People, Places & Events

Street dance follows Mabank Rodeo Saturday
Monitor Staff Reports
MABANK–The “Real Country” Band is getting ready to entertain rodeo goers Saturday.
Following the rodeo at 10 p.m. the band, featuring Bob Milligan on bass, Jimmy Stewart on steel guitar, Kelly Luker on lead guitar, David Allen Jr. on drums and Mike McConathy, Jr., will offer music for your listening and dancing pleasure at the Mabank pavilion until 1 a.m.
Admission is free and open for all ages to enjoy.
Friday, exciting professional rodeo action is on line starting at 8 p.m. at the Andrew Gibbs Memorial Arena on Business 175.
The UPRA and PRCA rodeo will present riding feats such as bareback riding, calf roping, breakaway roping, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, team roping, ladies open barrels, novice barrels, bull riding and calf scramble.
Mabank is pleased to have Lynn Bottom of Hat Brand Rodeo Company producing the professional rodeo. Bottom’s reputation attracts many top performers.
“We’re in for a treat this year,” event planner Johnny Adams told The Monitor.
Tickets for the rodeo are $5 for adults, $3 for children and free for kids under 6.
The final day of rodeo excitement starts Saturday with a fancy Cowboy Breakfast at Mabank pavilion from 8 - 10 a.m.
The annual breakfast costs $100 per plate and benefits the Tri-County Library.
At 4 p.m., the traditional Western Week parade gets underway at the Andrew Gibbs Memorial Arena.
The entire Cedar Creek Lake area and surrounding communities are participating with floats, trucks, wagons, horses, mules, (Coggins required) or just walking.
Entries with the best western theme float or wagon will vie for cash prizes: $100, $75 and $50 for top three entries.
Doc Brown leads the parade as grand marshal.
And, the final night of rodeo action starts at 8 p.m.

Stormtroopers invade Tri-County Library
Monitor Photos/Janice Grubbs

ABOVE: Tri-County Library Director Claire Stout (second from left) and MacKenzie Grubbs are “held at blaster-point” by a squad of Star Wars Stormtroopers Saturday. The incorruptible minions of the evil Empire in the six-volume Star Wars movie series and a multitude of tie-in books, Stormtroopers (revealed to be clones of bounty hunter Jaga Fett in Episode II: Attack of the Clones) were on hand to kick off the library’s summer reading program, “Sail Away with Books!” BELOW: A Stormtrooper poses with a group of youngsters who attended Saturday’s kick-off party at the downtown Mabank library. The library will feature special events almost every day through June, including book-based movies, along with entertainers appearing at 10 a.m. each Thursday, opening with storyteller Dru Woods Thursday (today).

Mabank summer feeding program
Special to The Monitor
MABANK–Mabank ISD will be sponsoring a summer feeding program which will provide free breakfast and lunch to children 18 years of age and younger.
These meals will provide the same nutrition children receive throughout the school year through the National School Lunch Program.
Breakfast will be served from 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m., and lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Monday through Friday.
This year the program will be conducted at the Mabank Middle School located at 513 N. Third St., Mabank.
The program will run from Monday, June 4, through Friday, June 29.
Children do not have to sign up for anything in order to participate in the program. Simply come to the Middle School Campus and be fed. Regulations require meals must be eaten at the feeding site.
People who are eligible to participate in the program must not be discriminated against because of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, religion or political belief.
Any one who believes that they have been discriminated against should write immediately to:
Director, Civil Rights Division, Mall Code W-106, Texas Department of Human Services, Civil Rights Office, 710 W. 51st St., Austin, TX 78714-9030, or Secretary of Agriculture, Washington, D.C. 202250.
For more information, contact Theressa Henderson in the Mabank Food Service Department at (903) 887-9394.


Rotarians recognize the college bound
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
GUN BARREL CITY–Students who were recipients of scholarships and other honors were recognized at the weekly Rotary Club of Cedar Creek Lake luncheon Friday.
The Rotarians were introduced to some of the 30 students from Eustace, Kemp, and Mabank high schools who received a $500 scholarship toward their college education.
A first-time scholarship, in memory of the late Rotarian Bob Miller, was presented to EHS graduate DeAnn Schleback.
Rotarian Robert Blaase introduced his daughter Stephanie and announced she will be journeying to Buenos Aires, Argentina to stay with a Rotary family there for about three to four weeks.
She will be leaving around the end of June or the first week in July, Blaase said.
A special achievement award was presented to Jordan Marshall, daughter of Rotarian Dr. Russell Marshall.
Jordan, MHS 2007 valedictorian, will attend Stephen F. Austin University, Nacogdoches, in the fall.
Speakers for the luncheon were Paula Kimball, co-owner of the soon-to-be-opened family “Whatz up Fun Park,” and manager Angela Penland.
The park is located in Seven Points and will officially open in about two weeks.
The park concept grew after a feasibility study showed there was nothing for families to do within a 100-mile radius of the lake area, Kimball said.
Indoors, the park will feature approximately 100 arcade and redemption games.
“Including Pac Man for those who can recall the game,” she added.
There will also be a multi-level laser-tag area.
“Whatz Cookin, will include more than just our brick-oven pizza. There will be additional items so everyone can eat,” Kimball explained.
Outdoors will include several paint ball sites, an urban area, wooded area, covered paintball area, and a paint ball area with huge boulders, she said.
Future plans include a go-cart track and an 18-hole miniature golf range and at least one batting cage.
Penland said she is working on how to charge for special items such as party rooms, for both large and small get-togethers and other specialty events.
“Tickets will be sold on individual items or even membership cards,” Penland explained.
Penland will also coordinate events.

Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Rotary president Barbara Turner (left) and Rotary educational chairman Rebecca Smith present the first Bob Miller Memorial Scholarship to EHS graduate DeAnn Schleback.

Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Rotary Club of Cedar Creek Lake president Barbara Turner (left) presents a special achievement award to Mabank valedictorian, Jordan Marshall.

Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
Rotary Club of Cedar Creek Lake educational chairman Rebecca Smith introduces some of the scholarship recipients to club members Friday. Pictured are (from left) Smith, Blaire Elizabeth Hyde, Shae Ashley Johnson, Chadler Michael Russ, DeAnn Michelle Schleback and Nicolas David Hall, Jr.