ALL AROUND LUFKIN
Janice Ann Rowe

Polly Goodier was our "coach" at the Panther's Soccer game against the Woodlands. The rain came before the first half,and Ernest and I had to leave those die hard fans. Some in the crowd were: Charlie Meyers, Johnny and Holly Moore, Judge Paul and Janet White, Mary Nell Taylor, Joy and Joe Rich, Donna and Artie Anderson, Marlene and Cory Glover, Pam Herrington, Kathy Thannisch with Clark, Melissa Chumley, Doug and Mary Russell with Alannah, Kathy and Megan Yeager, Truitt Eubanks.

Doug Russell had his barbecue pit stolen from the Garrison Field baseball park last week. Hope that Doug finds it so we can have more hamburgers at the baseball games.

To promote family time together,

The Coalition wants you to snap a photo of your family enjoying spending time together. Photos must be a 4"X6" print and reflect a family spending quality time together. Only three entries per contestant. Photos will be announced at the Family Expo on Tuesday, March 4th at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center. No professional family portraits or professional photographers will be considered. Bring entries to The Coalition Office at 104 S. Bynum no later than 5:00 p.m., Friday, February 29th, 2008. Call The Coalition office at (936)634-9308 for a registration form, or download the form from The Coalition's website: www.angelinacoalition.org.

First place prize will be a Family 4-Pack Tickets to Schlitterbahn donated by KSWP, $100 Polk Oil gas, a family portrait from Studio 220, a $45 gift certificate to Outback Steakhouse and a picnic basket from the Pregnancy HELP Center. Second prize is $100 gift certificate to Brookshire Brothers, $50 gift card to UFO pizza, and 4 tickets to the Discovery Science Place in Tyler. Third place is a year membership to the Ellen Trout Zoo, a gift certificate to Applebee's and a gift card to Play Zone. The Photo Contest is sponsored by The Coalition and The Lufkin Daily News.

Hurry when you read the paper and you can attend the San Augustine DRT Chapter's 5th Annual Antique Appraisal Show on Thursday, Feb 21 at 5:30 at the First Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in San Augustine behind the Cullen House. The cost is $5. Appraisals start at 6:00. Kelly Cook with Liberty Bell Antiques in Montgomery will be the featured speaker. She is a certified appraiser. Bring your antique and get the value. All are welcome.

Jennifer Jeffrey and Darin Bell were the honorees at an engagement celebration at the home of Lynda and Don Langston. Other hosts were: Martha and John Bates, Julie and Cooper Castleberry, Andrea and Gip Friesen, Ellen and Bennie Hollis, Cissy and Bobby McCarroll, Debra and Steve Moore, Linda and Robert Poland, Sylvia and Bill Ricks, Donna and Tom Spore, Donna and Dave Stewart, Lynell and John Stover, Cathy and Lynn Pavlic, Dorothy and George Temple, Cathy and Meb Todd, Ann Watson. Lynn Pavlic had done a wonderful pork tenderloin that melted in your mouth. The hostesses were welcoming the guests in the downpour of rain and windstorm. Jennifer's parents, Lisa and Wayne Haglund, Kenneth and Liz Jeffrey, and Darin's parentswere all in attendance.

Attending the Hillary Clinton Rally at the Pitser Garrison Civic Center were Wayne and Lisa Haglund, Hilary Haglund Walker, Jennifer Jeffrey, Darin Bell, and Jacquelyn Jeffrey Block. I saw pictures that Hilary had taken with her camera of the family up close with Bill Clinton. They had good things to say about Clinton.

Are you looking for something fun and educational to do with your child this spring break? If so, join us at the Texas Forestry Museum for the 12th annual Reading Railroad. Children fifth grade and younger are invited to come out and take part in this great event on March 12, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Children will have a chance to venture through "story stations" located at indoor and outdoor exhibits that the museum hosts. Local celebrities and community leaders will read stories to children. Guests will have an opportunity to explore the Urban Wildscape Trail located on the museum's grounds. There will also be craft, activities, and snacks for visitors to enjoy compliments of the generous event sponsor, your neighborhood Brookshire Brothers. The museum's depot will be open and guests are invited to climb aboard the 1908 Baldwin Locomotive and the big red caboose. The Texas Forestry Museum is proud to hold this event in an effort to encourage people of all ages to embrace the gift of reading. Thanks to the support of the sponsor, Brookshire Brothers, Reading Railroad is open to the entire community free of charge. Be sure to stop by and join the fun for Reading Railroad 2008.

Louis Bronaugh was at the Mid Week Peak meal at the First Christian Church last week with Charda, Tina Peavy, Belinda Teer, Michael Bronaugh, Christa Ogden and Ava. He looks good and was at church on Sunday. Glad to have you home.

Clarkie Brown is driving her car after a year of depending upon people to take her here and there. The eye surgery was a success.

Valentine's Day Ernest took me to Outback Steakhouse. We saw Mary Carol and Arlin Grimes. At Ralph & Kacoos were Ed and Carolyn Booth, David and Marie Cochran, Claude and Linda Hamilton, Ray and Martha Carswell. Woodie Hicks enjoyed a Valentine's meal at Manhattan with Jane and Ken Johnson. What did you do?

Angelina Savings is not building a basement. They are lowering the lay of the land for a parking lot since the highway expansion will be getting some of their parking.

The Lufkin Landscape Gardening Taskforce Garden Tour will be Saturday, April 5 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tickets are $15. Ellie Mooty gave me the gardens that will be on the tour. Pat and Leon Levens, 304 Hickory Hollow; Mary Jean Maroney, 1211 Wildbriar; Karla and Jon Anderson, 1403 Bending Brook Circle; Beverly and Charles Kent, 915 Sherwood; Lois and Royal Powell, 1052 Peach Tree Road; Dr. Ralph Rose's office, 1703 Tulane. Ellie has tickets to sell, and they can be purchased from other members of the committee or at the Chamber of Commerce.

Happy Birthday: Hugh Anderson, Shelia Nutt, Landon Spurgeon, Tucker Westerman, Carianne Teutsch, Kenneth Bates, Brian Harkness, Mary Read, Cartyr Roach, Jud Mahan, Craig Childers, William Gibbs, Lyndsey Harrison, Wilton Killam, Boyd Stewart, Mary Julia Collmorgen.

Happy Anniversary: Jimmie and Oscar Milligan, Gene and Shirlee Brookshire, Donna and Jim Parish, Kaye and Don Harrison, Sarah and Joe Murray.

Cindy and Mike Taylor were on a five-day cruise on the Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas. They left from Fort Lauderdale and stopped in Cozumel and Belize. Mike surprised Cindy with a dozen red roses delivered to their stateroom on Valentine's Day - their 32nd anniversary.

The Angelina Arts Alliance next performance will be March 19, Jigu! Thunder Drums of China. I saw that they were also performing in Houston. March 25 will be the last show "Chicago, the Musical". Rick Schiller, executive director, will present the shows for next season at the Chamber's First Friday lunch on April 4.

Cathy and Lee Friesen were in the gym watching their coach son Tripp Friesen's Central High School basketball team play the Hudson Hornets. They lost but played a good game. Jack Sweeny was there watching the game at Panther Gym.

Gordon Henley at the Ellen Trout Zoo announced the return of Blackbuck Antelope to the zoo. Nearly two months after the tragic deaths of five Blackbuck Antelope, the Ellen Trout Zoo has been able to acquire and return two females to Lufkin. One of these is still nursing and is off exhibit, the other is almost two years old and is on exhibit in the Blackbuck display in the Asian area of the zoo. They will be receiving a male in the future to round out the herd. The second announcement is the arrival of a new male African Lion a year and a half old. This new addition is part of the Lion Species Survival Plan (SSP) of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and is a valuable animal for the zoo. "Mashaka" - which means Trouble - as he is called, can be seen in the zoo's lion exhibit. The Ellen Trout Zoo, "The Wildest Place in Town and Your Place to Connect with the Natural World," is open every day from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Let me hear your news. Janice Ann email: roweja@suddenlink.net