Feb. 3 Shrimp Boil Benefits Winchester 4-H

The 5th Annual Shrimp Boil to benefit the Winchester 4-H Youth Projects will be held on Saturday, Feb. 3. The shrimp boil will begin at 6 p.m. at the St. Michael’s Park. Tickets are available from any Winchester 4-H member, the Winchester Depot and Ice Cream Junction, and Shorty’s. Tickets are $40 each. Please support the youth of Winchester.

Taste of Winchester 

WACA will host Taste of Winchester, a community event on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. at Zilss Hall. Competition categories are appetizers, main dish, desserts, chef in training and sausage royalty, homemade sausage. The divisions will be the Chef division for 18 and older; Sous Chef for ages 9-15 and Chef in Training for ages 8 and under. Prizes will be awarded in all categories and cash prizes will be awarded. Come join your neighbors for an evening of food and fun.

Domino Tournament 

The annual domino tournament and fried chicken dinner, sponsored by WACA, has been set for Sunday, Feb. 18 at the St. Michaels’s Park Pavilion in Winchester, with dinner beginning at 11 a.m. The tournament will start at 1 p.m. with both “Straight” and “42” dominos being played. Dinner will be $15 a plate and the registration for the tournament being $10 per player. There will be a Silent Auction and dinner “to go order” will be available.

Quilt Block Classes Return 

After a three-month hiatus, the Winchester Quilt Block classes will begin on Feb. 10. The classes taught by Margaret Atkin, Pat Karisch and Rhoda Gersch start at 10 a.m. and will run to 4 p.m. at Zilss Hall. The class participants will complete a two-foot by two-foot quilt board suitable for hanging on a fence, barn, porch, etc. You must register for the class at quiltblocktrail. com. You may also pay for the class on that website. If you have any questions, please contact Rhoda Gersch at rmgersch@yahoo.com.

 Barn Board Quilt Trail

Wanting to take a drive in the country? Then drive out to Winchester, pick up a map at Murphy’s or Zilss Hall, and enjoy viewing the sixty-five quilt blocks displayed in our area. The trail is self-driven, available at your convenience, and is a wonderful way to spend an afternoon viewing quilt blocks on fences, gates, barns, and houses that can be seen from the road. Winchester Barn Board Quilt Trail maps may be picked up at the Texas Quilt Museum, Casino Hall, the Wendish Museum, quilt stores, and other businesses in Giddings, Smithville, and La Grange.

Recycling Trailer 

The Winchester recycling trailer is located on the side of Zilss Hall on Memorial Hall Street. Please place your recycling in the appropriate bins. We would appreciate it if you made sure that you close the bins so that any trash will remain in the bins and not blow out. Reminder: these bins are NOT for household garbage. Please, recycle items only.

Zilss Community Hall Anyone wishing to rent Zilss Hall should contact (512) 434-0292. The hall is inexpensive and air conditioned. The hall will be unavailable for rental in January 2024 due to renovations.

WinchesterArea VFD 

The Winchester Area Volunteer Fire Department is looking for fire department volunteers. Due to the retirement of many of the older volunteers, new fire department personnel are needed. Training is provided. If you have questions, please contact one of the current firefighters for information about how you can join or attend one of the weekly meetings on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. at the Fire Station in Winchester.

The Little Free Library 

The library is on the covered patio at Hall and is always open and has a variety of authors. Space is limited, so please, if you donate a book(s) look through the current selection and take as many as you leave. Also on the patio, there is a bulletin board available to post event notices.

Birthdays 

Wishing happy birthdays Dylan Robbins-Jan. 23; Amanda Palfy-24; Mark Mc-Clain, Angel Clowers and Jack Hill-25; Chris Wich-27; and Grace Embesi-29.

Anniversaries 

Anniversary congratulation to Judy and Lee Latham-Jan. 25

Condolences 

Condolences are sent to the family of Pastor Patricia Zaointz-Newcomer who passed away on Jan. 17. Pastor Patricia will be missed by her church family of the Winchester Methodist Church where she has served as Pastor for a number of years. She is survived by her father Adrian Zaiontz, a brother, and three sisters as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

First United Methodist Church 

The Winchester First United Methodist Church has service on the first and third Sunday of the month. Due to the death of Pastor Patricia Zaointz-Newcomer, service times are to be announced prior to the service.

Shiloh Baptist Church 

The Shiloh Baptist Church is located on FM 153 at North Raymond Road. For more information, please contact Rev. Paul Whitmill at (512) 6291428. 

St. Michael’s Lutheran

The weekly worship service takes place at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning in the sanctuary. Following the worship service, you may gather in the Education Building for Bible Study and Sunday School beginning at 10:15 p.m. The Reverend Nate Hill is the pastor. You are welcome to visit.

In Our Prayers 

Those on the prayer list include: Kourtney Burton, Sam Gibbs, Bea Kilian, Ramona Lopez, Travis Miertschin, Colton Montgomery, Marceil Prestridge, Layne Schramm.

Remembering Our Shut-Ins 

Charlene Franke, Evelyn Kasper, Mary Lehmann, Lillian Pietsch, Thelma Kieschnick, and Audrey Koenning.

Calendar of Coming Events 

Jan. 23-Young at Heart meets at 2 p.m. at Zilss Hall.

Jan. 23Winchester Area Volunteer Fire Department meets at 7 p.m. at the Fire Station.

Jan. 28-Taste of Winchester begins at 5 p.m. at Zilss Hall.

Have News? 

If you have news to share with readers of the Winchester News column, contact Rhoda Gersch at (512)237-0842 or email rmgersch@yahoo.com.