The Gilmer Stars Drill Team will be hosting their annual spring show this year on May 4 and 5, at 7 nightly at the Gilmer Civic Center.

The theme is “Celebrate” 25 Years of Excellence.

There will be a reception on Saturday, May 5, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for all former Stars before the show. Tickets are on sale now from any drill team member, or can be bought at the door the night of the show. Adults cost is $6 and children ages 3 to 12 are charged $3.

The Stars became a group on the Gilmer High School campus in 1987. There were 12 charter members that started with director Dawn Eatherton.

People in the community weren’t sure what this organization was, but soon caught on to what the young ladies were doing.

They were entertaining fans at halftime of football games. Dawn’s daughter Kimberly was a member of the team in the mid-90s and served as an officer.

The Stars then came under the direction of Donna Lane in March of 1988 and Mrs. Lane is now in her 24th year with the girls. Her own daughters, Katie and Sarah, were on the team and went on to be Kilgore College Rangerettes where they also served as officers.

Her son James teaches and coaches in Frisco ISD. He even helped out with the Stars serving as a manager for the team.

Donna’s husband Larry has been behind the scene for many years helping when needed with props, some staging items, doing a little electrical work here and there with lighting, and had many evenings by himself at the house while she works so late during spring show time.

It takes a special man to put up with a drill team director and the crazy insane hours.

Many young women have gone though the Stars program. Girls have gone on to college drill-team programs such as Kilgore College, Tyler Junior College, Trinity Valley Junior College, Ricks Junior College in Idaho, and Louisiana to be in college dance programs.

There are many success stories of young women who have gone to college, graduated and are having successful careers.

The discipline, work ethic and having to work with team mates are great learning tools for young people to be successful when they go to college and begin their professional careers.

The Stars have traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico, to Disney World, New Orleans, Louisiana, Galveston and San Antonio for competitions and camps and received Sweepstakes trophies (1 ratings) every year for 25 years among many other awards.

Come celebrate with the young ladies at the show on May 4 and 5. It is a fun entertaining show for the entire family.