"Somebody Gets Off In Our Town"

There is a Garth Brooks song, "Nobody Gets Off In This Town" that begins:

"Nobody gets off in this town,

The trains don't even slow down.

My high school sweetheart's married and gone,

They met on a bus to San Antone.

The Greyhound stops, somebody gets on.

Nobody gets off in this town."

There are many that believe this describes all rural/agriculturally based communities but this isn't going to happen in MY HOMETOWN!! For those in our town who are working so diligently, it was a great honor to receive the announcement today from the Texas Department of Agriculture that Munday has been selected as a finalist in the Texas Yes! Hardworking Rural Community Award Program.

It will never be said of our town:

"Nobody gets off in this town,

Old folks 'round here wear a frown.

Now let me see if I can set the scene,

It's a one-dog town and he's old and mean.

There's one stoplight but it's always green,

Nobody gets off in this town."

Following is the letter received for immediate release:

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Susan Combs, Commissioner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 22, 2006
CONTACT: Allen Spelce
Beverly Boyd
(512) 463-7664
Texas Department of Agriculture Set to Spotlight Rural Texas Stars
AUSTIN – Twenty-five rural Texas communities will be celebrated at a special ceremony in Austin on April 4 for the Texas Department of Agriculture’s annual Hardworking Rural Community Awards Program. The program is part of TDA’s Texas Yes! program to promote rural Texas and is designed to showcase rural communities setting a shining example for others to follow.
“These communities have applied leadership, inspiration and collaboration to make real and tangible differences in creating new jobs and opportunities,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs. “They prove that a small community’s success does not rely on the size of its population, but rather on the size of its vision for the future.”
Of the 25 communities, nine are receiving an honorable mention award of merit for their efforts, and 16 have been selected as finalists to compete for the top “Shining Star” honor given to only five communities to be announced at the ceremony. An advisory board representing leaders in business, tourism and education reviews and scores the applications received. Applications are completed by the communities and cover a range of topics including the communities’ efforts, planning and success in economic development, tourism, regional partnering, volunteerism, collaboration, leveraging resources and measuring impacts.
The nine honorable mention awards of merit will go to the following rural Texas
communities: El Campo, Hebbronville, Henrietta, Ladonia, Pittsburg, Quitman,
Rockdale, Spearman and Whiteright.
The 16 finalists selected to compete for the five Shining Star awards include the
following: Aspermont, Athens, Beeville, Bellville, Center, Clifton, Commerce, Fort
Stockton, Gladewater, Groesback, Munday, Perryton, Quitaque, Round Top,
Terlingua/StudyButte/Lajitas and Tye. This is the third year for Fort Stockton to be among the finalists.
“We are delighted to give these communities the attention they deserve,” Combs said.
“Rural Texas is fortunate to have so many bright minds, dedicated citizens and visionary leaders at the helm.”
The Texas Yes! Advisory Board includes Pulitzer-prize winning author Larry McMurtry; Evan Smith, editor, Texas Monthly; Emmett McCoy, founder, McCoy's Building Supply Centers; Tom Dobson, chairman and CEO of Whataburger; Dr. Robert Sweazy, vice president, Texas Tech University; George Cogswell, president and publisher, Abilene Reporter-News; Tim Crenwelge, mayor of Fredericksburg; Rob Brown, with the R.A. Brown Ranch; and Tom Perini, with Perini Ranch Steakhouse.

Thanks to all of the dear Munday groups that are so conscientiously striving to make our town a better place in which to live.