WHY I LOVE I
ORANGE COUNTY
By Russell Bottley
I was fortune enough to be born in Orange, Texas in Orange Memorial Hospital where my mother worked for over 50 years, and I guess I had no choice but to start my love of Orange, Texas right there.
Orange is a pretty unique place geographically because of its central location in the United States, its not far from the east coast and not to far from the west coast, hugged up along the Gulf of Mexico. I love telling people from other parts of Texas that ask “where is Orange, Texas?” and I will respond, we are located where the sun rises in Southeast Texas on the Texas/Louisiana border and we are also known by some locals as the “fruit city”. The city of Orange has really grown since my childhood in grade school in the 70’s in the West Orange Cove Consolidated School District. There is so much to offer for families and the citizens that live here. One of my favorite teachers, the late Michael Hoke, who taught me science in middle school, was responsible for the reopening of Shangri La Botanical Gardens along with the help of the Stark Foundation. This place is a hidden gym nestled inside of our city that can rival many other tourist destinations in the country. Another thing I love is one can visit downtown Orange from the Stark Museum, Lamar State College Orange to the Riverfront Park and learn a lot about our history here in Orange and it’s unique citizens.
The people of Orange and it’s surrounding counties band together like no other when one of its own is in need of help or disasters occur. I have witnessed and been on both sides of the helping when one is need in Orange. We become a tight knit family and put our heads down and pick up the pieces and rebuild one another spirits, hope, homes and whatever else needs to been done until the job is complete. The recent natural disasters such as the flood of Deweyville and Hurricanes Rita, Ike, Harvey and Tropical Storm Emelda only made Orange stronger at it core when it seemed after those events occurred that it would be hard to rebuild but look at us now. I have had the honor of serving for the people of Orange, being able to be apart of Orange County Disaster Recovery Board has been humbling and very rewarding being able to help our citizens get back in their homes effected by disasters. Michelle Tubbleville, the executive director of the board, is a diamond for the citizens of Orange County and is a “fruit of city”. Also, being apart of the Chamber of Commerce committee for national fishing events has a dream for me. I have fished on the Sabine River since I was a 7-year-old kid with my late Uncle Joseph Ray and never once did I think the Bassmaster professional fishing tournament tour would fish the Sabine River.
Dreams do come true, because I have gotten to help with the tournament which is coming back again in June of 2020 and made many new friends because the vision of John Gothia and David Jones. I personally have seen this city support our youth from the little league sports to high school events and extra curricular activities. The people of Orange love their sports and will support each other, from the green and gold, orange and white, blue and silver to the red and white, we become one. I am the community liaison for West Orange Stark High School and coach football and boys and girls track. During our state championship run in 2015 and 2016, this city bonded like I have never seen. I loved seeing this for everyone involved. I can remember my dad, Russell Bottley Sr., telling me stories as a youth about how people of Orange followed Emma H. Wallace Dragons football team, coached by the great Wille Ray Smith during there great years and it still holds true today in Orange. I will continue to call Orange, Texas the Fruit City not for the orange groves that use to grow here but for the people which are the fruit of the city and the love that I have for this place. The sun rises and sets in my favorite place, Orange, Texas. As far as I am concerned, there is no better place.
January 2020 | 31 m
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