People, Places & Events

Eustace ISD honors employees at annual banquet
Monitor Staff Reports
EUSTACE–Eustace Independent School District employees chowed down on Slab Happy Barbecue and many won door prizes in the district’s annual banquet May 3.
“People – that’s what separates the Eustace ISD from other school districts,” Superintendent Dr. Coy Holcombe told the group during brief opening remarks.
Holcombe noted the major difference this school year has been the construction projects underway on all four campuses.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Teacher Rosemary Abbott (left) was honored for 25 years of service, while retiring custodian Shirley Shafer and retiring teacher Darlene Caffey each received plaques for their service during the annual Eustace Independent School District employee appreciation banquet May 3.

“Despite the rain we’ve received this week, construction is on schedule to be completed this summer,” he said. “Some aspects are ahead of schedule.”
Service pins were handed out to teachers marking milestone anniversaries with the district.
Two retiring employees, Middle School teacher Darlene Caffey and Primary School custodian Shirley Shafer, were honored with plaques for their service to the district.
One employee, Henry Carter, was honored for 30 years of service, while Rosemary Abbott was honored for 25 years of service.
Four employees were honored with pins for 20 years of service – Faye Barnett, Donna Chiles, Harold Hemphill and Mindy Marder.
Six employees received 15-year pins – Dena Bonner, Haskell Cook, Rodney Key, Robin McCarter, Carolyn Rhodes and Dianne Shaffer.
Seven employees were honored with 10-year pins, including Sandra Brown, Michelle Cavazos and Judy Floyd.
Also, Alene Gragowski, Amy Huggins, Kim Purselley and Lisa Sawyer.
Twenty employees were honored for five years’ service, including Janie Baggett, Melanie Bailey and Tammy Gaddis.
Also, Vikki GoDair, John Gragowski, Bill Guy, Harley Hoglin, Julie Holder, Cheryl Kinney, Shannon Milner and Della Powell.
Also, Patricia Rollins, Eddie Schieffer, Shirley Shafer, Dinah Shelton, Melissa Smith, Stan Sowers, Kari Stephens, Julie Svelak and Jennifer Warner.
Banquet committee members Faye Barnett and Mary Bell were honored for their efforts, which included soliciting door prizes from area merchants.
 

Ask SCORE
Build employee skills to make a good team
Special to The Monitor
CEDAR CREEK LAKE–Every business owner wants an edge, a quality that will help set their business apart from the competition, attract new customers and increase profits.
Sometimes, that edge is an employee’s special knowledge, skill or familiarity with an emerging technology or issue.
You could try to locate and hire employees who already have those desirable characteristics.
However, another efficient approach is to take advantage of training and development courses to enhance the abilities of your current staff.
Too often, small business owners neglect the training function because it adds to overhead. Or the owner becomes the trainer too.
On some topics, the owner may truly be the best instructor, but not all. That’s why a reasonable investment in training – seminars, conferences or workshops – could pay off handsomely in the knowledge the employee brings back to the organization.
If enough employees perform the same type of work or have the same general challenges, such as dealing with difficult customers, on-site training (with an implied group discount) may be surprisingly affordable.
People are a key factor in joining the capital and physical resources of the company to produce profits. Well-trained and motivated employees can spell the difference between success and failure.
Even though it’s difficult for a small business owner to build in training time and dollars, it is a form of insurance to ensure that the company’s capabilities remain strong.
Training helps the company maintain its readiness to respond to the marketplace. Trade associations often have print or online resources in addition to conventional training programs.
If you would like to discuss employee orientations, in-house training or employee development programs, contact SCORE “Counselors to America’s Small Business.”
SCORE is a nonprofit organization of more than 10,500 volunteers providing free, confidential advice to entrepreneurs at all levels.
There is a SCORE Chapter at The Greater Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. Call (903) 887-3152 for an appointment.

Gaters features Roger Creager
Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY–For the past seven years, Roger Creager has been leaving his musical mark in his beloved home state of Texas and his latest stop will be at Gaters in Gun Barrel City Saturday, May 12.
With the release of his newest album, “Long Way to Mexico,” Creager is well on his way to the top.
Creager gained the confidence he needed for success when he performed his own songs, which led to such hits as “Having Fun all Wrong” and “Love.”
His first two albums, “Having Fun all Wrong,” which features the Texas Country Music anthem, “Everclear” - and “I Got the Guns,” depict Creager’s distinctive twist on traditional country.
His sophomoric effort, “I Got the Guns,” proved to be an immediate success when it debuted at Number One on the Lone Star Music Charts.
His resounding stage presence and down-home energy make it clear that he and his tight-knit band are doing what they love and what they do best, which was acknowledged when Creager received the title of Entertainer of the Year in the 2001 Texas Music Awards.

Chamber and Kiwanis combine for cars and crawdads

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Southside Elementary fourth-grader Tony Martino watches Brownsboro Elementary fourth-grader Jasmine Wilson pick up a couple of crayfish from a tub of crawlers awaiting consumption at the Kiwanis Club’s Krawfish Boil.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Folks get a close look at a 1990 Avanti, one of just 87 four-door luxury sedan models made. Stickering for $48,000, the Avanti included leather, full burled-wood trim and a factory-installed color TV. The champagne-colored car is owned by Ray Martin of Mabank.
 

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancy
A visitor looks over a '60 Chevrolet El Camino, complete with Betty Boop carhop cutout.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
Visitors to the Greater Cedar Creek Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and Kiwanis Club Car Show & Krawfish Boil take a close look at an 1896 Studebaker. By far the oldest of more than 80 vehicles at the show, the 100-year-old flivver was restored by Kemp resident C.L. York, who worked on it for a year.

Monitor Photo/Kerry Yancey
A young visitor votes on an immaculate 1938 Chevrolet, owned by David McGlathery of White Oak, during the Car Show at the Mabank Pavilion.