The Stroud Ministerial Alliance (SMA) had their community Thanksgiving service and lunch this past Sunday after church.
It was hosted by First Baptist Church, and everyone enjoyed a chili cook-off lunch and various desserts. Bragging rights were awarded to First Baptist Church Youth Minister Caleb Holzrichter for winning the cook-off.
The winner was decided by whose chili received the most donations. All monies donated went to the Burl Mackey Scholarship Fund.
An offering was also taken for the SMA local mission’s fund. The SMA recognized five local heroes. Jason Mooy, Assembly of God Associate Pastor, presented each of them a certificate of appreciation for their contributions to our community.
Those being honored were Elizabeth Gode Lau from Stroud High School, Lou Reed Cooper from Stroud Middle School, Donna Carney Webb from Parkview Elementary cafeteria, Angie Wages from Parkview Elementary and Linda Moore Waller from Stroud High School cafeteria.
Congratulations and thank you from Town Talk for making a difference in the lives of our children. Assembly of God Pastor Jeromye Jackson gave a short message.
He reminded those in attendance that this is a season of Thanksgiving. He encouraged everyone to take a moment to thank someone who has been influential in their lives.
Stroud lost one of its beloved citizens this past week, Vicki Waggoner Jackson, after an extended battle with cancer. Vicki graduated with the Stroud class of 1963 and married her high school sweetheart, Dewayne Jackson, that summer.
The two of them were neighbors of my brother Gary for many years and he always said you couldn’t ask for better neighbors than the Jacksons.
Their two children, Delynn and Joy, are also both graduates of Stroud High School. Town Talk sends our condolences to Dewayne and his family.
Congratulations to Josh Presley, his coaching staff and the Stroud Tiger football team for their 39-20 win over the Commerce Tigers. The Tigers will take on the Fairview Yellowjackets this Friday in the Class A semi-final game. Good luck to our Tigers.
Speaking of football, the 2022 Bedlam game is now in the books. It was a unique game, to say the least.
I saw Josh Presley at church Sunday morning and congratulated him on his Friday night win. I’d hate to lose Josh, but I did tell him there might be a college team looking for a new coach come Monday morning after that game on Saturday.
I didn’t mention any team in particular but we both got a good laugh out of it. Josh was very humble and told me he’s not doing anything, just getting the guys to the game and they’re doing all the work. I personally think he’s being too modest.
In the writing tradition of my dear friend Alice Faye Brown, I must give a shout out to my two visitors in Sunday School this past week. Ellie Owens, a second grader and Emma Owens, a fifth grader, were in town visiting their grandparents John and Charla Castleberry Owens.
I loved going to see my grandmother, Myrtle Walker, when I was a child and visiting the Baptist Church in her Oklahoma City neighborhood. It’s always fun to have our church members’ grandchildren in Sunday School.
Another visitor Sunday morning was faithful Town Talk supporter, good friend and loyal alum Class of 1976 graduate Brad Witty who resides in Houston, Texas. He was visiting his mom, Sylvia, for the weekend. Always good to see one of my favorites back in Stroud.
Not many activities in the community this week due to a week-long Thanksgiving break at school. We do have the Christmas parade coming up on December 3rd and they are taking applications for float entries.
Contact Chamber President Erin Bradley for more information. Thanksgiving is this Thursday so from your Town Talk community volunteers, we say thank you to our community, our out-of-town alums and supporters for all the donations you have given us this past year to help make our hometown the best it can be.
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us and thank you for choosing to shop local………………first!