To The Leader

 

The Friends of the Orange Depot have announced that plans are well under way for their annual fundraiser, DEPOT DAY, Saturday, May 12, 12-5 p.m. at the Orange Railroad Depot Museum, 1210 Green Avenue.

Co-chairing the event are volunteers Alicia Booker and Gina Rebich who are enthusiastic about celebrating spring with families of Orange and the surrounding counties. They anticipate that this Depot Day will be a celebration of community spirit for the entire family. There will be plenty of fun for the children, including face painting, tattooing, special expert balloon sculpting, and of course a colorful trackless train chugging up and down the streets around the depot. There is no entrance fee to the event and tickets for some activities are sold for nominal fees.

Entertainment will abound all afternoon during the event, including lively music from bands, school choirs, dancing groups. Plenty of food vendors will provide hamburgers, tacos, ice cream and other treats.

The feature event this year will be the first Dog Day Afternoon contest. The co-chairs are encouraging dog lovers to enter their small dogs (limit up to 20 lbs) in the contest which will be held in a special area on the grounds, judged by a panel of expert judges. Pre-registration fee is $5 per dog per category and $10 per dog per category the day of the event. Dog owners can enter as many categories as they choose. Prizes will be given to the winners of each of the following categories: gnarliest, sassiest, friendliest, waggiest tail, grumpiest, most creative costume, the tallest, smallest, best kisser, most creative hairstyle, best pet-owner lookalike and best costume. Owners will lead their dog on a leash in front of the judges, as in national dog competitions. Entrance registration forms can be found on the website www.orangetxdepot.org or by emailing rbsimar@gt.rr.com.

The co-chairs are excited about the raffle items this year: 2 bikes – a Huffy 12-inch (boys) and a Dora Explorer 12” (girls), RCA Tablet, Kendra Scott Necklace donated by Mathews Jewelers, a Blue Tooth portable speaker donated by Badger Daylighting, a weekend Retreat at La Maison d’Orange, donated by the bed and breakfast, a decorative wooden cross donated by FOOD volunteers Lila and Stephen Speck, and a blue and white throw depicting Orange historic buildings. Raffle tickets are only $3 each, so your chances to win increase by buying multiple tickets. The drawing will be held at 4:30PM on the day of the event but you do not have to be present to win.

Inside the depot, tours will be given and there will be a photo booth available for souvenir photos. The booth is being donated by Neches Federal Credit Union.

The organization is still accepting sponsors for the event. Already on board are First Financial Bank (underwriter of trackless train), Granger Chevrolet, Liz Hogan Allstate Insurance, Steirman-Whitfield, DuPont Chemical Corporation and Bettye Elliott of American Real Estate Company. Donor forms are available on the website or by calling Rose at 409-330-1576. All proceeds of Depot Day will go toward the museum exhibits which are being planned for the Orange Train Depot Museum.