People, Places & Events

Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Realtor Debbie French (left) stands next to The Monitor general manager Susan Harrison, a featured speaker during the March 13 Chamber luncheon at Vetoni’s in Gun Barrel City. French used to write for The Monitor before switching to real estate.

“We hold the paper for Friday night football (scores and photos). The papers go to press about 2 a.m. so they can still be on the racks and in the mail at regular time,” she explained.
Community newspapers are holding their own, she said.
“About 75 percent of the people want to get a paper in their hands to read, while only 25 percent preferred reading the news on their computer,” Harrison said.
Times are more difficult, and Harrison told business owners to keep their name “out there.”
Proving the advantage of advertising, Dr. Jeanne Caillet, said she has received more patients from Athens since The Monitor and The Leader became available in the Athens area.
“In today’s financial situation, you never know who might need your services,” Harrison said.
In other business, members;
• heard Realtor Debbie French speak on Harbor Light Villas, sponsor for this month’s Chamber luncheon.
“This is the only upscale, gated townhome community at the lake,” she said.
She listed service and amenities normally found only at a five-star resort.
• were informed Lakeshore R.V. Park, owned by C.D. and Lucy Smith, was named Business of the Month for March.
• were reminded of the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast fund-raiser set for Thursday, March 26.
• were reminded of the Rotary golf tournament set for Friday, April 24, at the Pinnacle Club. The fund-raiser provides for about 30 $500 scholarships to be awarded to area graduating seniors.
• heard the Cattle Barons Ball is planned for October and members should keep that in mind.

Kiwanis prep for Pancake Day
Monitor Staff Reports
GUN BARREL CITY–Cedar Creek Lake Kiwanis members got some last-minute updates for the March 26 Pancake Day fund-raiser, then started talking about memberships at their weekly luncheon Wednesday.
Kiwanis members will not meet next Wednesday, March 25, as they’ll be hosting Pancake Day that Thursday.
Members will prepare a pancake breakfast, with butter, syrup, bacon and sausage, and deliver it to a business address for $6 (minimum three meals for delivery) between 7 a.m. and 11 a.m. Fax orders to (903) 432-2415 ahead of time, or on Pancake Day.
Walk-up customers can buy a breakfast at St. Peter Lutheran Church, located next to Pizza Hut in Gun Barrel City.
Club president Denise York reminded members about the combined Car Show and Krawfish Boil with the area chamber of commerce, scheduled for Saturday, May 2, at the Mabank Pavilion.
“They’re expecting a huge, huge turnout this year – even more than last year,” she said.
Turning to membership needs, York said she had a sample letter that could be sent to potential new members around the community.
The letter “does a really good job” of outlining Kiwanis history and major aims of the international organization, she said.
Children are always the top priority for Kiwanis members, York pointed out.
“We need to be reaching out to the business leaders in the community,” York said. “You never know how the little bit that you do will affect someone.”
April’s first meeting (April 1) at The Jalapeño Tree restaurant in Gun Barrel City will be a new member orientation session, York said.
There is no meeting the second week of each month, as Kiwanis members attend that Thursday’s area chamber of commerce luncheon at Vetoni’s Italian Restaurant, while the third week of the month is set aside for projects.
Members will work on comfort blankets for children caught up in traumatic events at their April 15 meeting, secretary Dr. Jeanne Caillet said.
 

Low-cost vaccination, microchip clinic set
Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY–A low-cost vaccination and microchip clinic for area resident’s pets will be held from 2-4 p.m., Saturday, April 4, at the Friends of the Animals clinic located on the southeast corner of State Highways 198 and 334 in Gun Barrel City in the red brick office strip just behind and east of the Huddle House.
No appointment is necessary.
Dogs must be on a leash and cats must be in carriers.
A rabies shot will cost $10, the parvo, distemper shot for dogs or the equivalent for cats will cost $15. The feline leukemia vaccination will be available at a cost of $10.
There is a rabies epidemic in Texas and anyone who has had a dog with parvo or distemper knows the suffering that the animal goes through. It is very contagious to other dogs.
This vaccination clinic will be open to everyone.
This clinic will also offer microchipping to cats or dogs.
A tiny chip is inserted into the scruff of the pet, which can be read by a scanner available at shelters everywhere.
Your lost pet comes home!
Cost for this is $20, which includes the permanent national registration.
Also available for sale at any time is Frontline Plus, the monthly flea and tick prevention.
Frontline Plus costs $27 for a three-month supply for a cat and ranges from $29 to $32 for a three-month supply for dogs.
Flea season is here. Don’t be fooled by products that are cheap.
The reason they are cheap is that they do not work. Don’t throw away your hard-earned money on products that don’t work.
Friends of the Animals Low-Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic has been open since July, 2002, and has neutered more than 16,000 animals in that time. Surgery is done by appointment only and prices range from $25 for a male cat to $65 for a giant breed female dog.
If you would like to volunteer at the clinic on Tuesdays or have questions about the vaccination clinic, please call (903) 887-PETS.
Tax-deductible donations for this non-profit charity may be sent to P.O. Box 5455, Gun Barrel City, TX 75147.
Visit the web site: www.friendsoftheanimals.org.