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SPECIAL EDITION: BRIDGE CITY AND ORANGEFIELD 2011 GRADUATION
The Record TheRecordLive.com
Vol. 51 No. 7 Week of Wednesday, May 25, 2011
The Penny Record of Bridge City and Orangefield • Founded 1960
BC students pitch-in for flood victims Penny Leleux For The Record Watching video of the swollen Mississippi River flooding surrounding areas brought back memories. Two area sisters were reliving there own experiences when Bridge City went underwater with Hurri-
cane Ike. Unlike Ike, the flooding from the river is more extensive and longer lasting. The Mississippi River is just now cresting and starting to recede. Some people’s homes have been flooded as much as two weeks. Federal inspectors must determine if homes are habitable, before owners can
re-enter them to retrieve what can be salvaged. Paige Williams and Kim Hubbard knew what the people of Mississippi were going
through. Hubbard felt she needed to do something to help; especially when it appeared news of the floods were being overshadowed by other
events. They knew how hard it was to recover and get everything back like it was after Ike flooded Bridge City. Hubbard called her sister
and said, “I need to get some things together and take them to Mississippi.” Williams said BC STUDENTS PAGE 2A
Vet’s widow carries message Darla Daigle For The Record
Memories are powerful. Some are ever present, some fading, some pleasant, others excruciating. All have potential to control our thoughts, thus our lives, even though
Bridge City Heritage Festival Oct. 1 A
good old-fashion heritage festival is in the making for Bridge City. A first ever Bridge City Heritage Festival is being planned for Oct. 1. The festival will take place on the grounds of the Community Center and will include live music, an antique car show, craft and vendor booths, and loads of fun for the kids. Proceeds will go toward the Cow Bayou Waterfront Park project and is hosted by the Historical Museum of Bridge City. There will be a coloring contest for children ages kindergarten through fifth-grade; an art contest for grades six through eight, and an art contest for high school freshmen through seniors will also be on display. There will also be face painting, a moon walk, cake sale and much more. To celebrate Bridge City’s heritage the festival will kicked off with a ribbon cutting to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the 1941 dedication of the Cow Bayou Swing Bridge. The rare swing bridge is one of just two of it’s kind remaining in the state. In 2010 it was listed to the National Registery of Historic Places as an historic bridge of Texas. The future waterfront park will adjoin the historic property. Participating food and craft vendors are asked to e-mail Paige Williams at info@bridgecityhistory. com or call 738-3743 for more information. Donations to the Historical Museum of Bridge City are tax deductible and go toward the future waterfront park.
Bridge City eighth grade students helped gather supplies to be delivered to flood victims in Mississippi. Karen Phares, widow of Korean Veteran John Phares, continues to his work of helping others in need. She uses her late husband as inspiration to continue on with his ministry. RECORD PHOTO: Darla Diagle.
they are simply shadows of what has been. Memories are something cherished by Karen Phares, a Bridge City woman. Less than a year ago, Karen faced the daunting task of burying her husband of 32 years. John was a light in the community as well as in Karen’s eyes. John Phares was born in McAllen, Texas in 1933. A twin, he was unique from the beginning of life. He entered the service of his country during the Korean conflict. His due diligence was served in the Air Force where he was a mechanic. After he left the service he got a job with Gulf States Utilities as a meter reader. Fence jumping and many dog bites later he decided he wanted more, so being the determined sort, he started educating himself on the craft of engineering and landed himself a desk job with the same company. This also allowed him to go to school and get formal training in engineering. He worked as an engineer for the same company until it became Entergy when he officially retired. Retirement was far from his mind, however. It turned out that retirement was what gave him the ability to really set to work. “He loved America, he was passionate about God and he loved people,” Karen says with confidence. She would know, she followed him as his help mate, into several ventures that involved all of the above. His true passion was for the hurting. Through a chain of contacts he got involved with a group of local veterans who show special honor at the passing of other veterans. This core of people extends military honors to any branch of former military personnel. They contact family members, attend VET’S WIDOW PAGE 3A
RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
Music legends come to aid of local boy
Penny Leleux For The Record
Country and Cajun Legends Tracy Byrd, Jerry Jeff Walker and Wayne Toups join a host of other entertainers to raise money for reconstructive surgery for 4-year-old Holden Gothia. Holden was mutilated by his mother when he was an infant. It is estimated that Holden’s lifelong medical needs will exceed half a million dollars. A foundation, Heroes for Holden, was created to collect donations. The first of a yearly fundraiser will take place Sunday, June 5, at the Burton Coli-
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A Benefit for Holden Gothia will be held June 5 at the Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles, La.
seum in Lake Charles, La. One of Holden’s aunts, Cindy Vallet, lives in Orange. She and other area citizens have
joined the effort to raise funds for Holden’s surgeries. Holden’s story is unbelievable. Authorities were called to a suburban Houston apartment in March 2007. Holden, only 5 weeks old, was found lying on a bed with the lower half of his body covered in blood. He was viciously attacked by his biological mother. She was found to be in a drug-induced state at the time. Holden narrowly survived. His genitals were entirely severed. He was listed in critical condition, treated for shock and put on a ventilator for several weeks. Holden underwent
extensive surgery after losing as much as three quarters of the blood from his tiny seven pound body. An artery in his left leg had to be immediately repaired. Holden endured four skin graft operations within a week. The day after the attack, Holden’s mother tested positive for cocaine, methadone and Xanax. She began trial on Aug. 1, 2009 in a Houston courtroom. His mother claimed that the family’s nine pound dachshund had attacked him while she slept in the same room. GOTHIA BENEFIT PAGE 2A
Cardinals use ‘Zack-Attack' to advance in playoffs H
The Bridge City Cardinals are on their way to the Region III semifinal round of the state baseball playoffs. On Thursday night they take on Robinson in Game One of a best-of-three series that ends on Saturday. Above: Jubiliant Cardinals swarm Zack Smith as he returns from a game winning three-run home run in the top of the seventh inning in a game that was grid locked at 1-1. RECORD PHOTO: Mark Dunn
• Award Winning Hometown News