News

Clarendon Chamber of Commerce officials are hoping folks will continue to shop locally this month as merchants plan four nights of Late Night Shopping and prize giveaways.

Several merchants will be staying open late the next four Thursday nights, December 2, 9, 16, and 23.

Shoppers can register at any “Shop Donley County” merchant throughout the week for the prize drawings on Late Nights. You do have to be present to win, and the location of the drawing will be at different locations each week. This week’s drawing will take place at Loaded Nutrition / Rambling Ranch Boutique at 204 S. Kearney at 8 p.m.

Merchants known at press time to be open past 5 p.m. this week include Floyd’s Automotive until 5:30, Buckin’ Bean until 7:00, Clarendon Outpost until 10:00, Outpost Deli until 8:00, Cornell’s Country Store until 6:00, Broken Road Jr. Liquor Store until 7:00, Henson’s until 8:00, Every Nook & Cranny until 8:00, Loaded Nutrition / Rambling Ranch Boutique, and Saye’s Flying ‘A’ Tack until 8:00.

For the latest information about Late Night Shopping including participating merchants, visit ClarendonTx.com/ChamberEvents.

According to small business advocates, every $100 spent in locally-owned stores returns $68 to the local community through taxes, payrolls, and other expenditures. That same money spent in another town or online returns nothing to your local community.

Shop at home this holiday season and remember the important role your local merchants play in keeping your community strong.

The Clarendon Enterprise is preparing to run its express edition to the North Pole very soon, and children need to get their Letters to Santa turned in by next Wednesday, December 8.
Letters can be emailed to ads@clarendonlive.com, mailed to PO Box 1110, Clarendon, TX 79226, or dropped by the office at 105 S. Kearney.

As part of a national day known as GivingTuesday, the local Donley County Community Fund (DCCF) is participating in The Panhandle Gives campaign.

For nine days from November 22 through November 30, all funds raised locally will be increased through a match from the Amarillo Area Foundation.

“Participating in this campaign is an opportunity for our local fund balance to grow,” DCCF chair Jacob Fangman said.

The DCCF is a local board whose purpose is to raise money for a perpetuating fund while contributing a portion of the money to local organizations.

Over the past five years, the DCCF has been able to give $6,000 to local charities.
So that the local DCCF can benefit from the match, anyone wishing to participate will need to give their donation by Monday, November 29, so that the final deposit can be made on GivingTuesday.

Contributions can be mailed to Donley County Community Fund, c/o Jacob Fangman, Box 906, Clarendon, TX 79226. Checks should be made out to The Panhandle Gives, with DonleyCCF written on the memo line.

By Ted Harbin

The Clarendon College rodeo team has been gaining some incredible momentum over the last few years, and it has only gotten better in 2021.

The proof is in the pudding with three former Bulldog cowboys having earned qualifications to the National Finals Rodeo, the sport’s grand finale that features the top 15 contestants from the regular season in each event.

Leading the way is two-time qualifier Wyatt Casper of Miami, Texas, who finished the 2020 season as the reserve world champion. He became the first national champion in Clarendon history when he won the saddle bronc riding crown in 2016. He will be joined by fellow bronc rider Tegan Smith of Winterset, Iowa, who finished third at the 2019 College National Finals Rodeo; Smith finished the 2021 PRCA regular season in 10th place, one spot behind Casper.

Cole Franks rounds out the trio of qualifiers, earning his spot by finishing 12th in the bareback riding world standings. Franks, the son of Clarendon College rodeo coach Bret Franks, is coming off a tremendous 2021 campaign; he was named the PRCA Bareback Riding Rookie of the Year.

All that came after being one of the guiding forces behind Clarendon’s men’s team title at the college finals this past June. He dominated bareback riding to claim that national title, then added to it by qualifying for the championship round at the CNFR in saddle bronc riding, securing the all-around national title, too.

All three will be recognized and honored during an NFR Sendoff Party and Prime Rib Dinner, set for 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, at the Donley County Activity Center. Tickets are $100 (for two people), and proceeds will go to the Clarendon College rodeo team.

“I think it’s a pretty special deal that we have three NFR qualifiers from our little college, so we wanted to put something together to honor them,” Bret Franks said. “We also want to put something together to raise awareness and money for the rodeo program. Every ticket will be entered into a $1,000 cash drawing.

“We will also have live music and a silent auction, so we hope it’s a lot of fun for everyone and gives them a chance to wish our cowboys luck in Las Vegas.”
For more information about the sendoff party and prime rib dinner, contact Franks at 806-440-1366.