TASCA Tally February 2015

Stay young ! Get involved !

Page 1

volunteer to maintain and update our

website. We thank TASCA member Sally Schultz for her great suggestions on how we

can make the TASCA website better and hope to be able to implement the changes

and updates as soon as possible.

If you or someone you know sounds like a good candidate for this or any of these

volunteer positions, please contact the TASCA office at (903) 871-3217, or just pop

in and tell us whenever you’re here.

TASCA WILL HOLD AN OPEN

BOARD MEETING THIS MONTH In conjunction with this month’s Potluck

Dinner, TASCA invites members to attend the first of four Open Board Meetings that

will occur this year. The meeting will be on

February 10, the second Tuesday of the month. The Potluck will be from 4:30-5:30

PM and the Board Meeting will follow.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

AT TASCA INCREASE As you know, most non-profit organizations like TASCA thrive on great volunteers and we’ve

had so many wonderful members who have helped with our many events over the years. We

can never thank you enough for all you do

for TASCA. We’ve had a number of inquiries recently from

people interested in volunteering for TASCA. With that in mind, we’re listing some

opportunities for prospective volunteers. One of the events that TASCA has been

known for since its inception is the wonderful

ballroom dances that longtime member Doris Sharp has planned and organized with such

grace for years. We’re sad to say that Doris is passing that

very momentous duty on, and we find ourselves

in need of volunteers to fill her shoes if ballroom dances are to continue at TASCA. Doris, thanks

so much for making these dances happen and run so smoothly all this time!

Also, another beloved TASCA volunteer, Inez Williams, who has been concessions manager at

our monthly Country & Western dances, is

stepping down. Inez, we love you, and thank you for your unwavering loyalty and work

for TASCA! Now we need concession workers for the

Country and Western Dances. The hours are

6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on the first and third Saturday of each month.

TASCA also has need of a computer-savvy

FREE ONE-ON-ONE BRIDGE

LESSONS NOW AVAILABLE Our favorite Bridge Guru, Milton Tompkins has graciously agreed to offer Bridge

lessons at any time during TASCA’s normal open hours, including 7:00 PM on Tuesday

evenings. The lessons will be by

appointment only and can be taught one-on-one. If you would like to learn to

play, you can make arrangements with Milton by calling (903) 876-4165. The

lessons are free of charge.

TASCA Tally February 2015

Page 2

TYLER MUSEUM OF ART EXHIBITION

COMMEMORATES THE ANNIVERSARY OF

THE CIVIL WAR Tyler Museum of Art (TMA) has two new exhibits which opened on December 19, featuring the legacy of the Civil War. Between the States: Photographs of the American Civil War from the George Eastman House Collection will be on display through February 15 in TMA’s North Gallery. The collection spotlights photographs taken by Mathew Brady and Alexander Gardner, who brought the reality of war home to the American public between 1861 and 1865. The exhibition is organized by the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York and guest-curated by Dr. Clair Robertson, assistant professor of art and art history at the University of Texas at Tyler. The second exhibit titled The American Civil War’s Impact on Tyler highlights the local war effort with an array of period clothing (including a Confederate Uniform), weaponry, photographs, maps and numerous other historical artifacts of local origin. The museum is offering free admission throughout the exhibition. TMA invites seniors to view these new exhibits as well as the museum’s permanent collection titled Contemporary Texas, which highlights almost 30 works from Texas artists including Fisher and Surls, Terry Allen, David Bates and Skeet McAuley. Visitors 65 and older are invited to view museum exhibits free during Seniors Day Monday, January 19. The Museum opens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE Since the New Year began, we’ve had a number of new members and hope our growth will continue steadily all year. We welcome the following new members to TASCA. So glad you’re here!

Alan & Mary Elizabeth Jackson Mary Kay Wright

Janette Kee James Tiffin

Barbara Glaspie Joyce Stanley

Jennifer Pickle Art Pettit

Freda Wade Carolyn Earley Diane Shank

Deborah Whitehead Mary Jo & Gary Horton

Stella Kennedy Bobby & Janice Hellams

C. D. & Gwen Bryant

You are invited to the TASCA Sans Souci Valentine’s Dance

Friday, Feb.13 7-10 PM Music by

John & Kim Hodges

Dress is after five , coats for the gents (no jeans, please)

$14-TASCA Members $19-Guests

Snacks, coffee, sodas available all evening

TASCA Tally February 2015

Page 3

DAYS OF OUR LIVES: PROFILE OF THE MONTH

Though our Wednesday-morning ’42’ players are familiar with her friendly face and lovely smile, not all TASCA members will know Betty Moore by sight, well, not until now. Betty has been a TASCA member for 4 years. She comes from just down the road in Flint, Texas but spent most of her growing-up years in Bullard. Tragedy happened early in Betty’s life as her mother died when she was only six days old. Her father, a farmer and rancher—being unable to care for a baby with all of his other responsibilities—sent Betty to live with her aunt and uncle (her mother’s brother) and visited her weekly “bringing candy and money as needed,” Betty tells us. Betty called her aunt and uncle “Mama and Papa” and remembers that “this was during the Depression and they had an oil cook stove, fireplace for heat, wash tub

for bathing, battery radio and an Aladdin lamp.” Her uncle had a farm and “always raised large crops of watermelons and tomatoes” as well as “chickens, turkeys, and hogs,” so they always had “fresh milk and eggs” and “plenty to eat.” Later on, Betty recalls, they “got electricity, and life was easier.” Betty has fond memories of playing dolls and paper dolls and making mud pies with a cousin who lived nearby. She has mostly happy memories of her school days in the Bullard ISD as well. Her classes were small (12-15 students), and she especially liked her first grade teacher. She remembers one troublesome day in grade school when the third grade teacher “ordered a sand pile for her students.” Betty and two friends, still in the first grade at the time, thought it was unfair for the third-graders to get the sand pile, so they played on it. As Betty recalls, “the teacher whipped us with a board, bringing blood to our legs.” She adds, “The teacher kept her job and the girls learned to obey.” High school was especially enjoyable for Betty since she “was a forward on the Varsity basketball team” all through high school. She was editor of her school yearbook and had a leading part in her school play. She was also voted the Sweetheart of her FFA Chapter and was selected by her teachers as Most Outstanding student. During one out-of-town basketball game in Dialville, Texas, Betty met her husband Benny Moore when he came to watch her game. The two dated until he joined the Navy in her senior year of high school. When Betty graduated from high school, she went straight into Tyler Junior College. Just as she was finishing up her first semester, Benny came home on leave, took her out to dinner and a movie, and proposed. Right after their marriage and 3-day honeymoon, Benny was shipped off to Japan and China for 9 months, during the Korean War. During his next military leave, Betty became ill with spinal meningitis, so they “spent most of his leave in the hospital.” After Benny left the Navy, the couple moved to Mesquite, Texas, where Benny “attended night school to become a Master Electrician.” They had a son Deryl and a daughter Donna while still in Mesquite, but moved to Whitehouse, Texas before their children began school. They built a house with a shop next door

for their family business Moore Electric and Air Conditioning. Betty tells us that they “wanted to build a brick house but could not afford the brick, so we pulled down old chimneys, all over the countryside and cleaned the bricks on weekends” until they had enough for their house. Betty and Benny were married over 60 years. After his passing, Betty played Mah Jongg once a week, but needed more to keep her busy. She heard about TASCA, joined and enrolled in Beginner ‘42’. Betty loves the friends she’s made here and believes that TASCA “is a safe and fun place to be.” Among Betty’s many life accomplishments are her employment with the Texas Prison System, as a volunteer for the Food Bank and Salvation Army, and as a ministry secretary for the M & M class at Pleasant Hill Baptist Church. Betty and Benny also served as Worthy Matron and Worthy Patron for the Bullard Eastern Star Chapter. She has traveled to England, France, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and Mexico City.

TASCA Tally February 2015

Page 4

‘42’ LESSONS BEGIN THIS

MONTH Hazel Edwards, long-time 42’ instructor here at TASCA will be adding a new ’42’ Lessons

class. It will take place at the same time (9:30 a.m.) as Beginner ’42’ on Wednesdays starting

on January 7. If you’ve thought of learning

this fun game, the beginning of a new year might be just the time to start.

DUES AND MEMBERSHIP DRIVE Annual TASCA dues renewal time is upon us. We’ll be sending out reminders, but we

wanted to tell you that the Board—after

careful consideration of TASCA’s finances—have voted to raise dues to $52 per year ($1

a week) per person. If you compare it to the $2 it costs each

time a non-member comes to play a game here at TASCA, it’s actually a pretty big

savings.

Also, don’t forget about the TASCA Membership Drive that is currently

in progress. TASCA’s Board of Directors is challenging current members to help us

increase membership, which is down and has

steadily declined in the last three years. The challenge is to bring in new members.

Those who bring in three new members from now and December 31 for 2015 will have half

of their 2015 dues paid by TASCA. Those who

bring in five or more will have their dues paid in full.

TASCA will continue to prorate each month for first-time members. Remember, too, that

TASCA Auxiliary membership is available to people who are under 50.

SAVE THE DATE

TASCA ‘42’ TOURNAMENT

SATURDAY, MARCH 28

COFFEE AND DONUTS

8:30 AM

REGISTRATION 9:15 AM

TOURNAMENT BEGINS

10:00 AM

TASCA Tally February 2015

Page 5

TASCA Tally February 2015

423 Kellywood Lane, Tyler, TX 75706

Billy & Mary Williams (903) 520-8124

texastravelerstyler@yahoo.com

Upcoming Trips

Paragon Casino Feb 23-24 Paragon Casino Aug 10-11

Page 6

TASCA BECOMES INVOLVED IN

THE AMAZONSMILE PROGRAM Guess what? Now, every time you order books, household goods, clothing, anything from

Amazon.com, you can help TASCA. Here’s how it works. When you shop at smile.amazon.com,

Amazon will donate 0.5% of your purchase price

to TASCA at no extra cost to you. When you’re browsing the products, those

eligible for this program will be marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on their product

detail pages. You don’t have to have a new account in order to participate in the program,

you use the same account you’ve always had.

On your first visit to AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), you select a charitable

organization to receive donations before you begin shopping. After the first visit, Amazon re-

members your charity and every eligible pur-

chase you make will automatically result in a donation to your special charity.

There are also certain times during the year when Amazon offers special, limited time

promotions that increase the donation amount. That’s all there is to it. What a wonderful, easy

way to help TASCA or any nonprofit

organization!

WE’RE NEW IN TOWN!

ECHO

TRANSPORTATION

CHARTERS AND TOURS 2828 TEAGUE

TYLER, TX 75701 Contact Billy Williams

(903) 561-6095 (903) 520-8124

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS Bridge—Milton Tompkins has asked us to

let you know that until further notice,

Wednesday Bridge will be by appointment only. Anyone who would like to play on

Wednesday can contact Milton at (903) 876-4165, and he’ll arrange a foursome.

Lone Star Singles—The Lone Star Singles

will meet for dinner this month on Thursday February 19. Join them at 5:45 p.m. If you’ve

never been to one of these outings and would like more information or want to know where

they will meet, call Wanda Barber at (903) 566-4211.

TASCA Tally February 2015

Page 7

TASCA SUSTAINING MEMBERSHIP

PLATINUM MEMBERSHIP - $100 PER MONTH +Two Free Annual Memberships +Free Entry to all TASCA Events +Free Entry to all TASCA Dances +Recognition as a PLATINUM Sustaining Member +PLATINUM Membership ID Badge GOLD MEMBERSHIP - $50 PER MONTH +One Free Annual Membership +One Free Entry to a TASCA Event +Recognition as a GOLD Sustaining Member +GOLD Membership ID Badge

SILVER MEMBERSHIP - $25 PER MONTH + One free Annual Membership +Recognition as SILVER Sustaining Member + SILVER Membership ID Badge

TO OUR MEMBERS As you know, TASCA is a nonprofit organization that operates solely from memberships and sponsorships. We get no public funding and rely on donations and fundraising efforts in order to continue to provide the services we all enjoy here at TASCA. I have pledged as the first sustaining member of TASCA and hope that all of you will consider joining me. Your $52 membership is included in your pledge. Please join me in supporting TASCA and our East Texas Seniors. The Board and all the East Texas Seniors that we serve thank you for your generosity, Brenda Davis President TASCA Board of Directors

TASCA SUSTAINING MEMBER ENROLLMENT FORM 2015 To Join, please detach and fill out the form below and drop it by or

mail it to: TASCA P. O. Box 131540 Tyler, TX 75713

_____I pledge $25 per month to TASCA for 2015

_____I pledge $50 per month to TASCA for 2015

_____I pledge $100 per month to TASCA for 2015 I will pay Monthly____ Quarterly____ Annually____

Printed Name____________________________________________ Date________

Signature_____________________________________________________________

TASCA Tally February 2015

TY

LE

R A

RE

A S

EN

IOR

CIT

IZE

NS

AS

SO

CIA

TIO

N

PO

Bo

x 13

154

0

Tyler, TX 7

57

13

ww

w.tasca.o

rg

SPECIAL FEBRUARY EVENTS 7—1st Saturday Night Dance

Caddo Creek 10—Monthly Potluck, 4:30-5:30

10—Open Board Meeting 5:30-6:30 13—Valentine’s Ballroom Dance

John & Kim Hodges 3-piece Band 19—Lone Star Singles Dinner Out 21—3rd Saturday Night Dance

Hoss Huggins & the Ponderosa Band

RETU

RN

SERV

ICE R

EQU

ESTED

EVERYONE

INVITED &

WELCOME

Joyful Beginnings Lutheran Church

Bible Study: Sunday, 9:30 AM Worship Services: Sunday, 10:30 AM

The Refuge Church

Worship Services; Sunday, 2:00 PM