Gatesville Lions Club awards six seniors $1,000 scholarships, hears water safety tips

Six Gatesville ISD seniors were recognized with $1,000 scholarships from the Gatesville Lions Club, putting Journey Garrett, Gehrig Keeton, Emma Pollard, Baylyn Roberts, Taylor Sanderson and Ivan Schiferl in the spotlight at the club’s Wednesday meeting. Since 2022, the Lions Club has awarded $43,640 in scholarship money, a steady level of support that has made the program a regular part of the group’s community work.

The meeting also turned to a timely public-safety message as summer nears. Hamilton County Game Warden Jim Daniels, who has served roughly 19 years, spoke to the club about how to stay safe on public waters, including rivers and lakes that draw more activity as temperatures rise.

Daniels laid out several basic boating rules that matter for families and weekend users alike. Texas boating safety rules require a Coast Guard-approved life jacket for each passenger on a motorboat. Kayaks and jet skis require life jackets to be worn at all times, and boats longer than 16 feet must carry a throwable flotation device. Texas Parks and Wildlife also says a motorboat must carry at least one wearable personal flotation device for each person on board, while paddle craft such as canoes and kayaks must have one Coast Guard-approved wearable PFD for every person aboard.

The safety talk gave the meeting a practical edge beyond the scholarship presentations. In Coryell County and the surrounding area, where lakes, rivers and recreational water use are part of warm-weather routines, the reminders are the kind that can prevent emergencies before they start.

The club also kept one of its own traditions going with the King of Clubs drawing. Britt Clay drew the winning card and took home half of a prize pot described as near $1,000, adding a fundraising note to a night that mixed recognition, education and club business. For the Gatesville Lions Club, the evening underscored two long-running roles at once, helping local students and delivering information that families can use immediately when they head to the water.