Clarendon holds142nd celebration

Beautiful weather greeted a patriotic crowd gathered on the Courthouse Square last Saturday, July 6, for the 142nd annual Saints’ Roost Celebration.

The Kids’ Parade started the day with the youngsters peddling or driving from Third Street down Sully Street in front of the Courthouse. In the 0-4 age group, Shaylee Hall was first, Stetson Duncan and Conner Askew were second, and Delaney Chambless third. Gavin Reed won the 5-8 age group with Braxton Gribble second and Paul Bennett third. The 9 and up age group was won by Meredith Artho, Haughton Bivens second and Lindley Hill third.

The Herring Bank Parade was bigger than last year with 47 entries this year. The CHS Cheerleaders won the Grand Prize and the Float category.

Ken Carden’s 1949 Commodore Hudson won the Vehicle division. Bad S Farms won the Farm Equipment division with a 1954 Super MTA Farmall. Kenny Black won the Animal Unit division and Robin Ellis won the Other Category with Red, White, and Tutu.

In the Old Settlers Reunion, Jewel Judd and Bufford Holland were named the earliest pioneers present.
The Al Morrah Shrine Club served 660 plates of barbecue, up from 640 last year.

A portion of the proceeds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Shrine Temple in Amarillo to help pay for the transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.

Several organizations held fundraisers during the celebration. The winners of the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo were Manuela Alconeda and George Rousset, $250, and Sandy Sanders and Doris Mills, $50 each.
Henson’s annual Turtle Race was held Saturday afternoon. There were altogether 146 participants, which was down from the 173 terrapin handlers last year.

The winners were Tucker Putnam for the 0-4 division, Laityn Hanks for the 5-8 division, Brylie Gage for the 9-14 division, and Robbin Hanks for the adult division. Each child division winner received $50 in prizes.