Chamber honors Skelton

Frances Skelton was honored by the Clarendon Chamber of Commerce with the 2015 Saints’ Roost Award for her lifetime of service and commitment to the community during the annual Chamber Awards Banquet last Thursday, February 11.

Man of the Year honors went to Bob Weiss, and Katherine Monroe was named the Woman of the Year. The Sandell Drive-In was named the Business of the Year.

The Saints’ Roost Award is the highest honor given annually by the Chamber to recognize a lifetime of volunteering and community service, and Mrs. Skelton was honored for doing just that. She has been a loyal member and volunteer at the First United Methodist Church, where she and her late husband helped organize the Fellowship Sunday School Class, which now bears their name. She was a charter member of the Clarendon Country Club and is a three-time past president of the Ladies Golf Association.

She is also an avid bridge and poker player. For many years following World War II, she was an election clerk in Donley County. And today, in her ninth decade, she continues to serve others by volunteering with the senior citizens center and delivering Meals on Wheels.

The Man of the Year for 2015 is Bob Weiss, who is involved in many activities and is always willing to lend a helping hand to a good cause. He’s a hard working member of the Saints’ Roost Museum board and a former member of the Chamber board. In 2015, he helped organize and revamp the Saints Roost Celebration parade. He also has been an integral member of the committee that plans the annual Mulkey Block Party and he was part of the team that has helped light the historic Donley County Courthouse for Christmas.

Nominations for Weiss summed it up best: “He’s always available to help Clarendon,” and “He is always ready to volunteer.”

Katherine Monroe is the Woman of the Year for 2015. She has a big heart for people who are hurting and wants to help them meet their needs. In the past she’s headed up school supply and coat drives for needy children and she’s also served has a local Girl Scout leader.

Monroe was specially nominated this year for her work with the Bread of Life food pantry. Along with a team of volunteers, she works tirelessly to make sure the needs of hungry families in the community are met. What started as an effort that served about 30 families has grown to the point that the Bread of Life serves more than 160 families each month, and Monroe is there, with her team, to make sure the truck from the High Plains food bank is unloaded, that things are sorted and organized, and that the people get what they need.

The Chamber of Commerce also started a new tradition this year of honoring a business that makes a significant contribution to the fabric of our community and named the Sandell Drive-In as its first Business of the Year.

The Sandell got its start 60 years ago when Gary and Nell Barnhill combined their daughters’ names and opened the drive-in. The Barnhills helped Donley County residents make lasting memories for 24 years before changing times and lifestyles darkened the Sandell’s movie screen, seemingly forever in 1984.

But in 2002, one local man had a vision of bringing the Sandell back to life. Now, thanks to John Morrow and his family, our families have something to do on summer weekends and Clarendon has a place to brag about. John, Vicki, Evie, Dillon, Katy, and other friends and family members don’t do it for the money. They operate the Sandell because of their love for this community.

The Chamber also recognized outstanding youth from Clarendon and Hedley.

The Young Woman of Year from Clarendon is Kendra Davis. She has been in Student Council for four years, was president her junior year and acting president for her senior year. She is a member of the National Honor Society and has been on the A Honor Roll every six weeks during her high school career. She participates in UIL Academics where she has qualified for regional journalism contests. She also serves as a trainer for the Bronco athletic teams.

The Young Woman of the Year from Hedley is Kelsey Wells. She has participated in cheerleading and served as a class officer for four years. She has been in one act play for three years and has participated in UIL and National Honor Society, and is an NHS officer this year. She’s also received several academic recognitions for her performance in the classroom. She has helped with the annual Hedley chicken barbecue for four years and the NHS canned food and toy drives for three years.

The Young Man of the Year from Clarendon is Chesson Sims, who has a knack for science. He’s medaled in the last seven UIL science meets he’s entered since the spring of 2014 and won first place overall science and in Chemistry for the last four invitational meets, was the 2015 overall science district champion and the 2015 district Chemistry champion, and placed second in the regional Chemistry contest in 2015. He has already qualified for induction into the CHS Science Hall of Fame and has received Honor Cs in Chemistry, and Research & Design, Physics, will likely receive one for Problems & Solutions this spring. He’s been nominated for the US Achievement Academy in Science for 2014, 2015, and 2016. He’s involved in theatre and One Act Play, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Assembly of God youth group. He was also a member of the Bronco football and basketball teams, and was named to the district first football team.

The Young Man of the Year from Hedley is Heath McCleskey, who has had a busy career at Hedley High School. He’s played football for three years and received all-district honors this year, and he’s played basketball for four years and has been a team captain his senior year. He’s been active in the NHS and is currently an officer of that body, he’s been active in the SWAT church youth group, and he’s active in FFA and participates in livestock judging competitions. He enjoys showing animals in stock shows, and he’s been an active participant in the annual Saints Roost Celebration rodeos.

This year’s Chamber banquet followed a Mardi Gras theme, and caterer Great Western Dining reports that it served 186 people at the event, which was held in the Bairfield Activity Center.

Texas humorist Tumbleweed Smith was the speaker for the evening and entertained the crowd with funny tales and hilarious quotes from interesting characters across the state before he closed with an inspiring passage about the people of the Texas Panhandle.

Tables were sponsored by Clarendon College, The Clarendon Enterprise, Herring Bank, the Donley County Senior Citizens Center, Floyd’s Automotive Supply, Donley County Farm Bureau – Virginia Patten, Jason Ward, and the Skelton family. Tumbleweed selected the Skelton table as having the best table decoration reflecting the banquet theme and the business. Diane Skelton received the ceremonial Mardi Gras necklace for her award.

This year’s corporate sponsors were Best Western Red River Inn, The Clarendon Enterprise, Greenbelt Electric Coop., GreenLight Gas, Lowe’s Family Center, and Pioneer General Contracting.