Category: Events

At 10:45 am Saturday, April 29, the Divine Savior Lutheran Church’s 7th Annual Gift of Hope Golf Tournament gets underway at the Devine Golf Club Course with a tee time of 11:00 am. The Devine Golf Club and course are at 116 Malone Drive, Devine, Texas.
This tournament was not played when scheduled in the fall of 2022 due to bad weather. The tournament proceeds will go to our 2022 beneficiary, Audrey Jane Capps. The proceeds are to help her directly with her needed therapies. The “Gift of Hope” is a charity established in 2015 by Divine Savior Lutheran Church members to help Medina County families with debt due to a debilitating disease.
Tournament play calls for four-person teams, the maximum handicapped for women is 24, and the maximum handicapped for men is 18. The entry fee for each player is $75.00. The entry fee includes a free meal, golf cart, and green costs. Mulligans are $10.00 per tournament player. Other competitive activities planned are Chipping Contest at $20.00 per participant and Tiger Drive at $40.00 per team. Winners of these competitions will receive a cash prize.
Door prizes for all golf tournament participants are to be awarded.
Cash awards for tournament players winning 1st place, 2nd place, and 3rd place depending on the number of entries.
Hole number four on the course is dedicated to celebrating the golfing life of Jerry Wayne Busby, the Hondo Municipal Golf Course manager who recently passed away from colon cancer. The $500.0000 award goes to the golfer who scores a hole-in-one on hole number four.
Our beneficiary Audrey Jane Capps, daughter of Josh and Brittany Capps, is the recipient of our November 2022 fundraiser and spilling over into 2023 due to the unforeseeable weather delaying the golf tournament.
Audrey was born with a rare genetic disease called Ataxia Telangiectasia. The A-T disease is rare, occurring only in one out of forty thousand births. Audrey just turned five and is now attending school. She is a precious little girl who believes in all princesses. Her imagination is incredible.

A child with A-T disease usually cannot walk by age ten.
Ataxia Telangiectasia (A-T) is a genetic disease. It causes loss of muscle control, balance, cancer, and lung disease and comprises the immune system in children and young adults.
Devine Acres Farm hosted a benefit last Saturday. The benefit is known as “Audrey Jane’s Light” and is used to raise funds for the “A-T Children Project,” an organization dedicated to finding a cure for all who have A-T. Carriers of the A-T gene are approximately one per hundred in the general population compared to the typical population. The cancer rate in children with A-T is a thousand times higher, and the cancer rate of carriers can be up to four times higher. The “A-T Children Project” has become worldwide.
Last Saturday, at Devine Acres Farm, I was handed a book called “Life’s a Journey” written by Colten Jay Skinner, a young man diagnosed with this disease at birth. “Life’s a Journey” is a nonfiction biography of a boy’s hardships which have become a blessing.
Colten was born in a small town in Illinois in 1992. He was diagnosed with A-T at birth. Colten and his brother Duey, who passed at age twenty-nine, were confined to a wheelchair in elementary school. His brother died of cancer at the age of twenty-nine.
A-T spokesperson for this disease was at Devine Acres Farm last Saturday. She took a picture of my husband and me holding Colten’s book. She immediately sent the photo to Colten, and he immediately responded. What a blessing God gave us. This book will soon become a movie. Colten’s life has become a journey every single day. He is a young man who lives every day of his life to help others.
The “Gift of Hope” has helped many children and adults through the last seven years. We all need to realize that expenses pile up when treatment is necessary. Our gift is only a tiny portion. Donations to the “Gift of Hope” have
helped many families during this journey. I hope to see you all on April 29. This one is for Audrey Jane.

The community really came together once again, to help this sweet little princess Audrey Jane Capps, 5 years old, pictured here with her family Josh and Brittany Capps and baby brother Kenneth and local firefighters who joined the Fun Run Some Run Princess & Protectors event in Devine.
The event will be held annually at Devine Acres Farm until we find a cure for Audrey and all A-T warriors!
It was a full day full of fun with fishing, a giant jump pad, hay rides, and live music, great BBQ and more. The live and silent auctions were a blast and we cannot thank donors and volunteers enough for helping this sweet Princess. Kiddos loved meeting the Paw Patrol, Elsa & Anna, Moana, Ariel, the Power Rangers, and Batman, and you can look forward to an event just as exciting next year at Devine Acres! Follow Audrey Janes Light Facebook Page for more info. A-T (Ataxia Telangiectasia) is a rare nuerological disease facing more families in Texas than any other place in the U.S. Because 1 in 3 kids develop cancer, many experts believe when we find a cure for A-T, we may find the cure for some types of cancer as well. If you would still like to donate, you can do so online at www.atcp.org/Audrey PHOTOS & SPONSORS ON PAGE 9-10

Tickets are on sale now for a big event coming up soon in Devine. On Saturday April 15, all of your favorite characters will be appearing at Devine Acres Farm for a meet and greet!
Kiddos participating in the fun run race will get some special “backstage VIP time” with Elsa & Anna, Moana, and Ariel until the show starts.
Devine Acres will open the farm at 10 am.
8:30 AM- Fun Run kicks off
9:30 AM- Kiddos in the Fun Run get VIP time with the princesses
10 AM- Devine Acres Farm Opens to public with 50+ fun activities for kids and families (tickets $10)
10:30 AM SHOW- The San Antonio Singing Princesses will take the stage for an interactive performance which includes them singing all of your favorite movie songs. Right afterward there will be a meet and greet and more fun with Elsa & Anna, Ariel, and Moana until 12:30.
10 AM-1PM- Your favorite Paw Patrol and Power Rangers will also be there to meet and greet with the kiddos.
Balloon Swords & Tiaras and Face Painting
We will have a baloon artist making balloon swords and tiaras as kiddos visit with the princeses and characters. There will also be face painters there in the shaded area where the performance takes place.
Your tickets into the farm also include entry into the farm which has 50+ family fun activities for kids including catch and release fishing, a giant jumping pad, gem mining, hayrides, several playgrounds, a race track, barnyard animals, and much more.
4 PM- Live music by Adrian Reyes will kick off. Keith Lutz will also be playing some tunes and will be the auctioneer that night where lots of great prizes will go to the high bidder for a good cause.
6 PM- 10 PM The whole family will enjoy the Concert Under the Stars in the evening with live music by Keith Lutz and also the Drug Store Cowboys to top the night off.
See ticket info on back page.
**Food/Drinks/BBQ Plates will also be for sale as well as a GIANT silent & live auction with dozens of great prizes!!!!

Devine– This Saturday, April 8th at 4:00 pm, the Devine Golf Group will be hosting the 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt.
The first 100 kids get a free basket. Over 600 kids enjoyed the hunt last year. Everyone is invited to join in.
Bring big baskets commented Ron Richards, as they will have lots of eggs.

Lytle’s 2023 Easter Eggs-Travaganza will take place this Saturday, April 8th from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at John Lott Municipal Park sponsored by the Lytle Tourism Dept.
Registration starts at noon, fee is one canned good or $1 per child. Egg Hunt is for kids ages 1-8 at 2:00 p.m. Easter Bunny will appear at 1:00 p.m. Enjoy early bird prize drawings.

The Annual Natalia Bluebonnet Festival and Parade is scheduled for Saturday, March 25, 2023. 
The festival begins with the vendors opening at 9 am, then the parade at 11 a.m. through downtown Natalia.  Afterwards we move to the festival grounds for the festivities, to include food trucks/booths, craft/vendor booths, music and activities for the kids.  Don’t forget to bring your own chair and shade, as both are limited on the festival grounds. Please remember no outside food and drinks are allowed at the festival. We will have lots of great food and beverage choices available from our vendors.

The Natalia Bluebonnet Festival Committee would also like to thank the OFFICIAL coordinators of the 2023 Natalia Bluebonnet Festival:  The City of Natalia, The Natalia Public Library Foundation, the Natalia Municipal Development District and the Natalia Veteran’s Memorial Library.  We greatly appreciate their help in pulling off this year’s festival. 
The Natalia Bluebonnet Festival is the single, largest fundraising event for the Natalia Veteran’s Memorial Library. 

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of the festival, below are the details concerning this year’s sponsorship levels:
Gold Level ($1,000 minimum contribution) – mention on all print advertising, logo on festival t-shirt, recognition at event, logo on festival website and social media;
Bluebonnet Level ($500) – mention on all print advertising, recognition at event, logo on website and social media;
Mustang Level ($250) and- recognition at event and logo on website and social media
Friend of the Library ($100) – name/logo on website and social media
This year’s vendor and parade registrations are online at nataliabluebonnetfestival.com.  Vendor fees may also be paid in person or online at the time of registration.
All proceeds from the festival directly benefit the Natalia Veteran’s Memorial Library and aid the library in providing Summer Reading Program activities, new technology and new books for the library’s collection.
Please contact Amy at 210-213-1990 or stop by the Natalia Library.
“We look forward to seeing you at the 2023 Natalia Bluebonnet Festival!” said Amy M. Edge, Library Director.
Natalia Veteran’s Memorial Library. (830) 455-0007 Office, (210) 213-1990 Cell. Email: Natalialibraryfoundation@gmail.com

Bring the family and grab your friends for an evening of arts and community in historic downtown Devine. The Devine Markets Association, best known for our monthly farmers markets in Devine, Hondo and soon, Lytle, wish to show appreciation for supporting all our hardworking producers.
After the First Saturday Market on this Saturday, April 1st, we’re closing the streets and opening our downtown businesses to showcase local artists and share a great evening. Come out from 6-9 PM to mingle with friends, meet the artists and check out our local small businesses.
For the kiddos, Ms. Mickie from Dove Street Deals will host a children’s art project area. For the big kids, Sandy Oaks will have their mobile cocktail and beer sales. For everyone, Doe Re Mi Lavender Farm will be playing music on the streets.
Please join the DMA for fun and casual night out to share just a few of the great things about Devine.
For more information artists can contact skerxleben@yahoo.com and general inquiries can be directed to steve@smithpastures.com .
WE’RE CLOSING THE STREETS for this FREE event sponsored by the Devine Markets Association. All to thank you for supporting our member-producers at the First Saturday Market.
If you’re a regular or haven’t made it out yet, allow us to show appreciation for being a part of a supportive, welcoming community. See y’all there!
Earlier in the day the Market will host their monthly Farmer’s Market from 9 am to 3 pm.

The Chamber, in coordination with the City of Lytle, will be hosting their first annual Lytle Music Fest on Friday and Saturday the 24 and 25 of March 2023.
Friday, March 24 – There will be a BBQ cookoff with 3 categories: brisket, ribs, and chicken, as well as Cornhole tournaments, and two concerts in the evening. Kendi Jean Music kicks off the music at 6pm with an acoustic performance. Then Lytle based Texas country recording artist Chuck Wimer and his band take the stage at 8pm. There will also be Food Trucks.
Saturday, March 25th- 6 Bands over 2 stages throughout the day, beer sales by the VFW, and around 40 vendors and food trucks. Brad Jenschke Country kicks off the day at 10am on the acoustic stage. Followed by Selestial Alcoser and then Chuck Wimer wrapping up the acoustic performances. Matthew Ryan Music takes the main stage at 4pm with his band, followed by Scotty Alexander and then our headliner- San Antonio based, award winning band Kin Faux.
Get there early each day to shop, eat, and enjoy the live music. Remember, it all kicks off Friday the 24th at 6pm! You won’t want to miss it! Check out the featured section of our page for the schedule of performances. We expect more than 1000 people on the 25th.

A few days after her 41st birthday, Kristin Fohn Byrd, known around Devine as, “The Baking Byrd,” (for her amazing cupcakes), went to work like any other day. In the blink of an eye she suffered a severe headache and collapsed in her office; she was rushed to the emergency room where she was diagnosed with a brain bleed. She was treated successfully and able to return home in early December with the expectation of making a full recovery with outpatient rehab. Unfortunately, that was short lived. Just two weeks later, she suffered serious complications and returned to the hospital just before Christmas, where she remains. She has undergone 11 surgeries to help her brain heal.
Kristin is surrounded by family, friends, and amazing medical professionals. There are still many unknowns at this time, but we do know she is likely to need several more weeks and at least one more procedure before she can begin rehabilitating again. Her recovery this time will take much longer than originally expected.
We invite you to come out to show your support for the Byrd Family (Husband Johnny, Daughter Brynlea, and Son Becker) on Saturday, March 11th at the Devine VFW Hall. BBQ Plate sales start at 11am until sold out. There will be a Corn Hole Tournament, Silent Auction and Dance.
For questions contact organizers: Stacie (210) 410-4712, Brandi (210) 508-2489, or Kristen (210) 218-1552.

The English family was on vacation out of state when an emergency sent them to the hospital. Mrs. Brittany (Word) English delivered her baby prematurely and he was airlifted to another hospital to the Newborn Intensive Intensive Care Unit. Friends and family have launched a fundraising page to support the family in this trying time.
Brittany and Garret English welcomed their new baby boy, Ledger James English, in Colorado on January 21st. He weighed 5lbs. 4oz.
Baby Ledger is being kept in the NICU in Colorado while he continues to develop and grow strong enough to get back home to Wheeler, TX but with this comes many expenses including lodging, gas, food, etc.
Brittany (Word) English is Devine graduate Class of 2010, and resides in Wheeler, Texas with her husband Garret. Proud grandparents are Darla and Jimmy Word of Devine, and Sam and Kim English, great-grandmas Dee Jenkins of Devine, Joyce Word of Victoria, and great-grandparents Charles and Barbara Gautney and Billy Joe and Faye Chancey.
If you would like to help this sweet family you can donate on the Go Fund Me Page or drop off donations at The Devine News office on Monday or Tuesday or weekday afternoons. Please make checks to Brittany and Garrett English.

Link to the Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/garrett-and-brittany-english?utm_campaign=p_cf+share-flow-1&utm_medium=sms&utm_source=customer

In 1962 Archie Paige along with the help of the Medina County Trail Riders, decided to make another leg of the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo Trail Rides that promote and advertise the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo. Original members included Rodney Mangold, Marvin Hause, Babe Gilliam, and others. They originally began their trek at the international bridge between Laredo and Nuevo Laredo. At that time, the ride was approximately 210 miles long.
Through the years, because of tick bans, and various other logistics, the trail ride now starts 10 miles south of Artesia Wells at the Oscar Moreno’s ranch. Current Trail Boss Jerry Chessher follows a long line of trail bosses. His father Jerry Chessher Sr, and his grandfather Jimmie Chessher were all trail bosses through the years, past trail bosses also included Missy Sultenfuss, Floyd McOsker, Roy Jarvis and Archie Page.
This February the Laredo Trail Ride will celebrate 61 years of this grand tradition. We will be starting from Oscar Moreno’s Ranch once again with a kick-off party on Friday evening February 3rd and leaving Saturday morning Feb. 4th for our 1st night stop in Cotulla, TX; where there will be a dinner and dance at the American Legion grounds. The public is invited. The dance is from 7pm to 11pm and a $5 cover charge for the public. Music provided by DJ Rooster Rick Chavez. We will leave Sunday morning the 5th for our Dilley night stop, at the Dilley Lions Club. Monday night the 6th we will stop at the A&D Ballroom in Pearsall, TX for a dinner and dance, the public is invited. The dance is from 7pm to 11pm and a $5 cover charge for the public. Music provided by DJ Rooster Rick Chavez. Tuesday the 7th, we will stop at the N6 Farms outside of Lytle, Texas. Wednesday the 8th we will depart Lytle for our night stop at Country Gold Dance Hall for a dinner and dance with Paul Sanchez & Wrangler Country the public is invited. The dance is from 7:30pm to 11:30pm and a $10 cover charge for the public. Thursday the 9th we will be at the Morlandt Electric Co, and Friday we will be meeting South Texas Trail Riders for our final leg into the official Stock Show Grounds. Any young single cowgirls between 16 to 20 years old is invited to participate in our Laredo Trail Ride Queen Contest. We look forward to promoting the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo throughout South Texas and hope that community will come out to greet the Trail Riders and join us at our dinners and dances. For more information look us up on Facebook under Laredo Tail Ride.