TradersGuideofTexas.com

GILMER, Texas — Animal Medical and Surgical Hospital and Gilmer Police Animal Control are sponsoring a low-cost pet-vaccination clinic at the Yamboree grounds, Highway 271 North, under the pavilion, on Saturday, March 10, 2007, from 9 a.m. until noon.

All shots for dogs and cats will be given at discounted prices.

The profit will go to the Gilmer Police Department’s animal-control section.

Vaccinations will be administered by a licensed veterinarian.

BIG SANDY, Texas — KETK’s Danny Elzner headlines the 2007 Big Sandy Chamber of Commerce awards banquet.

The festivities will take place Tuesday, March 6, at 6:30 p.m. in the auditorium of the Church of God Big Sandy, 1106 W. Broadway (Highway 80), just west of town.

This is the 21st annual awards event of the Big Sandy chamber.

Mr. Elzner is a sports analyst for KETK, channel 56, Tyler, an NBC affiliate.

He was born in Corpus Christi and attended the University of Texas at Austin and is part of the KETK sports team.

PHOTO: Danny Elzner

Mr. Elzner says he’s lucky to be doing something he really enjoys: covering sports and telling stories.

He is also host of the Elzner Excellence Awards each Tuesday, to showcase the best and worst of sports.

“You cannot watch them without laughing,” he promises.

In his spare time, Mr. Elzner enjoys making tapes for people who appear in his televised reports.

“I like helping to make memories for folks,” he says.

Speaking of the tales he tells: “My two children always like my stories. Sometimes these stories are real. Sometimes they are made up. But the stories on the news each night are very real, always real.”

Besides seeing and listening to Mr. Elzner, banquet attendees will participate in the announcement of Big Sandy’s Woman of the Year and Man of the Year and Miss Big Sandy 2007.

Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door, with special discount tables for 10 people priced at $80.

For ticket information, call Dwayne Canup at (903) 636-4458, Susan Hubbard at (903) 636-5517 or Charles Penney at (903) 636-4521.

The meal will include chicken supreme with all the trimmings catered by local master chef Julie Wilkins.

Chamber directors include Dwayne Canup, Linda Baggett, Vicki Frazier, Wade Frazier, Gerri Thompson Whitlock, Susan Hubbard, Maxey Swanner, Melody Payne and Charles Penney.

Cartoon by Manard Gibson, Mineola, Texas

BIG SANDY — Where will you watch the Super Bowl?

You could watch it in Big Sandy, Texas, along with hundreds of Lovie Smith fans in the building owned by the Church of God Big Sandy just west of town on Highway 80.

Since Lovie Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears, grew up in Big Sandy and was a high-school-football hero in the 1970s along with the rest of the varsity team from Big Sandy ISD, the Super Bowl this year is a big deal in this small town in East Texas.

Scheduled activities include a citywide pep rally in downtown Big Sandy Sunday, Feb. 4, at 4 p.m.

PHOTO: Lovie Smith signs an autograph for Audrey Shipp at a Chamber of Commerce banquet in June 2006. [Photo by Traders Guide of Texas]

Then, at 5 o’clock, you’re invited to the church building to eat chili and watch the game on a huge television screen.

“While we cannot predict how many people will actually attend, we are planning to make enough chili for 500 people,” said Dave Havir, pastor of the Church of God Big Sandy.

“Neil McIver and other members of our congregation are scheduled to make the chili.”

Members of the Chamber of Commerce will bring cheese, onions, jalapeños, crackers, chips and paper products. Guests are encouraged to bring snacks, finger foods and soft drinks. Tea will be provided. Guests may also want to bring lawn chairs in case the church doesn’t have enough chairs to go around.

Alcoholic beverages will be a no-no in the building for the duration of the event. Local police officers will be on duty to help with any “unexpected challenges” that might arise, Mr. Havir said.

Although the food is free, Mr. Havir said the church will accept donations to help defray its cost.