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Daily Newspaper and Tourism Guide for Reeves County Trans Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

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Golden Years

Tuesday, Oct. 21, 1997

Seniors `fall' for crafts

Fun and crafts were a part of the activities at the Pecos Senior Center.

"I try to come up with craft ideas, that the ladies will enjoy, and that we can fun making," said Director Donna Woodard.

Woodard stated that the group is always looking for new ideas, and anyone who would like to share some with them is welcome to come by the center.

"Next month, we'll be doing different crafts for the holiday season," she said.

This month, in conjunction with Halloween, the group was making candle holders, out of tin cans.

"I got this idea from the senior center in Monahans," said Woodard. "They had these candle holders on their tables and they looked so nice and festive," she said.

Holes are punched into the tin can, resembling a face on a pumpkin, and then spray painted orange. A candle is then placed inside the cans, to create a glowing effect.

"We also made little angels about two weeks ago, out of different macaroni products," said Woodard.

The little angels can be made into pins or ornaments, according to Woodard.

"Usually on Fridays, we've been getting together to do more things," said Woodard.

The group meets on Fridays for coffee and donuts in the morning and welcome new people.

"We've been getting a good response at the coffee meetings," said Woodard, "but we welcome more."

"We plan to invite the new extension agent to come and join us and see if she has any new ideas and Joyce Creager, will be here next month, to do some Christmas cards crafts," said Woodard.

The center will have stew and cornbread for sale on Oct. 31.

"That's a fundraiser we'll be having," said Woodard.

A recent fundraiser, a garage sale, proved to be a big success and over $1,000 was raised, according to Woodard.

"All these funds went towards the van, it's a very important part of our center," said Woodard.

The van transports individuals around town, who do not drive, to run errans, to doctor's appointments and even to the grocery store.

"Some leave a little donation, but most don't have enough funds, so we don't charge them anything," said Woodard.

Valero Company made up the difference, the center needed for the van insurance and other items needed.

"We're really grateful to them," said Woodard.

"That van is very important, a lot of people depend on it," she said.

"I think people have finally started to realize how important the center is, and I'm glad," said Woodard.

Rodriguez's celebrate 50th anniversary

About seventy guests gathered to honor longtime Pecos residents, Mr. and Mrs. Fermin P. Rodriguez, as they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary with a Mass and reception. Mr. Rodriguez, and the former Miss Lydia Hernandez Subia of Balmorhea, were ma
rried at Templo Catolico de Brogado (Balmorhea), August 30, 1947, with Father Hiran officiating. The Anniversary Mass, held August 30, 1997, was conducted at Santa Rosa de Lima Catholic Church in Pecos, with Father Antonio Mena officiating.

The unique Mass service included comments regarding the couples' inspiration to others, given by their children, Grandchildren. other family members and also close friends. The couple then renewed their marriage vows to the delight and applause of all wi
tnesses present. Music during the Mass service was provided by the couple's son, Richard.

After Mass, the couple and guests were treated to a reception consisting of a six tier wedding cake, Mexican wedding cookies (biscochos), and refreshments. The couple was also showered with wedding "bubbles" throughout the reception by attending guests.

Mr. and Mrs. Rodriguez have lived in Pecos throughout their married life. They have two children - Richard (wife Cindy) Rodriguez of Abilene and Belinda "Belle" (husband Kenneth) Rodriguez-Boone of Midland; five grandchildren - Richard and Stacey Rodrigu
ez of Abilene, Joshua Abila, Jarred and Janelle Boone of Midland; two great-grandsons - Brandon Cortinaz and Seth Rodriguez of Abilene.

Mr. Rodriguez is a World War II veteran, serving as a Private First Class in the U.S. Army from February 1942, until receiving an Honorable Discharge August 28, 1945. During his Tour, he was stationed in Hawaii, Guadacanal, and the Philippine Islands of
Luzon and Penay. After returning home, he was employed by Anderson-Clayton, as a lab technician and agent for the Cotton Loan Dept., from 1948 until his retirement in 1968. He then went to work for BF Goodrich/Automotive Proving Grounds, where he was a l
oyal and dedicated employee until he retired in August 1985. Mrs. Rodriguez was a homemaker for several years before being hired as a cashier with Gibson's Discount Center in 1966. She retired in 1996, after thirty years of loyal service.

The couple received numerous gifts, including a surprise "honeymoon" trip to Inn Of The Mountain Gods in Ruidoso, New Mexico. The trip will be sponsored by the Boone family of Midland. The celebration was hosted by their daughter Belinda, with the assist
ance of several other family members.

Museum is good ambassador for Pecos

By GENORA B. PREWIT
West of the Pecos
Museum Administrator

West of the Pecos Museum News or Son-of-a-Gun Stew (because there will be a little bit of everything thrown in the pot!)

June, 1994, Night in Old Pecos, 111 degrees in Downtown Pecos, Texas Highways Magazine writer, Mr. Larry Hodge, was here to do a story on the Museum. It really was not a good time - we were getting ready for the Fourth - the busiest time of the year at t
he museum. We were also preparing to close for the massive restoration AND it was h-o-t!! Larry was to return after the renovation; a good thing he didn't, we wouldn't have been organized, no money to hire extra help so it has taken two years and still n
ot complete.

This past August I wrote Jack Lowry, Texas Highways editor and Larry and have received word they are returning to Pecos to finish the story. Hopefully we will be featured in next June's issue. In the past they have featured the Rodeo and the Cantaloupe s
o are now interested in the Town of Pecos City - THE POSITIVE SIDE - what are we doing? Larry saw the deterioration in Pecos, he noticed the empty buildings down town, so I set out to try to find the positive citizens, after speaking to only a hand-ful,
there must be many more.

Of course, the Museum was at the top of the list because we are positively one of the busiest places in town. The staff and volunteers at the Museum are great ambassadors for Pecos City, making thousands of visitors fell welcome - encouraging tourism. We
have numerous educational and cultural programs for local adults and children. We are preserving our colorful past, all the while preparing and expanding for the future.

To mention just a few positive reactions I received:
Oscar Saenz, of Anchor West, is one of the most positive men in Pecos and he has built a very positive business. In April 1990 they had only 30 employees, as of September 18, 1997 there were 497 people working at Anchor West. Oscar has volunteered his se
rvices and donated money in many ares of our community. His wife, Mary, is on the Museum Board of Trustees.

The local Texas Highway Department has really taken a stand - they have improved the looks of south Hwy 285, areas along I-20 service roads and the junction of old Hwy 80 and 17.

Pecos Tree Board has planted over 2000 trees in Pecos, can you believe it? How wonderful! The Museum, through annual donors of Christmas Trees, have donated over 150 trees to schools.

Reeves County children are involved in many positive activities: 4-H, FFA, Junior Livestock Show and Sale, Rodeo and Horse Shows, many school programs, including the High School Mariachi Group, football, baseball, volleyball, golf, swimming, band, pep sq
uad, Office education/work programs, plus many more. The Museum hosts programs for local children such as the Spring Student Art Festival, the Kids Christmas Celebration, Kids of the Museum Summer Programs, Pecos Bill Day, Chuck Wagon Day and more.

Cindy Duke and her 7th grade Texas History classes have done a great job and they are planning even a bigger Texas Independence Celebration in March. We are working on getting a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts hoping to get Tumbleweed Smith f
or next year's celebration.

Peggy Walker started machine embroidery just a few years ago and now has three Needleworks, Etc. stores - now, that's progress! Peggy has been a member of the Rodeo Committee many years and volunteered in many areas; she's a very energetic gal!

Trey Miller, cantaloupe and onion grower, says cotton and bell pepper harvesting time is upon us. That's positive!

Kevin Duke is the upcoming chairman of the Advertising/Tourism Committee of the Chamber. He is very optimistic about Pecos. He is raising his sons here, as are so many of our young people, and they want to see to it that Pecos is a good place to live. Ho
pefully Kevin and his committee will be able to promote more tourism into Pecos. We MUST! Tourism is the #2 industry in Texas. Just think what tourism could do for Pecos. Not only would it help finance the Museum, it could mean jobs because tourists must
buy gas, food and have a place to sleep. Trapark is bringing many visitors to Pecos. They call themselves Escapees, or SKPS, and most travel all the time. We need to cater to these nice folks. So many people expect western when they come to Pecos. They
LOVE our Museum. We should respond accordingly - do the town up western!

Jimmy Galindo will have good reports to give about the prison and Billy Johnson has some positive comments about the Federal Court House.

Tom Rivera says we have plenty of land at good prices - let's get more alfalfa growers, my family used to raise beautiful, clean alfalfa in Barstow when there was water in the Pecos River to irrigate with, and asparagus grew wild on the banks of the irri
gation canals; the prison used to grow asparagus, why couldn't we grow asparagus commercially?

John Rediger thinks we should have a Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in Pecos. Why not? or World's First Rodeo Hall of Fame.

Of course Mac McKinnon has a good positive attitude - he thinks the Pecos Enterprise is the most positive business in town. He would love to argue with you, or anyone, about it!! Talk to Mac, share your ideas or Pecos with him. Maybe he will print your p
ositive ideas in our home-town newspaper, then more people will buy more papers and possibly discuss their positive doing-on with Mac and other citizens. Let's all start thinking and doing positive things for out town.

Museum Office Manager since 1995, Mary Barfield has resigned. She will be missed because she has been excellent with the tourists, the children's tours and programs and getting the collections displayed in the various room in an attractive way. We hope s
he will volunteer often. She has been over at the Judge Roy Bean building getting ready for the big Museum Garage Sale coming up Friday.

Freda Blahosky is keeping the Museum Gift Shop "The Mesquite House" open. She is volunteering most of her time. We encourage folks to shop with us so we can afford to pay Freda a little for her long hours of service to the museum. She has been a regular
volunteer at the Museum every Wednesday for several years. She is a China painter and has painted most of the Museum tiles, they are wonderful! Freda is an example of "what keeps this Museum open and going", she is a dedicated, interested, generous volun
teer.

Mr. Tom Linebery has offered to start an endowment fund for the Museum. He is also purchasing us a first-class computer. He and Mrs. Linebery have been very generous with the Museum and the Rodeo Association for several years and we truly appreciate them
. he has asked for an inventory of our collections. This is going to be a major undertaking because there are at least a hundred million items, it seems. An inventory was started years ago by Marie Sears after she organized the Friends of the Museum, but
it has not been kept up to date completely since the restoration. We also need this inventory to enable us to get grants. How Mike managed to get those several hundred thousand dollar grants for the restoration without an inventory or audit is unknown,
just cause we're good honest folks, I guess. Or, some people just have a knack for getting things done.!

We are happy to welcome a new volunteer who is helping Curator Dorinda V. Millan with the inventory, Mrs. Claudia Brandt. Mrs. Betty Allen is also going to help. Thanks to these ladies. We would surely welcome other volunteers.

The "sometime annual" Chili 'n Fixins Museum fundraiser will be election day, November 4. It's fun eating in the lovely Courtyard or in the Saloon. Everyone is invited!

The West of the Pecos Museum is truly an asset to Pecos and depends on the local citizens for its survival. Visit the Museum with your family soon. Tourists love it, you will too!


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Pecos Enterprise
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