Family traditions keep us going
The Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center continues to face a critical shortage of blood and blood products. Over 1,000 units are needed each day to meet the needs of patients in southeast Texas. To help meet this need, the Knights of Columbus Council 4054 will host a blood drive Sunday, June 26 in the St. Stanislaus Parish Hall in Anderson from 8 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Please sign-up and donate if you are able to at www.commitforlife.org. Enter group code STKR. A pancake breakfast will also be provided that morning so come out and enjoy. The next blood drive will take place Sunday, Aug. 21.
Zion Lutheran Church, 455 FM 149 in Anderson, will host Vacation Bible School June 27 - July 1 from 9 a.m. until noon. This year’s theme is “The Tree of Life – God’s Promise of Salvation.” All children in grades kindergarten through fifth are invited to attend. Registration is at 8:30 a.m. on June 27. For more information call Carolyn Lamb, 432-375-4018 or Reverend Richard Lamb, 432-385-4022.
Our “Hoffart” family, 34 of us in attendance, survived three nights and four days in one house in New Braunfels last week. We all had a blast and are so blessed we can all still get together and enjoy each other and our kids and grandkids. It is a tradition our parents, Frank and Dolores Hoffart, started when I was young and continued all these years. Now that they are gone, and I am the oldest of the family, I feel obligated and happy to carry on this tradition. Our family has grown quite a bit, but I continue to find a place where everyone can meet once a year.
This year I found a place about 5 miles out of New Braunfels that slept 24–26 in the main house and eight in the guest house. It had a swimming pool that everyone enjoyed until late at night. During the day different groups ventured out to other places – some rode the Guadalupe River, some went to San Antonio to the Riverwalk and toured the Alamo, others went to the Snake Farm Zoo and then a few like me just stayed at the house and relaxed. In the evenings we always come back together for supper. We have three teams – each team cooking one night - which makes it easy on everybody. Then as evening sets in and the kitchen is cleaned, the grownups sit around in a circle outside to enjoy the countryside and visit and laugh until we cry while the kids run wild around the property playing hide and seek in the dark.
It is such a joy to see kids playing like we used to when I was young and not on their phones, iPad, etc. It is nice to get away from the problems of this world and enjoy life lightheartedly for a few days before returning back to the real world we live in today. I will carry on this tradition as long as I am physically able because sadly, entire families getting together like this is a thing of the past. Many people tell me their family could never get together like that, so we are truly blessed and thank our parents every day for raising us like they did! My mom always quoted the old saying,“a family that prays together, stays together.” I wish all families could do the same.
Happy Birthday to those celebrating this week: June 23 – Taylor Bayer; June 24 – Eric Szymczak, Camden Eastep; June 25 – Opal Core; June 26 – Sam Ruffino, Sr., Khloe Kolbasinski; June 27 – Scott Harman Briana Taylor, Mason Aaron, Dylan Garcia; June 28 – Jenny Ladd, Donnie Yargo, Jennifer Lewis; June 29 – Forrest Fisher, Darrell Herzog and Dawn Jefferson.
Happy Anniversary to those celebrating this week: June 24 – Ryan and Winda Goodman, 5 years; June 24 – Josh and Jennifer Katkoski, 16 years; June 26 – Cole and Reyann Davis, 12 years; June 29 – Harry and Flo Brennen, 75 years.
If you have special news about what goes on in your family or life, let me know by calling 936-870-6842 or email me at gailmsowell @yahoo.com.