Old Time Country Market
In May, it was announced that the there would be a new grocery store opening in the Westville community. After months of anticipation, the time is here! Old Time Country Market is open and in business.
Since the closing of Old Time Foods in April of 2016, Westville citizens had been hoping for a new grocery store to come to town, and Old Time Country Market has been just what they were looking for. From milk and juices to fresh meat from the butcher shop, they’ve provided community members with everything they need to stock up their kitchens from a grocery store within their own town.
The new store wasn’t ready in a day though, and it required a lot of hard work. The staff worked through the beginning part of the summer to prepare the store for its soft opening, and they continued to work had to prepare for the grand opening on July 13th.
Having a new grocery store in Westville has been wonderful for the community. While it is very convenient to have a place in town where you can pick up some everyday necessities, it brings so much more to the community than just a place to buy your groceries. Old Time Country Market is also a great example that small business can thrive in Westville as well as providing more job opportunities for students and community members.
Old Time Country Market is a great addition to Westville that has already made a positive impact on the community and will only continue to do so.
Trip to Europe
This summer, Westville German students had the opportunity to take a trip to Europe! Mr. Craft, the German teacher at Westville, started planning the trip two years ago, and this summer those plans were put into action.
The trip was organized through a company called Education First (EF). The company focuses on the building blocks of cultural experiences, language, and academics around the world. The trip that Westville students attended would travel to Germany, France, and Spain, and would span a duration of 2 weeks. Packed full of iconic monuments and plenty of sightseeing opportunities, it was sure to be the trip of a lifetime.
On June 21st, a total of 35 people, 25 from Westville and South Central and 10 from Mississippi, boarded their flights headed to Munich Airport. Once they arrived and regrouped, students had the night to settle into their hotels before the trip was in full swing the next morning.
Over the next fourteen days, the group toured Munich, Heidelberg, Paris, Avignon, Carcassonne, Barcelona, and Madrid. While at these locations they were able to see Heidelberg Castle, the Cathedrale de Norte Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and many other iconic monuments.
After two weeks of sightseeing and experiencing life in Europe, the students and chaperones boarded planes headed back to the states and arrived in the July 4th. It truly was a once in a lifetime trip where students made friends and memories that they will never forget. It’s was such a wonderful experience and Westville only hopes to continue bringing these opportunities to students.
Leo Club: Camping with the Blind
On June 22nd, Westville Leo Club had their annual camping with the blind weekend. This was the Leo Club’s sixth year putting in this event and each year it just gets bigger and better.
Every year local Leo and Lions clubs gather to prepare for this annual fishing and camping trip, and lots of hard work goes into making the weekend the best it can be for the blind campers who attend. The weekend takes place at members Butch and Rhonda Weston’s house where the members of six clubs designed and constructed a picnic shelter for this and other events that take place throughout the year.
Once preparations for the weekend were done, it was time the fun to begin. From Friday night to Sunday afternoon, the campout was packed with fun activities, food, and plenty of campfires. Some of the activities highlighted at this years event were fishing, motorcycle rides from Vietnam veterans, a Rescue House with firemen, and a hot air balloon. All of these activities plus meals, fishing poles, and tents were free to all the blind and low vision families that attended the campout.
The weekend was a wonderful experience for many of the blind and low vision campers who attend. They have a chance to have fun and be surrounded by loving and caring people. It’s a truly great way to spread joy and have a positive impact on someone’s life all thanks to the Westville Leo and Lions clubs.