Only three weeks remain before the end of the annual Albany Chest campaign and the amount raised as of Monday, Dec. 3 was $25,107, according to treasurer Paige Adair, leaving the drive still $16,893 short of the $42,000 goal set by the directors for the 2018 campaign. 

Chest amounts rose quickly at the start of the campaign, but less than $4,000 has been added over the last three weeks. 

Twenty-six different organizations, including two new applicants, submitted requests for this year’s funding.

Albany’s Cause for Paws’ mission is to give an affordable option to pet owners to get their cats and dogs fixed, according to the non-profit’s president Lacey Anderson, but that mission comes at a price.

“Our last fundraiser was a bake sale last spring, and although the funds we raised then were nice, we average spending about $1,000 a month, so it goes pretty quick,” said treasurer Buford Salters. “We had vet bills of over $1,200 this November. We want to get our balance back up because it is easier to ‘operate’ with funds.”

Members of the local community have worked together to organize a special event and everyone is invited to gather around the big tree in downtown Moran for lighting of the tree and Christmas caroling at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 9, and then head to the Community Center to visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus.  

Several activities are crowded into the final two weeks of the fall semester at Moran including, of course, exams, but also classroom Christmas parties, a visit from Santa Claus, UIL contests, basketball games, the annual PTO holiday meal, and gathering presents for the Angel Tree. 

Parties

A group of students attended one of the puppet shows at the Old Jail Art Center in Albany on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

Master puppeteers Charlie Rose and Dan Peeler presented the marionette performances to Christmas classics.

The First Baptist Church of Moran’s Kool Kidz will have a Happy Birthday Jesus party on Wednesday, Dec. 12, beginning at 6:30 p.m.  

“Each class will do a short program then we will serve refreshments,” said organizer Jo Hise.

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Weekly printing of The Albany News continues to be a moving target with the usual press at the Abilene Reporter-News (ARN) still out of commission because of a Nov. 15 fire.

At least for the next few weeks, and possibly more long-term, the paper will be available online as usual on Thursday mornings, but won’t be mailed until early Friday morning. It will be on news stands Friday mornings as well.

Pick-up dates for the December distribution of the commodity food program are Dec. 6 and 7.

On Thursday, Dec. 6, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

Albany families who have been certified eligible for the December food distribution program can pick up their commodity food Friday, Dec. 7 at the rear door of the JP office (the former county jail) from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

Santa letters and holiday essays for the 2018 Christmas issue published by The Albany News should be submitted by the end of this week if possible.

Students in both Albany and Moran schools have been working on letters in their classes, but home school students and preschool children are welcome to bring their letters by the News office.

The Christmas season has officially begun and preparations are underway for the upcoming 2018 performance of the Albany Nativity.

The cast members have been busy rehearsing, costumes were sent to the cleaners, crew members are working on the sets at the Aztec Theater, and both a children’s and an adult choir are being organized.

Letters were sent home with local second through fifth grade students. The letters reminded parents that everyone that wants to be in the choir must be available for both performance nights, Dec. 14 and 15.

There is one month left in the annual Albany Chest campaign and many more contributions are needed in order to meet the 2018 fundraising goal of $42,000 set by the directors at the start of the campaign after they reviewed the submitted funding requests from over two dozen organizations. 

Groups that applied for money from the Chest this year include 24 previous recipients and two new applicants. All of the requests were considered by the board.