Athens — By Doris Gardenhire
Well, in spite of the weather, our bake sale on Friday February 12th was a huge success. Most of the sales, of course, went to hospital staff and the nurses, since most of you were sensible enough not to drive in the snow. Nurses are always supportive of our fund-raising efforts. They appreciate our helping them with scholarships, and we appreciate their supporting us.
Speaking of which, one of our scholarship students is Christine Green of Malakoff. Having graduated as a Licensed Vocational Nurse in December, she is now working on the first floor. She plans to work for a year while taking prerequisites for the Registered Nurse transition program at TVCC. Her ultimate goal is to be an Emergency Room nurse here at ETMC Athens. “I just love helping others,” she says.
Christine lives in Malakoff with her husband Joseph and children Haley, age 5, and Jared, age 9. ETMC Athens is a big part of their lives, as Joseph is an ETMC paramedic, and she herself had worked previously in the Business Office here.
When asked if she could have gone to TVCC without the scholarship, she replied, “Probably not.” Besides the money, she said the best thing about the scholarship is that she knew she had a job when she finished. (LVN students promise to work at ETMC for two years.)
“I plan to be here forever. This is our home, and everyone here is so friendly. We have many great nurses, and I am learning so much from them.”
“Yes, sometimes the job is stressful,” she added, “but if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. And I want to work for what I get.”
So the auxiliary says Welcome, Christine, and may we have many more bright-eyed, compassionate, dedicated nurses in the future.
If you saw the Performing Arts Center’s production of “Arsenic and Old Lace,” you surely enjoyed Jim Alexander as Teddy Roosevelt. We’re proud to say that Jim is one of our volunteers.
Thankfully, we have three new volunteers, Elfreida Jenkins, Mary Ellen Allan, and Jonathan Perkins. They will help fill some of the gaps we have from deaths and moves.
More thanks are due to all you nice people out there. It makes our work worthwhile when you are so supportive. For instance, one nice gentleman came by, saw the lollipop tree, asked about the nursing scholarship program, and then made a donation and told the desk people to give lollipops to the next few kids who came in.
And of course, those of you who bring stuffed animals and goods for our bake sales. Nancy Duff and Nancy Hilton are really great about helping us with that.
I’ve warned you already that construction is going on around ETMC, so be prepared, when you come to see us. They are in the process of enlarging the front parking lot, and when finished there will be multiple entrances instead of the one we have. Please do observe the reserved spaces. Our volunteers deserve their places! At the last auxiliary meeting we saw pictures of what the hospital will look like when construction is completed, and believe me, it will be beautiful and much more convenient.
ETMC also has a new executive secretary to Mr. Wallace and Adam Willmann. Anita Isbell retired, and we will miss her. However, we welcome Karen Dodson, who lives in Edgewood and previously worked at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. She says she likes being at ETMC Athens much better! We welcome her great smile and pleasant attitude.
Coming up: The drawing for the beautiful baby basket will be March 24. Raffle tickets as usual are $1 each or six for $5.
April 2 will be the Easter Bake Sale (Did you realize Easter comes early this year?). In conjunction with the bake sale the Gift Shop will have a clearing out sale, so be sure to come out on that day. Hopefully it won’t be snowing!
A new quilt raffle begins April 14, and the Masquerade Jewelry Sale is April 27 and 28. This is the very popular $5 jewelry sale, but they also have purses, scarves, books, blouses, and other items.
Darlene Forshage, Director of Tourism for Athens, spoke at our March meeting. She currently is contacting all volunteer organizations to list them in a brochure designed to show visitors what all Athens has to offer, especially for retirees. She also needs volunteers for the Visitors’ Center.
The monthly general meeting now begins at 9:15, after the breakfast buffet that ETMC provides at 8:30. We’d love to have you come join us.
Local News
ETMC Auxiliary Report
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Geeslin under fire
Henderson County Attorney Clint Davis, has asked the Texas Rangers to look into a complaint filed against Precinct 4 County Commissioner Ken Geeslin by one of his employees.
Three witnesses agree that a verbal altercation occurred at the precinct barn on Jan. 11. -
Early planning!
It was June 19, 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by President Abraham Lincoln. A ship pulled into the Galveston port and Major Gen. Gordon Granger reads Orders, No. 3 to the people of Galveston.
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freed men are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere.”
With the reading of this order, slavery was ended in Texas, and Juneteenth was created. -
Remembering Pastor Lusk
Henry Lusk was a man who sold hardware during the week, and preached about the carpenter of Nazareth on Sundays.
Lusk died Wednesday after a bout with cancer. He had pastored the Athens Church of God for about 6-1/2 years, and was manager of Athens Lumber and Supply for 29 years. Church members remembered him Friday as a energetic Bible preacher and caring pastor. -
Athens Rotary Club presents grants for public service
The Athens Rotary Club presented grants to several organizations for their public service, Thursday. Pictured, left to right are club members and representatives of the organizations recognized. They are: Doug Scala, Rotary; Debbie Zea, Meals on Wheels; Mark Roberts, Henderson County Performing Arts Center; Ray Talbot, Labor of Love; Kathleen Lilly, Cain Foundation; Jean Riggs, Cain Center; Charla Hendrix, Leslie Saunders, Sarah Grey, Athens Independent School District; Carol Morton, Keep Athens Beautiful; Robert Nelson; Karen Whitton, Food Pantry; and Kyle Rocha, Cain Center.
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Murder’s conviction affirmed by the Court of Appeals
The Twelfth Court of Appeals in Tyler this week affirmed James Arlie Hampton’s murder conviction from December of 2010.
Hampton was convicted, and sentenced to life in prison by a Henderson County jury for the murder of Corey David, who had been a guest in Hampton’s home. -
Airport Board discusses Loop 7 sign
The Athens Airport Advisory Board held a preliminary discussion on putting up a sign on Loop 7 at a regular session, Thursday.
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Beloved teacher Oglesby dies suddenly
An Athens Middle School teacher who died Wednesday from a recent illness cared about his craft, and the 8th graders he taught.
Thomas Oglesby, 64, taught in the Athens Independent School District for more than 20 years. He specialized in language arts, and even did a little coaching on the side. -
Athens Rotary tenders grants
The Athens Rotary Club gave grants to several organizations, Thursday, in recognition of community service.
Robert Nelson presided over the presentation of gifts ranging from $500 to $1,500 to help the groups in their services which included endeavors like feeding the hungry, home improvement and community theater. -
Deputies answer call for stolen copper from Oncor in Mabank
MABANK — Henderson County Sheriff’s Department officers answered another call on Jan. 26 concerning the theft of still more copper wire, this time from Oncor at 13680 County Road 2925 in this community.
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Man, woman arrested for burglary north of Murchison
Henderson County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a call reporting trespassing on property north of Murchison Wednesday. The deputies arrested a man and a woman for burglary.
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