Decoration Day at the Freyburg Methodist Cemetery will be held on Sunday, April 28. The literal definition of Decoration Day, according to the Dictionary of Smoky Mountain English, is: “An occasion on which a family or a church congregation gathers to place flowers on the graves of loved ones and to hold a memorial service for them.

Second Chance Emporium (SCE) recently donated $2,000 to the Juneteenth Committee of Fayette County. Monies donated will be used to purchase needed supplies for the Juneteenth celebration this year. The committee’s mission is to promote unity in the community by encouraging everyone to come together as a whole for a brighter future for our youth and to break down the barriers that separate all of us from understanding unity.

Second Chance Emporium (SCE) recently donated $30,500 to BRIDGE (Building Resilience Inclusion Diversity & Growth thru Education). Monies donated will be used to fund the following: a faith plus mental health event in Fayette County entitled “Woman to Woman: Shifting Our Crowns”; a youth mental health summer partnership with Guiding Hearts; and Blinn College ACCSS program and BRIDGE summer camp. The mission of the organization is to bridge the racial gap in education, business, government, community and health (mental/physical), focusing on Fayette County and surrounding rural communities.

Senior Connections is going through changes, with director Cindy Villarreal announcing her retirement, and is asking for everyone’s patience. Senior Connections has hired Stephanie Shroyer, whose title will be program director.

The Schulenburg Area Food Pantry served 134 families in March with a total of 400 individuals. The Pantry had six new clients with a total of 25 individuals. The amount of food given out was 7,488 pounds. Food donated was 2,299. The volunteer hours were 332.

In the first quarter of 2024, the Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter took in 59 puppies and 50 kittens under the age of 3 months.

Black Jack Springs Cemetery, located at Black Jack Lane off FM 609 between La Grange and Flatonia, will hold its annual Decoration Day on the first Sunday after Easter, April 7, at 2:30 p.m. The program will be a memorial service, followed by a brief business meeting, fellowship and light refreshments.

A “Mental Health First Aid for Rural Communities” class is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, April 29 and 30 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Bluebonnet Trails Community Services Conference Room, 750 West Travis St. in La Grange.

Over 100 people were on the grounds of the First Methodist Church of Schulenburg on Saturday, March 30 for an Easter egg hunt, sponsored by Electronic Specialist and Sustr’s Air Conditioning & Heating LLC.

Editor’s note: Teresa Stanley-Brown, executive director of the Gardenia E. Janssen Animal Shelter, submits the following entitled “Spay or neuter is the only solution.” She states: “Animal shelters and welfare organizations all over the country are in crisis, including your very own community shelter.