Wayne Cessna’s lakeside haven was chosen as the Jacksonville Garden Club’s June Yard of the Month.

A flowing waterfall flanked by a landscaped slope of trees and flowers is a beauty to behold. With everything from a little gem magnolia, sago palm, knock-out rose, fan flower, autumn fern, rosemary and gardenia, surrounded by all colors of begonias. Pictured are Cessna, left, and JGC member Sandra Dickerson.

Jacksonville Garden Club chose the lovely yard of Georgia Akin as Best Landscaped Yard of a member.

Georgia spends many hours working on her flowers and grounds. Among her flowres are the red-bird plant, fox-tail fern, iron plant, day lily, lily of the Nile, fan flower and more.

Jean Petri was awarded the Most Beautiful Yard of a member by the Jacksonville Garden Club.

Around her home and yard she has asparagus fern, begonia, geranium, lantana, airplane plant and more.



New Summerfield Lions Club installs new officers for 2008-09

New Summerfield Lions Club President Wanda Weaver, who has faithfully served the club for many years, has given up that position for Lion Janna Looney for the Lion year beginning July 1.

Officers of the club will be President Looney, Vice President Sylvia Poteet, Secretary Martha Davis and Treasurer Wanda Weaver.

New Summerfield Lions meet twice each month at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays at New Summerfield First Methodist Church.

The club’s summer fundraiser will be a scramble golf tournament at 8 a.m. June 28 at The Woods at Jacksonville. Player fee is $75. First to third prizes will be given.

Guest speakers this past year have been Lion dignitaries, District Gov. Fred Renkama of Hamilton; Immediate Past DG Dr. Bonita Lowery, who presented a program on preventing blindness; Ardys Brown, who presented a program on Sight First 2; Alicia Oliver, region Chair; Harold Yost, chairman of the Texas Lions camp; and Jim Cromwell, who gave a program on the hearing aide recycling program.

Other speakers included Connie Bedell with Hospice of East Texas; Cynthia Kline with Relay for Life; Joni Barrow with Segal Heart Center in Tyler; and Jack White, with the Cherokee County Search and Rescue Unit.

NS Lions Club is small in number but “we serve.” The club has provided eyeglasses for students, a scholarship for a NSHS senior, distributed food baskets at Thanksgiving and Christmas to elderly and needy families. The club donated to HOPE, the Crisis Center, Hospice of Tyler, the New Summerfield Youth L/S Show Buyers Club, Relay for Life and other needs in the community and area.

The NS Lions also support national, international, state and district clubs with donations, dues, fundraising activities and through individual efforts. These include Texas Lions Camp for children with disabilities; Leader Dogs for the Blind; Lions Eye Bank of Texas; Hearing Aide Recycling Program; Sight First 2, a blindness prevention program; and the Eyeglasses Recycling program.

NS Lion members collect used eyeglasses and hearing aides to be recycled by Texas Lions Organization. Also they collect ink cartridges from printers.

Member of New Summerfield at surrounding communities are welcome to the club’s meetings. They’ll gladly help with the membership application process. Interest and donations are appreciated. For more information call 903-586-3228, 903-726-3383 or 903-726-3761.



Rusk Lions Club ends 2007-08 year with a bang

Rusk Lions Club President Vic Whadford recognized guests Alyssa Ballew, Kayla Ballew, Norma Daniel and Pam Whadford. All four were present at the June 5 club meeting.

Lions sang “Happy Birthday” to Jo Nell Spedale who prepares the food each Thursday.

Lion Tim Timmons reported on the end of year party for the Leo Club which was held at the home of Tim and Nancy. The Lions Club voted to help with the expenses. Lots of good food was served and some was donated by Brookshire Bros. grocery store in Rusk. There were 17 Leos present and they all had a great time.

The Lions sent Gloria Walker, whose house burned, several boxes of clothing, dishes and household goods plus a check of $360 to help her with her loss.

Lion Tim also reported that we have a new foreign exchange student coming to visit us soon. Her name is Jessica Ne-Land and is from Finland. She will be arriving on June 29 and will be with us for five-and-a-half weeks.

The Lions CLub installation banquet for new officers for the coming year will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26, at the Cherokee County Electric Co-op.

Lion Vic read a “thank you” card from the family of Tim Birmingham.