Gospel Concert  January 12, 2002 with the Bayou City Boys at the Bay City Railroad Depot, 2620 Ave. G in Bay City. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and everyone is invited to a relaxing evening of great Gospel Music.

Mary Hollenshead, an employee of Celanese and an avid student of bat habitat and rehabilitation, will give a presentation on insect eating bats in our region.  She will also bring a few bats that are unable to be released into the wild.  The Nature Club meeting and presentation is at 7 p.m. Jan. 8 located at the Service Center in Bay City.  The public is welcome to attend.  For more information, call 979-244-4415.

Bay City Little League registration for boys and girls ages 5-12 will be on Friday and on Jan. 11 and 28 from 6-8 p.m. and 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.  A birth certificate is required and registration will be held at the Jack Young Field board rooms.  Tryouts for little leaguers ages 9-12 will be on Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 at the league complex.  Players must attend one of the tryouts.  For more information, call 979-244-4415.

The Matagorda County Chapter of the American Red Cross is pleased to announce the following Health and Safety courses for January:  Adult CPR, Jan. 8; and First Aid Basics, Jan. 22.  These classes will be held at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 1909 Peach St., Bay City.  The cost is $16.50 for Adult CPR and $18 for First Aid Basics.  For more information, call 979-245-3056.

Childbirth Classes will be held at Matagorda General Hospital from Jan. 8 through Feb. 5.  Classes are two hours in length and will be thought on Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. in the hospital cafeteria.  Cost is $40.  For more information, call 979-241-6607.

Tidehaven High School is hosting a financial aid workshop for parents on Jan. 17 beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the library.  A financial aid representative from Wharton County Junior College will provide an overview of the financial aid process and help with the completion of financial aid forms.  Parents and seniors are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity.  For more information, call361-588-6210.

A Little League baseball camp for ages 7-12 will be on Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  Cost for the camp will be $20, and lunch will be provided from noon to 1 p.m.  For more information, call 979-244-4415.

On Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. there will be a startup meeting of an American Cancer Society Dialog Group at the Matagorda County Museum in Bay City.  All cancer survivors are invited to attend.  For more information, call 979-244-4342.

Matagorda County Teen Court is sponsoring a Roast and Toast Banquet in honor of Bay City Blackcat athletic director Chad Morris.  The event will be held Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the Bay City Civic Center.  Tickets are $15.  For more information, call 979-245-1401 or 979-244-4417.

The Bay City Blackcat All-Sports Booster Club is currently having its annual membership drive.  The club supports all boys and girls sports, and gave $10,800 in scholarships last year.  Memberships range from $15 to $100.  For more information, call 979-245-5141.

Effective immediately, the monthly Cruise Night at Gem's is being canceled.  After four and a ha lf years, participation has become light.  Organizers Jim and Syleta Halbert thank all of their past supporters.

The Victoria College is offering a Basic Pace Officer Course from Jan. 14 through May 3.  Tuition is $650.  The Police Academy includes 35 topics essential to today's modern police officer.  These topics will be covered through extensive classroom lectures and hands-on experience.  Upon completion of the Victoria College Police Academy, the student will be eligible to take the state examination test (TCLEOSE) to become a licensed peace officer for the State of Texas.  For more information, call 361-572-6450.

The Victoria College's Spring 2002 Course Schedule is now available.  Copies of the schedule are available on The Victoria College campus in the Counseling Services Office, the Student Center, and in the Admissions and Records Office.  A copy will also be available in all the county libraries and on the Victoria College web site, under Schedules/Publications in either .html or .pdf formats.  Acrobat Reader will be needed to view the schedule as a portable document format file.  For more information or to receive a schedule, please call 361-572-6405.

Teen Court is looking for volunteers the first second and third Tuesday of each month.  Teen Court meets from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Bay City Municipal Court Building on 6th Street.  For more information contact B. J. Wise at 979-245-1401.

The Blessing American Legion Cecil Lee Post 249 holds bingo at 2 p.m. each Sunday.  The public is invited to attend.  For more information, call 979-245-6321.

The Matagorda County Alzheimer's Family Care and Share Group meet at 6:30 p.m. in Conference Room A at Matagorda General Hospital.  This support group is free and open to the public.  This group meets the first Monday of each month.  For more information about Alzheimer's disease, contact Jan Sims at 979-241-6877.

The Matagorda County Crime Stoppers needs the public's help in solving crimes.  Anyone with information about a crime in Matagorda County is asked to call 979-244-TIPS (8477) or 1-800-299-BUST (2878).  Information leading to a felony arrest and/or a grand jury indictment may earn the caller a cash reward.  Callers to Crime Stoppers do not have to give their names.

Project Rio is an employment service program specifically for ex-offenders.  The Texas Workforce in cooperation with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Texas Youth Commission provides special services designed to reintegrate ex-offenders into the workforce.  Project Rio provides incentives and benefits to employers who hire ex-offenders.  For more information on Project Rio contact Kay Roberts at Gulf Coast Careers, 3501 Ave. F in Bay City, or call 979-245-4808, Ext. 205.

The Crisis Center needs your tax-deductible donations for its resale shop.  Proceeds from the resale shop to go to help maintain the shelter and also help clothe those in need.  Donations may be brought by 2805 4th St., Bay  City, from 8:30 p.m.  Monday through Friday.  All items must be in good usable condition.

Local bands Falling Forword, Shekinnah, Difference, and AC KC are holding a free concert Friday, Jan. 18 at 7 p.m. in the Keye Ingram Auditorium of Bay City High School

The Bay City RaiserBackers will host its annual dinner, auction and dance Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Bay City Knights of Columbus Hall from 5 p.m. to midnight.  Tickets are $8.  For more information, call 979-244-4045.

The Palacios Supporters are hosting a barbeque and auction on Saturday, Jan. 19 at the Palacios Recreation Center.  They will be serving from 4-7 p.m.  Tickets are $6.  Auction begins at 5 p.m. and a patrons can buy $25 raffle tickets for a 4-wheeler.  All proceeds benefit fair projects for youth.

Boys and girls ages 10-14 are invited to participate in the 2002 Knights of Columbus Free Throw Championship.  The competition will be held Sunday, Jan. 20 at 1 p.m. at the Holy Cross School gym in Bay City.  For more information contact Darren Friesenhahn.

The Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Service will be at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 at the American Legion Hall in Bay City.  Guests will be Pastor Joseph Garnett and Tyree Chapel AME Church.

Cancer survivors are welcome to attend the start of the American Cancer Society's dialog group at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 22 at the Matagorda County Museum.  The group is designed to help patients and their families better cope with living with cancer.

Matagorda County United Way still has about 100 car booster safety seats that are free for children weighing 40-80 pounds in low-income families.  Stop by the United Way office at 2417 Ave. G in Bay City for more information or call 245-5852.

To submit information from your group to be posted on the County Calendar, please fill out our FORM.  The Calendar area of the MAN is maintained by Steven Sumners.