WACA Offers 2026 Scholarships for Community Careers

The Winchester Area Civic Association (WACA) will be offering scholarship(s) to person(s) enrolled or enrolling in an institute of higher learning for careers in the professions helping in the community such as nursing, teaching, criminology/peace officer, fire sciences, dental, radiology/ imaging, EMT certification/ paramedic or other degree areas that helps in this or your future community.

The Winchester Area Civic Association feels careers in these areas serve our community and this is a way to show appreciation to those entering these fields.

To qualify:

• You must be a resident of the area serviced by Winchester Area Civic Association.

• Be a senior attending or have attended a school in the area serviced by Winchester Area Civic Association.

• Enrolled in an institute of higher learning program by the fall of 2026. Proof of enrollment must be submitted before the scholarship is funded. Checks will be mailed to the institution that you are enrolled in.

• Or you must have been enrolled in college for at least one semester. You must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher.

Application deadline is April 30.

Contact Barbara Schafer at richardbarbschafer@gmail. com or call (254) 644 0336 for an application which must be submitted by email, hand delivery or by USPS to mailbox by April 30, 2026.

Submit Application by email or usps to: richardbarbschafer@ gmail.com or: WACA Community Serv ce Scholarship Committee, ℅ Barbara Schafer, 8945 Hwy. 153, Winchester, Texas 78945.

Mother’s Day Chicken BBQ 

Pre-sale for Mother’s Day chickens can be placed now. Orders can be picked up on May 10, 10:30 a.m.-noon at the St. Michael’s Park.

The price for a whole chicken is $15 with BBQ Sauce containers at $2 each.

Sign-up sheets are available in the St. Michael’s Church Narthex and at Shorty’s in Winchester or order by calling/texting Kelly at (979) 966-7414 or Jake at (979) 966-7416.

All proceeds will support our Youth Group.

Women’s Luncheon 

The May luncheon for the Winchester Women will be on Thursday, May 14 at 11 a.m. at Murphy’s Steakhouse in Winchester. Please come and bring a friend. Contact Bobbie Hajek, at (970) 639-1646, to make reservations so she can let the restaurant know the number of participants.

Quilt Block Class 

If you are interested in taking a quilt block class, the next class will be scheduled on June 13 and runs from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. with a cost of $90. All supplies are provided for you to finish a 2’x2’ block. Design templates are available. Please dress appropriately for painting.

Bring your lunch and beverage. There is a refrigerator, microwave, and Keurig available Class size is limited to 10. To register for a class go to www.quiltblocktrail.com and complete the registration form. Your registration is not confirmed until payment is received. After filling in the registration form you may pay by credit card. Look for “click here” to complete the transaction. If you wish to pay by check, make checks payable to WACA and send them to: WACA, 8945 FM 153, Winchester Texas 78945. For more information, contact Karen Kilian at (979) 966-7091.

Recycling Trailer 

All cardboard boxes need to be broken down before placing them in the recycling trailer. 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. The Winchester Recycling trailer is located on the side of Zilss Hall on Memorial Hall Street. Place your recycling in the appropriate bins.

Winchester Quilt Block Trail 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 on the Quilt Block Trail. 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, Zilss Hall, Murphy’s Steakhouse, quilt stores, and other businesses in Giddings, Smithville, and La Grange.

Zilss Community Hall 

Anyone wishing to rent Zilss Hall should contact (512) 434-0292. The hall is inexpensive and air conditioned and available for rentals.

The Little Free Library 

The library is on the covered patio at the 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 birthday greetings to Betsy Anderson-April 7; Pastor Nate Hill-9; Ambri Gooch-10; Maclyn Lehmann-12; Jody Pinter and Shelby Miertschin-13.

Anniversaries 

Happy Anniversary wishes are extended to Darline and Robert Hamff-April 8 and Gladys and Carlton Musgrove- 13.

Winchester United Methodist The United Methodist Church has service on the first and third Sunday of the month at 9 a.m. Richard Johnson is the pastor.

Shiloh Baptist Church 

The Shiloh Baptist Church is located on FM 153 at North Raymond Road. For more information, contact Rev. Paul Whitmill at (512) 629-1428.

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 10:30 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, Irma Gersch, Sam Gibbs, Bea Kilian, Ramona Lopez, Travis Miertschin, Jodi Miller, Scott Miller, Kolton Montgomery, Travis Odom, Eddie Schneider, Dana Srubar, and Layne Schramm.

Calendar of Events 

April 14-Young at Heart meets at 2 p.m. at Zilss Hall.

April 14-Winchester Area Volunteer Fire Department meeting begins at 7 p.m. at the Fire Station.

Have News? 

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