CHECK YOUR NEWSLETTER LABEL, HELP SMRF IN MANY WAYS

Half of 2004 has already swept by, and it is time to check your newsletter label for a reminder to pay '04 dues. SMRF's budget depends on dues and donations to a great extent for the many varied projects SMRF is involved in---now more than ever. Grants are received for some new projects, but dues continue to help fund the many long-standing projects like buying supplies for the River Rangers (San Marcos volunteer water testers), river cleanups, assisting other groups with water testing for the aquifer, or creeks and rivers which eventually feed the San Marcos River, educational events, and basic annual expenses for insurance and bookkeeping. Please check the label on the front of this newsletter to see the last date you paid your dues. If there is no date, that means it has been years since a donation was received from this address. Thanks for supporting the River Foundation's work and remember that SMRF tries to multiply the impact of your dues or donations by multiplying it many times with grants. Check the article below for other ways to help, with volunteer time or by donating office furniture. Your hours can also help us get funding.

NEW OFFICE FOR SMRF, WAYS TO HELP OUT

SMRF has a new office at the Price Seniors Center on San Antonio Street, in the balcony over the 1893 meeting room. The office furniture was donated to SMRF by board member Ann Allen. Bookshelves are still needed, mostly for storing office supplies, so please call 393-3787 to report any shelving or cabinets available. Volunteers can pick them up and paint them, so please call even if the shelving looks worn or needs repairs.

The Price Seniors Center is a building which was donated to the City for senior citizen programs and activities by H. Y. Price, Jr., an early founder of the San Marcos Telephone Company owner. It was built by the First Christian Church (then called the San Antonio Street Christian Church) in 1893; but several additions, some periodic "modernizations", and a 1984 fire --among other twists and turns--obscured the structure's early beauty. Ron and Marie Jager with support and direction from the nonprofit Greater San Marcos Area Seniors Association Board of Directors, have accomplished virtual miracles with donations from numerous individuals, local businesses, and particularly CenturyTel, the Miriam and Emmett McCoy Foundation and Community Block Development Grant Funds ( federal assistance allocated by the City of San Marcos for local improvement projects).

The restored parts of the building are now in use for many activities and the large 1910 former church sanctuary will soon be completed for a variety of community events. There is also a large living room area where people gather to play cards and visit in comfortable surroundings, and a tea room which serves lunch for the general public from 11-2, each Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Joyce Kidd's lunches are well attended and the food is great. What pies! This is truly becoming an significant, active community center, sponsored by the seniors of the Greater San Marcos Area Seniors Association.

SMRF plans to start monthly lectures and movies about subjects that SMRF members as well as the general community is interested in, to be held during the mornings so people can come and stay for lunch at the tea room as well. The nonprofit Price Center receives a percentage of the tea room proceeds to help cover costs of operation of the facility, and strives to provide activities for people of all ages. Meetings of various clubs are held there for a nominal fee. The 1893 meeting room below SMRF's balcony office can hold a large crowd. The 1910 auditorium is even larger. Weddings are already being scheduled at the facility, and other kinds of community gatherings.

SMRF members can offer their thanks and support to the Price Center for the new SMRF office by joining the Price Center. After joining, they will receive a quarterly newsletter from the Price Center about their events. Dues are $10-35 per year, depending on what you are able and willing to pay. They also accept donations to their building fund, as it will take many years to complete all of the building restoration. The auditorium will be done by this fall and it will be the most elegant place for a play or musical event in town! Mail dues to 222 W. San Antonio, San Marcos 78666, Phone: 392-2900.

SMRF needed an office to be eligible for the Earthshare planned giving, payroll deduction program. All state and Texas State University employees can contribute to Earthshare (which is is like United Way for environmental groups) to help SMRF plan for the future. It is a wonderful gesture for the Price Center board to be willing to assist SMRF. We will need all kinds of volunteers to assist in working for our rent: gardeners, painters, those who like to work on scrapbooks, you name your skill. Come by and visit any morning during the week, but call first to make sure a meeting has not been scheduled at that time. SMRF's office is using cell phone number 787-6392 until a phone is installed at the office. By the way, SMRF also needs a simple phone donated, that has a switch to turn off the ringer, as well as the bookshelves or cabinets mentioned above.

A PHOTO GALLERY OF THE PRICE SENIORS CENTER AND NEW SMRF OFFICE

The interior photo is of the balcony and beautiful staircase, with Jack and Marie Fairchild at the top near the SMRF office. This restored chapel is called the 1893 Room in the Price Center and it is the original church structure which is now inside the building, facing Comanche. It was facing San Antonio St. in 1893, but was moved to accommodate the larger church structure built on San Antonio St. in 1910. The exterior photos are of the 1910 part of the building which is undergoing restoration right now, and of the walkway from the parking area to the entrance of the Tea Room and Price Center offices, with beautiful flowerbeds and large trees that are the pride and joy of Marie Jager and volunteers.

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MEMORIAL FOR MARY HENLY

SMRF received a donation in memory of Mary Henly from her grandson, Aaron Arguin, in May. Mrs. Henly was 84. Born in California, and living most of her life in Michigan and then Arizona in her later years, Mrs. Henly (with husband Donald Henly who passed away in 1983), had 2 daughters, 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Her ashes were scattered over the Pacific off the southern California coast. Aaron, who lives in San Marcos, said, "My grandma never got to see this river, but I know if she did, she would love it as much as I do." Aaron is one of the many SMRF members who keep a constant eye on the river, and he plans to plant a tree in memory of his beloved grandmother and to help river bank restoration, when planting conditions are optimal in October. SMRF appreciates the thoughtfulness of those who make memorial donations, and takes that trust very seriously. The memorials go to the endowment fund of SMRF, which ensures that the river preservation work can go on, far into the future for generations to come.

GEAA EFFORT THIS SUMMER AND FALL, VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

The Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance, of which SMRF is a participant along with San Antonio, Austin and Wimberley groups, is setting up displays to tell people how to help preserve the Edwards Aquifer water quality at various events this summer and fall. To volunteer to help man the display, even for a few hours, call 393-3787 today.

NEW BRAUNFELS WASTEWATER AFFECTING OTHER CITIES' DRINKING WATER

A huge July public meeting held by TCEQ in New Braunfels drew hundreds of lakeside residents from Dunlap and McQueeney who object to New Braunfels' poor wastewater treatment. The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court read a unanimous resolution to request better treatment, and so did the Mayor of Cibolo from his Council, since they all drink water from Lake Dunlap. The lake groups' attorney, Stuart Henry, explained to TCEQ staff present that their computer model was incorrect, and New Braunfels could not get away with inadequate treatment any longer, once that model was corrected. TCEQ will respond in the next few months. SMRF members spoke to urge New Braunfels to spend money on fixing the plant rather than fighting the citizens' groups, which would just postpone the inevitable.

SESSOM CREEK CONSTRUCTION

Heavy equipment and piles of dirt and rocks are hard to miss at the intersection of Sessom and University these days. The project is preparing the old ponds behind the Freeman Building, on the University campus, to be a type of filtration device for the sediment-rich runoff produced by University construction projects higher up on the watershed. U.S. Fish & Wildlife has long told the City and the University that they must find a way to stop repeated sediment loads from piling up in the river, in order to be allowed to dredge the river. This is the first step to that end, since this must be in place before the dredging. Because the dredging damages the endangered species, USFWS does not want it happening often. At the time of this writing, some erosion control fences have been put in to stop the pond project from further damaging the river during its construction, but the tiny fences were quickly covered by dirt being moved by the equipment. SMRF has already notified the University that the erosion fencing is overwhelmed, at the very beginning of the project, before any rainfall events. There are also sandbags and erosion fencing in the actual streambed, which is reminiscent of the the Lick Creek disaster in the newspapers lately because the creekbed was being used improperly as part of the detention pond for a subdivision. So this project bears a lot of watching, especially during thunderstorms.

OIL SPILL NEAR LULING, AND A LIST OF EMERGENCY NUMBERS

An oil spill in the river from an oil well storage tank line near Luling was noticed by a quick thinking Water Safari paddler who was practicing before the race, John Dunn. He had a cell phone and reached Tom Goynes, SMRF board member, who immediately called the Texas Parks and Wildlife Kills and Spills hotline. Goynes also took the time to call the Luling Water Treatment Plant so they would know that contaminants were headed their way. Heavy rains a few days later interrupted the cleanup, but also diluted the contaminants so that the river water would not cause serious problems downstream. This is a good time to give SMRF members some important hotline numbers, so such reports can be made immediately to the authorities if SMRF board members are not at home at the time of an emergency.

TCEQ: 1-888-777-3186, toll free, any kinds of environmental emergencies, anywhere.

Kills and Spills: 353-3474, Texas Parks & Wildlife local number for fish kills, pollution spills, etc.

GBRA: 1-800-413-4130, the local river authority toll free number. Call them even if you call TCEQ or Kills & Spills. They run most of the water intakes and treatment plants on the San Marcos, Blanco, and Guadalupe rivers, and so they need to know about spills quickly.

Most of the time, these three agencies alert each other, but you can call all three to be sure your complaint is being heard right away. If you do not have this information in your wallet or in your car, or posted on your wall at home, you can call 911 if it is an emergency situation, or the local police department non-emergency number, 753-2108, if you prefer. They should know who to call. Or call one of the SMRF board or staff members listed on page 7, who do keep these phone numbers handy in their cars and homes.

TELL FRIENDS AND RELATIVES ABOUT RANDALL'S REMARKABLE CARD

Another fundraising idea that SMRF has found helpful is the Randall's or Tom Thumb Remarkable Card. It allows the holder of the card to earmark a charity (SMRF is #1808) and use the card to get good discounts at the check-out counter. Then a percentage of the purchases are donated to SMRF. It is not a credit card, just a discount "membership" type of card. San Marcos does not have these stores, but members can tell friends and relatives who live in other cities about this idea and get them to sign up for SMRF. Every little bit helps.

The Lions Club of San Marcos, which runs the City Park Tube Rental, donated $2500 to SMRF from their 2003 revenues. Pictured is the past Lions' President, Dr. Jack Fairchild, handing the check to SMRF Treasurer Ann Allen. Jack is the current SMRF Board President. The Lions Club is one of the major donors who originally set up the endowment fund for SMRF, 19 years ago. Since then the Lions have steadily supported the many key water quality, educational, and even scientific programs of SMRF with an annual donation. This year the Lions donation was used to support the River Rangers' supplies for their volunteer water monitors, equipment and expenses for water testing in Ezell's Cave in the Edwards Aquifer, and the river cleanups. Thanks, Lions!

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