Harrison Magazine Spring 2024

Noon Optimists

Cinderella Story

Martha Josey continues rodeo excellence with the Josey Ranch

Business Spotlight: Feature: help students learn crucial interview skills during SMILE Day

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One of our stories in this edition of Harrison Magazine is entitled ‘It takes a village.’ This particular story is about the many volunteers who support abused, neglected and fostered children in Harrison County. It is always heartbreaking to learn of the pain these children must endure, but on the flip side of those stories is the pride we should all feel for those ready to step in and assist children when they are at their most vulnerable.

We also feature the Noon Optimists who host SMILE Day annually. This yearly endeavor is another example of it taking a village. We all had to start somewhere, and like it or not we probably did not know as much as we think we knew at the time, if we are being honest with ourselves. The Noon Optimists are allowing our youth to get a trial run at the interview process, before they strike out into the real world looking to start their careers. Think back to some of your first interviews, and I am sure you could have used a little more practice, I know I sure could have. You are putting yourself out there to be judged. Experience many times makes situations easier, and the folks associated with SMILE Day are providing a safe environment to learn.

To know where we are going, it is important to know where we have been. Learn from our success and failures. If you are interested in learning more about Marshall’s history dive into our Hour Glass segment starting on page 28. Our Hour Glass pages highlight the Buard History Trail found in the New Town neighborhood of Marshall.

Our cover story is history in the making and another example of it taking a village. Martha Josey credits her success to a foundation set by others, and this generational Cinderella story has long provided a place for others to follow their dreams and aspirations.

The phrase ‘taking a village’ is a reminder that we are all in this together, and small positive actions added together can have big long-lasting effects. While these small acts of kindness will never get a parade around the courthouse, we see them, and we appreciate them.

Alexander Gould agould@mrobertsmedia.com

Publisher

Alexander Gould

agould@mrobertsmedia.com

Editor

Meredith Shamburger

mshamburger@marshallnewsmessenger.com

Advertising Sales

Johnnie Fancher

jfancher@marshallnewsmessenger.com

Amy Strong

astrong@marshallnewsmessenger.com

Marquisia Wright

mwright@marshallnewsmessenger.com

contributing Writers

Jessica Harker

Nicholas Osborn

Robin Y. Richardson

contributing Photographers

Michael Cavazos

John Fortune

Jessica Harker

Les Hassell

Graphic Designer

Kimberley Bailey

Martha Josey at Josey Ranch. Photo by Les Hassell on the cover

NOON OPTIMISTS

help students learn crucial interview skills during SMILE Day

story by Jessica Harker | photos by John Fortune and Jessica Harker

Since 2007, the Noon Optimists have made it their mission to help local students fill the gap on important job search skills before they graduate from Marshall High School.

They do so by hosting the organization’s SMILE Day each year.

SMILE Day stands for Student Mock Interview Learning Experience Day, and offers graduating seniors at MHS the opportunity to sit down with a variety of professionals for mock interviews in preparation of taking on real ones.

The students take time in advance to prepare their resumes and dress appropriately for the event, with volunteers gathering on the day of to interview with them at the high school.

Noon Optimists Marshall President Julie Brock said that the volunteers come from a wide range of professions all across East Texas, including many members of the club.

This year, businesses like local construction companies, banks, the Chamber of Commerce, various museums, the police and fire departments as well as others were present this year to meet face to face with local students.

“These kind of skills, they aren’t taught in schools, so many students get out and face their first interview and it’s the first time they have ever done something like that,” Brock said.

She said that the real success for these students comes with experience, and realizing that an interview is something that they are very capable of doing.

“For a lot of the kids, it’s just about overcoming that anxiety about sitting across from an adult and having to sell yourself; that can go a long way,” Brock said.

This year, over 200 seniors at Marshall High School spent the day in mock interviews with volunteers from across East Texas, taking their time to encourage the needed skills and offer suggestions.

“FOR A LOT OF THE KIDS, IT’S JUST ABOUT OVERCOMING THAT ANXIETY...”

Each volunteer also filled out a critique sheet for the students, offering recommendations on how they can improve and comments on what they did well.

Brock also said that each student is entered into a drawing each time they participate in a mock interview, with one winner drawn for a gift card at the end of the day.

“It offers an extra incentive for students to come and participate in something that we think is hugely beneficial to them,” she said.

After the event, the Noon Optimists and volunteers are treated to a lunch made by the culinary arts students at Marshall High School, offering those students the opportunity to showcase their skills as well.

“This way those students get to showcase those very specific talents as well, for a new audience in a dining setting,” she said.

Brock said that the Marshall Noon Optimists began the program in 2007, and took two years off from running it due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 2024 marking the 14th annual year for the program.

“It is something that is really important to us, so we brought it back as soon as we could,” she said.

Cinderella Story Generational

Martha Josey continues rodeo excellence with the Josey Ranch

story by Nicholas Osborn | photos by Les Hassell

ou can see her accolades as a barrel racer from decade after decade and hear the impact of her work through testimonials from hundreds of thousands of students at the Josey Ranch barrel racing clinic, but Martha Josey’s lasting legacy comes from a storied lifetime that makes her an undeniable living legend of the west.

The Josey Ranch was founded in 1967 by the late R.E. Josey and Martha Josey, and the two would go on to spend more than 50 years together teaching generation after generation the ins and outs of barrel racing. Martha Josey’s historic career has led her into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame in 1985, the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame in 1988, the National Rodeo Hall of Fame in 2011, and was named the American Quarter Horse Association National Female Equestrian of the Year by the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1999, as well as countless other awards. She is the only rodeo cowgirl to compete in the National Finals Rodeo over the span of four decades, and was a member of the gold medal-winning 1988 Winter Olympics rodeo team. When it came time to open the doors to a rodeo school, however, Josey said she knew she had to return to her grandmother’s home in Harrison County.

“I met R.E. Josey while roping and barrel racing, then

we got married in 1966 and he moved me to West Texas near Lubbock,” explained Josey. “The first thing I thought was there’s no trees and the wind is blowing! I said let’s go home to Marshall, Texas and put on a barrel racing and roping school.”

“I said, well you’re winning and I’m winning, and everybody is wanting to know what we did to win. So, we came back here to my grandmother’s place, Mattie Castleberry.”

Castleberry was the owner of Mattie’s Ballroom in Kilgore, and would go on to own one of the hottest night clubs in the country with the purchase of the Reo Palm Isle in 1943. The “Reo,” as it became known as, was a hotspot for popular and emerging talent. Elvis Presley took to the stage several times during his tours with the Louisiana Hayride, as well as western icons like Bob Wills and Johnny Cash, and even stars like Frank Sinatra and Fats Domino. Her success led Castleberry to renovate her own homestead with the intention of turning it into a dance hall. In speaking about her grandmother, Josey said that she knows her business acumen, marketing savvy and even her penchant for fashion came from Castleberry.

“I always wondered where I got my marketing from, and it was actually really from Mattie,” said Josey. “There’s so many things that I do now, and I’ll say, where did I get that?

I love to dress up, and they said when you walked into the

nightclub, Mattie was sitting right there all dressed up.”

The legacy of the longest running rodeo-school in the world may have started on paper with R.E. and Martha Josey when it was founded in 1967, but Josey explained how the actions of those who came before her set the foundation for their ongoing success today. Her parents were also key factors in their own way as well. Josey’s father, Henry Arthur, is often considered to be the first to bring quarter horses into East Texas. When he passed away, Josey’s mother Martha James, sold the horses that were left to a man named C.B. Reynolds, including one named Bay Canary. When Josey began rodeoing, Reynolds reached out to say he had bred Bay Canary to a thoroughbred stallion named Frank’s Pal. Reynolds said he had a 3-year-old horse named Cebe Reed out of Bay Canary, and the two would eventually work out a deal to trade three horses with $2,500 for Cebe Reed – even though she didn’t have the money at the time.

“My mother plays a big part in my life too,” said Josey. “I went to her and I said, I just bought Cebe Reed for $2,500. She said, baby, I just leased my land for oil today for $2,500, and she gave me the money.”

Cebe Reed and Martha Josey would go on to become an NFR Finalist in 1968-69 and earn a plethora of awards together, kicking off her successful career in rodeoing and helping to begin the earliest days of what would grow into the Josey Ranch.

“That horse started my career,” continued Josey.

The role of Josey’s grandmother, both her parents and R.E. Josey himself each directly influenced her own trajectory, setting the stage for her to become the testament to success in rodeoing that she is today. A place like the Josey Ranch isn’t built overnight, and through the exploration of the history that culminated in the creation of the rodeo school, it becomes easier to understand the generational impact that each individual was able to pass on.

“I couldn’t have done it without my mother and my father, and my grandmother, even my husband,” said Josey.

“Really, what we’ve done now is kind of like a Cinderella story, because we started without anything,” Josey continued.

Josey’s tale is indeed a Cinderella story – with just a few more horses for good measure – and it’s one that has reached the ears of more than just those in East Texas. The Josey Ranch attracts thousands of visitors from just about every state in the country. Recent participants in the rodeo school have made upwards to 20-hour drives or longer to learn from the Josey Ranch and their instructors, something that Josey doesn’t take for granted. In discussing what attracts so many people to the ranch, she commented on the family atmosphere that has always been so prominent for them.

“The positive attitude and the family, because even with so many people that come here – they’re family,” explained Josey. “Unlike some other camps around the world where they drop off the kids, the family stays here. They don’t just drop them off, they actually stay and enjoy it, and they make it into their own vacation too. The good Lord has been really good to us.”

As the Josey Ranch continues to grow and welcome more students into their rodeo school through clinics and lessons, Josey emphasized the growth that becoming involved in not just rodeoing, but agriculture in general can provide for the youth. The impact she is able to pass on continues a tradition set by the family and it’s one that parents are keen to take notice of.

“We have a lot of kids that will come and their parents will tell us later, oh my gosh, he is so positive now, or she is so positive now,” said Josey. “It’s because of the horse kids being so motivated and family oriented, it changes them overnight. The parents can’t even believe how much it has changed.”

Josey said this impact and the change it can instill in those who are involved with the Josey Ranch continues to be a main source of motivation for her and the team behind the scenes.

Gary Arthur is pictured.

Students participate in a barrel racing clinic.

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As she spoke about feeling humbled by the kids lining up for her autograph at a recent clinic, she highlighted how important it can be to provide an aspirational outlook for each next generation.

“One of my big sayings is shoot for the stars and follow your dreams, because so many of these kids want something to look up to, a role model that they can really look up to for a long time,” said Josey.

When it comes to what the future holds for the Josey Ranch, the words “bigger” and “better” were the first to be mentioned. Josey said that she has no plans to retire and will continue to spread the word about what the Josey Ranch has to offer in the heart of Harrison County.

“We’re focused on being bigger and better and for more kids and more families to keep coming to Marshall,” said Josey. “I’m going to do this as long as I can walk out to the arena. It’s just something that I love doing.”

“I see the Josey Ranch being here for a long time,” she said.

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IT TAKES A VILLAGE

Harrison County volunteers, organizations work to support abused, neglected and foster children

story by Robin Y. Richardson | photos by Les Hassell

When it comes to meeting the needs of abused, neglected and foster children, several entities in Harrison County stand on the frontline, ready to nurture and serve.

CASA of Harrison County, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, acts as the eyes and ears of the court by advocating in the best interest of children, making recommendations to judges in CPS-related matters.

“In Harrison County, alone, we have served 819 children. Our volunteers have donated 11,564 hours. They have driven 108,000 miles. That’s just Harrison County. That’s since the inception in 2007,” shared Wendi Everingham, director of CASA of Harrison.

At East Texas Open Door, the agency serves as a residential treatment program, offering quality residential care in a family atmosphere.

“The population we serve is mostly girls and vulnerable populations of abused and neglected youth,” noted East Texas Open Door administrator LaShandria “Shan” Dunn.

Lastly, in partnership with the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS), the Harrison County Child Welfare Board makes sure to address the needs of the Rainbow Room, an emergency resource center for children who have been removed from their homes.

“What we do is we go to their meeting once a month; and if there is a need, and we bring that need to the Child Welfare Board, then they vote,” said Tonya Fuller, faith-based and community engagement specialist with TDFPS. “If they vote to fulfill their need, then that’s how the need is met for the children.”

“They have been amazing,” Fuller said of the Harrison County Child Welfare Board.

Now here’s a deeper look at each nonprofit entity, starting with CASA of Harrison County.

CASA OF HARRISON COUNTY

Established in the summer of 2007, CASA of Harrison County was born from the desire of then 71st Judicial District Judge Bonnie Leggat, who noticed a need for a special appointed advocate.

“It was Judge Leggat that was on the bench and she had seen a need for a CASA to be involved with the cases. She was a big fan of the organization,” said Everingham.

Supporting the vision, it was former longtime director Marcy Minor who led the charge in fundraising efforts to establish the nonprofit child advocacy organization.

“To do that, you had to get some pretty big donations from the community. And then there was a group of citizens that helped raise that initial $25,000,” Everingham recalled. “So that’s how it all got started.”

Additionally, “Jim Davis took a big interest in our organization. He was one of the founding sponsors,” she recounted. “We had our first fundraiser six weeks after I started and we raised over $120,000 at one of his ranches. We did that for several years, and that was really successful.”

Now, the organization primarily relies on federal and state grants, as well as public funding, which is a requirement for grant awards.

“Our main (fundraising) event now is the Trunk-or-Treat in October, which is a great community event,” said Everingham. “It really lets us get out there. And, of course, we get to see all the kids get dressed up in their costumes.”

“We obviously have a heart for kids. That’s how we got started,” she said.

A CASA volunteer plays a prominent role in a child’s life. Once removed from a home, the judge appoints a CASA vol-

unteer to follow the child’s case for about 12 to 18 months and make recommendations to the court regarding the child’s best interest.

“The judge can’t go into the home, and so our job is to go into the home and report back to that judge,” shared Everingham. “A lot of times they’ll meet with the teachers or they review their medical records or sometimes they’ll speak to their therapist in different situations. Their job is to gather all the information and then report it back to that court. The court will have the parents’ attorneys and CPS and then us, so it kind of gives a different perspective.”

“The judge very much depends on that to kind of get the whole picture,” she said.” With the information that our volunteers provide, hopefully that makes that a little bit easier.”

Overall, the primary goal is to help keep families connected and reunify families when safe and possible, particularly through CASA’s new program titled Collaborative Family Engagement.

“There’s a lot of studies out there that show that kids are best served if we can safely return them to their families so that is always the initial goal,” said Everingham. “It’s very im-

Vivian Lewis, left, Wendi Everingham, Kathryn Barber, Kim Runyan and Tammy Pruitt Monday, at CASA of Harrison, Marion and Panola counties.

portant. Even if that isn’t a possibility, we definitely recognize that ties to their family are very important.”

“You want to see the families succeed, and it’s heartbreaking sometimes when that’s not possible. We have a real epidemic of drug use in our area,” shared Everingham. “But a pretty high percentage, over 70 percent of our children, we are able to reunite them with their families, either with their parents or at least with a family member. (We) thank God for the family member that is willing to step up with that responsibility.”

She noted the newest partnership CASA is looking forward to working with is the 4Kids4Families, who is now the community-based care contractor for the Texas DFPS Pineywoods (Region4) area.

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“They’re going to kind of take on the role of CPS going forward. They’re going to provide placement,” explained Everingham. “So the hope is that the children will hopefully be placed closer, because right now, we have a lot of children that are placed really far away. It’s a financial burden. If you have a child that’s school age, you don’t want to take them out of school to go and see their siblings or see their parents. Oftentimes they’re a little behind in school anyway, that’s the last thing you want to do is make it harder for them. We hope that works out.”

Through the new partnership, she anticipates CASA’s involvement to be even more critical, offering some consistency in a child’s life.

“I think in that program, CASA’s role is going to be even more important than it is now because a lot of times with some of the programs being put into place, there’s been a lot of turnover with the caseworkers. CPS does a wonderful job, but sometimes the CASA might be one of the only constants in that life.”

Everingham said CASA is always in need of devoted volunteers to help them with their efforts.

“Our job is to provide advocates,” she said. “And the beauty of an advocate is that they’re a layman, they’re not getting paid. They’re doing it out of their heart. That’s an essential part of this puzzle. Certainly, we have procedures and policies

that we follow but they don’t go in there with an agenda. They go in there with their hearts, and they tell the judge what they witness. And so we desperately need volunteers. It’s not an easy volunteer opportunity. It’s a commitment.”

Prospective CASA volunteers must complete an application and background check, participate in two trainings a year and complete a 30-hour training course. Everingham said anyone with a heart for children can qualify to be a CASA.

“We need teachers, waitresses, hostesses — anyone that has a heart for children,” said Everingham. “If you’re retired and you’re looking for some purpose in your life, we just need people who are willing to help and have a heart for children.”

HARRISON COUNTY CHILD WELFARE BOARD/RAINBOW ROOM

The Rainbow Room, housed at the Texas DFPS in Marshall, opened in 1997 and serves as a 24-hour resource center, providing supplies for children in foster care and CPS custody.

“Today’s Rainbow Room is an emergency resource room for children who have been removed from their homes,” said Jana Clark, Rainbow Room coordinator. “And this is designed to provide two to three days’ worth of supplies for their needs.”

Supplies include clothing, shoes, formula and diapers for infants, and bedding. The Rainbow Room also provides some wants such as toys, books, bikes and more. School supplies can also be found in the Rainbow Room.

“Basically, in the Rainbow Room is any tangible need that a family can use up to the first three days,” said Fuller, faithbased and community engagement specialist with TDFPS. “And the Rainbow Room is for any families that we’re working with in investigations, family based safety service or conservatorship. Basically any family that has an open case, a caseworker is able to access the Rainbow Room to meet the tangible needs of those families at that particular time.”

The Rainbow Room is pleased to provide all new items for the children. Nothing is used. Clark said they welcome donations from community partners at any time to help with their mission.

“A community can be involved in many ways. They can have a drive, a diaper drive, for instance, or just whatever they choose,” said Clark.

She said they also welcome donations of school uniforms and for special occasions such as prom dresses and attire for graduation.

Fuller said they’ve been most grateful for the unwavering support of the Harrison County Child Welfare Board. The board is appointed by the Harrison County Commissioners Court and is composed of volunteers, who meet monthly to assess the children’s needs.

According to the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards, which is the umbrella of the 220 child welfare boards in Texas, the goal of the boards is to educate the community on prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect. Child Welfare Boards may also work in collaboration with “Rainbow Room” groups to meet the tangible needs of children receiving CPS services.

Locally, the board’s primary goal is to ensure that the children of Harrison County who are in foster care are provided with the things they need, using the tax dollars and donations that are specifically budgeted and earmarked for them.

“The Child Welfare Board has been amazing,” Fuller said of the volunteers on the Harrison County Child Welfare Board. “Here, recently, they purchased pack n’ plays and car seats because we needed them.”

The Harrison County Child Welfare Board consists of President Robert Johnson III, Vice President Madison Hood, Secretary Ruthie Smith and Treasurer Chanda Johnson.

“The Child Welfare Board continues to meet the tangible needs for any of our kids that are placed in foster care,” said Fuller.

In addition to meeting the needs of the Rainbow Room, the child welfare board also provides an allowance for children in foster care. Fuller said the board has even funded the foster and adoption appreciation dinner, held in May, in observation of Foster Parent Appreciation Month, in cooperation with the Foster and Home Development department at DFPS. Fuller said it’s been a great partnership.

“The relationship with the Harrison County Child Welfare Board has always been amazing. We have a great board and great people on the board,” said Fuller.

Robert Johnson, III, Chandra Johnson, Jana Clark and Tonya Fuller in on the the storage rooms at the Rainbow Room.

The welfare board especially comes through during Christmastime, helping fulfill every wish on the foster children’s list.

“They are amazing during Christmas,” said Fuller.

“Pretty much whatever they have on their list they get,” added Board Treasurer Chanda Johnson.

Fuller said community involvement is paramount to the mission. Fuller said they’ve even had a group that put together age-appropriate “blessing bags” that were helpful for children needing overnight necessities.

“It might have had a toothbrush or toothpaste, underwear, socks, a shirt — something like that in there,” she described. “The workers would go and just pull that bag off the shelf, and they could take it for a one-day supply for the family.”

Donations of new clothes are also always welcomed as sometimes children come into CPS custody with only the clothes on their back.

“Sometimes what they have on isn’t acceptable. So there’s an immediate need,” said Clark.

What the Rainbow Room is mostly in need of now are clothes for teens, preferably joggers, T-shirts, and socks to accommodate a range of sizes from extra small to 4X. Cleaning supplies are also welcomed to help parents in the family based safety services program keep their homes cleaned.

“I say we are equipping our families. We are equipping them to succeed and to be successful,” said Fuller.

Clark said she also welcomes volunteers, including social clubs, civic groups, churches and Sunday school classes, for instance, to help organize the Rainbow Room.

Anyone that wants to donate to the Rainbow Room can contact coordinator Jana Clark at the local DFPS office or any member of the Child Welfare Board.

“They are great with connecting,” Fuller said. “Our Child Welfare Board, I call them our connectors in the community because it’s like they all come from different communities, but some kind of way they all attach together. So they’re our connector. And we cannot do this without our amazing Child Welfare Board or our amazing community partners in Harrison County.”

EAST TEXAS OPEN DOOR

East Texas Open Door opened its doors in 1987, first starting as an emergency youth shelter and then evolving into the residential treatment center it is today. The agency is partially funded by the Texas DFPS and fulfills a need for residential housing for youth in this area.

“We started with just an emergency youth shelter. And then we purchased some of the houses on Burleson (Street) here and we started then with a small group home,” noted Barbara Turner, financial manager, who has been with the agency since 1990. “We eventually went to GRO (General Residential Operation). We’ve had boys here before, but for some reason the girl population has really (increased) because in the State of Texas, there’s really not that many girl facilities.”

The mission of ETOD is to help children and youth dealing with adaptive, social, emotional and mental health needs. Administrator Shan Dunn noted that every resource at the agency’s disposal is used to provide sound programmatic and clinical practices so that the children and youth in there can either strengthen and maintain their family relationships, reunite with their families, transition to a foster home or prepare them for independent living.

While the agency does serve as a licensed residential home for children and teens, ages 5 to 18, its main population is teens at this time.

“Some of our services are 24-hour supervision by a trained staff, treatment level services, case management, individual and group counseling with licensed therapists, skills building groups, therapeutic recreation program, preparation for adult living, discharged planning and substance abuse therapy,” noted Dunn.

The nonprofit organization was originally established to serve children in the East Texas area, but has now expanded its services to children throughout the state.

“Overall, with all of our houses, we have the ability to be pretty high. Most of the houses can serve 10 to 12 girls easily.

We have four homes,” noted Turner.

The nonprofit agency depends heavily on community resources and works closely with Marshall ISD to assist each resident in developing educational goals based on previous academic progress, educational assessment and the youth’s psychological campuses.

“Education is part of their daily routine,” said Dunn. “This is their home.”

Dunn said because it’s their home, the residents become an active part in both their school and community.

“We had a girl a couple of years ago that was in the Mavettes,” said Turner. “We’ve had girls that were in the ROTC, and one was on the soccer team.”

“We practice normalcy,” Dunn said of when it comes to the privilege of participating in extracurricular activities. “It depends on their behavior and things like that. We try not to make a difference. Even though they’re in this setting, we have normalcy on the top of our list.”

The older youth even seek employment, and become working citizens in the community.

“We had one girl, she was a hard worker and she saved her money. So by the time she was ready to leave the facility, she had money, she knew exactly what she was going to do with it; she had a plan,” said Turner. “If we can get them all motivated that way, that’s really what our job is, to make them as successful as possible.”

“And develop that healthy relationship and be the example of a healthy relationship,” added Dunn. “It’s all for their betterment.”

Dunn said they strive to transition the youth, of whom most have troubled backgrounds, into a healthy and productive citizen.

“We have to prepare them for that independent living,” said Turner.

Oftentimes, the youth are so appreciative of the experience that they end up making their home in Marshall.

“We’ve had some girls that came here and then they aged out but while they were here they got jobs, they were working; and they actually stayed in Marshall afterward,” said Turner. “Some of them went to TSTC.”

“Some of them really fall in love with Marshall,” said Dunn.

A Chance to Get Away

Harrison County offers fishing opportunities for the whole family

story by Nicholas Osborn | photos by Les Hassell

With the Marshall City Arena Pond, Waskom City Pond and the historic Caddo Lake Texas State Park in Harrison County’s backyard, the chance to take the family away for a day – or even a weekend – is never too far.

Public fishing is a chance to do more than casting a line out for some rainbow trout, it’s the perfect opportunity to get away from everything and simply enjoy the moment.

City of Marshall Parks and Recreation Director Marina Garcia-Heredia has only just recently started her work within the position and described it as a blank canvas, one where public fishing has the potential to offer so much more for the communities of Harrison County.

And in Marshall, there’s no place better than the City Pond.

“First and foremost, the fishing pond is definitely the hidden gem of Marshall,” said Garcia-Heredia. “We have a program that we do with the Texas Parks and Wildlife where they do the rainbow trout with us. One of the conditions is that it has

to be public.”

The Marshall City Pond is open year-round for the public and is routinely stocked with up to 1,000 rainbow trout that anyone can bring a rod and reel out to try their luck at catching one. On the east side of the county, the Waskom City Pond is also open all year to the public, and was stocked as recently as 2024 with over 500 rainbow trout with over 200 catfish in 2023. The program from the Texas State Parks and Wildlife department has been active since 1994 and has helped many city ponds, including those in Marshall and Waskom, to stay stocked and ready for families to frequent.

“Anybody can come into the pond and fish,” continued Garcia-Heredia. “They are catchable sizes; some are small and hopefully they’ll just throw those back in, but we have it all available for the public. Not a lot of people know about it unless they go out to the arena.”

Garcia-Heredia joined the City of Marshall’s Parks and Recreation Department this year, and she will be overseeing con-

struction and renovations for the parks and recreation areas such as the pond. She is eager to begin sharing more of what the area has to offer. She commented on her first trip to the city pond, where she was informed that it was also encompassed in her role, saying that it was a serene place.

“It’s just a great place. The whole arena area out there is just phenomenal. It’s so peaceful, so serene,” said Garcia-Heredia. “I just sat there and was kind of just like, this is cool. It’s just a place where you could just sit and admire the view, admire the pond and the surroundings.”

Public fishing, such as what can be found at the Marshall City Pond and the Waskom City Pond, offer opportunities to families looking for inexpensive ways to get outdoors and bring both parents and children together. Due to the sizes available at these ponds, there are no licenses required to fish, but there is also no boating allowed. For those interested in taking advantage of public fishing, the expenses to get started can be as simple as a fishing pole and some bait.

“I will say they need to bring their rods,” said Garcia-Heredia. “They need to bring their bait and some chairs if they want to get closer. Some people don’t like to stand right where they fish. We do have a portable restroom out there, and also, sunscreen is always good.”

While the chance to take home a fish is always fun, Garcia-Heredia emphasized the role that these ponds and public fishing programs can provide with regards to shared experiences and increasing quality of life. Although there are many updates for fishing in the digital world like mobile apps to identify and track fishing spots, she said that enjoying public fishing is a great way to disconnect from the digital world and get more acquainted with the outdoors.

“I’m real big on quality of life, and getting people outdoors is big,” said Garcia-Heredia. “With all the electronics and all the stuff that’s available for our youth and adults, we kind of forget about just going outside and getting some vitamin D the natural way.”

“I remember growing up, we were never inside,” continued Garcia-Heredia. “We used to play outside until the sun went down, and then we knew we had to get our butts home because Mom or Dad would be upset. So, I think it’s just getting back to nature.”

For those looking to take their fishing to the next level, Harrison County is home to the scenic and fishing-friendly Caddo Lake Texas State Park. The lake offers over 70 different species of fish, including trophy-size bass, crappie, white bass, sunfish fisheries, catfish, chain pickerel and more. The 26,810acre lake is a perfect chance to learn more about fishing. Due to its status as a state park, those interested in fishing from the shore are not required to have a license.

Wherever you choose to cast your line, Garcia-Heredia says taking advantage of public fishing is all about the experience itself. The opportunity to get away from the distractions of our daily lives and connect with nature creates an impact that she hopes to share with many others in the future as she grows the Parks and Recreation Department for the City of Marshall. As Garcia-Heredia begins the process of bringing new experiences such as a fishing derby to the local community, she pointed to this impact as a constant goal for her department moving forward.

“It’s about the experience,” explained Garcia-Heredia. “It’s about the experience that you get out there. It’s about the time that you’re focusing on just what it is. There are so many distractions now, but when you go out there, there’s not much that can distract you other than the fish.”

“It’s just a great way to get outside and kind of reset,” she continued. “We can just stay focused on one thing without worrying about all the things that we deal with.”

Buard History Trail highlights Black history in New Town neighborhood

from

Staff Reports | photos by Michael Cavazos

Polete Lazar Buard speaks during the premier of the film The Buard History Trail, on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2015, in the Julius S. Scott Chapel at Wiley College in Marshall.

For those wanting to learn more about Marshall’s New Town neighborhood, or Black history in Marshall, a self-guided driving tour containing more than 25 stops is your best bet.

The Buard History Trail, first completed in the mid-2000s through the Historic Landmark Preservation Board and the City of Marshall, was named in honor of Rebecca D. Buard.

Buard, who was born in 1909 and died in 2000, attended Marshall’s now defunct Bishop College, earning a degree, then went on to Southern California University to earn a master’s degree. She began her teaching career in a one-room schoolhouse before moving on to Pemberton High School — the historic Black school — and Wiley College.

She was instrumental in restoring the Old Powder Mill Cemetery. Buard he was married to Polete Buard, a Texas and Pacific Railroad employee who also owned the Phillips 66 Service Station in Marshall’s New Town neighborhood.

“What I remember most about my grandmother is the way she would gather people together for a common goal,” said Polete Lazar Buard, in a 2015 file story.

Buard recorded the stories of Black Marshall residents and put them together in a book, along with dates and photographs. The trail was named in honor of her efforts to document Black history in Marshall.

Audience members attend the premier of the film “The Buard History Trail” on Thursday in the Julius S. Scott Chapel at Wiley College in Marshall in 2015

The history trail provides an overview of Marshall’s history, according to the Nation Civic League, and includes important African American sites such as historic Wiley College, New Town and the Old Powder Mill Cemetery, which includes the graves of two of the famous Tuskegee Airmen who served in World War II. Sites also include information on Professor Melvin B. Tolson, who inspired a generation of students at Wiley College, the oldest historically Black college west of the Mississippi.

City officials have been raising money for the trail in recent years to replace or repair missing and damaged signs. Do-

nations to the project are tax deductible, with donations able to be sent through check to the City of Marshall, mailed or dropped off at 401 S. Alamo at City Hall.

A film documenting the 26 markers on the trail and the stories behind them was the result of a project funded through a Certified Local Government Grant from the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior and administered by the Texas Historical Commission to the Marshall Historic Landmark Preservation Board.

Jack Canson produced the film with his son, Barney Can-

son, a filmmaker who lived in New York City. The two were assisted by a crew Barney Canson recruited in New York.

The trail

“We decided it was time, in one place, to record as much of that history as we could, and we also thought it should be a driving tour, so you could actually drive through the neighborhoods,” Janet Cook, then-executive director of the Harrison County Historical Museum, said in 2015.

Buard’s grandson, Polete Buard, said at the time of the film’s premiere that his grandmother always taught him that Black history was everyone’s history and that she’d be proud that a film like this existed.

“This is a part of not only our black history but all of our history so she made it important to me to be proud of not only who I am, but to be proud of our legacy, Black Americans, white Americans, all Americans,” he said. “It’s just a joy to see her vision come true.”

Your generous support of of the Economic Summit 2024 | Leadership Conference with ticket and promotional sales is tangible proof we live in a community who truly cares and supports continual improvement. The proceeds from this event are being donated to the Marshall Education Foundation, to allow them to continue their mission of enriching the lives of our community by delivering incentives and grants to local teachers and staff to improve the educational environment in Marshall ISD schools.