Images

The Clarendon Enterprise received nine awards as well as a community service award at the 111th annual Panhandle Press Association Convention in Amarillo last Saturday, July 24.

Competing in Division One for weekly newspapers, Benjamin Estlack picked up First Place for the Enterprise for Humorous Columns.

The Enterprise won second place honors for Best Sports Photos by Elaina Estlack and Benjamin Estlack, Spot News Photos by Elaina Estlack and Roger Estlack, Advertising Initiative for work by Ashlee Estlack and Roger Estlack, News Writing by Roger Estlack, Best Society & Lifestyles, and Best Feature Stories.

The newspaper also received third place for Headline Writing and Special Sections.

In addition, the Enterprise received the Ken Towery Community Service Award for its comprehensive coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, including its use of social media and online reporting to inform the public about that disease and for the impact of the Donley County Social Hour during that time – a weekly Facebook Live featuring Editor Roger Estlack and Donley County Attorney Landon Lambert.

General Excellence in Division One this year went to the Canadian Record.

Former Texas Spur owners Grady and Jo Ann Harrison were inducted into the PPA Hall of Fame.

This year’s convention also included a Past Presidents Reunion which attracted about 18 former PPA presidents and secretaries. Convention attendees also this year enjoyed an Amarillo Sod Poodles game at Hodgetown in addition to the regular camaraderie and work sessions.

The PPA was led this year by Fritch publisher Tara Huff, who will remain on the board as the Immediate Past President. Other board members include President Jeff Blackmon of Hereford, Vice President Tim Ritter of Canyon, and Secretary/Treasurer Roger Estlack of Clarendon along with directors Mary Dudley of Perryton, Michael Wright of Dumas, Mary Smithee of Canadian, and Shane Lance of Quanah

Attending this year’s annual Panhandle Press Association convention from Clarendon were Roger, Ashlee, Benjamin, and Elaina Estlack and Tara and Mason Allred along with Doug, Nancy, Aaron, Amy, Gage, and Paden Kidd and Michael, Anndria, Matthew, and Monroe Newhouse.

Howardwick reports that its 2021 Hoedown was the best one so far after an estimated 250 people attended the event last Saturday, July 17.

“It was a great event, even better than the first one,” City Secretary Sandra Childress said. “I am so thankful for our community volunteers and was super pleasantly surprised at the turnout.”

Two days before the event, Childress had planned to have McMorries Memorial Park mowed by city employees for the event. But before the scheduled mowing could happen, a squadron of community volunteers showed up on riding lawnmowers and did the job without being asked.

Childress said food sold out for the Hoedown and said “The Twerks” did an excellent job providing music for the event.

“I’ll hire that band a hundred times,” she said. “They were so good and played a lot of different things.”

A water slide dubbed “The Big Kahuna” was a hit among kids, and a petting zoo and freedom train were also popular.

Raffle drawings throughout the day made winners of many people attending the Hoedown. Childress said prizes for the raffle kept being donated to the city right up through the last second.

Gene White was the winner of the John Boat, which was the big prize for the day.
The Hoedown, the second one since 2019, was scheduled to run through 6 p.m., but at about ten minutes until six, Childress said a storm hit with high wind and heavy rain.

“It ended with a bang,” Childress said, and she is already making plans for the future.

“My head is spinning for the next one,” she said. “I think it can be even better.”

A beautiful Saturday morning was the perfect setting for the 144th annual Saints’ Roost Celebration July 3 at the Donley County Courthouse as Clarendon continued its tradition of celebrating America’s independence from the British crown.

Unseasonably cool temperatures with a bit of cloud cover greeted the crowd, which grew steadily as the morning went along. Soaking rains the week before and a brief shower that morning had the humidity higher than usual, but most folks agreed it was good trade off to avoid the typical hot July weather.

Unlike last year, social distancing was no where to be seen and masks were a rarity as booths returned to their usual locations and arrangements following the height of the pandemic last summer. Sanitizing stations were the main reminder that, for the unvaccinated, the threat of COVID-19 has not fully passed.

The Chamber of Commerce’s Kids’ Parade started the day with the youngsters peddling or driving in front of the Courthouse. A new “motorized” division was up first with Zaylee Jaramillo, first; Jack Trollinger, second; and Dawson Hall, third. In the 0-4 age group, Kendal Danner was first; Luke Leeper was second, and Zayne Portillo was third. Paden Kidd won the 5-8 age group with Lydia Balogh second and Memory Farmer third. The 9 and up age group was won by Meredith Artho in first place, Gage Kidd second, and Kase Zongker third.

The Herring Bank Parade followed the kids’ event and was very festive with nearly all of the entries following the parade theme, which recognized the opening of the new Aquatic Center this year: Make A Splash in Clarendon. The Bronco Cheerleaders’ float was the best in its category and the girls also won the Grand Prize as the best entry overall. Jerry Green’s Farmall tractor was the Best Farm Equipment, Zack’s Cheese was the Best Animal Entry, Shelby and Kutter O’Keefe had the Best Other entry, and Steve Carthel won the Best Car/Truck trophy for the second year in a row.

There was no organized Old Settlers Reunion this year.

The Al Morrah Shrine Club served 640 plates of barbecue this year, which was up significantly from 450 last year but still down slightly from 2019’s 660 plates. 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.

A celebrity dunking booth was set up by the Bronco Cheerleaders. Eager kids and donors lined up to cool off several notable people including school administrators, members of the state champion Bronco Basketball team, and County Attorney Landon Lambert.

The Donley County 4-H raffled off a gun, and Adam McDaniel of Kansas won it. The Clarendon Lions Club’s Cow Patty Bingo was won by Kierston Watts, Jacob Fangman, Sarah Mendez, and Halee Kotara. William Hoggard won the gun safe from the Bronco Band Boosters, and Mary Ruth White won the Chamber’s quarterly Shop Donley County drawing for $500.

Henson’s annual Turtle Race was also held Saturday afternoon. There were altogether 164 kids racing in three divisions, up from 98 youngsters last year. In addition, 46 adults entered a grown-up category.

Winning turtle jockeys were Kilynn Miller for the 0-4 division, Khloe Shadle for the 5-8 division, Caleb Askew for the 9-16 division, and Mandy Jaramillo for the adult division.