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HENLY FIRE DEPARTMENT BBQ FUNDRAISER JUNE 8, 2019
The Henly Fire Department held a BBQ fundraiser last Saturday Jun. 8 at its fire station. In addition to BBQ, the event included tours of the station & fire engines, live music, a silent auction, and children’s activities.The fundraiser raised funds for recruitment and retention of volunteer firefighters. “The money is used for scholarships which cover the cost of training for the fire academy and EMT (Emergency Medical Technician),” North Hays Fire/Rescue Lieutenant Laurie Shelton said.Supporting the event were the Dripping Springs Cook-Off Club, which not only provided the BBQ, but also manned the chow line. DSCO member, and volunteer firefighter Mark Treadway, helped organize the club’s support. “Although the annual fundraiser originally started probably sometime in the 1970s, we ‘rebooted’ the event about five years ago and added live music and support from the people you see here today. The cook club worked their butts off, and I can’t say enough about them and their support,” Treadway said. “In addition to training scholarships, the funds raised also help purchase some of the personal equipment volunteer firefighters will need, and as such we very much appreciate the community’s support.”Manning the dessert table were volunteers from the Henly Baptist Church, which donated all the desserts for the event. “Last year our dessert table raised over $500 for the department,” Susan Gripka said.-By John Pacheco
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CALITERRA HOLDS CAR SHOW
PHOTOS BY JOHN PACHECO/CENTERY NEWSCaliterra and the Caliterra Home Owners Association held a “Custom, Classic & Exotic Car Show” this weekend at their Event Barn and park area.In the classic 1960s muscle car genre, Lee Reed brought his beautifully restored 1969 Chevrolet Camaro which took 16 months to restore. “It’s a true SS model. A guy at another car show offered me sixty-five thousand dollars for it, but I told him no sale,” Reed said. “I bought it five years ago from Bama Brown (the KVET disk jockey) at a reasonable price, and then had Bobby Max help me restore it. Notice the paint? It’s called ‘candy paint- hell fire.’ It changes color in the sun depending on your angle. I also had most the engine chromed. I’ve been working on cars since I was a boy. My father was a mechanic by trade and I sort of picked it up as a hobby.”But looks are not all Reed’s car has, it also has power. “The engine is a 383 stroke, with 350 board out, and a four-speed transmission,” Reed said.Probably the most unusual entry at the car show was James Bisett’s 1942 Army Jeep. “I bought it in 2017, and I’m still working on restoring it. It’s an ongoing effort,” Bisett said. “My grandfather fought in World War 2 and left me his war stuff, since then I’ve been adding to the collection and the Jeep just fit in with my interests in all things military.”In addition to the 1942 jeep, Bisett also brought some of his military collection, which included an 81mm mortar tube. “This mortar tube was the largest made for the infantry in World War 2,” Bisett said.Back to the traditional, what would a car show be without a Ford Model A? Tom Phillips of Dripping Springs proudly displayed his Ford Model A Victoria. “The Victoria is an unusual model so I jumped on it when I found it. It took me two years to restore, and I did most of the work myself,” Phillips said. “I’ve been collecting and working on cars since high school, so I can tell you this car is sturdy. My wife and I drove it to Big Bend about to 2 years ago in the month of April. It has a 260 V8 engine with four on the floor, but what it does not have is air conditioning.”Dripping Springs fixture JB Lamb showed up with his 1979 Trans Am, dressed up as “The Bandid” Burt Reynolds. When he saw two school boys admiring the wheels, he invited them “to take a seat inside the car.” Lamb has been to various events around Dripping Springs, dressed up as The Bandit, and particularly enjoys interacting with young people who “wow” at the car. “I get a big kick out of it,” Lamb said. He’s also a very big fan of the actor Burt Reynolds who played the role, which is what inspired him to buy and restore the Trans Am.In addition to unique cars, the event also had food trailers, a bounce house for children, and live music by classic rock and blues band Black Cat Choir.In the Caliterra Welcome Center, Dripping Springs’ Juan Chan of Le Muse Coffee, also stocked up with Mexican pastries, breakfast tacos, and assorted beverages for attendees and a good time was held by all.-By John Pacheco, Editor
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MEMORIAL DAY 2019
Memorial Day, which commemorates fallen veterans, was observed by the planting of American Flags on the graves sites of veterans at Phillips Cemetery, a breakfast hosted by the Knights of Columbus, and a Memorial Day Ceremony at the Triangle organized by the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.On Saturday morning, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2933 and American Legion Post 290 hosted community volunteers and posted American Flags on the graves of veterans at Phillips Cemetery. Despite rainy conditions, a group of about 40 showed up to place the gravesite flags.On Memorial Day morning, the St. Martin de Porres Knights of Columbus, Council 11695, hosted a breakfast for about 200 veterans, first responders, and their families, at the newly constructed St. Dymphna Center. “For me personally, I feel that this is the best event of the year that we do. We truly enjoy doing this,” Grand Knight Patrick Manning said. “In the Knights we have four pillars—unity, charity, fraternity, and patriotism—and this ties back directly to patriotism.”Dripping Springs High School students helped in the breakfast with Walter Berthelsen and Jonah Davis of the DSHS ROTC Club giving the opening remarks to the ceremonial event, Josh Tomashek of the DSHS Choir singing the national anthem, and DSHS High School Band Trumpeters Johnny Dollard and Cameron Porter playing taps. Boy Scouts from Troop 280 performed the posting of the colors (U.S. Flag and Texas Flag).The guest speaker for the breakfasts was U.S. Army Colonel (Ret.) Matthew Elledge. In his 26-year career, Elledge has commanded combat troops from the platoon level to the Brigade level. Elledge has also authored “The Buy In Theory,” which “provides principles for developing a high performance organization.” His decorations and qualification badges include: the Silver Star, the Distinguished Service Medal, Bronze Star (with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters denoting additional awards), The Joint Service Medal, Combat infantry Badge with 1 star, Ranger Tab, and Parachutist Badge.Elledge began his speech by asking audience members “What are you living for?”“Memorial Day reminds us of what we are living for,” Elledge said. “Soldiers don’t put their lives on the line for strategic policies or political decisions. They put their lives on the line for their fellow soldiers. Most of the troops under my last command were age 22 or younger. Think about that. They are putting not only their present lives on the line, but the long life they could have in front of them. When they fought, they fought for each other, and they knew they were part of something greater than themselves… A veteran is a person who wrote a blank check to his country. Today we remember those whose check was cashed to the extreme sacrifice…The hardest duty I had was contacting young wives, parents, loved ones, and telling them their husband, son, daughter, wasn’t returning to them…So I ask you again, what do you live for? When we remember today the price that was paid for our freedom, our ability to pick and choose what we do with our days, we owe it to their memory to live the best life we can. I challenge you to find a reminder every day—for me its wearing my dog tags-- to live the best life you can… And to the veterans in this audience, I challenge you to continue your service to our country by seeking out leadership positions in our community. Less than one-percent of our nation will actually serve. That places you in the unique position. Share your values with your fellow citizens and lead them.”The final event occurred at mid-day at the Triangle, which is also known as Veteran’s Park. Members of VFW Post 2933 and American Legion Post 290 placed a wreath at the Veterans Wall in the park, which has the names of deceased veterans inscribed on it, and struck a bell in remembrance of recently departed Dripping Springs Veterans. The bell was struck for the following deceased veterans: U.S. Army veteran Harold Philips, U.S. Air Force veteran Mark Kendzora, USMC veteran Billy Rippy, and U.S. Air Force veteran Donald Sethry. “The toll of the bell reminds us of the reverence we owe to our departed comrades and to those who guard the honor of our country here and on foreign soil,” American Legion member Ben Adair said during the bell ceremony. “Let it be a reminder of the faith they confide in us. Let us who gather here not forget our obligations and in silence breath a prayer for our absent comrades.”After the bells were tolled, Darrell Anglen and Bill Cox played taps.
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DSHS TOP SENIORS OF 2019 ANNOUNCED
The Dripping Springs High School list of “Top 10” students by academic rank for the Class of 2019 has been announced by Principal Joe Burns.The top-ranked senior and valedictorian for the Class of 2019 is Catherine Manning.The second-ranked student and salutatorian is Benjamin Marsan. Other students ranked among the top 10 are (in order): Ryan Nowicki, Varun Verma, Kyndall Womack, Katherine Bender, Ethan French, Aubrie Caldwell, Reid Lohman, and Samuel White. Lohman also was Na- tional Merit finalist.All 10 students carried an over- all weighted grade point average of 109 or higher."Dripping Springs High School offers its students rigorous and authentic learning opportuni- ties, and is a highly competitive academic environment,” said Mr. Burns. While it is evident that these students have consistently focused on their performance in the classroom, they also have been involved in many areas of campus life ... from athletics to fine arts to outstanding com- munity service. I have no doubt these well-rounded individuals will be successful in the next step of their lives."The students were honored during Senior Awards Night on May 22 and will be honored at the Dripping Springs High School Graduation on May 31.
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CAMPUS TEACHERS OF THE YEAR ANNOUNCED
Dripping Springs ISD announced its 2018-19 Campus Teachers of the Year, on April 4. Teachers of the Year are: Shay Diez (Sycamore Springs Elementary, physical education), Lauren Milner (Dripping Springs High School, health sciences), Caroline Rogers (Dripping Springs Elementary, third grade), Candy Rowen (Rooster Springs Elementary, first grade), Denise Thomas (Walnut Springs Elementary, fifth grade), Rachel Tole (Dripping Springs Middle School, English), and Candace Torres (Sycamore Springs Middle School, special education). The Dripping Springs ISD Teacher of the Year program is sponsored by St. David’s HealthCare, in conjunction with the Dripping Springs Education Foundation.Campus winners were selected through a nomination and voting process of all staff at each school. The seven campus winners are now eligible for the DSISD Elementary Teacher of the Year and Secondary Teacher of the Year awards, which are chosen following an interview process with a district committee and will be announced at the May 20 Board of Trustees meeting. Those two winners will represent Dripping Springs ISD in the state Teacher of the Year contest.
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