Winchester VFD Seeks Volunteers

Bernice Marnach celebrated her 95th birthday at Young at Heart where she enjoys friends and dominoes. Twenty six individuals surprised Bernice and celebrated her big day. Bernice is the mother of Barbara Schafer of Winchester and has moved from Sioux Falls, South Dakota to live with Barb and her husband Richard in Winchester. Pictured standing are Richard Schafer, Rahel Schafer, Betty Richter, Evelyn Parker and Elizabeth Kipp. Seated are Barb Schafer, Bernice and Joan Schenker. Grandson Rick Schafer and great grandchildren Vallen and Vail are in front.

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.

Taste of Winchester

The Winchester Area Civic Association will host their 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!

4-H Annual Shrimp Boil Saturday, Feb. 3, has been selected for the date of the 5th Annual Shrimp Boil to benefit the Winchester 4-H Youth Projects. 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.

Dominos & Fried Chicken The annual domino tournament and fried chicken dinner, sponsored by WACA, has been set for Sunday, February 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.

Round Table Book Club The Round Table book club will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. at Zilss Hall. Two books will be discussed. “Walking Across Egypt” by Clyde Edgerton was postponed from December and the January read is “Someone Else’s Shoes” by Jojo Moyes. Everyone is welcome, 2024 Quilt Block Classes 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, 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, recyclable 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.

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 to Lucas Clowers-Jan. 16; Ed Dykes-17; Linda Krautz and Shane Herzog-19; Sharon Clowers-20; and Karen Derr-22. Anniversaries

Anniversary congratulation to Sarah and Lucas Cavett-Jan. 16.

First United Methodist

The Winchester First United Methodist Church has service on the first and third Sunday of the month at 8:30 a.m. The Rev. Patricia Zaiontz-Newcomer is the pastor.

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 a.m. The Rev. 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, and Pastor Patricia Zaiontz-Newcomer. Remembering Our Shut-Ins Charlene Franke, Evelyn Kasper, Mary Lehmann, Lillian Pietsch, Thelma Kieschnick, and Audrey Koenning.

Calendar of Coming Events Jan. 16-Round Table Book Club meets at 7 p.m. at Zilss Hall-Discussing “Walking Across Egypt” by Clyde Edgerton and “Someone Else’s Shoes” by Jojo Moyes.

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

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

Jan. 28-Taste of Winchester at Zilss Hall.

Have News?

If anyone has news to share and/or corrections call me, Rhoda Gersch, at (512)2370842 or email rmgersch@yahoo. com.