People, Places & Events

‘Going green’ easier in Cambodian village
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
GUN BARREL CITY–There is no electricity in the village of Chenneng, referred to as “the old village.”
But plans to use solar power could supply electricity to the tiny village, allowing both children and adults to study at night, Ray Shackelford said.
Shackelford is the father of Rotarian Rayme Shackelford, and was the speaker for the Rotary Club of Cedar Creek Lake’s weekly luncheon Friday.
Ray Shackelford spoke about establishing the Anyway Foundation, through which he was able to create a cleaner water system for an orphanage and establish a school.
“The people didn’t speak the national Cambodian language, Khmer, but are now learning it,” Shackelford said.
The teacher they hired for the first grade has completed the sixth grade.
“We’re in the process of adding two new rooms at the old school,” he added.
For information, visit the Foundation website at www.anywayfoundation.org,  or e-mail rayshack@hotmail.com. 

Mabank sees end of road work
By Pearl Cantrell
Monitor Staff Writer
MABANK–The Mabank City Council expressed its appreciation for the efficient completion of a two-year drainage and road-widening project through downtown.
The council unanimously adopted Resolution 2009-11 recognizing the Texas Department of Transportation and Sterling Construction, along with city employees, for the completion of road and drainage work along State Highway 198 (Third Street) through Mabank.
The resolution noted the $7 million project was completed eight months ahead of schedule.
“This job got done better than normal and ahead of schedule,” Mayor Larry Teague said. The project was originally scheduled to end in June, 2010.
It began April 15, 2008, and encompassed miles of water channels and eight major drainage structures.
The project also widened a one-mile stretch of Third Street from U.S. Highway 175 to Andrew Street from two lanes to five lanes, with a continuous left-turn lane, to link with the previously established roadway continuing south to Gun Barrel City.

Monitor Photo/Pearl Cantrell
AT RIGHT: Nathan Sullivan, 13, addresses the Mabank City Council on beautification ideas for Market Street that he and his troop can work on as he earns his Eagle Scout designation. His father and Troop 333 chaplain, Mike Sullivan, looks on.

City workers deepened creeks and cleared brush along major waterways to take the added runoff expected during rain events.
The city expects the widened street and drainage system to attract new business to Mabank. A Subway sandwich shop is slated for construction near the corner of Business 175 and SH 198.
City administrator Louann Confer and utility supervisor Ronnie Tuttle both agreed that the road contractor was very easy to work with, as was TxDOT project manager Gary Whitton.
“Stan (Does) has been a joy to work with. When he needed help, the city helped,” Confer said.
“I think they’ve done a tremendous job,” councilwoman Shannon Steakley said.
Coinciding with the completion of the road construction project, Mabank lost one of its longtime employees when June Herd died.
Losing Herd hit the city hard. “She was a good employee and a loyal employee,” Teague said.
Her death came just as the city was undergoing a financial audit, Confer noted.
“All the city workers pulled together and made it a better situation then it could have been,” Teague said. He commended city employees “for rising to the need.”
In other business, council members:
• entered into a non-profit subscriber agreement with the Texas Association of School Boards, Inc. (Buy Board) to purchase equipment and materials at reduced costs. The action was recommended by staff.
• designated the mayor and mayor pro-tem, along with Confer, as signatories on behalf of the city for funds available through the Texas Community Development Program.
The city has been awarded $350,000 to replace and upgrade aging equipment at the wastewater treatment plant, Tuttle said.
• reappointed former chief appraiser Jackie Self to represent the city on the Kaufman County Appraisal Board of Directors.
“I think she’s done a good job representing Mabank, Kemp and Kemp ISD. She has the experience,” Confer said.
• named Patricia Adams and Debra Tuttle to represent the city on the Kaufman County Appraisal Review Board.
• heard fire marshal Mat Ewaskiw report the “Tower or Terror” raised $8,556 over two weekends with 1,665 visitors to the attraction.
The funds will support a joint training center for Mabank and Kemp firefighters, he said.

How Armistice Day became Veterans Day
Monitor Staff Reports
On Nov. 11, we salute those who have served in our nation’s military, especially those who served in times of war. The Great War forever changed the way we saw ourselves and the way we thought about warfare. 
The cease-fire between the Allied forces and Germany has been marked by special observances since the eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month - Nov. 11, 1918, the day hostilities ended.

Monitor Photo/Barbara Gartman
AT RIGHT: Citizens wait for the Vietnam Memorial Wall dedication program to start in Kaufman Saturday. (Pictured, front row, from left) State Senator Bob Deuell, Rep. Betty Brown and Glenn Gartman.

The treaty was signed at Versailles June 28, 1918.
The following year, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed Nov. 11, 1919, as Armistice Day.
Seven years later, a joint Congressional Resolution asked the president to again proclaim the day with special ceremonies. It also recognized that 27 states had already declared the day a state holiday, and stated the propriety of commemorating the day annually “with thanksgiving and prayer and exercises designed to perpetuate peace through good will and mutual understanding between nations.”
But it wasn’t until May 13, 1938, that an act of Congress made Armistice Day a legal federal holiday – “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated as Armistice Day.”
The same kind of thing was happening in other Allied countries, especially the United Kingdom, where the day was marked with the buying of poppies to support veterans hospitals, the decorating of soldiers’ graves and war monuments. Also known as Remembrance Day, it was observed throughout the British Commonwealth.
Then the war to end all wars yielded to World War II.
In 1953, in Emporia, Kan., a move to change the holiday from remembering just those who fought in World War I to honoring all veterans was started.
The local Chamber of Commerce took up the cause and determined that 90 percent of the merchants supported closing their business on Nov. 11, 1953, to honor all veterans.
With assistance from U.S. Rep. Ed Rees, from Emporia, a bill was pushed through Congress to rename Armistice Day All Veterans Day, and President Dwight Eisenhower signed it into law May 26, 1954.
On Nov. 8, 1954, Congress amended the law, renaming the day Veterans Day.
Starting in 1971, the federal holiday’s observance was changed to the fourth Monday in October to coincide with the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, an act to provide three-day weekends to federal employees.
However, with the observance falling on Oct. 25, it brought no small amount of confusion. It became quite apparent that the commemoration of this day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance to a great number of citizens.
So, on Sept. 20, 1975, President Gerald R. Ford signed a bill returning the observance of Veterans Day back to November 11, which became effective from 1978 onward. However, when it falls on a Saturday or Sunday, then the federal holiday may be observed on the Friday or following Monday.
This year, many area churches marked the coming holiday last Sunday with special music, programs and recognition of the congregations’ veterans.
Coming on Wednesday, Veterans Day was also marked by school children by a musical program at Tool Elementary School.

Come Adopt Us At The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake
The domino effect is a chain reaction that occurs when a small change causes a similar change nearby, which then will cause another similar change, and so on. My name is Domino, and I got my name not only because I’m black and white like a domino tile, but also because my outgoing, cheerful personality causes my doggie roommates to smile. This also causes our human friends to smile, which even causes the kitties in the cat room to smile. I am an 8-month-old male Pointer/Terrier mix. I love children, other dogs, and even get along great with kitties. I’ve had all my shots and am ready to be adopted. If you’d like to experience the domino effect, I am sure to put a forever smile on your face when you take me to my forever home. I currently live with a foster family, so if you would like to meet me, call my friends at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake at (903) 432-3422 to make an appointment. You can also email them at dogshsccl@yahoo.com.
	We have many animals at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points in dire need of a good home. Please call or stop by the Humane Society today and rescue one of these forgotten animals. The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake is located on 10220 County Road 2403 in Seven Points. For more information, please call (903) 432-3422 after 11 a.m. We are closed on Wednesday and Sunday.
For further information visit our website at petfinder.com