Katrina Coffman was guest speaker at last week's Grayson Rotary Club meeting.

Coffman is the director of Workforce Development and Marketing for Goodwill Industries. Coffman explained that Goodwill Industries contracts through the Texas Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS) to help individuals with disabilities or disadvantages find employment.

DARS not only assists with employment, but provides surgeries, buys wheelchairs, pays for college tuition and books, and more. If someone is working, doesn't have health insurance, and needs surgery in order to keep their job, DARS will pay for that surgery. All the individual is required to do, is to go back to work when they are released by the doctor.

Aiding DARS and Goodwill in finding jobs for individuals is Workforce Development. The program works with individuals, teaches them how to handle an employment interview, assists them in finding jobs, and may even go along with them on their job to make sure they know how to do their job.

Coffman said the program started out with zero clients and now has 163. A safellite office has been opened in Sulphur Springs, and the program serves the area from Muenster to Texarkana and from McKinney to Durant, Okla. There are eight DARS offices within this geographic region.

Katrina said that they do everything possible to make sure it is a win-win situation for both the employer and employee. If needed, they will go in and pull the employee out and find them another job. There are incentives for any employer that hires one of their clients. They are eligible to receive half of the wages back for up to six months, in addition to receiving a $2,400 tax credit.

During the business meeting, Richard Thomas and Sara Walker were introduced as guests.

Bobby Littlefield reminded attendees that caps needed to be pulled so the flags could be put out for Veterans Day.

To share information with or learn more about Rotary, contact Terry Everett at 903-814-0292, or visit www.graysonrotary.org. The Grayson County Rotary Club meets at 6:50 a.m. every Wednesday at Kelly's Restaurant in downtown Sherman.

Dorchester Women's Club

DORCHESTER -- The Dorchester Women's Club celebrated the fall season by holding an old-fashioned Thanksgiving potluck luncheon on Nov. 11 in the home of Katherine Harvey. Twelve members and two guests attended.

Harvey showed slides of her trip to Kenya to two big animal preserves, and gave details of how the trip was organized and the animals seen during the 11-day trip. Her tour group viewed the beginning of the annual migration of wildebeest and zebra.

Celebrating November birthdays were Carol Groner and Judy Akin. Anniversary celebrants were Alice and James Stewart and Sue and Dick Malnory.

Following a brief business meeting, the door prize, provided by Groner, was won by Sue Reeves.

The thought for the day was from Proverbs 15:17. The humor statement was from Will Rogers.

The next meeting will be at 1 p.m. Dec. 9 in Reeves' home.

Sherman Noon Lions Club

Noels Paramanantham was guest speaker at last week's Sherman Noon Lions Club. He is an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation, and reported on current and upcoming projects.

Veterans were honored during the meeting, and members discussed serving as bell ringers for the Salvation Army on Dec. 12, and delivering food to those in need in December.

Anyone interested in the club can call Charles Holcomb at 903-819-4548. The group meets at noon every Wednesday at Golden Corral in Sherman.

Elks Lodge 238

NARFE

President Lois Roberds led the Nov. 5 meeting of the Lake Texoma Chapter 1290, National Active and Retired Federal Employees (NARFE).

Bruce Hottel led the invocation, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Diane Geer read the minutes of the October meeting, and JoAnn Harrell gave the treasurer's report.

Roberds reminded members that it is open season for health care plans. Sign-up sheets were made available for members who plan to attend the Dec. 3 Christmas party at the Western Hills Church of Christ in Sherman. Members are asked to bring canned goods for the cub scouts.

Second Vice President Jane Mattingly read the names of the birthday honorees -- Donna Cocks, Tom Davis, Fredrick Eichenberg, Janis Meyer, Joe Murley, Adine Powell, Manhert Sabo, Clyde Trammel and Norma Williams.

First Vice President R. C. Fry introduced Cheryl Brandon of the Wilson N. Jones Passport program, who spoke on diet and nutrition, as well as the benefits of staying fit through regular exercise. She stated that exercise has been proven to relieve anxiety and stress and can enhance mood, which especially important during the holidays. She added that it is critical to set priorities, and discussed the various aspects of exercise including endurance, strength training, balance, flexibility, stretching, weight training and aerobic activities. Members received handouts providing more detail on the subjects covered.

Roberds read the names of the proposed slate of officers for 2010. Lanny Roberds moved to accept the nominees and John Morgan seconded the motion.

R. C. Fry won the drawing for merchandise supplied by a local bakery.

Sherman Duplicate Bridge Club

Results from last week's Sherman Duplicate Bridge Club play were as follows:

Tuesday, open pairs: 61.81 44.50, Raymond Clark-Frances Haratyk; 57.64 41.50 Virginia Higgins-Polly Statham; 51.39 37.00 David Haratyk-Bert Dempsey; 50.69 36.50, Virginia Bowling-June Thompson; and 50.00 36.00, Mike Ralls-Mary Casteel.

Thursday, open pairs: 62.50 52.50, Bert Dempsey-John Davis; 57.74 48.50 Virginia Bowling-Patricia McCleese; 50.39 42.33, David and Frances Haratyk; and 49.61 41.67, Edith Sanders-Mary Casteel.