I hope you had a very merry Christmas and now we are facing a New Year. It has been quite a year has 2024. Let us see what 2025 will be like.
I went to the Family Restaurant & Daiquiris to Go on South Byrd Avenue on Christmas Day. Earlier this business had received the Shepherd Chamber of Commerce Business of the Month plaque and the celebrated the Day by cooking and giving away nearly 200 meals.
A lot of people showed up and enjoyed a great variety of foods from chicken ‘n’ dumplings to fish to beef stew, fried chicken with potato salad, desserts and sodas and more. Call (346) 988-5059 for information on renting the restaurant or ordering meals.
The restaurant was beautifully decorated, and Santa showed up to have photos taken with some of the customers. Walterine and her sister Carla with family members also delivered meals to many people. Sari’ah Washington is a granddaughter to Walterine. Her family lost their home to Hurricane Beryl and are looking forward to moving into a new place soon.
• This week has been family and friends for us. I am grateful to all of them for the beautiful times we have shared. I am also grateful for the advances made in communication. With Zoom, Facetime, cell phones which can also show faces, it is so good to keep in touch with family members who are far away.
• Brenda Myers and her Impact Children & Community Center and Crisis Center is working hard to help as many people as she and her hard working team are able. The Christmas Tree I mentioned last week displays many memories of people who are loved who passed away or are dear to the hearts of friends and family. It is called the ‘Healing Christmas Tree’ and I would like to show you this poem, written by the Rev. Chester Holloway of First Baptist Church in Shepherd.
Under the light of the Shepherd moon stands a tree for all to see
It‘s a healing tree.
It represents love and friendship and family
It’s a healing tree.
It shines its light deep into the community
It’s a healing tree.
It towers over 20 feet tall
A mountain of love
It’s a healing tree.
A community of ornaments hangs on its shell
in honor, love and memory of those we knew so well
It’s a healing tree.
It is open for the community to add an ornament
that represents someone they love,
It’s a healing tree.
And as a new one is added, a prayer is lifted up,
It’s a healing tree.
It’s the one thing for Christmas we didn’t even know
we needed. It’s a gift founded with love...for love..
To the community,
It’s a healing tree.
Give it a visit, stop by and see
A blessing you will find on the
Shepherd Community Healing Tree.
—The Rev. Chester Holloway.
The tree stands outside the Impact Center Resale Shop.
Happy New Year everyone.
Contact the Shepherd Chamber of Commerce at (210) 995-7420 or the Coldspring Chamber at (936) 653-2184.
Yvonne Cones is president of the Shepherd Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Coldspring Chamber of Commerce.
