Excerpts from a June 1999 Goodland Home Newsletter

The month of May was a busy one for both the boys and staff of Goodland Home. We began our month with a meeting of the board of trustees on Saturday, May 1.

I was afforded the opportunity to speak during a Synod of the Sun meeting in Tulsa on Thursday, May 6. I updated those in attendance on Goodlands program during a “Minute for Missions” presentation and was extremely grateful to everyone there who contributed to a special offeratory collection for the Home.

Our boys and staff were special guests during the morning worship service on Sunday, May 9 at First Presbyterian Church of Coalgate. I delivered the sermon that day on what I thought was an especially fitting topic — mothers. Following the service, the congregation treated our boys to the perfect meal: lunch at McDonalds!

Goodland Homes boys and staff once again enjoyed the hospitality of our friends at Red River Army Depot when we attended the annual fishing tournament in Texarkana on Saturday, May 15. Goodland has participated in this fishing tournament for a number of years now and the boys always have such a wonderful time. The boys won a lot of prizes during the tournament this year and I could tell how much fun they had by all the photographs that were taken. During the tournament, each boy was paired with an experienced fisherman. The boys always enjoy learning about the sport and they truly benefit from the one-on-one time they are able to spend with the Red River Army volunteers. This annual fishing tournament requires a lot of work on behalf of the Red River Army Depot employees who serve as hosts each year and we are extremely grateful that Goodland’s boys are among those invited to participate.

The month of May was a time for great celebration for two of our boys. Two longtime Goodland Home residents, Mitch and Eddie, graduated from high school this year.

Mitch is working full-time for a printing company in Paris, Texas and will begin classes this fall at Paris Junior College. An excellent amateur photographer, Mitch was active in the Hugo High School photography program and took numerous photos for school publications.

Eddie has been accepted and will attend Ouachita Baptist College in Arkadelphia, Ark. this fall. He will play football while attending college and plans to major in pastoral studies. Eddie played football in high school and was named to the All-Star squad during his senior year. He is working this summer at Goodland Home as the groundskeeper supervisor.

Both boys were honored, along with other graduating seniors, during a special service on May 16 at Central Presbyterian Church in Paris, Texas. The graduating seniors were presented with special gifts by the congregation. A wonderful luncheon followed the morning worship service.

Members of an adult group from First Presbyterian Church of Ada made an overnight visit to campus on May 21. Their work project was to paint the upstairs office area of Bacon Hall. We enjoyed the fellowship with this group and appreciate their fine work.

The boys and staff enjoyed worship services on Sunday, May 30 at Shiloh Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Clarksville, Texas. The congregation provided a wonderful potluck lunch following the service.

Goodlands well pump went out on the final day of May and we have been forced since that time to purchase water from a nearby rural water system. Repairs to the pump will run in the neighborhood of $1,000 and we are hoping to get the well back in service soon since rural water is rather expensive for a campus of this size.

Please pray for Goodland Homes boys and staff this month. Pray, too, for the many volunteer groups who will travel to our campus during the month of June to help with a variety of work projects. Without these volunteers, we would be unable to maintain the buildings and campus grounds.