Rain dampens celebration

Although rain soaked this year’s 133rd annual Saints’ Roost Celebration, a large crowd still gathered at the Courthouse Square on Saturday, July 3, to continue the tradition.

The celebration started off with the annual Craft Fair on the square. The Al Morrah Shrine Club served 597 plates of barbecue this year, which is down from 812 last year. Funds from the annual barbecue are used in conjunction with the Khiva Temple of the Shrine in Amarillo to help pay for the transportation of kids to the Shriners’ burns and crippled children’s hospitals.

The Old Settlers Reunion was cancelled this year due to the weather.

The Kids’ Parade was held in the rain; and winners were Kennadie and Tandie Cummins with first place and Kyndall Shields with second in the 0-4 Division, Alexia Ralston with first place and Jordan Johnson with second in the 5-8 Division, and Kaylee Campbell with first place and Taylor Patterson with second in the 9-12 Division.

Winners of the Motorized Kids’ Parade were Kasen and Kinslee Hatley with first place followed by Ben and Ella Estlack with second place. 

In the Western Parade, the Chamber of Commerce reports that Greenbelt Electric Coop., Inc., won first place in the float division, and the Clarendon High School Cheerleaders placed second. In the Riding division, Jim “Slim” Stevens and son Cedar Stevens won first place.

In the Antique Vehicles division of the parade, the Clarendon Volunteer Fire Department won first with a 1927 Seagraves Fire Truck, and Redell Johnston placed second with a 1966 Ford Mustang. The Colt Cheerleaders won first place in the Miscellaneous division.

Several organizations took advantage of this occasion to hold fundraisers, and the results are as follows. The winners of the Lions Club Cow Patty Bingo were Chardy and Izzy Craft; $50 and Kevin Buck; $50. The Clarendon Firebelle’s Penny Raffle winners were Anna Howard; $50, Linda Lincoln; $50, and Cherry Massingill; $100. Machiel Covey was the winner of the $500 worth of gas from the Clarendon Outpost.

Kenny Black won the John Deere riding lawn mower given by the Friends of Donley County Activity Center that supported Donley County 4-H. Debbie Thompson was the winner of the St. Mary’s Catholic Women Quilt Drawing. Lee Ann Cook won the BBQ grill given by the Clarendon FFA Scholarship Fund. 

The Cash for Kids drawing fundraiser raised a total of 10,000, half of which went to the grand prize winner of $5,000, which was the Sandell Drive-In. Craig Snell of Amarillo was the winner of the $250 certificate to Edes Meats, Dr. and Lori Howard won a $100 certificate to WalMart and a $100 beef certificate from 3H Cattle Feeders. Jaci McAnear was the winner of a $100 gift certificate to Wal Mart and a $100 German sausage certificate from Groom Grocery. The community’s support towards this fundraiser was appreciated.

The Henson’s annual Turtle Race was held on Friday afternoon. There were altogether 177 participants; and the winners were Elliot Frausto for the 0-4 division, Jase Moddleton of Memphis for the 5-8 division, and Cole Franks for the 9-14 division.