Friends’ Focus Garner State Park

Friends of Garner State Park Mission Statement

The Friends of

Garner State Park

will solicit members

and resources to

exclusively support

Garner State Park

programs in

preservation and

management of

environmental,

historical, and

cultural resources

for the use and

enjoyment of

present and future

generations.

DECEMBER 2015

Friends’ of Garner Christmas Open House

President: Chuck Wilks Executive VP: David Clark Secretary: MaryAnn Abbott Treasurer: Dawn Bell Park Representative/Interpretive Advisor: Cara Bierschwale At–Large Representatives Mark Manglburger Diane Foshee Pat Walzel Jimmy Albarado Debbie Jackson Johnnie Jackson Brick Campaign Polly Royer Website Chuck Williams www.friendsofgarner.org A special thanks to all FOG and Park volunteers who contributed information, stories, photos and edits to this issue of Friends’ Focus. Evelyn & Jim Duncan, Newsletter Coordinators

During Open House,

the Visitors Center was

merry with lots of

visitors, homemade

cookies, wassail, and

live music!

Betty played mountain

dulcimer. Her husband,

Trent, played guitar

and they entertained

the group throughout

the day.

Sales were good at

the event according to

Linda Kirkpatrick.

Thanks go to the FOG members who donated

the treats, and to Betty and Trent for providing

the entertainment. Our thanks also to those who

purchased items from the Visitors Center!

Volunteers assist with Garner projects

PAGE 2 FRIENDS’ FOCUS

Water Catchment System at Bird Viewing Station

Thanks to Don Walzel who

installed the rainwater catchment

system at the Bird Viewing Station,

we have water for the birds.

Don also installed a bird seed

container to keep other critters

from eating the food.

Linda said these improvements

helped create a good bird watching

season for the birdwatchers. She

said there was not one complaint

this summer from the birdwatchers.

Hikes

Renay Muniz was our main hiking guide along with Interpretive Ranger, Cara Bierschwale. On some

days, Renay even did two guided hikes in one day.

Adopt-a-Highway

This effort led by Johnnie Jackson keeps the 2-mile stretch of Highway 83 bordering Garner property

free of trash. There will be a team working during the Saturday of Trail Work Days. If you cannot

climb to work on trails, this would be an option to help.

Recycling Aluminum Cans

The hitch on the trailer that is used for hauling aluminum cans to San Antonio broke while Terry

Trick was delivering cans. The trailer had to be towed. We will not have the recycle cages in the park

until the hitch is repaired. Our can crusher has been broken all year and parts are unavailable due to

the age of the crusher. It hardly makes a trip worthwhile (gas money, can refund money) since we

can no longer crush the cans and are hauling essentially air.

Whenever you float the Frio, think about how much work it takes to clean the river every year after the season is over.

Volunteers put in many hours each year to pick up trash so that everyone can enjoy the beautiful Frio river.

PAGE 3 FRIENDS’ FOCUS

River cleanup was a big success thanks to all of

you and leaders, Scott and Charmaine Davis and

Kelly Johnson.

With the river running this year, due to increased

and much needed rainfall, the amount of trash

picked up is unbelievable.

Thanks for everyone’s hard work to make the Frio

River beautiful and safer to float once again.

Volunteers and leaders appreciated during river cleanup

Trail Work Days help needed January 16-17

PAGE 4 FRIENDS’ FOCUS

Hello everyone.

It is time again for Trail Work Days at Garner State Park. The MLK weekend, January 16 and 17 iis scheduled (like the last 20 years) for trail cleaning, trimming, and rock re-lining. Mark your calendars.

The park staff has set aside sites with electricity and water for workers. If you need a site, please contact Cara Bierschwale, park Interpretive Ranger, at 830-232-6132 ext. 236 to make a reservation.

As long as each site contributes 8 hours of cleaning and work, the site will be free. There will be release waivers and time sheets at the screen day shelter, located in the Shady Meadows camping loop. Cereal and the like will be available both Saturday and Sunday mornings at the shelter. Supper on Saturday night will be pot luck. Please bring a covered dish for those in your group, and a little extra to share. Church services will be in the shelter Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. led by our own Pastor Jim O’Dell.

Please plan on attending. The future generations depend on the memories you make here with them now. If the youth come and enjoy the work weekend, they will build history with the park, and enjoy the same love that we have now.

Thank you!

Chuck Wilks- Friends’ of Garner President (Prison-dent)

PAGE 5 FRIENDS’ FOCUS

We, your Friends of Garner Board of Directors

and Officers, need your help. We have been

struggling all of 2015. Because our Secretary

MaryAnn Abbot has been handling the duties of

President, Vice President and Secretary in our

monthly FOG meetings, we have been waiting

for her to say – “Hey, I can’t do this anymore!” -

meaning she could not be President, Vice

President and Secretary all at the same time.

She has been conducting our meetings for some

time now without much help, and her dedication

is deeply appreciated, but puts an unfair

workload on her. At the October meeting, we

decided to look for new officers who could be

present at the meetings and help with special

projects. You may be called on.

Here is a brief explanation about what has

happened to our Board and Officers. Since a

devastating tragedy in his family, President

Chuck Wilks says Garner State Park is no longer

the “love of his life.” He is rarely in the park and

rarely attends meetings. Chuck has been a

wonderful President and definitely a hands-on

person. David Clark, Vice President, no longer

stays in the park most of his time. He has

neglected family and his business for several

years to be at GSP nearly full-time. David’s son

lives on a farm and needs his help, and also

there are two little grandchildren who need his

tender loving care. Dawn Bell, our very efficient

Treasurer, has moved back to Houston where

her husband is employed. Dawn does the

Treasurer’s Report every month but cannot

attend the meetings. Diane Foshee, due to an

unsuccessful hip replacement and onset of

Parkinson’s Disease, is unable to walk without a

walker. She has been very inactive and can only

attend some of the meetings. Jim O’Dell, retired

Baptist Minister, is now working at a local

restaurant. He was not able to lead hikes this

year, and rarely attended a meeting. Don Walzel

asked to be replaced due to his busy schedule

with other organizations. Don was a valuable

member who never missed meetings, and was

one of those men who could do and fix anything.

Jimmy Albarado, owner of Mama Chole’s

Mexican Restaurant, replaced Don Walzel, but

he is very busy and cannot attend most

meetings. Mark Manglburger has been battling

cancer for four years and is usually too ill to

attend the meetings. The rest of us are healthy

and make most meetings and try to carry on the

activities. We are working on getting help in the

way of new Officers.

I certainly dropped the ball on getting out a

newsletter for over two years now. It is my fault

that no newsletters have been published in over

a year. The Duncans have been printing our

newsletters since the start of FOG.

Unfortunately, I nor FOG board members didn’t

send them stories or pictures. I am sorry about

that.

I am sorry this is such a negative letter but felt

you need to know what it is going on with FOG.

We need your help!

—Diane Foshee

FRIENDS OF GARNER – 2015/2016 NEWSLETTER

H E L P !! H E L P !! By Diane Foshee

Nature Garden

Linda Kirkpatrick has found park hosts who fill the

bird feeders and also work in the Native Plant

garden. This is a huge job. Linda also got grant

money to purchase plants that feed and bring

Monarch Butterflies to the Visitors Center. Pat and Linda Powers also work in the flower beds.

A large group of volunteers worked on National Public Land Day. Marsha Hughes who was a

volunteer at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin also is helping out. She knows the

flowers from the weeds.

Fall Festival

PAGE 6 FRIENDS’ FOCUS

The Fall Festival (Halloween)

The event was well-attended and lots of fun. What a great success! Interpretive Ranger Cara

Bierschwale is planning an even bigger event next year.

PAGE 7 FRIENDS’ FOCUS

News from around the park

Volleyball Courts

All our courts are in need of repair. Maybe some of you volleyball players can take a look and make

repairs. The Bird Family and others who maintained the courts are all retired now, so we need new

people to take and look and let us know what is needed.

Hay Rides

This was not a good Hayride summer for several reasons. 1) The price increase (which will hopefully

change). 2) A change in our destinations on Wednesdays and Fridays due to a safety inspector from

Austin Headquarters who reported it was not safe to go to the river for refreshments. For 15 years

we had done this ride with no accidents. 3) The other highlight in years past was for people seeing

the beautiful Axis deer. Then TPWD decided to take all the Axis deer out. Wow! 4) Frank Roberts,

Joe Wells and Linda Kirkpatrick and their Sunset Serenade are still greatly missed on Tuesdays and

Thursdays, with people still requesting that hayride for the music and poetry.

Now what? We only had 10 to 12 hayrides all summer and rarely were they full.

Visitors Center

The Visitors Center did very well this year thanks to Linda Kirkpatrick’s good management practices.

And of course, we appreciate all the people who stopped by to shop.

Trail Work Days – January 16, 17, & 18

Oh my goodness, where is our help coming from? We are going to try and have a light breakfast

since we have no cooks. We are debating furnishing the meat again for the supper on Saturday

evening. We will still have the pot luck supper, so please bring a dish to share. Call the park for free

reservations if you plan to work at least four hours each day you are there.

Upcoming Projects in the Park

• Restroom #6 is being replaced.

• Wastewater project is ongoing.

• Improved lighting at the pavilion.

• Project to improve potable water is in its first steps through TPWD.

It has been an excellent year for Garner – number of visitors increased, revenues increased, several

new Rangers were hired. The river was absolutely gorgeous this year due to early spring rains. And

the weather has been perfect.

On June 1, 2016, Garner State Park will be celebrating its 75th anniversary of the opening of the

park. Steve Killian, Park Superintendent, is planning on a big celebration, so keep your calendars

marked. Stay tuned for more information.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM YOUR FOG BOARD.

Friends’ of Garner State Park

234 RR 1050 Concan, TX 78838 Phone: 830-232-5999

FOG website:

http:/www.friendsofgarner.org

Friends’ of Garner Membership Form

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FOG MEMBERSHIP DUES: $25 annually for a family membership.

Membership entitles you to a 20% discount when you shop at the Visitors Center.

Please provide your email address and check the box below if you want your newsletter emailed.

FOG Membership email address: friendsofgarner.membership@gmail.com

Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. website:

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us

Friends’ Focus