Hondo Victory

The Schramek sisters from Schulenburg Lodge have received their 60-year pins. Lorie Kutach, Diane Vining, Karen Ross and Debra Blansitt have been members since Sept. 11, 1962. Schulenburg Lodge members Kathleen (Pavlas) Bohac, a member since Nov. 5, 1962, Dorothy Pavlas, a member since Nov. 22, 1962, and Debbie (Bohac) Miksch, a member since June 25, 1962, recently received their 60-year pins.

J.C. O’Sullivan, a member of Cat Spring Lodge, has received his 60-year membership pin. Craig has been a member since Feb. 9,1962.

Albert Ackermann, a member of Cibolo Lodge, has received his 60-year membership pin. He has been a member since Sept. 1, 1962. Linnette Farris has received her 60-year membership pin. She is a member of Cuero Lodge and has been a member since Nov. 11, 1962.

Rosemary Molina, a member of Cibolo Lodge, has received her 60-year membership pin. She has been a member since April 10,1962. Sheldon Lippman has received his 60year membership pin. He is a member of Schulenburg Lodge and has been a member since Aug. 31, 1962.

Douglas Henke, a member of Poth Lodge, has received his 60-year membership pin. He has been a member since Nov. 7, 1962. Dianne J. Bill has received her 70-year membership pin. She is a member of Houston Lodge and has been a member since Dec. 24, 1952.

La Verne Gibson has received her 70-year membership pin. She is a member of Cat Spring Lodge and has been a member since Oct. 14, 1952.

Camp News Spread the word – Camp enrollment starts in March!

By IAN BRASSETT

Executive Camp Director

Greetings from Comfort!

I hope you had a lovely Christmas and I wish you a Happy New Year! Now its time for the serious business of preparing the best possible summer Camp experience for our junior members and you can help!

We want to keep growing our summer Camp program. Does your son or daughter have a friend that wants to attend Camp? Talk to them about our summer Camp. Let them know about our dance classes and all of the community and good works we do as an organization. Put them in touch with your local agents. The sooner the better to make sure the paperwork is completed before the summer and sessions begin to fill.

Enrollment will begin in March! We’re already staffing up nicely. I’m always on the lookout for quality individuals to work with our junior members as counselors. The minimum age for counselors is 18 if the staff member did not participate in our CIT programs.

I’m really excited about the upcoming summer. WE’RE HIRING! I will be needing medical staff this summer (RNs, LPNs, EMTs, CNAs). If you, or anyone you know is a nurse, please have them reach out to me at 909-362-9058 or ianb@hermannsonslife.org. The medical staff position is a paid position at Camp and includes paid tuition for their child(ren). They do not need to be Hermann Sons Life members for a paid role at Camp. PARENT HANDBOOK ZOOM SESSIONS

I always want to make sure the parents feel included and part of the summer Camp experience. A Parent Handbook is being updated to provide our parents with instructions, directions and information. From drop off to pick up, we really want to work with our parents in helping provide the safest summer Camp available for our junior members.

To help our parents, and potential camp parents, we will be conducting Zoom sessions as a forum to provide valuable information for our parents along with a forum for parents (and campers) to ask questions. We have currently scheduled three Zoom sessions at different times and on different days to hopefully allow you to participate in at least one of them. The dates are Saturday, March 11, 11 a.m.; Sunday, March 19, 11 a.m.; and Wednesday, April 5, 6 p.m.

Please email me at ianb@hermannsonslife.org to get on the mailing list for details on these Zoom calls. YOUTUBE PAGE - VIDEO CAMP TOURS

The Hermann Sons Life Official YouTube page has wonderful videos online to help our parents and new campers learn more about our Camp. There are short video tours of both Riverside and Hilltop camps. Also on our YouTube Page you will find instructional videos of some of our more popular line dances, and you’ll be able to hear, see and practice some of our Camp songs. https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCRhtPPY88bAaXmk1OjI2KCg UPDATES ON FACILITY

The Board, President and CEO Robin Czarnek and Vice President of Member Benefits Cecily Kelly have been great in helping me get what we need to run an exceptional camp. Some lodges have also been amazing at helping and donating to the Camp. My desire is to provide our campers and staff with the best possible Camp facility and equipment. Any help the lodges can provide is always welcome. This is just a partial list of the improvements we have made and will be making this year before Camp begins. This is certainly not a complete list.

The bathrooms of Mosquito, Jack Rabbit and Catfish cabins have been completely refurbished. They look amazing and I think our campers and staff will really enjoy them!

The Hilltop pool will be getting a 40’ x 20’ sunshade structure. This will provide our campers a wonderful area for pool parties and free swim.

The Hilltop dining hall and HHAAC building have some roofing issues. Both the kitchen of the dining aall and the restrooms in the HHAAC building will be replaced before the summer.

Many thanks to the Houston Home Association for its generous donation made in 2012. RENTING THE FACILITY

We have a wonderful group returning to rent the facility in June. We’ve hosted Girl Scout groups, weddings, banquets and proms at the facility. Please spread the word. Everytime we are able to utilize the facility for rentals throughout the year it provides me the opportunity to invest more into improving the facility and providing our junior members the best possible summer camp experience. HELPING HANDS

I’ve received a few calls from lodges asking if there is anything their lodge can help us with for next summer. I love this sense of community and appreciate whatever the lodges can do. If any of your members are planning on updating their furniture, I’m looking for some gently used couches for our staff lounges (we can pick up). I’m also looking to add more picnic tables and shade. If any of our members are knowledgeable of the best trees to plant – please reach out. I’d love to begin a project of planting trees that will grow to provide for our junior members in the next 30-40 years! VOLUNTEER WORK DAY

The annual Volunteer Work Day at Camp will be held April 22, 2023. All are welcome to come by and help us get the Camp sites ready. Lunch and dinner will be provided. Many hands make light work. LODGE VISITS

I have had the pleasure of visiting with many lodges to discuss Camp and our plans for the summer. I hope to visit with many more lodges through the winter and spring. PLEASE INVITE ME. I’d like to attend your meetings to discuss the Camp program and share why camp is such a special and important part of Hermann Sons Life. QUESTIONS?

I’m here to serve our campers and parents. If you’d like to ask questions in a more private forum, please do not hesitate to call me at 830-995-3223. I’m always available to discuss Camp with our membership.

Answers for puzzles on Pg. 28

Across 1. Snowman 5. Snow 8. Ice 9. Winter 10. Vacation 12. Snowflakes

Down 2. Mittens 3. December 4. Scarf 6. New Year 7. Skiing 11. Cold

Retirement Home Manager Brenda Gunnink, left, was recognized for 20 years of service. Vice President of Member Benefits presented her certificate during the Retirement Home Christmas party Dec. 16. The holiday celebration for residents included a meal, a white elephant gift exchange and a donation of stuffed bears to the Kendall County Sheriff’s Department.

Retirement Home Cook Connie Schladoer, right, was recognized for 15 years of service. Vice President of Member Benefits Cecily Kelly presented her certificate during the Christmas party. Not pictured was employee Juanita Jaimes who received a certificate for 30 years of service.

Howie's Happenings

By ROBIN CZARNEK President and CEO

By popular request, I am excited to announce the first monthly article for Howie’s Happenings. It was amazing to have so many of you read about Howie and ask about him. My own lodge in New Braunfels came to the consensus that Howie needed a place in the newspaper since he made his entrance by way of Hermann Sons Life.

Many of you have probably heard Howie’s story, but if not, I will share the short version. Dave and I lost both of our pups in 2022 after being a part of our family for many years. I promised Dave I wouldn’t get another dog until after the holidays due to all the travelling to lodges for Christmas parties. Well God had other plans. I did an interview for Kens 5 TV and while backstage a dog rescue was also waiting for their interview and I met Howie.

He had been dumped in tall grass on a back country road with a life-threatening hernia and covered in ticks. Friends of Dogs at Guadalupe County Animal Control and Heart of Texas SPCA, a rescue in Boerne, rescued Howie and raised funds to get him the surgery he needed to save his life. VCA Henderson Pass Animal Hospital operated on Howie’s hernia and helped him heal through daily wound care and keeping him calm.

Howie is now a thriving, active puppy and we are so very grateful for all the wonderful people that worked together to save Howie.

Howie is a very smart, playful and velvety soft puppy who loves his people. He is a snuggler and is always up to take a nap with you and never turns away a puppaccino.

Having Howie become a Czarnek has been a huge blessing in our lives, and I can’t wait to share his adventures with you in the coming months! In the meantime, please enjoy the photos of our most recent adventures with him.

Howie says Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Howie had his first trip recently. The Czarneks traveled to Lubbock to attend the graduation of Haley Cooper, pictured. She is the girlfriend of Garrett Czarnek, Robin’s son. He did well on his first venture! All gone! Puppaccinos are Howie’s favorite!

Howie loves to play, especially when Krypto is visiting! Krypto is Haley’s dog. Howie will play and work himself into a frenzy until he needs a nice, long nap to recover!