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Accomplishments of the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells for the year 2022-2023

Rotary’s seven areas of focus are peace building and conflict prevention, basic education and literacy, disease prevention and treatment, water sanitation and hygiene, community economic development, maternal and child health, and supporting the environment. So, what did we, as the Rotary Club of Mineral Wells, achieve in the year 2022-2023 in these focus areas?

Peace Building and Conflict Prevention

• Erected 1,776 flags in the city of Mineral Wells over the course of the year to show patriotism to the community. Involved six youth organizations to help in this mission, and also provided them with $1,000 each to further their own missions: MWHS Interact Club, Project Graduation, MWHS Class of 2024, Zee’s American Tae Kwon Do, FUMC Youth Group, Indian Creek Baptist Youth Group, Sturdivant 4-H Club and MWHS Class of 2025.

• Donated $250 to Project Graduation, helping provide a safe celebration space for graduated seniors.

• Donated $150 to the Rotary Rose Parade Float bringing our message of “Service Above Self” and “People of Action” to over 40 million international viewers.

Mineral Wells attorney and Municipal Court Judge Keri Walden held court, of sorts, at today's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting.

Our fellow Rotarian (pictured on the left with club President Dianne Templar) told members attending the weekly lunch meeting at Southside Church of Christ of the myriad of duties and responsibilities she has serving in her city judicial role. It involves much more than presiding over traffic and code violations.

She typically holds three court sessions a month for matters involving citations and violations, but Keri is also called on to issue arrest and search warrants, magistrate incarcerated individuals, and presides over low-level juvenile criminal cases, among other duties she is called on to perform or execute.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, a time to focus on stopping the exploitation, neglect and abuse of society's most vulnerable. One way to do that is by ensuring those who abuse children are identified, arrested, prosecuted and punished in hopes they will not be able to harm another child.

That is where Children's Alliance Center of Palo Pinto County comes in. Its staff works with agencies to prosecute child abusers, and provides counseling and programs designed for early intervention and prevention.

Members of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday heard from Rotarian and CACPPC Executive Director Linda Porter-Bradford (pictured second from right), who has announced her retirement after eight years at the agency's helm. She brought her staff – Multi-disciplinary Team and Community Outreach Coordinator Sheree Patterson (right), Forensic Interviewer Kaitlyn Cothrum (second from left) and Family Advocate Kelli Montelongo – who each described their roles within the agency.

Porter-Bradford said CACPPC works with schools, law enforcement, courts and prosecutors to arrest and punish child abuse perpetrators. This often means difficult interviews with young victims, made more difficult because child abuse cases typically involve family members who have access to groom and gain the trust of their victims. Sometimes the abuse takes place continuously over months and years.

If you enjoy steak, burgers or brisket, do you give much thought to the quality of beef you are throwing on the grill or placing in the oven?

Campbell Decker (pictured above left with club President-Elect Mike Rankin) on Wednesday told Mineral Wells Rotarians that beefeaters should give more thought to their beef choices. While eating meat is good for you, eating high-quality beef that is 100% “grass-finished” is even better and healthier.

Campbell and his wife, Claire, operate local producer Native Beef TX. Their products are pasture-to-table steaks and grounds coming from Angus breeds organically raised humanely and purely on grass. No grains are used. They do not use antibiotics, vaccines, chemicals, or added hormones. No pesticides or herbicides are used on their pastures located north and south of Mineral Wells.

Giving is good. As the giver it makes you feel good. It makes the recipient of your gift also feel good.

Nothing feels better than giving a gift that can save someone's life. Especially when that gift is given without knowing who the beneficiary will be. You just know it is going to help someone in a big way.

That is what donating blood is all about. Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard from Colleen Horan, field recruitment consultant for Carter Blood Care, on the importance of, and the need for, blood donations. She is pictured above on the left, with club President Dianne Templar.

When it comes to Mineral Wells's return to becoming a health and wellness destination, one can say it starts with the locally sourced, mineral-rich waters that spawned an industry and built the town a century ago.

That all points directly to Crazy Water, the local mineral water brand known across Texas, the nation and around the world. It has been bottled and shipped from Mineral Wells also for more than a century. Today, Crazy Water is available in various forms and flavors, including the special blend and new flavors that come in bottles of 1877, the brand and label exclusively in HEB stores.

Famous Water Co. co-owner Carol Elder (pictured above right with Program Chair Virginia Smith) was Wednesday's guest speaker. Carol gave club members the history of the once separate Famous Water and Crazy Water brands. She and her husband, Scott, regrew the company after they acquired it in 1999. several years ago they made the move to begin bottling their products in-house. They acquired the original Crazy Water bottling plant that for years has been known to locals as The Box Factory building.

• Is it the truth?
• Is it fair to all concerned?
• Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
• Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Club president Diane Templar, left, awards second-place winner Mason Facteau.

 

Club president Diane Templar, left, awards third-place winner Rylan Buzbee.

If all you knew of Strawn ISD Head Football Coach Dewaine Lee is what you see on the Friday night sidelines, you might think you don't want your son playing for such a coach.

But then you wouldn't know the real Coach Lee. He is known as not just a great six-man football coach (as evidenced by Strawn's five state championships) but also a great coach of young people.

If you are still not sure, watch “Texas 6,” a two-season documentary on Paramount+ about the Strawn High School football team, the players, their families, the town and – best of all Coach Lee, who now also serves as the school district's superintendent. You will get to know what he is all about and the kind of person he is.

Coach Lee made a rescheduled appearance (he was iced out Feb. 1) at Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday, bringing with him his “righthand man” Assistant Coach John Eli. Rotarian Larry Eswein, a close friend of Coach Lee's, was program chair for the week.

Do things look a little hazy, even on a clear day?

You look someone straight in the face, but they are blocked from your vision?

Notice your peripheral vision is not what it used to be?

And just what are those little black, squiggly things floating around?

Dr. Tyler McLemore, O.D., said they are all signs of deteriorating vision caused by conditions such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, detached retinas, or other visionary ailments, most typically the result of aging.

The Mineral Wells optometrist, married and the father of four, operates eye care centers inside Walmarts in Mineral Wells and Weatherford. He was the guest speaker at Wednesday's weekly meeting.

Ean Tillett, the new and first director of the National Vietnam War Museum, shared some exciting news with Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members on Wednesday.

Tillett said groundbreaking is scheduled to occur in October on Phase II of the museum building. A formal date will be set late.

The main museum building represents the first of four planned phases, opened last June. The two-level building houses its collections and gift shop, displays leading visitors through a history of the Vietnam War and Mineral Wells' role in the war as home to Fort Wolters, the U.S. Army's primary training base during the war.

While April is designated as Child Abuse Prevention Month, preventing abuse to children is the focus every day for many organizations and volunteers like those at CASA-Hope For Children.

The non-profit agency serves Palo Pinto and Parker counties, providing trained, court-appointed guardian ad litem volunteers assigned to help oversee children placed into foster and CPS care. The advocates observe and visit the children to then make reports to judges in the courts where cases of abuse and custody are pending. Those reports are taken into consideration by the judge when determining the permanent or long-term placement of the children.

Rotarians on Wednesday heard from CASA-Hope For Children Executive Director Kathy Meyer, pictured left, and the agency's training director Christina Phenix, right. Also pictured is Rotarian and CASA-Hope For Children Program Director Monica Riedlinger, who was this week's program chair.

C.A.R.E. (Community Animal Rescue Effort) is a 14-year-old non-profit, all-volunteer organization that began in the Strawn area as a way to effectively control pet populations in rural Palo Pinto County through rescuing, sheltering and fostering of strays.

Founder and Executive Director Peggy McQueary, center, along with Treasurer Susan Wynn, left, spoke to Rotarians Wednesday. They were invited by this week's program chair Nancy Cameron.

C.A.R.E. Is also heavily involved in programs and services to control pet populations through spaying and neutering efforts, and works to educate the public on responsible pet ownership. Their efforts are also focused on developing healthier animals and helping to end the suffering and abuse many animals endure – whether wild or domesticated.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday received a program on Mineral Wells Nursing and Rehab. Located adjacent to Palo Pinto General Hospital, MWN&R provides short- and long-term care, therapies and a host of care and respite services.

Program share Meagan Martin invited the team from MWN&R to speak, which included her mother, Shelley Owen, Area Director of Operations. Social worker Amy Tunnel and facility Administrator Cody Akridge.

The facility is especially known for keeping its residents active and engaged.

Mineral Wells Nursing and Rehab is part of the Creative Solutions in Healthcare family network, which includes more than 100 care facilities across Texas. Learn more about Mineral Wells Nursing and Rehab at https://mineralwellsnursing.com/.

Rotary District 5790 Governor Kayla Christianson said a lot of people are Rotarians – they just don't know it.

That is because they share Rotarians' desires and efforts to serve their communities. Identifying those people and bringing them into Rotary would not only help clubs grow and thrive but would also help Rotary Club fulfill its mission and vision of “Service Above Self.”

Kayla, pictured center, visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday sharing her vision of Rotary and her goals for the district during her governorship. Also pictured are District 5790 Governor-elect Dan Steele and club President Karyn Bullock, presenting Kayla with a gift basket to honor her visit.

The Paul Harris Fellow program recognizes individuals who contribute, or who have contributions made in their name, of $1,000 to The Rotary Foundation of Rotary International. A Paul Harris Society member achieves a level with each $1,000 in giving.

The honor was established in 1957 to show appreciation for contributions that support our Annual Fund, PolioPlus, or an approved Foundation grant.

Club Foundation Chair Dr. Wesley Wermuth presented Connie with her new pin along with club President Karyn Bullock.

Whether you have two legs or four, Mineral Wells Police Sgt. Neal Davis serves and protects.

The Mineral Wells Animal Shelter falls under the operational control of the MWPD, and Sgt. Davis directly oversees the shelter for the department and the citizens of Mineral Wells and Palo Pinto County. Thanks to a participatory funding agreement with the county, the shelter is available to all county residents.

The shelter is located at 101 F Road 2256 at U.S. Highway 281 South. The shelter offers a variety of free and low-cost services throughout the year such as vaccinations, microchipping and adoption fairs. The shelter often operates at capacity but works hard with various animal foster and adoption organizations to place animals and give them a chance at finding a permanent and loving home.

Program chair Crystal Cameron brought Sgt. Davis to Wednesday's meeting as this past week's guest speaker.

Palo Pinto General Hospital Nurse Practitioner Carla Hay-Perdue on Wednesday brought Mineral Wells Rotarians up to date on the local Blue Zones initiative. Carla is pictured on the right alongside club President Karyn Bullock.

Led by PPGH, entities across Palo Pinto County are collaboratively taking part in the discussions on the effort to transform the county into a certified Blue Zone health-conscious community, working with governments and businesses to create a culture of healthy choices and options for residents to improve lives by reducing obesity and the issues that come with it like diabetes and high blood pressure, thereby helping people live longer, happier and healthier lives.

Not only do Blue Zones help improve the lives of people living in the community, it also helps draw people and families who seek healthier lifestyles and choices. Mineral Wells is beginning a shift back to becoming a health and wellness community.

Rotarian and Palo Pinto County Clerk Janette Green, pictured right, informed Rotarians Wednesday about two services provided through her office – brand renewals and property fraud alerts. She is pictured with club President Karyn Bullock.

Janette spent much of her presentation on the property fraud alert since that is one that can potentially protect any property owner. She said property and mortgage fraud are the fastest-growing white-collar crimes in the United States.

Nothing brings Rotarians to a meeting like scheduling Randy Nix as the guest speaker, which is what program chair Mike Rankin did this week.

The club on Wednesday welcomed local investors and entrepreneurs Randy and his wife, Misty. Having formed RMNix Co. LLC, along with their Nix Rental Homes operation, the Nixes have led the Mineral Wells transformation and resurrection.

Primarily, they are principals in the restorations of two historic downtown hotel properties. They formed a public benefit corporation and assembled 88 investors to restore Crazy Water Plaza (aka Crazy Water Hotel.) A mixed-use development, the hotel has already hosted events in its beautiful roof-top ballroom and pavilion. There are 37 air B-and-B rooms and 37 permanent apartments, of which several have been promised for lease.

Rotarians on Wednesday enjoyed a program about a new salon and wellness boutique Rockin Hair Body & Soul at Crazy Water Plaza.

Entrepreneur Torie Kent and her fiancé are all in on Mineral Wells, purchasing and now renovating a house on NW 4th Avenue along with the work they are doing on preparing the new salon for its opening in the next couple of months. They also own T&A Adventure Outfitters with plans to open stores in Mineral Wells and at PK Lake.

Torie has had much success owning and operating salons, coming to Mineral Wells from Glen Rose. She also knows a lot about health and wellness, sharing with the club her personal weight loss. She has been a licensed cosmetologist since 2001. Along with the salon, she said she and her team will go onsite, especially for weddings, which Torie said she loves doing weddings.

Program chair Cody Jordan said the renamed Crazy Water Plaza has leased all of its retail spaces and will begin opening them in mid-September. A grand opening ceremony is planned for Saturday, October 9, coinciding with this year's Crazy Water Festival.

Welcome to Mineral Wells, Torie, and best of luck with your new venture and adventure.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Southside Church of Christ, with lunches catered by Sadie's Eats. Meetings are for club members, prospective members and invited guests.

Mineral Wells Fire Chief Ryan Dunn was this week's featured speaker, talking to Mineral Wells Rotary Club members about the changes, upgrades and improvements the department has undertaken in the last several years designed to improve fire and EMS service and coverage and lower the city's ISO rating. He is pictured above with club President Tonya Gary.

As assistant chief, Ryan was very involved in daily fire and EMS operations and was key to finding and securing grants and funds to acquire and update vehicles, equipment and apparatus and expand the department's personnel to meet staffing needs and standards. He was recently promoted to chief following the retirement of previous chief Mike Pool.

When water gets in your home and business, we often think we got it all dried and cleaned up but damage typically occurs in not what you can see, but what you can't see – under the flooring and behind walls.

That is where Kristy Beck-Miller comes in. She can identify all kinds of indoor air quality issues and provide solutions and remedies that can save property owners hundreds or thousands of dollars while creating healthy indoor environments.

Kristy, pictured left, spoke to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday about her Adaptive Environmental Consulting company. She was the guest of this week's program chair Lyn Butcher.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells today welcomed Palo Pinto County District Attorney Kriste Burnett, pictured left, as this week's guest speaker. She was introduced by this week's program chair and Palo Pinto County Attorney Maegan Hodgkins Kostiha.

Kriste might have been tempted to address Rotary members in attendance as “Ladies and gentlemen of the jury ...” Those are not words Burnett has been able to use much this past year as the pandemic hampered the ability to conduct criminal trials and proceedings in the 29th State District Court. Kriste recently was finally able to conduct a grand jury session resulting in 51 felony indictments.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday were given the coaching insights and philosophies of Mineral Wells ISD's two athletics directors, Seth Hobbs and Tony Rafaelle. Scott Elder was this week's program chair.

Seth is the new boys athletics director and Rams head football coach. He will be entering his eighth year in Mineral Wells, serving the previous seven years as defensive coordinator and strength/powerlifting coach. His wife, Joey, is an assistant principal at Mineral Wells Junior High School and they have two daughters. He said the expectations across all the athletics program is win now, but he said growing boys into young men and instilling character are also key aspects for all coaches.

With Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness Month coming to a close, Rotarian and Children's Alliance Center for Palo Pinto County Executive Director Linda Porter-Bradford told Rotarians of the local efforts happening every day to protect children from abuse and neglect. Linda is pictured above on the left with club President Tonya Gary.

The CAC, like all centers across Texas and the nation, is dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those committing acts of abuse and neglect against children, while also working to help the victims heal and recover. In Palo Pinto people involved in all aspects of investigating and prosecuting the perpetrators – courts, law enforcement and various agencies – work together on a multidisciplinary team while the CAC provides resources, facilities and trained forensic investigators and therapists.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard about the recent accomplishments of two of Mineral Wells High School's Fine Arts programs – the chorus and band departments.

A year of COVID slowed, but didn't halt or deter the musicians and singers in those groups, led by MWHS Chorus Director Jeanne Baker, pictured above center, and Band Director Elton Ball, right. They are shown with the day's Rotary program chair, Scott Elder, who also serves as a Mineral Wells ISD trustee.

Both programs saw overall and individual successes this year, including winning sweepstakes honors at UIL competitions for unanimous superior ratings in their respective performances.

Rotarian and Mineral Wells Main Street Manager Myndi Muncy was today's guest speaker. She gave club members in attendance an informative overview and update on the still fledgling Main Street program and projects taking place within the designated Main Street area.

One of her main projects is documenting and providing photographs of the historic buildings within the Main Street zone, which Myndi said totals more than 180 buildings.

She is also working on creating non-profit status for the Main Street project so that it can obtain and raise monies with a goal of becoming a self-sustaining project, using fewer and, perhaps one day, no city tax dollars to operate.

Mineral Wells Rotarians today celebrated Rual Perkins' 47th year as a Rotarian. Rual is pictured above with club President Tonya Gary and a cake made in his honor.

Rual became a Rotarian in 1974, the same time he took a job working for Jean Bumgardner at Baum-Carlock-Bumgardner Funeral Home. Upon her passing, Rual acquired the business and remains the owner today.

Rual is a past president and honorary Mineral Wells Rotary Club member. He was honored with other past presidents when the club held its 100th anniversary dinner.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is organizing a golf tournament June 12 at Holiday Hills Golf Course.

The tournament is a four-person scramble with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and teams can sign up that morning. The cost is $400 per team.

There are side games and prizes, including cash payout to winners in each flight. Lunch and awards following.

Sponsorships are $200-$500-$1,000-$1,500 for hole sponsorships, side games sponsorships, hole-in-one sponsorship and ultimate sponsorship.

This is going to be a great tournament and a great day, a great chance to promote your business while helping us raise monies for scholarships and support of community groups and projects.

Call or text Candi Wallis Harrison at 940-445-3409 or Kelly Strain at 940-452-8725 for sponsorship and team registration information.

You can access the sponsorship and registration forms here or below:

Rotary Club this week welcomed Zinn Brown, right, to introduce his new downtown venture, Bankhead Texas Wine Bar. He is pictured with program chair Candi Harrison.

Zinn currently is the owner/operator of Coffee & Cocktails @ 76067 downtown, and his wine bar will be located across the street on West Hubbard Street (part of the historic Bankhead Highway).

The new wine bar will feature indoor and outdoor seating and offer his craft wines, made from grapes grown in Palo Pinto County. Zinn will also feature other Texas wines. He hopes to make Palo Pinto County and the Northern Hill Country a popular wine and winery destination, potentially along the lines of what has been established in the Southern Hill Country region around Fredricksburg, which is the largest wine region in Texas and the third-largest in the United States. The Texas High Plains is the state's second-largest wine region.

For the last 11 years, Adina Adair has helped crime victims and their families in Palo Pinto County recover emotionally, physically and financially. She is pictured on the left with Wednesday's program chair Stacie Frye.

Adina works in the District Attorney's Office, led by DA Kriste Burnett. Adina's talk with Rotary Club on Wednesday focused largely on Texas' Crime Victims Compensation program, which Adina says is one of the best – if not the best – crime victims assistance programs in the nation.

The state program has been in place for 40 years. In its first year, $417,000 in payments were made on behalf of 128 victims. Last year, in 2020, there were 38,051 applications for assistance filed by Texas crime victims with $68.1 million awarded to or on behalf of crime victims and their families.

Palo Pinto County crime victims have received their share. Over the last five years, Adina said $226,732.98 has gone to local crime victims and their families that help them with costs associated with crime victimization such as funeral or hospitalization costs, property replacement, loss of income and more.

Mark brought photos showing the progress on the interior and exterior. What most people will see is after decades of looking at 14 stories of broken windows and deterioration all of the exterior windows have all been restored and replaced. The bell tower exterior has had new framing and paint, and the 90-year-old hotel once again glistens in the sunlight and shines at night with new outside lighting.

Inside nearly 1,000 construction roll-offs full of debris have been removed. Work is underway to enlarge most of the hotel's previous 450 rooms that will create about 167 rooms. Much of the work is currently focused on electrical and plumbing. Mark said there are some 10 miles of wire and workers are pulling, identifying tagging all of that wiring.

Today was a great one for Rotary Club of Mineral Wells as we welcomed two new members, recognized a Paul Harris Society achievement and heard an interesting and informative program.

It was also the best attendance since the club resumed weekly meetings in September.

The club today formally welcomed two new members, Meagan Ishmael and Myndi Brooke Muncy. Meagan is project accountant for Jacobs Engineering Group and who recently moved to Mineral Wells. She was sponsored for membership by Candi Wallis Harrison. Myndi is the new Main Street director for the City of Mineral Wells and was sponsored by Raymond Greenwood. We are excited to have these two dynamic ladies join our club!

For our club that means Tonya Gary is now club president, with Karyn Bullock our president-elect. We have several members who have stepped up and are now in new roles of service and leadership. Pat Wilson is our new treasurer. Dianne Templar is now secretary. Kelly Strain is our new membership chair. Stacy Choate is taking on new duties related to financial accounting and tracking for our flag program.

David May is now past president, but retaining his roles as publicity and flag program chair.

“As I told those at the social, it was my honor to serve this year as your president,” May said. “It was not the year any of us expected. We experienced growth in membership and enthusiasm while adding a very successful new fundraiser and carrying out our service projects and commitments before everything was halted. Despite that, I am encouraged about our future and exited about our new leadership and members serving in new roles. I see them continuing to grow and learn and lead our club successfully into the future. Thanks to each and every one of you for your support, encouragement and kind words during my year as your president.”

The Wichita Falls Area Food Bank, Food Bank of West Central Texas, and Tarrant Area Food Bank will also receive funds to support their expanded services to the food insecure members of our District 5790 community.

The project began when Rotarians were asked to support COVID-19 related needs in our community. Hoping to raise a modest $25,000 to restock local food pantries and provide medical supplies to local hospitals, Rotarians in District 5790 (North Central TX), 5870 (Austin), and global partner District 9810 in Australia put out the call to club members and friends, and raised a shocking $161,000 in 10 days.

Contestants each gave outstanding oral speeches and were judged on their presentations. Contestants are asked to limit their speech to five minutes and incorporate in their speeches the principles of Rotary's Four-Way Test each Rotarian is asked to adhere to:

Of the things we think, say or do:

First, is it the truth?

Second, is it fair to all concerned?

Third, will it build goodwill and better friendships?

Fourth, is it beneficial to all concerned?

Taking this year's top scholarship prize of $1,000 was Mineral Wells High School junior Mackenzie Lawhon, a talented singer and actress who also participates in athletics, is among the top students academically in her class and is very active in her church and community activities. As a junior, Lawhon will be eligible to participate again next year. She is also eligible to advance to district competition if it takes place.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday welcomed City Manager Randy Criswell to talk about some of the projects occurring or planned. He is pictured above with program chair for the day Tanya Lukas.

Criswell, who came to Mineral Wells from Canyon 10 months ago, said housing, jobs and infrastructure continue to be the focus going forward.

There is plenty of good news on the housing front. For one, the new market-rate townhomes project adjacent to Mineral Wells Junior High School is progressing rapidly and cold be complete by early summer, offering upscale one- to three-bedroom residential units.

Rotarian Janette Green, center, brought to last Wednesday's meeting Kimberly Sewell and Paul Jewell from Mineral Wells Nutrition to talk about their popular smoothie and juice bar located at Brazos Mall, featuring their line of healthy shakes and energy teas. They brought samples of their teas to the meeting for Rotarians to try. If you haven't been to their store yet make plans to do so and check out their drinks.

ENGLEWOOD, Colo., Jan. 7, 2020 — Members of Toastmasters and Rotary will enhance their skills, broaden their networks and increase their positive impact in communities through a new collaboration.

The ongoing relationship between the two organizations will begin at the grassroots level with local club members learning and working together. Additionally, Toastmasters will create a set of eight structured communication and leadership development courses for Rotary with a phased rollout that will be available in English in 2020, and in more languages in 2021.

“The strategic alliance with Rotary is exciting and allows both organizations to leverage our unique and similar strengths,” says Deepak Menon, Toastmasters' 2019-20 International President. “We look forward to providing our current and prospective members with ongoing additional offerings that meet their evolving needs.”

Pictured with her mother, Vicki, Texas Special Olympics athlete and state and national champion Jamie Novak spoke to Rotary Club on Wednesday about competing, especially in her specialty events bowling and track and field – where she excels in the shot put and speed walking.

Jamie couldn't say how many medals she has won over the years – but it's a lot. So many that when she travels with them they noisily clang together.

She said her participation in Special Olympics have allowed her to travel and meet many people, and visit and tour many places, including the Statue of Liberty in New York.

Mineral Wells residents won't have to drive to Fort Worth or Dallas to find one of the coolest, fastest-growing sports and entertainment venues in America and around the world. They will simply need to go downtown.

Anthony and Taylor Privitt are opening Hatchet House Mineral Wells, located at 309 S.E. 1st Avenue. Pictured above with Rotary program chair Dr. Saskia Vaughan (right), the couple visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to introduce and talk about their new venture.

A combination of darts and bowling, hatchet throwing bars are rapidly growing in the U.S. and Canada. There are leagues and competition events, or people just go to throw hatchets at wall-mounted targets for fun.

The Privitts plan to have Hatchet House Mineral Wells open the first weekend in January.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday welcomed Brian Glenn, above right, for his program on ShelterBox. He is pictured with program chair Dan Steele.

ShelterBox is a cutting-edge charity that hand-delivers emergency shelter for families left homeless by natural disaster and conflict. Rotary International is a major ShelterBox supporter and partner, and our club donates $1,000 annually to ShelterBox.

Brian is a Rotarian, a member of the Denton-Lake Cities chapter within our District 5790. He has been a longtime ShelterBox volunteer, having gone on a number of trips to provide ShelterBoxes to people in need.

Brian said currently there are 85 million people worldwide displaced from their homes, many of them in under-developed or remote areas with very few resources.

Larry has a long and distinguished military and Rotary career. In fact he was among the last to leave Fort Wolters when the local base was decommissioned and closed in 1972. He  served 27 years in the U.S. Army Reserve, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Service Corps. His expertise was in Hospital Administration. His service rendered 16 medals including four awards of the Army Commendation Medal; one Army Achievement Medal; two awards of the National Defense Service Medal for Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm; four awards of the Reserve Components Achievement Medal; and two awards of the Army Reserve Medal, among others.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard how Mineral Wells ISD's two-year-old Opportunity Culture initiative is benfitting teachers and students in its elementary school classrooms.

Mineral Wells ISD school board member and Rotary program chair for the week Scott Elder brought Travis Elementary School Principal David Wells, who in turn brought with him campus educators Carla Watson, Patti Newsome and Lindsey Wells, who all serve as Multi-Classroom Leaders (MCLs) for the school under the Opportunity Culture program.

Also attending Wednesday's meeting were Rotarians Dr. John Kuhn, who is superintendent of Mineral Wells ISD, and club Secretary Karyn Bullock, who is the district's communications director. John Kuhn's administrative assistant Marilyn Bradshaw attended as a special guest.

With today's smartphones, anybody can take photos and videos then use filters or various editing software. Some do it very well and create interesting, even stunning images.

Then there are people like Wednesday's Mineral Wells Rotary program speaker Jonny Partesius, aka Jonny Goodday (which he said he goes by because it sounds better and is easier to say and spell). Jonny is a true artist – almost magician – with an eye, a talent and equipment for producing some of the most amazing photographs and videos one will ever see.

Take, for instance, his recent photograph of the Milky Way he captured from the Palo Pinto area …

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard the importance of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park, and the impact the three area state parks have on the area.

Jeff Hinkson, of the Strawn Area Chamber of Commerce who has dedicated his time and resources toward development of the park located just west of Strawn surrounding Tucker Lake, spoke to the club as the Nov. 5 constitutional amendment election approaches.

One of 10 proposed constitutional amendments is Proposition 5, which if passed will dedicate revenue from the state's current outdoor sales tax to state park development, improvements and maintenance. Early voting begins Monday.

The late Zach Elder, Jimmy Ashby and Col. Willie H. Casper Jr. may be gone, but won't soon be forgotten. Rotary Club of Mineral Wells membership on Wednesday approved renaming three of its annual scholarship awards in their honor.

"This makes me, and all Rotarians, very happy to do this," said club President David May. "These three are held dearly in our hearts and now every year they will be remembered and honored by our club with the presentation of Rotary scholarships."

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed District 5790 Governor Peter Scott to Wednesday's meeting.

Governor Scott touched on the local club's current activities, programs and projects and stated the Mineral Wells club is a vibrant, engaged club within the community.

Scott touched largely on the importance of membership and membership growth to show its strength, diversity and reach. On the day of Governor Scott's visit, the club welcomed two new members, Marc Woolvard, an agent with Palo Pinto County Farm Bureau, and David Hawes, the city's current interim economic development director. Hawes is a past member and president of Mineral Wells Rotary.

With kickoff just nine days away, Mineral Wells High School Athletics Director and head football coach Gerald Perry teed things up Wednesday for Mineral Wells Rotarians, giving them some information and insights about the 2019 Rams team.

With just 11 seniors on this year's varsity squad, youth is the theme for this season as Perry and his coaching staff is working on growing and coaching them up since the team could rely heavily on a group of sophomores and freshmen.

Perry thinks despite having a young team (which he said should pay dividends in two years) they are not using that as an excuse. He said the program's goals remain the same: "Win a district championship, win a state championship and practice on Thanksgiving Day."

Thanks to Rotarian Jimmy Walker for his program at today's meeting, "Fear and Self-Doubt." Providing information about the fears and doubts we all have and how we can try to overcome them was entertaining, informative, inspirational.

Sharing your personal experience of fear and doubt in relation to your wife and her health brought the element of human emotion and some tears to several eyes.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Palo Pinto General Hospital for lunch, networking, updates on club news and events and a program of interest.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard of a good sign to come. The historic Crazy Water sign that once spanned Hubbard Street is nearing a return, thanks to the efforts of Leadership Mineral Wells Class 24 and a couple of recent major donations.

Rotarian and class member Cory Crenshaw led an update on the project that he said is now close enough to its funding goal that he is almost ready to place a deposit for the making of the sign and its supports.

The replicated, two-sided sign is planned to go across West Hubbard Street just west of U.S. Highway 281. While the west side of the sign will not be visible to passing westbound traffic, it will be seen by pedestrians downtown – especially once the proposed downtown park is created – and give people a chance to photograph it with the Baker Hotel in the background.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is pleased to announce First Financial Bank of Mineral Wells as its title sponsor for its first ever pancake supper – aka "Holiday Hotcakes Extravaganza" – set for Thursday, Dec. 12, at Mineral Wells High School.

The evening will be one of good food and holiday entertainment and fun.

"We are really excited about what we have planned for our first pancake supper," said club President David May. "There will be holiday music performances by local school and organizational singers, dancers and musicians. We will have Santa and Mrs. Clause on hand for photos with the kids. Plus some great food and best of all, it's all for a great cause. This is going to be big. We can't wait."

You might not think Palo Pinto County, with about 27,000 people, would generate a tremendous number of court cases but the numbers do not lie.

29th State District Court Judge Mike Moore was this week's Mineral Wells Rotary Club guest speaker. Moore is completing his second four-year term and said he hopes to serve at least one more term, possibly two. His court hears and handles a variety of cases – criminal, civil and family law – and has plenty of those on its dockets.

Moore said after disposing of around 8,000 cases in his first seven-plus years on the bench, his 29th district courtroom currently has 1,600 pending cases total. That includes over 500 felony criminal cases, some 90 Child Protection Services cases and around 900 civil and family law cases.

"It is just an incredible number of cases we have pending," said Moore.

Like many caring and service-minded volunteers in the community do every weekday, Mineral Wells Rotarians on Fridays deliver meals to homebound seniors and individuals. On Wednesday, Rotarians were able to hear more about Meals on Wheels of Palo Pinto County through its Executive Director Christie Rucker.

Rucker became the agency's director earlier this year and has been working on making gradual changes and improvements, especially in the variety of meals prepared at Palo Pinto General Hospital, packaged and delivered to the agency's offices at 1410 S.E. Martin Luther King Jr. Street, typically ready for deliveries no later than 11 a.m.

She said Meals on Wheels serves around 48,000 homebound and congregate meals annually, with a client list ranging from 200 to 300 people in Mineral Wells, Graford, Gordon, Mingus, Strawn and Possum Kingdom Lake. Not only are hot and freshly made meals delivered midday Mondays through Fridays in Mineral Wells, but twice a month rural clients in the county receive frozen meals. Some clients can qualify for meals delivery seven days a week.

With presentation of a check for $1,000, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday became a five-star sponsor for the upcoming A Taste of Palo Pinto County.

Mineral Wells Senior Center Executive Director Bill Smith, pictured above right receiving the check from treasurer Dan Steele, visited the club Wednesday at its weekly meeting to talk about this year's annual event. He said there are currently 10 restaurants and caterers confirmed that will be serving up samples of their fare, with more being sought. This year's event will also include a 1950s sock hop with a DJ providing the music. Attendees are encouraged to bring their dance partner and wear their dancing shoes.

A Taste of Palo Pinto County is set for the evening of Thursday, July 25, at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2399 in Mineral Wells beginning at 6 p.m. The event is the senior center's major annual fundraiser.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells installed its 2019-2020 officers at today's weekly meeting.

Spelling out Rotary, from left, are new club President David May, Past-President John Dugan, President-Elect Tonya Folmar Gary, Secretary Karyn Bullock, Treasurer Dan Steele and Vocational Services Chair Tanya Hix Lukas.

Other officers for the coming year are Community Service Chair Connie Ball, International Service Chair Saskia Vaughan, Foundation Chair Nancy Faith Cameron, Club Service Chair Beth Henary Watson, Scholarships Chair Keri Walden, Membership Chair Cory Crenshaw, Social Chair Candi Wallis Pearson and Mineral Wells Crazy Kicker 100 Event Director William B Jones.

Some of these officers also hold other positions of responsibility within the club and all are appreciated for their work and efforts that help make us a club that puts "Service Above Self."

If you would like to know more about Rotary Club visit https://mineralwellsrotary.org/ or speak to any Rotarian.

Local architect Tim Hopkins on Wednesday showed Rotary Club members what he considers works of art.

Hopkins is the architect behind the renovation and restoration of the historic Crazy Water Hotel on North Oak Avenue. He showed images of the hotel's original 1925 drawings done in ink on pieces of linen. He said going back today and doing the measurements, they match the drawings exactly.

“I consider them works of art,” said Hopkins of the drawings he said were discovered in a small room in the hotel's basement. “They have been tremendously helpful to me.”

Wednesday's Mineral Wells Rotary Club meeting went swimmingly, thanks to Mineral Wells Moccasins swim team coach Macy Nix and two special guests.

Nix, along with her sister, Lexis, this year took over coaching and leading the team and its 48 members from ages under 8 to over 40. The team competes in Region IV of the Texas Amateur Athletic Federation.

Nix brought to Wednesday's meeting Devin Crenshaw and Dezden Duppstadt, both first-year swimmers who each placed in events this past Saturday in Weatherford, the first meet of the year competing against four other teams.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed Lewisville Morning Rotarians and Rotary District 5790 leaders John and Marilyn Pokorny to Wednesday's meeting to talk about the importance of our club's community image and visibility. They are pictured above with Mineral Wells Rotary Club President JJ Dugan, right.

The Pokornys touched on several ways members can help spread the word of Rotary throughout their social networks to make people in our community more aware of the club and its activities, mission and goals aimed at helping raise interest in membership and participation.

With Mineral Wells on a path to economic growth, Rhett Warren, center, hopes to use an existing path to further local progress and development.

An attorney and president of the Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce board of directors told Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members on Wednesday he is working to charter a Friends of the Lake Mineral Wells State Park and Trailway non-profit fundraising and steering organization to make improvements on the 20-mile trailway that stretches from downtown Mineral Wells to Cartwright Park in Weatherford.

With four trailheads and 16 bridges along the route, two miles running through Mineral Wells are paved with asphalt, with the remaining 18 miles of the trail lined with crushed limestone. The former railroad bed for the Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railroad, the trail opened for public use in 1998.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells welcomed new Mineral Wells City Manager Randy Criswell, and his wife, Janie, to Wednesday's meeting. They are pictured above with club President JJ Dugan, left, and program chair Tanya Lukas, right.

The former Canyon city manager began his new assignment in Mineral Wells on May 6. He has been been busily catching up on all the projects, proposals and activities under way and on the planning books.

One of his most important immediate tasks was to become meet with and become acquainted with city administrators, department heads and as many of the approximately 175 people employed by Mineral Wells. He has also been absorbing and working on the city's new and critical economic development strategy following the report recently turned over by consultant Hawes Hill & Associates and the priorities outlined by the citizens' task force.

Light it up!

That is theme of Leadership Mineral Wells Class 25 for its project to restore and re-light the famous "Welcome" sign located atop Bald Mountain.

But that is not all. This class of 23 members is taking things a "step" further with plans to create a park at the base of the mountain, with steps – reminiscent of the "Fat Man Reducer" stairs up East Mountain decades ago – leading to an observation platform just below the newly restored "Welcome" sign.

Members of the Leadership class presented their plans and fundraising efforts Wednesday to a room packed with Mineral Wells Rotarians and guests at Palo Pinto General Hospital.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday were entertained by scenes performed by Community Christian School's One-Act Play varsity ensemble as they and the school's junior varsity and junior high acting troupes prepare for this weekend's state championships taking place in Mineral Wells.

The Community Christian School Warrior Theater Department will compete in its seventh Texas Christian Athletic Fellowship State One-Act Play Contest on May 4th following recent wins at the TCAF District Three Contest.

CCS Administrator and One-Act Play Director Doug Jefferson brought the high school varsity OAP performers and technicians to Rotary to perform portions of their play, "Over The Tavern," part comedy and part drama written by Tom Dudzik and set during 1950s America.

Congressman Michael Conaway spoke for about 30 minutes to members of Mineral Wells Rotary Club during the club's weekly Wednesday meeting at Palo Pinto General Hospital.

The seven-term conservative Republican from Odessa represents Texas' 11th Congressional District, which includes Palo Pinto County and 28 other West Central Texas counties.

"Wherever kids are there are predators," Shree Patterson of Children's Alliance Center for Palo Pinto County told Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday.

If that sounds alarming, it is meant to be. They are words of caution and warning for parents trying to navigate today's technologies in a way that is safe for their children.

Patterson, pictured left, and CACPPC Executive Director and Rotarian Linda Porter-Bradford, center, were this week's guest speakers who delivered a program centered on April being Child Abuse Prevention Month. Also pictured is Rotary Club President JJ Dugan.

Fellow Rotarian and Mineral Wells Regional Airport Manager Wayne Sanderson last Wednesday gave club members an overview of how Mineral Wells and the airport is positioning itself to become a major center for unmanned aerial systems operations.

UAS is a rapidly growing sector of the aviation industry, with pilotless aircraft of all sizes used in an array of commercial and military applications.

Sanderson noted that Mineral Wells is in an optimal geographic location, being just outside the Metroplex restricted flight zone allows the airport to serve as a base for unmanned aerial system testing and flight operations.

Cody Jordan admits she can't draw, but she can envision and present her ideas to those who can draw and paint – especially on much larger scales then a regular piece of paper or canvas.

A Travis Elementary School music and drama teacher by trade, Cody (pictured above right) since last fall has taken on the role of coordinating the beautiful and thought-provoking downtown murals springing up on the sides of many buildings. She, along with the talented muralists, have dedicated hours and hours of research, labor and effort – and much of their own money – in helping bring downtown Mineral Wells back to life by covering up old and ugly buildings and giving them a new look, new life and new hope.

Anyone who has been downtown has seen them. A monarch butterfly with wings spread like those of an angel, forming the "W" along with a mountainous "M" over it for Mineral Wells. A female "pouring her heart out" as she springs from the sprout of a water can. Historic cars depicting decades of Mineral Wells history. The hope that is seen in the 1920s flapper blowing white leaves from a dandelion – and much more.

Palo Pinto County Historical Commission members Pam McCreary and Sandra Crawford on Wednesday gave Mineral Wells Rotarians a sneak peak of this year's Palo Pinto County on Tour event.

Held every two years, this year's tour is set for Saturday, April 27.

McCreary, pictured right, and Crawford, center, were special guests and speakers for this week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting, invited by program chair and PPCHC member Lottie Eubanks.

The event is a self-paced historical and wildflower driving tour. It can be started – and tickets purchased at – at any of the 2019 tour destinations.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells was proud to have interim City Manager Margie Rose speak at last Wednesday's weekly meeting, the club's first at its new home in the meeting room at Palo Pinto General Hospital.

Club members enjoyed the delicious lunch offerings in the hospital cafeteria and PPGH staff ensured the meeting room was ready and accommodating. Rotary Club appreciates PPGH welcoming us to the hospital for our weekly Wednesday meetings.

Rose told club members Mineral Wells citizens have much to be excited about with so many projects and positive things happening in the city, including downtown redevelopment and those plans going forward.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells conducted its annual Four-Way Speech Contest on Thursday in Mineral Wells City Council chambers at the City Hall Annex, awarding $1,750 in scholarships.

The winners of the 2019 contest were Mia Elder (center) winner of a $1,000 scholarship; Rachel Carter (left) winner of a $500 scholarship; and Bradley Aaron, winner of a $250 scholarship.

For Rachel, it was her second time to receive a $500 Rotary Four-Way Speech scholarship after also taking second place in last year's speech contest.

Mia qualifies to advance to an upcoming district Four-Way Speech Contest with an opportunity to win more scholarship monies and advance farther.

Author Jim Gatewood visited Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday to talk about his book, "Sid Richardson and Texas Oil," and regale members with several stories about the Athens, Texas, native who struck it big in the Texas oilfields.

Gatewood said it was while Richardson was staying in Mineral Wells that his fortunes change. Having done well initially in land and oil dealings, Richardson was an avid gambler who lost much of his money during a losing streak.

Libraries in the 21st Century are not just buildings where people read and check out books – though they still serve that purpose.

Today's libraries have transformed themselves into community centers and places of hands-on learning, creativity and social interaction.

That was the message Boyce Ditto Public Library Children's Librarian Jacque Fitzhugh brought to Rotary Club members during Wednesday's meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. She is pictured above with Club President JJ Dugan.

Knowing college is not for everyone, Mineral Wells ISD has long been committed to making sure students have a chance to learn and are exposed to career opportunities outside classrooms.

MWISD has a large Career and Technical Education department giving students knowledge and hands-on experience in areas like agriculture, horticulture, culinary arts, floral design, automotive skills through its six-bay auto tech department, welding, computer-aided design, woodshop and construction, nursing and health care, veterinarian care and more.

Not only are students able to gain valuable knowledge and actual experience, but in several of these areas they can can get certifications and embark on their careers immediately after graduating high school while choosing how and whether to pursue their education and goals.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President JJ Dugan, center, accepts on behalf of the club Mineral Wells ISD's recognition as its "January Partner in Education."

The presentation was made at Monday's MWISD school board meeting. Dugan is pictured with MWISD board President Maria Jones, left, and MWISD Superintendent and Rotarian John Kuhn.

Rotary Club recently provided Mineral Wells High School with a $4,000 grant to help homeless students with educational supplies and needs. Each year the local club's president selects a project to fund and assist, and helping local homeless high school students was the project Dugan selected for his term.

Mineral Wells Mayor Pro Tem and Ward 2 Councilwoman Tammy Underwood, above left, helped Rotary Club of Mineral Wells kick off 2019 as the year's first guest speaker. She is pictured with club President JJ Dugan.

The club met Wednesday, Jan. 2, at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club.

Underwood talked about the many positive things currently going in the city, highlighted by the improvements in downtown, and talked about some of the critical issues ahead, topped by council's working toward selection of a new city manager to replace fellow Rotarian Lance Howerton, who retired Dec. 31 after serving 25 years in the city leadership role.

Poverty in the community isn’t always visible, so many students suffer quietly. Every student should have access to the basic needs of life so that they can focus on their education.

At Mineral Wells ISD, approximately 70 percent of students qualify for free or reduced lunch. This means that most of the student body struggles to overcome many of the things taken for granted by others such as access to clothes, school supplies, personal hygiene products and many other simple necessities.

With the help of the Mineral Wells Rotary Club, a Ram Care Closet was created last year by the MWHS Interact Club to help serve MWHS and MWJH students whose families are struggling financially and in need of a little extra help with obtaining daily necessities. Space became an issue for the supplies, so the students had to come up with a better concept.

Each year, Rotary Club presidents across the U.S. and around the world select a project the club and its members can support through grants using local club dollars that are then matched by Rotary International.

This year, Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President JJ Dugan wanted to help local homeless high school students. It was a matter weighing on his heart and mind after Rotarians the previous heard a program on homeless students.

For his president's project Dugan received club approval to provide financial support to those students in need and on Wednesday presented Mineral Wells High School counselors Hope Mesler, pictured center, and Stella Singleton, right, with a $4,000 check. Dugan submitted the project through a grant application that was approved for funding.

Amy O'Bannon, left, and Dorothy Clark told Mineral Wells Rotarians Wednesday about their CBD – cannabidiol – products that, when used, won't make you "stoned" but could help reduce or completely relieve a variety of medical ailments or issues.

They explained their Colorado-manufactured products – soft gels, lotions, salves, capsules, edibles and flavored tinctures – are legal in Texas without a prescription because, while they are made from hemp, they contain 0 percent THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.

Rotarian and Mineral Wells Industrial Foundation Executive Director Steve Butcher said while much is being made of the changes and improvements downtown – and rightly so – he wants people to know about other positive economic developments taking place.

"Brett Hobson is right in the middle of it," Butcher told Mineral Wells Rotarians at the club's weekly Wednesday meeting at holiday Hills Country Club.

Comfort Experts-Hobson Heating & Air, which started in Mineral Wells five decades ago and is based in Weatherford, is returning to Mineral Wells in a big way with a new and unique residential trade school at Wolters Industrial Park.

West District Superintendent for the Central Texas Conference of the United Methodist Church Rev. Dr. Lisa Neslony, center, was today's speaker, sharing with Rotarians a mission trip to Kenya in January in which several people from Mineral Wells, including today's program chair and Rotarian Rev. Eric Douglas, pictured left.

Rev. Margie Holmes of Central UMC in Mineral Wells and First UMC Youth Director Hannah Newcomer were also among those who went on the mission trip.

Kristy Trammell, RYLA Class 2011, was Wednesday's guest speaker for Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' weekly meeting at Holiday Hills County Club.

Along with being the granddaughter of Rotarian Connie Ball, pictured left and the program chair, Trammell is a May 2017 graduate of Abilene Christian University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science: Livestock Management and Production.

She is now with the USDA Farm Services Agency as a county operations trainee in Taylor County (Abilene).

Trammell talked about the agriculture products in Palo Pinto County and across the state. She said the county has about 47,000 heads of beef cattle. She said she enjoys working with commodity products such as grapes used in wineries and peaches and pecans grown in this area.

Also pictured is club President JJ Dugan.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at HHCC for lunch, networking, updates on club projects and a program of interest. If you are interested in learning more about Rotary Cub and becoming a member, contact a Rotarian. You probably know at least one local member – possibly several.

With a $120,000 fundraising goal, the 2018 United Way of Palo Pinto County campaign is ready to begin Saturday.

The campaign officially runs through Oct. 31, but as United Way Executive Director Shaina Davis, pictured center, told members of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells on Wednesday, every day is a day one can give to United Way.

In fact, United Way has fundraisers throughout the year, including the Mother-Son Dance in the spring and the upcoming Penny Auction. This year, a new fundraiser is being planned, a winter beauty pageant. Details on that to come later.

(This story provided courtesy of the Mineral Wells Index.)

While some talked and others balked, Randy and Misty Nix went to work, putting their money and their hearts into rebuilding and revitalizing downtown Mineral Wells. They are pictured above with Mineral Wells Rotary Club President JJ Dugan.

Those who work in or recently visited or driven through the city’s central business district have seen the immediate uplift through the Nixes’ acquisition of buildings that are being transformed, restored, refurbished and – more importantly – occupied or soon-to-be occupied with new businesses.

Call them Crazy Town’s Renaissance Couple.

Emergency services in Palo Pinto County are beginning to get a little more confusing for some. County Judge David Nicklas spoke Wednesday at this week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting to try and clear up some of that confusion.

County commissioners recently received a petition from a group asking the county put on the Nov. 6 ballot a question seeking to create Emergency Services District No. 4. The proposed district's boundary is the former Possum Kingdom East EMS service boundary that encompasses the east side of Possum Kingdom Lake south to U.S. Highway 180 then west to the Stephens County line.

The petitioning group wants to contract for 911 EMS service within its new ESD if approved by voters. ESD No. 1, which covers the entire county, already has 911 EMS service for the rural areas of the county not covered by ESD No. 2 in the southeast and Santo area, and Mineral Wells and the area covered by the city's EMS. Sacred Cross EMS is currently under contract by ESD No. 1 to provide that paid, 24/7 service.

Mineral Wells Assistant Fire Chief Ryan Dunn, second from left, and MWPD Patrolman Thomas Lively, second from right, are the first recipients of Rotary Club of Mineral Wells' "Above and Beyond" awards honoring local first responders.

Rotary Vocational Service Chair Keri Walden, far right, was asked by club President David Cairone, left, to initiate a first responders recognition program. Walden, who is also the city's Municipal Court judge, said she sent nomination forms to law enforcement, fire and EMS departments in the county.

Still a relatively new organization, Parker County Economic Development Council Executive Director Tim Von Kennel and Executive Assistant Robin Dalton spoke at a well-attended Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting Wednesday that focused in part on how the council can work with the City of Mineral Wells as well as Parker County and Weatherford.

Regional economic development efforts are not uncommon. They are often ways for two or more areas to combine and pool economic development resources and dollars to help compete against larger economic development entities and efforts.

Rotarian and new Mineral Wells Mayor Christopher Perricone, left, was guest speaker for today's Mineral Wells Rotary Club meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. He is pictured with program chair for the week Tanya Lukas.

Perricone spoke for about 30 minutes, including a question-and-answer session in which he asked Rotarians and guests in attendance their thoughts and suggestions.

STAR Council on Substance Abuse is primarily a regional non-profit agency providing comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment services and programs.

But they offer much more than that.

Terah Gibson on Wednesday outlined for Mineral Wells Rotarians all of the programs STAR Council offers, including their work in schools with youth offering Life Skills and anti-bullying sessions, as well as anti-drug and alcohol messages and even drug testing. STAR Council also offers a Battering Intervention Prevention Program (BIPP), and recently hosted a sexual assault training and education symposium in Mineral Wells. The council also works with other non-profit organizations, such as Back Pack Buddies and school free lunch programs, Gibson said.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells was fortunate to have District 5790 Governor-Elect Gerald Robinson, from Flower Mound, pictured second from left, visit the club this past Wednesday. Also pictured, from left, are Mineral Wells club President David Cairone, club Foundation Chair Nancy Cameron and President-Elect JJ Dugan.

Robinson touched on several Rotary topics, but especially spoke about the district's June 2019 service project trip to the Central America Republic of Guatemala, hoping to take 150 Rotarians, families and friends to work and fellowship with families, people and fellow Rotarians.

Public libraries are not dead. In fact, they are teeming with activities and users, in person and online, and remain one of the best sources of free information and data.

That is the message new Boyce Ditto Public Library Director Louanne Noel brought to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells. She is pictured above center, with program chair Tonya Gary, left, and club President David Cairone.

The contestants of this year' Rotary Club of Mineral Wells Four-Way Speech contest, which took Place Feb. 15, presented their orations to the club during Wednesday's weekly program at Holiday Hills Country Club.

Program chair for the day Karyn Bullock introduced Kiarra Pruitt (third place), Rachel Carter (second place) and Kate Gilbreath (first place), noting that all three Mineral Wells High School students are in the overall top 10 academically of their class. Pruitt and Gilbreath are seniors and Carter is a junior.

Blake Kettler, area project manager of Possum Kingdom Lake for the Brazos River Authority, gave an informative and detailed presentation today to a packed Rotary meeting room about the BRA, the watershed it manages and controls and Possum Kingdom Lake. He is pictured with program chair for the day Stacy Choate, left, and club President David Cairone, right. They are standing beside a model of a gate used on Morris Sheppard Dam at Possum Kingdom Lake.

With a watershed stretching from the Texas Panhandle almost at the New Mexico state line to the Gulf of Mexico south of Freeport, it totals 1,050 miles and comprises 44,620 square miles, 42,000 of which are in Texas. The Brazos River begins at the confluence of the upper forks of the river, the Salt and Double Mountain, in Stonewall County. The Clear Fork joins the river just above Possum Kingdom Lake in Young County.

Rotarian and Mineral Wells Municipal Airport Manager Wayne Sanderson is making final preparations for takeoff, celebrating the airport's 75th year of operations.

An event is charted for Saturday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and will feature what he hopes will be 50-100 planes, a car and motorcycle show, live music, food trucks and a program talking about the airport's history and impact on regional aviation.

Sanderson said he is working on efforts to grow and expand the airport. With the population growth forecasts in Parker County, he envisions a need for more hangars. He said plans are to add 10 a year for at least the next several years to meet the expected demand. He said the airport is also seeing more requests from plane owners wanting to build private hangars.

Like traffic zooming through the center of town, plans to begin redeveloping downtown Mineral Wells are on a fast pace to initial implementation.

Mineral Wells Rotarians on Wednesday heard a more in-depth presentation from City Manager Lance Howerton about the designs and plans for a downtown makeover that includes gateway features to help give downtown an identity, landscaping, new intersection features, canopies and pedestrian alley to take visitors from the parking areas to the shops and restaurants on North Oak Avenue.

Oh won't you staaaaay ...

Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism and Marketing Director Ryan Oliver, pictured right, not only wants people outside Mineral Wells to know what the area has to offer – he wants people already here to know.

Oliver was Wednesday's program guest speaker, telling Rotarians about the chamber's "Spring Break Staycation" event on Friday, March 16. It is an effort to show locals some of the attractions and activities available at home in hopes they will spread the word, or know how to answer the question, "What is there to do here?"

"Staycation" is a day-long tour aboard a Public Transit bus that will take "vacationers" to the Old Jail Museum in Palo Pinto, the Mineral Wells Fossil Park, downtown for lunch at the Brazos Market & Bistro, then the National Vietnam War Museum, Lake Mineral Wells State Park & Trailway, Clark Gardens and Famous Water Company.

Pictured, from left, with Mineral Wells ISD Special Program Director Natalie Griffin are Mineral Wells ISD librarians Beth Friedel Henderson (Mineral Wells Junior High School), Cathy Hammond (Travis Elementary and district librarian) and Kira Buck (Lamar Elementary). The three librarians were an open book for Rotarians on Wednesday, talking about the programs, services and community outreach offered by the district.

Henderson gave an example of how much libraries have changed and continue to change. At Mineral Wells Junior High School, the library is not a place where you will be "shuuushed" for talking. It is typically a hive of activity with different groups doing many different things such as computer instruction or programming and Maker Space hands-on activities.

Author, cowboy poet and storyteller Elaine Smith was Wednesday's program speaker. An Erath County resident, Smith talked about her work and relationship with the Texas Commission on the Arts as a speaker.

She talked about her mother, who climbed down from her log cabin on a West Virginia mountainside to join the Women's Army Corps and serve the nation during World War II as a clerk, stationed in Carlsbad, N.M.

Smith shared a couple of her poems, including one of her favorites, "The Blue Buffalo," and her biography of Virginia Reger, a rodeo star who trained her horse to jump over cars.

She also discussed topics and tips for self-improvement and time management, showing some techniques she uses in her daily life.

Smith is pictured with Rotary Club of Mineral Wells President David Cairone, left, and program chair for the day J.J. Dugan. Learn more about Elaine here.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meets every Wednesday at noon at Holiday Hills Country Club for lunch, networking, updates on club news and events and a program of interest. Come join us.

There is always something exciting going on at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center in Weatherford, where lately people have been overcome with cases of cabin fever, leading to excitement and anticipation of the future.

Lorraine Crutcher, pictured center, is the marketing and events manager for The Doss. She spoke at Wednesday's weekly Rotary Club of Mineral Wells meeting to talk about the Doss, and in particular development of its Pioneer Cabin Park, located on about 2 acres of property acquired from Weatherford College on the west side of the DHCC, located at Texas Drive and Santa Fe Drive.

The village has been in development since 2014. Ground was broken in February 2016. The first cabin, the McDonald Cabin, was moved to the park last Sept. 14th. Two weeks ago, DHCC received its second, the Strain cabin that was moved from the Brock area and through Weatherford on Santa Fe Drive.

Baker said discussions for nearly two years have taken place between college officials and local school, government, business and civic leaders about opening a branch campus in Mineral Wells. 

“I think we all agree that long term Fort Wolters is not the answer,” Baker said, referring to Weatherford College’s Mineral Wells Campus, which he said the main building is “one HVAC hiccup from becoming a major expense.”

Chief Radiologist Joe Erwin on Wednesday gave Mineral Wells Rotarians a picture of Palo Pinto General Hospital's digital imaging capabilities.

The hospital is almost a year into the use of its GE LightSpeed 64-slice CT Scanner. CT stands for computerized tomography, a process that takes and combines a series of X-Ray images from different angles – in this case a 360-degree view – and creates a cross-section display of the individual images, or slices, with much more detail than standard X-Rays.

A third-degree black belt preparing to test for his fourth-degree black belt, American karate master Michael Lovell shared with Mineral Wells Rotary Club members on Wednesday his approach to teaching the martial art form.

No matter the age, Lovell begins with teaching manners and respect, followed by other life skills such as saying "Yes ma'am" or "No sir."

For Lovell karate is a multi-discipline martial art that requires self-control and focus, something he said he had to learn as a quick-tempered kid growing up.

Palo Pinto General Hospital's new surgeon and OB/GYN Dr. Rebecca Poole, center, introduced herself to Rotary Club of Mineral Wells members on Wednesday.

She was invited to speak by Rotarian and PPGH Chief Executive Officer Harris Brooks, right. Also pictured is club President David Cairone.

Poole discussed her approach to medicine, health care and women's health including the use of estrogenic hormones.

Rotary Club of Mineral Wells is seeking teams for its first Super Bowling I event on Saturday, Feb. 3, at Mountaineer Lanes.

Entry is $250 per team ($50 per bowler) and includes three games and shoe rental.

Wednesday's program was valuable and appraised high, with Palo Pinto Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Donna Kozlovsky, pictured center, giving the program. She brought with her PPAD Deputy Chief Appraiser Chuck Lyon, far right, and Exemption Clerk Amanda Salters, second from right.

Also pictured are Rotary Club President-Elect JJ Dugan, far left, and this week's program chair Charles Thompson.

Kozlovsky gave an overview of PPAD and how it goes about appraising the values of residential and commercial properties. Kozlovsky said they try to inspect every property at least once every three years, and the goal is to appraise properties to within 95 percent to 100 percent of market value.

This is a change from the original Nov. 9 date.

The meeting will take place at Four Seasons Dental at 510 S.E. 1st St. Saskia Vaughan will lead new members through about an hour-long orientation on what it means to a member of Rotary International and Rotary Club of Mineral Wells.

Much of Saskia's presentation will be centered on this new member orientation guide. This brief orientation is not only good for new members, but other members are also invited to attend if interested.

If planning to attend, RSVP Saskia by Friday, Nov. 10, at vaugdds@suddenlinkmail.com. There will be light snacks, wine and cheese.

Mineral Wells Rotarians now know just what how big American Medical Response Inc. is and the impact it has nationally and internationally after AMR's Director of Fleet Resource Initiatives Ken Thom, pictured second from left, spoke at Wednesday's weekly meeting at Holiday Hills Country Club. Also pictured, from left, are Mineral Wells Industrial Foundation President Richard Ball, Area Growth Council Executive Director Steve Butcher, Rotary Club President David Cairone and Mineral Wells City Manager Lance Howerton.

Thom will be over AMR's new ambulance and fleet refurbishment facility – the company's first such plant – in Mineral Wells. AMR is currently renovating the former Baker Hughes facility on Tradeway Drive in the industrial park off U.S. Highway 180 East, making about $1.3 million in changes and improvements.

The property is 19 acres with seven buildings, which Thom said is larger than what AMR currently needs, but he said it has given rise to future possibilities of expanding the types of production there along with other potential opportunities he said company officials are exploring.

As a state representative from Frisco, Patrick Fallon is accustomed to running races. Political ones.

The one he ran in early January 2016 was completely different.

With little training and no experience, the former Notre Dame football player and U.S. Air Force captain did the unthinkable and practically impossible for someone like him – complete the World Marathon Challenge, running seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.

This week's Rotary Club of Mineral Wells program was out of this world. Literally.

Guest speaker for today's program was Bernard Suchocki, pictured center with Rotary program chairman JJ Dugan, left, and club President David Cairone.

Before he became an attorney and member of Willow Park City Council in Parker County, Suchocki was an aerospace engineer for NASA from 1971 to 1981, developing software and working on projects, including Apollo missions and the famous and nearly catastrophic Apollo 13 flight.