COUNTY NEWS
NEW PUNKIN DAYS SIGN--Coming into Floydada from the south on
the Ralls Highway 62, one can see a new Punkin Day sign. Those
responsible for the newly reconstructed sign by Cody Williams of
Higher Image in Plainview are several local businesses. Those shown
are: (l-r) Chamber of Commerce Board Member Rick Peralez, Leroy Burns
of City Auto Inc., Louis Bearden of Davis Farm Supply, Chamber of
Commerce President Donna Grundy, Larry Griffin, of Floydada
Ford-Mercury, and Roger Hughes, of Ray Lee Equipment. Other
businesses not represented are: American State Bank, First National
Bank, and Farmers Co-Op.
Crafts, Food, and Games Fill Up Punkin Day
Schedule
The Punkin Day schedule has been finalized and
Floydada's Chamber of Commerce directors are ready for hundreds of
visitors expected in the city this Saturday.
"There will be more craft and food booths than
ever before," said Chamber Director Julie Duke. "We have lined up 70
craft booths and 20 food booths. They will be open and ready for
business by 9:00 a.m."
As usual there will be a variety of different
"free" entertainment to enjoy throughout the day.
There will be hourly entertainment under the
pavilion to enjoy at no charge, and classic cars and motorcycles on
display near the courthouse.
Punkin Day games for all ages begin, at 1:00 p.m.
on the square, with the popular wheelbarrow race. People 13 and up,
will be allowed to participate in the wheelbarrow race. Teams of two
will participate with a blindfolded driver maneuvering through a
pumpkin obstacle course. The navigator will be inside the wheelbarrow
helping his partner through the maze.
Small children will enjoy the pumpkin toss,
pumpkin rolling races, and seed spitting.
The Pumpkin Pie relay race begins at 4:00 p.m.
There is a fee of $4.00 to enter this race, which covers the cost of
the pie. The relay teams will consist of four members.
Ribbons can be won in the decorated pumpkin and
pumpkin drawing contests.
Money can be won in the "Guess the Weight of the
Pumpkin" contest. First place winner will take home $100; 2nd place,
$50.00; and 3rd place, $25.00. You must register by 10:00 a.m. for
the Guess the Weight contest.
Cow Patty Bingo is also a great way to take home
some money from Punkin Day. The first place winner in the Cow Patty
Bingo will receive $500; 2nd place, $300; and 3rd place, $200. Bingo
tickets must be purchased before 4:30 p.m. at the Floydada Chamber of
Commerce booth on the square.
A cake walk, featuring "home made" cakes will be
held under the pavilion at 10:30 a.m. Anyone wishing to donate a cake
for the "walk" can bring the cake to the pavilion.
The Boy Scouts will guard a "pumpkin jail"
throughout the day. For a mere $5.00, "deputies" can be bribed to
kidnap someone in the crowd who must either post a $5.00 bond to get
out of jail--or carve a pumpkin.
A free street dance will be held from 5:30 p.m. -
9:00 p.m. under the pavilion. Music will be by Chuck McClure and
Double Take.
The Floyd County Historical Museum will be open
all day Saturday, and the Floyd County Library Community Room will be
the site of the Friends of the Library Book and Bake Sale.
A schedule sponsored by the FNB Floydada, can be
found inside.
$1,000 TO BE GIVEN AWAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS--Kids Korner Learning
Center, located at 301 W. Missouri Street, is conducting a Holiday
Fund Raiser. Tickets are on sale now for $1,000, plus other great
prizes to be given away to the lucky winner before Christmas. These
representatives of local businesses are underwriting the fund raiser
for Kids Korner Learning Center. Those shown are in back: (l-r) Larry
Ogden of Lighthouse Electric, Kyle Smith of Goen and Goen Insurance.
Ken Holt and Sandy Forehand of Floyd County Farm Bureau Insurance.
Sponsors not pictured are Kendis Julian, of Producers Co-Op; Leighton
Stovall, of Floydada Co-op Gin.
$1000 To Be Given Away in
Fundraiser
The lucky winner of a Kids Korner Holiday
Drawing will be handed $1,000 in cash just in time for Christmas
spending. As a matter of fact, you may not have to spend that money
on Christmas because with the help of area businesses the winner will
also earn great prizes.
The fund raiser is being promoted by the board and
staff of Kids Korner.
Five businesses are underwriting the cash gift
with others sponsoring the additional gifts. "These businesses
already make considerable contributions to the community," said fund
raising coordinator Martha Farris.
"The very generous gifts from Lighthouse Electric
Coop, Producers Coop Elevator, Floydada Coop Gin, Goen and Goen
Insurance, and Farm Bureau assure that all funds generated from the
ticket sales will go toward the Day Care operation, programs, and
pre-school.
"These businesses respond to events that stimulate interest and help make our
community and our county a better place to live--especially those involving
young people. They realize what the Day Care means to
working parents; and in turn to this town."
"We are glad to be a part of this Kids Korner
project," said Larry Ogden, director of member services for
Lighthouse Electric. "We believe this is a worthwhile effort and we
hope the whole county will get excited about it. Children are the
future of our community."
Tickets may be purchased for $5.00 each or 5
tickets for $20.00. The winning ticket will be drawn at an event in
early December, or after 750 tickets have been sold. This will allow
the winner to have spending money before Christmas and the Day Care
to have a "cushion" before the winter energy bills "hit". Tickets are
being sold now and will be available downtown on Punkin Day.
Family Offers Reward for Information on Dog
Killing
A $300 reward is being offered for information
which would lead to the arrest and conviction of the person or
persons responsible for killing the Sheltie dog owned by Monte and
Leslie Covington.
The dog was shot in the fenced in back yard of the
Covingtons and bled to death at the back door.
The Covingtons were not at home at the time of the
shooting but with information gathered by neighbors the Covingtons
believe the shooting occurred sometime between 1:00 p.m. and 4:30
p.m.
"This was our family pet. He was a perfectly
marked show dog which we bred," said Leslie Covington. "Someone
trespassed into our yard and shot him."
Neighbors noticed the family's other dogs loose in
the neighborhood at one time, but when Monte Covington returned home
the dogs were back in the yard.
"Someone took the time to round the dogs up after
they let them out," said Leslie. "It is horrifying to think that
someone was in our yard with a gun."
The Covingtons live inside the city limits, at 910
W. California, and have an 8 foot fence around the back
yard.
Anyone who may have seen a vehicle or persons at
the house during the afternoon of Friday, October 5, is asked to call
the Covingtons at 983-5883, or the Floydada Police at 983-4901.
NICK DELLA VALLE
"Zacchaeus" Spreads the Word
The biblical era clothing are the first things
that catch your eye when you see Nick Della Valle walking along the
side of the highway. The next thing to grab your attention is the
small stature of the man. Nick knows this and is now using those
impressions to minister to people.
Nick has decided to use his height of 4'8" to
illustrate the New Testament story of Zacchaeus, the small tax
collector who climbed into a tree to catch a glimpse of
Jesus.
Dressing in biblical clothing, Nick, began a
walking ministry of 3,300 miles (100 miles for every year Jesus was
in ministry), April 1, 2001, at the foot of the cross at Mision
Nombre de Dios in St. Augustine, Florida (the oldest city in the
United States.
The mission will end at the foot of the cross at
the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.
Nick says he has no map and no particular game
plan on where to walk. "I start at sunrise and walk until I get
tired--about 18 miles each day. The hill country was the hardest.
I've been able to walk a little farther each day on the flat
plains."
Nick said Texas looked pretty large on the
map--but the size of the state really impressed him when he starting
walking across it.
"I got into Texas around the 20th of June and I
won't get out until after Thanksgiving."
Nick is accompanied on his journey by his wife,
Lucy. She drives a RV and stays within one mile of Nick. "She will
drive ahead of me and wait," said Nick. "If I don't show up when she
thinks I should she comes back and checks on me. She is there to give
me water and food--and keep my costumes clean."
For six years Nick worked on the staff of the
Robert Schuller, "Hour of Praise", ministry. Lucy worked on staff for
13 years.
"There was a special on the Hour of Praise, March
4, to kick off our journey," said Nick. "We will be on the show again
when we get back."
By and large Nick says people have been very
receptive and very nice. "I've only had one bad incident. Someone
drove by and threw something at me."
Other than his tennis shoes, which have an
inscription on the back of "Jesus Saves", Nick's clothing has a very
authentic look. In fact, the authentic look caused some confusion and
fear in the community of Rising Star on Nick's journey through the
town.
"It was September 11 (the day the planes crashed
into the World Trade Towers), and people got upset with the way I was
dressed. It scared them. I was asked by the local police to please
walk around in regular street clothes until things calmed down a bit.
I didn't mind. I understood. For one week I did walk in my regular
clothes. But then Pres. Bush told the country to try and get back to
what you normally do and so I did."
Nick's tennis shoes were found on a web page
called gospelshoes.com. "I found them by accident," said Nick. "You
can tell people about the web page if you want--I don't get anything
off of if. It is not like he is my brother-in-law or something,"
laughs Nick.
Nick is originally from Garden Grove, California.
He and his wife started their ministry, called '2nd Chance
Ministries", in July 2000.
Our purpose is to encourage Christians to use
their gifts in His service, and to introduce our Best Friend and
Savior, Jesus Christ, to others.
"I use my size to portray Zacchaeus in skits. I
tell people that God is gracious and willing to give all who have
fallen short of His glory a second chance and a new
beginning.
"We look forward to being asked to come speak in
churches in the communities that we walk through. We talk about the
love and forgiveness of Jesus.
"I don't believe in cramming the Bible down
people's throat. It doesn't belong in their throat--it belongs in
their heart."
For more information on 2nd Chance Ministries,
call 714-533-5292, or go to their web page at
www.2ndchanceministries.com.
"ZACCHAEUS'" JESUS SAVES WALKING
SHOES
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