Celebrating growth

We do it all the time: Spring, Thanksgiving, businesses, birthdays, anniversaries. ... Growth is reshaping Boerne and our lives. Celebrating comes after careful planning, sufficient investment and hard work.  

 Being a parent, I know Boerne’s future identity will be determined during this period of rapid growth. I know the rewards of raising a child are very similar to growing a garden, a business and a community. A happy childhood, beautiful garden, successful marriage, good job and retirement are influenced by their surroundings. Staying engaged is essential for the good of our town, our families and ultimately ourselves.

Boerne is growing up whether we like it or not, and, just like a child, we hope it will be strong, smart, connected, healthy and fun. Your vote for the proposed Quality of Life projects on the May election ballot may determine Boerne’s future. 

For more information on the proposed projects, go to www.ci.boerne.tx.us/ and click on the gold star. Please consider joining Citizens for Boerne’s Quality of Life PAC. We want to win and celebrate Boerne’s excellence.

Suzanne Young
Boerne

The Western Trail

In a recent letter to the editor titled “‘Great Western Trail’ May Lead Some Astray,” Mr. Jeff Morgenthaler suggested that Boerne seems poised to repeat a mistake.

Mr. Morgenthaler is correct in identifying the trail as the Matamoros Trail. I would add that the Matamoros Trail was a feeder trail of the Western Trail. It was as much a part of the Western Trail as any shortline owned by the Union Pacific is a part of the whole Union Pacific lines or his arms a part of his body.

Mr. Morgenthaler is also correct in stating that there was no “Great” Western Trail. It was in fact the Western Trail or sometimes identified as the Dodge City Trail or the Fort Griffin Trail. We do wish to bestow the honor of “Great” upon it as so many others before us have. A simple search on Google will allow anyone interested the opportunity to see that many people have bestowed the title “Great” upon the Western Trail and rightly so. Though not well recognized compared to the more popular Chisholm Trail, the “Great” Western Trail was longer in length and survived two years longer.

Mr. Morgenthaler is also correct in stating that the railroad through town was not the Old Number 9. The railroad passing through Boerne was the San Antonio & Aransas Pass. A review of their locomotive roster indicates no “Number 9” locomotive. Most likely, the name came from an old road that passed through Boerne.

Mr. Morgenthaler is also correct in stating that “Rotarians are great folks and their hearts are in the right place.” I am a member of the Boerne Sunrise Rotary Club and we endeavor to do as much for our community as we possibly can. Mr. Morgenthaler need not worry about the cost of the markers as we value the positive impact we have on our community and the lives of the people we touch more than the cost of providing those services.

Mr. Morgenthaler is an admirable man. I respect his recent donation to the Boerne Public Library, and I am the proud owner of his book “Settlement on the Cibolo.” I am troubled, however, by his letter to the editor. If he saw fault in our efforts, would it not have been better for him to bring this directly to our attention?

Mr. Morgenthaler describes himself as picky. It is unfortunate that Mr. Morgenthaler would use his pickiness to take us to task in such a public manner. Anywhere you go, you will find people who are willing to do something positive for their community. Unfortunately, you will also find people willing to criticize those that do. If Mr. Morgenthaler is bothered by our efforts, perhaps he would like to visit our club. There he will find a more constructive and suitable environment for his criticisms. We are not perfect and we would welcome and appreciate the expertise of a picky historian.

Ronald Cisneros
Boerne Sunrise Rotary

It takes a village

The annual spring book sale of the Friends of the Boerne Public Library was a huge, record-breaking success. It’s amazing how that happened. All year the donations flowed in from our generous community.

The annex volunteers, 40 of us this year, priced and boxed those books. On the Tuesday before the big sale, some very nice Boerne city workers transported the boxes and tables out to the KC Fairgrounds. Setting up and laying out the display started that day with 37 volunteers. Doing everything from making signs to cashiering to carrying out purchases and making hot dogs, altogether 130 volunteers worked hundreds of hours during sale week. But, of course, none of this would mean anything without our loyal shoppers, who were many and generous. And, as the doors closed, 30 enduring souls helped box up the remainders for our strong city workers to carry back to the annex.

Obviously it took our whole community to make the sale such a success. Thank you for your indispensable participation.

The benefits are as widespread as the hard work. Library programs benefit, of course, and especially those people who like a bargain. Happy readers are appreciating our wide selections even now and are planning to donate books to us again this year. The annex volunteers can’t wait to get started on Big Sale 2008. Won’t you help us make success happen again the first weekend in March?

Dani Vollmer
Boerne

Stop glorifying these deadbeats

 Call them drifters, hobos or whatever you want - but the fact that these men have chosen to give up their responsibilities to follow their whims should not be idealized or romanticized. The tone of the article by Scott Mahon was somewhat disturbing, as it painted these men as “colorful characters.” Cute and clever nicknames do not disguise the notion that these fellows have become deadbeats who have left their families to pursue this “addictive lifestyle.” It was noted that “many have families that they’ve left behind.” Ah, the “freedom, the lack of attachments and material possessions.” I wonder if the mothers of their children have been able to enjoy the same freedom. I doubt it.

Yes, Scott, it does sound enticing doesn’t it? Much more exciting than raising children or paying child support. There was certainly a lot of laughter among these “men” who haven’t a “care in the world.” I wonder if their children are laughing.

Lauren Moffat
Boerne

Walk around

Whether you support President Bush or not, you have to agree with him about one issue. Americans are too dependent on fossil fuels. Taking this into consideration one Saturday afternoon, I decided to walk around Boerne to do all of my errands. Well, this quickly became an unbearable task because much of the time was spent walking on the streets too close to traffic or in someone’s yard too close to their dogs. We desperately need sidewalks in this city! Not only would walking save on gas, but walking is simply one of the easiest things we can do to stay healthy, mentally as well as physically.

As an educator, I am aware of an increase in the use of medications to assist students with problems of depression and inattention. It is a proven fact that exercise outdoors will help with these problems. For the wellbeing of our children and ourselves, we need to provide trails and parks close to where they will have easy access to them. Our children require parks to run and play in freely, as well as sports facilities for organized play. If you’d like more information about this, read “Last Child in the Woods.” It’s an inspiring book for all parents. With the bond package that will come before us on election day May 12, we have the opportunity to support the badly needed sidewalks, trails, parks, new library and public safety buildings. We know that we are going to continue growing in this highly desirably area of the Hill Country. Let’s do our very best in seeing that we grow in the ways that will preserve what we love most about Boerne by voting for all five propositions. For about $8 a month on a home valued at $159,000 you can support these improvements. That amounts to one sack lunch a month that you bring to work instead of going out. Sounds like easy trade off to me.

Anne Lambert
Boerne