NEWS
THE FLARE FRIDAY, APRIL 28, 2017
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KC Wesleyans to welcome new director in July Lonnie Ross Staff Writer
Cheyanne Huntsman / THE FLARE
Gene Evans, the soon-to-be Wesley director is scheduled to take his spot this July. Evans’ main goal his first semester is to create a positive presence on campus and become involved in student activity.
PTK: Chapter recognized nationally for exceeding membership goal From Page 1 Jose Ramirez, secretary of KC’s PTK chapter, won the Hall of Honor Region for Officers Award. The officers were selected based on the recipient’s demonstration of leadership, promotion of Honors in Action and other engagement in the society. “I was flabbergasted when I won my award. I forgot they nominated me for an award in the first place,” Ramirez said. “I’m still
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kind of surprised anybody would say anything nice about me.” KC’s PTK chapter was recognized as a group for their college project of beautifying the campus by meeting the four-star status, receiving the 2017 College Project Award of Merit. The chapter was also recognized internationally for exceeding their membership goal with an
increase of 15 percent over the year. Michele Daniels received the Distinguished Adviser Award. The qualifications for this award are: being involved for four years; making significant contributions to the growth of the membership; serving as the chapter’s advocate on campus; and encouraging the chapter to be involved in the local, regional and
international levels of the organization. Jon Vashey, former Coordinator of Marketing and Graphic Design at KC, also received an award for “Outstanding Friend of Texas Phi Theta Kappa.” This award is given to the person who is not a member or adviser of PTK, but has demonstrated exemplary support.
RELAY: ‘Our KC family is very supportive and I am very proud of them’ From Page 1 started my interest,” Mulanax said. Quine added, “I was my sister’s bone marrow stem cell donor.” Julie has since gone into remission and is attending this year’s Kilgore relay as part of the KC team. The Relay Rangers are comprised of staff, family members, KC retirees and those affiliated with KC in some way. Quine became team captain last year when Jeannie Butler, formerly a support specialist for housing, stepped down, “I think she wanted new blood,” Quine said. “She gave me a two-year internship before she retired.” The KC team holds fundraisers throughout the year. Their biggest is the Potato
Bake. Aramark donates all the food except the desserts, which are donated by team members. This allows 100 percent of the money raised to go to the relay. “This year’s bake raised $2,032,” Quine said. Mulanax said she sold relay cards, some of which were shaped like a footprint, for 25 cents each and raised $120. Jeanette Miller also has a Super Bowl betting pool each year that does very well. Quine’s fundraiser was held at Kilgore Skateland over spring break. “We had 90 kids attend and they split the door receipts and gave us over half,” Quine said. Mulanax is also selling Luminarias this week as well. A Luminaria is a bag decorated in remembrance of someone lost to cancer,
in honor of someone battling or someone who has won their fight with cancer. Each bag is lit at sunset to show they are not alone. “Our KC family is very supportive and I am very proud of them,” Quine said. For more information on the Kilgore Relay for Life, visit their Facebook page at ACS Relay For Life Of Kilgore. Relay for life was inspired by Gordon “Gordy” Klatt, a doctor from Tacoma, Washington. He walked for 24 hours and raised $27,000 for cancer research. He had the idea to make this a team event and the very next year Relay for Life was held. This fund raiser has become the American Cancer Society’s signature event.
For more information on Relay for Life, log on to Relayforlife. org.
The semesters are in the process of changing and the Wesley Foundation is changing with it. The Rev. Rebecca Hyde is leaving for another assignment on July 1, and Gene Evans will take over as director of KC’s Wesley Foundation. “He is a great fit with his previous experience working with youth ministry,” said Sharron Westbrook, administrative secretary at the Wesley Foundation. “He builds relationships quickly and is tuned into this generation.” Evans comes to KC from Greggton United Methodist Church in Longview. With almost 20 years of experience in ministry, he holds several positions at Greggton UMC: youth director, worship leader, communication director, community ministries and the discipleship pastor. Evans was born in Berlin, Germany into an Army family. His family settled in Sugar Land during his high school years, where he graduated from Kempner High School. His last two years of high school, Evans had been in and out of the detention facility in Rosenberg. His mom and the youth director at his mother’s church made a deal that he would be allowed to stay home on the weekends to attend church. “The youth director heard me sing, then asked me to join the youth choir,” Evans said. While performing, his mother and the youth director created a video to send to Lon Morris College. The day of graduation, Evans received a note from his mom on his pillow. It read: “You can get a job. Come back and visit. You can join the military, come back and visit. Or you can go to Lon Morris College, come back and visit. You have ‘til the end of summer to move
out of my house.” Along with that note was an acceptance letter to Lon Morris College with a fullride scholarship in music. Evans made the decision to go to college. “I can make noise on every instrument in the orchestra,” Evans said. Evans received his bachelors in vocal performance opera and later his masters degree in choral conducting. After college, he became a professional musician, singing with the
“I can make noise on every instrument in the orchestra.” Shreveport, Longview and Houston Opera Chorus. He has also held the role of composer. In 1998, at Liberty Baptist Church in Longview, Evans gave his life to Christ. He sensed God was calling him to give more of himself so he told his wife Susan, “if I’m going to give my life to Him, I got to give Him everything — including my vocation.” He then started looking for churches that needed choir directors. Evans relocated to Houston where he stayed for about 10 years before returning to East Texas in 2011, with his wife and their three children. Evans said his first goal is to make his presence known on the KC campus. Evans will see where he can establish types of gathering in spiritual development or worship. “I’m going to let the Holy Spirit and the people who are present here to help and guide me in that way,” he said.
TRiO launches summer program to assist transfer students Sarah Redford Staff Writer TRiO’s annual Summer Launch Program will begin on May 23, and run through May 25. The program will focus on preparing sophomores for the transition to a four-year college. All TRiO participants who have at least 24 credit hours are eligible and sign up ends on May 10. Space is limited, so sign up now by going to the TRiO office. Tuesday, May 23, and Wednesday, May 24,
activities run from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thursday, May 25, they run from 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Students who attend will develop skills in communication, interviewing and working on group problem solving. On Thursday, there will be a luncheon where attendees will learn proper table etiquette, and they will also tour the University of Texas at Tyler. For more information, contact the TRiO office at 903-988-7591.
Grant money locks in new keys for all buildings GABRIEL WADE Staff Writer KCPD has been making buildings more secure with the re-keying of campus buildings this year. This project was made possible since the college won the national Stanley Safety Grant in Fall 2014 against other schools. “We entered the competition to have the funds to rekey our campus and update our lock and
door hardware,” said Heath Cariker, KCPD Chief. Although they did not have a definite schedule, they only have two buildings left to do, he said. “All of the educational and administration buildings on both campuses will have been rekeyed and a great deal of hardware replaced.” Cariker wanted to remind students that officers are on both the Kilgore and Longview campuses to help. They are on 24- hour duty
at KC and on the Longview campus during business hours. While there has been no evidence of gangs operating on campus, Cariker wants students to be aware of their surroundings. “It’s the end of the school year. Guard your belongings, especially your books, phones, and computers,” he said. “Thefts go up at the end of the semesters.”
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