – 4:00—Anna McCullough, local singer 5:00 – 6:00—Dale Cummins NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

AUGUST 2022

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Lewis

sets precedent as first African-American superintendent of Daingerfield schools

D

By TONI WALKER

aingerfield-Lone Star ISD recently named a new superintendent and in doing so, set a precedence in the district. During a special meeting on May 20, the board, under the direction of President Malisa Harrell, entered into executive session for the purpose considering employment of the district’s next superintendent. When the board reconvened into open session, vice-president Neil Roney made the motion to hire Lewis, which was seconded

by Joe Austin II. Following the unanimous vote, Lesia Lewis was named as the new superintendent.

At the time of her promotion to superintendent, Lewis, who had been serving the district as Principal of South Elementary School, became the first African-American Superintendent of DaingerfieldLone Star ISD. When asked about the importance of that milestone, Lewis mentioned that she is accustomed to being “the first.” She gives God all the glory for using her to break barriers.

“I had so many calls, so many messages (when the announcement was made),” Lewis said. “One former student said I was a Trailblazer because I am the first African-American superintendent ( for Daingerfield), and another reminded me when I was the first African-American hired by National Bank of Daingerfield at the age of 17. So, this is nothing new to me. If there has to be a ‘first,” I am proud that it can be me. I just don’t want to be the last. My hope is that others can be inspired by my story and be encouraged to follow their passions.” Lewis says she was raised to always be strong and confident. “Every child needs a Champion. Our students deserve to be a part of something that is great. Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD is definitely headed in that direction.”

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Lesia Lewis recently was chosen to replace Sandra Quarles (left) as Superintendent of Schools at Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD. Lewis became the district’s first African-American superintendent.

COURTESY PHOTO

Lewis, a lifetime resident of Cason, came to West Elementary as a second grader. She is a 1982 graduate of Daingerfield High School, and has spent her entire 30-year education career in DaingerfieldLone Star ISD. She came to the district as an educator in 1992, when she was hired as a special education reading teacher at the Junior High.

After spending 12 years teaching at the junior high, she moved to Lone Star Elementary School where she taught for two years before taking on the principal position at Lone Star. In 2010, she moved to West Elementary School as principal, where she will remain until the end of the 2021-2022 school year.

When asked about the move to the superintendent position, Lewis said it was the result of much prayer and urging from others.

“I am so thankful to the DLSISD Board of Trustees for giving me this opportunity. This will definitely be the highlight of my career,” Lewis said. “I am excited to have this opportunity. This is my home.

The students, staff, and families here mean so much to me and I want to serve them in a profound way. I have to believe that God has been preparing me for such a time as this.”

Lewis is not lacking in the qualification realm of the superintendent position. She began her college training at Northeast Texas Community College, and graduated in 1992 from Commerce. Along with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education, she holds her Principal and Superintendent certifications from the Texas Education Agency. Lewis is also an active member of the Texas Elementary Principals and Supervisors Association, and was recently named their TEPSAN of the Year for 2022.

NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

Aside from her professional qualifications, Lewis holds the intangible qualification of being known throughout the community.

Lewis is actively involved in the community, through her work with the Piney Woods Civic Club, Chamber of Commerce, and more, and is well known and respected.

Over the course of 30 years, she has sought to positively impact the lives of numerous students and their families.

“It has always been my goal to teach students to respect themselves and others while increasing their learning capacity.” Lewis states that her parents’ most important lessons to her while growing up were to always respect others, work hard, and to always do your best.

Lewis is excited to work with the Board to create a vision and goals for DLSISD. She is ready to work with them to create conditions to produce high learning outcomes for ALL students. And as superintendent, she will partner with school leaders to do the work which will help all students in Daingerfield-Lone Star ISD achieve high academic success and to graduate future ready. Bringing unity and a deep sense of pride to the community is also very important to her.

Lewis is married to Coach Curtis Lewis, who is the Daingerfield High School varsity boys’ basketball coach. They have been married for 22 years, and they have two children: Elyse, an assistant principal, and Lynn, a project manager. She is an active member of Mount Mitchell Church of Christ, in addition to her active involvement in the Piney Woods Civic Club and Daingerfield Chamber of Commerce.

HUGHES SPRINGS

INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

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@roachlangstonbruno AUGUST 2022

11

Nothin’ But Try Keely Henry rides her way to the top

By DI ANA FITZGERALD

E

veryone loves a good comeback story, and this one is particularly special.

Keely Henry has overcome tremendous adversity, beginning at a very early age. Born to Chad and Melody Henry, rodeo is in her blood. Melody and Chad saw great success in rodeo in their youth, each making it to the College National Finals Rodeo themselves before settling down, getting married and having children.

Keely is the middle child of three, with one older brother and one younger brother. When Keely was just a month old, her parents took her in for a routine checkup, but the visit was anything but routine. Little Keely was care flighted to Dallas Children’s Medical Center after test results showed abnormalities.

Once there, open heart surgery was performed, a pacemaker was installed, and it seemed all of the troubles had been dealt with. The family returned home, welcomed another child, Keely’s younger brother Kincade Henry, into the world, and continued life as usual.

Keely and her siblings, Jace and Kincade, have followed in their parents’ footsteps, learning to rope and ride before they could read. The Henry kids spent their childhoods on horseback together, growing a bond that came second to none.

When Keely was 9 years old, she participated in a rodeo in Lufkin. Keely was coming around the first barrel in the barrel racing event when she lost consciousness. She remained unconscious until her horse made it to the second barrel across the arena. She came to and dismounted and was immediately taken to the nearest hospital via ambulance.

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The following Monday, the Henrys traveled back to Dallas Children’s to see Keely’s cardiologist. After six months of testing, doctors determined that Keely would never rodeo again. Keely was devastated and angry to give up the thing she loved most, but she had the full support of her parents and brothers. The family chose their love of each other over their love of rodeo and elected to quit rodeo, selling everything. The brothers began finding new ventures, and so did Keely.

While the boys traded swinging ropes for swinging a baseball bat, Keely dove into FFA. “I was blessed to go to Chapel Hill. That’s where me and the boys attended school, and they have a strong program, great teachers… For about five years, I showed lambs and the boys played baseball,” she said.

The Henrys experienced many joys and met many influential people during this time. The boys traveled as far away as Louisiana and Florida for baseball, and Keely traveled to Fort Worth for FFA events.

In 2013, the children were out swimming in their aunt’s pool when it seemed disaster had struck again. Keely had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) that had been installed in 2009 to monitor and control irregular cardiac rhythms. She was in the pool when the alarm on the device began to chime.

She was rushed to the hospital, only to find that the device had experienced a short. A year later, the familiar chime played again.

Keely was sitting in class each day and heard the tone around the same time each day, not recognizing it as the alarm for her ICD. NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

“It’s really cool to watch their success,” she said. “We were so beyond excited when they both made the College National Finals, especially in the same year, because Chad and I had made it in the same year… It was a big deal for us, for our family.”

In keeping with the family’s solidarity in rodeo, Keely even competed at the College National Finals Rodeo on the horse Melody most recently trained.

At the College National Finals, Keely received some serious recognition for overcoming all of the obstacles she has faced in the sport when she was awarded the Shane Drury “Nothin’ But Try” scholarship.

“The $2,500 Shane Drury “Nothin’ But Try” Scholarship is given each year to an NIRA member who exhibits Drury’s never-give-up attitude in the face of adversity. Drury, a bull rider who competed at the CNFR and was part of a men’s championship team, died after a battle with cancer,” says the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.

Keely plans to finish her degree at Texas A&M Commerce and work in equine pharmaceutical sales butsays that she plans to get her professional rodeo card and continue rodeoing as long as her body allows her to, continuing to show that Nothin’ But Try spirit.

When the connection was made, the family rushed back to Dallas Children’s. Specialists decided to change some things in Keely’s treatment and perform more surgeries on her.

That same year, Keely went in for a checkup with her cardiologist and received news that no one expected: she could rodeo again. The doctors had gotten her heart condition under control, and she was no longer barred from competing in the arena.

“We hit the ground running,” Keely said.

The Henry kids were back in their element, but it wasn’t easy getting back into the swing of things. Though the family had gone to Josey Ranch during summers to practice roping and riding during the time Keely was unable to rodeo, the strict practice regimen had been gone for several years.

“It was rough. I will tell you right now it was rough, because I felt behind. We had done it since we were little bitty, since we could sit up on a horse… When we took that five-year break, we lost momentum. I know with me, it felt like I’d lost all muscle memory of it,” Keely said. “We still rode [during the break], but it’s not like we were riding every day.”

“They all three bounced back fast,” says Melody Henry. “They picked it back up fast. It just took a little bit of a slow start, but then it really just went off.”

The first year back in rodeo, her parents determined that it was safer for Keely to only participate in roping, rather than roping and barrel racing, so she and her brothers roped together. The following year, as fate would have it, Keely found herself with access to a barrel horse, and she was back in the saddle again.

Through joining rodeo associations and series competitions, the Henrys regained their momentum and began seeing success in rodeo again. While Jace chose a different path in adulthood, Keely and Kincade have been competing in rodeo each year, now at the collegiate level. Both made it to the College National Finals Rodeo this year, a feat that Melody is very proud of.

NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

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Raw Iron Gym

By ELIZABETH LANNING

Jodie Duncan and her husband Donnie have been operating Raw Iron since March 2019 with a mission to aid those struggling with depression. They also own Raw Iron Powerlifting League.

Jodie lost her 19-year-old daughter Nycole to depression and suicide on August 9, 2013. Though she lived in Lubbock, a community of 250,000 people, she felt that there was no one local who could help her.

In casting about for a way to find meaning in her life again, Jodie discovered powerlifting. She competed in her very first meet in June 2016, and competed at Raw Iron at the Civic Center in Mount Pleasant in August of that year.

It was the friendships and relationships that were formed during these meets that encouraged her to move to northeast Texas in December 2018.

Jodie met her husband, Donnie, at a powerlifting meet in Mount Pleasant and they became Facebook friends. He recognized her motivation while promoting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and said that it was “refreshing” to see someone working to lift the stigma of those suffering from depression and suicide.

They were married in October 2019, and were approached with an offer to purchase the powerlifting federation in 2020. They realized that this was the platform they had been looking for to promote mental health and suicide prevention through charity meets and getting to know people individually.

On August 21, 2021 they hosted their first annual Lifting the Stigma powerlifting meet benefiting the northeast chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) in Mount Pleasant. Though they had hoped for a good turnout, the lifters and community exceeded all expectations. They had so many competitors they were turning lifters away for safety reasons. Raw Iron was able to donate $8,000 to the AFSP after this single-day event, and each of their workers at the meet donated their checks to the cause.

They are planning their second annual Lifting the Stigma meet on August 20-21, 2022 and are hoping to do as well or better than last year.

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“We begin the meet with 130 kilos loaded on the squat bar to represent the lives lost in the US daily. We let the lift time out and use it as a moment of silence to reflect,” Jodie Duncan said.

“All the charity meets at Raw Iron are sanctioned, which is almost unheard of,” she added. Usually, powerlifters don’t care to attend a meet that is not sanctioned, as it does not garner points towards their records.

They have hosted several other charity meets as well including Fort Worth Cops for Kids, Mending Hearts, and Northeast Texas Rescue. In April 2023, they plan to host a meet for the benefit of the Brain Tumor Institution. This is especially near and dear to Duncan as this year will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the passing of a friend’s three-year-old daughter to a rare brain cancer.

Studies have shown that one person dies by suicide every 40 seconds world-wide. This means that a number equivalent to the population of Mount Pleasant passes away due to suicide every week.

It has also been shown that men are 3.8 times more likely to take their life than women, and Texas has a higher rate than the national average. Those in the veterinary profession specifically are 2.7 times more likely to die by suicide than the national average.

While her husband is from Mount Pleasant, Jodie is from Lubbock and bought the house in which she grew up. But after her father passed in 2005 and her daughter in 2019, she felt that she didn’t want to remain because everything she looked at was either “Dad’s or Nycole’s.”

“I felt like I was having to fight everything in Lubbock,” she said.

She quit her job of 12 years, sold her paid house, and moved to northeast Texas to a rental and no job.

“But everything fell into place like it was supposed to do,” she NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

said. “This is where I’m supposed to be. I am not going to live where I’m not thriving; where I can’t live up to my potential. And I’m not going to be tied to a piece of ground,” she said, explaining that Nycole isn’t there anymore. She does not feel the need to remain nearby.

But she also felt that she must “make sure that the world knew that Nycole’s life mattered, and still does, and to do my best to make sure that no other parent lost a child that way.”

“I would love to say that I was 100% successful,” Duncan wrote, “But a year later we lost my cousin’s…daughter as well. To date I have lost 4 family members to depression.”

Duncan tries to help the people who come in for training, explaining that for many, it’s a form of therapy. If they open up, and start sharing stories, she said she wants it to be a safe place where no one judges and where nothing is held against anyone.

One of her success stories comes from an Iraqi war veteran who was completely disabled when the Humvee in which he was riding was hit with an IED. A sign on the side of the road stopped his mid-air flight, but it was months before he could walk again, and his spine had to be fused. Nonetheless, he is now a trauma nurse and comes to the gym two times a day to work out. “If he wasn’t in here he wouldn’t be able to walk,” she said.

Though they compete individually, powerlifters often become a tightly-knit group. All-time deadlift world champion Chris Kearney married Jodie and Donnie. He competed in the 148 pound, drug-tested competition and broke the world record, breaking his own record a month later with 694 pounds lifted.

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There are also several student athletes who come into Raw Iron to train. Duncan tries to guide them in more than just powerlifting. She understands the importance of hard work, good grades, and respect as she tries to help them in the right direction for the long-term. They are welcome to compete, but they must keep up their school grades. “If you do not respect your school grades then you don’t respect me enough to be your coach,” says Duncan.

She tries to push these students to express their full potential.

“I’m hard on them because I know they have more potential. If they respect themselves here, it carries over into their lives.”

Duncan concluded with a slice of advice, “I‘ve tried to live by training physically and mentally to be able to handle anything.

Because you never know what life will throw at you.”

C NETX

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In Tune

Local repair shop keeps kids marching

W

By TONI WALKER

ith the coming return of Friday Night Lights, one local repair shop is doing their part to keep another group of students on the field. Tooter’s Instrument Repair in Hughes Springs works all year to keep local band students on the field and under the lights of Friday night.

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Jim Sinkule opened Tooters in 2015, but was no stranger to the instrument repair business. Sinkule spent 40 years selling, cleaning, and repairing instruments for Tatum Music Company out of Longview. Upon his retirement from Tatum, Mr. Sinkule said, “I wanted a place where I could have my man cave and do my work with all my stuff around me:’ Mr. Sinkule is not only an avid instrument repairman and collector, but he is also an avid collector of car memorabilia and antique fishing lures. The shop reflects Sinkule’s many loves.

Sinkule had hoped, at the opening of the shop, that it would become a haven for students with all sorts of interests.

“They are coming in and sitting, reading books, watching, and talking to me,” said Mr. Sinkule. He said that is what he had wanted, because he can either “get them hooked on car stuff, or hooked on music, or fishing stuff, or even just stuff.” Sinkule said that some students even come after school and stay until their parents get off work.

Sinkule still ahs a working relationship with his former employer, Tatum Music, but has picked up many local schools, including Hughes Springs, Daingerfield, Atlanta, and more.

Sinkule has been so “instrumental,” so to speak, in the music repair industry that, shortly after his retirement from Tatum, he was honored for his service. In July of 2015, Sinkule received an award for Outstanding Contributions to Band from Phi Beta Mu, the International Bandmasters Fraternity. During his introduction, it was mentioned that the award was given to Sinkule for his mentoring of young band students and band directors, as well as his work as an instrument technician. Sinkule, though happy to receive the honor, was a bit perplexed.

“I am not sure why I was chosen. I can’t read a note and I do not play an instrument at all,” Sinkule said.

Tooters, located in downtown Hughes Springs at 118 East 1st Street, specializes in repair and service of brass, wind, and stringed instruments. They also have a large selection refurbished, used instruments, making them available at a reasonable cost for students in the area. Store hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, contact Sinkule at 903-6392222.

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Pittsburg business is over 1.3 centuries old

John F. Reynolds’ ad for the Drug Store—unknown date.

By ELIZABETH LANNING

N

ot many enterprises in Pittsburg, Texas can claim to have remained in business for over 130 years. But Parker Drug, Inc. is one of those businesses. Thought to have begun in 1890 when R.F. “Sam” Lockett (1861-1939) and John F. Reynolds (1856-1932) formed a partnership, the Pittsburg Gazette—dated May 17, 1885— makes mention of clocks offered for sale at Lockett’s “drugry.”

Another edition of the Gazette from November 18 of the same year makes note of the fact that R.F. Lockett was operating a drug store where he sold nickel cigars and the “best wines and liquors for medical purposes.”

One of the Palmore brothers, believed to be Jesse Palmore.

Lockett and Reynolds Drug Store opened in 1890. This partnership lasted until 1934, when Roy. B. Lockett inherited the store and brought his son, Ingram “Buster” Lockett (1885-1968) into the business which was renamed “Lockett’s.”

Buster remained one of the drug store’s administrators until 1951, when he sold his interest in Lockett’s to Percy Williams and “Zek” Holmesley. When Roy Lockett decided to retire in 1960, the three partners sold the business—lock, stock, and barrel—to Jesse and Gerald Palmore, brothers from DeKalb. Once again the drug store was re-baptized and called Palmore Drug Store.

It is unclear exactly when Sam Lockett purchased the building in which the drug store is now located, but the current owner, Stephen Parker, mentioned that at one time the Lockett’s home was attached to the building. Certainly on the old maps, a drug store, presumably Lockett’s, was at this location as far back as 1885, bordered on each side by groceries.

In 1963, Jesse Palmore purchased the building directly to the west in which the Pittsburg National Bank had operated as early as 1911. Upon remodeling, the drug store was more than doubled in size.

Gary and Jo Ann Foster moved to Pittsburg with their family, Amy and Kelli, and purchased the business on March 1, 1978. Some might remember the “I love Pittsburg” bumper stickers that the Foster’s sold at the drug store. There were stickers for Newsome, Leesburg, and Cason as well.

On November 16, 1989, Foster’s Drug Store was named as “one of the nation’s Outstanding Independent Pharmacies.” The current owner of the drug store has the original letter from M.W. Cotton, executive vice president of Durr-Fillauer Medical, Inc., congratulating Foster’s for this honor.

COURTESY PHOTOS

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Stephen Parker and his wife Robyn bought the drug store from the Fosters on March 1, 2004. For Parker, this was really coming back home. Born and raised in Pittsburg and attending Pittsburg high in 1987, Parker wasn’t sure what profession to pursue, when he met Gary Foster. Foster encouraged him, giving him an after-school job of sweeping floors and delivering prescriptions.

“Mr. Foster quickly became a mentor to get me on track to become a pharmacist. Gary told me I would need to be in the top five percent of my graduating class to even have a chance of being accepted into The University of Texas at Austin School of Pharmacy. So I began studying like never before and achieved that goal,” Parker explained.

He graduated from Northeast Texas Community College with an Associate’s Degree of Science, then moved on to the University of Texas School of Pharmacy. He graduated in 1993 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy.

He had worked for five years as a clinical pharmacist at Scott and White Hospital in Temple when he suddenly received a call from Foster.

“Gary was looking to retire in about five years and wanted to know if I wanted to come back and work towards owning the store,” Mr. Parker said.

Such opportunities do not usually come for the asking, and Parker jumped at the chance. He moved back to his hometown and began his second stint of employment at Foster’s Drug, this time as a staff pharmacist.

Robyn Parker graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1990, attended NTCC, and then transferred to Stephen F. Austin State University where she graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in 1995.

They have two children—Pryce and Allie. Pryce, a 2022 graduate of Pittsburg High School, was in the top 10 percent of his class.

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Allie is a prospective 2024 graduate of Pittsburg high and is currently in the top 5 percent of her class. Both have been active in sports—Pryce played on the varsity football team, and Allie is a three-time UCA All-American cheerleader.

The drug store’s name was changed to Parker’s Drug in 2010, but the store is much the same as it always has been. Fashions change, as do faces and names, but the drug store which it is believed has stood in that location for at least 137 years still offers the town of Pittsburg and the community the service and product for which they have been known for over a century.

“This is my hometown,” Parker said. “When you start at a place of employment sweeping floors and dreaming of someday owning it, you gain perspective and a deep appreciation when it comes true. Robyn and I came back home to give back to this community and invest in its future.”

JoAnn and Gary Foster March 1978 when they bought the business from Jesse and Gerald Palmore.

COURTESY PHOTO

From left to right: John F. Reynolds, Hugh McClure, Percy Williams, and R.F. “Sam” Lockett in 1927.

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Investing in the future of agriculture Northeast Texas’ Lori Springer steps up to support Ag youth

By TONY BASSO

B

owie County native, Lori Springer was recently awarded the Honorary Lone Star FFA Degree by the Texas FFA Association after a nomination by New Boston FFA. This award is reserved for those who, according to the Texas FFA Association, “are helping to advance agricultural education and the FFA and who have rendered outstanding service.” She was also the recipient of the Outstanding Chapter Advocate for Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas. She accepted this award during the annual ATAT conference in Corpus Christi. There is only one Outstanding Advocate award given annually.

According to New Boston FFA Advisor, Angie Duke, “Lori was nominated for these awards because of her support for the agricultural youth of Bowie County and specifically the Bowie County Project Show.”

“At a time when the Bowie County Project Show was on the verge of becoming a thing of the past, Lori stepped to the helm to organize a group of volunteers and business owners to create the Bids4Kids Committee with the primary focus of generating financial support for the County show through both the premium sale and scholarships,” said Duke.

Springer said that although she was not one of those kids who are “raised” in FFA, she became heavily involved when her own child took an interest. “Growing up and in high school I was not involved in FFA, I missed out on a great opportunity,” said Springer. “I got involved with FFA & 4H in 2008 when my daughter Brooke joined and started showing goats then moved on to registered Simbrah heifers and chickens. She was my reason to get started and why I continued.”

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Springer said that early on in her daughter’s livestock-showing days, she began to take note of the benefits. “I saw the confidence and leadership opportunities it gave her,” Springer explained. “I continued to be involved even after she graduated.”

“I love people, I love helping others and seeing others be successful,” said Springer. “I am blessed to work for a company, State Bank, that believes in giving back to our communities.”

“I have always been given the ability to be a part of any organization I choose,” said Springer. “FFA and 4-H became a passion for me when my daughter was in school and I have carried it on.”

“Bowie County is blessed with some of the greatest agriculture teachers and leaders there are in the state of Texas in my opinion,” she went on to say. “They invest so much time into our youth and I love helping them in any way possible.”

Springer said she was deeply touched to be nominated for, and to receive her Honorary Lone Star FFA Degree and the Outstanding Advocate award. To receive these awards, “is truly an honor,” she said. “It is something I will always be thankful for.”

“Our youth mean so very much to me, they are our future leaders,” said Springer. “I believe that everyone is responsible for investing in their future.”

“With so much adversity in our world they need positive role models and organizations to be a part of,” she said. “If I can make a difference for one it will be worth every second I spend helping.”

“My hope is that others will see the value in FFA and 4H and invest in these organizations and young people too, they need all of us,” she said.

AUGUST 2022

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New Boston’s Kelley Branson More than three decades of carrying the torch for the Hottest Festival in Texas

By HEATHER RUSSELL

T

Kelley Branson, center, with Barbie Bray and country music legend Janie Frickie.

Charlie Clark and Kelley Branson met up with the Bandit and Sheriff Buford T. Justice during a visit to the Pioneer Days fun a few years ago in New Boston.

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hirty-six years. Try to think of something you have been a part of for thirty-six years. Have you been married that long? Have you been a member of your church for over three decades? Maybe you’ve been at your job that long? Imagine how you would feel about something you have been involved in for thirty-six years.

New Boston’s Pioneer Days 2022 would have been year thirtysix for Kelley Branson. He began his volunteer work with the festival back in 1980, before it gained the area-wide popularity it has now. In 1980, Doyle Eaves was chairman of Pioneer Days.

There was a rodeo, calf show, saloon show, parade, arts and crafts show, flower show, boys and girls events, a street dance, and even a greased pig contest and a greased pole climb. The street dance entertainment was advertised as “the same band from last year.”

Kelley Branson was fresh out of high school, and instead of hanging out with his buddies and enjoying the weekend’s festivities, he volunteered to pick up trash.

Kelley spent many more years on trash detail, along with numerous other duties. He volunteered under the direction of Doyle Eaves, Max Jones, David Daniel, and Dwight Nevill. Eventually, he wound up in the position of chairman himself. “I’ve seen everything,” Branson recalled. “The first year I was chairman the temperature was 88 degrees. We had to go home and get jackets! The next year, it was 108.”

The acquisition of the land that is now Trailhead Park was a game-changer for the Pioneer Days festival. The pavilion was constructed, along with the midway, allowing ample space for electrical hook-ups for food vendors and the carnival rides. In 2010, Branson proposed a “wild idea” to the New Boston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “I had been talking to Chip Bricker, who helps coordinate our entertainment, and with Bro. Frank Brooks, who was chairman of the Hotel Occupancy Tax Committee, and we were able to put together a plan to bring a big-name artist to the festival,” Branson said. “The only thing left for me to do was to sell my idea to the chamber board. When I walked into the meeting and explained to them what I had in the works, I was met with – crickets.

For a long time, no one said a word. Finally, someone said ‘Kelley if you think it will work, we will do it.’ And man, did it ever. That first year, we had Gene Watson. He was followed by big name artists like Moe Bandy and Janie Fricke. Then in 2015, we got the Bellamy Brothers, and I felt like we had really stuck it on the map.”

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Kelley says that 2015 was his favorite year, for several reasons.

The festival was packed, from start to finish, with people from all over the Four States area and beyond. The carnival and vendors were wildly successful, and festival-goers were having the time of their lives. On Saturday night, the Bellamy Brothers were set to take the stage, and Trailhead Park Pavilion was standing room only with excited fans and concert goers. “I can remember thinking that night that the Lord loves Pioneer Days,” Branson said.

It was only a few minutes before the Bellamy Brothers were to go on that Kelley got a call from a storm spotter at the National Weather Service. “I answered the phone and the first thing they said was ‘You’ve got a problem,’” he recalled. “There was a line of severe thunderstorms headed straight for us.”

With only a few moments to make a decision on the future of the concert, and knowing there was no time to clear the festival grounds, Branson did the only thing he knew to do. “I took a few steps away from the stage and began to pray,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. “I said, ‘Lord, you’ve got to send this thing around us.’”

Sidney Arnold, who was working security at the time, saw Branson apart from the crowd and came to see what was wrong.

He explained to Arnold the magnitude of the situation, and Arnold began to pray with him. Others joined in, and as the storm neared, the wind picked up and rain and lightning strikes could be seen all around the festival grounds in all directions. Not a single drop fell at Trailhead Park.

“It was like we were in a bubble,” Branson said. “I looked east and couldn’t see the Highway 82 overpass less than half a mile away – that’s how hard it was raining. But it went right around us.

You may think there is no explanation for what happened, but I know – prayer.”

The Lord loves Pioneer Days indeed.

This year was set to be the big finale for Kelley Branson – his swan song. Carnival, vendors, and entertainment were booked

Pioneer Days directors Charlie Clark, left, and Kelley Branson, right, pose with country music superstar Johnny Lee during his visit to the Hottest Festival in Texas.

(Dion Pride, Marty Haggard, Janie Fricke, and Mo Pitney), theme was set (Sons of the Pioneers – a nod to Pride and Haggard’s legendary fathers) and Kelley was ready to give it his all one last time, and ride away into the sunset, wearing his bright yellow volunteer shirt and his famous straw hat, and leave Pioneer Days to his successor, Charlie Clark.

However, the Lord had other plans for Kelley. Open heart surgery in mid-July sidelined him for at least six months, and undoubtedly saved his life. Though emotional about the unexpected abrupt end to his involvement in the festival he poured his heart and soul into for over three decades, Kelley is content with his fate, offering this simple statement: “The Lord intervened again.”

The Lord loves Pioneer Days, and Kelley Branson too.

Volunteers with the Pioneer Days festival in New Boston pause for a picture with the wildly popular actor and singer John Schneider, famous for his role as Bo Duke in the popular TV show Dukes of Hazzard.

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Physical therapy with a twist ... and a push, pull, stretch and a laugh.

A

By HEATHER RUSSELL

n automobile accident in March left me with a crushed tibial plateau and landed me in physical therapy three times a week. The injury was severe, and I spent the next three months in a wheelchair. I went to work, to physical therapy, and back home. The highlight of that mundane routine? Believe it or not, it was my hour-long physical therapy sessions at New Boston Physical Therapy.

Wade Batchelor graduated with his physical therapy license at a young age, when he was just 21 years old. He opened his first office in December 2004 in Mount Pleasant, and opened another location in his hometown of DeKalb shortly after. Soon he opened

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yet another office in New Boston, and realized he wanted to focus on his Bowie County patients and phased out the Mount Pleasant office. Over time, his clientele grew, along with his staff. He opened his first location in Texarkana in 2020, and now employs around 15 physical therapists, physical therapy assistants, and office staff. An additional location in Wake Village is nearing completion, and is set to open very soon.

The staff at Texarkana, New Boston, and DeKalb Physical Therapy treat a host of issues – from post-operative care, to sports injuries, orthopedic care, pain-related issues – you name it. If it hurts, they can treat it. They offer work conditioning and work hardening, blood flow restriction therapy, and dry needling. Every patient they see is experiencing pain, and trying to get better.

Sound depressing? Actually, it’s anything but. Wade’s sense of humor is contagious. All of the staff are quick to joke, and great at getting a laugh out of people who are, a lot of times, in the midst of some of the most difficult times of their lives. Wade’s wife, Samantha, a social worker by day, helps after-hours at all locations doing administrative and office work, and sums up the relationship that they try to build with their clients. “We feel like whatever it is our clients are going through is hard enough,” she said. “We make it our goal to maintain a positive atmosphere when they are here. We prioritize building a relationship with patients to ensure their therapy experience is not only effective, but also enjoyable.” They work extended hours at every location to ensure that their clients can schedule physical therapy around their lives, not their lives around physical therapy.

Each member of the staff also makes it a priority to build a relationship with their clients. It’s not just remembering your name, or which leg you’ve hurt – they learn about the lives of their clients.

Because without that knowledge, it would be impossible to know the magnitude of the effect of their client’s medical issues on their day-to-day lives. For example, every person on staff at the New Boston location, where I am treated, knows that I work for the newspaper. They know that I have a son who is a senior in high school this year, and that I had a goal to be able to be on the sidelines covering his football games this fall.

Medical professionals told me I would probably never walk unassisted again. Wade, however, told me if I wanted to walk, I would.

Five months - and countless hours with Wade, Tommy and Brooke - later, I am walking unassisted. I will be on the sidelines this year, just as I prayed for.

Wade said his decision to become a physical therapist came from a lifelong desire to help others. “When choosing a profession, I deeply desired to find a path where I could combine my love for my neighbor with a skill set that could in some way help others on their journeys,” he said. “Undoubtedly through God, we are fearfully and wonderfully made; however as life happens, our bodies endure injuries, illness, or just plain ‘wear and tear.’ Choosing physical therapy as a career allows me to assist others in getting back to what they were called to do in their lives by helping to restore their physical abilities. It’s a blessing and an honor to work in this field.”

And Wade and his staff at Texarkana, New Boston, and DeKalb Physical Therapy will undoubtedly continue to be a blessing in my life, and many others.

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Atlanta Founder’s Day Festival Packed with fun for everyone

By KATE STOW

I

n 1972 Atlanta, Texas celebrated the centennial of the town with a week-long party. During the festivities a time capsule was buried with instructions to dig it up on September 9, 2022.

In honor of Atlanta’s Sesquicentennial, the town is not only digging it up, but they are planning a party that won’t be forgotten any time soon.

The festivities will begin on September 3 at 10:00 am with a softball tournament at the city ballpark. The teams will be named in honor of our founding fathers: Engineers, Lumberjacks, Rancheros, Outlaws, Sharpshooters and Farmers.

At 6:00 pm the evening of September 3, the Atlanta Area Rotary Miss Atlanta Scholarship place will be held at the Mattie Lanier Richey Center on Sportsplex Drive. During the event former Atlanta Queen’s will be recognized and the scholarship winner will be crowned by Carole King Price, Miss Atlanta 1972.

The time capsule will be exhumed by Hanner Funeral Home on Friday, September 9, as instructed on the granite monument.

The contents will be cataloged and prepared for presentation. On Saturday, September 10, the contents can be seen at the Historic Miller Grade School, just two blocks from downtown Atlanta. Items may be claimed by individual’s or family members by tagging them during the presentation.

903 Artisans will hold an art show and contest at Miller Grade School the entire week leading up to the main event on September 10. The theme of the contest is “Atlanta: Then and Now.” On Saturday, September 10, the day will begin early with the Atlanta Area Rotary Club’s 5k run at 7:00 am in downtown Atlanta.

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Market vendors will be setting up in Wood’s Plaza prior to the parade.

The old-fashioned parade, sponsored by Kellie Cox - Farmers Insurance, will start at 10 am at the Highway Department and make its way up Hiram Street to the parking lot between Luigi’s and the railroad tracks, where the main stage will be set up. The American Legion will be leading the parade with flags and Stuart Smith will follow in his antique car with Mayor James Brooks, the new Miss Atlanta, and our Grand Marshall, UFC Flyweight Andrea KGB Lee (she will have her own booth where you can meet her, get a photo, and buy some of her merch!)

After the parade, Bro. Joe Nelson, of Victory Baptist Church, will give the invocation and bless the day’s activities. The Big Bad Band from Rabbitland will play The Star Spangled Banner and Happy Birthday before a huge birthday cake is cut and distributed. Kellie Cox – Farmers Insurance and Atlanta Fire Department will bring a lift truck for a candy drop by the Depot.

Throughout the day there will be many activities for everyone: an old-fashioned game area with cornhole, washers, horseshoes, a sack race, pet contest and more. A cool area (canopy with fans) will be available near the stage for older adults to play dominoes, cards, chess or checkers and enjoy the music.

A Maker’s Market will be set up at Wood’s Plaza all day with only homemade or homegrown items. Food contests will be taking place all day, with judges Beth Boyd, Keith Reece and Reagan Stanley Rice set up in the chamber of commerce office. A BBQ cook-off will start at 5:00 pm. Entrants are invited to set up their pit in front of the NETX CROSSROADS MAGAZINE

Depot and cook some amazing cow, chicken or pig, and sell dinner plates.

There will be food trucks and vendors open all day on East Street, as well as LifeShare Mobile. Healthcare Express will be on hand if you eat too much or get too hot! Wagons for Veterans will be set up on Hiram Street demonstrating dutch oven cooking over a fire. You will see real antique Chuckwagons from the 1800’s and get to purchase the yummy food!

Entertainment on the main stage will include local talent, including: a period costume contest, beard contest and liar’s contest and gospel groups. At 2:00 pm local rap artist Cazzie Kirk will sing a few of his charttopping hits, edited to be family friendly, of course! Winners of the food and art contests and BBQ Cook Off will be announced prior to the Street Dance.

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The Street Dance will begin at 7 pm with Atlanta’s own Caption Joe Band on the main stage to wind down the celebration. If you know how to “cut a rug”, then come on down and participate in the dance contest!

Couples will be judged by crowd applause.

An art show will be set up in the Historic Miller Grade School Building, just two blocks from the main stage on Miller Street with judges Nancy Coe and the 903 Artisans. The contents of the 1972 time capsule will be showcased there as well.

Whether you want to partici-

pate or just enjoy the old-fashioned fun and some good food, Atlanta is the place to be on September 10, 2022. For more information, rules, and entry forms, contact: atlfoundersday@gmail.com, or go to our facebook page: Atlanta, Texas History.

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A REASSURING SIGN… You’ve Come To The Right Place!

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903 W. Main St. | Atlanta, TX 75551 | 903-796-6442

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Individualized Treatment.

Personalized Care.

With CHRISTUS Health, it’s all about you.

We provide comprehensive cancer care with personalized treatment designed to heal the whole person. Our cancer care team at CHRISTUS uses the most advanced technology available and is with you every step of the way so you can stay close to home and your family from your diagnosis through your treatment and follow-up care.

With CHRISTUS Health, you’re never alone.

Assess your cancer risk now Charles Matthews, M.D., Gary Engstrom, M.D., Sunil Patel, M.D., and Daphanie Taylor, M.D.

To schedule an appointment with a primary care physician, please call 903.716.9298.

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Pittsburg, We Are Here To Serve YOU. Our Rural Family Medicine residents provide compassionate care with the latest, most innovative advancements in medicine.

Left to Right: Zach Page, MD • William Oglesby, MD • Mounica Gooty, MD Jonathan Teran, MD • Robert French, DO • Grace Coker-Carter, MD, MPH, MBA UT Health Pittsburg | 2701 U.S. Hwy. 271 N., Pittsburg, TX 75686 | 903-946-5442 For more information, visit UTHealthPittsburg.com.

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