By Butch Burney
It’s June, which means stew is in the air – or at least the planning has begun.
The 53rd Annual World Championship Hopkins County Stew Contest is opening up its annual logo contest. This year’s theme is Road Trip Stew 22 (the stew is Oct. 22, 2022), a take off from Route 66.
The logo contest runs through June 30. The winner will receive four stew tickets, four T-shirts with the logo on the front, one quart stew ticket and a coveted parking pass.
The Chamber board will pick the winning logo on July 14.
To submit an entry, email in jpg format to [email protected] or upload it to our website.
Business After Hours
You won’t want to miss the Chamber’s Business After Hours at Rhythmic Productions, hosted by Calvin Hickerson, from 4:30-6 p.m. at his studio located at 1217 South Broadway. Calvin will have live music, food and drinks for the everyone to enjoy. Whether you’re a member of the Chamber or not, come on for one of the best networking events.
Lunch and Learn
Small business owners will want to come to our Lunch and Learn, set for Wednesday, June 22, entitled Digital Marketing 101, by April Bliss, founder of Bliss Digital Innovations. We had scheduled April for this workshop in January, but had to postpone it due to COVID.
Learn from Digital Advertising Expert April Bliss, who brings her unique perspective as a digital marketing and business consultant bringing over 30 years of extensive marketing and sales expertise in radio, national magazines, newspaper, automobile industry, and retail management, as well as owning several small businesses.
The fee is $15 for Chamber members, $20 for nonmembers. You can register by calling the Chamber at 903-885-6515 or emailing [email protected].
Dairy Festival
It’s Dairy Festival time in Hopkins County!
The Festival will host a ribbon cutting at noon on Friday, June 10, on Celebration Plaza, before moving to Shannon Oaks Church that evening at 6 p.m. for the hot air balloon rally and glow.
The hot air balloons will be back in the air at 6 a.m. Saturday, June 11, before the Dairy Festival parade begins at 10 a.m. from Buford Park. That day, there will be the Junior Dairy Show, milking contest, cow patty bingo and the final balloon rally and glow.
Then, the festival will come to an end on Saturday, June 18, with 12 contestants vying for the title of Dairy Festival Queen.
Blood Drive
Red River Credit Union will team with Carter BloodCare for a blood drive on Monday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the parking lot of RRCU at 822 Gilmer St. Donors will receive a T-shirt while supplies last. For more information, contact Stephani Britton at 903-735-3000, ext. 2107, or email [email protected].
Mental Health First Aid
Lakes Regional will host a two-day event for Mental Health First Aid (MHFA), which is free and open to the public. The adult MHFA is 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 14 at the Lakes Regional Sulphur Springs location on Airport Road. The youth seminar will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 26.
To register, call 972-977-7295 or email [email protected].
Veterans Honor Flight
A send-off for four local veterans who will be taking the Honor Flight to Washington, DC, will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 9, on the steps of the Hopkins County Courthouse. The ceremony will see off veterans Phillip Gabbert, Richard Patterson and Gene White as well as recognize Troy Gilbreath, who went on the last Honor Flight.
The public is invited to attend the ceremony.
Baby Benefit
Heritage Home Health and Hospice is hosting a baby wipe and onesie drive benefitting Heart of Hope, a pregnancy resource center in Sulphur Springs.
Donations of baby wipes and white onesies (sizes 0-3 months) may be dropped off at Heritage Home Health & Hospice (1325 Shannon Rd E, Suite A, Sulphur Springs) or at the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce (110 Main Street, Sulphur Springs) now through June 24.
Children’s Grief Camp
“Mending the Mess,” a grief camp for children ages 6-12, will be held June 23-24, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each day, at t First United Methodist Church. The camp is part of Cypress Basin Hospice’s Camp Brave Heart.
For more information, go to the website CBHospice.org.
International Yoga Day
One Soul Yoga & Wellness Center invites everyone to come and join the celebrations for 8th International Day of Yoga on Tuesday, June 21. The global theme this year is “Yoga for Well-Being” and everyone in the community is encouraged to come join. One Soul will offer free classes all day.
International Day of Yoga is celebrated world-wide every June 21 to help spread awareness of the mental and physical benefits of practicing yoga.
One Soul’s schedule for the day includes:
6:30-7:30 a.m.: Solstice Kundalini Yoga-DeAnna
9:30-10:30 a.m.: Beginner Flow-Rachel
12:10-12:50 p.m.: Family Yoga-DeAnna
6-7 p.m.: Open Flow-Allison
8-9:15 p.m..: Candlelight Flow & Nidra-DeAnna & Rachel
Classes that day are free and open to everyone. One Soul Yoga & Wellness Center is located at 1008 Main St., in Sulphur Springs. To learn more about the classes or to sign up go to www.OneSoulYogaStudio.com.
Ribbon Cuttings
- VFW Post 8560 hosted a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, June 1, for its new food line. The VFW Casino is open to the public for food, drinks, billiards, shuffleboard and other fun activities.
- G3 Mercantile hosted a ribbon cutting at its new location at 204 Church St. at noon Friday, June 3. Please visit this unique shop.
- Humana will have a ribbon cutting at noon on Wednesday, June 8, at the Chamber office. Please join us for the ribbon cutting.
- Tolleson Family Market will have a ribbon cutting at noon on Friday, June 17, at their shop at 300 Connally St. Please help us welcome them to the community.
Business of the Week
The Chamber’s Business of the Week for June 8 is Jay Hodge Chevrolet, a valuable member of our business community. See more about Jay Hodge Chevrolet on our Facebook and Instagram pages.
