SUN VALLEY REUNION POSTPONED (Update #2 After the Storm)

Please let me know if you have been notified by email, a phone call, or have kept up with this blog that the reunion has been postponed.

I had told you that Clear Lake Church of Christ went through the storm never losing power; well, it seems we all spoke too soon! Today we apparently blew a fuse and our building is half "on" and half "off." We do not have internet service and because we have been up to our necks in hurricane relief, I haven't had any time to focus on making personal calls about the reunion being postponed. I need your help in spreading the word so that people don't make the trip in vain.

We have received two 18-wheeler truckloads of relief supplies from the Church of Christ Disaster Relief organization out of Nashville, Tennessee and have essentially become a small distribution center for our members, other Church of Christ congregations, and a neighborhood apartment complex for which we serve through our outreach ministry. Our Family Activity Center (aka GYM) is full of water and all kinds of supplies. Several individuals and congregations have also brought supplies and or are supporting our relief efforts by sending donations which will be put to good use. Many homes extending from Galveston to northeast Texas are still without power. Gasoline supply is limited and grocery stores are still trying to stock their produce and perishable items.

I realize Hurricane Ike is already old news for some cities and states, but it is going to be many months before the Houston-Galveston area and beyond are going to be able to get back on their feet. Please pray for the many families who have suffered complete devastation of their homes or lost a loved one as a result of this storm; be thankful that even as bad as it was, it wasn't worse. For me, this is definitely a lesson not to take things for granted. We really are so blessed!

Anyway, bear with me concerning the reunion as it's not cancelled, but postponed. I guess another waiting period will make our reunion celebration even sweeter.

SUN VALLEY REUNION POSTPONED (Update #1 After the Storm)

For those of you that are living someplace other than Houston, Texas, and have Internet service, we are unfortunately going to have to postpone the Sun Valley Reunion which was scheduled for next weekend. With one week left, Hurricane Ike decided he had other plans for our area.

Although Clear Lake Church of Christ never lost power at the building and was very fortunate in that we just had some water damage in the auditorium due to a leak in the roof and not flooding, many of us are still without power at our homes. With the wide spread devastation, it is going to take many months for clean up and at this point in time, I would venture to say that the reunion wouldn't be rescheduled until after the first of the year with the holiday months quickly approaching.

I regret having to make this decision, and for those of you that will have to pay a penalty fee due to canceling reservations at the last moment, I am so very sorry. Please spread the word to all that you know whether they intended to attend or not, and I just pray that we can notify as many people as possible so that they don't travel here in vain. Please reply that you have been notified of this change by posting your comments.

As soon as I am able to post another update and or have a tentative date to work toward, I will let you know. Much work on clean up, restoring power, rebuilding, and recovery from this storm will now begin throughout this region and your prayers are appreciated. A good number of our members will be camping out at the church until power is restored to our individual homes.

Again, I'm so sorry for any inconvenience this poses for you and your family, but I just don't see any way to pull this off especially with the situation with the gasoline shortage and the current crises.

Weather Update: Workday Cancelled

I appreciate those of you who may have considered helping assemble programs, directories or whatever on Saturday morning, September 13, however due to the unknown strength and impact of Hurricane Ike as it approaches the Houston-Galveston area, we are cancelling our workday.

Once the storm passes and everyone can assess their situation and or any damages, we will make a decision regarding the reunion on Saturday, September 20. At this point, we plan to hold the reunion as scheduled.

If you are evacuating, be safe.

Update from the Morris Cherry Family

Claudia and Morris Cherry and their four daughters, Kathi, Karen, and twins, Tammy and Lynda, (photo 1) were members of the Sun Valley congregation when it began. Claudia and Morris now reside in Lindale, Texas and photos 2 and 3 were taken when they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2001.

Kathi has been married to her husband, Malcolm McGregor, for 20 years, and they live in Dallas, Texas with no children. She is the president of her own company, Novo 1 Market Research (www.novo1research.com/bios/kathi.htm) Kathi and Malcolm are a part of a church plant in Rowlett, Texas (http://www.lakecitiescommunity.org/) and will be unable to attend the reunion due to a church outreach event on the same day.

Karen and her husband, Wayne Threadgill, still live in the Houston area. Karen has two sons: the oldest, John Kelley, and his wife, Crissy, live in North Carolina, and John just returned home from Iraq; her youngest, Daniel, is single and lives in Texas.

Tammy Keller is a single mom and lives in Plano, Texas. She has worked for her sister Kathi at Novo 1 for the past 4+ years because they are truly good friends--even taking "girl trips" together once or twice a year. Prior to Novo 1, Tammy worked for Target for 21 years.
Her daughter, Samantha, and her husband, Aaron, live in Greenville, Texas and have one son named Ian. Tammy volunteers at the annual Plano Balloon Festival and will also be unable to attend the reunion not to mention that her grandson is having his first birthday party on the same day! Need I say more?

Lynda is currently single and lives in Lindale with their parents. She has worked for Wal-Mart for the past 17 years. Lynda's daughter, Rebecca, recently married and she and her husband live in Tyler. Lynda's son, Glen, is single and also lives in Texas.

Pauline & Trevor Williams Celebrate 40 years of Marriage

Pauline and Trevor Williams celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary on September 2. They are currently living in Bristol, England and pass on their kindest regards to people who know them here. Their email address is Williams285@hotmail.com .