Community-Henderson County Now

Malakoff’s Bartlett House to be opened for tour

Malakoff Garden Club press release

For approximately a quarter of a century, the “Sunken Gardens” of the Bartlett House, a historic “ruin” in Malakoff, have been overgrown and covered in debris, much like the Bartlett House itself.

For the first time, the renovated “Sunken Gardens” will be unveiled to the public at as free open house April 27-28, as part of the East Texas Art and Sculpture Gardens’ Tour in Malakoff. Wear comfortable shoes. The properties are not handicapped accessible.

The other two sculpture gardens on the tour, The James Surls Sculpture Garden and the James & Barbara Stewart’s Sculpture Gardens require a ticket for admission. Tickets can be acquired online at www.malakofftexas.com or at the Malakoff Community Center.

As part of the celebration of the resurrection of the Sunken Gardens well-known in the 1930s and 40s for their beauty, several of the best East Texas artists who were selected to be in the book published for the tour will be showing in the heritage gardens surrounding the Bartlett House.

Bill Williamson, a fast sketch artist, will be available to draw pictures of visitors for donations to the Historic Bartlett House and Heritage Gardens. Williamson is a sculptor who spent his professional career working with and in zoos creating the backdrops, scenery and sculpted elements that comprise the animal exhibits.

Two outstanding artists who will be showing in the Bartlett House gardens – open to the public at no cost – will be Jan G. Blackmon, FAIA, and Craig D. Blackmon, FAIA. They are abstract sculptors and photographers who recently won two consecutive Best in Show awards in the Main Street Gallery in downtown Tyler. Craig is an extraordinary photographer whose architectural photographs have been published in magazines and books nationally.

Robert English, from Tool, also plans to be showing his realistic sculptures in which he thematically focuses on country and ballet subjects, both in appreciation of the expression in the human face and body.

Four artists from Athens plan to show, including Christie Barrett, Cheryl Hicks, Celene Terry, and Deborah Wood.

Margo Stamp and Lou Albright from Ben Wheeler also plan to show in the Bartlett House gardens.

On the ticketed portion of the tour will be two other sculpture gardens. The James Surls Sculpture Garden: A Memorial to Joe Surls, will have four of the five nationally renowned sculptors present to meet with visitors: James Surls, George Tobolowsky, Bill Wiener, and Polly Smart. The James Surls’ gardens are gaining national attention because it is the largest concentration of James Surls’ early art, with over 40 pieces on the property, and, also this year and next, will feature major new sculptures by Surls, Tobolowsky, Wiener and Charmaine Locke.

A dinner/talk Saturday night featuring the Surls’ nationally prominent artists will be discussing their work with dinner guests in the Malakoff Community Center. Reservations are required (www.malakofftexas.com). Seating is limited.

James and Barbara Stewart’s private Sculpture Gardens located on Cedar Creek Lake will also be open in Malakoff. Winner of the “Best Texas Residential Landscape,” their gardens feature sculptures by numerous nationally prominent sculptors Glenna Goodacre, W. Stanley Proctor, Gary Lee Price, David Pearson, Walt Horton, Terry Jones, and Jo Saylors.

Ticket and book sales receipts go to the Greater Malakoff Area Garden Club, which owns the Historic Bartlett House and Heritage Gardens to restore the property.

PWC announces Volunteer of the Year

Gayle Robinson (left) was recently honored recently as the Pinnacle Women’s Club Volunteer of the Year. The award was presented by Daryl Daniels, PWC President, at the April Membership Meeting. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Pinnacle Women’s Club press release

The Pinnacle Women’s Club recently announced Gayle Robinson as its Volunteer of the Year.

Pinnacle Women’s Club President Daryl Daniels said, “I am very proud to honor
Gayle Robinson as our outstanding Volunteer of the Year. Thank you, Gayle, for all you do.”

Robinson is a charter member of the Pinnacle Women’s Club and has served as President, Vice President, Social Chairman, Sunshine Chairman, twice as Fundraising Chairman, twice as Garage Sale Chairman, twice as Fashion Show Chairman, and Parliamentarian. She has continued to volunteer for the club by delivering meals with the Meals on Wheels program.

Anyone who has played golf with Robinson knows she is an excellent golfer and has a true love for the game. She has been involved working for the association from Secretary to PGA Tournament Chairman. She has also served as President of the Central Texas Women’s Golf Association.

Robinson is now serving her third year as the Cedar Creek Veterans Foundation Co-President which produces the Annual Air Show and Golf Tournament. During this three years, the foundation has raised over $75,000 for veteran’s charities.

Rainbow Girls, Pledges celebrate founding of the order

Gun Barrel City Masonic Youth Rainbow Girls and Pledges pictured above include, top row from left, Michelle Sanderford and Kayla Rife; middle row from left, Tara Trimmins, Emily Currey, Carrie Currey, Samantha Ramos, Shelby McGallian; bottom row from left, Dixie Rife, Abregailla Hardy, and Katelyn Maxwell. (COURTESY PHOTO)

Special to HCN

The Gun Barrel City Masonic Youth Rainbow Girls and Pledges attended church together at the Cedar Creek Lake United Methodist Church in Tool on Sunday, April 7, to celebrate the founding of their order. It was Rainbow Sunday. The Rainbow Assembly was represented by 19 Rainbow Girls, Pledges, parents, and advisory board members. Following the service, a delicious brunch was enjoyed in the Fellowship Hall. Also, this weekend, the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is celebrating 91 years of Rainbow.

This is a busy month for the Rainbow Girls as they start preparation to attend their State Conference in Frisco in June. The girls are working on their competitions as well as raising money to cover the expense of attending. They will be having a Country Breakfast Fundraiser on Saturday, April 13, 7:30-10:30 a.m. at Cedar Creek Lake Masonic Lodge located at 402 Legendary Lane in Gun Barrel City. Tickets are $8 for adults and $4 for children 12 and under. It is open to the public. Then on Saturday, April 27, they will hold a yard sale at the CCL Masonic Lodge.

The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a service-oriented, leadership organization for girls between the ages of 11 and 20. Rainbow Girls participate in a wide array of activities, including leadership training, service projects, competitions, and annual retreats. Their younger group, the Pledges, have activities for girls ages 7 to 10.

Please contact Donna Dean at 903-345-2001 or Tonya Currey at 903-479-3542 for more information about the Rainbow Girls or visit www.txiorg.org. The Gun Barrel City Rainbow Girls and Pledges are proudly sponsored by the Cedar Creek Lake Masonic Lodge and the Gun Barrel City Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star on Legendary Lane in Gun Barrel City.

Athens Annual Spring Cleanup

Keep Athens Beautiful press release

Keep Athens Beautiful (KAB), the City of Athens, and Republic Services and Commodity Recycling Solutions are teaming up once again to sponsor the Annual Spring Cleanup. Each spring, KAB organizes a city-wide cleanup and beautification spree for the community. This year’s event takes place Saturday, April 6, from 8 a.m. to noon. This event is also part of the “Don’t Mess With Texas Trash Off” a campaign of TxDOT.

Volunteers are needed to form “Clean Teams” to comb the streets collects unsightly litter. Anyone can form a clean team by gathering family, neighbors, friends or businesses. Volunteers will receive a free lunch, compliments of Republic Services. KAB will provide the trash bags. For more information and to register your team call KAB at 675-7961.

Republic Services Recycling truck will be at the collection site for you to bring out all your recycling that you have collected since the fall and collecting electronic items for recycling as well. We will also be organising a Roll Off Dumpster to be made available for any other waste, that can’t be recycled, that needs to be disposed of. Other items that we will be collecting are household batteries, cell phones, and E and E Services will be collecting cardboard.

Residents of Athens are encouraged to clean up their yards in preparation for spring. Republic Services and the City of Athens offers free trash and yard waste disposal at the Aaron Street Collection Site. No hazardous materials, oil products, paint products, tires, appliances or construction debris will be accepted. Those in charge of construction sites ought to seek out effective ways of managing their waste materials; implementing industrial steel hoppers, like those from platforms and ladders, could help with this. Verification of Athens residency is required for the KAB program.

For more information about the Annual Keep Athens Beautiful Spring Clean up please call 903-675-7961.

Golf tournament to benefit Ranch Academy, Sundown Ranch

By mvhannigan

Ranch Academy schools help kids from Henderson County … and now Henderson County has a chance to help back.

Ranch Academy — which includes Ranch Academy in Tyler and Sundown Ranch in Canton — will be hosting a golf tournament Friday, April 19, at Twin Lakes Golf Course in Canton. The event will start at 4 p.m., with nine holes to be played at night.

The tournament is in memory of late Ranch Academy employees Janice Tyner and Kelsie Raulston.

The tournament will be a two-person scramble with a maximum entry of 72 players. Entry fee is $100 per player and includes green fee, cart, goody bag, dinner, awards and prizes.

Bonus tickets can also be purchased. For $20 players get two mulligans, a drive contest, closest to the pin, long drive contest (men and women) and a raffle ticket.

There will also be an aquatic range contest (92 yards). Buy three balls for $5. The golfer who hits the most balls in the target wins a round of golf for four at Twin Lakes. Unlimited buys are available.

Sponsorship opportunities range from the Pinnacle Golf Ball Level ($1,000), which includes company name on all printed materials, a hole sponsorship and a team in the tournament, to Raffle Prize Sponsorship ($100), which includes company name on the raffle prize table. Other levels include Dinner Sponsor ($750), Night Golf Equipment Sponsor ($500), Aquatic Range Contest Sponsor ($500), and Hole Sponsor ($250).

To register, contact Shannon Davidson at 903-479-3601.

The mission at Ranch Academy is to “promote individual success toward educational and career goals or college readiness.”

Teachers “instill a positive attitude, improved decision making abilities and increased social skills to encourage confident and independent citizens.”

Students come a wide area, including Martins Mill, Athens, Eustace, Brownsboro, and Cross Roads, as well as others.

Ranch Academy’s flier for golf tournament reads: “We believe that our work supports many of the districts and communities around us by working with students who might not graduate to support them with flexible scheduling, small classes, a self-paced curriculum and actively promote a sober environment for all our students.”