Rangerette tradition continues for Rotarians, 31 and counting

Rotarians honor Rangerette Heather Sabo with student of the month. Gregg Murphy, Shelly Wayne and Bob Baker are also pictured. Dana Blair, Shelly Wayne and the Kilgore College Rangerettes were the guests of the Kilgore Rotary Club on Wednesday for the club's weekly luncheon.

The Rangerettes have been the guests of Rotary the first Wednesday of December every year since 1974. Deana Bolton Covin, former director of the Kilgore College Rangerettes, gave a short history of the event in remarks to the club on Wednesday. She attended the luncheon with her husband, Larry, as a guest of the club.

She said the late Liggett Crim, the first sponsor of the Kilgore College Rangerettes, asked the late Gussie Nell Davis, the founder of the world-famous dance and drill team, to bring the girls to Rotary just before Christmas so that the club could honor them for all they do for Kilgore.

Crim presented each girl with a line photo as well as a stuffed teddy bear that year, and provided them lunch at the country club with the members of the Rotary Club. It is a tradition that has lasted over 30 years and continues as strong today as it was that first year.

This year, besides the photo, the girls were each given stockings filled with chocolates.

"The girls really look forward to the Rotary luncheon each year," Covin told club members. "It is the one time a year when they do not have to perform. They are asked to come to lunch, given gifts and honored by business leaders in the community. It is a great tradition, and one I am glad that Rotary has continued."

Blair said, "We appreciate the Rotary so much for this lunch. It is always a pleasure to come and have lunch with you."

"Let Me Call You Sweetheart" was sung to the girls and lunch was served by the staff at Meadowbrook Country Club.

One of the Rangerettes, Heather Sabo of Lufkin, was honored as Student of the Month by Dr. Bob Baker. Her parents were in attendance for the meeting as well. Sabo's father is a member of the Lufkin Rotary Club.

Kilgore Rotary President Greg Murphy also presented Blair with a donation to the Rangerette Scholarship Fund. The Rotary has a scholarship named in their honor at Kilgore College, and the donation will be placed in that scholarship fund to help it sustain.

In other Rotary news, plans are being made for next week's election of officers. Pam DeCeault, an officer with Kilgore National Bank, is scheduled to become the next president of the Rotary Club. DeCeault will assume office on July 1, 2006. She will attend President-elect training in March and then be ready to hold her installation banquet during the last week of June.

Kilgore club members will attend the midyear review in Hugo, Okla. in January. This is a time when Rotarians gather to discuss how their clubs are doing now that the Rotary year is half over.

The club also read to kindergarteners at Kilgore Heights this week. This is a program that Steve Brown started and has chaired for several years now.