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Great music, great food, and a great time marked the opening gala of the Mulkey Theatre Saturday night, May 25.

Thunderstorms and downpours stopped a few ticketholders from attending the event, but a large crowd still braved the elements and turned out to enjoy an evening of entertainment.

A red carpet awaited those arriving after they had their photos taken in front of a custom Mulkey backdrop at the Visitor Center office. Once inside the newly renovated 1946 theatre, a feast was available in front of the new Mulkey stage and in the balcony with food expertly prepared by Great Western Dining and beverages provided by the Broken Road liquor store and the Chamber of Commerce.

Click here for photos of the Gala Opening.

The threat of severe weather in the Panhandle area caused performers from the musical drama “TEXAS” to cancel their scheduled appearance, but organizers quickly adapted the program and proceeded with the Mulkey festivities.

Howardwick residents and stars of the PBS series “Two For The Road” Dusty and Nikki Green served as masters of ceremonies for the evening and welcomed the crowd, and Clarendon Economic Development Corporation Secretary Roger Estlack thanked those who had helped the Mulkey project through the years.

Live entertainment was provided for the evening by the South Plains Dance Orchestra, a 16-piece big band that performed several selections from the World War II era and up through 1946, the year the Mulkey opened. The band also performed a Bob Wills tune in honor of his roots in this area. The acoustics of the renovated auditorium were praised by those attending.
As storms continued to flare up outside, power to the town – and consequently the theatre – went out briefly at least three times, but that never stopped the performance on the stage. Emergency lights kicked in immediately, and the band never missed a single beat. The show went on.

Following an intermission and the clearing of the stage, the big screen was lowered and an updated version of the Greens’ documentary, “Cinema City: The Mulkey & Clarendon,” featuring interviews with Bob Bell, the son of Lema Mulkey’s business manager Lee Bell; former Mulkey projectionist John Molder; Don and Maxine Robinson – who had their first date at the Mulkey; and the late Jean Stavenhagen. Updated footage included a time-lapse video of the installation of the seats in the theater and a dedication to Stavenhagen at the end of the video.

The audience also got to enjoy the premier of the trailer for the third season of “Two For The Road,” getting a glimpse of the Greens’ latest world travels displayed larger than life on the Mulkey screen.

A second intermission sent the audience back to the lobby for Cokes and popcorn before the feature presentation. Back in its original location, the Mulkey’s 1946 popcorn machine was serving its intended purpose after a week-long restoration at the hands of Sandell Drive-In owner John Morrow. The machine has been put on permanent loan to the Mulkey by Vicky and Chuck Robertson in memory of Patrick Robertson.

The first feature film in the new Mulkey was John Wayne and Claudette Colbert in the 1946 “Without Reservations.”
The Mulkey’s grand re-opening continued on Sunday and Monday with free matinees at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. “Grease” was followed by “The Majestic” on Sunday, and “Despicable Me” was followed by “The Cowboys” on Monday afternoon.

Mulkey organizers will be off this week but plan to begin showing new movies next Friday, June 7. Showtimes and movie selections will be posted at ClarendonTX.com/Mulkey and on Facebook.com/mulkeytheatre.

Donley County high school graduates for 2019 received $174,060 to further their education, according to announcements made by Clarendon and Hedley high schools.

Clarendon High School seniors are eligible for or have received $125,550, and the total for Hedley seniors is $48,510.
Students from both Clarendon and Hedley are eligible for $500 from Clarendon College. The Bulldog Bucks Tuition Assistance Program will help to defray the cost of tuition, fees, books, and housing costs. Bulldog Bucks can be used to cover any unpaid balance up to $250 per semester. That represents a $16,000 commitment to the youth of Clarendon and a $5,500 commitment to Hedley seniors.

CC President Robert Riza has also instituted a tuition cap so that Clarendon and Hedley graduates will never have to pay for more than 12 credit hours per semester no matter how many hours they take. Additionally, there is also been a $20,000 commitment by the Clarendon College Foundation to fund the PEAK scholarship for Clarendon High School dual credit students while still in high school.

Clarendon’s Class of 2019 completed a total of 537 dual credit hours through Clarendon College.

“We at CHS would like to express our appreciation to Clarendon College and Dr. Riza, president,” CHS Principal Larry Jeffers said during graduation.

Local graduates were also recognized by Clarendon College this year with honor cords for seniors who have completed dual credit classes while in high school. Green and gold honor cords to signify that they have completed 20 or more hours, and green and white honor cords to signify they have earned between eight and 19 hours of college credit.

Individual recognitions for Hedley are as follows:
Jayden Lambert received the Lila Kate & Kylie Allison Monroe Scholarship for $300, a University Interscholastic League Scholar Award, an award for the Highest Ranking High School Graduate, the Capital Farm Credit Scholarship for $250, and a Herring Bank Scholarship for $500.

Kasie Hinton was awarded the Cross Road Peanuts Scholarship for $500, the Bill Talley Memorial Scholarship for $1,000, a Hedley Lions Club Scholarship for $500, a National Western Stock Show Scholarship for $1,200, and a Texas Braunvieh Association Scholarship valued at $4,000.

Jasmine McCleskey received a Herring Bank Scholarship for $300 and a Lioness Club Scholarship for $100.
Leslie Aizaga won a La Sierra University Achievement Award valued at $34,360.

Individual recognitions for Clarendon were:

Zoe Adams was awarded the Jacob Dean Smith Memorial Scholarship for $500 per semester for one year.

Dalton Benson eceived a $750 PEAK Scholarship, a $6,500 Academic Scholarship and $2,000 Honors Program Scholarship, both from Lubbock Christian University.

Chardy Craft received the Jack Roach Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is for $500 per semester for two years or $2000

Isaac Dunham has been awarded a $500 Clarendon Masonic Lodge Scholarship and a Livestock Judging Scholarship to attend Clarendon College valued at $1,500.

Kyla Dunham has been awarded one of two $300 Mae Jeffers Memorial Scholarships.

Noab Elam received the Walter B. Knorpp Valedictory Scholarship to Clarendon College valued up to $4,000. Noab is the recipient of the Walter B. Knorpp Valedictory Scholarship. He has also received the Valedictory Scholarship awarded by the State of Texas, which is a tuition waiver valued at up to $5,000 dependent upon the choice of state college.

Preston Elam received a $750 PEAK Scholarship, a $500 Les Beaux Arts Club Scholarship, and $300 from Herring Bank.

Brandalyn Ellis received a $300 scholarship form the Donley County Retired School Personnel Association, $3,000 from the Texas Quarter Horse Association, $2,000 from the Junior Rodeo Cowboys Association, a $1,000 Tri-State Rodeo Scholarship, a Texas High School Rodeo Association Scholarship for $1,000, and a $500 Clarendon Lions Club Scholarship. Her final scholarship is a 4-H scholarship for $20,000.

Cole Franks has received a $750 PEAK Scholarship, a Clarendon Mason Lodge Scholarship for $500, and the Crossroads Peanut Scholarship for $500. He has also received a $500 scholarship from Herring Bank and $650 from the Texas High School Rodeo Association Region 3, and his final scholarship is a $2,500 per year Rodeo Scholarship to Clarendon College.

Caton Grahn is the recipient of the third Clarendon Masonic Lodge Scholarship for $500, a $750 PEAK Scholarship, and the Capital Farm Credit Scholarship of $500. Caton also received the annual Bill Talley Memorial Scholarship for $1,000 and a Trinity Valley Community College Beef Cattle Show Team scholarship for $800 per semester.

Jenci Hernandez has been accepted into the Clarendon College Honors Program. She also received a $500 Lions Club Scholarship and a $250 Homer Estlack Memorial Scholarship.

Emily Johnson was awarded a $500 Lions Club Scholarship, a $500 Kennedy Lee Scholarship, a $500 Josephine Anderson Leadership Scholarship, a $500 M.S. and Meek Lane Doss Endowed Opportunity Scholarship, and Emily’s final scholarship is a $500 Les Beaux Art Club Scholarship.

Tessa Lutters received a $750 PEAK Scholarship and $300 Mae Jeffers Memorial Scholarship.

Christian Wooten was awarded a $750 PEAK Scholarship.

Gavin Word has been accepted into the Clarendon College Honors Program. He was also awarded a PEAK Scholarship for $750, the Walter B. Knorpp Salutatorian Scholarship, and the West Texas A&M University Institution Scholarship for $4000 a year for four years or $16,000.

Cameron Smith has received multiple athletic scholarship offers. North Lake Community College in Irving, Cedar Valley Community College in Lancaster, and Bethany Community College in Bethany, Kansas. Cameron has accepted, signed, and will be playing for Brookhaven Community College in Farmers Branch.

CHS officials say these are scholarships of which they were made aware. Many of these scholarships are broken into semesters and are contingent on meeting GPA requirements and may go unclaimed because of the student’s choice of college.
Principal Larry Jeffers said in addition to the awards from Clarendon College, the total awarded to Clarendon graduates included $59,450 of local and area scholarships.

“I would like to thank our local clubs, individuals, organizations, and Clarendon College for coming through for our students. Congratulations to all of our recipients and a sincere thank you to all of those people that provided these scholarships.”
CHS also presented three annual awards during graduation. Sandrea Smith was named the Girl Athlete of the Year, Caton Grahn received the Fighting Heart Award, and Brandalyn Ellis was named the 2019 recipient of the Knorpp Cup Award.