BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The Board of Directors met Saturday April 5, 2003 to plan our activities for the next twelve months. Some of the actions approved were:

Jimmie Ruth Eash and Tom Finger were reelected to full three-year terms.

The following projects are now on the front burner and are planned to be completed this board year - an ambitious workload.

Web Page. Now in production, thank you Paul Noble. A beautiful job.

Fence repair - the south fence line.

Erecting a cemetery sign.

Mounting of the Texas Historic Cemetery medallion, possibly with the cemetery sign.

Who’s Who in Bennett Cemetery to be completed in first draft form by fall 2003.

FRANK KUNETKA

We are sad to report that the cemetery’s longtime friend is in a Yoakum nursing home. He has had a tough time of it the last few months and needs our good wishes and prayers. I’m sure Frank would appreciate a card from his friends. Cards or letters can be sent to: Mrs. Kunetka at P.O. Box 301, Sweet Home, TX 77987.

Frank and Viola tended the cemetery for many years without compensation and with very few thanks. We are indebted to both of them.

NEXT BOARD MEETING

The board set the date and time for their next board meeting as 10:00 a.m. Saturday April 5, 2004 in Lavaca County at a location to be announced later. Mark your calendar. Everyone’s welcome.

HARVEY MATUSEK

Harvey, our good neighbor on the southwest corner of the cemetery has done a masterful job of producing a CAD (Computer Assisted Design) map of the cemetery. It is a great gift to the Friends and is available to any who have CAD 2000 on their computer. Harvey says that the older CAD 1400 will also convert the CD map he has given us. Let us know if you want a copy of the CD.

Like all of our current maps, his is a “work in progress.” We keep finding “new” stones, developing more information on those buried there, uncovering mistakes, etc., so that all of our maps are “works in progress.”

Harvey, thank you very much. You are really a good neighbor. We’re lucky to have you.

BLUEBONNETTS and INDIAN PAINT BRUSHES

The wild flowers in Lavaca and DeWitt Counties were just breathtaking this year! They are always beautiful, but this seems to be the best in a number of years. Temperatures, rain fall and other conditions must have been almost perfect. If you missed them, we’re really sorry.


DOUG KUBICEK

We are pleased to report that Doug Kubicek, President of the Lavaca County Historical Commission, was recently named by the Sons of the Republic of Texas as the winner of their “EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR” award.

Each of the 40+ chapters of the organization may recommend a Texas schoolteacher for the award. A committee then selects the best qualified candidate for the honor. It’s no accident and no surprise that our cemetery’s good friend was selected for the 2003 Educator of the Year award. Congratulations, Doug.

For a wonderful report of this award and Doug’s contributions to the history of Lavaca County, visit well- known Victoria Advocate columnist, Henry Wolff’s, “Henry’s Journal” under “columnists” at www.victoriaadvocate.com. The column appeared in the Friday April 4th edition.

GLADNEY HARRELL

We are truly blessed with good friends with a wide variety of talents. Mr. Gladney Harrell of Sweet Home performed the fence work on the north and west lines on a purely volunteer basis. We were surprised that after all the vines and brush were cleared from the fence lines to find that the fences need so much work. While in the process of getting estimates on repairs, Mr. Harrell showed up and volunteered to do the work. He has long been associated with H & N Fence Co. of Sweet Home. The company is owned by Mr. Harrell and his son Kirk, but Kirk mostly runs the business these days.

Mr. Harrell is a very busy man and he works on our fence as his time permits. Just a glance at the south fence reveals that its repair is a major project. Some new posts, some concrete, and some new wire will be required and we will, of course, need to pay for this, but most of the labor has been volunteered by Mr. Harrell. We are glad to call Gladney a friend.