Skip to main content

Texas church mourns 13 killed returning from retreat

By The Associated Press

NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (AP) — The deaths of 13 senior adults in a crash as they returned home from a retreat has left fellow worshippers at their Texas church mourning the smiling regulars who served in the kitchen, led Bible studies and spent time in fellowship.

“These are individuals we’ve sat next to and had dinner with and laughed with and cried with and worshipped with. They were part of our church family,” said Brad McLean, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in New Braunfels, Texas.

Authorities said Thursday that the church members who died in the Wednesday crash ranged in age from 61 to 87. They were returning home from a three-day church retreat when the small bus they were traveling in and a pickup truck collided head on.

McLean said that they are facing the “hard reality” that they will no longer see those churchgoers walk through the door and be able to greet them and hug them. McLean said those who were killed were among a group of 65 people from the church who attended the retreat, which included Bible study and fellowship.

“I think it’s the everyday interaction and relationship that has been built that, boy, those are the things that really will affect us a week from now, a month from now, a year from now,” he said.

Varia Schwope of San Marcos, California, said she and Donna Hawkins, 69, had grown to be buddies in the 15 years since they first met through a square dance club. Schwope marvels that they never once had a disagreement when they served as co-presidents of the Whirlaway Square Dance Club in nearby Escondido, California.

They had planned to travel together — perhaps a cruise, she said. Hawkins frequently watched Schwope’s dog and even crafted a pillow for it.

Even after Hawkins moved from Southern California to Central Texas, she still returned often to visit. And although they last saw one another in September, the spoke often by phone — most recently last week, Schwope said.

“She was there when I buried my husband, and I was there when she buried her husband,” she said.

Glenn Timmermann said that his “heart just dropped” when he saw that 87-year-old Harold Barber was among those who died. Timmermann came by the church on Thursday to pay his respects because he’d gotten to know Barber about a year ago when Barber led a Bible study at a retirement home.

“He was a fun loving person. He always had a smile. He brought a lot of happiness to my heart in that Bible study,” Timmermann said.

Also killed was the bus driver, 67-year-old Murray Barrett, who was a semi-retired middle school math teacher. Twenty-one-year-old Amity Dohoney told San Antonio Express-News that he’d taught her 7th and 8th grade math, and they remained close through the church.

McLean said that hours after the crash, family members came to the church to cry and grieve together. “Our church family did what church families are supposed to do: Lots of prayer. Lots of support for those families. Lots of crying with those families,” McLean said.

McLean said that some of those who were killed had served in the church’s kitchen on Wednesday nights.

“You live life with folks and so you just share so many small interactions that add up to a relationship that impacts you and strengthens your heart,” he said.

A fairly steady stream of people continued to come into the church throughout the day on Thursday, several carrying Bibles as they went in.

___

Associated Press writers Jamie Stengle and Terry Wallace contributed to this report from Dallas.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
Read Next Story

Related News

Frustration grows in Venezuela as earthquake death toll reaches 1,430

Israel and Lebanon sign framework agreement with US in ‘first step’ toward peace, Rubio says

Trump-endorsed populist poised to become Colombia’s next president as rival challenges vote