Category: Events

VFW Post 3966 will present a Memorial Day ceremony for the public on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 9:30 am. The ceremony will be held at VFW Post 3966, 211 W. College Ave, Devine TX. This year the ceremony will take place on the east side of the Bingo Hall across from the Post Office. South Upson Drive will be closed for the ceremony. Memorial Day honors members of the military who died in service to our country.

The Post will hold the ceremony under the patriotic mural painted on the east side of the Bingo Hall. As part of this ceremony, we will recognize veterans who have passed away. If you wish to honor a veteran who has passed away, we will have a sign up prior to the event.

As in years past, the Post will have a flag retirement as part of the ceremony. If you have a flag that is no longer serviceable, please bring it to the ceremony to be retired. If you cannot attend and have a flag to be retired, you may drop it in the flag drop box at the main entrance to the VFW (near the flagpole).
Following the ceremony and flag retirement VFW Post 3966 will have free hot dogs in the Bingo Hall or courtyard, depending on the weather.
The Devine Current Events Club will be kicking off their Wreaths Across America program with an informational table at the ceremony site. After the ceremony they will be giving away ice cream in the Bingo Hall or courtyard.
If you need more information about the event, please contact Gary Saathoff at 210-289-6204 (text or call) or email to vfw3966commander@yahoo.com.

The City of Natalia is hosting the Annual Memorial Day Service on Sunday, May 25th, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. in front of the Veterans Memorial Monument. This year the ceremony will be led by Mr. Homero Flores of San Antonio. He is a member of the American Legion Post 399 and VFW Post 6174 both of San Antonio. Mr. Flores served in Korea from 1969-71. He has a long history of family members serving our country commencing with his father who served during WWII; two brothers serving during Viet Nam and his son who is now retired from the Air Force.

Memorial Day starts the “Name Drive” for additional names to be engraved on the monument. The new names will be called out during the Veterans Day Ceremony on November 11th. This year the cost will be $175.00 per name. The increase in cost is for the engraver to come on site to at the monument to engrave the name. Please remember the individual you wish to honor with their name on the monument has to have been either born in Medina County, raised in Medina County or currently is living in Medina County. Applications can be downloaded from the City of Natalia of Natalia website, City of Natalia Office, and Natalia Municipal Development District. The deadline for all applications to be received is September 5th. All information is on the application form. Those attending are asked to bring their own lawn chairs.

When it comes to fire departments and the services they provide, one key factor often overlooked is the role of the Insurance Services Office (ISO) and its impact on a community. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the world of ISO ratings, what they mean for fire departments, how they affect residents, and their influence on homeowners’ insurance rates.
Natalia VFD- 2 and 10 outside 5 miles
Lytle VFD- 4 and 4X outside 5 miles
Castroville/LaCoste VFD- 4 and 5 outside 5 miles
Bigfoot VFD- 5 and 5X outside 5 miles
Hondo VFD- 5 and 9 outside 5 miles
Devine VFD- 6 and 10 outside 5 miles
Moore VFD- 9 and 9.5 outside 5 miles

The ISO and Fire Department Ratings
The Insurance Services Office (ISO) is an independent organization that assesses municipal fire protection efforts in communities throughout the United States. This assessment culminates in what is known as the Public Protection Classification (PPC) rating. The PPC rating scale ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being the best and 10 indicating a department’s failure to meet the minimum requirements.
ISO ratings are determined based on four primary data points: emergency communications systems, such as 911 call centers (10%), the fire department itself, including staffing, training, geographic distribution of fire companies, operational considerations, and community risk reduction (50%), the water supply system, including the condition and maintenance of hydrants and the amount of available water (40%), and community risk reduction measures, including fire prevention codes and safety education (5.5%).

Importance of ISO Ratings to Fire Departments
An ISO rating serves as a nationwide standard for comparing the quality of fire protection services. For fire departments, a better ISO rating can serve as a benchmark of success, an indication of areas to improve, and a testament to the department’s commitment to providing superior fire protection services.

ISO Ratings and their Impact on Residents
For the residents of a city or town, the fire department’s ISO rating can have significant implications. An excellent rating can instill confidence and peace of mind knowing that their community is well-protected. However, perhaps the most tangible impact of an ISO rating on a resident comes in the form of homeowners’ insurance premiums.

ISO Ratings and Homeowners’ Insurance Rates
Insurance companies use ISO ratings as part of their decision-making process when setting homeowners’ insurance premiums. A lower ISO rating (closer to 1) indicates a superior level of fire protection and, therefore, a lower risk. Consequently, homeowners in areas with better ISO ratings are likely to enjoy lower insurance premiums.
Understanding ISO ratings and their implications is crucial for both fire departments and the communities they serve. For fire departments, striving for a better ISO rating is not just about prestige; it is about providing the best possible service to their community. For residents, a better understanding of what their community’s ISO rating means can lead to better-informed discussions about local public safety and potentially lower insurance premiums. Ultimately, an ISO rating reflects a community’s collective commitment to safety, preparedness, and prevention.
(Sources: Plantationfire.com Ratings from local fire departments in Atascosa, Frio and Medina Counties.)

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott today announced that the Office of the Governor’s Public Safety Office is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Trevor McEuen, who failed to appear for his court date while out on bond for capital murder. The Texas Department of Public Safety has added the suspect to their 10 Most Wanted Fugitive List.
“Trevor McEuen is exactly why Texas must fix its broken and deadly bail system,” said Governor Abbott. “A violent criminal like McEuen charged with capital murder should never be released on our streets. That’s why I made bail reform an emergency item that must pass this legislative session. I urge all Texans with information on McEuen to call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline or submit an anonymous tip online to help law enforcement apprehend this heinous criminal. Working together, we will bring fugitives like Trevor McEuen to justice.”
In addition to the state reward, Kaufman County Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $10,000 and Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office is offering a reward of up to $10,000, bringing the total reward amount up to $30,000.
Call the Texas Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477)
Submit a tip online through the Texas Department of Public Safety.

WHAT: Lytle Community Cemetery and Lytle Masonic Cemetery, an official Wreaths Across America (WAA) location, will host a 1st Annual wreath-laying ceremony, joining more than 4,900 other locations across the country for National Wreaths Across America Day. Coordinated and led by local volunteers, sponsorship groups have raised funds throughout the year to sponsor the placement of 180 veterans’ wreaths on the headstones of our fallen service members laid to rest there. This annual event seeks to further the yearlong mission to Remember, Honor, Teach, ensuring that the memory of those who served our country endures.

WHEN: Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 11:00 am.

WHERE: Lytle Community Cemetery, 15309 Laredo St., Lytle, TX. 78052

WHO: Lytle VFW Post 12041, Atascosa MASONIC LODGE #379, Ruben Gonzalez, Mayor City of Lytle.
Veterans, active service members and families For more information or to sponsor a wreath, please visit www.wreathsacrossamerica.org Please use our Location ID: TXLTCC.
Local Contacts: Efrain Vasquez, (479) 925-0998, email: sergeantmajorpain88 @gmail.com; and Pam Wanjura, (210) 422-1875, email: pamwan @sbcglobal.net

About Wreaths Across America
The organization’s yearlong mission – Remember, Honor, Teach – is carried out in part each year by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies in December at thousands of veterans’ cemeteries and other locations in all 50 states and beyond.

Devine Soccer Club (Facebook page Devine Soccer Club) is conducting a shoe drive fundraiser through June 6th. On May 3rd and May 31st from 11 am to 3 pm next to the library, they will have a drive through drop off shoes event. Also you may drop off shoes at the following locations: Devine Fire Department Station, Jalisco – 779 Hwy 173 in Devine, Sherry’s Flower Shop – 103 E College Ave in Devine, Kickstart Nutrition – 203 E College Ave in Devine, WTG – 14640 FM 2790 in Lytle, Lytle Animal Control – 17971 W FM 2790 in Lytle.
This shoe drive is to raise funds for the future development of soccer players and to help build soccer fields here locally. Devine Soccer Club will earn funds based on the total weight of the pairs of gently worn, used and new shoes collected, as Funds20rgs will issue a check for the collected shoes. Anyone can help by donating gently worn, used and new shoes at any of the above locations, or using our drop off drive thru May 3 and 31. All sport shoes are acceptable, crocs, high heels, boots, anything except roller skates, ice skates or shoes with wheels.
Donated shoes will then be redistributed throughout the Funds2Orgs network, to give back to communities and countries where footwear is not readily available. Devine Soccer Club collected pairs of shoes will be examined, cleaned, and distributed to areas where needed. These shoes will have a large impact on individuals and families alike. Shoes are also distributed in low economic areas of this country and others. Your donation will give your shoes a chance to help others who otherwise would not be able to have a pair of shoes either due to the cost of footwear or living an area where shoe are not readily available.
“We are excited about our shoe drive,” said Devine Soccer Club Director Pablo Carmona. “We know that most people have extra shoes in their closets they no longer use or will just throw away some time in the future. We would like them to donate those unwanted shoes that either no longer fit or are no longer used. By doing this we raise money for soccer fields, soccer equipment and the shoes donated have the chance to help families in developing nations who need assistance with a basic item like shoes. It’s a win – win for everyone.”
Devine Soccer Club is based in Devine. They look to help all kids, boys and girls, of all ages with the opportunity to play soccer at all skill levels. Volunteer coaches are a big part of why we succeed and we always are looking for more coaches. Registration to join a team will open up on May 17. Contact them on Facebook at Devine Soccer Club.
Our focus is to train the kids to get to the highest level of competition we can get them to and help soccer grow in Devine. We have a goal to get soccer in our schools in Devine, but first we must grow the sport in our community and hopefully the school district will take notice.

By Kayleen Holder
Editor
Mission Devine volunteers are hoping to complete around 33 projects this year for those in need. They need volunteers of all abilities, but they are especially in need a few people with at least some carpentry/plumbing experience to lead teams of volunteers.
They always have more projects pending on finding enough leaders with a little experience who are willing to take the reins.
“We have a 4-5 elderly residents needing handicap ramps, and I know we have one volunteer who will be the lead on some of those, but we have more than one project leader can handle. So we need someone comfortable with taking on a couple of those ramp projects,” said volunteer Cliff Redus.
Another great need are handyman volunteers to install handicap bathroom items.
“We have several elderly and or handicap residents needing bathroom remodels where we are taking out a bathtub and installing walk-in showers, and we will need leaders for some of those projects as well,” Redus said.
Project leaders aren’t necessarily professional contractors, but have at least a little bit of experience, and will help guide a group of 4-5 volunteers on their teams.
“Whenever our leaders feel like they get into an issue that is a little more than they can handle, we have some professions who are on-call to help out when needed,” Redus said.
On the other end of the spectrum, Mission Devine has smaller projects as simple as yard work, installing a ceiling fan, and exterior paint jobs.
Mission Devine will also be helping four local families in need of roof repairs this year.
What makes Mission Devine special?
“The scriptures teach us to be doers of the work,” Redus said. “To me, it’s a wonderful opportunity to set aside your own agenda for a week and give back to other who just need a little bit of help….to be the hands and feet of the Lord.”
When is it?
Mission Devine work week will be Monday June 2nd through Friday, June 6, though occasionally volunteers will complete projects before or after the main work week.
The Kick off service will be at Devine First Baptist Church. During the week of Mission Devine, St Joseph Catholic Church will host.
What can you help with?
Ways to help: Painting crew, tree and yard service, our prayer team, carpentry work, electrical, plumbing, roofing and much more.
We start every morning with breakfast and devotionals. Come back at noon for noon meal. Please help spread the word

Where can you sign up?
If you need to fill out an application online, please go to Missiondevine.org.
TO VOLUNTEER, you can contact Heather Yanta on Facebook or call Todd Summers at 210-287-6883.