49er’s Senior citizens
The Cedar Creek 49er’s Senior Citizens Club is hosting country and western dancing and a potluck supper from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday (tonight), to the music of Chuck & the 49er’s. The club is located on Arnold Hills Road, two blocks off SH 334 in Seven Points. No smoking or alcohol. For information, call or fax (903) 432- 3552.

VZ Senior citizens
The Van Zandt Senior Citizens Club monthly dance is at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13, at the Henderson County Senior Center, Athens. Joe Walenta and the Ranch Hands will provide country western music. Everyone is welcome.

Australian missionary
The River of Life Church is hosting Australian missionary John Edmiston from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13 and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14, with a brown bag lunch Saturday with, coffee and hot chocolate. Location at River of Life Church, 304 S. Elm St., Kemp.

Kemp community prayer
A community prayer with the mayor of Kemp is set for 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16 (every third Monday) at Kemp City Hall. All citizens are invited.

Rootseekers meeting
The Rootseekers Genealogy Society is at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at the Tri-County Library in Mabank. Meetings are open to the public.

CCL Women’s Club
The Cedar Creek Lake Women’s Club executive board meets at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 17, at the Library at Cedar Creek Lake, Seven Points.

Sarah Maples meeting
The Sarah Maples Chapter DAR, Daughters of the American Revolution, is at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Tri-County Library in Mabank. This is the annual business meeting.

Welcome home the troops
The Monitor would like to recognize returning troops with a special tribute and asks readers to submit photos and stories about their loved ones recently returned from overseas as a result of the President’s troop recall. E-mail your stories and photos by Friday, Jan. 20 to publisher@themonitor.net,  or mail to The Monitor, P.O. Box 48, Mabank TX 75147, or simply drop it off at 1316 S. Third St. next to Groom & Sons Ace Hardware between 8:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m. M-F. All submissions should include a contact name and phone number, details of military service and a photo.

Mabank VFD chili supper
Mabank Volunteer Fire Department is hosting its 18th annual chili supper from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Mabank Fire Station (111 E. Mason/Business 175). All donations benefit the Mabank Fire Department.

AL shrimp dinner
The Sons of the American Legion are hosting a shrimp dinner with cole slaw, hushpuppies, dessert and tea from 5 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Jan 21. Proceeds benefit local charities. The American Legion Post 310 is located at 111 Lee Way, Gun Barrel City.

Log Cabin dance concert
Square dancing and country-western dance to the stylings of The SWAGS, a live band from Fort Worth, at Promenade Hall in Tool with special appearance from “Dina Garcia” from Disney’s Shake It Up for autographs. Rediscover the joy of community dancing. Beginning square dance lessons start Wednesday, Feb. 1. For information, call Phil at (903) 880-8822 or Cindy at (214) 543-8641.

CCL Women’s Club
The Cedar Creek Lake Women’s Club meets at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Cedar Creek Country Club, Kemp. “The Life and Loves of Becky Thatcher” will be presented by Sharron Lucky.

Kemp teen account set
An account is open at First National Bank in Kemp for Alyssa Olivarez, 14. She was diagnosed with Burkitts Lymphoma.

heaters needed
The Family Resource Center, located at 107 Spring Valley, Gun Barrel City, is looking for your help with providing heaters for babies, the elderly and people without heat. For information, call Debbie at (903) 887-4711. Donations are greatly appreciated.

Meals drivers needed
The Senior Center at the Ball Park is in desperate need for “Meals on Wheels,” drivers in Kemp and Mabank. For information, call Lisa Smith, director, at (903) 997-0643.

Needs outreach sought
Calling all churches to participate in a needs outreach planning session for Henderson County at 10 a.m. Monday, Jan. 16, at Sand Springs Baptist Church in Athens, located at 1212 FM 1616. For information, call Pastor Erick Graham at (903) 675-4387.

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Property owners surprise burglars
Special to the Monitor
KEMP–Property owners near Kemp surprised three suspected burglars when they returned to their home on County Road 4052 Saturday shortly after noon. They were alerted to the strangers by their dog, who began barking and was obviously agitated.
Then one of the owners spotted the suspects running and immediately placed a call to the sheriff’s office.
According to a press release, deputies discovered a barrel containing copper, brass and other objects taken from the property, just inside the front gate.
A nearby Texas Game Warden spotted one of the suspects running in a field on CR 4052, and was able to catch him without incident.
Sheriff’s deputies were joined by a Kemp police officer and located the remaining two suspects hiding in an out building at a nearby residence in 15000 block of CR 4052.
All three were arrested and charged with Theft of Copper and Criminal Trespass. Richard Mark Steakley, 34, of Trinidad was held and later released on a $16,000 bond. Jesse Garner, 31, of Gun Barrel City was released on an $8,500 bond.
Tommy Wayne Jackson, 34, of Tool remains in the Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center with a bond set at $30,000.
Information concerning a crime may be provided by calling KC Crime Stoppers at (887) TIPSKCC (877) 847-7522, or by clicking on “Crime of the Week” at kaufmancountycrimestoppers.org. 
Crime Stoppers tips are always confidential and can result in awards up to $1,000, if they lead to an arrest.

 Welcome home the troops
The Monitor would like to recognize our returning troops with a special tribute in January and asks readers to submit photos and stories about their loved ones recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq as a result of the President’s troop recall.
Send your stories and photos to the newspaper by Jan. 20, 2012 by e-mail at publisher@themonitor.net,  or by mail at The Monitor, P.O. Box 48, Mabank TX 75147, or simply drop it off at the office, located at 1316 S. Third St. next to Groom & Sons Ace Hardware between 8:30 a.m and 4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
All submissions should include a contact name and phone number, details of military service and a photo.

Literary Club learns about anger-causing disorder
Special to The Monitor
SEVEN POINTS–The Literary Club of Cedar Creek Lake heard about an anger-causing mental disorder at their meeting Jan. 10, by guest speaker Robyn Wheeler.
Wheeler is the author of Born Mad, a true story of her battle with chronic anger and depression prior to discovering she suffered from a seldom-talked about mood disorder known as Dysthymia.
Wheeler’s power point presentation discussed the causes, symptoms and treatment for dysthymic disorder and afterwards she answered many questions about her experiences, how the disorder affected her relationships with family and friends and the treatment that now gives her a happy and anger-free life.
“The most difficult part is realizing you have a problem. In Born Mad, I write about denial and being unaware anything was wrong while others clearly see a problem,” Wheeler said.
“Chronic anger is an addiction and admitting you need help is the hardest part. After that, it is all downhill from there,” she added.
Wheeler donated a copy of Born Mad to the library and was available for book purchases and signings afterwards.
The Literary Club of Cedar Creek Lake meets at 10 a.m. the first Tuesday of the month at The Library at Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points.
For more information on The Literary Club, call president Ruth Primm at (903) 778-4752.
For more information on Born Mad and the authors speaking availability go to www.bornmad.org. 
 

The 116th annual Fort Worth Stock Show begins Friday
Monitor Staff Reports
FORT WORTH–Get set for three weeks of cowboy and cowgirl fun at the 116th annual Fort Worth Stock Show, which gets underway this weekend.
Starting Friday, Jan. 13, through Saturday, Feb. 4, the annual Cowtown extravaganza features something for all ages.
The traditional Livestock Parade starts at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 14, in downtown Fort Worth.
Events through the three-week period vary from the PRCA rodeo to livestock showing, with 22,000 animals to be exhibited from all over the world and 10,000 animals in the junior livestock division. Traditionally local students compete for scholarship money by showing their prize animals at the show - from the largest bulls to the prize rooster and everything in between. Exhibits of small animals from birds and rabbits to goats and swine are scheduled.
Many state exhibits are both entertaining and informative about Texas’ proud ranching and farming history and ongoing agriculture industry.
Longhorn cattle, working cow horse classes, the Bulls Night Out event, Llama halter classes and the donkey and mule classes are only a sampling of what is waiting for visitors, not only from Texas but from around the world.
Each day’s worth of attractions start at 8 a.m. and remain open until 10 p.m.
Tickets are available at the gates and parking fees are collected at the parking areas.
The stock show office number is (817) 877-2400. Also look for the Fort Worth Stock Show on line.