I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I'd rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way. The eye's a better pupil and more willing than the ear, Fine counsel is confusing, but example's always clear; And the best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds, For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn to do it if you'll let me see it done; I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run. And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, But I'd rather get my lessons by observing what you do; For I might misunderstand you and the high advice you give, But there's no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
When I see a deed of kindness, I am eager to be kind. When a weaker brother stumbles and a strong man stays behind Just to see if he can help him, then the wish grows strong in me To become as big and thoughtful as I know that friend to be. And all travelers can witness that the best of guides today Is not the one who tells them, but the one who shows the way.
One good man teaches many, men believe what they behold; One deed of kindness noticed is worth forty that are told. Who stands with men of honor learns to hold his honor dear, For right living speaks a language which to every one is clear. Though an able speaker charms me with his eloquence, I say, I'd rather see a sermon than to hear one, any day.
Service above self and other factors were the criteria that helped select the students.
Neil & Gina Griffin along with Steve Schmidt
And Two Treasures with 70 years combine service.
With that Jeff introduces Crystal White to introduce the selected students.
All together
David Danielson pastor at Impact Christian Fellowship lead the benediction.
General Schellhase passed away on May 27, 2023. Visitation is today, May 31 at Grimes Funeral Chapels from 5 PM to 7 PM. Services are scheduled for 10 AM, Thursday, June 1 at St. Peters Episcopal Church, 320 St. Peter St., Kerrville.
He graduated from Tivy High School in 1952 and went on to have a long and storied military career. After his military service, he and his wife, Barbara, moved back to Kerrville. In the early 1990s, because of his deep fondness for architecture and restoration, he and Barbara took on the five year project to renovate the AC Schreiner home on Water Street. Also, once back in Kerrville, General Schellhase served on a variety of boards and was very involved in community service, including serving in our own Rotary Club of Kerrville.
Jen Wittler, Executive Director of the Kerrville Public School Foundation, provided the program at the meeting last Wednesday.
The KPS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1987, and it provides grants and resources that further the educational experience of students. Some of the programs KPSF provides include Grants for Innovative Teaching, Instant Impact Grants, Scholarships and the Teacher of the Year awards.
The Foundation is funded through private donations and special events, including Trivia Night. For more information, here's the website.
Jeff Talarico was recognized by Marta for his contributions to the club and the community. In addition to being a past president of our club and assistant District Governor, Jeff has been involved in numerous organizations including the Kerrville Public School Foundation, the 4H annual fund raiser, Schreiner University and auctioneer for many events.
Mike Wilson gave an update on the Citizenship Awards program which will be next Wednesday. He thanked the committee members who will be presenting the awards, and was especially appreciative of Sara Cotton's work in organizing and coordinating all the awards winners information for the program.
The Josh the Otter Safety Program wrapped up last week, and Dave Rittenhouse thanked all the Rotarian volunteers who helped at the elementary schools in the area.
Kristi Shepherd was recognized for her work in the program.
Woody Lockhart was presented the Josh of the year award.
Brenda Thompson reported on the progress on the Membership Challenge for our Rotary Club.
A Rotary Foundation Benefactor is a person who has notified The Rotary Foundation that they have made provisions in their final estate plans to Rotary for US $1,000 or more, or who has made an outright gift of US $1,000 or more to The Rotary Foundation's Endowment.
Area of Focus: Community Economic Development. Rotary supports investments in people and communities to alleviate poverty by creating measurable and lasting economic improvements in poor and underserved areas. For example, clubs working together could develop community members’ economic and employment potential through leadership training and empowerment tools through initiatives for women, refugees, and young adults.
Kristen Hedger, senior vice president for business development with Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing, provided the program at the meeting last Wednesday. She grew up in Kerrville, graduated from Tivy High School, and spent summers in North Dakota.
Kristen's grandfather founded the company in North Dakota in 1987, as he had a desire to provide stable employment for the people in Killdeer N.D. The company manufacturers copper and fiber optic wire harnesses for commercial and military aircraft. These components are often referred to as the "nervous system" of airplanes.
Their Killdeer North Dakota facility employs 460 people in that area, but has now expanded to the Kerrville community. Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing is currently in a temporary facility here, while their future plant near the airport is being remodeled to accommodate their needs. They employ about 55 people locally, and plan to expand the Kerrville operation as their company grows. Killdeer is partnering with Schreiner University to train students in the engineering and manufacturing fields.
President Marta highlighted Rotarian Danny Wheat of our club. Danny has been involved in our community, and a Rotarian for many years, so it is good to see him back at our club.
Volunteers are needed for the Josh the Otter program at several local Elementary Schools. Dave Rittenhouse and Ashley Phillips are heading up the effort, so please contact them or sign up on our Club's website
As one of its earliest community service ventures, Rotary built a public restroom near Chicago’s city hall between 1907 and 1909. More than a century later, improving sanitation remains a major focus of Rotary projects.
The annual Rotary Picnic was held last Wednesday at the River Star Pavilion. A big thanks goes to the fellowship committee for planning, cooking and serving food and drinks with a Cinco de Mayo flavor.
Fellowship committee: Jessica Belschner, Denise LeMeilleur, Justin Hamilton, Sue Tiemann, Jimmy and Bekki Hutto
Our gifts to The Rotary Foundation allow Rotarians to accomplish amazing things. In 2022-23, The Foundation has already funded 413 district grants, 654 global grants, and 259 disaster response grants. Each of these grants is an example of Rotary members working with communities to address their ongoing challenges or find solutions to emerging ones.
Volunteers are needed for the Josh the Otter program at several local Elementary Schools. Dave Rittenhouse and Ashley Phillips are heading up the effort, so please contact them or sign up on our Club's website
George, Ashley and Dave sang the Josh the Otter song.
George Eychner explained to us that Josh the Otter was started by a family whose son (Josh) drowned, and they felt compelled to do something so that the chance of other children drowning is reduced. Our Rotary Club has adopted the program and educates hundreds of school age children each year.
Some fun otter facts: A group of otters floating together is called a raft. It is common for otters to hold hands when sleeping so they don't drift apart. There are 13 species of otters in the world, ranging in size from about 3' to 6' long. They do not instantly know how to swim when born, but are taught early on by their mothers.
Our president Marta Diffen provided an update on various aspects of Rotary International and our Rotary Club.
While at a conference years ago, she learned something that stuck with her: to motive people, concentrate on strengths, not weaknesses. We all have strengths, so use them through our Rotary club to help locally and globally.
Out club is incredibly active, but on average we lose about twenty members per year, so adding new members is an ongoing goal.
Here are a few of the many opportunities to provide community service through Rotary, so find something that interests you and volunteer.
1. Blue Santa- gifts for those in need at Christmas time.
2. Bell Ringing at Gibson's for the Salvation Army.
3. Tree Watering at the Rotary Grove.
4. Scholarships for Youth.
5. Josh the Otter Water Safety Program.
6. Support Peace Making.
7. First Responders support.
8. Youth Citizenship Awards.
9. Veterans Pantry and Annual Breakfast.
10. Rotary Foundation support.
11. Highway trash clean up.
12. UGRA River Clean up
13. Rise Against Hunger.
14. Labor Day Walk-a Fun
15. Polio eradication.
Rotary Direct is an easy way to donate any amount, small or large, on a recurring basis to help fund the many programs that Rotary International provides.
Volunteers are needed for the Josh the Otter program at the several local Elementary Schools. Dave Rittenhouse and Ashley Phillips are heading up the effort, so please contact them or sign up on our Club's website
The annual Rotary Club picnic is scheduled for May 3 at 5:30 at the River Star Event Park. This will take the place of our regular noon meeting. Please RSVP using the email you receive from Rotary.
The Rotary District Conference is May 6 in San Antonio.
District Raffle Tickets are available from Kristi Shepherd.
Guadalupe River Trash Clean up is scheduled for July 22.
Help is needed to water the new Rotary Grove trees along the River Trail near the Trailhead Beer Garden . Contact Janelle Peralt (jperalt@icloud.com) to sign up for this easy volunteer opportunity.
Area of Focus: Environment. Rotary supports activities that strengthen the conservation and protection of natural resources, advance environmental sustainability, and foster harmony between people and the environment. For example, clubs working together could train and educate communities in conservation and resource management to preserve, protect, and sustainably use natural resources.
The annual Rotary Club picnic is scheduled for May 3 at 5:30 at the River Star Event Park. This will take the place of our regular noon meeting. Please RSVP using the email you receive from Rotary.
The Rotary District Conference is May 6 in San Antonio.
District Raffle Tickets are available from Kristi Shepherd.
Guadalupe River Trash Clean up is scheduled for July 22.
This Spring the Rotary Club of Kerrville will be providing Josh the Baby Otter Water Safety sessions to second and third graders at local elementary schools.
We need your help!
Please go to our ClubRunner Home Page, left hand side, "Club Events" list (note there is a button for "View More" Events | Rotary Club of Kerrville (kerrvillerotary.org)) and click on the Josh events for which you can volunteer. When the event opens, you click on the "Members" Button underneath "Online Registration" and enroll.
Last year we reached out to 1,300 students at ten local schools. Here is a list of the eight schools we have scheduled so far (more to come!):
- April 21st: Ingram Elementary (9:55 AM and 10:45 AM)
- April 25th: Hill Country Youth Ranch at Ingram (3:30 PM)
- May 2nd: Tally Elementary (9:55 AM and 1 PM)
- May 5th: Harper Elementary (10:30 AM and 11:00 AM)
- May 12th: Hunt Elementary (12:30 PM and 1:15 PM)
- May 12th: Starkey Elementary (10 AM and 1 PM)
- May 15th: Nimitz Elementary (9:00 AM and 10:00 AM)
- May 15th: Tom Daniels Elementary (10:00 AM and 1:20 PM)
We have two schools on both the 12th and 15th of May, so those days we need lots of volunteers. Also, next week we have our first session at Ingram.
Everyone can play a part in this, even those who have never done this before. A typical session is:
Introduction.
Go over Fun Otter Facts (ex. what do you call a group of floating otters = a "raft").
Read the Josh the Baby Otter Book - each child is given a book to use during the session, it is then collected back.
Sing the Josh song: "Learn to Float". We have a CD and we use a "Boombox" to play the CD.
Say the Water Safety Pledge.
Pass out coloring books, crayons and stickers (as available) for the children to take with them.
Our "props" include Josh the Otter hand puppets and a floating Baby Josh, and some people need to engage the children with these.
I am confident that you will find this to be a rewarding and fun event.
The annual First Responder Awards were presented at the meeting on April 12.
Jeff Talarico led us in the Prayer and Pledge.
George Eychner and his trumpet started the meeting in a patriotic fashion.
A big thanks go to Jeff Wendling and Jeff Harris for all their work in organizing this program. It was well appreciated by our club and all the First Responder attendees.
After being in Rotary for about five years, I became very active in both the administration of the Club and many of its service projects. Consequently, I developed an excellent understanding of the good that Rotary was doing in my community and throughout the world. Rotary’s efforts to end Polio were especially attractive. In addition to contributing on a regular basis through Rotary Direct, I found other ways to contribute, such as supporting our Club’s Annual Pints for Polio event, and our District’s annual fund raiser for the Rotary Foundation. I am pleased to see that my money and my service is helping to make a difference in our community and the world.
Jane Ragsdale showed a film to start with. She has been going to this one village for over 12 years.
The village folks were happy to see the Missionary visitors.
Long road getting there
This village has no running water no electricity.
Kristy can be seen in the middle
Through grants they supplied large cases of medical supplies to surrounding villages.
They are also teaching the basics to the prekindergarten kids. While the kids are in school the moms are taught how to sew. They are using a foot powered sewing machine. Cloth and thread an such were provided for the moms. Missionary folks also provided school supplies to 162 kids. Also a nursing scholarship was provided to a young lady to attend in Guatemala City. Kristy also provided tooth brushes and tooth paste, these items went quickly.
Getting any kind of supplies in country is very difficult. Not everything they have tried works. The non smoking cook stove is an example. They did not know they had to dump ashes. They have arranged to have some people shipped to a hospital ship off shore for operations. Marta advised us that the Rotarians in the room helped make this happen.
Rotarian Carolyn Northcutt introduced Edna Vandiver, the Executive Director of the Christian Women's Job Corp. CWJC was established in 1999, and provides a well rounded program that provides spiritual, professional and personal growth for local women.
Edna Vandiver
Many women who enter the program have had difficult lives, and are in need of a positive direction. This program provides classes and guidance on a variety of topics including money management, healthy relationships, interviewing, resume and computer skills in a Christian centered environment.
CWJC has a great success rate, with 90% of the graduates being employed or continuing on to trade school or college.
Courtney Ayala was a 2017 graduate, and now works as a administrative assistant at CWJC. In her words, she came to the program broken, scared and lost. Courtney received the care and skills she needed to put her life on a positive path, and is a success story on how people can change.
Courtney Ayala
The program is successful due to a variety of volunteers and donations. Volunteers teach classes, make meals, provide assistance with transportation, child care, the food pantry, clothing and basic needs.
For more information, volunteer or donate, contact them at 830-895-3660 or click here.
President Marta provided a tribute to her dad, a Vietnam veteran, whom she lost last year. Through a memoir her dad wrote to Marta and her sister, she has learned of the arduous missions the veterans faced in the war, and better understands the difficulty of their adjustment when they returned to the states. The veterans from the war were recently honored at a Courthouse ceremony for their service.
Charlie Chipman provided the program last Wednesday on Commercial Vehicle accident investigations. He is a Tivy graduate and now lives back here in Kerrville.
Charlie was formerly a police officer in the Austin Police Department, including time as a motorcycle patrolman. He has been investigating commercial vehicle collisions for many years, and has his own consulting firm. Current semi trucks have much more electronics, power equipment and safety controls that trucks used to have, but accidents still happen.
Several examples were presented to show how eye witness accounts of a crash are often not accurate at portraying the whole scenario of an accident. Witnesses may see only a portion of the incident, or their line of sight may be blocked by vehicles, so Charlie's job is to decipher all the clues at the scene and recreate what happened.
Many vehicles have a Crash Data Recorder that provides a record of a vehicle's speed and maneuvering during the crash. Police officers body cams can also be helpful in providing video of the scene immediately after the collision.
Area of Focus: Basic Education and Literacy. Rotary supports activities and training to improve education for all children, and literacy for children and adults. For example, clubs working together could provide programs that strengthen a community’s ability to provide basic education and literacy to all.
The Josh the Otter water safety program for elementary age kids is gearing up for visits to area schools in May. If you would like to help, contact Dave Rittenhouse: dorittenhouse@gmail.com
The Veterans Breakfast will be held April 7.
The First Responders fundraiser Golf Tournament will be April 10th, and the luncheon honoring the First Responders will be the following Wednesday April 12th.
Highway Cleanup April 15th meet at Talley. Meet @ 7:00 then trash pickup from 7:30 - 9:00
District Raffle Tickets are available from Kristi Shepherd.
Guadalupe River Trash Clean up is scheduled for July 22.
There’s a reason Rotarians donate to The Rotary Foundation: It’s a simple way to achieve your philanthropic goals – whether it’s supporting clean water, the eradication of polio, or a particular global grant. Any gift can be donated to a specific fund – End Polio Now, an individual global grant, or one of Rotary’s areas of focus. Even the smallest of gifts can be donated to a specific fund – a global grant, polio, or an area of focus within the World Fund.
Jeff Stone provided the program on the upcoming Solar Eclipses. Jeff formerly worked for NASA and helped train crews on the shuttle flights. He has seen a number of eclipses, and the first one was in Mexico in 1991. As he explains, it was a phenomenal event that hooked him for life. He has even built his own telescopes for night sky viewing.
Jeff tells us that the best place to observe an eclipse is on top of a hill, where you can see the shadow coming on the horizon. During the four and one half minutes of the total eclipse, you will be able to see the sun's corona while the moon blocks the actual outline of the sun. It is always there but not visible to us because of the brightness of the sun.
There are some interesting things to notice leading up to and during the total eclipse. Planets and stars will become more visible shortly before totality. The approaching shadow is a surreal experience as it leads up to darkness. You may notice a perceptible drop in temperature, and the wind may pick up, die down or change. Shadows will become much sharper, and the color of the sky will change. Wildlife and birds may act differently, thinking night is approaching.
The annular eclipse will be on October 14, 2023 and the total eclipse will be April 8, 2024. Kerrville is fortunate in that we will be right at the epicenter for both events. You don't want to miss this because the next one in the U.S. isn't until 2044.
Jeff also spoke about the importance of keeping the night sky as dark as possible. Plants, birds and wildlife have adjusted to the daily cycle of day and night, and excessive lighting disrupts their life-sustaining behaviors such as reproduction, nourishment, sleep and protection from predators. Kerrville has recently passed a dark sky ordinance, so when installing new light fixtures or when replacing existing ones, be sure to buy dark sky friendly fixtures. They are no more expensive than regular lights, and will help keep our skies as dark as possible. In general, avoid upward directed light, and use warmer temperature lighting (3,000 degrees K or less).
Tivy Interact Club leaders Cadence, Trevor and Tillman joined our meeting and gave a report of their activities over the past few months. Covid put a damper on their club for the previous two years, but they are now very active in the community, and members have volunteered for a number of projects including the Rotary Walk-a-Fun, Rise Against Hunger, the Homecoming Parade, packaging meals for the Dietert Center, the Starkey Sausage Supper, the Kerrville Triathlon, Adopt a Highway, Bell ringing for the Salvation Army, The Croc Harvest Festival and the Lions Camp.
Janelle Peralt reported that the Blood Drive was very successful, as 29 people donated blood last week. Thank you to all who volunteered.
Marta Diffen reported that our club and the local Interact Club participated in the District Days of Service by helping organize the Hill Country Crisis Council's storage room. They worked for four hours last Saturday and sorted, labeled and organized clothes to help this very worthwhile organization.
Marta also tested our Rotary knowledge by asking if anyone knew what a "Rotary Ann" was. In the not so distant past, Rotary was a men's only club, and the wives of members were often known as Rotary Ann's. After a Supreme Court Decision in 1987, women were finally allowed into the club. Our own Betty Vernon was the third woman who joined our club in 1991, so we've come a long way.
The Josh the Otter program on Water Safety for Elementary age kids is gearing up and volunteers are needed to go to the local elementary schools to help out. COntact Dave Rittenhouse if you are able to volunteer. dorittenhouse@gmail.com 412-302-7301 Cell
Bob Schmerbeck was recognized as being a Rotary member for 55 years, and has perfect attendance. Congratulations, and thank you for 55 years of service!
When we contribute to The Rotary Foundation, we make it possible for Rotary to do more than promote literacy, alleviate poverty, and improve people’s health. We bridge continents and connect cultures. We empower individuals and communities with the skills and resources they need to tackle their most pressing issues – by providing training and education, improving access to clean water and sanitation, protecting the environment, or preventing and treating disease. Our gifts have significant life-changing power.
March is Water and Sanitation Month – Over 750 million people in the world lack access to safe water and more than 2.5 billion people lack access to adequate sanitation facilities.
Larry when he was a pup introduces Vincent T. Luciano
Vincent T. Luciano II, Regional Director for Central Texas Region
As Regional Director of the Central Texas Region, Vincent T. Luciano II will be responsible for coordinating all DPS functions, including personnel, for the region. Luciano began his career with DPS in 1995 and most recently served as the major of the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) in North Texas Region. Luciano has more than 27 years of service with DPS. He served as a Texas Highway Patrol Trooper from 1996 to 1998, and a Criminal Law Enforcement Trooper from 1998 to 2000. Luciano then promoted to sergeant in DPS Narcotics in Lubbock before promoting to lieutenant in 2007 in Corpus Christi. He was promoted to CID lieutenant, then captain, and in 2018 promoted again to major. Prior to his career with DPS, Luciano served two years with the Nueces County Sheriff’s Office where his assignments included jailer and sergeant.
Luciano holds a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Norwich University and a master’s degree from the University of Incarnate Word in applied administration with a focus in organizational development. Luciano is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Class 257 and Northwestern Staff and Command College. He has been twice awarded Director’s Citations from DPS as well as the FBI Director’s Award. Luciano served in the United States Marine Corps, Army National Guard and is an Infantry Combat Veteran of Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom 3.
The San Antonio Region is 44 counties and has 11,000 Employees.
History of DPS
In March 1927, the "License and Weight Division" was formed to address the escalating problems of increased traffic, and the continual damages caused by large trucks on the narrow state roads. These new inspector positions were staffed by State Police units equipped with motorcycles, and would enforce motor vehicle laws and regulations. Concurrently, the Texas Rangers would continue to conduct the State's law enforcement investigations.
In 1931, during the Great Depression, Texas and other states created a movement that sought to “reform the administrative machinery, and to reduce the high cost of state government.”[4] The Texas Legislature enrolled Griffenhagen and Associates, “specialists in public administration and finance who had worked on similar projects throughout the United States and Canada, to make a survey and act as consultants.”[4] The firm concluded that Texas’ exceptional geographic size caused the Rangers and the License and Weight Division to struggle in providing adequate enforcement across the entire state. The firm also noted the State Highway Patrol’s inability to enforce felony charges, which burdened the Rangers with excessive enforcement responsibilities, when they were already overworked. Additionally, the firm negatively reported on the state of Texas utilizing the National Guard for law enforcement along the border. Recommendations were made to accumulate the necessary finances to create a state law enforcement agency. Four bureaus—Administration, State Police, Rangers, and Fire Prevention—were suggested to be created with the implementation of the new force.
The findings of Griffenhagen and Associates were ultimately unpopular across the state, and the Texas Senate created a committee to conduct its own survey of the State's law enforcement. As a result of the committee findings, on January 24, 1935, Senate Bill 146 was introduced. The bill created a "Department of Public Safety" that housed both the Rangers and the State Highway Patrol within one collective organization. The bill received final approval on February 18, 1935, and was sent to the House before finally reaching a joint committee for final revisions. On May 3, 1935, the final bill was voted on and passed, but without two-thirds approval.[5]
Vincent talked about drugs and criminals coming across the Texas border. As long as there is money to be made this will not change, The cartels don't care about anything but making money. He then answered questions from the members.
City of Kerrville E.A. Hoppe provided the program last Wednesday, and updated us on current topics of interest. E.A.'s family has been in the Texas Hill Country for seven generations, so he feels right at home in Kerrville.
There are many challenges that our area faces, and managed growth is a topic that the city often discusses. The Kerrville 2050 Comprehensive Plan is a set of goals and vision to guide decision making over the next few decades. It was developed with input from a diverse group of citizens, and this plan is referred to constantly to shape the future development of Kerrville.
Texas is seeing significant growth, with about 230,000 people moving here every year. For reference, that's about the population of Lubbock added to the state each year.
Public Safety is a large part of the city's responsibility each year, with over 50% of the city's budget allocated to police, fire and EMS workers, and similar departments.
Public Works is also important, keeping our roads and infrastructure safe and reliable for residents and visitors alike. Kerrville is a regional hub for 9 counties, and our population swells to about 50,000 during the day. Maintaining an adequate water supply is critical, and strategic planning has been put Kerrville in a good position with the Water Reuse Facility and the Aquifer Storage and recovery systems.
The Parks and Recreation department stays busy managing and planning our resources for a good quality of life, and positive economic impact. Amenities include the Kerrville Sports Complex, Tennis Center, Kerrville Schreiner Golf course (which turned 100 years old recently), Community Festivals, the River Trail and Kerrville Schreiner Park.
Planning and Development is an ongoing process in the area. Challenges include providing housing for local workers, staff for businesses and day care for families. The city's codes are being reviewed and updated, and Kerrville's downtown area is becoming more vibrant, with new businesses moving into the city's core.
David Jones volunteered to be the MC for this event. He told us what a woman means when she says things like "Fine" This is the word women use at the end of any argument when they feel they are right but can't stand to hear you argue any longer. It means that you should shut up. Thanks David for a job well done!!!
Denise Lemeilleur read to the group about What is Love?
Woody Lockhart was the first to tell the story of how he met his wife Karen.
Gena Daniels told us the great story on how she met Jim. There were some tears in the room.
Gabriel Alonso was the nest speaker. Before he was to be married to Amy his Dad had some advise.
He said you can be right or you can be happy. He then said he has been happy for 25 years. Way to go Gabriel!!
Todd Odom was the final speaker. We all could feel the love while Todd was talking about Janee.
One of our Rotarians, Tom Hamilton and Sara were in the Kerrville Daily Times on Valentines Day edition.
I have some Exciting News to pass along!! The 6TH Annual First Responders Golf Tournament 2023 Is Scheduled!
Tournament Date is Monday April 10, 2023 at Riverhill County Club... Tournament Flyer is attached.
Again we are asking for your help and support to ensure that this is again a HUGE Success!!
The Tournament will be held at Riverhill Country Club, on Monday April 10, 2023
Schedule of Events:
Registration and Lunch: 11:00
Putting Contest: 11:30
Shotgun start: 12:00 SCRAMBLE - Par Is Your Friend... if you are putting for a bogey... pick it up!
Scoring: Immediately After Play
If you want to sign up to play, please submit your team by the end of the day on Wednesday April 5, 2023 so the Golf Professionals can prepare and arrange for our event.
Once Again, all Funds Raised will benefit 1st Responders in our area and provide them with Needed Additional Training and for Continuing Education.
These Men and Women that will benefit from this are your local Law Enforcement, Kerrville/Kerr County Fire Department/EMS and our much needed and used Area Volunteer Fire Departments as well.
To ensure that we have an enjoyable round of golf with ample opportunity to be able to give back to those who give so much to us, the field will be limited to the first Twenty (20) teams or eighty (80) players.
There are several ways to participate and support this meaningful event.
Sign up a team and play $150/player or $500 for a team of 4 ($100 savings to sign up a team)
Support through Sponsorship, there are many different Levels to Support
Donate to the Cause with a Monetary Tax Deductible Donation
Volunteer your time to help with Registration and Putting Contest
Please see the attached Registration Form which has the schedule of events, registration form so you can sign up individually or as a team... Don't worry, if you cannot or do not play golf... you can also support the event with a tax deductible monetary donation.
Thank you in advance for your Rotarian Support!
Your humble 1st Responders Support Committee
Jeff Harris, USMC (512) 876-9199 Cellular "SEPIUS EXERTUS, SEMPER FIDELIS, FRATERS INFINITAS" "Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever"
In January 2023 The Rotary Foundation Trustees established two temporary funds to assist Pakistan and Ukraine, two areas that are facing extreme need.
The Pakistan Flood Response Fund and the Ukraine Response Fund address the humanitarian crises caused by devastating flooding in Pakistan and the war in Ukraine. Donors can give directly to relief efforts led by Rotary members.
Tom Moser presented the program last Wednesday on Man's role in Climate Change. Tom retired from NASA after fifty years, working on numerous programs. He founded The Right Climate Stuff, and presented information detailing his study of the the issue.
Our Rotary Club's Big Event fundraiser was held last Saturday, and was a big success. Early figures project that net funds raised are over $50,000.00. This fundraiser provides money for all of our community service programs and scholarships, so thank you to all who bought and sold tickets and tables, donated and collected items for the auction, and volunteered at or attended the event.
When I chose to become a ROTARIAN, I had a hope that in some modest way, I could go out & “make a difference” in this troubled world in which we live. I choose Charity Navigator to guide my giving & as you noted, ROTARY comes up at the very Top of good folks to donate to. Our efficiency of getting the funds to where the donors want is Stellar - I suspect because of our international family of volunteers across the globe – like the people in OUR club. ROTARY delivers! (as recognized by the Gates Foundation and others)
This Saturday, Feb 11 starting around 4 pm at the Schreiner University Event Center, the SU basketball teams are playing University of Dallas. Our Rotary Club will be in the Summit Suite starting at 4 with food and refreshments-(beer and wine). Morning Rotary and Kiwanis members have also been invited. We will plan on 4 pm to 6 pm.
The teams are doing well and play fast and furious basketball. They are really something to watch!! C'mon out and see what all the excitement is about and enjoy time with your fellow service club members.
https://schreiner.edu/the-texas-center/ This is a link for a short film.
Tom is starting a program to teach the Texas seventh graders about Texas history.
Also trying to market the program.
The historians acknowledged that the committee had a difficult assignment; Donald Frazier, the chair of the subcommittee in charge of drafting the pamphlet, called squeezing the entirety of the state’s history into little more than a dozen pages a “herculean task.”
For more info on the 1836 project see link https://www.texastribune.org/2022/09/26/texas-1836-project-pamphlet/
He earned the trust of the people. All he does is read dead people's mail to determine history.
Others make assumptions on how an event happened then they cherry pic facts to match their own conclusions.
He is also on the Museum Planning Committee https://www.thealamo.org/support/alamo-plan/museum-planning-committee. This committee will get things going.
This next link shows what they are planning for the plaza.
What this plan has going for is the big Mo (momentum). Got to keep going when you have the big Mo. Volunteers are always welcome.
By 2050 the population will double in Texas. We need to teach the new people about what Texas is all about. If someone is new to Texas take them out the see where history happened.
When he was asked about he told them that Mexico had Texas. They wanted to get it settled.
After the Americans moved to Texas they did not like the way Mexico ran Texas. So the Texans took Texas from Mexico.
Tom held every ones attention during his presentation and did not use notes.
The Foundation accomplishes great work with other Rotarians worldwide. We know our gifts are well managed and used effectively. We want to see a world where everyone has access to clean water, health care, and education. The Rotary Foundation makes that possible.
The program last Wednesday was presented by Rebekah Hyatt, the executive director of Systems Go. This is a high school rocketry program that utilizes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses (STEM). Is is an independent program that is available to any high school.
Systems Go first program started at Fredericksburg High School in 1996, and has expanded to seventy eight schools in several states. One of the big differences between this program and the traditional high school classroom experience is that failures are used as learning opportunities. Rocket launching doesn't always go perfect, and students learn from their mistakes. They work with budgets and timelines, and have to prove mathematically how their rockets will work. Students also gain experience by writing technical reports documenting their rocketry project.
One of the recipients of our yearly Rotary Scholarships was at our meeting. Alina McCormick is a freshman in the International Studies program at Texas A&M, and thanked our club for the scholarship and opportunities it has provided for her.
Those who had January birthdays were honored, and since Todd Odom was the only January birthday member in attendance, he was serenaded with the Happy Birthday song.
The Main Event is coming soon, and you can still sign up for a table at the event, or if you want to just attend, Kristy will get you a table to sit it. Keep working on selling your raffle tickets to help raise funds for all our Rotary programs.
Area of Focus: Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene. Rotary supports activities that encourage the management and protection of freshwater resources and provide universal and equitable access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene. For example, clubs working together could improve community hygiene knowledge, behaviors, and practices that help prevent the spread of disease.
President of Trish Wilson, LLC and Executive Director of TW-Light Ministries
Trish Wilson wasborn in the DFW area and transplanted to Kerrville 27 years ago. Advertising and Business Industry, She has a Masters in Diversity in Theology and use both.
Motivation speaker, Published author, Made a great presentation at the district conference. Kristy Vandenberg recommended her to speak to us. A new years head start is the name of her presentation.
time opportunity divine appointment
1st Story
When her mom was 83 the was diagnosed with cancer.
When told, mom said well 83 was long enough. Trish said to mom but you still have a mission to help others in your same position. You will give them encouragement. Mom said that's her mission. Before surgery she told the Doctor that must meet with entire staff that was to operate on her. They met and after the surgery they said we got it but now for treatment options and she said no treatments. She is 93 now and still working on her mission. Time opportunity divine appointment.
2nd Story
She was in line at the Dollar store and a man behind her was looking at his item and then in his pocket a couple of times. He was getting each of items like tooth paste, shaving cream, odorant, razors, all small sizes. Trish told the check out person to put all he had on counter on her tab. Went man found out he protested. She said it was her mission to help. He then said he was trying to buy $25 worth and counted his money twice. She said well now you have $25 more to help with. He said great he will ask the homeless what else they needed. Time opportunity divine appointment.
3rd Story
Trish and husband we getting gas on west side of San Antonio when she noticed a man trying to get a ride with a sign that said California. When husband got back to car Trish
said we need to help him. So we went and told the man we could give him a ride to Kerrville. He said he was not alone and Trish said the Lord told us to give you and whoever is with you a ride. His wife that was 9 months along got into the car. When they got the Kerrville the rider said first gas station would be fine. She ask if they could take them to bus station. Rider said no thanks this will be fine. Then Trish and husband gave rider all the cash they had on them. When they got back in the car they thought they just gave a ride to Joseph and Mary to Kerrville. Then Trish remember the $100 she kept in glove box and said go back in and give them the $100. When husband went back into store they were gone. The clerk said no one has been in the store in 25 minutes.
Time opportunity divine appointment.
4th Story
After 13 years at the Lions Camp I was leaving. While there I met a child with no arms and no legs. He got around in his wheeled chair by blowing in a small straw. He told her that she was the best counselor ever. She ask him what he had learned, He said my mission is to make someone smile every minute. Time opportunity divine appointment.
She heads the above ministries
see https://www.tw-light.org/ for more info
Professional with a diverse range of experience in Customer Service, Public Relations and Microsoft Office. Worked and with non-profit as well as secular organizations and corporations. Skilled in communication strategies, event management, Public Speaking, development, donor relations and donor stewardship; special interest in community engagement and Social Media.
Can help with strategies, project and event planning, community relationships, fundraising, communications, team building and working with purpose and joy. Skilled in management and able to work with diverse groups of people both individually and corporately. Also, a motivational and inspirational speaker and author who enjoys connecting people with their purpose and passion in work and in life
Jeremiah Romack gave an overview of all the programs and services the Croc Center provides for the community, and the Salvation Army brass band played a number of Christmas songs for our enjoyment.
One of the programs offered by the Croc Center is the Boys and Girls Clubs, which provide after school programs for kids to help them reach their full potential. About ninety kids are currently enrolled, and studies have shown that these programs have a big impact on kids, improving their grades and graduation rates dramatically.
Other programs include care at the Shelter for men, women and children; clothing and furniture vouchers; emergency grocery orders, Thanksgiving meals, and nightly meals at the Shelter; and the Angel Tree Program, which provides gifts for children at Christmas time.
The Salvation Army bell ringing campaign is all volunteer this year, and so far they are ahead of last year's pace for funds raised. Jeremiah recognized Dave Samuel for his tireless effort in helping Rotarians sign up to ring the bell at Gibson's for this worthy cause.
Our Rotary Club had a desert auction to raise funds to eradicate polio through the Rotary Foundation. Todd Odom was the auctioneer, and $1,500.00 was raised. In combination with the previous Pints for Polio event, over $11,000 was raised this year. Thank you to all that baked, donated items, and bought items for the auction.
Tiemann’s were ill (Bill Covid & Sue quarantine), Freda Wendling was ill, David Jones was in ICU with Covid (Mary quarantine). David got out Saturday he and Mary are quarantined for rest of the week. Laura Labatt recovering from illness.
Our Club is Ringing the Bell for the Salvation Army again this year at Gibson's. Sign up to help via our website: kerrvillerotary.org - we are ringing on Saturdays up until Christmas.
Dave Samuel is heading this up, so if you have any questions or need help signing up, contact Dave: davesamuel.tx@outlook.com
Charlie McIlvain led us in signing a song that George prepared, getting us ready for the holidays.
Families in Rotary
Please keep President Marta in your prayers as she recovers from COVID.
The Rotary Christmas party is Wednesday December 7th, and takes the place of the regular lunch meeting. It will be at the Buckhorn RV Resort, which has a great meeting room for fellowship and dinner. It is at 2885 Goat Creek Rd., just north of I-10. Fellowship from 5:30 to 6:30 with a cash bar (wine and beer), Dinner at 6:30 and music until 8:30. Bring can goods where we can donate to area charities.
Saturday December 10th is the annual Blue Santa distribution. We will need volunteers for this event. It is at Ronnie Bock's RV starting at 8 am until noon. Please contact Stephanie Skrumeda to sign up. 830-370-5789
The morning shift at Bock's will be assembling the bags that will be distributed at both Ronnie Bock's & the Doyle Center. We will also load the food bags into the recipients car.
Kristy reported that the District conference was a big success, and thanked all who volunteered their time for this event in Kerrville.
Tammy Prout was honored at our meeting for her contributions.
The District Conference Service Project for Endangered Children sponsored by the D5840 Combat Human Trafficking Rotary Club was led by Amy Barag and JoAnn Browne. Rotarians who attended the 2022 District Conference filled150 backpacks filled with various hygiene products, combs, brushes, quilts, dental products, journals, Walmart gift cards and snacks.
The backpacks will be shares with 3 different 501c3 non-profits: Caring Hope, Ransomed Life Texas and Mercy Gate Ministries Kerrville. Thanks to all for their monetary and product donations and loads of thanks to PDG Kristy Vandenberg for supporting their efforts. (photo and summary courtesy of the district website)
I support the Rotary Foundation because of the "End Polio Now" initiative. One of my childhood friends and his father both had polio so I know firsthand the impact of this dreaded disease. Incidentally they both recovered but my friend is experiencing health problems today as a result of the virus remnants. With that background I find it to be absolutely amazing that a volunteer service organization could take on the task of eliminating polio and succeed in doing so in the United States and almost in the entire world. To me that's an organization and a cause I want to be a part of!
Major Adam Steinmetz provided the program on the Sixteenth Air Force, in honor of Veterans Day.
The Sixteenth Air Force is headquartered at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, and gathers and integrates intelligence in cyber and electronic warfare. The Sixteenth has a global presence in 128 locations worldwide, with 48,000 personnel.
Adam went to Brigham Young University and took classes in the Russian language. He later took a mission trip to Russia, and learned to speak the language better. Adam's wife is originally from the Ukraine, so the recent war brought home the reality of the conflict.
My dad was a Rotarian which, I admit, as a child meant little to me – other than he’d regularly go to meetings, even when we were on vacation. What did make an impression on me however were his stories about diseases of his childhood. My dad was born in 1915. Even out in the “boonies” of the South Texas farm where he lived, it seemed no one was immune from the influenza epidemic, scarlet fever, or polio. He lost friends, acquaintances and community members to these diseases.
Fast-forward many years later, when a friend invites me to a Rotary meeting. At the first mention of polio, I recall my dad’s stories and suddenly I understand his commitment to Rotary. While Dad has since passed on, I know he would be tickled pink to know that his daughter is one of over a million Rotarians who saw polio eradicated in our lifetime.
Gena Daniels
Charlie McIlvain provided a big thank you to all the Rotarians who helped out on the District Conference, which wrapped up last week in Kerrville.
Long time Rotarian Tom Terrell was able to join us for the meeting. Tom was instrumental in organizing the Veterans Day programs for many years, and it was great to see him and his wife again.
Saturday December 10th is the annual Blue Santa distribution. We will need volunteers for this event. It is at Ronnie Bock's RV starting at 8 am until noon. Please contact me to sign up. 830-370-5789
The morning shift at Bock's will be assembling the bags that will be distributed at both Ronnie Bock's & the Doyle Center. We will also load the food bags into the recipients car.
Kelly Atkinson is a dynamic speaker and walked around the entire room while speaking. See more https://www.kellycatkinson.org/
his bio see https://www.kellycatkinson.org/biopage
All one people, Love and understanding, Be that change in another, Look out instead of in.
Kelly's North Star
Showed a clip of a couple of singers Jonathan Antoine and Charlotte Jaconelli on Britain's got Talent. After hearing them sing they got a standing ovation. Charlotte made a difference in his life!
When Kelly was growing up he lost his brother to leukemia. Both his parents worked and no one taught him how to do anything. His nick name was Smelly Kelly. His was bullied a lot. One day a teacher ask to meet him after school. Once there the teacher (Mr. Graybill), He said tomorrow bring clothes and will be taught how to wash clothes. He also brought a tooth brush.
As time passed Graybill ask Kelly what he enjoyed doing? Being bullied he said he could fight or run. He could run fast. Teacher said your grades aren't good enough for sports. So started tutoring Kelly. Soon enough grades were good enough for sports.
This rings true
Graybill got promoted to principle. Every three or four days it came over speaker Kelly report to Office. Kelly enjoyed going because he knew he would learn something. Make me a Mr Graybill!!
The Pints for Polio event was held at the Trailhead Beer Garden on the Schreiner University campus on October 22. This annual event raises funds to eradicate polio across the globe. Thank you to all who attended and sponsored the event.
Pete Calderon and Brenda Hughes presented an overview of the upcoming Kerr County Bond Election.
A citizens committee was created three years ago to evaluate county facilities and develop solutions. The needs identified were to enhance facility safety, address building code, ADA and infrastructure issues, improve public access and maximize value for Kerr County residents.
The Bonds are broken into three parts.
Proposition A: Courthouse and Facilities: $13,685,000.
Proposition B: Hill Country Youth Exhibit Center indoor arena: $8,065,000.
Proposition C: Animal Control Facility: $5,750,000.
Summary of Proposition A: The Courthouse was built in 1926 when security and handicapped accessibility were not considered. The jury room is state mandated to be larger than it currently is, and the county IT room is undersized. In addition to resolving security issues at the courthouse, a new county facility is proposed to be built on county owned land near Ingram Tom Moore High School. It will house a tax office, JP office, courtroom, constable office and sheriff's substation. A county storage facility will also be built on county owned land off of Spur 100.
Summary of Proposition B: The HCYEC indoor arena has not been upgraded in forty years. There are numerous building code issues and the facility has no restrooms. Proposed upgrades include a new concrete floor replacing the dirt floor, ADA compliant restrooms, resolving drainage issues, improvements for code compliance, additing classroom space and a teaching kitchen and providing roof repairs. In addition to making the building safer and improving the facility, the upgrades will attract more local and outside groups which currently will not consider renting the facility because of the poor conditions.
Summary of Proposition C: The current animal control facility is a residential structure that is undersized for the current needs, does not meet state and federal requirements, and is deteriorating. The proposed solution is a new building to be built on county owned land on Spur 100. The facility would include meet current requirements, provide for future growth, meet state and federal requirements, provide better access for the public, enhance the ability to spay and neuter animals and provide rabies vaccinations, and expand the kennels.
The bonds will be voted on separately, and the day to vote is November 8 in the general election.
Mr. Dwayne F. Hopkins is currently the Executive Director/CEO for Fisher House, Inc. providing services to military families in need during medical crisis. Mr. Dwayne F. Hopkins retired from active duty with 29 years of military service as an Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant. Mr. Hopkins has a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Procurement/Acquisition Management with an emphasis in Leadership and a M.B.A degree from Webster University. Mr. Hopkins was awarded the United States Air Force Legion of Merit and two Bronze Stars during combat operations. Mr. Hopkins is a member of the the San Antonio West Rotary club and Rotary District 5840 District Governor.Mr. Dwayne F. Hopkins is currently the Executive Director/CEO for Fisher House, Inc. providing services to military families in need during medical crisis. Mr. Dwayne F. Hopkins retired from active duty with 29 years of military service as an Air Force Command Chief Master Sergeant. Mr. Hopkins has a Bachelor of Science in Professional Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He also earned a Master’s Degree in Procurement/Acquisition Management with an emphasis in Leadership and a M.B.A degree from Webster University. Mr. Hopkins was awarded the United States Air Force Legion of Merit and two Bronze Stars during combat operations. Mr. Hopkins is a member of the the San Antonio West Rotary club and Rotary District 5840 District Governor.
Dwayne has a hobby. Its cars, and the best place for him would be to be driving his 68 corvette listening to the Beach Boys.
He spoke in reference to CARS
C Community involves getting grounded. Taking care of projects. Letting the community know what we are up to.
A All around town, area and even international.
R is for Rotary. Rotary takes care of Rotarians. Look around
the room to insure your friends are not in need of anything.
S is for story. Tell your story. You just never know how this will effect folks around you.
PolioPlus. Since 1988, Rotary and our partners have immunized nearly 3 billion children against polio. As of June 2021, Rotary had committed more than $2.2 billion to global polio eradication. In 2021-22, program awards, including PolioPlus Partners grants, totaled $152.9 million.
The Rotary District Conference needs volunteers for a variety of tasks, including putting together backpacks of essential toiletries to give to endangered youth that are coming off the streets. The conference is November 9-11, so if you can help out, contact Kristy Vandenberg. kristy.vandenberg@rotary5840.org
The Pints for Polio fund raiser is October 22 from 3-6 pm at the Schreiner Trailhead Beer Garden. Please help with this worthy cause to eliminate polio.
November 12 is the Veterans Day parade in Kerrville, and November 11 is the Veterans Breakfast.
The First Responders golf tournament is April 10, and the First Responders luncheon is April 12.
The District Conference is November 9-11 in Kerrville. We are trying to fill 100 backpacks for young people at risk. Toiletries are especially needed. You can donate the items or funds to help with this worthy cause.
Pints for Polio is October 22 at the Trailhead Beer Garden at the Schreiner University Campus, 3-6 pm. Wine or other adult beverages are needed for the wheelbarrow raffle, so if you can donate a bottle, see Amber Thomason. Sponsors are needed for this event. You can earn Paul Harris points for donations- see Kristy Vandenberg.
Dave Samuel is volunteering at Morgan's Wonderland in San Antonio for their Halloween event. He is taking candy with him for the kids (no peanut products), so if you are able, bring some candy to give to Dave for his trip.
Dave Samuel is also heading up the annual Ringing the Bell at Gibson's to raise funds for the Salvation Army as they help those in need. Look for more information to come soon.
Thank you to all who donated blood during the recent Blood Drive.
The quarterly Trash Pick up was a success, and a big thank you goes to all who participated, and to Todd Odom who coordinates this event.
Gil Salinas provided the program on the KEDC mission and accomplishments.
The KEDC is funded by the 4b sales tax in Kerrville. The funds generated by this 1/2 cent sales tax can be used for economic development such as infrastructure for new or expanding businesses. The recent Killdeer Manufacturing company that moved to town, or recent James Avery expansions are examples of the use of the funds. They can also be used for quality of life projects, like the river trail.
The Kerrville EDC focuses on several areas including Corporate Recruitment, which works to bring appropriate companies to the area, which adds to the tax base and provides good paying jobs. They also work with local schools, helping find grants to train high school students in various fields, to help bolster the Workforce in the area. Business Retention and Expansion is important, which helps existing business grow and prosper.
The EDC also helps with Entrepreneurship, organizing events and forums to help small businesses. And finally, they provide Marketing and Branding for our area to attract new businesses to the area.
District Grants support small-scale short-term projects related to the Foundation’s mission. In 2020-21, the Foundation approved 467 district grants which totaled $31.1 million
Blood supplies are critically low right now. Rotary Club of Kerrville is honored to once again partner with South Texas Blood & Tissue in support of their life saving mission and is hosting a blood drive on Friday, September 30 from 10 am to 3 pm at Crenwelge Motors located at 301 Main Street, Kerrville, Texas.
Schreiner University's annual Hill Country College Fund drive provides funds for scholarships for many students in the Hill Country area.
Mark Tuschak provided an overview of Schreiner University, and said the freshman class was 372 students, the largest ever. Research has shown that the average distance college students are from their home to the college they attend is 51miles, and at Schreiner, it is right at that figure.
The university has begun to concentrate on recruiting more heavily in the Hill Country area, particularly in rural schools, and it has paid off, with a 100% increase in enrollment from the local area. They are now offering areas of study that these students are interested in including engineering, computer science and agriculture. Schreiner also looks beyond the typical GPA and class ranking to find students who have potential and who would be a good fit, and they have had success with this approach.
Annalise Schoening is a sophomore at Schreiner, and spoke about her reasons for coming to Schreiner.
She started a jewelry business when she was young, and knew she wanted to major in business, and eventually get her MBA. Annalise likes the small classes at Schreiner, and is involved in numerous student activities, including the Songkeeper's Group, where students are encouraged to write their own music. Her future plans could include event planning, motivational speaking and publishing some of her writings or songs.
Annalise is a great example of outstanding students that Schreiner University brings to Kerrville, and the Hill Country College Fund provides scholarships to many students who otherwise would not be able to attend.
This Saturday 9/17/2022 is the Rise Against Hunger program where we help create 15,000 meals. So come to Schreiner University to help. Let Marta know and she will tell you where.
November 4th is a First Friday Wine Share Hosted at Veterans Center on Meadowview
This wine share is hosted by Rotary & Elks jointly.
We also shared expenses between Rotary & Elks for the following sign to be displayed at Veteran Center
This sign is to let it be known this is a food pantry for the Veterans.
Join Rotary District 5840 as we celebrate how Rotary Changes Lives!!!
Three great experiences in one! Attend the Rotary District 5840 Conference Nov 9-11 at the Y.O. Ranch Resort & Conference Center in Kerrville and experience a great Texas hotel and one of a kind Museum of Western Art. Learn more about Rotary and have a great time networking!
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Looking for folks to help in September on September 7th. Janelle Peralt is coordinating volunteers. Please contact her to help out. jperalt@icloud.com
He was dealing with Co-Vid, & Snowmageddon. This meant the supply chain was not good. short on parts and vehicles. Since he was under budget he took down his numbers for the next year. He won't do that again.
This year he dealt with rising inflation on everything. Gas, food, parts and human smuggling.
Inflation and human smuggling. Both causes cost to go up.
Inflation, Hiring personal like jailers and dispatchers
2021 calls 13,700
2022 calls 12.200
2020 Police stops 726
2021 " " 1589
2022 " " 4000
This means they are affecting more people in Kerr county. Some are tickets some are warnings
2021 mental health calls 155
2022 " " " 124
these calls take between 4 and 8 hours each.
Captain Jason Waldrip
Jason talked about how to pay for all the items needed. They are a lot of grants to apply for. Two big ones are Lone Star ( a Texas State grant) and Stone Garden ( a Federal grant)
They have to ask themselves if its right or wrong? One arrest that involved 2 smugglers a 6 human traffickers. The main help was intel gathering. Kerr country has started sharing intel so much others law enforcement agencies wanting to find out how Kerr county is doing it. In the old days no one would share intel. This is because the were thinking someone else might make the bust. The more you share the more you learn.
The Special Operations Unit is getting National attention.
The Rotary Foundation has seven Areas of Focus. Global Grants must support one of the following Areas of Focus: Peacebuilding and conflict prevention; Disease prevention and treatment; Water, sanitation, and hygiene; Maternal and child health; Basic education and literacy; Community economic development; and Environment.
Katharine Boyette, Events Coordinator for the Chalk Festival in Kerrville, spoke to us last week about this upcoming event. This annual festival, organized by the Cailloux Foundation and funded by numerous local sponsors, is October 15th and 16th, and promises to be fun for all ages. Professional artist, art teachers, budding art students and others will showcase their chalk art on the sidewalks of Peterson Plaza in downtown Kerrville, next to city Hall.
In addition to the art being created both days, there is live music, food trucks, a photo mural, corn hole toss, face painting, balloon art, a cookie walk, and free tours of the Schreiner Mansion. The art will only remain on the sidewalk for about a week after the show, so get down there to see it prime time on the weekend while it is still sharp and fresh.
This year, the beneficiary of the funds raised by the event will be Kerr Arts and Cultural Center. Over the years of the festival's existence, $245,000 has been raised and donated to local organizations.
Hours are 10-5 on Saturday, and 10:30-4 on Sunday.
The Rotary District Conference will be held November 9,10 and 11 at the YO Hotel. Fredericksburg Rotarian Judy Hutcherson says there is room for three or four more vendor tables, if anyone is interested.
Charity Navigator awarded four stars (the highest rating) to The Rotary Foundation for the 14th year in a row. This award recognizes the Foundation’s commitment to accountability and transparency to its donors.
The Pints for Polio fund raiser to help Rotarians continue the quest to eradicate polio will be held at the Trailhead Beer Garden again on Saturday October 22. Amber Thomason is heading up the event, so contact her or Kristy Vandenberg to help or donate for this worthy cause.
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Looking for folks to help in October. Janelle Peralt is coordinating volunteers. Please contact her to help out. jperalt@icloud.com
Ed Hamilton has a number of vintage dolls available from the estate of a doll collector. Contact Ed if you would like a free doll or two. 830-257-4020.
Labor Day Walk Of Fun is on September 5th. Put on your calendar.
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Looking for folks to help in September. August has plenty of volunteers. Janelle Peralt is coordinating volunteers. Please contact her to help out. jperalt@icloud.com
Tivy High School football coach and Athletic Director David Jones provided the program last Wednesday.
Coach talked about how important it is for the students to have adult role models, and told several heart warming stories about kids that have become successful off the field after their football career in high school. The football seniors recently had their annual Moms 101 course , where the moms take a crash course in how to play their son's position.
Coach Jones expects good things this year. The football team was not able to work out in the off season during the pandemic, but this summer the team has put in a lot of hard work in strength training and conditioning.
The team needs the local community's support, so come out of Fridays and root for the Home Team!
The Labor Day Walk-a-Fun event is coming up on September 5th at Louise Hays Park. Put on your walking shoes and hit the pavement!
Pints for Polio fund raiser to help Rotarians continue the quest to eradicate polio will be held at the Trailhead Beer Garden again on Saturday October 22. Amber Thomason is heading up the event, so contact her to help or donate for this worthy cause.
The war in Ukraine is having devastating consequences on civilians as families flee their homes. Rotary and Rotaract clubs in Europe and around the world have taken swift action to provide food, water, medical equipment, and shelter for the refugees. The Rotary Foundation has received more than $15 million in contributions that will be used to help in these efforts.
Cary is Meteorologist for Kerrville Daily Times, KRVL, The Buck and Mike FM in Kerrville KCBD-TV Lubbock. His nickname is Dr Doppler!
Cary said the Sheriff often contacts him to find news on possible hail storms heading our way.
He said El Paso has had more rain than Kerr County our YTD is only 5.28". Last drought was in 2011 and we had 14" total that year.
The official weather report is from the USDA. The rain gauge and wind speed in Kerrville.
What is causing the pattern is high pressure that causes sinking air and no rain.
On Average the wettest month is May and at second place is September.
He said we are going into a triple La Nina. See link below for more info. https://thehill.com/homenews/nexstar_media_wire/3559861-why-a-triple-dip-la-nina-could-be-bad-news/
Guy Overby provided the annual program announcing the selections for the Tivy Athletic Hall of Fame. He was joined by selection committee member Mike Dyal, a former inductee and professional football player.
There were sixty four nominations this year, and three selections.
Tamera Poppe, Joe Lara and Johnny Manziel are the selections for the 2022 season.
Tamera graduated in 2000, and was a four year letterman in basketball and softball, and went on to play softball at the University of Texas.
Joe was a 1971graduate of Tivy, and was a three year letterman on the football team, earning many honors including first team All-State defense. He played baseball for three years, and notched two no hitters as a pitcher.
Johnny graduated in 2010, and won many awards and set records on the football field playing quarterback, and he played baseball as well. He went on to play football for Texas A&M at quarterback for two years, winning the Heisman trophy as a redshirt freshman.
Austin Hayes is a UT graduate, and former recipient of a Rotary scholarship. He thanked our club, and gave a presentation about his recent experience in the Czech Republic, in a summer learning program with other college age students.
Thank you to the Salvation Army for scrambling to accommodate us in a different room when the air conditioning went out in the room we usually meet in. Thank you to Captain Jeremiah and the staff!
August is membership month, so bring a guest that could be a potential new member, and introduce them to Rotary.
The annual Rotary Walk-a Fun is scheduled for September 5th at Louise Hays Park. Check your email to sign up for this event that spreads the word about Rotary.
Rotary members used their decades of experience in the fight against polio to support local health authorities' response to Covid-19. Members volunteered at clinics, combated misinformation, helped prevent the spread of the virus, and advocated for fair and equal access to vaccines.
Darrell Beauchamp, executive director of the Museum of Western Art, provided the program about the latest happenings at the museum.
The museum has gained a reputation as a first class facility, and has been voted one of the top ten museums of the west by True West Magazine. Visitors come from all over, including eight percent of folks from outside the U.S., and forty percent from outside of Texas.
The MWA recently acquired one hundred and thirty seven pieces of art and sculpture from the L.D. Brinkman Foundation Collection on a permanent loan. The museum's artwork is rotated out on a consistent basis, so there is always something new to see including four different exhibits this year.
The museum also hosts private events, educational workshops, as well as lectures and tours for the public and schools highlighting western art and the history of the west. The last Saturday in each month is Family Free Day, and one week summer camps are offered each year for school age kids.
It was founded in 1983, so the forty year anniversary is coming up. Give the museum a visit and see what you've missed.
Several Rotarians were recognized for bringing guests or potential members to Rotary: Ashley Phillips, Dave Rittenhouse and Doug and Sue Whinnery.
Brenda Thompson will be a new member of the board of directors for our club, stepping in for Phyllis Ricks, who is stepping down from the board after several years of service to our club.
Jacques Dubose was wearing his Rotary pin when his name was called, so he won a bottle of wine.
George Eychner led us in singing a Guadalupe River themed song to the tune of Rolling on the River, for the efforts of all who participated in the River Clean up.
Thank you to all who participated in the Guadalupe River Clean up.
Rotarian Mike Wilson was recognized for his contributions to the club, including his work on the District Conference planning committee and the Youth Citizenship awards.
Families in Rotary:
Please keep Gena Daniel's husband Jim in your prayers, as he is still in the hospital.
Dr. Mark Mosier, a local dentist and pilot, provided the program last Wednesday on his family members who were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. This medal is the highest award available to civilians, and is for those who have performed an outstanding deed or act of service in the national interest of the United States.
Mark's father and grandparents were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for their service and leadership during WWII while serving the the Civil Air Patrol in Herington, Kansas. In 1941, Congress approved using civilian aircraft and volunteers to help protect the mainland. Services included search and rescue, anti-submarine patrol and warfare, intelligence gathering, and training and education.
Mark's father, who got his pilot's license when he was just 16, joined his parents in the Civil Air Patrol and trained troops and collected intelligence data. His grandfather was head of the large Herington CAP unit, and his grandmother was head of intelligence and developed a navigational instruction classroom teaching system.
The discovery of Mark's father and grandparents roles in the war became apparent when documents and photos describing their service were found in a safe, which survived a building that had burned down in 2019. The documents were eventually handed over to the Civil Air Patrol, and the trio's accomplishments were rewarded with the Congressional Gold Medal.
Dave Rittenhouse led us in the Junior Birdmen song. This was an national organization which started in the 1930's for boys and girls interested in aviation and model plane building, and was founded by the Heart newspaper organization.
Woody Lockhart told us about the Croc Center's program to help kids in need with their Back to School supplies. The Croc has information on the individual kids and a list of supplies that each one needs. Pick up a little school bus card at the Croc, which has the information.
It was originally 800 acres and now its 113 acres.
Kerrville State Hospital started out as a dude ranch called “My Ranch.” After the dude ranch closed, around 1915, a sanatorium opened on the site called “Mountain Park Sanatorium.” Dr. Sam E. Thompson purchased the property in 1917, and renamed it “Thompson Sanatorium.”
In the 50's it was a Psychiatric Patients, But times were changing and then changed to geriatric patients.
Change again came when they changed to two different types of Psychiatric people to treat: One is NGRI not guilty by reason of insanity after committing a felony. Other type is NCST not competent to stand trial after committing a felony.
2241 people are waiting in jails for places like this to open. Their problem is lack of nursing staff. They are short 72 now.
They also provide a laundry service for several other places. The output is 25,000 pounds a day. They need 17 people to run the service, they have 4 people.
July marks the month when a new leadership team is installed at Rotary clubs and in Rotary International across the world. Jeff Harris was recognized for his contributions as our immediate past president.
Immediate past District Governor Kristy Vandenberg presided over the meeting and swore in the new officers: Kristi Shepherd-Secretary, Jeff Wendling-Vice president, Marta Diffen- President, Jeff Harris- immediate past President, and Gena Daniels-Treasurer.
New and continuing board members included E.A. Hoppe, Janelle Peralt and Roy Boudreaux.
President Marta outlined plans for the year, and will incorporate suggestions from the club on events and programs. Some of the things that we will continue to do include expanded Social Events, Bell Ringing at Salvation Army, Pints for Polio, Blue Santa, River Clean up, Satellite Club and more. Some new programs may include volunteering with the Robotics Club at KISD, participating in the Chamber Luncheon and a Rotaract Club on the Schreiner Campus.
George led us in a song to honor incoming president Marta.
Last week we had the new member party, where the new Rotary members from the past year were recognized, and each were given the opportunity to tell two truths and a lie about themselves, to stump the party guests. A good time was had by all, and a big thanks go to Jimmy and Bekki Hutto for offering their house again for this once a year event.
July is Membership month, so consider bringing a potential new member to our Rotary meetings.
On July 23rd, the Morning & Noon Rotary willteam up to clean the Guadalupe River. Our area will from G street to Trail Head Beer Garden. Please sign up to help keep our river clean.
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Looking for folks to help in July. Janelle Peralt is coordinating volunteers. Please contact her to help out. jperalt@icloud.com
Carol Holmes was recognized at our last meeting for her dedication to Rotary. Carol has been a District Governor, and is a doer, with a long history of previous service and valuable institutional knowledge of Rotary.
The program last Wednesday was provided by Gabriel Alonzo, a member of our Rotary Club. Gabriel has been a portrait artist for over thirty years, and he and his wife recently moved to Kerrville.
Gabriel had a colorful history before becoming a photographer. He was raised in Mexico City, and became a professional musician in a rock and roll band, backing up the Doors and other big bands. He later moved to Houston and was in retail sales at Sakowitz and Nieman Marcus, before becoming a clothing buyer.
He decided to pursue portrait photography, and was told he needed a photography degree to get in the business. So, he got his degree and worked at Gittings in Houston, a well known portrait studio. He finally decided to venture out on his own in 1990, and has had a successful business as a portrait artist. Gabriel has recently added automobiles and landscape work to his photography artistry.
Mike Burkett and Georgieanna Itz told our club about KerrKonnect, which is a local program that provides low cost rides to those in need. The service is used mainly by seniors that don't have transportation, but all ages are served.
Rides are available monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm, and are only $2.00 for a one way trip and $4.00 round trip. Most rides are for doctors appointments, Shopping and restaurants, or trips to social, family and religious activities.
Rides can be provided within a 10 mile radius of the Kerr County Courthouse, reaching Ingram, Centerpoint, Tierra Linda and Quiet Valley Ranch. The demand currently outpaces the available drivers, so more volunteer drivers are needed to help reduce the waiting list of folks needing rides.
For More information, contact them at kerrkonnect.org or 803-315-5377.
Rachael Lindsey, Director of Science and Stewardship for the Hill Country Conservancy, provided the program at the meeting last Wednesday.
Rachel gave an overview of what defines the Hill Country, including geography, climate, vegetation, geology and soils.
One of the biggest challenges is the present and future availability of water for our needs. The aquifers are a complex system that provides much of the Hill County's drinking water, and the goal is to allow as much rainwater as possible to make its way into the aquifers to replenish what we remove.
An interesting part of the program included information on the Biotic Pump Theory, detailing how removing forests leads to reduced rainfall. The forests pull the moist air from the coastal areas to the continental interiors.
Contrary to popular wisdom, even the often maligned cedar trees of the Hill Country have numerous benefits. While removing large forests of cedar often bring long dormant springs back to life, it is temporary, and the ability of soils to retain nutrients and provide vegetative growth diminishes over time.
For additional information and opportunities to consider conservation easements, you can contact Rachael@hillcountryconservancy.org
Click on the Link below for the Zoom Replay of the Rotary Club of Kerrville Mtg 5-25-2022 featuring Ted Davis, speaking about University Sports Broadcasting.
Zoom Replay Rotary Mtg 5-25-2022 Ted Davis University Sports Writer
Our club welcomed local 4H youth, who got a chance to tell us what they were involved with in the 4H Program.
The 4H Program has a wide variety of activities these youth can participate in, including wool and mohair judging, food and nutrition, fashion and interior design, shooting sports, veterinary science, leadership, robotics and photography. In addition to learning valuable skills, they can earn scholarships for their hard work.
Emma Thompson, below, and in the middle of the photo above, won a $10,000 scholarship this year in the wool judging event at the San Antonio Livestock Show.
Lizzy Scales is a junior this year, and is involved in several activities including wool and mohair judging.
Peter Lockwood is an officer in Tivy FFA.
Ben Watkins is involved in shooting sports and natural resources.
The recent First Responders Golf Tournament raised $13,000.00 for training and continuing education for local First Responders.
Tree waterers are still needed to help water the Rotary Grove on the Schreiner University campus. The trees are in honor of deceased Rotarians from our club, and they border the River Trail near the Trailhead Beer Garden. Volunteers are needed Monday, Wednesday and Friday each week, and it can be done any time of the day. It takes about thirty minutes to fill the bags on the eight trees. Please contact Janelle Peralt (jperalt@icloud.com) (830-739-3755) if you are able to volunteer for a particular day or more of any upcoming week.
The Rotary District Conference is in Kerrville this fall, and volunteers are needed. Tammy Prout will be sending an email so please sign up if you are able to help.
The Zoom portion of our meetings will be discontinued starting in June, so please note this and come in person.
Kristy Vandenberg and Jane Ragsdale described their mission trip earlier this year to the village of Guayabales in Guatemala. Jane now runs the Heart of the Hills camp near Hunt, but in her early years after college, she was a news reporter in Guatemala, so she has an affinity for the people and their culture. The First Presbyterian Church in Kerrville has been sponsoring the trip for a number of years.
Kristy Vandenberg
Jane Ragsdale
With a several volunteers from our area, the goal was to build a Habitat type house for local school teachers to stay in while they taught at the village.
Here is the building pad they started with.
Foundation tranches were dug by hand.
The conditions were spartan, with no running water or sewer systems and no electricity.
These are the existing restrooms.
The volunteers and local villagers built the structure out a few imported materials including concrete block for the walls and a metal panel roof, but hand mixed the concrete for the foundation, which was dug by hand. A rain water catchment system was built, and a septic system was installed to serve the new bathroom. Solar panels were installed to power the water purification system.
Future goals include building a community oven and grille, and eventually a vocational high school.
At 2:30 PM Wednesday May 18th, after the Rotary meeting, we are scheduled to do our Josh the Baby Otter Water Safety Program at Comfort Elementary. Judy and George Eychner are leading the session.
We will have up to 185 children in a single group. To do this well, we need as many Rotarian volunteers as possible. We should show up around 2 PM to prepare.
If you can be available after Rotary to help at Comfort, please let George and Judy know.
Help is also needed for the remaining Josh the Otter programs. Please contact Ashley Phillips (ashleyb.perry@gmail.com) or Dave Rittenhouse (dorittenhouse@gmail.com) if you can volunteer.
The Rotary Picnic was held May 4th at 5:30 at the River Star Theater. The meal was fajita tacos with all the fixings. Beer and Wine were provided. There were cakes for dessert provide by Leslie Rambin. Justin cooked the fajitas and Kenneth early provided background music. This was a TEAM effort buy the Fellowship Committee. A good time was had by all that attended.
May is Youth Services Month when Rotary Clubs of the world give special emphasis to programs which serve children and young people. It's time to sponsor programs for Interact/Rotaract Clubs and awareness campaigns about the problems and needs for survival of future generations.
INTERACT
Interact is a Rotary-sponsored service club comprised of 14-18 year olds. Interact gives young people the opportunity to take part in fun, meaningful service projects. Along the way, Interactors develop their leadership skills and initiative while meeting new friends. Members exchange ideas, opinions and plans with other talented, energetic people, in an atmosphere free from negative pressures and distraction. Interact strives to promote student leadership, local volunteer service, and to make members aware of the many global and world issues that effect people everyday.
Ultimately, students can:
• Become acquainted with a premiere service organization (Rotary International) and proven leaders from communities throughout Rotary; • Learn how to manage and head community service projects; • Learn about other Rotary club programs including Rotaract (service club for young adults), Earlyact (a service club for primary school students), youth exchange (a chance to live and study abroad ) and RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards).
The word Interact stands for “international action” and today there are more than 10,700 clubs in 109 countries.
Rotaract is a Rotary-sponsored service club for young people ages 18-30. Rotaract clubs are usually community or university-based and are sponsored by a local Rotary club, making them true “partners in service” and key members of the Rotary family.
Young adults augment their knowledge and skill and also address the physical and social needs of their communities while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of friendship and service. Rotaractors also often spearhead the formation of Interact clubs and participate in RYLA.
Rotaract is one of the fastest-growing programs of Rotary service with more than 9,500 Rotaract Clubs with 291,000 members in 177 countries.
Rotaractors follow the motto “fellowship through service”.
Everything you need to organize, certify, and manage your club is in the Rotaract Handbook (PDF)
ROTARY YOUTH EXCHANGE
Rotary Youth Exchange is an excellent and inexpensive way for high school age students to travel and study in a foreign country.
Youth exchange gives the participant the opportunity to improve their language skills and school and family experiences will teach them the culture of their host country. They also act as ambassadors for their home country. Each year the Rotary Districts that are part of CSRYE send approximately 300 young people to other countries and accept 300 young people from other countries in return.
Accepting a youth exchange student into your club, community and household can be a very rewarding experience. It’s an opportunity for you, your family and your fellow Rotarians to learn about a different culture and also help a young person understand your culture. The goal of Rotary Youth Exchange is to promote the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace at the person to person level.
Each year thousands of young people take part in the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards (RYLA) programs worldwide. Young people are chosen for their leadership potential to attend a seminar, camp or workshop to discuss leadership skills and to learn those skills through practice. RYLA aims to:
• Demonstrate Rotary’s respect and concern for youth; • Provide an effective training experience for selected youth and potential leaders; • Encourage leadership of youth by youth; and • Recognize publicly young people who are rendering service to their communities.
Started in Queensland, Australia in 1959 and officially adopted by Rotary International in 1971, the RYLA program enables young people to debate issues of professional responsibility and human relations, improve leadership and communication skills, learn about businesses or institutions and meet Rotarians, while having fun and making friends. For participants, RYLA provides the opportunity to refine skills and explore pertinent topics with peers and elders; for Rotarians, RYLA offers the chance to help develop leaders, share valuable expertise and bridge the gap between generations. RYLA can help lead to the strengthening and formation of Interact and Rotaract clubs and can be used as a recruiting tool for youth exchange
Our Rotary Club sponsored the annual First Responders luncheon last Wednesday, where local law enforcement, fire fighters and EMS personnel received awards for their service during the past year.
The recipients included (top row, left to right) Kerrville Fire Department Officer of the Year - Battalion Chief Mark Logue, Ingram Police Officer of the Year - Mike Baker, EMS Person of the Year- Travis Huser, Criminal Investigations Unit Citation - Captain Carl Arredondo, Special Operations Division Unit Citation- Sheriff's Office Captain Jason Waldrip, Special Achievement award- Precinct 4 Constable Brad Rider.
Bottom row, left to right: Retired Trooper Jim Behrens, Game Warden of the Year- Brent Biggs, Corrections Officer of the Year- Venesa Schmidt, Civilian Employee of the Year- Elizabeth Adame, Kerrville Police Officer of the Year- Detective Ben Ledesma, and Kerr County First Responder of the Year- Divide Volunteer Fire Department Chief Jimmy Dreiss.
Tournament Date is Monday April 25, 2022 at Riverhill County Club... Tournament Flyer is attached.
Again we are asking for your help and support to ensure that this is again a HUGE Success!!
The Tournament will be held at Riverhill Country Club, on Monday April 25, 2022
Schedule of Events:
Registration: 11:00
Lunch: 11:30
Putting Contest: 12:00
Shotgun start: 1:00 w/Peoria Scoring Format
Scoring: 5:00
If you want to sign up to play, please submit your team by the end of the day on Friday April 22, 2022 so the Golf Professionals can prepare and arrange for our event.
All Funds Raised will benefit 1st Responders in our area and provide them with Needed Additional Training and for Continuing Education.
These Men and Women that will benefit from this are your local Law Enforcement, Kerrville/Kerr County Fire Department/EMS and our much needed and used Area Volunteer Fire Departments as well.
To ensure that we have an enjoyable round of golf with ample opportunity to be able to give back to those who give so much to us, the field will be limited to the first Twenty (20) teams or eighty (80) players.
There are several ways to participate and support this meaningful event.
Sign up a team and play $150/player or $500 for a team of 4 ($100 savings to sign up a team)
Support through Sponsorship, there are many different Levels to Support
Donate to the Cause with a Monetary Tax Deductible Donation
Volunteer your time to help with Registration and Putting Contest
The Rotary Picnic is scheduled for May 4th at 5:30 at the River Star Theater.
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Janelle Peralt is coordinating volunteers. Please contact her to help out. jperalt@icloud.com
A native of Kerrville, Mindy has been involved in Kerr County leadership roles for many years.
She studied at Schreiner College, Angelo State University and is a graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma.
Mindy served on the Kerrville City Council and numerous local and state boards. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Kerrville Convention & Visitors Bureau, the downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone board, the Kerrville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Peterson Health Foundation Board. She is a member of the Hill Country Youth Ranch Auxiliary, Kerr Country Women's Chamber and numerous organizations in her Riverhill neighborhood.
Mindy is a past trustee for the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country and has served as a board member on the Texas Downtown Association and the Lower Colorado River Authority Regional Council.
Mindy's past career positions include the Director of Business Programs for the City of Kerrville, the Director of Schreiner Mansion and Community Engagement at Schreiner University and is the immediate past Executive Director of Families & Literacy, Inc..
In May 2020, Mindy launched her new endeavor, Social Graces by Mindy Wendele, an etiquette and relationship building consulting firm.
Mindy is married to Chief Raymond Holloway, ret'd, has one daughter, Meredith, and one grandson, Foster.
This started with a team selected to study the need for a building that combines offices and have room to grow. The city council voted on this Bond issue in February 2022. This is a 45 million bond issuance.
Its only going to cost more if they wait. This is the Municipal Court.
City is clearly in need of new facilities both fire & police
On the right is another towns public safety facility.
Trying to coordinate different departments is a chore when they can't communicate.
Dan Daugherty from the Heart of the Hills Fisheries Science Center provided the program for us last Wednesday.
The fishery was built in the 1920s, and was commonly known as the "Fish Hatchery". It did serve that purpose until 1969, but today is a research center which aims to conserve aquatic resources and improve fishing for the people of Texas.
One of their most successful programs has been restocking genetically pure Guadalupe Bass into central Texas rivers.
Another program they have been working on is educating the public about the native alligator gars. They are the oldest fresh water fish species in Texas, with their ancestors appearing in the fossil record nearly 200 million years ago. However, like Rodney Dangerfield, they have not gotten the respect they deserve. For years, there were efforts to eradicate the gar due to misinformation about them. But now, there are more fans, and "trophy" gars can weigh over 200 pounds and 8' in length. Scientists can use carbon -14 dating of their otilith, and have found alligator gars over 90 years old.
Studies have shown that the alligator gar do not eat that many game fish, but actually prey on each other when they are small, and are opportunistic eaters that favor carp and tilapia. They can also survive in the salty waters of our bays, and grow up to 30" in length per year when young. If you want to try your hand a catching one, there is a bag limit of one per day in Texas, which was instituted in 2009 to conserve the species.
Please keep Johnny Miller's wife in your prayers. She fainted during a trip to the zoo, and was taken to the hospital where she had cardiac arrest. She is at home now, and now has a pacemaker.
David Rittenhouse's wife has COVID and is quarantining, so please keep her in your prayers for a quick recovery.
Brian Bowers injured his patella tendon, so prayers go out to him for a successful recovery.
Moved to Roswell New Mexico and graduated from high school.
Holds BS and masters degrees in wildlife mgt.
Has served state and Native American govts and private landowners during 24 year career.
Has been the Research Coordinator for TPWD's Kerr Wildlife Mgt. Area since 2008 where he has focused on intoxicants and delivery systems for wild pig control.
Has spoken locally, nationally and internationally on the subject.
Married with two children.
The term feral refers to a domestic animal that has gone wild.
Columbus brought them to west indies. De Soto had them when he landed in Florida.
The map on right shows where the pigs were 2004 and in 2018.
Showing the pig problem world wide.
Showing cost 2.1 Billion and this does not include habitat. Investments of KWMA.
Products from KWMA. A delivery system for feral pigs.
This was very informative.
When ask about hurting other animals he said they are working on it.
They were working with Sodium nitrite. see https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sodium-nitrite
According to the United Nations, the COVID-19 pandemic has halted or in some cases reversed progress in global health. It has also shortened life expectancies. It’s more important than ever to provide quality health care and promote well-being for everyone, especially those who are most vulnerable, including mothers and children.
Rotary is working to provide communities with the help and training they need to improve health care for mothers and infants. Mobile prenatal clinics in Haiti, mobile cancer screening units in India, and support for home births in Nigeria are some of the ways our members are working to ensure that mothers and children have opportunities for a healthy future.
April is Maternal and Child Health Month in Rotary. Find inspiration from Rotary members improving lives around the world:
In Nigeria, the Rotary Club of Abuja Maitama distributed birth kits to pregnant women in their communities and helped organize talks at the local hospital during which nurses and midwives shared information about hygiene during and after pregnancy, the benefits of breastfeeding and how to breastfeed, safety for pregnant women and newborns, and the importance of vaccinating babies. Read more.
In Uruguay, the Rotary Club of Río Branco created two dedicated breastfeeding spaces in city childcare centers. Through this project, the club is helping to encourage breastfeeding by providing an accessible and comfortable area for new mothers. Read more.
In India, the Rotary Club of Shri Aurobindo College organized Project Rudhir: Welcoming Womanhood to normalize the stigmatized concept of menstruation. They visit economically disadvantaged areas to educate on proper menstrual hygiene and distribute menstrual products. So far, the project has successfully distributed more than 6,850 menstrual pads to 680 beneficiaries. Read more.
In the United States, the Rotary Club of Englewood in Florida organized a program for girls ages 8-18 to support their social and emotional development and leadership skills through dynamic sessions, participatory activities, field trips, and mentorship opportunities. Read more.
for more info https://rotaryserviceblog.org/2022/04/05/how-to-support-maternal-and-child-health/
She hails from upstate New York but they have two children that were born Texans. So they have anchor babies.
Taking care of the river was the main focus
The dark area inside the blue is the Guadalupe River Basin
This pic shows a water shed. These are the creeks & streams that feed the Guadalupe.
This shows a spring. This is how water is stored under ground in the Aquifer for use later.
This chart shows we have had 1-1/2" since Jan 1st. Norm is 4-1/2
Ways to keep water on your land.
more ways to help river Saving water from your roof
Showing a pump and filter system to use the water for inside your home. It was noted that no home owner association can stop you from collecting water.
Todd Citron, executive director of the Hill Country Mental Health and Development Disabilities Center provided the program last Wednesday.
This agency mainly provides mental health services to those who are uninsured or are Medicaid eligible. Nineteen counties are served by about 430 employees. Staffing is an issue, as it is in many fields, and there are over 100 vacancies currently available.
The following are centers that provide help to those in need:
Ambulatory Outpatient Centers
Youth Crisis Respite Center (an alternative to hospitalization)
Group Homes
Adult Crisis Stabilization Units (at the state hospital)
Day Habilitation Center
The year prior to COVID, they served about 8,490 persons. Last year, with ninety percent of services provided virtually, they averaged 9,800 persons served.
Byron Warren presented the program on Veterans Assistance Dogs of Kerrville.
Suzie was a special canine guest, and she assists local veteran John.
Byron is a board member of VA Dogs, and this organization provides trained service dogs to disabled veterans. The veterans qualify if they are VA rated as 50% disabled, and the dogs are trained to help with their specific needs. The most common needs the dogs serve are PTSD, physical handicaps, diabetes, and anxiety. They also help veterans return to the workplace, and help family relationships.
Labradors are the most common breed used, although some medium size mixed breeds also qualify. They are usually rescue dogs, and go through an intensive training lasting up to three months. Part of that training is with the veteran, and is a big factor in the success of the relationship. Currently there are about seventy veterans on the waiting list, and the cost to train a dog is $20-25,000.
Rob Walter was introduced as the Rotarian of the week by Jack Pratt.
Major General Rob Walter, who is director of Strategic Initiatives for Military Affairs at Schreiner University, has a distinguished military career in the United States Army.
Rob's favorite Rotary Service project is the Veterans Breakfast. His favorite hobbies are hunting and fishing. Billie Jean's Restaurant is the place he like to eat, and a good steak is his favorite food. The Louisville Cardinals is Rob's favorite sports team.
The Paul Harris Fellowship is a recognition to Rotarians or others who donate $1,000 or more to the Rotary Foundation. The Foundation transforms these gifts into projects that change lives both close to home and around the world. There are six areas where the funds are used:
• Promoting peace
• Fighting disease
• Providing clean water
• Saving mothers and children
• Supporting education
• Growing local economies
David Jones was awarded his Paul Harris +6 pin.
Dave Rittenhouse was awarded the major donor Paul Harris pin, which acknowledges cumulative contributions of $10,000.00 to the Rotary Foundation.
T. Beck Gipson grew Up in the Texas Hill Country, graduated from Mason High School in 1963 and attended college at Texas Tech University. He served in the U.S. Army, 1967 1970, as a Chief Warrant Officer helicopter pilot, including a one year tour in VietNam and eighteen months as a flight instructor at Fort Wolters, Texas.
Education:
Graduate of Texas Tech University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Economics, 1972 (rural socio economies emphasis). Regularly attends continuing education courses in the appraisal profession.
Experience:
1973- 1979:
1979- 1983-
1984- 1988:
1989-2006:
2007- Current
Engaged in mortgage loan underwriting, construction inspections and chief staff appraiser for over five years with Hill Country Savings & Loan of Kerrville.
Independent appraisal practice.
Partner, Gipson & Neal Real Estate Appraisers and Consultants.
Owner/Appraiser, Gipson Appraisal Company.
President - Gipson Real Estate Services, LLC In addition, Mr. Gipson's local activities include: Ranch operation in nearby area, trading of Kerr County real estate, past President of the San Antonio Appraisal Institute, previous Chairman of the Kerrville Planning and Zoning Commission, former President of the Board of Directors for the Upper Guadalupe River Authority, serves as a Special Commission for Kerr County Condemnation Proceedings, frequently its as a professional counselor and buyer's agent (gipsonrealestateservices.com).
Dualifications:
xas Real Estate Broker's License #199499 since 1976.
signated SRA, Senior Residential Appraiser, The Appraisal Institute, 1979.
ignated SPA, Senior Real Property Appraiser, The Appraisal Institute, 1990.
ignated State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser, 1991, Certificate #TX 1320674 G ert witness in County, State and Federal Courts.
ciate member of the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers.
this date, I, T. BECK GIPSON, have completed the requirements under the continuing
Beck's dad Fred is the author of the book Old Yellow.Fred early days was doing odd jobs around Mason Tx. Breaking mules, building fences, and painting. One day his brother who was at Texas University called and said come to school you can get odd jobs and go to school. He majored in journalism. All his life he was a story teller. His stories were always based on events that were true. The story in Old Yellow is based on what happened to his grandfather. The dog was different that the movie. The dog was defending his grandfather against a rabid wolf.
For a list of his books see shttps://www.thriftbooks.com/a/fred-gipson/219151/ee.
After school He landed a job with Harte-Hanks Newspapers making $15 a week. With that he bought a car and had money for a place to stay.
Mark your calendar for March 26, as there will be a trash clean up in Louise Hays Park.
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Janelle Peralt is coordinating volunteers. Please contact her to help out. jperalt@icloud.com
The Kroc Center needs help stuffing plastic eggs with candy to use for lots of their kids at Easter. Contact Jeff Harris ( jeff.harris@cfnbtexas.com ) or Doug Whinnery ( dwhinnery46@gmail.com) for more information.
Please consider attending the Rotary International Convention in Houston this year, June 4-8th. The annual convention is held at locations over the world, so this is about as close as you can get to attend a convention.
First Responders Week is near the end of April. Here are the scheduled events:
1st. The First Responders Golf Tournament is scheduled for Monday April 25th at River Hills Country Club. This tournament provides funding for first responder training and continuing education.
The program at the Rotary Club of Kerrville last Wednesday featured a short history on the founding of the Republic of Texas, and an examination of what makes our state unique. It included a video primer on the development of our state by Schreiner University professor Don Frazier. The video was produced by Ben Friberg, also of Schreiner University, and several students from Schreiner University and Howard Payne University followed, expanding on a current day examination of Texas.
The students were beneficiaries of scholarships from the Sumners Foundation. These competitive scholarships encourage critical thinking, and recipients are expected to become politically informed and become good citizens by participating in democratic process on the local, state and national level.
Professor Don Frazier
Dr. Frazier explained that the early Texans who declared their independence were a diverse group that came from all over the United States and Mexico. They were merchants, farmers, lawyers, doctors and other varied occupations. They had in common a strong belief in self government and personal liberties.
Several former Sumner Scholars explained the benefits of having participated in the program. And, current student scholars noted some of the unique aspects of Texas including geographic diversity, friendly business attitude, plenty of opportunity, a large sense of identity and self sufficiency.
In early January we heard from Stock Show executives Steve Bauer and Rusty Henderson regarding the Kerr County Stock Show and what's involved in producing the show.
We wanted to do a follow up with individuals that were in the Show.
Due to school schedules the students could not make it; but we do have an expert that will talk about the Stock Show experience.
Charlie introduces our guest Jennifer Smith.
Today's speaker is Jennifer Smith. She is the Kerr County 4-H Agent with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.
She lives in Boerne with her husband, Robert and two children Dustin and Corrie.
She graduated from Southwest Texas with a bachelor's Ag Business and from Texas State with a Master's degree in Adult Education with a Teachers Certification.
Over 7 million youth participate in 4-H each year to become self-motivated, productive, and contributing citizens. 4-H is designed to be a family affair so 4-H parents are encouraged to get involved in the 4-H experience. Ways that 4-H parents can contribute range from serving as a project leader to providing transportation to activities, or even supplying refreshments for meetings or special events. 4-H parents are also needed to supervise 4-H activities. Kerr County has an outstanding group of dedicated adult volunteer leaders as well as a superb group of motivated 4-H members. We welcome your family into our Kerr County 4-H family! Please feel free to contact the Kerr County Extension Office or visit our website at kerr.agrilife.org for more information about the county 4-H Program.
She pointed out that this is county ran and is not part of school district.
Its ran by volunteer leaders. There are 300 kids in 4-H in Kerr County. In the county show there were 217 kids with 418 animals. The district had 90 kids with 195 animals.
Noted that there is more to 4-H than animals. There is trap & sheet, Judging all kinds of things, cooking.
They have all sorts of programs and different things for kids to do.
She reminded us that the 4-H wild game supper is a fund raiser.
Mark your calendar for March 5th for highway cleanup. Tally Elementary at 7:30 am
Mark your calendar for March 26, as there will be a trash clean up in Louise Hays Park.
The Rotary Grove near the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University needs volunteers to help water the new trees that were planted in honor of deceased Rotarians. Janelle Peralt is handling signup. 3 days a week will be the watering days. MWF let her know.
Each week, a Kerrville Rotarian is highlighted so we get to learn a little more about a fellow member.
Jack Pratt was introduced by Ashley Phillips.
Jack is married to Missy for over 20 years. A former Major of Kerrville and is running for County Commissioner Precent 2. He was president the Houston Rotary Club.
His favorite memory is of making a trip to Mexico drilling water wells.
Loves golf and fishing and is an avid snow skier. Jack also loves woodworking and antique cars.
Continue to keep Robin Miears' sister in your prayers, as she recovers from COVID. She is doing better.
Keep Ron Blilie in your prayers. An active Rotarian with our club, who slipped and fell while walking his dog. He broke a rib and his hip. This is after they just got back from vacation in the Artic Circle.
George Eychner introduced the Hill Country Youth Orchestra, which is the nation's only tuition free youth orchestra. Our Rotary Club has supported the club in the past by donating money for the purchase of instruments and performance attire. The HCYO has been in existence for 37 years, and has taught over 2,000 students in that time. It introduces string instruments to kids that might not otherwise have the opportunity to learn about them. The HCYO is 100% funded by grants, annual fund raising and private donations.
Teresa Britt is an instructor for HCYO, as well as a fiddler, violinist and singer with several groups in the hill country. She has also performed in numerous ensembles and orchestras in Texas.
We heard some great performances by students Jude Parker and Natalie McDonald.
Natalie also gave a testimonial on how she became involved in the Hill Country Youth Orchestra, and how she has benefitted from the program.
Former Rotarian Greg Shrader explained more about the program. Three churches in the hill country provide instruction and performance space for the students, in Kerrville, Boerne and Fredericksburg. The biggest fund raiser is a show put on by Robert Earl Keen each year at the Cailloux Theater. The upcoming show is sold out, but there is also a benefit golf tournament coming up on March 19 at Riverhill Country Club.
Crystal Dockery our former member was the MC for the Valentine's Sweetheart Day. A rose was handed out to each lady that came to the event. Besides running the show she also presented interesting facts about Valentines holiday between each guest.
George spoke first then Judy. It was a blind date and Judy did say that George was not Tall, Dark and Handsome. But he was cute! George told the 8 crossroads that led him towards Judy.
Steven (Woody) Lockhart was next speaker. He had been asking his lady friend out for lunch for a spell and got nowhere.
Later found out she worked out during lunch. First time she agreed to go on a motorcycle ride is was 400 miles. He learned the passenger could always grab his helmet to get him to look at what she was looking at.
Kristi Shepherd was nest guest. She went to online dating service under someone else's name to look around. When she finally went out with Sterling, they went to several places to dance. Well the song I relate this story to is the Cheers song (Where everybody knows your name) comes to mind.
Her words Sterling was a player!!!
Jeff Talarico our next guest tells of the evening he first met Caryn the entire night was based on a little white lie.
They are still happily married. With a grandchild!!!
Erin Davis with the Texas A&M Forest Service provided the program on oak wilt in Texas. Erin graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Renewable Natural Resources and Forestry, and she provides information to land owners in Texas on how to identify and treat trees with signs of oak wilt.
Oak wilt is an infectious tree disease caused by a fungus, which can produce spores on red oaks that it has killed. All oaks are susceptible to this potentially deadly disease. These spores can be inadvertently spread by beetles feeding on the fungus. If these beetles land on a fresh wounds or pruning cuts on an uninfected oak, the spores may enter and infect a new tree.
This disease can also spread from tree to tree through the interconnected root systems. Trees as far away as 200 feet from each other may be at risk, and it can spread as much as 75' per year.
Early signs of oak wilt include trees losing their leaves and live oaks with yellow and brown leaf veins. Red oaks may die within 4-6 weeks, and live oaks die in 3-6 months.
You can reduce the risk of oak wilt by avoiding pruning oak trees between February 1 and June 30. Paint all oak wound and cuts, and sterilize tools between use with 10% bleach.
If your trees are affected or at risk, consult with an Oak Wilt Qualified Arborist. Treatment may include trenching and/or fungicide injections.
For more information, go to texasoakwilt.org. You may also contact Erin Davis at 830-792-8885, or edavis@efs.tamu.ed
Happy New Year! I hope 2022 holds great promise for us all! One way that we can ensure that we are able to serve our community and bring a little joy and promise, is to have a successful Main Event and raffle. The Main Event is Saturday, February 5. Tickets are available at our club meetings and have been packaged in groups of four to sell for each active member of Rotary Club of Kerrville Noon Club. And, I have extra raffle tickets available for Satellite members and others who expect to sell more than the initial four.
Tickets are $100 each and the prizes are:
Grand Prize: $10,000 gift card (with $2.500 allotted to the IRS for tax purposes)
Jill Reno ladies pendant valued at over $1,500
Ashley HomeStore gift card valued at $1,000
Paul Harris Fellow
Taste of Kerrville restaurant gift cards valued at $350
The Main Event will be at the Hill Country Youth Event Center. The theme is Viva Las Vegas and this will be an event to remember! We will have a buffet meal starting about 6:30 pm, 7 gaming tables, wine and whiskey pull, etc. Remember, we are asking members to donate one bottle of wine or whiskey to the pull. You can bring your donations to any of the January Wednesday meetings or drop them off at Amber Thomason's office on Thompson Drive. Our goal is 75-100 bottles.
He brought his wife Hollis, Son Brandon and his Dad to the Rotary meeting today.
Wayne was born in Kerrville and came back to town in 1999.
he spent 27 years on the wood working business.
It took a while to get the business going. His crew was He, his wife and two boys.
In 2013 they paid off their home. Then they found a location to move the business too. The address is104 Magical Lane N. Kerrville.
He took a job in San Antonio redoing a gym
From this job he got 4 referrals.
Texas Railing Systems was founded in 2009 out of the desire to meet the need for a specialist in the niche market of architectural contemporary railing. We are spearheaded by professional leadership with over 35 years' experience in the commercial, residential, and manufacturing environments. To date we have grown every year, both in volume and miles traveled. With well over 1,000 projects managed and valuations up to 1.5 million, choosing Texas Railing Systems takes the worry out of the process. Located in the the Texas Hill Country, we can reach anywhere in the state. Your Texas project is not beyond our range. We take pride in keeping our work area clean and neat, and measure our quality in terms of our timeliness, as well as project excellence. Our commitment is getting the project done to your satisfaction and on schedule, so you can enjoy the views that much sooner.
SAVE THE VIEW.
We deliver “WOW” reactions by providing architectural guardrails in
contemporary designs, which focus on our slogan— Save the View
Feed My Family was a thought but change to Feed Our Family
Business mix is 80% business and 20% Residential
See link for pictures https://www.texasrailingsystems.com
AVODAH
work, worship, and service
Avoda, or Avodah (Hebrew: עֲבוֹדָה), literally means "work, worship, and service" in Hebrew. In a modern context, usually referring to business-type activities, it can also mean agricultural work and, more traditionally, serving God.
Wayne has religion and prayers in is family and business always.
January is Vocational Service Month in the Rotary International Calendar
One of the most important aspects of Rotary is building relationships. Learning about professions and job involvement is one of those foundation stones to creating an environment in our Rotary Clubs which builds relationships. Often during the introduction of a new member there can be glimpses of what job choice has been made. And there are those occasional programs devoted to Rotary membership talks where a new member or a more seasoned member shares their life story and work experiences.
Intriguing, interesting and informative are words that will often describe these vocational talks.
New and innovative work positions are being created in our world. Vocational Service month is a great time to celebrate and learn about the life work of our members, whether it is a profession that has lots of history or newly established.
This month and in the months ahead, take some time during your club meetings to have Rotarians share their stories of what they do to impact their world. Relationships will be stronger and one of the reasons for the founding of Rotary will be expressed.
Kerr County Sherriff Department Captain Carl Arrendondo provided the program on Human Trafficking at the meeting last Wednesday. According to the State Attorney General's website, there are approximately 79,000 victims of trafficking at any given time in Texas. There are several categories of this crime including adult sex trafficking (those forced into prostitution), children under the age of 18 sex trafficking, and both adult and children labor trafficking.
Those who are most susceptible include victims of abuse, runaways, kids in foster care and those with a juvenile record. The traffickers themselves can come from various backgrounds including being an intimate partner of a victim, bosses, and owners or strip clubs and massage parlors. Trafficking is described as modern day slavery. The most important thing citizens can do to help is to report suspicious activity- if you see something, say something.
Jessica is Development Manager, Major Gifts at K9s For Warriors.
She noted that K9s for Warriors is the largest trainer of Dogs in the US.
All dogs used are rescue dogs. If for any reason the dogs are untrainable or don't get along with the veteran then they find a home for the dogs.
Dogs are trained in 5 to 8 months. They learn phrases like, got my 6, meaning to check out what's behind the veteran. They also are trained to wake up the veteran if they are going through night terror.
One veteran was able to attend his son's high school football game with the service dog by his side. Dogs help with PTSD.
Only mid sized dogs are used for the program as some vets need to lean on the dogs for support. After training then comes the bonding of the dog to the vet. This takes around 21 days.
The waiting list to get a trained dog is now out to 2026.
K9s are connected to the paws act
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers Act of 2021 or the PAWS Act of 2021
This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a grant program for the purpose of pairing service dogs with eligible veterans. Organizations that receive grants must provide veterinary health insurance coverage, hardware, and travel expenses for each service dog and veteran participating in the program.
Eligible veterans are those who (1) are enrolled in the VA health care system, (2) have been evaluated and treated for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but remain diagnosed with PTSD, (3) may benefit from a service dog, and (4) agree to successfully complete training provided by an eligible organization. Veterans are required to see a VA health care provider at least once every six months to determine whether the veteran continues to benefit from a service dog.
Eligible organizations are nonprofit organizations that
provide service dogs to veterans with PTSD,
meet publicly available standards set forth by the Association of Service Dog Providers for Military Veterans,
have expertise in the needs of veterans with PTSD,
agree to cover all costs in excess of the grant amount to guarantee the benefits of the program,
agree to reaccept or replace a service dog provided to a veteran, and
submit an application to the VA.
Any improvement in PTSD symptoms as a result of the provision of a service dog shall not affect the veteran's eligibility for any other VA benefits.
The Government Accountability Office must report on the grant program.
Several vets have reported that since they got a dog they went completely off all meds that they were taking for PTSD. They got there first Vietnam vet in the program last year.
The Hill Country Quilt Guild is a 501C 3 charity, based in Kerrville, Texas. We Support quilting education and fiber based charitable donations for our community.
On January 1, 2020 we were an organization of 241 strong. So far, we have lost over 100 members to health concerns and the pandemic. This huge drop in women-power, we were still able to donated 278 quilts to the community in 2021. We also donated 125 hand made Christmas stockings to the Hill Country Youth Ranch along with 113 adult shirt protectors for the Alamo Hospice.
Our guild is the nationally licensed Quilts for VALOR RESOURCE for Kerr County. During 2012, we draped 27 veterans with newly created quilts.
The Hill Country Quilt Guild is a diverse group of women including nurses, educators, professionals, construction managers and military veterans. One member is currently completing her bachelor’s degree and another has recently graced the stage at the Cailloux and The Point theater. By the way, watch for the production of “Blyth Spirt”.
We our donations come from a simi annual quit show. We invite you to experience “Alonge the Silk Road”, a fantasy of the sights a d sounds experienced by the explores and merchants who traveled the earth’s longest active trade routes.
Our show is February 18-19 at the Hill Country Youth Event Center (Happy State Bank Expo). Please join us..
Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly provided updates on our county last Wednesday. Rob has been the judge since 2018, and is running unopposed for another term. Here are a few of the highlights he spoke about at our meeting:
Five candidates are running for the Precinct 2 commissioner position.
The county accepted 10.2 million from the American Rescue Plan of 2021. Half of it is in the county's hands now, and the county has until 2024 to commit to using the funds. They will need to be spent by the end of 2026.
Kerr County is contemplating a Bond Issue for capital improvements. A committee toured county facilities, and received input to determine what the funds should be used for. The plans include a new West Kerr County Annex to be built in Ingram, a courthouse annex on Earl Garrett, a new Animal Services Facility, a new Storage facility for County records, upgrades to the Hill Country Youth Complex, and other projects. The approximate value of the bond will be announced soon.
Growth is a hot topic of discussion in Kerr County. Domestic water and sanitary sewer / septic facilities are being discussed, both for individual projects and for long term availability of water and treatment of waste water in our area.
The Subdivision Rules for the county are being rewritten to comply with recent state level changes to subdivision requirements. These requirements, encouraged by the developer lobby, provide a very short timetable to review final plats proposed by anyone who wants to develop their property. The preliminary plat process was eliminated, so when a developer submits the plat to the county for approval, it is usually the first time the county engineers have had a chance to review it. They can approve, disapprove or approve with comments, but only have one month to do so.
Kristy Vandenberg has started a new tradition of telling us a little about a member of the club. This week she gave some fun facts about our President, Jeff Harris.
Jeff is a senior VP at South Star Bank in Kerrville. His wife is also named Kristy, and they have two cats named Simon and Garfunkel. His hobbies are golf and fishing. In addition to being our club president, he has a big heart for veterans, and recently became a member of the Kerrville Planning and Zoning Commission, at the City of Kerrville.
Blue Santa was a big success again this year. Each family got 3 of the red bags loaded with food and a turkey including roasting pan plus bags of apples, oranges and potatoes. We provided food for 39 families at Ronnie Bock’s RV place and 40 at Doyle Community Center. Thank you to all who participated in this event.
Here's a few photos of Rotarians during the Christmas season from the past few seasons. Thank you to all who have helped the Salvation Army over the years.
The Hill Country Youth Orchestra will receive new tuxedos and gowns, thanks to a matching grant from our Rotary District and our club.
The Blue Santa program will receive a matching grant from the District as well. December 11th is the day of the event, at Ronnie Bock's RV in Kerrville. Contact Phyllis Ricks if you would like to help give out Christmas goods and cheer. ricks.phyl@gmail.com
Bell Ringers are needed for a few slots to benefit the Salvation Army. The ringing takes place at Gibson's over the next few Saturdays. Go to our website to sign up. You might have as an exciting time as Clint Morse did last week. If you didn't hear his story, you can catch it on the YouTube replay.
David Payne, pastor at the Kerrville First United Methodist Church, was the speaker last Wednesday. David has been in Kerrville about four and one half years. His inspirational Christmas message is that simple acts of kindness can change not just Kerrville, but the world. This season, supply chain issues won't stop generosity and the true meaning of Christmas.
Robin Miears reported that the Pints for Polio held at the Trailhead Beer Garden on the Schreiner Campus raised $12,800.00 for the polio eradication campaign. Thank you to all who donated and showed their support at the event.
Tammy Prout thanked those that participated in the Blood Drive on November 29th. Seventeen people donated, and the next opportunity will be in the Spring.
Rotarian and West Point graduate David Rittenhouse provided the program last Wednesday, detailing his return to West Point Military Academy. David and about seventy other graduates returned to the academy for their 50th anniversary of starting their journey, in the fall of 1971. David graduated in 1975 from West Point, and has returned several times for reunions.
David and his classmates participated in the New Cadet March and enjoyed socializing with the first year students. He observed that the cadets were hard working, well trained, well equipped, and better directed now.
David recalled that on his new cadet march in 1971, it was pouring rain.
David met his wife while they both were in the military.
West Point accepts between 1,300 and 1,400 new cadets each year, and the total enrollment is around 4,400. It is a rigorous program, with about 60% of cadets graduating in four years, which is a fairly high percentage compared to most universities. The first year women graduated was in 1980, and women cadets currently comprise about 23% of the student body.
The annual Kerrville Rotary Christmas party is the evening of Saturday, December 8th. Please RSVP to Jimmy Hutto. javalinahutto@gmail.com, 713-410-1647
The next Highway Trash Pickup is this Saturday at 7:30 am. Meet at Talley Elementary. Refreshments will be provided, and then the trash pickup will begin along Goat Creek Road.
The Rotary Main Event Fund Raiser for our club is in the planning stages. If you would like to help with this event, please contact Marta Diffen. mdiffen@schreiner.edu
When he applied for the Drum Major job they said your not in band. He said do you want someone in band or someone who will memorize all 200 band members in two weeks. He got the job.
In 1831 a French man came to America and to study how America worked.
He said that in America organizations could freely meet and solve local needs. Like building a Church, a park or any other needs the community needed.
Growth is Consistency
1. Certainty habit, routine, order
2. Uncertainty
3. Significance faith, hope, meaningful
4. Human Connection Church, clubs, ect.
5. Growth
6. Contribution make something happen.
Alex delivered the presentation without a note one. He kept every ones attention.
Just a reminder our 11th Free Veterans Appreciation breakfast is this Friday at the Veterans center (411 Meadowview lane) here in Kerrville. It starts at 8 am and goes until the tacos are gone. If you are not able to make it and would like to donate to their pantry you can bring you donation to the noon meeting this week and give it to Jeff Harris. We hope to see as many Rotarian's as possible at the event to show our appreciation and share a meal with our local Veterans. If you have any questions you can email Donna Peterson at dd5201@aol.com, or give call/text at 402-802-6829.
The season is coming up soon for Ringing the Bell for the Salvation Army. Go to our website to sign up to ring the bell and help raise money for all the Salvation Army's worthy causes.
Blue Santa is scheduled for Dec 11, 2021 at 8 am at Ronnie Bock’s Kerrville RV. They are planning for the children to be able to meet Santa and get their presents at this time. If the COVID numbers increase then it could change to a drive thru like last year. Please contact Stephanie Skrumeda (830-370-5789) if you would like to participate in this event. It should be done around 11:30.
Brad Barnett, executive director of the Kerrville area Chamber of Commerce, provided the program for the meeting last Wednesday.
Brad has an extensive background in communications, including recent work in the Midland, Texas Chamber of Commerce, and previously served as a minister. The chamber has four staff members currently, and has worked on a number of improvements over the last year.
The Chamber has developed a new logo, mission and vision statement and focuses on being the premier advocate and business hub for the area. A consultant was brought in to help work on their strategic plan, and how to be in step with the City of Kerrville's 2050 Plan. One of the goals of the Chamber is to develop young leaders in the community, using the Leadership Kerr County program, which will help lead the development of businesses in the future.
There are numerous events and programs scheduled for the year, including the Business Expo, Awards Banquet, State of Education Luncheon, State of Health Care event, Ribbon Cuttings for new businesses, Business After Hour Mixers, Legislative Updates, as well as the publication of "Our View".
1837 a big one hit the island. It is known as Racer's hurricane, from the Royal Navy ship HMS Racer. Winds knocked building off foundations. 16 foot tidal surge, rained for 36 hours.
see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racer%27s_hurricane for more information. Another hits five years later.
1854 hurricane has winds up to 105 MPH and 8 foot storm surge.
1867 with a population of 15,000 it was noted 1,200 died of yellow fever.
18" of water in the Strand area, The rail road bridge was knocked out and tidal surge highest since 1937.
1871 there was 3 ft of water inside the Railroad station. Locals voted to raise sidewalks in downtown area. They are still like this today. When it rained real hard the streets looked like Venice. Completed in 1874.
Picture taken 1875 before storm.
1875 Indianola hurricane. Surge was 4 foot higher than high tide. Boats were found 9 miles inland. 800 people lost their lives with 300 being from Indianola. At this time Indianola was a lager port than Galveston. Rain was 10.58" and flats were developed. It was most destructive. The town would be rebuilt, only to be devastated again by the 1886 hurricane. At Galveston, several houses and a railroad bridge were destroyed, and a ship, the Beardstown, sunk in Galveston Bay. The town suffered about $4 million in damage and 30 deaths.
1886 hurricane destroyed Indianola. In Galveston, Texas, the storm capsized a forty-ton schooner, the Liviona Perkins, killing three crew members. The storm also damaged roads, railways, and houses, leading to an estimated $200,000 in damage (equivalent to $5.2 million in 2019[7]).[6]After this hurricane they formed the Seawall Protection group. But politics and money delayed
anything getting done.
1900 hurricane
15 foot over high tide
100 to 120 mph winds before wind gauge blew away.
Deaths 8 to 12 thousand.
All the greyed area was destroyed what saved downtown area was the tide pushed the debris into large piles that stopped the surge from getting there.
And then the building of the wall and raising the city starts.
The wall was built 17 ft tall. So the rest of Galveston had to be raised to 17 feet. The government helps with the wall but the property owner was responsible for raising there own house.
Before the ground was raised they built steps so to catch the train.
They started the wall in 1905.
In 1889 President Grover Cleveland appointed him to a board of engineers to recommend a western Gulf port for the government to develop to handle tonnage that was increasing each year. Robert selected Galveston as the only site that could meet the conditions to become a major Gulf port. Congress approved his proposal and appropriated the funds. After the Galveston hurricane of 1900 Robert served as consulting chairman of the board of engineers to design means of protection against future tidal waves. The recommendations of this board resulted in a seawall that successfully saved the city of Galveston on two subsequent occasions, 1909 and 1915. After each tidal wave Robert was called back to report on seawall damage and to make further recommendations. He was also asked to help design a highway and railroad bridge between Galveston and the mainland. Just before he reached retirement age he was promoted to brigadier general, chief of engineers, United States Army, on April 30, 1901
Robert also became this country's leading parliamentarian. Robert's Rules of Order, first published in February 1876, remained in print in the 1990s as an authoritative reference work on parliamentary procedure.
They started by driving cedar logs down to bedrock with pile drivers.
Then poring cement. They completed 3 miles. They did complete another 7 miles so its today 10 miles
Join us for the Pints for Polio at the Trailhead Beer Garden at Schreiner University Trailhead Beer Garden, October 24th from 3-5 pm. This is a great way to help end polio.
Individual tickets are $50 each and this includes, wristband for entry, an event glass, & one food ticket. There are sponsorship opportunities also for businesses or individuals. Please plan to attend if you can! See attached flyer for sponsorship details. Email or call Amber Thomason (amber.thomason.erx6@statefarm.com) 830 315 5433 or Robin Miears (robin@joecookagency.com) 830 377 4819. We look forward to seeing you all at our event!
The annual Veterans Breakfast will be Friday, November 5th, at the Hill Country Veterans Center on Meadowview in Kerrville.
The Bake Sale and auction is upcoming on October 27th.
Think of this as an old fashioned barn raising, money making event. We are asking all members to bring some sort of baked deliciousness! Every item will initially be priced at $20 and we need to sell them all!
Once you win, you can bring these treats back to work to share or home to devour. You can also donate your sweets and bring them to an office/business where you can show your appreciation for their staff or volunteers.
As items are presented, if you want to bid more than $20, you get 15 seconds to get the bidding started with $30 bid. Todd Odom will be our auctioneer a
The school is growing in so many ways. 
Farwell Jeff
George spoke first then Judy. It was a blind date and Judy did say that George was not Tall, Dark and Handsome. But he was cute! George told the 8 crossroads that led him towards Judy.
Once around the room
Weir Labatt gets his Paul Harris plus 4 Bruce Mckenzie plus 1
