Celebration attendance up slightly this year

Attendance was up slightly when the 129th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration was held on the Courthouse Square Tuesday.

Comments generally favored the celebration’s return to the square this year after it was held in City Park for the last five years due to the restoration of the Courthouse. People said this year’s celebration “felt” more like the Fourth of July because it was held in its traditional location.

Appropriately, the 1890 Donley County Courthouse was in the spotlight this year, and members of the Clarendon High School Junior Historians gave tours of the building Tuesday morning.

The Craft Fair and the Old Settlers Reunion were also held Tuesday. Wes O’Neal of Holiday, Texas, traveled the greatest distance to be there.  J.T. Lamberson and Rose Lee Watson were the oldest man and woman present.  Wilma Spier was recognized as the person who has lived in Donley County the longest.

The Al Morrah Shrine Club served 882 plates of barbecue this year. In 2005, the Shriners served a little over 794 plates. Funds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Temple of the Shrine in Amarillo to help pay for transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.

The annual Western Parade had 43 entries in four divisions, up from 35 entries last year. The Chamber of Commerce reports that Donley County 4-H Club float won first place in the float division.  Phebe Ann’s Phriendly Phamily Phloat placed second.  In the Riding division, Crown of Texas Arabian Horse Club won first place while Gene Hommel and family and their 3-H Cattle Company placed second.

In the Antique Vehicles division of the parade, Wondell Luttrell won first with a 1925 Model T, and Ken and Carol Carden placed second with a 1949 Hudson Commadore. The Clarendon Country Club golf carts won first place in the Miscellaneous division, and Wondell Luttrell placed second.

Several organizations held fundraisers, and the following are the results available at press time. There were three winners of the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo – Terri Floyd, Genella Eads, and Rick Osburn. Kade Johnson of Shamrock won the custom commemorative spurs from the Clarendon Masonic Lodge. There were three winners of the Clarendon Firebelle’s Penny Raffle – Kyle Hill, Chancy Cruse, and Jason Carr. Jimmy and Joyce Philley won the custom outdoor grill given by the Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier in the week, the Clarendon Outdoor Entertainment Association held a two-day ranch rodeo and other events, which are reported separately this week.

The Kids’ Parade got things started on Saturday. Division winners were Cody Crump and Dylan Boothe in the 0-4 Division, Chardy Craft in the 5-8 Division, and Kristen Watson in the 9-12 Division.

At the annual Henson’s Turtle Race on Saturday afternoon, 124 turtles competed, which was down from last year’s 181 turtles.  Braylee Shields won the 0-4 age division.  Shiann Cook won first place in the 5-8 division.  Kevin Mitchell won the 9-14 age division.