COUNTY LIFE
By DANI BLACKBURN
The faculty of Bowie High School calls itself “one big family.”
While they may not share blood, they now share organs after teacher Candace Mercer donated a kidney to fellow teacher Ronnie Mund.
The 36-year-old Mercer has been teaching government and theater at BHS for seven years, while 53-year-old Mund has been teaching physics and horticulture at Bowie for five years. The teachers underwent surgery on June 6 and are recovering well.
The two are a part of a close-knit group of coworkers who have spent the last years eating lunch together on a daily basis and being pranked by Mund, who is referred to as the “Papa Bear” of the group.
However, work and fun with his coworkers was tiring for Mund, who had been living with low kidney function for nine years. The problem was due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), an autoimmune disease that attacks the kidney and causes it to no longer filter correctly.
“The problem is it doesn’t filter out any of the toxins. You always feel bad because your body can’t get rid of anything causing you harm,” explained Mund.
Mercer agreed to donate a kidney to her friend and recently they underwent the transplant surgery coming through successfully.
Read the full feature in the weekend News.
Bowie Community Center presented a concert featuring the music country greats Patsy Cline and Johnny Cash this past Friday night.
Local libraries wrap up their children’s summer reading programs this week.
The Bowie Public Library brings the popular Creature Teacher with all their spectacular animals for the final event on July 23 at the Bowie Community Center.
The program begins at 10 am. The children also will receive their prize books for their summer logs.
The Nocona Public Library ends its program at 10 a.m. on July 24 at the H.J. Justin Building at 100 Clay Street. The program will be “Our Own Action Heroes -” Nocona fire, police and EMTs.
Top photo – Smokey Bear visiting Bowie last week at summer reading.
Rachel and Roger Whitaker gave this metal storage container a fresh look with this colorful mural at the Bowie Animal Shelter. (Photo by Barbara Green)
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