The Front Page
The Risk is Real - Serving our Country
Remembering those that have served and those that are serving our country.
You know sometimes it doesn't hit you until it is personal.
Please remember these Santa Anna folks that are serving our country in military combat, training, or support: Maricela (Marty) Siller, Clay Stewardson, Eddie Dawson, Ike Garza, James Watson, Austin Voss, Randy Casey, Mike Montgomery II, Mark Rutherford, Allen Tucker, James Culpepper, Shane Watson, Brandon Beloat, Glen Donham, and Jeffrey Watson.
1744 American soldiers or sailors have died in Operation Enduring Freedom as reported by the
Department of Defense and the
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count. Pray for our country, its' leaders, and our soldiers and sailors.
Please remember the many serving as volunteers for various groups and those that may be working for the media or one of the many Department of Defense contractors that have employees in support roles in Iraq including Santa Anna's Jason Dane. These folks are serving an important part in the rebuilding of Iraq and the danger is just as great if not more for them as it is for soldiers.
I recently received this e-mail from Stephanie Dane:
Jason has made it back to Iraq safe and sound. We had a wonderful two weeks at the beginning of June that included a fabulous vacation to San Antonio and Sea World. As soon as he returned to Baghdad, he found out his department had been changed to pretty much housekeeping duties, and all the guys were pretty upset about it. Jason said he didn't mind because a pay check is a pay check and he was not there to make a permanent career. He didn't care what he had to do, within reason of course! He kept reminding the guys in his department that they were getting paid a lot of money to do a very simple job. During all this, the military asked for volunteers to help with a special project. Allt he guys knew was that it had to do with housekeeping. S, naturally, no one wanted it. Jason volunteered because he knew no one else would. One other guy also finally volunteered. NO-it did not require them to leave the base! Anyways, the day he finished the project, the project leader presented him with the Joint Service Achievement Medal for working on a project directly with the military. (Usually, his job consists of working FOR the military, but not WITH the military.) Jason was very surprised and proud that the military honored him just for doing his job. I guess people who are born and raised in Texas have a different view on life and how things work! Jason did what he was taught to do. When someone needs help, you do it, even if it means getting dirty!
He hasn't "bragged" much about it- mainly just to mysef and his Mother, Katy, so I thought I would do it for him! Katy and I have not quite decided if it was her son or my husband that got the medal, but we are just so proud we could bust! Jason found a picture of the medal on the internet and sent it to me, so I am sharing it with you!
Joint Service Achievement Medal
God Bless,
Stephanie and the kids, proud family of Jason Dane
Thanks for sharing this with SantaAnnaNews.com Stephanie, and way to go Jason.. keep up the good work!
The
Iraq Coalition Casualty Count has also tracked the deaths of 89 American contractors working in Iraq so the risk is real.
Many service men and women return home safely. Operation Tribute to Freedom Homecoming Photographs.
We must never forget the sacrifices of men and women serving our country from all generations. Tex Wright recently sent me this information:
The Coleman County Historical Commission has started work on a new project.
Since this year is the 60th anniversary of the end of WWII, we (Texas Historical Commission statewide) have started a project to honor the ones who served.
We (I) have set up a Web Page to keep people posted on what is being done and to ask for their help in remembering those Men and Women.
The Web Page is:Coleman County Historical Comm.
WW2 Commemorative Activities
Independence Day
I hope that you and you families have a safe and fun Fourth of July!
More Memories
The land just West of the football practice field is being cleared. I think that the school bought it and is planning a parking lot for the visitor's side at football games and for stock shows.
I remeber when I was in Junior High, Ernest Deleon and I, along with Tommy, Chris, and anyone else that was around would get some bacon or tortillas and a string and head over to the same property and go crawdad catching. We would catch a bucket full of them and I am not real sure what we did with them after that! I can't remember if we ate 'em, gave them to Mr. Deleon for fishbait, or just turned them loose.. anyways it was a lot of good clean fun for a bunch of boys.
I also remember the Malaers used to live in a house across the street from there. The house is long gone and my memories are fading. I used to run around with Joe Malaer for a little while back then and I think they moved off to Abilene for a while or something like that.
More recently I have enjoyed riding my motorcycle by there and it is... was always about ten degrees cooler right through there from the trees and creek I guess.
Old Friends Bring Back Memories
I have heard from a couple of old friends this past week. One that I haven't seen since probably my Freshman year and the other that I see every five years or so.
One friend that most of you don't know but was a friend of mine through Scouting that lived in Potosi, graduated from Wylie High when it was still in the country, Texas A&M as an engineer, and now lives in Magnolia and works in the petroleum valve manufacturing business. He was also an usher at mine an Cindy's wedding. We worked together at Camp Tonkawa near Buffalo Gap for several Summers together when we were in high school and he called me on the phone Wednesday night to make plans for a little 25 year reunion at Camp this Friday. We are going to meet another of our Scouting friends from Abilene that was also an usher at mine and Cindy's wedding. We will probably go to Perini's or The Deutschlander for a meal and visiting before heading out to the Friday night ceremonies and indian dancing. It has been a couple of years since I went out to camp.. I think the last time was when I was Scoutmaster of the troop in Coleman or maybe the year after. Anyhow I always enjoy going to camp because it brings back some very good memories and makes me feel young again.
My friend, Joe, and I used to go canoeing on a small man made lake called Lake Caterpillar because it was made by Caterpillar bull dozers. Needless to say it was colored like the red clay that it was made from and when you got into the water so were your white T-shirt and underwear!
The other friend that I haven't seen since school was no stranger to Camp Tonkawa either, but as far as I can remeber he only went for one year in 1978. He ran across SantaAnnaNews.com after his sister Terry mentioned it to him and then he shot me an e-mail and a reply. It was nice to hear from David Kilcrease and I will share more of my visit with him a little later maybe.
I started thinking about Camp Tonkawa and all the guys that camped there from Santa Anna. I never have been as a camper but I worked there for the four best Summers of my life. I thought that I would dig out some old photos of Santa Anna Troops that I had Camp photos of.
Santa Anna Troop 230 BSA - Camp Tonkawa 1978
Front L-R: Damon Harper, James Culpepper, James Smith, Red Gerhart
Middle L-R: Charlie Lewis, David Price, David Kilcrease, Randy Casey
Back L-R: Steve Hughes, Jerry Pape, James Pelton, Scoutmaster-Tex Wright, Mike Wetsel, Bill Smith
Santa Anna Troop 230 BSA - Camp Tonkawa 1979
Front L-R: Damon Harper, Red Gerhart, Johnny Casey, Paul Vasquez
Middle L-R: Mike Hendrickson, Shawn Harper, Gary Epperson, Curtis Puckett, Gerry Hendrickson
Back L-R: Assistant Scoutmaster-JD Hughes, Charlie Lewis, Randy Casey, James Smith, Steve Hughes, James Culpepper, James Pelton, Scoutmaster-Tex Wright
Santa Anna Troop 230 BSA - Camp Tonkawa 1980
Front L-R: Damon Harper, Robert Thompson(Cross Plains), Red Gerhart, Charlie Lewis, Ike Garza
Middle L-R: Cory Ford(Cross Plains),Jeff Ford(Cross Plains), Joe Diaz, Shawn Harper, Rex Harper, Barry Remy
Back L-R: Assistant Scoutmaster-Juanita Thompson(Cross Plains), James Smith, Daniel LaMadrid, Albert Collins, Steve Hughes, James Pelton, Scoutmaster-Tex Wright
Santa Anna Troop 230 BSA - Camp Tonkawa 1981
Front L-R: David Boivin, Joe Diaz, Travis Calhoun, Frank Williams
Middle L-R: unidentified, unidentified, unidentifiable!, James Culpepper, Shawn Harper, Rex Harper
Back L-R: Steve Hughes, Albert Collins, Damon finally-made-it-to-the-back-row Harper, Scoutmaster-Tex Wright
As you can see there were lots of others that went to Camp Tonkawa too. Some of them are sadly no longer with us but they will not be forgotten. I am sorry that I could not identify all of those in the last picture.. some are from Santa Anna but I don't remember their names and some are from other towns and stayed with the troop provisionally. If you know them e-mail me at news@santaannanews.com and I will correct it.
I am thankful for my step dad, Tex Wright, if it weren't for him none of us would have been there.
We sure need a troop here in Santa Anna again. No, I don't have time! But it would be worth your time and give a lot of young men something to do with theirs.
Santa Anna Construction Sites
Work continues on the new drive through and parking lot in the back of the Santa Anna National Bank. I still haven't got by to look at the interior work but I have heard is very nice.
I drove by the bank on my way home from work and took this photo of the new drive through while I was waiting for a train to go through town.
Cindy and I went for a late night ride and I couldn't resist this night time photo of the Bank's new sign
Supreme Court Rules for and against Ten Commandments
In some confusing rulings Monday the United States Supreme Court in this ruling against The Ten Commandments posted in two Kentucky Court Houses and in this ruling for a Ten Commandments Monument on the Texas State Capitol grounds.
I will discuss this topic a little later this week if I have time but I thought it was important to mention it to you now just in case you hadn't heard it yet.
Sticks and Stones
We all learned as young children that "Sticks and stones will break bones but names will never hurt.." This was meant to somehow ease the pain of adolescent namecalling, teasing, and bullying. The bully was usually the biggest kid on the block that would take advantage of their size to make themselves the recipient of undue respect. When physical size was not enough the bullying may have turned to verbal abuse. But it was not necessarily always the biggest kid.. sometimes it was the smallest. Whether it was to gain respect or out of jealousy.. who knows?
It reminds me of a little dog. My neighbor has a Chihuahua. This little dog will bark at anything.. like it is the biggest dog on the block. It just wants some attention.. like it is saying, "Hey look at me.. I am a big barking dog" but it means no harm because it is always wagging it's tail.
Or the dog that chases the car or truck. What would it do if it caught the car or truck?
Maybe it is just for attention. Maybe it is a friendship betrayed or a relationship gone bad. Maybe it is for religious, racial, or some other reasons.
It is not just children either. It is teenagers, young adults, and adults alike. It is mobs, gangs, and armies of men
Maybe it is competitive sports. Maybe it is violence on television. Maybe it is a broken home or no home at all.
When is it acceptable to attack another? Is it acceptable because you are smaller?
Was it right for Japan to attack Pearl Harbor? Hitler to kill Jews and invade Poland and France? Iraq to invade Kuwait and kill Kurds? How about the other way around.. the US to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Korea? Vietnam? Iraq? When is it right for the big guy to defend the little guy? When is it right for the big guy to protect his self. Have you forgotten.. about September 11th? When is it right to kick someone else's ass just because you were called a name or attacked and don't know who hit you?
Some people have to fight just to survive everyday. Have you ever been hungry? Homeless? There is a point where you get so hungry that you can't eat. It is like being cold.. there is a point where get so cold that you start feeling warm. Some people fight just for the sake of the fight.
I never have been much of a fighter or been in a fight even. But I am a believer.. in lots of things like taking up for your self, defending your name, defending your family, defending your rights, defending your property, and defending your country. I never have had a friend that I thought would fight for me or that I would fight for. Maybe that is why I don't really care much for defending another country.
What about "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth"? Jesus used this law to teach the contrary to Christians to "Love your enemies and pray for your persecutors" and to "..turn the other cheek" in Matthew 5:38-39.
When does it stop? How much can you take?
Not always easy to turn the other cheek. Certainly I don't have the answers either.
You might be from Santa Anna if..
You might be from Santa Anna if.. you went to school with someone in the Taylor Family. I noticed a big banner for the Taylor Reunion at the Santa Anna Civic Center/Old Armory over this past weekend. The Civic Center us such a great place for family reunions, weddings, and large gatherings. The Chamber and John Hensley have done a great job fixing it all up and maintaining it.
The Taylor Family was a pretty large bunch and their were a couple of them in my class and I also used to work for one of them sort of. Kay Burnett McGee was married to David Cooper when I was in high school and I worked for them at Dave's Gulf Station/T&T Gulf on Santa Anna Avenue in Coleman.
Kay's mom, Frances Taylor Burnett, recently passed away and I am sure that she was missed. I came to know Mrs. Burnett pretty good when her husband and son became sick and she was taking care of them at home. She began using her first computer and Internet to help her pass the time at home. The kids, Kay and her sister Brenda, wanted me to help her learn how to use her computer to communicate with her relatives and for entertainment while at home. Once her son and husband passed away a few years ago she too started to get around a little slower and became more dependant on the Internet for keeping up with everyone. As she would have trouble or get a new computer she would call on me and her children to help her.
Kay came by the house Saturday to borrow one of my old annuals so that they could have a few laughs and bring back some old memories. One of the Granddaughters of Frank Taylor and Great Niece of Frances, Beth Rhoades Foster, was one of the ones from my class and also my very first girlfriend back when we were in Junior High. Her middle name was Lucinda and her family called her Cindy but we all called her by her first name, Beth. I saw Beth a few years ago at one of our class reunions and Homecoming. She was doing very well, living in Ohio, and running a trucking company I think.
Beth lived with her grandparents when we were in school. It is kind of funny that one of my other girlfriends was named Cindy and lived with her grandparents don't you think? Of course I am talking about my girlfriend for life, my wife Cindy!
I have received a couple of e-mails from Beth recently, including this very special one to me that I hope she doesn't mind me sharing:
James,
I am so happy that you've decided to continue this, even if on a limited basis. I have so enjoyed the past few weeks, going back and reading all your archives. It has been especially nice to see you and Cindy and your family. And you and Cindy with a grandbaby no less. I cannot believe that we are SO old. Ha!! Ha!! I don't know about you, but I wouldn't take anything for my life now - no matter how old and gray I am getting to be. Cindy, on the other hand, doesn't look any older than I remember her from 20 years ago. Let me know what kind of water she's been drinking!!
Your news has really brought back memories of my days in Santa Anna and fond memories of all the wonderful people that I had the pleasure of knowing and all those wonderful kids that I grew up with. Thanks for that.
Anyways, keep up the good 'news', I wanted you to know that I've appreciated your efforts.
Beth
Thanks for your kind words, Beth. Oh, and we drink Santa Anna water of course.. it has kept Cindy young but made all of my hair fall out! I hope that you got to drink some while in town.
The other old class mate of mine that was in town was Brent Hamlin. I haven't seen or heard about Brent since we have been out of school and I wish that I had known they were in but Kay didn't mention what she was wanting the annual for until she returned it late Sunday afternoon. Cindy and I have been busy working on and painting our house but I would like to have seen Beth and Brent. Brent's dad, Joel, ran a small engine repair and bicycle shop across the street from what is now the Santa Anna Grocery store and was last the Full Gospel church I think.
I am not real sure exactly how Beth and Brent were related but I think they were first cousins. I wonder how the Taylor's got started here in Santa Anna. They are such a big part of this town and it's history that maybe one of them will share it with SantaAnnaNews.com.
I wonder too .. whatever happened to my old classmate Brent Hamlin?
Words
Words can have a powerful affect. Spoken words and written words can be very helpful or very hateful.
Sometimes words come to blows. Usually it is when words get mixed with jealousy, frustration, or anger. When hurtful words are fueled by alcohol it can be even worse. Whether it is friends or enemies, when this happens no one wins.
Long after the wounds from blows heal, the pain from hateful words will still burn.
Be careful of the words you choose for the pain may be your own.
Culpepper Reunion
Submitted by Connie Culpepper Massey
The annual Culpepper Family Reunion will be held on Sunday, July 10, 2005 at the Coleman City Park. Lunch at noon, bring a dish if you are family. Come early for coffee and visiting. We welcome friends that grew up with us in Santa Anna, or friends of Lacy and Jean's. This is held annually the second Sunday of July and when most of us are together to visit family and friends. Our brother James, will be coming through Texas the third week of July as he is being transferred from Maryland to California by the Navy. It has been about 8 years since James has been home. Hope you will come by to visit.
Want your own dot com?
This is a great time to get it whether you just want it for an e-mail address of your own, like james@yourlastname.com, or for putting some family pictures on the web, or getting your business on the web
1 and 1 is by far your best bet!
Any questions just send me an e-mail and I will be happy to help you get started, or just click the 1 and 1 ad on the left, or any of the links in this article.
