Club news

July 28, 2008 05:17 pm

— Rusk Rotarian Forrest Phifer, far right, presents the first-place trophy to the Rusk Fire Department team, pictured from left, Anthony Holcomb, James Sanchez and Kody Killion. The trio defeated outstanding area fire teams in the first annual Gauge Lankford Memorial Firemen’s Competition, held as part of Rusk’s 4th of July “Salute To Vets” events, produced by the Rusk Rotary Club.

Republican club holds 4th annual ‘Star Spangled’ barbecue
The Cherokee County Republican Club held its fourth annual “Star Spangled Red White and Blue BBQ” on July 4 at Love’s Lookout in Jacksonville.
The event featured State Sen. Robert Nichols as keynote speaker, and awarded its first-ever $500 scholarship to Caroline Clark, Jacksonville High School’s class of 2008 salutatorian.
Clark submitted an outstanding application and essay that outlined the best of conservative principals and represented the best of what young Americans have to offer society.
The annual event was attended by the largest crowd ever, more than 110 individuals interested in improving government from the local to the national levels.
Also in attendance were many local officials and candidates seeking office, including County Court-at-Law Judge Craig Fletcher; Justice of the Peace Pct. 3 James Morris; Brian Walker, a candidate for state representative; Linda Little, candidate for county tax assessor/collector; Kelly Traylor, candidate for Pct. 1 commissioner; and Katherine Pinotti, candidate for Pct. 3 commissioner.
The crowd began the day with the Pledge of Allegiance to the American flag, and sang several patriotic songs before dining, enjoying the speakers and awarding the scholarship.
Barbecue was provided by All Star BBQ in Rusk.
The Cherokee County Republican Club proudly boasts the largest active membership of a political club, outside major urban areas, in the state of Texas.
Membership has grown from approximately 25 in 2003, to 125 members in 2008.
Since 2003, Republicans have gone from zero elected officials in the history of Cherokee County to a total of eight currently.
According to club officials, this increase is due to the active membership and interests of conservative people upset with the disappointments and strife engendered by the opposition.
“Events like this barbecue show that the strength of positive East Texas principles are still alive and are represented by the Cherokee County Republican Club,” said club President James Morris.

Foreign exchange student from Finland visits Rusk Lions Club
Lion President Jeff Johnson began the meeting by calling on Lion Tim Timmons for the invocation, Lion Jim Cromwell for the pledges and Lion Jim Richings leading the singing.
Special guests were Norma Daniel, Boots Burfoot and Jessica Nylund.
Lion Tim Timmons and wife Nancy are hosts of foreign exchange student Jessica Nylund from Finland and she brought the program to the Lions Club.
She used a slide presentation of the beautiful country of Finland. She showed a map of Europe depicting Finland and also the flag of Finland.
She brought lots of information about the many lakes with ferry boats being used to carry goods.
The Gulf of Finland is an arm of the Baltic Sea, extending about 250 miles from West to East between Finland (North) and Estonia (South) to Leningrad, USSR.
Its breath at the widest point is about 80 miles. The gulf is relatively shallow and freezes three or more months during the winter.
It receives the Neva river at Leningrad, the Saimaa Canal at Vyborg, USSR, and the Narva river at the Eastern border of Estonia.
It is also connected by lakes Ladoga and Onega with the White sea, and contains many islands. Helsinki is the capital of Finland.
Jessica’s mother is a chef at a local hospital while her father is a carpenter. She has an older sister and a younger brother.
Jessica attends the University of Abo Ak ademi. She plans to become a school teacher.
Education in Finland is free to all. She speaks three languages — Finnish, Swedish and English.
She says that skiing is a winter sport taught in physical education.
When asked how cold it gets in Finland she replied minus 30 degrees and when asked how hot it gets she replied 80 to 85 degrees.
She said the one day each year in the middle of winter, the sun failed to go completely down and during the summer months the outside was light both day and night.
Jessica is a very friendly and intelligent 20-year-old college student. She brought a very informative program.

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