COUNTY LIFE
‘Rev’ of the 1966 Bronco engine brings smile to local man
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Sam Schaffer has had a passion for the Ford Bronco since he was a teenager, especially the original 1966 model, which he says “has style and character.”
He has owned several during his 63 years, but an original 1966 model he could restore remained elusive until four or five years ago when his wife, Leilani, heard about one on Trade Fair. The white Bronco was not running then and its interior is a little worse for wear, but the exterior doesn’t look bad for its age with no major rusty holes.
The path to getting this vehicle back up and running was supposed to be a “retirement project” with his daughter Jeileigh, a junior at Bowie High School. Sam saw them working on the engine together, picking out the interior and eventually painting it the perfect color of blue; however, life often has other plans. The road diverged as the new retiree was diagnosed with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS and often called Lou Gehrig’s disease.
This devastating disease has no cure and its exact cause is unknown as it attacks each of its victims differently. It is a neuro-motor disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, that cause the person to lose muscle control.
Read the full feature in the weekend Bowie News.
Top photo – Sam Schaffer with Billy Shoefstall, senior technician at Kory Hooks inside the Bronco after it was turned on at the reveal for Sam. (Courtesy photos)
Make plans to come out and honor Bowie High School state tennis champions Heidi and Willow Siebert on Wednesday afternoon.
Members of the Nocona City Council will meet for a regular meeting at 5 p.m. on May 12 in council chambers.
A public hearing on an ordinance annexing adjacent and contiguous territory to the city will be offered. This relates to two small tracts of land at the front and back of the Tales ‘N’ Trails Museum property. It does not involve providing any services, but clarifies the property in the museum’s tract. Any action would follow in the regular agenda.
Mayor and council reports on items of community interest follow along with public comments.
Items slated for the agenda include the following: Discuss bid to mow and weed-eat the Nocona Cemetery; discuss bids to furnish a 180,000-200,000 gallon capacity tank for potable water; three requests from the Nocona Economic Development Corporation – Type A and B boards funding a grant for signage at the American Legion at $2,300, both boards fund a grant for Tales ‘N’ Trails to enclose the east win of the barn for $18,000 and both boards to grant the Chisholm Trail Art Association $2,000 to support the Art of the Song Music Festival Art Show.
Other council topics will be consider repair of the water found at Enid Justin City Park; discuss public nuisance code violations; hear request from David Yowell to purchase water for the Nocona Hills Golf Course; discuss appraised value, setting price and conditions for sealed bids on 19.5 acres of city-owned land adjacent to the Nocona Hills Golf Course; discuss slide on upstream water side of dam and discuss changes to rental agreement for H.J. Justin Community Room.
The majority of these items will be considered for action during the regular agenda following the workshop agenda.
Present for the Bowie Community Development proclamation for National Travel and Tourism Week May 3-9 made by Mayor Gaylynn Burris were volunteers and staff: Matthew Hunt, Cindy Roller, Brittany Barnes, Sylvia Henning, Mildred McCraw, and Joe Barnhill. Community Development focus is on beautification and tourism for the City of Bowie. The group focuses on tourism through its many festival and events, welcoming people to the community. (News photo by Barbara Green)
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