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Editor’z Letter By Chuck McCollough, Editor
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n a recent conversation with a KENS 5 TV reporter doing a story on growth in South Schertz, she mentioned being away for a while and now marveling at how the area has changed. “There’s a lot going on in Schertz!” she said. Indeed there is. And most of that progress is built on the foundations laid down by volunteers and other civic-minded residents decades ago. Schertz EMS - which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month- is a prime example. In this issue of Schertz Magazine we showcase the genesis of local emergency ambulance service here and hear from some of those who were there when it started in April 1974. Read how ordinary young men and women rolled up their sleeves and donated hundreds of hours to make sure Schertz had the best and fastest ambulance service possible at the time. Their legacy is a premier EMS service with a reputation for innovation and excellence far beyond its city limits. Next read about John Calvarese Schertz’ original Marathon Man.
The 94-year-old military veteran is one of the most interesting people in the area. How interesting? He was featured in Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Speaking of veterans, don’t miss the story of Fabian Herrera. He is a young vet with a special four-legged friend named Gunner. The service dog can sense ahead of time when Fabian is about to have a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) episode and help Fabian calm down. And just in time for spring we have a story about the new bird blind in Crescent Bend Nature Park. The blind will allow avid bird watchers and anyone else a chance to observed the feathered visitors up close. Then read about some Steele Knights football players mentoring Buffalo Valley Youth Association (BVYA) Knights players. It a story about the young teaching the younger some of the lessons they learned through sports. Also look for information about the Wilenchik Walk for Life and and a riveting demonstration about texting and death for high school drivers. All that and more in Your Source For Hometown News- Schertz Magazine.
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FEATUREZ
EMS Saving Lives Crescent Bend Bird Blind Marathon Man Canine Companion BVYA
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DEPARTMENTZ TALK OF THE TOWNZ Updatez Visionz / Chamber
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CIVIC NEWZ Updatez CALENDARZ
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Overlaying photographs of the old EMS and new EMS vehicles shown through “retro” streaks capture the change from old to new for the Schertz EMS over 40 years. A P R I L
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City Council Michael Carpenter Mayor Jim Fowler Councilmember David Scagliola Councilmember Daryl John Councilmember Cedric Edwards, Sr. Councilmember Matthew Duke Councilmember
Executive Team John Kessel City Manager John Bierschwale Executive Director Brian James Executive Director
VOLUME 30 ISSUE 4 PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY Public Affairs Department Linda Klepper Business Manager Chuck McCollough Editor Chris Matzenbacher Sales Director Lucille Sims Thomas Copy Editor Brittany Losey Senior Writer Contributing Staffers Erin Matlock Client Affairs Specialist Mary Spence Events Coordinator Graphic Design/Art Direction Souzamaphone Marketing, LLC Contributing Writers Chuck McCollough, Lucille Sims Thomas, Andrea Allinger, Kari Bridges, Jim Webb, Stan Leland, Kiko Martinez, Ashley Festa, Rudy Arispe, Tom Lovett Contributing Photographers Chuck McCollough, Mary Spence, Bryan Tobias, Mike Harris, Diana Webb, Ross Dye, Marc Bane, Michael Carpenter, Joshua Nolden,Bryan Nguyen, Joe Herczeg, Andrea Allinger, Kari Bridges, Catherine White, Elizabeth Leland, Rudy Ornelas, Christopher Matzenbacher, Samuel Rhodes, Linda Klepper, Stock Photography: fontsandphotos.com Schertz Magazine is published monthly by the Public Affairs Department of the City of Schertz promoting city, community, and business activities. Our mailing address is 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154. Š City of Schertz, Texas The editorial office of Schertz Magazine is at 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154. Call (210) 619-1630. Fax (210) 619-1619. Website is schertz.com and schertzmagazine.com
OFFICIAL FINE PRINT Subscriptions to Schertz Magazine are free for each Schertz household. Subscriptions for residents and businesses outside the City of Schertz are $19.95 annually. Call 210-619-1630. Send queries about articles or photographs to Schertz Magazine at 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154. For advertising information: Schertz Magazine, 1400 Schertz Parkway, Schertz, Texas 78154; call (210) 6191630; Fax (210) 619-1619; email sales@ schertz.com. NEWS POLICY Schertz Magazine encourages submission of news and event announcement items. News and event announcements must include contact name and contact phone number. All news and event items must be for activities that occur inside the Schertz city limits. Publication cannot be guaranteed. If you would like to submit an item to Schertz Magazine, email us at events@schertz.com or call us at (210) 619-1630. The appearance of advertising in this publication does not constitute endorsement by the City of Schertz. All products and services advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental handicap, political affiliation or other nonmerit factor of purchaser, user or patron. Articles that appear in Schertz Magazine do not necessarily reflect the official position of the City of Schertz and does not constitute an endorsement therein. The appearance of any advertisement in Schertz Magazine does not constitute an endorsement of the goods or services advertised. Any publication of Schertz Magazine, whether draft or final is sole property of the City of Schertz and cannot be reproduced or distributed in any way, whether in print or electronically, without the express permission and written consent of the City of Schertz.
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Schertz-Cibolo Lions Casino Night April 25 The Schertz-Cibolo Lions Club 5th annual Noche de Fiesta en Schertz will be held from 7-11 PM on Friday, April 25, in the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. For more information about this fun event call 210-710-6558 or 210-332-2255.
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Duke Wins New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon Andrea Duke made it look easy in the Big Easy.
“After I won the Chosen Marathon last October in New Braunfels, I knew I needed to capitalize on the speed I have gained through my training, which is why I registered for the NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) race,” said Duke, wife of City Councilmember Matthew Duke.
“My time at Chosen qualified me for an elite bib, and NOLA was my first race The 34-year-old Schertz resident won as an elite runner. NOLA was my 43rd the New Orleans Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon marathon and was for sure the most and Half-Marathon on Sunday, February incredible moment for me as a runner 2, with a time of 2 hours 58 minutes and sub 3 hours, family all there, and a win,” 55 seconds for the 26.2 mile course. she said.
“I started running around 8 years old with my dad, and ran in Middle School and High School in San Antonio, but never pursued it after that,” Duke said, adding she picked it back up while pursuing her Master’s degree at Georgetown University in Washington DC. “I ran my first marathon on March 23, 2002 with my father, and got the bug,” the local runner said.
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Take Schertz Magazine on your next trip and take a photo of the magazine in front of a landmark or interesting background and send to events@schertz.com. We may just use it in the magazine.
s for k n a Th ong! l a s ’u takin
Schertz Magazine Visits Mt. Rushmore Chase Foreman and Jermaine Collins hold a copy of Schertz Magazine in front of Mt. Rushmore. The boys were on their official football visit to The School of the Mines and Technology. The two Clemens football players signed letters of commitment to play football with School of the Mines on February 5 at Clemens High School.
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The Schertz Chamber of Commerce Welcomes its newest Members: Ryder Transportation located at 9993 Doerr Lane in Schertz (210) 651-1249, www.ryder.com
InterLinc Mortgage located at 18965 FM 2252 Ste 200 in Garden Ridge (210) 569-0401
Retama Park 1 Located at 1 Retama Parkway in Selma. (210) 651-7000 www.retamapark Roadworthy Driving School located at 1248 FM 78 Ste 104 in Schertz (210) 618-7252
Platinum Clipz located at1256 FM 78 Suite 109 in Schertz (210) 322-1322 Urgent Care located at 1264 FM 78 Unit 115 in Schertz www.urgentcareoftexas.com The Yogo Stop located at 1248 FM 78 Ste 103 in Schertz (210) 618-7460 www.yogostop.com
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VISIONZ APRIL EVENTS
APRIL 15TH CHAMBER LUNCHEON Special guest speaker, Secretary of State Nandita Berry will be at our monthly Chamber Luncheon April 15th, 2014 at 11:30am in the Schertz Civic Center, 1400 Schertz Parkway. Only RSVP’s by April 8th will be admitted. General Admission is $28 and $18 for Schertz Chamber Members
APRIL 17TH CHAMBER MIXER New Haven Assisted Living at 2300 FM 3009 in Schertz will host our After Hours Chamber Mixer on April 17th from 5:30-7pm. General Admission is $10 and free to Schertz Chamber Members. Food, fun, networking, and Chamber Members have a chance to win $150 CASH! RSVP your attendance at 210566-9000.
BIZ ED Every 4th Wednesday of the Month. Breakfast provided by RBFCU. This month’s guest facilitator is Ivory Freeman with New York Life on the topic of Small business – “Planning for your Retirement“. General Admission is $10 and Schertz Chamber Members are free. RSVP your attendance as class is limited to first 12 respondents.
SCHERTZ CHAMBER TOASTMASTERS CLUB Want to build great communication and leadership skills? Toastmasters Meeting is held at Comfort Inn & Suites EVERY MONDAY in Selma at 6:45 pm. Open to all - you don’t have to be a Schertz Chamber member to join. Contact David Smith at 210-913-9288 for more details. Unique networking opportunities, education, advocacy and more! Join the Schertz Chamber of Commerce today! Call us at 210-566-9000 or come by and visit at 1730 Schertz Parkway in Schertz. Help us “Build a Better Tomorrow.”
SZ “Shattered Dreams”
Serious Demo for Students By Kaylie Kennedy Clemens Student Journalist
Statistics show 11 teens are killed every day because they make the decision to text and drive. On February 25, a dramatization of the repercussions of that choice was performed in the back parking lot at Clemens High School. Watching a mock crash, students realized how easily their lives could be changed or even taken away by choosing to text and drive. The crash included a 911 call, as well as information including what the students involved in the crash felt and how the lives of those affected would forever be changed by the crash. Lauren Richter, the Community in Schools counselor at Clemens, planned the event six months in advance. “I really wanted the kids to realize what can happen to them. Students may have
The Shattered Dreams demonstration was a collaboration of SCUCISD and several City of Schertz departments including Police, EMS and Fire Rescue. done it a million times but never got into an accident, but it only takes one moment to change lives forever. Put the phone down. You can wait to text back the other person, they aren’t going to die waiting,” Richter said. During the fake crash, students saw just how close to home disaster can strike. Senior Tate Gibson played the part of the texting driver of a vehicle that killed two people: senior Berkley Erwin and Vice-Principal Stacey Fizer.
tal. Students witnessed how the law has no bias toward teens after watching Gibson handcuffed and hauled off in the back of a police car. “It’s very surreal. Even though it’s a dramatization I found myself feeling guilty for a wreck I didn’t actually cause. It all happened really fast and the next thing I knew I was surrounded by flashing lights and sirens, watching people I’ve known for years being loaded into ambulances and body bags. I was out there acting, but it was coming from a very real place,” Gibson said.
In this fictional scenario, Gibson not only killed two people in this dramatization but also sent two other students, seniors JJ Elkins and Chris Tucker, to the hospi-
Students witnessing this event stood in a state of disbelief while watching classmates moved by officials out of crushed cars and left wondering what would
happen next. While police officers and EMT responders worked on moving bodies onto stretchers, somber music filled the air, and when there was a pause, noise from sirens in police cars, EMT vehicles, and fire trucks kept students alert to what was happening right in front of them. Students had a first look on how life is on a delicate string when a hearse from Schertz Funeral Home came to take the body of one student who was pronounced dead at the scene. Statistics show 11 teens are killed every day because they make the decision to text and drive.
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Easter In the Park April 12 The Schertz-Cibolo Lions Club presents “Easter In The Park� on Saturday, April 12, 2014 at Pickrell Park in Schertz 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Rain or shine. This free event is open to children up to age 10 which includes a visit by the Easter Bunny, an Easter egg hunt with over 5,000 eggs to find, prize eggs, a moon bounce, entertainment and sponsored games. A schedule of events for children by age: Diaper Derby (Crawlers) 10:00 AM. Children under 3 10:30 AM. Children ages 3-4 11:00 AM. Children ages 5-7 11:30 AM. Children ages 8-10 12:00 PM Please arrive early so you can register prior to the event. For more information, call Rhonda Williams at (210) 566-1999
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Schertz Sweetheart
Miss Friendly City My name is Ariel Villarreal. I am so thankful to God for this opportunity and am honored to have served as Miss Friendly City for the Schertz Sweetheart Court. This past year has been filled with unforgettable memories and the most amazing people. I am currently a senior at Cornerstone Christian Schools. I’ve been involved in cheerleading, where I was co-captain my junior year. I am also currently serving as Senior Representative in Student Council, Senior Class Chaplin, and as the Theatre Society’s Chaplin. Academics being a top priority for me I have also been involved in National Honor Society throughout high school. My hobbies include acting, working out and volunteering at different organizations. I love volunteering and have been given the opportunity to work with Habitat for Humanity, Daily Bread Ministries, and the Salvation Army. I love working with children and have volunteered at several church camps and vacation bible schools. I believe volunteer service to be very important. After graduating I plan to attend either Mary Hardin-Baylor University or Oral Roberts University. I want to major in Child Psychology and go in to medical school to ultimately become a Child Psychiatrist. Being a part of the Sweetheart Court has been amazing and I am so thankful for the opportunities for volunteering and serving as a positive role model this past year. I will never forget all the wonderful people I have had the privilege of meeting, or all the priceless memories I’ve made serving my city. I love the city of Schertz and am proud to call it home. schertzmagazine.com
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Easter in the Park APRIL EVENTS
Saturday, April 12
1400 Schertz Pkwy, Bldg. #5 (210) 619-1600
Civic Center: April 10 – Community Volunteer Fair April 15 – Schertz Chamber Luncheon April 18-19 – Beading House Trunk Show April 19-20 – Texas Gun Show April 24 – Resources for Women Fundraiser April 25 – Schertz Cibolo Lions Club Casino Night
COMING IN MAY!
May 1 – Sweetheart Court Coronation May 3-4 – SABS Bead and Jewelry Show
Community Center: April 4 – “No Boys Allowed” Awareness Event April 26 – Vendor/Craft Fair Zumba – Mondays & Wednesdays, 6pm
A Swoosh of the Spirit!
Church of the Good Shepherd, Schertz 2014 Annual Parish Festival Sunday, May 4th Pickrell Park MASS UNDER THE PAVILION AT 10AM
HOMESTYLE BBQ BRISKET & SAUSAGE MEAL $8.00 PLATE + SERVING BEGINS AT 11AM ENJOY THE TIM & BOB SHOW FROM 1 TO 3PM THE BIG COUNTRY AUCTION BEGINS AT 3PM We will be under the pavilion, in the shade! HOMEMADE PASTRIES + ARTS & CRAFTS TRASH-TO-TREASURE + SILENT AUCTION FOOD & SNACK BOOTHS + MUSIC IN THE PARK KIDS’ GAMES & PLAY-SCAPE + FREE PARKING
Pickrell Park in Schertz
Free event open to the public Live appearance by the Easter Bunny plus an Egg Hunt, Prize Eggs, Games
Please arrive early so you can register prior to event. Registration begins at 9:30am. Bring your Easter basket & camera.
Schedule of events for children by age: Diaper Derby (Crawlers): 10:00am Children Under 3: 10:30am Children Ages 3-4: 11:00am Children Ages 5-7: 11:30am Children Ages 8-10: 12:00pm
Sponsored by Schertz-Cibolo Lions Club, HEB & Wellmed For more information, call Rhonda Williams at (210) 566-1999
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April is National Poetry Month and the library will be holding its annual Open Mic Poetry and Song event. This event will take place on Monday April 14th from 7-8pm in meeting room 1. All area poets and songwriters are invited to come share their work and talents with the community. Pre-registration is not required and for those who enjoy listening to poetry, please join us for an entertaining evening at the library!
The Book Ends Library Book Club meets the 2nd Thursday of each month from 6:30-7:30pm. Join us this month on April 10th for a discussion of And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini.
The Texshare databases now include the all-new LearningExpress Library 3.0! PREP FOR TESTS-To list a few: ACT, SAT, AP Tests, GRE, GMAT, LSAT, and the all-new 2014 GED. Plus, practice tests for occupational exams such as the military, law enforcement, firefighting, teaching, medical, and more. FIND A JOB- using Job & Career Accelerator to assist with resumes, cover letters and other professional training and occupational research.
Join us April 10 for a Library Needle Working Group
IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS- Basic math, reading, and writing tutorials as well as interactive technology/ computer skill trainings.
The library needle group meets twice a month - one Thursday evening and one Wednesday afternoon. This group is great for advanced needle crafters, as well as for those just beginning. For more information and specific dates and times, please contact the library at (210) 619-1700 or visit the library calendar online schertzlibrary.org/ calendar
LearningExpress Library is an excellent resource for test prep, career development, college prep, and much more. All you need to use this resource is a Schertz Public Library card and a Log-in/Password for the Texshare databases which the library will provide. Please contact the library at 210-619-1700 for more information about LearningExpress Library or any other electronic resource offered through the library website www.schertzlibrary.org/electronicresources/
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Wilenchik Walkers Cut Through the Fog
Nearly 400 participants – ranging from babies in strollers to a 94-year-old former marathon runner to dogs walking their masters– took part in the 6th Annual Wilenchik Walk for Life on Saturday, March 1. A morning fog didn’t slow down the teams of friends and families who came out to celebrate life and remember loved ones touched or taken by cancer. In fact, the fog made the walk more fun for many who delighted in disappearing into and emerging from the fog bank like so many ghosts. Money raised from the annual event – named after former Schertz City Councilmember Tony Wilenchik who was taken by cancer – goes to the UT Medicine’s Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC). The event is hosted by the City of Schertz and sponsored by HEB. A photo slideshow of the event is available at www.visitschertz.com/walkforlife.
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Schertz EMS
Saving Lives For Four Decades By Chuck McCollough
On April 1, Schertz EMS marked 40 years of saving lives, thousands of lives, in one of the fastest-growing areas of the nation. Schertz EMS is a 24/7 operation with 24 full-time paramedics, 15 part-time paramedics and 5 part-time EMT-Intermediates who respond to more than 9,000 requests for emergency services annually over a coverage area of 220 square miles. Schertz EMS has a reputation as a premier organization and regional leader that partners with state and federal agencies.
lem, rolled up their sleeves and came up with a solution. That self help attitude is how the community has addressed water, public safety, infrastructure and other issues since Schertz became a city in 1958. Former Mayor Robert Bueker presided over City Council when the fledgling Schertz Area Facility for Emergency Services (SAFES) started operations on April 1, 1974.
But four decades ago the organization was a small group of dedicated volunteers struggling to provide basic medical response to family, friends and neighbors.
“There was interest in getting a local and faster ambulance service for a number of years before SAFES started,” he said. Incidents in 1972 to 1974 - where people died after a slow ambulance response time - fueled that interest, Bueker said.
The story of how it went from then to now is a familiar one in the Schertz area: Residents identified a prob-
In the 1970s, the landscape of emergency medical transport was changing, not only in Schertz and the San Antonio
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area, but across the nation as well. And television played a role in that change. In 1971, the television show Emergency! debuted giving the nation a look at the forerunner of the modern EMS system. Viewers followed the fictional paramedic team of Johnny Gage and Roy DeSoto as they responded to emergency situations around Los Angeles County. According to various research sources, Emergency! helped changed public attitudes concerning emergency medical care. In the first year of the show, there were few medic units like that shown on TV in the entire country. Four years later there were many more, in part because
the federal government got behind the idea of building a national network of EMS service. Back in Schertz, a series of events began happening that pushed the creation of SAFES forward, Bueker said. Randolph AFB had stopped its ambulance service, leaving Seguin (20 miles away) as the closest emergency ambulance service for Schertz. About that same time (1974) a Florida state trooper came to San Antonio to talk about an EMS system that state started. “We got wind of that trooper’s visit to our area and inviteded him to come to Schertz and address our City Council on the same topic. At the
FEATUREZ council meeting a week later several people who heard the Florida trooper came forward and asked if a local ambulance service could be started, but the city had no funds for that,” he said. Soon thereafter a group of people, including ( future Mayor) Hal Baldwin and wife Barbara approached council with the the idea of starting a volunteer ambulance service. As luck would have it, their timing was just right. Denny Arnold, city manager at the time, had earlier instructed two city interns to draft a plan for just such a volunteer ambulance service, said Susan Baldwin Beck,
their volunteer ambulance services were working. The interns even came up with the name SAFES,” said Beck, who joined SAFES at age 18 in 1976. “Denny said dad took the plan and pulled it together.” Eventually, the City Council gave the SAFES volunteer group six months to prove they could make the service work and they did, Bueker said.
daughter of Hal and Barbara Baldwin. “Denny told me the interns visited several cities to see how
Ironically, the SAFES organization’s first ambulance was a former hearse. A local businessman loaned the group money to buy the Cadillac hearseturned-ambulance and they paid him back in short order. Public support for SAFES
continued to grow and within several years the organization increased the size and sophistication of its fleet and medical equipment on the vehicles. Nancy Scott and Carol Simonson were among the first volunteers on SAFES ambulances. “My husband was going overseas and we went to Garner State Park before he left. There was a drowning at the park and it made me think that if anything happened to our children I had no training in what to do,” Scott said. Determined to get some training, she saw an advertisement for a free first-aid class and a chance to work with EMS. “I was in one of the first classes for the new ambulance service and I enjoyed it very much.” Scott said she wasn’t sure she could handle working with sick and injured people but
stuck with it for 15 years. “We would hold fund-raisers of different types to pay for equipment and other things the service needed. And being part of the volunteers was like being part of a big family,” she said. And it called for sacrifice, even for family members. “In the beginning, we only had telephone communication so we had to leave our phone lines clear so we could take a call. I had a couple of teenagers at the time and had to keep them off the phone,” Scott said with a laugh. Since San Antonio started its ambulance service in 1974 as well, the two groups talked to each other. “We got to ride with the San Antonio EMS folks at times and that was interesting.” Scott said SAFES answered all kinds of medical emergency calls including deliver-
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FEATUREZ
Crescent Bend Bird Blind Brings Nature Nearer Local nature photography and author Ann Mallard shares this community spirit story with Schertz Magazine readers.
Crescent Bend Nature Park is growing into a premier park for nature lovers. And now, thanks to some Girl Scouts and others, that nature experience will be even better with a bird blind to watch the feathered visitors to the park up close. First, some background.
The Crescent Bend location was a residential neighborhood before being devastated by two mega floods in 1998 and 2001. Since the park’s opening on October 16, 2009, the City of Schertz, in partnership with Bexar County, has brought many changes to the park. Most of the old electrical and telephone wiring and poles have been removed.
everal of the paved streets have been bulldozed out of sight, with only a pole with street names standing as a reminder. In June of last summer, more than 45 Texas State Youth Conference participants assisted the city’s Parks & Recreation Department in the installation of posts and cables along Lakeview Drive to restrict traffic through the park. A small group of volunteers known as the Friends of Crescent Bend Nature Park assist the Parks Department from time to time with mowing, managing invasive plants, tree planting, and picking up trash. Now the Friends of Crescent Bend are working on a new addition to the park. Their inspiration was born from a community project by the Girl Scouts. Girl Scout Troop 2120 of Cibolo/Schertz are
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brownies and juniors, eight to ten years old, led by leaders Teresa Fahlsing, Julie Buchanan, Lynn Odom, and Jennifer Koenig. The project idea was for their “It’s Your Story - Tell it Journey Take Action” in which they wanted to do something to help at a local park. In February 2013, Fahlsing approached Parks Manager Chuck Van Zandt to seek approval for a community project at Crescent Bend. The Girl Scout Troop wanted to provide something for the birds and the visitors of the park. Van Zandt referred Fahlsing to local bird photographer Ann Mallard
to assist with the project. In only a few short weeks, the girls began working hard to provide the park with its first bird watching station. Each member of the troop made handpainted bird feeders from plastic soda bottles and water drips from milk cartons. On March 23, 2013, the troop arrived at the park to fill and hang the feeders and water drips. Within weeks, the birds started coming in for the food and water. They were not the only ones to notice the new bird watching station. Two feeders were donated to the troop by a local birder who was very proud of what the girls had done. The gentleman thought the girls’ project
was wonderful and was very excited about the new station at the park. Over the next several months, this area grew in popularity with the birds and park visitors. Unfortunately, the girls’ feeders were taking a beating from the weather and from a few nightly visitors, squirrels and raccoons. Visitors, noticing this destruction, began donating more new feeders and seed to keep the bird watching station active with birds. A Friend of Crescent Bend, Bill Skinner, volunteers his time to come to the park almost every day to oversee the watching station. As the station’s popularity grew, so did the donations of bird baths, feeders, and
a variety of bird seeds to keep the birds returning to this area. Park visitors began to bring their own chairs to sit comfortably under the trees to observe over 25 species of birds that flock here for food and water. Some also see other creatures passing through such as the park’s White-tailed Deer. In the fall of last year, Darrell Cochran approached the Parks Department with the idea of building a blind at the bird watching station. At the end of January 2014, the construction of the blind was approved. With cooperation from the Parks Department, the Friends of Crescent Bend Nature Park group pooled donations and resources
together for the construction of the bird blind. This blind gives visitors the opportunity to see more birds and other animals, as well as a little protection from the weather. There’s a storage box nearby for visitors to drop off seed donations. At its completion, the blind will have a roof with a water collection system and sitting benches. The Friends of Crescent Bend Nature Park members contributing to the building of the blind are Darrell Cochran, Joel Tanner, Bill Skinner, Bruce Ebaugh, Steve Wielgosh, Patricia Garcia, Ann Mallard, and Don Bush. Across the street from the restrooms, there sits a small sign hand painted by each girl in the troop to mark the trail to the bird watching station. A sign of inspiration to visitors to keep their community project alive. Crescent Bend is located at 12805 Schaefer Road.
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FEATUREZ
The Marathon Man John Calvarese By Stan Leland
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s a young man, John Calvarese wasn’t sure which walk of life to choose. In the end it was a running life that would make him an icon. The son of Italian immigrants living in Baltimore’s “Little Italy,” he had tried to join the Navy but was turned down because of congenital blindness in his right eye. The Army Air Corps wasn’t concerned about his disability and allowed him to enlist on October 12, 1942. After basic training, he was selected for aircraft engine maintenance school. Calvarese completed his training and showed not only aptitude for mechanical skills, but also an ability to explain things well to his classmates. Because of his talents he was asked to be an instructor at the school. “I surprised myself and couldn’t believe my luck,” he said. “I dropped out of school in the 9th grade and now I was instructing men how to maintain engines for B-17 bombers.” He spent the duration of the war stateside teaching the maintenance of
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B-17, B-26 and B-29 bomber engines. Had it not been for the Army, Calvarese said, he would have never discovered he was gifted at working on bomber engines. After the war, he went back to Baltimore to work in the Martin Aircraft factory. In spite of his resume full of commendations for engine maintenance, he was put on the assembly line working on wheels and tires. Seeing no future in the civilian world, Calvarese re-enlisted in the Air Corps and was sent to Munich, Germany for the next four years. During that time he was part of the Allied effort during the Berlin airlift. Also during this time he noticed a young German girl who served food at the mess hall. She spoke very little English and he spoke only slightly more German. However, it wasn’t long before Calvarese discovered that if he was last in the chow line the cute German girl would give him larger portions and she would be available for fleeting conversation. Her name was Aloisia, known to her friends as “Looie.” They began dating shortly before Calvarese was transferred back to Langley AFB in Virginia. Back in the states as part of an inspector general team, Calvarese traveled to different bases making sure main-
tenance policies and procedures were being followed. He discovered he also had a gift for writing and was asked to prepare many command level policies, directives and regulations. His writing expanded to include civilian newspaper articles and magazines articles including a story in the Saturday Evening Post. “Not bad for a 9th grade dropout,” Calvarese said with a smile. His writing also included regular letters to Looie. To help communicate better, Calvarese taught himself German. When a chance to volunteer for duty in Munich came up, he was ready to go. It wasn’t long after his return to Germany that he asked Looie to marry him and on May 7, 1954, they were married in a little Catholic church in Munich.
In the 1960’s, President Kennedy began his effort to promote physical fitness in the nation. The armed services followed his lead making jogging and regular exercise a part of the daily routine. Because of this, Calvarese discovered that he enjoyed running. Jogging became a passion and a recreation that he enjoyed daily. He also began teaching himself about health and nutrition with the same passion he used to teach himself German.
“I was spent physically,” Calvarese said, “but pleased inside for having finished.” He retired from the Air Force as a chief master sergeant on August 31, 1974, after almost 32 years of service. His list of commendations and awards included a Bronze Star and several commendations that were given more than once. Calvarese completed his GED while in the Air Force and used his “retirement” to get his associate’s degree at St. Philip’s College. He added bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education and kinesiology from what is now Texas State University in San
Marcos while maintaining his daily running schedule. Calvarese has run marathons in Boston, Houston, New York, Chicago and many other cities as well as Pike’s Peak in Colorado. Almost every weekend, he ran a 5K or 10K race or a marathon. By the end of his running career he had logged 79,201 miles of running -- over three times the circumference of the earth or nearly 3,050 marathons. Calvarese’s 100th marathon was the 1982 Boston Marathon, which he ran at age continued on page 45
Calvarese transferred to Randolph AFB in the 1960’s and purchased a house in Schertz. After a tour of duty in Vietnam, he returned to Randolph and could be regularly seen jogging around the Schertz area. As his stamina improved he became captivated by the idea of running a marathon. “I just needed to do it,” he said. “I wanted into that elite group known as marathon runners.” His first marathon was run on May 31, 1975, which was also San Antonio’s first marathon. Called “Las Colonias de San Antonio” it is now the “Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.”
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FEATUREZ
with a canine “Battle Buddy,” at no charge to the warrior.
Canine Companion Calms Young Veteran By Kari Bridges
T
PTSD will affect each individual differently and is caused when witnessing or participating in a traumatic event. Once a person has PTSD, it is something they will endure for the rest of their lives – there is no permanent cure. Symptoms include: aggression, alcoholism, anger, anxiety, depression, despair,
hroughout time, man has been able to specifically train dogs to assist people in many ways, including those who suffering from blindness, diabetes, epilepsy and autism. These amazing and incredible dogs use their eyes and heightened sense of smell to warn people of oncoming physical or neurological problems in time for them to avoid life-threatening or harmful situations. Within the past three years, a San Antonio based organization has been serving our nation’s returning wounded warriors, their family members and first responders by providing the warrior and the canine “Battle Buddy” with the training and tools necessary to become an accredited Warrior/ Service Dog Team. “Train a Dog – Save a Warrior” (TADSAW), Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) national organization, dedicated to providing assistance to restore and improve the quality of life for the men and women who served in the United States Armed Forces, whether
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wounded warrior, active duty or veteran, their families, and first responders who are surviving with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), military sexual trauma (MST) or traumatic brain injury (TBI)
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drug abuse, flashbacks, isolation, no family interaction, nightmares, panic attacks, problems at work, rage, recurring dreams, restlessness, sleeplessness and suicidal thoughts.
Schertz resident and wounded warrior Fabian Herrera had been recently diagnosed with PTSD and TBI. He learned of the TADSAW program and how dogs are being trained to help people fight against the symptoms of PTSD at the San Antonio Military Medical Center, and quickly applied to participate in the TADSAW program. Fabian proudly served in Operation Desert Storm in Iraq as a Marine and Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars as an Army Infantry Officer. He and his dog Gunner, a six-year-old pit bull mixedbreed, successfully completed the TADSAW program together in December 2013 by learning and working together as a team to bring normalcy and peace back into Fabian’s life. “We rescued Gunner from the animal shelter when he was four months old, but it turns out that he has actually saved me. He gives me the strength to leave the house and go out and not think that something is going to happen,” said Fabian, who credits both the training they received through the TADSAW program, his strong personal relationship with Gunner, and the comfort Gunner gives to him as factors for seeing a significant decrease in his PTSD symptoms and an increase in his quality of life. Fabian and Gunner began their “team” journey to-
gether by first attending the Blessing of our Service Dog Ceremony at Fort Sam Houston last October and then underwent an extensive 15 to 20 week TADSAW training program three times a week at Pickrell Park in Schertz. This program, provided by an accredited TADSAW trainer, includes extensive dog obedience classes to pass the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizenship course; learning to read a dog’s body language; and socialization training practiced in dog friendly public places throughout the community. When the trainer is confident the “team” has progressed sufficiently, the Public Access Temperament Test is given and the “team” will have successfully completed and graduated from the program – earning Gunner and service dogs like him the right to proudly hold the title of “Battle Buddy” and to wear his service dog vest. “Dogs have to earn their vests by being obedient. What makes a service dog is super obedience and not being distracted by their surroundings. The focus is on the veteran, not whatever is going on around. The dog needs to be committed to the human and not get easily distracted,’’ said Bart Sherwood, TADSAW founder and program director. “Dogs can pick up on the triggers 5 to 20 minutes prior to a PTSD episode or anxiety because the body smells will differ with the adrenaline and blood pressure increase
caused by angiotensin. By focusing on a dog it causes you to take your focus off the stress trigger and to refocus on your five body senses of sight, sound, taste, touch and hearing. Your whole body is focused on the dog and deep breathing, which causes a release of beneficial hormones called dopamine to release into your body, which decreases your cortisol levels or stress hormones,” Sherwood said. Whenever possible, TADSAW will evaluate a warrior’s personal dog, because of the bond that has already been established in the home. If the warrior does not have a
Passing the Public Access Temperament Test is important because the Americans with Disabilities Act mandates that the service dog and the owner have full legal access to all public places. Under this 2010 act, a person with a disability cannot be asked to remove their service animal from the premises unless the animal is out of control and the animal’s owner does not take effective action to control it; or the animal poses a direct threat to the health and safety of others, Sherwood said. He explained that medication and therapy sessions are not working for many
wounded warriors who often feel loneliness and isolation and fall into alcoholism and drug addiction. The TADSAW program builds on the human-canine bond that will continue to increase over time. This accreditation program is helping active duty personnel and veterans from the Vietnam era through all of the current war zones. According to Sherwood, applications for the program are being completed and returned faster than ever, and unfortunately are now exceeding the available resources, causing applicants continued on page 42
“We rescued Gunner from the animal shelter when he was four months old, but it turns out that he has actually saved me.” -Schertz resident and wounded warrior Fabian Herrera
dog, a dog will be selected for them by the trainer. Sherwood explained that these dogs are all rescued animals taken from local animal shelters including the Schertz Animal Shelter. “We want to succeed,” said Fabian, who works with Gunner on obedience training techniques between 30 minutes to one hour each day in addition to structured class training. “We have actually become close and Gunner comes with me for all of my appointments on base, in restaurants, and everywhere I go except the gym,” Fabian said. schertzmagazine.com
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FEATUREZ
BVYA
Passing the Torch Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of stories Schertz Magazine is running about the Buffalo Valley Youth Association (BVYA), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Look for BVYA Opening Day story and photos in May 2014 issue. By Chuck McCollough
S
teele Knights football players Jamie J-Douglas and Nate Collard remember when they were little and started playing on the Buffalo Valley Youth Association Knights football team. It was six years ago when they were in fourth grade.
Jamie and Nate - both sophomores and extremely polite young men - mentored younger BVYA Knights football players last year as part of a program that demonstrates the message and legacy of the BVYA youth sports league. The message: good character lessons learned young, never
grow old. And the legacy is being recognized in 2014 as BVYA celebrates its 40th anniversary and the nearly 50,000 children who have gone through its many sports programs in the last four decades.
“My mom asked if Nat and I wanted to mentor the BVYA Knights football players and we said yes,” Jamie said, referring to his mother, Vanessa J-Douglas. “When I was a kid playing BVYA Knights football team I wanted to know what to expect. The BVYA Knights we talked to were the same way, they were curious. We told them what to expect and gave them our insight,” Jamie said.
In an after school interview at Steele High School on a bright February day, Jamie and Nate talked about the two-way connection between the BVYA Knights and Steele Knights.
“We told the BVYA kids what we went through and how lucky we were to have BVYA coaches who taught us what we need to know - on and off the field. Things like respect and discipline, keeping up our grades, always working on the fundacontinued on page 46
CIVIC NEWZ YOUR EXCLUSIVE SOURCE FOR NEWS FROM THE CITY OF SCHERTZ
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Muscular Fire Truck Rolls Into Schertz
The City of Schertz’ newest fire truck is called Quint 1 because it boasts five capabilities in one vehicle. Its five functions are: pump, water tank, ground ladder, aerial device and fire hose. Other fire trucks in the Schertz Fire Rescue Fleet can perform one or more of those fire functions, but not all. In the adjacent photo, Fire Chief David Covington, left, and City Manager John Kessel, inspect the new vehicle. Chief Covington said plans call for Quint 1 to be in service starting in April.
Four Promoted at Schertz Police Department
Four members of the Schertz Police Department were promoted Monday, March 3, in a ceremony attended by family and friends. Schertz Chief of Police Michael Hansen praised the four staff members as examples of the kind of dedication, determination and hard work that helps make the Police Department and other City of Schertz departments exemplary. Former Sergeant Manny Casas was promoted to Lieutenant after working his way up through the ranks over the last 14 years with Schertz PD. Former Corporal Steve Rolison was promoted to Sergeaent. He joined the police department in 2004.
From left are Assistant Chief of Police Marc Bane, Lt. Manny Casas, Sgt. Steve Rolison, Cpl. Ric Aleman, Dispatch Supervisor Jennifer Davis, and Chief of Police Michael Hansen
New Corporal Ric Aleman joined the force in 2010 and in his new position will supervise four patrol officers. Dispatch Supervisor Jennifer Davis joined Schertz PD in 2012 and previously was an administrative manager in the private sector.
City Manager John Kessel noted that the four promotions come soon after the promotion of former Assistant Chief of Police Mike Harris to City Marshal and the advancement of former Capt. Marc Bane to Assistant Chief of Police.
Center Turn Lane Use In an effort to help avoid accidents and help everyone stay safe, The Schertz Police Department would like everyone to keep these facts in mind when using the center turn lanes on FM 3009 and FM 78. According to Texas Transportation Code Section 545.060 (b): If the roadway is divided into three lanes and provides for two-way movement of traffic, an operator on the roadway may not
drive in the center lane except: 1. If passing another vehicle and the center lane is clear of traffic within a safe distance 2. In preparing to make a left turn 3. Where the center lane is designated by an official trafficcontrol device for the movement in the direction in which the operator is moving
If you are going to make a left turn, enter into the center lane only in a reasonable distance before making your turn. Please do not use it as a travel lane to avoid slow moving traffic.
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Schertz Police Department Holding Junior Police Academy in June The Schertz Police Department’s Junior Police Academy will be held June 16-20, 2014 and is open to Schertz residents ages 8-11. The free camp will run from 8:00 AM to noon daily and will be held at the Schertz Police Department in the Hal Baldwin Municipal Complex, 1400
Schertz Fire Rescue Raises $7,000 For Wilenchik Walk
Schertz Parkway, Bldg. No. 6. Registration begins April 1 and the camp is limited to 25 participants. Registration packets can be picked up at the Schertz Police Department. Complete the registration packed and return to the police department.
Schertz Fire Rescue Lt. Leon Sposari hands City Events Coordinator Mary Spence a check for $7,000 that SFR staff raised for the Wilenchik Walk for Life with their ‘Fill the Boot’ campaign.. The presentation was made at the Tuesday, February 25, City Council meeting. Looking on are Mayor Michael
For more information contact Sgt. Solitto (ssolitto@ schertz.com) or Officer Halbardier (hhalbardier@schertz. com) or call 210-945-6573. Also look for updates on the Schertz Police Department Facebook page.
Carpenter, City Manager John Kessel, Executive Director John Bierschwale, Fire Chief David Covington and SFR staff. The Wilenchik Walk for Life, held March 1, benefits the UT Medicine’s Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC).
For event information and a slideshow, go to visitschertz.com/walkforlife.
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Canine Companion cont’d from page 33 to be placed on a waiting list and possibly facing devastating consequences. “We need awareness because we have brought warriors home safely from war, but we are losing almost 8,000 per year and it’s pretty tragic that many young people are dying. This program is all about getting veterans into the program and getting them help,” he said. Since the program began in 2010, it has provided over 2,600 applications to individuals, accredited a total of 198 TADSAW Service Dog Teams of which include 33 Vietnam Veteran Teams, and has over 300 Teams currently in training throughout the United States and in Puerto Rico. The TADSAW program is funded through private do-
nations and grants. The cost to sponsor one TADSAW Warrior/service dog team is $2,500 with 92% of that money going to cover team costs such as equipment for the dogs, veterinary care, training and miscellaneous expenses; the remaining eight per cent of the sponsorship cost covers administration costs. “As well trained as any service dog is, once you take off their service vest they become a regular dog. They need to be treated as a family member because they are part of the family,” Sherwood said. For additional program information, or to make a donation to TADSAW, Inc., go to www.tadsaw.org or email at info@tadsaw.org.
Hal Baldwin Scholarship Application Deadline April 30 The Hal Baldwin Scholarship encourages young people to consider public service and is named after the Schertz Mayor who gave 30 years of service to the city. As Schertz residents beginning in the 1960s, Mayor Baldwin and wife Barbara saw the city grow from 5,000 residents to more than 30,000 and become San Antonio’s largest suburban city. Baldwin, a retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, served Schertz as an Assistant City
Manager, civic volunteer, City Councilmember and then Mayor ( for nearly 17 years). In recognition of Baldwin’s long service, the Schertz City Council established his namesake scholarship to encourage high school seniors (public, private, or home-schooled) who are residents of Schertz to consider public service as a career path. The 2014 scholarship will be at least $1,000 and is awarded on a competitive basis.
The scholarship may be used for tuition or other fees or expenses for any postsecondary school which is accredited by a state, regional, or national accreditation agency and which may be a traditional 2- or 4-year institution or other educational institution offering courses, degrees, or other training suitable to a public service career.
Applications for the Hal Baldwin Scholarship can be downloaded from schertz.com or picked up at the following locations: •
Within the Hal Baldwin Municipal Complex, 1400 Schertz Parkway Administration – Bldg. No. 2 City Hall – Bldg. No. 1 Public Affairs Office, Building No. 5
•
Schertz Public Library, 798 Schertz Parkway
Completed applications must be received in the City Manager’s Office (Bldg. No. 2) by 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2014. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. schertzmagazine.com
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National EMS Week is May 18th thru May 24th. The Schertz EMS Week Golf Tournament will be May 18th at Olympia Hills Golf Course to help fund EMS Week Community Outreach as well as the Bobbie Dilworth Scholarship fund for EMS Education.
Schertz EMS Saving Lives for Four Decades
For more information or to sign up to play in or be a sponsor for the Schertz EMS Golf Tournament call 210-619-1400.
cont’d from page 25
ing babies. She remembers one call that had a humorous tone. “We went to pick up a woman, I think it was a heart patient, and as we were taking her to the ( former hearse) Cadillac she said ‘Oh please don’t put me in there’ and became quite agitated. We finally convinced her it was an ambulance not a hearse.” Scott went on to become one of the first paid members of SAFES, but said she really cherished her time as one of the volunteers. “It was so rewarding to be able to be part of helping others and to build something. I am very proud
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of what our EMS service has become.” Carol Simonson and husband Steve joined SAFES in 1975 and their entry had a humorous tone. “Steve was in a motorcycle accident at IH-35 and FM 1518 and SAFES responded. About a month later our son, Ricky, had a motorcycle accident on Pat Booker Road and SAFES transported him as well. “The SAFES people jokingly said ‘You guys might as well come to work with us because you are keeping us so busy,” Carol Simonson said with a smile.
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The late Steve Simonson was a former Schertz city councilmember, assistant city manager and active community volunteer. The Simonsons, along with the Baldwins, were two of the earliest husband-wife teams to serve in SAFES. “The Randolph newspaper did a story on Steve and I being in SAFES,” she recalled. “We were all so blessed to be a part of SAFES in the beginning. We were a bunch of dedicated young people raising families and pulling together to build something for our new community,” she said. Susan Beck started with
SAFES as a teenager and stayed with the organization for nearly 20 years. She finally left around 1996, two years after starting Metro Ambulance, a private company. Beck, like others in SAFES, said it was an amazing experience being part of a volunteer group that evolved into an organization which has had such an impact on the Schertz community. SAFES grew, matured and eventually became a fulltime paid department within the city and was renamed Schertz EMS on October 1, 2000.
Community Volunteer Fair Have you been thinking about volunteering, but aren’t sure where to begin? Here is your springboard to finding the right place for your talents. Come to the Community Volunteer Fair from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, Thursday, April 10 in the Schertz Civic Center.
Learn about the resources and services available as a resident of Schertz; become familiar with services different non-profit organizations provide; and gather information on the many City boards and commissions that can use your expertise.
If your group is interested in participating or you have questions about the event, call City Secretary Brenda Dennis at 210619-1000 or 311, or email Brenda at bdennis@schertz.com
The Marathon Man: John Calvarese cont’d from page 29
62. Fourteen years later he went back to Boston to run his last marathon. This was his 160th marathon and it marked the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon. John was 76 that year and Ripley’s Believe it or Not featured him in their cartoon panel (they got his age wrong but everything else was correct). “That was my hardest marathon,” John said. “I finished the race exhausted, exultant and determined to never run another marathon.”
In spite of that, he still entered races, and in 2012, he participated in the Wilenchik “Walk for Life” using his walker to finish the course.
Calvarese continued running at shorter distances as age began to catch up with him. He took up biking as a way of continuing to compete. Finally, riding a bicycle became too much of a challenge and he could no longer run.
From a 9th grade dropout overcoming a visual disability to a decorated Air Force veteran, published author, master’s degree recipient and advocate of exercise and running, Calvarese has an impressive resume of life
activities. Currently in a wheelchair recovering from a fall, he’s hoping some day to get back out and push his walker for a few more miles. Recently, Calvarese attended and walked part of the course at the Wilenchik Walk for Life event. Look for his photo on Pg. 22 of this magazine.
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BVYA Passing the Torch cont’d from page 35
mentals of the football,” Nate said. Jamie and Nate, both 16, started playing BVYA football on the Knights team in 2007 when they were 10 and in the fourth grade. They played two more years in BVYA and then played football at Dobie Intermediate in 2010 and 2011 and at Steele in the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Both young men are members of Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) and since the 7th grade Jamie has been the football team prayer leader for games. “Playing in BVYA taught me how to lay a foundation …. how to try in the classroom, on the field and in life,” Nate said. “We had the same football drills in BVYA that we do in high school and the same positions and the (defensive) goal is the same - tackle the ball carrier.”
Nate Collard (blue shirt) Jaime J-Douglas older than the BVYA players, the younger Knights are hearing similar messages from a different source. “Our mentoring reinforces what the BVYA coaches are telling the young players. And the BVYA Knights have a different kind of respect for us because we went through what they are about to go through,” Nate said. It’s obvious the BVYA Knights are learning more than just football lessons from the Steele Knights mentors.
“The BVYA Knights wanted to know why we wanted to play high school football because many of them are thinking about doing the same thing. They look up to us as role models,” Jamie said.
“The younger kids asked what we do in our spare time and like joking around with us when we get together. We stress to them that being a student athlete means being a student first and making good grades,” Nate said.
Because the Steele Knights mentors are only a few years
Jamie said his goal after BVYA was to play high school
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football. “I would put sticky notes up in my room saying ‘make 7th grade football team,’ ‘make 8th grade football team’,’ make high school freshman team.’ That was my focus,” he said.
Nate nodded his head in agreement and said playing sports offers young people so many important lessons that relate to other things in life especially the importance of teamwork.
Focus and goal setting were recurring themes in the interview with the two Steele football players.
Another BVYA product is local football hero Malcolm Brown who helped Steele High School win a state football title and now plays for the University of Texas Longhorns.
Jamie and Nate said the principles and discipline they learned at home are the same ones taught by their football coaches in BVYA and at Dobie and Steele. And they shared that with the BVYA Knights. “In BVYA, I learned patience and persistence - that you are not always going to get what you want when you want it,” Jamie said. “It takes hard work and dedication because nothing is going to be given to you.”
According to his dad, Tommy Brown, “Malcolm played BVYA one year - at age 8. It taught him how to work with a team and how to work hard. He learned how to stick with it when things get tough and how hard work eventually pays off.” For more information, go to www.bvya.com or call 210659-1610 or email bvya@att. net.
CITY CALENDARZ Annual Events: April
April 2014 Tuesday, 1
Absolute Jazz; Saturday, March 19
City Council, 6:00 PM Council Chamber
May
Tuesday, 8
Sweetheart Coronation; Thursday, May 1
City Council, 6:00 PM Council Chambers
Police Officer Memorial Day; TBD
Wednesday, 9
National EMS Week/Golf Tournament; May 18-25 Doggie Dash; Saturday, May 10
July
4th of July Jubilee; Thursday and Friday, July 3-4
September
SchertzFest; Friday and Saturday, September 19-20
October
National Night Out; Tuesday, October 7 Fire Prevention Week; October 5-11 Trunk or Treat; Friday, October 31
November
Hal Baldwin Scholarship Golf Tournament; Friday, November 7 Turkey Trot 5K; Thursday, November 27
Planning & Zoning, 6:00 PM Council Chambers
Tuesday, 15
City Council, 6:00 PM Council Chambers
Monday, 21
Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, 5:30 PM Bob Andrews Room Board of Adjustments, 6:00 PM Council Chambers
Tuesday, 22
City Council, 6:00 PM Council Chamber
Wednesday, 23
Planning & Zoning, 6:00 PM Council Chambers
Thursday, 24
Steve Simonson Volunteer of the Year/ Board and Commission Recognition; TBD
Economic Development Corporation, 6:00 PM Council Chambers
December
Tuesday, 29
Festival of Angels; Friday and Saturday, December 5-6
#info
City Council, 6:00 PM Council Chamber Meeting locations may change, please visit the calendar at www.schertz.com for more information.
City of Schertz Elected Officials Mayor: Michael Carpenter
Council Members: Jim Fowler David Scagliola Daryl John Cedric Edwards, Sr. Matthew Duke
City Departments:
(210) 619-1045 (210) 658-1442 (830) 606-1130 (210) 204-2750 (210) 566-4540 (210) 204-8649
City of Schertz (210) 619-1000 Animal Control (210) 619-1550 Business/Utilities (210) 619-1100 City Manager (210) 619-1000 City Secretary (210) 619-1030 Civic Center (210) 619-1600 Customer Care/311 (210) 619-1000 Economic Development (210) 619-1070 EMS (non-emergency) (210) 619-1400 Fire (non-emergency) (210) 619-1300 Human Resources (210) 619-1150 Information Technology (210) 619-1180 Inspections (210) 619-1750 Marshal Services (210) 619-1650 Municipal Court (210) 619-1500 Parks & Recreation (210) 619-1850 Planning & Zoning (210) 619-1780 Police (non-emergency) (210) 619-1200 Public Affairs (210) 619-1630 Public Library (210) 619-1700 Public Works (210) 619-1800 Records (210) 619-1030 Website schertz.com
IMPORTANT SCHERTZ WEBSITES schertz.com visitschertz.com schertzmagazine.com Like us on Facebook
PUBLIC AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT 1400 SCHERTZ PARKWAY SCHERTZ, TEXAS 78154