Just a reminder that our next Rotary Satellite meeting is tomorrow, April 17th at 5:30pm. Meeting will be held in the Community Room of Wells Fargo Bank at Five Points (second floor). Our guest speaker this month is Martin Peterson, Forensic Anthropologist. We hope you will join us and as always refreshments will be served.

Thank you,

Tricia Byrom

Our next meeting is Wednesday, March 7th when Blair LaBatt will be talking about the Business Outlook for our area.  Hope to see all of you at the luncheon.

What a great time we had last Saturday at Rise Against Hunger!  We had 175 volunteers present to help package 20K meals for Hunger Plus!  We also collected 3 carloads of groceries for Salvation Army, CAM and the Veteran's Center!  See some pictures from the event below.  Also, see the "Rise Against Hunger, A Picture Gallery" section of the newsletter.

Mark your calendars for Thursday 3/15 and plan on attending the Kerrville Chamber luncheon at Schreiner University!  We are sponsoring this event and it is a great opportunity to talk to leaders in Kerr County about what our club is accomplishing! 

Habitat for Humanity build is Saturday, March 24th.  Hoping for a turnout of 20 volunteers - let Rob or Rebecca Poindexter know that you can help!  Hours are 8am-12noon.

• Success Measures for 2017-2018 (Selected Items)
  • 100% Giving (expectation that all club members give, regardless of amount)
    • Status - We are getting closer to our goal.  You can also purchase cruise tickets for $10/piece (or a book for $100) to support the foundation.  The winning cruise is considered a "Diamond Level" package, complete with a balcony room and all! And remember, the buyer AND seller of the winning tickets BOTH get the cruise.  Ticket sales also count towards the Paul Harris Fellow designation.  Hurry up and buy! - the drawing is May 6. 
  • Increase Communication Internally & Externally
    • Status - New weekly newsletters to members initiated for 2017-2018 & better coordination with local media achieved for getting word out regarding club news and activities.
  • Increase Pride in Rotary Membership through Accomplishments
    • Status - Club membership is currently at 172 members!  It must be the fine wine! Wear those pins!

• Service Projects & Activities for 2017-2018
  • Plant one tree for every member of club
    • Status - Almost complete as over 147 trees have been planted, with many going to schools and local not-for-profits.  Let's get the remaining 30-35 trees planted before Arbor Day (Friday - 4/27)!
  • Host a Labor Day Community Event
    • Status - Done! The trail walk event, held 9/4/2017, drew 160+ participants and 42 Rotarians who volunteered their time to make the event a success.
  • Introduce Literacy & Water Safety (for 2nd-3rd graders in our local elementary schools)
    • Status - Slated for March/April of 2018. Books, coloring books and stickers have been ordered with funding provided by a District Matching Grant of $1,100! The next step is to contact schools & set dates.
  • Continue to Host First Responder's Luncheon
    • Status - Done! Event held on 2/7/18 honoring 12 outstanding individuals. The club received great publicity for an amazing event.
  • Provide Scholarships to High School Seniors, 1st Responders and College Students (current)
    • Status - Will be awarded in April & May of 2018 using proceeds from SuperBall 2018. The scholarships can be used for college or technical school.  The deadline for completing the online application (at www.kerrvillerotary.com) is March 9th.
  • Revise and Approve Current By-Laws
    • Status - Done! The By-Laws and Club Constitution were revised and approved on 9/6/2017.  A big thanks to Doug Whinnery for spearheading this process!
  • Host SuperBall 2018 with goal of raising over $55,000 (net) for Scholarships & Club Projects
    • Status - Done! Event held on 2/3/2018.  SuperBall raised $49,000 to help fund scholarships and other club projects!
  • Participate in an International Project (in partnership with a non-USA club) to Utilize Global Grant
    • Status - Project is still in the works.  Club is considering a Magdalene House project (in possible conjunction with a Rotary Club out of Canada) to assist those coming out of human trafficking.
  • Host Polio Plus to raise over $10K to Eradicate Polio
    • Status - Done!  Event held on 10/19 at four different locations (who are already inquiring about helping out next year).  Gross revenues of over $14,700 were raised, #1 in the district (which includes our neighbors down south in San Antonio)!
  • Participate in Veterans Day Remembrance Event
    • Status - Veteran's Day Program held on 11/8/2017.  Veteran's Center Food Pantry drive done in conjunction with the Rise Against Hunger event held 3/3.
  • Host a Rotary Exchange Student & Recruit an Outbound Student
    • Status - Javier (Javi) Ferreras joined us from Zaragoza, Spain on 8/21/2017!  We are still working on finding an outbound student for the program.
  • Initiate a Child Trafficking Education Program (in conjunction w/ local elementary students, law enforcement, Interact & Rotaract)
    • Status - Will begin in April/May of 2018.  Awarded a District Matching Grant of $1,250!
  • Habitat for Humanity - Increase Member Participation
    • Status - Habitat workdays were held 9/9/17, 11/4/17, and 1/20/18.  The remaining workdays are 3/24/2018 and 5/12/2018 - see "Rotary News You Can Use" for more detail!
  • Participate in Rotary Citizenship Recognition program for 5th graders
    • Status - Working with Schreiner University to host luncheon in May of 2018 with 5th graders and their families.
  • Coordinate a Rotary Scholarship Luncheon to Recognize Recipient
    • Status - Planning is in the works....stay tuned.
  • Support Interact, Rotaract & EarlyAct Clubs
    • Status - Interact Clubs are active at both Tivy HS and Peterson Middle School with over 100+ members!
  • Work with Local Media to Promote "Four Way Test" Essay Competition
    • Status - Working with Hill Country Community Journal to hold competition in April of 2018.
  • Partner w/ Rotary AM (and other service clubs) to "Rise Against Hunger"
    • Status - Done!  See "Rotary News You can Use" section for more detail and for pictures from the event.
  • New Member Project!
    • Status - Veteran's Day Breakfast scheduled for 4/12 at the Hill Country Veteran's Center (8-9:30am)!

• Other Continuing Efforts
  • Cell Phones for Soldiers (Ongoing)
  • Networking Social Event - Schreiner Basketball on 11/15
  • Other Efforts -
    • Blue Santa Program  (12/9/17  District Matching Grant of $1,500)
    • Salvation Army Bell Ringing – December 2017 - Raised $2,500+
    • Local Grant Requests:  Chalk Festival, EasterFest, Storage Boxes
    • District Governor Visit – January 3rd, 2018
    • Quarterly Highway Clean-Up – Completed for 7/8, 10/21 and 1/13.  One more to go (4/7)!
    • State Hospital Christmas Party – Held 12/8
    • Blessings in a BackPack – Holiday Party held 12/13
    • Spring Picnic Food Drive – Scheduled for 5/2/18
    • Mentoring Center Book Drive (Ongoing)
    • RYLA – Jan 12-15, 2018, Sent 4 students!
    • Hygiene Kits for Mexico - Kits for Veterans Breakfast on 4/12

Satellite Member Tricia Byrom introduced new member Christopher Braaten, SVP of Community Banking at Guadalupe National Bank, to the club.

Chris got his start in banking in Dallas in 2000 after graduating from Texas A&M. He loaned money to large corporations for seven years. His largest customer hired him away to be their CFO. He was the CFO for the nation’s largest fireplace distributor for a decade before deciding to slow down the pace of life and return to banking here in Kerrville.

He is a proud Texas Aggie, married to a proud Texas Longhorn. He has a boy and a girl both in Kerrville Schools, and is anxious to get to know as many people as possible in the Hill Country.

Chris’ dad served for 30+ years as a Rotarian in both Tennessee and Texas and he cannot wait to get started serving.

Welcome to the club!

 We will be co-hosting a Rise Against Hunger event with the Kerrville Morning Rotary Club on Saturday, March 3rd at the Hill Country Youth Event Center from 9am-12noon.  (Mark your calendar)

 In conjunction with the Rise Against Hunger event we will be coordinating a county wide food drive to fill all the local Kerr County food pantries.  This includes the Salvation Army, St. Vincent de Paul, Christian Assistance Ministry, the Veteran's Center and local churches.  Please plan on shopping prior to the 3rd and bringing your box of groceries to the event.  We want to fill all the shelves for our neighbors.

• Urban sky glow—the brightening of the night sky over inhabited areas.
• Light trespass—light falling where it is not intended, wanted, or needed.
• Glare— excessive brightness which causes visual discomfort. High levels of glare can decrease visibility.
• Clutter—bright, confusing, and excessive groupings of light sources, commonly found in over-lit urban areas. The proliferation of clutter contributes to urban sky glow, trespass, and glare.

This map shows the varying degrees of light pollution we face here in the Texas Hill Country:

 

• New research suggests that light at night may interfere with normal circadian rhythms—the 24-hour cycle of day and night that humans have used to maintain health and regulate their activities for thousands of years. Light pollution has also been linked to sleep disorders, cancer, and other health issues.

• Wildlife, too, is harmed by the unnecessary brightening of the night. From newly hatched sea turtles to migrating birds, fish, frogs, salamanders, and lighting bugs, artificial night lighting disrupts the cycles of nocturnal creatures in potentially devastating ways. While research is still ongoing, it is becoming apparent that both bright days and dark nights are necessary to maintain healthy hormone production, cell function, and brain activity, as well as normal feeding, mating, and migratory behavior for many species.

• Our eyes, when dark-adapted, have good natural capacity in low-light situations. But when nightscapes are over-lit, eyes never have a chance to become dark-adapted, and areas adjacent to brightly lit areas become impenetrable, reducing safety. Some communities have experienced a decrease in crime by reducing or eliminating nighttime lighting in appropriate areas. Over-lighting the night neither improves visibility nor increases nighttime safety, utility, security, or ambiance.

• Light pollution wastes money and energy. Billions of dollars are spent on unnecessary lighting every year in the United States alone, with over $2.2 billion going directly into the nighttime sky via unshielded outdoor lights. The cost jumps to $3 billion (including $250M for Texas) when lost revenues from a decrease in tourism dollars are factored into the equation as well.  Astro Tourism is a rapidly growing industry in the Hill Country (families staying overnight typically spend 3/4 times more than they otherwise would on a day trip), and this is just one more reason we need to work to protect the integrity of our Hill Country skies.    

• Use light only when and where it’s needed - Turn off lights when they are not needed and create a curfew for lights-out. Minimize interim light use with timers and motion detectors.
• Use only as much light as needed. Over lighting reduces the eye’s ability to see outside of the lit area. In addition, excess light can produce glare, which also reduces visibility. Selecting the correct lamp wattage for your needs increases safety and reduces costs.
• Shine lights down, not up. A well-designed fixture will direct the light where it’s needed most—at the ground. Select new fixtures that are fully shielded; retrofit or replace poor quality fixtures. For more information on selecting dark-sky friendly fixtures, refer to IDA’s Web site and the fixtures featured in the IDA Fixture Seal of Approval program.
• Use efficient light sources for outdoor lighting around homes and businesses. Consider a compact fluorescent for good, energy efficient, economical lighting—a low-wattage lamp gives plenty of light for most properties and applications, and in a fully shielded fixture, it makes an excellent choice. When higher wattage lamps are necessary, be sure that they are fully shielded and energy efficient.
• Learn the facts about light pollution - Learn how to recognize fixtures that are well-designed, dark sky friendly and efficient. IDA is the leading authority on the problems and solutions related to light pollution, and IDA’s Web site (www.darksky.org) is a great educational resource.
• See illustrations below for examples of recommended lighting: 

• Through Education
  • Star Parties (i.e. Texas Night Sky Festival)
  • Schools (i.e. Schreiner Observatory) & Scouts
  • Public presentations and conferences
• Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition Programs
  • 
• Resolutions & Ordinances
  • Seven County Resolutions Adopted
    • Bandera, Blanco, Burnet, Kerr, Kimble, Real, Uvalde
  • Twelve Other Outdoor Lighting Ordinances Adopted
    • Blanco, Boerne, Bulverde, Fredericksburg, Llano, Mason, Horseshoe Bay, Johnson City, Kyle, Wimberley, Westlake Hills, San Antonio
• Donate
  • Established in 1988, the International Dark-Sky Association is an educational, environmental 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to protecting and preserving the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies through quality outdoor lighting. With over thousands of members in more than 70 countries, IDA relies on contributions from concerned citizens like you who become members, donate, or make us a part of their planned giving portfolios.

•  Deeper Dive & Action Planning Meeting
  • Thursday, January 11th, 7pm at the Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St.
• Develop Partnerships
  • Schreiner, Chamber of Commerce, City of Kerrville, KPUB, KISD, Retailers, Builders

“Thank you so much for that warm welcome. I really do enjoy speaking to Rotary groups, because we do have that shared alignment with service. And, I think that’s really kind of the theme of my professional life. People ask me, 'How did you go from flying jets to raising money for various agencies?’ And the truth is, when I left the military in 1999 to have more time with my family, something was missing and I didn’t realize what it was exactly. I did feel that call to service."

"And, when I got involved in nonprofits, I was just looking to be a volunteer to fill my day and meet people. But, when people find out you were a military officer, you end up as president of everything — whether you meant to or not. And I learned so many tools of the trade from people along the way," Krause said.

She went on to recognize all the veterans in the room and said she wished they had a nice Veterans Day, and then thanked them for their service.

Thunderbirds

Krause went to pilot training in Lubbock, Texas.

Krause gave a brief history of her time with the Thunderbirds. Congress did not rescind the combat exclusion rule until 1995, so there was no way she was going to be put in a fighter.

But the "neat thing is I did like to go fast and light my hair on fire," she said, so they let her be an instructor pilot and she got to learn to fly the T38, which was "a lot of fun."

It was a "wild ride" and definitely a young person's game, she said.

She was the only female officer for the team. Her job was to be the acting commander when the team was on the road. She was in charge of the budget, of human relations and hiring and all that type of stuff. But, sometimes they needed a female officer to travel with the team, and so she learned a lot about public relations from that experience. "I had the privilege of representing the women in the Department of Defense in that position," she said.

“Heavenly Father, we thank you for this beautiful day. We thank you for the blessing of living in the Texas Hill Country. It's just the best part of the best state in the best country. We thank you for Rotary and what it means to all of us — 'Service Above Self.' We thank you for this Rotary Club here in Kerrville. We thank you for this food. In Jesus' name, Amen.”

Following the prayer, Rotary members joined in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.

After that, George Eychner — our bandmaster — announced the members observing birthdays in November and we collectively sang 

"Happy Birthday" to those members standing around the room.

Taking the podium next was Charlie McIlvain, who introduced visiting Rotarians, our Rotary exchange student, Javi, and Rotary members, who in turn introduced their guests for the luncheon at the Inn of the  Hills.

Of course, Charlie had to impart with us another joke. "We've probably all been in airports with flight delays from time to time. And now they have determined there is a new disease related to all that ... it's called 'terminal illness.'"

• We will meet at the Habitat for Humanity office located at 129 Rankin Nix (at the corner of Rankin Nix and Meeker Road) at 8:00 a.m. and work until about 2:00 p.m.  It's fine if you can't commit to the full work day - any amount of time you can give is needed and appreciated!
• Lunch, water, and supplies/equipment will be provided.  We recommend wearing closed-toe work shoes and bringing your own sunglasses/sunscreen/hat, etc.  It may also be helpful to bring work gloves since Habitat's supply is well-worn and large-sized.
• You don't need any construction experience or special skills to be able to help.  Habitat staff will find a task that suits your abilities or instruct you in how to accomplish something new to you.  
• Volunteers consistently express that contributing to this worthy cause is especially satisfying, so don't hesitate to give it a try!  Please let Rob Poindexter (830-285-6980) know if you plan on helping (and what hours you can be there), or call even if you jut need more information or encouragement.

• An estimated 45.8 million people are enslaved by human trafficking
• More than 1.2 million children are trafficked for sex
• Modern day slavery prevalent in 167 countries
• Generates approximately $150 billion in illegal revenues annually

• Examples include sweatshops, agricultural labor, factories, hospitality/restaurant industry, construction, and nail salons.

• Traffickers recruit victims through fraudulent advertisements that promise legitimate jobs as housekeepers, cleaners or other forms of domestic labor.

• Commercial sex trade can include street prostitution, massage parlors, escort services, strip clubs, and brothels.
• Commercial sexual exploitation of children - as many as two million children are subjected to prostitution in the global sex trade.  A child under 18 is a minor and is automatically considered a victim of sex trafficking in any of the above scenarios.

• An estimated 14,500-17,500 number of people are trafficked into the United States each year - 50% are children (US Dept. of HHS). 
• An estimated 300,000 children are at risk of being trafficked in the U.S. alone (US Dept. of Justice). 
• Additionally, almost 4% of the world's slave population are in the Americas (Global Slavery Index).
  • Slavery is actually at a historical high.  Slaves are now considered cheaper, more disposable, and sadly, more profitable than in any time in human history.
• Runaways, orphans, children in foster care, minorities and "impoverished people" are considered at the highest risk for victimization.
  • A child will be approached by traffickers within 48 hours of running away.
  • Average age of a trafficked victim is 13-14 years old.
  • Some members in the foster care community actually feed into and profit from this heinous activity.

• Awareness - create awareness through the use of conversation, social and print media, pictures and any other form of communication.
• Education - educate through schools and communities - children are at a particularly high risk of victimization.
• Safety Skills - teach safe words victims can use if in an abusive relationship or trafficking situation.  Also, self defense education, including recognizing warning signs, is incredibly important
• Community Development - combat locally through community education, job creation, vocational skills training, micro-financing, and through the creation of family well-being initiatives.
• Involvement - Align yourself with one of the following Anti-Human Trafficking Organizations, or better yet, create one yourself!
  • Anti-Slavery International
  • Polaris Project
  • International Justice Mission
  • Free the Slaves
  • A21
  • End It
  • Global Alliance Against Trafficking
  • Not for Sale
  • Stop the Traffik  

As announced at today's meeting the club's constitution and bylaws have been updated in accordance with actions taken at the 2016 Council on Legislation. Your Board of Directors have reviewed and approved the updates as presented. The revised documents were emailed out on 8/23/2017 for your review.

The next step in the process is a vote by the club members to approve the process. In accordance with the governance documents, club members have to have at least 10 days to review the proposed changes. Based on the 8/23 document distribution, President Kristy has set September 6th as the day we vote to approve the documents.

Please review the documents. If you have questions about the documents please contact either me, Walt Koenig, Gena Carter, or President Kristy.

Yours in Rotary service,

PDG Doug Whinnery

Chair, Governance Committee

 Rotary Satellite-Minutes July 18, 2017 

Call to Order/Welcome Tricia 

Invocation — Pete Calderon (Guest) PLEDGE — Tricia Byrom 

Introductions - Guests: Cynthia McNeely, Caroline Wilson-Club Admin, Kim Clarkson (Noon Rotary) 

Guest: Otto Segner, invited by Katie Muehlstein 

Guest: Pete Calderon, invited by Leann Fitzpatrick 

Guest: Eddie Byrom, invited by Tricia Byrom 

Guest-Kayla Avirett, invited by Courtney Compton 

Program  featured Dr. Mark Foust, superintendent of the Kerrville Independent School District

Dr. Mark Foust, superintendent of KISD schools presented to the Satellite Rotary a PowerPoint presentation of his vision and objectives for KISD. Prior to coming to Kerrville, he served on the Executive leadership team at Fort Bend ISD where he has spent the last 21 years of his career as an educator. While there he was a coach, teacher and Assistant Superintendent. He also served as a principal of Dulles High School prior to being called to Kerrville. Part of who he is was clearly exhibited with his “Why”, referring to why he became an educator. He stated an English teacher inspired him and he became involved in FCA in high school; he felt it was his mission or “calling” to give back. His core belief is we all make a difference and we are here to serve every student wherever they are. “Serve Kids & Change Lives” is his mission. One core example of this is in his statement; “Our job as educators is to inspire kids to learn.” As we teach and educate we must begin with the end in mind, graduation. He said the best is yet to be and feels like one of the schools’ best resources is the staff. This was evidenced by KISD being awarded educational excellence. In listening to him he talked about the school district and the students, some topics he mentioned were, career readiness, core skills, strong education system and the school district being the bedrock of the community. We are all lifelong learners and we, as educators, need to put the Kids #1. We need to also understand safety throughout our system needs to come first. He would like to see KISD collaborate with local community college to offer medical and technical skills. He quoted Ben Franklin, “An empty bag can’t stand upright” and he also stated his first impression, “Folks, we have a lot of hats here,” when he was talking about needs of the students and KISD’s role in the community. 

Looking to the future he said the KISD Vision, Mission and Goals haven’t been updated or reviewed and as a rule every 3-5 years these need to be updated and refreshed to be relevant for today’s student. He was excited to talk about the collaboration with KPSF and they’re being a recipient of the Kerrville Chalk Festival. Overall, he was excited about the Vision statement of KISD and felt like as a school district we were on point. 

KISD VISION STATEMENT: The purpose of the Kerrville Independent School District is to educate all students to be successful and productive citizens in a way that meets parent and community expectations through continual improvement in curriculum and instruction, a safe and orderly learning environment, sound fiscal management, and leadership dedicated to excellence. 

Club Business 

• Induction of new Satellite Member: Mike Thornton 
• Labor Day Picnic and Walk of Fun: Volunteers needed! 

On Sept. 4 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in 2-hour shifts. 

• Attendance requirements and Satellite meeting schedule. All members must attend at least 50% of meetings. Schedule gives plenty of opportunities to attend, in addition to makeup meetings, committee meetings and online. 
• Reminder to bring hygiene bags 
• Signups for prayer/invocation and refreshments for the year. 

September Meetings

09/04/2017 — Labor Day Picnic and Walkafun 

09/19/2017 — Regular Satellite Meeting, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Closing - Four Way

Looking for something fun to do on Labor Day? The Rotary Club of Kerrville is planning its inaugural Labor Day Picnic and WalkaFun — free of charge — at Louise Hays Park.

“We really don’t have scheduled Labor Day activities in our community and I thought, as a service organization, this was something we could do to give back and promote fellowship. What better place to do it than in our beautiful city park and along the banks of the Guadalupe River,” said Kristy Vandenberg, Rotary Club president., who came up with the idea for the event. 

The family friendly festivities will kick off at 9 a.m.. The picnic lunch of free hot dogs will start at 11 a.m.

Although there is no charge to enjoy the event, participants are required to register. They may do that underneath the Sidney Baker bridge in the center of the park, where they will be greeted by their hosts, Rotary Club members from the noon, morning and satellite branches of the organization.

“There is no requirement to the length of your fun walk,” Vandenberg said. “It will really be a laid back, community event.”

Rotary International is an organization of citizens who unite around the globe to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations and help build goodwill and peace in the world.

Locally, the Rotary Club of Kerrville, through its membership, has consistently provided more than $20,000 in local scholarships; has sponsored a Habitat for Humanity home; and contributes annually to numerous charitable endeavors.

“The motto for Rotary is ‘Service above Self’,” Vandenberg said. “As a club, we really try to live up to the concept of giving back.”

For more information about the Rotary Club of Kerrville, visit www.kerrvillerotary.org.  For updates on the picnic and fun walk, visit the club’s Facebook page.

Vandenberg said she is working with club’s new executive board members Robin Miears, Charlie McIlvain, Jeff Talarico, Dave Rittenhouse, T. David Jones, Cynthia McNeely, Jimmy Hutto, Gena Carter, Jeff Wendling and Tammy Prout on the project.

Getting set to serve up some free hot dog lunches and friendly smiles to those who show up for their first-ever Labor Day Picnic and Walkafun are Rotary Club of Kerrville board members, from left, Gena Carter, Robin Miears, David Rittenhouse, Cynthia McNeely, Jeff Wendling, President Kristy Vandenberg, T. David Jones, Jimmy Hutto and Charlie McIlvain.

“Well, we want to welcome all of you to the 2015 Divide School graduation and promotion ceremony,” said the superintendent, Bill Bacon, as a small crowd settled in on metal folding chairs. “We want you to know we have some great stars for you here tonight and a wonderful program.” He motioned to a preschooler to join him on the tiny wood stage. “This is Grady,” he said. “He has thoroughly entertained us with stories about bad guys who are really good and imaginary heroes who almost die.”

Bacon went on to introduce the other preschoolers: Dax, who was so shy he wouldn’t open his eyes onstage; Savannah, who liked to sing “Five Little Monkeys”; and Savannah’s twin brother, Caden, who was known at school for giving the girls imaginary flowers. Masyn, another preschooler, had been unable to attend the ceremony, noted the superintendent. Then he presented the other students: Grady’s brother, Cody, was a second grader who obsessively watched the Weather Channel and always announced when it was about to rain; he was also the school’s current-events reporter, the first to offer details on a person hit by a truck or struck by lightning. Kameryn, now graduating the fourth grade, had legs so long she was beginning to run like a deer, just like the fifth graders, twins Eimy and Sofia. Sixth grader Caroline, Bacon’s own daughter, could take charge of any situation, such as when she’d answered the phone while the secretary was on maternity leave. And third grader Lidia had matured into a girl whose favorite subject was English, even though when she’d first enrolled she had been a scared, Spanish-speaking preschooler who would stop crying only when Bacon held her. (“I held her for about a month,” said Bacon. “One of my arms is still longer than the other.”)

Other students had come and gone over the year, which was typical: the school district, the smallest in Texas by population, serves families whose fates are inextricably tied to the land. Children of ranch hands don’t always stay, and they are often replaced by new arrivals, so that when asked about enrollment, Bacon had to try to reconstruct the year. “Let’s see,” he said, closing his eyes, “we started with eight, then we had nine, then eleven, then back to nine, then ten, then back to eight, then back to eleven.”

Bacon has run the Divide Independent School District, which consists of only elementary grades, for seventeen years. More specifically, he has been the superintendent, the principal, the third-to-sixth-grade teacher, the ESL instructor, the special-ed teacher, the repairman, the contractor, and the transportation director for the “bus,” which is actually a white limousine he purchased for a steal from a dealer in Dallas. He is not the only employee—there are four others, including two pre-K teacher’s aides, a kindergarten teacher who also teaches first and second grade, and a secretary—but he is the most involved. He says exactly what he thinks, though you might wonder why he bothers, since he often wears his emotions on his face, changing expressions with such frequency that it would take about fifty seconds to fill a gallery show titled “The Fifty Faces of Bill Bacon.” He is tall and skinny, with a graying mustache in the shape of a horseshoe, and when he’s talking, he hooks his thumbs in the pockets of his starched Wranglers. He keeps his cellphone in a belt holster. It almost goes without saying that on most days he wears a white straw hat to school, which sits on his desk while he’s in the classroom.

Bacon shares the values of the area ranchers and their hands, stressing hard work and pride in a job well done. He’s long on praise, especially if a student is exerting effort (“Oh, that’s a good sentence,” he’ll say. “I like that sentence right there”). He’s not above teaching practical problem-solving, as he did one day when he asked the upper grades to replace a doorknob, and like all good teachers, he draws on ideas that his kids can relate to, whether that’s in mnemonic devices (“She’s a pistil-packin’ mama” to remember the female part of the plant) or math word problems (“If sweet feed costs fifty cents . . .”). He’s also big on manners. Early in the school year, he asked a second-grade arrival from Kentucky if she was done with her work, and she turned her paper toward him to show that she was. He raised his eyebrows, then whispered with a wink, “It would have been just as easy to say, ‘Yes, sir.’ ”

As other, bigger districts in the state face the unwieldy challenges that come with managing more students and resources—superintendent problems in Dallas, budget woes in Austin, charter school debates in Houston—Bacon is mindful that he oversees one of the only schools of its kind in the country. Yet his job requires the very same commitment and creativity. Around ten-thirty one morning the first week of class, he’d noticed that Caroline couldn’t seem to keep her legs from bouncing and that Eimy and Sofia were starting to slump like melting snowmen. “Second row,” he called out, “take a lap.” The three girls darted out the side door, their long hair waving as they disappeared past Bacon’s border collie, Ace, and into a back field, hopping over cow patties.

above is an insert from Texas Monthly

1. Education – coffee talk program, seminars, strategic planning
2. Mentor programs — young professional forums, retirement community service forums
3. Government advocacy — addition of government affairs committee, building communications

   Diane Green's son is recovering here in Kerrville. His surgery went well.

Pete Miller Betty's husband continues to get chemo at MD Anderson. His treatments are going well.

Why La Hacienda Treatment Center is Different

"Toast to the Flag"

Todd Votteler, Ph.D.
Executive Manager of Science, Intergovernmental Relations and Policy

The Executive Manager of Science, Intergovernmental Relations and Policy monitors and advocates issues related to GBRA water policy with local, state and federal legislatures, agencies, and executive bodies. He participates in regional water planning efforts and represents the general manager in various workgroups for developing or suggesting changes to state surface or groundwater policies. He also provides oversight for two non-profit GBRA affiliate entities. Votteler earned his bachelor’s degree in natural resources from the University of the South in Sewanee, TN, his master’s degree in natural resources from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources at Ann Arbor, MI, and his doctorate in geography from Texas State University. Votteler served as Special Master for the U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, and was Assistant to the Court Monitor for U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas, for endangered species litigation related to the Edwards Aquifer.

Phone: 830-379-5822 Ext. 269
Fax: 830-379-7478
Email: tvotteler@gbra.org

March 2017

Water and Sanitation Month

1 March — Rotarian Spouse/Partner Service Award nominations (from district governors only) are due

13-19 March — World Rotaract Week

15 March — Significant Achievement Award nominations (from district governors only) are due

31 March — Preregistration discount ends for Rotary International Convention

Congratulations to Mark Cowden and Brett Ford on their children Parker Cowden and Lance Ford on being inducted into National Honor Society at Tivy High School. They will make great Rotarians someday.

Condolences for Judy and George Eychner in the death of George's sister.