the gvec review the gvec review

October 10 local covers
9/15/10
11:43 AM
Page 3
GVEC EDITION
OCTOBER 2010
MARCHING BANDS
NO TRICKS, JUST TREATS
STILL RIDING the RAILS
THE LEGENDARY
SUNSET LIMITED
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PAGE 25
THE
The Gonzales Storyteller PAGE 20
Local. Trusted. Serving You. PAGE 22
Fall Family Fun Guide PAGE 25
Kids: Wacky Pumpkin Decorating Ideas
the
vol. 36, no. 10
review
October 2010
An Exciting Time of Year
F
all has officially started in the Guadalupe Valley and
what a great time of year it is! I love this time as it
ushers in the seasons to celebrate family, friends, and
neighbors. It’s a great time to slow down, take a breath, and
enjoy yourself at some of the many local events going on
close to home. I encourage you to use our “Fall Family Fun”
guide found on page 25 to begin your search.
concrete is poured, concrete paving is on site, and, most
notably, the main Operations office building will soon be
ready for roofing, exterior rocking and interior finishout. Also taking shape is the Materials Warehouse and
Technical Services/Transportation building which will
house cooperative vehicles for Maintenance, Information
Systems and Tech Services personnel.
National Co-op Month
We remain on track, through environmentally-friendly
building processes, construction materials, and design,
to receive Leadership in Environmental Energy Design
(LEED) silver certification and are moving forward with
plans to implement renewable features such as solar
panels and wind power. Projected completion remains the
first quarter of 2011.
Cooperatives around the nation are celebrating our grass
roots heritage during National Co-op Month in October.
We share the opportunity to be a part of something special,
a unique form of business founded and operated by and for
the member-owners it serves. GVEC is your cooperative,
and we encourage you to take full advantage of the
resources and benefits available to you as a member.
Western Operations Center in Motion
As we move into the fourth quarter of 2010, construction
on the Western Operations Center is in full swing. To date,
approximately 40% of the total plan is complete. Structural
It is an exciting time of the year, both for our communities
and GVEC. As you’re out enjoying the local events around
the territory this month, have confidence in knowing you
are a cooperative member-owner and GVEC is here and
prepared when you need us.
Contact me any time with questions or comments. Call
me at 1-800-223-4832, e-mail me at dschauer@gvec.org,
or mail me at P.O. Box 118, Gonzales, TX 78629.
Respectfully,
District 1
Robert J. Werner
District 4
Shawn Martinez
District 2
Lewis Borgfeld,
Board President
District 5
W.A. “Bill” Lott
District 3
Henry “Bubba” Schmidt, Jr.
District 6
Emmett Engelke
District 7
Melvin E. Strey,
Board Vice President
District 10
Don Williams,
Board Secretary/Treasurer
District 8
Mark Roberts
District 11
David Warzecha
District 9
Dr. Tom DeKunder
October 2010
TEXAS CO-OP POWER
19
Old Jail Museum in Gonzales, TX
GONZALES IS PROUD OF ITS ROLE IN TEXAS
INDEPENDENCE. ITS A STORY THAT MUST BE TOLD.
N
o stranger to the community,
Bob Burchard has a big task at
hand. As Chairman of the Gonzales
County Historical Commission, he
strives to uncover, preserve and tell
the story of Gonzales and its role in
Texas history, and in the fight for
Texas freedom.
While some may think a passion
for history comes early in life,
Burchard’s passion for Gonzales
history developed later in life. “I
became involved because of the
realization of the significance of the
role that Gonzales has played in
Texas history and a desire that the
story be presented and told,” explains
Burchard. “We have an obligation
to those who came before us, to not
only tell their story, but we have
an obligation to honor them and
remember their sacrifices, particularly
those men whom Gonzales sent to the
Alamo to die for Texas freedom.”
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TEXAS CO-OP POWER
The story of Gonzales is in three
historical events. “One is the first shot
of the Texas Revolution fired here on
October 2, 1835; the second unique
characteristic is the sending of the
men to the Alamo,” tells Burchard. “We
ended up with 41 from Gonzales and
Green DeWitt’s Colony who died there
out of the 183 — by far the largest
contingent. And, the third part of our
story is that General Sam Houston
started in Gonzales with the Runaway
Scrape, which is what historians call
the movement of the Texas army to the
east ahead of Santa Anna coming from
the Alamo, which culminated in the
victory at San Jacinto.”
Presenting this story to the community
and visitors is done through purposeful
signage, historical markers, maps,
plaques, buildings, artifacts, writings,
radio programs, and even dramatic
presentations like the one held during
Come and Take It — a presentation
October 2010
that not only talks about the beginning
of Gonzales, but also about the
beginning of the fight for Texas
freedom.
“Our story is of depth and significance
in Texas history. It needs to be told and
it has to be told and I like to help tell
it,” admits Burchard.
The Gonzales County Historical
Commission has been involved in
several projects over the years.
Old Jail Museum
Burchard explains, “We are helping
to restore the old jail museum. The
old jail was built in 1887 and used as a
jail until the early 1970’s. We’ve hired
an architect to help us better present
the artifacts that are in that building.
Our goal is to create a place where if
someone wanted to learn about early
law enforcement in Texas history, you
would come to Gonzales for that.”
Gonzales Museum
“We are also involved in raising funds
for the $3 million restoration of
the Gonzales Memorial Museum, a
building constructed in 1936 as part
of the centennial celebration of Texas’s
independence from Mexico in 1836.
It’s a tremendous building that tells
the story of Gonzales’s involvement in
the Texas revolution.”
Oak Forest Bridge
“We saved and preserved the Oak
Forest Bridge that spanned the
Guadalupe River in Oak Forest, which
was an active and viable town years
ago, located on U.S. Highway 90-A,
west of Gonzales. The bridge was
going to be taken down and cut up
for scrap metal and replaced with a
modern structure. We worked with
the Texas Historical Commission, the
Texas Department of Transportation,
the City of Gonzales and the County
of Gonzales to help save that bridge,
move it to town, and now it is set up in
one of our parks.”
“When you save something like that,
it’s interesting in itself to say, ‘Well,
gee, here was a bridge built in 1913,
and isn’t it fun to see the method of
construction of how they brought
the beams together, the rivets and all
those kinds of things.’ But, the bridge
represents people and the stories of
their lives. It’s not just a bridge.”
Bob Burchard, practicing attorney in
Gonzales and Chairman of the Gonzales
County Historical Commission tells the
story of the famous cannon that started
the Texas Revolution.
could walk onto that square with
the signage, the markers, and the
information contained on the square
and learn about Gonzales and our role
in Texas history and the fight for Texas
freedom.”
Burchard concludes, “Whether we
preserve a building, a bridge, an old
jail or a museum, we’re trying to touch
the people that those objects, artifacts,
and buildings represent.”
Town Square
“Gonzales has two main squares in
downtown. One of those squares
has a monument — erected in
1910 recognizing again our role in
Texas history. The Gonzales County
Historical Commission, along with
the City of Gonzales, asked the Texas
Historical Commission to help develop
a master plan for that square so that
a tourist, without a docent or guide,
October 2010
Historical Monument in Gonzales, TX
TEXAS CO-OP POWER 21
Local. Trusted. Serving You.
Across our territory, you’ll find
farmers, doctors, teachers, mechanics,
entrepreneurs, and more who have one
thing in common – they’re all memberowners of an electric cooperative, GVEC.
brought electricity to rural areas and
communities when investor-owned
utilities would not. This emphasis on
people, not profit, still guides GVEC
today.
in the operation of the Cooperative
by electing a board of directors to
represent your interests. And, you share
in any excess revenues in the form of
capital credits.
Since inception in the mid 1930’s,
electric cooperatives like GVEC have
We are owned by the people we serve.
As a member-owner, you have a voice
Equally as important, we believe in
our social responsibility to support the
areas in which our members live and
work. From sponsoring a local school’s
San Marcos
District 6
New
Braunfels
District 8
District 2
District 3
Schertz
Seguin
Moulton
Gonzales
District 9
District 1
Cost
San Antonio
That’s the cooperative difference.
Hallettsville
Shiner
District 5
District 7
And just as diverse as our
communities are, so are our
members. From rural families,
cattle ranchers, farmers, and poultry
producers to city residents and large
commercial businesses, each member
is important to GVEC, and we are
continuously evolving to bring valueadded products and services to you.
We focus on delivering reliable,
affordable electricity, helping
to develop our communities,
and supporting our friends and
neighbors. We work hard on your
behalf because it’s the right thing to
do when we represent you.
Waelder
Luling
La Vernia
Smiley
Nixon
EVEN OLDER APPLIANCES
CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT
Whether you have the newest, most
efficient electric appliances or you’re
hanging onto some that practically
qualify as antiques, you can use them
smarter so they waste less energy.
Cuero
•
Yorktown
•
Victoria
22
TEXAS CO-OP POWER
October 2010
Goliad
WIRELESS INTERNET PLAN
WIRELESS INTERNET PLAN
WIRELESS INTERNET PLAN
WIRELESS INTERNET PLAN
GVEC.net, Inc. is a subsidiary of
•
District 10
District 11
Call 800.699.4832
to sign up or
upgrade today.
Here are some free and easy ways to
cut waste—and your energy bill:
Yoakum
Stockdale
Switch to
High Speed
Wireless
Internet
baseball team to supporting new jobs
and industry through our economic
development efforts, we work to help
strengthen the communities we serve.
Move your refrigerator away from
the stove, dishwasher and heating
vents. The heat from those devices
makes the refrigerator work
harder to stay cold, so it runs less
efficiently.
If your refrigerator’s coils are
exposed, vacuum them every three
months. When dirt builds up on
the coils, the appliance has to use
more energy to keep your food cold.
Repair the gaskets on your
refrigerator’s door if they come
loose. Damaged gaskets let cold air
leak out of the refrigerator.
October 2010
•
If your old freezer doesn’t self
defrost, do it yourself—as soon as a
quarter-inch of ice builds up.
•
Stop rinsing dishes by hand before
you load them into the dishwasher,
especially if yours has a pre-rinse
or rinse/hold cycle. Simply scrape
leftover food from the plates and
let the dishwasher do the rest.
•
Set your dishwasher to its
“energysaver” feature and leave it
there so it saves energy every time
you use it.
•
Match the size of your pots and
pans to the size of the stovetop
burner you’re using.
•
Cover pots and pans with lids so
you can cook at a lower burner
setting.
•
Select the “small load” setting on
your washing machine when you
don’t have enough laundry to fill
the tub.
•
Clean your clothes dryer filters
after each load. This not only keeps
the appliance from working too
hard, it can also prevent a fire.
•
Set your water heater to 120
degrees. That’s hot enough, even
though some manufacturers preset
theirs to 140 degrees.
TEXAS CO-OP POWER
23
Avoid Costly
Repairs This Winter
Get a Comfort Check
& Tune-Up for Just $89
Now’s a great time to have your central
electric heating system checked and serviced
to make sure it’s ready for the cold weather.
While we’re there, it’s a perfect
time to replace your thermostat
with an ENERGY STAR®
programmable one. It’s one of
the easiest ways you can save
energy and money. Set your
temperature setpoints for all 7 days, including changes for the
weekend, sleeping hours or when you’re away from home.
RIGHT NOW JUST $169 for thermostat
AND installation when done with the
Comfort Check Service Special.
800.223.GVEC (4832)
Three Locations: Gonzales | La Vernia | Seguin
www.gvec.org
Email: homeservices@gvec.org
TACLB016098E
24
TEXAS CO-OP POWER
Offer expires November 30, 2010.
October 2010
TEXAS DIVISION OF
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:
Hurricane
Preparedness
Guidelines
PREPARING FOR HURRICANE SEASON:
JUN 1- NOV 30
Evacuation Planning: When a
hurricane threatens, listen for
instructions from local officials. When
they call for an evacuation in your area, get
going without delay.
Discuss evacuation plans with your family. Make a
checklist of what you need to do before you leave
town and review it.
Monitor NOAA weather radio and local TV and radio
broadcasts during storm season.
Prepare an emergency supply kit including: radio,
flashlight, extra batteries, extra eye glasses, bottled
water, non-perishable food, dry clothes, bedding,
insurance information, important documents,
medications, copies of prescriptions and special
products for babies, the elderly and medically fragile
family members.
Learn evacuation routes before storm season. When
there’s a hurricane in the Gulf, keep your gas tank as
full as possible. Expect traffic delays in an evacuation.
Dial 2-1-1 to register if you have special health care
needs or if you simply do not have transportation: Gulf
coast residents in evacuation zones with special health
care needs — who do not have friends or family to help
— should register in advance for a ride by dialing 2-1-1
in advance. Residents with no other transportation can
register for a ride in advance by dialing 2-1-1.
Members with more than
one security light will now
get one bill for all of their
lights. If you pay with online
banking, you will need to
change the old account
number with the new one.
Gonzales
Come and Take It Festival
October 1-3, 2010
Celebrate the 175th anniversary of
the firing of the first shot for Texas
independence. Have fun at the carnival,
eat some great food, watch a parade,
or take part in one of the tasty cookoffs. You’ll also enjoy the Antique
Car Show and a re-enactment of the
famous battle at Pioneer Village Living
History Center. Plus, there’s musical
entertainment all weekend. The event
will be held on four downtown historic
squares starting at 6 p.m. on Friday and
closing at 5 p.m. on Sunday. Get details
online at www.gonzalestexas.com or
call (888) 672-1095.
Cuero
38th Annual Cuero Turkeyfest
October 8-10, 2010
The Cuero Turkeyfest features food,
dances, a parade, entertainment
for the whole family, and of course
the final heat in the “Great Gobbler
Gallop” turkey race to see who gets
the title of “Turkey Capital of the
World”. Also on hand this year is a
Wild West Show, World War II Reenactment Camp, Paintball Arcade,
Texas Roller Derby, Kids Tractor Pull,
Turkey Calling Contest, Trick Roping
Cowboys, Street Magician, Family
Movie Night, and more! Get all the
details at www.turkeyfest.org or call
(361) 275-6351.
Yorktown
Seguin
Pecan Fest Heritage Days
October 22-24, 2010
Once a year, locals break out of their
shells and throw one great nutty
party! This three-day event includes a
film and arts festival, historical sites,
museums and artist gallery tours, Hats
Off to Juan Seguin, a golf tournament,
a car show, a tractor pull, Trade Days, a
pecan bake-off, and more. Learn more
at www.visitseguin.com.
52nd Annual Western Days-Ziegfest
October 15-17, 2010
New Braunfels
Western Days-Ziegfest is the best boot
scootin’, foot stompin’ music festival
in South Texas! With over 100 art,
craft and food booths and continuous
live performances, you’re sure to
have a great time. Some of the events
this year include a children’s parade,
gunfighters, Mutton Bustin, Cherokee
Indian storytelling, salsa contests, great
entertainment, and so much more! Get
all the details at www.yorktowntx.com
or by calling (361) 564-2661.
During the 10-day festival, you’ll
find a variety of entertainment, food
and fun on the Wurstfest Grounds in
Landa Park and many special events
throughout New Braunfels and Comal
County. Wurstfest opens on weekdays
at 5 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays
at 11 a.m. Closing times vary by day.
Learn more at www.wurstfest.com or
by calling (800) 221-4369.
Wurstfest
October 29 thru November 7, 2010
Wacky Pumpkin Decorating Ideas!
Call 800.223.GVEC for details!
Visit our Kid’s Korner on www.gvec.org!
October 2010
TEXAS CO-OP POWER
25
N OW W E ’ R E C O O K I N G !
Member Recipes
Kaylene Foeh, Hallettsville
Jennifer Minica, La Vernia
Meatloaf Mexicana
Sopaipilla Cheesecake
2 pounds ground meat
1 cup (4 oz.) shredded Monterrey
Jack cheese or queso fresco
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup (8 oz.) taco sauce, divided
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 teaspoons jalapenos, diced
1 teaspoon salt
3 (8oz.) packages softened cream
cheese
2 packages of crescent rolls
1 1⁄2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1
⁄2 cup sugar (topping)
1
⁄2 cup butter, melted (topping)
2 teaspoons cinnamon (topping)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease 9 x 5 loaf pan.
Combine meat, cheese, bread
crumbs, 1⁄2 cup taco sauce, eggs,
parsley, jalapenos and salt in a
large bowl. Gently pat into loaf
pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes
or until no longer pink in the
center. Remove from oven, drain.
Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10
minutes. Remove from pan. Top
with remaining taco sauce before
serving. Makes 6 servings.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll 1
package of crescents and roll dough in
the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan.
Sharon Warden, Seguin
Corn Casserole
1 (15 oz.) can creamed corn
1 (15 oz.) can whole corn, drained
1 (4 oz.) can Ortega whole green
chilies, cut into pieces (with or
without seeds)
1 cup sharp or Colby cheese, diced
1
⁄2 cup yellow cornmeal
1
⁄2 cup milk
1
⁄2 teaspoon salt
1
⁄2 teaspoon onion or garlic powder
(optional)
5 tablespoons melted butter
Whip cream cheese, 1 1⁄2 cups sugar,
and vanilla. Spread over dough. Top
with second package of crescent roll
dough.
For the topping:
Pour melted butter over dough.
Combine sugar and cinnamon and
sprinkle over top of dough.
Bake for 30 minutes. Cool, chill and
refrigerate up to 3 days before serving.
Mix all together; put into covered
casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for
45 minutes. Remove lid and bake 14
minutes more. Yields 4 to 6 servings.
We welcome your input and questions!
Recipes, photos, stories about you, your family, and communities! Always
feel free to contact us with information for the GVEC Review or any
questions you may have for us. Email info@gvec.org, write to us at P.O.
Box 118, Gonzales, TX 78629, or phone us at 1.800.223.4832.
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TEXAS CO-OP POWER
October 2010
1.800.223.GVEC (4832)
info@gvec.org
www.gvec.org