People, Places & Events

Toys for Tots Jail-n-Bail success


Courtesy Photo/Cheyenne Lyons
Shirley Baade (left), Pat Monroe, Lucille Boyd, Robert
Johnson, Jacqui Calloway and Dusty Bryant make up the
“prisoner” line-up in front of Wal-Mart, in hopes shoppers
will bail them out with a donation to the Gun Barrel City Toys-for-Tots.


Courtesy Photo/Cheyenne Lyons
Jane Horton raises $100 in an hour, working the door in prison garb during
the Toys-for-Tots annual Jail-n-Bail fund-raiser May 3. The three-hour effort
raised $1,712.33 for the Christmas gift program, benefiting needy families in the area.

Mabank Nursing Home is 45-years-old
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–The Mabank Nursing Home is celebrating 45 years of service in the long-term care business this month, along with National Nursing Home Week, May 11-17.
The celebration started with Mother’s Day Sunday. Monday there was an open house. The rest of the week was filled with various local singing entertainments. It ended with a catered barbecue dinner for residents and their families.
The new co-owner, Brad Smith, was introduced at this time. The turnout was about 100 people.
The nursing home was established in 1963 by Burton and Thelma Hall. They opened the home for one resident and it began to grow from there.
The Hall’s children, Carl Lee, Buster and Vivian, all had their part in making the Mabank Nursing Home the thriving facility it is today.
Assistant administrator Cathy, activity director Gaylene and assistant activity director Linda are the daughters of the late Carl Lee and current co-owners Nadine Hall.
Food service supervisor and head of medical records Sandra Penny is the daughter of the late Buster Hall.
Not only is the third generation still an active part of the nursing home, but a fourth generation has begun with leadership as well. Amanda Cline, Gaylene’s daughter, is the administrator and Brad Smith, Cathy’s son, is the new co-owner of the business.
With so many members of the family being involved with the ins and outs, Mabank Nursing Home is not just a job for the Hall generations, but it’s a way of life.
That sense of home, family and dedication is what makes this facility the highest rated nursing home in Kaufman County.

Black sworn in as new Tool mayor
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
TOOL–Following the canvassing of the votes May 15, Tool City Council members welcomed incumbents Fran Sonka and Red Phillips back as members of the council and congratulated the newest member, Tracy Bush.
Municipal Judge Rhonda Peterson administered the oath of office to Mayor Mike Black and then to the council members.
Following the swearing in, the council approved acting mayor and council member Leland Pitts as mayor pro tem.
“It was an honor to serve as your acting mayor,” Pitts said, adding he was proud of the employees and officers of the city and thanked them for their service.
In other business, the council approved:
• Black and Pitts to be added to the check signature list, adding their names to the existing list of Phillips, Peterson and city secretary Neva Tankersley.
• approved the consent agenda which includes the court report, police, animal control, code enforcement and the financial and expenditure report as presented.
• heard the fire department report from Captain Molinar.
The department answered 34 calls. Nine were fires and the rest medical emergencies, he said.
Seven of the firefighters are taking training, he added.


Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Mike Black is sworn in as mayor of Tool by municipal
Judge Rhonda Peterson at the May 15 council meeting.