WAN May 25, 2023

National Charity League Celebrates Mother-Daughter Achievements

The Capital of Texas chapter of the National Charity League celebrated mothers and daughters who have completed a six-year program centered around philanthropy, leadership, and culture. During their six-year commitment to NCL, the class of 2023 and their mothers volunteered 4,422.25 hours in the Austin community.

Other outstanding achievements within the senior class include:

▲ Vandergrift senior Natalie Peterson completed the most service hours, totaling 344.5 hours over her six-year term.

▲ Natalie Peterson and her mother and Vandergrift senior Lyla Milam and her mother earned the Mother-Daughter Award for serving over 30 philanthropy hours this year.

▲ Lyla Milam earned the Spectrum Award for serving at least ten different philanthropies this year.

▲ McCallum senior Brigid Haikola served as class president, confidence mentor to younger girls and had 100% attendance at class meetings this year.

Congratulations to the entire NCL Capital of Texas class of 2023 NCL on completing a rigorous six-year program and serving as volunteers in various area philanthropies.

Thankful Hubbard DAR Chapter honors Westlake’s Sloane Heredia

St. Stephen’s students named National Merit Scholars

By Alana Moehring Mallard

Five St. Stephen’s Episcopal School students have been named National Merit scholarship winners in recent announcements: Tianyu Wolfrik Wu, Matthew H. Rowe, Sarah R. Aggarwal, Crawford B. Arnow, and William G. Casas.

The scholarships carry a $2,500 award, and are part of a national competition that began in October 2021 when the students were juniors. More than 15,000 students were named finalists in an initial screening.

Sarah R. Aggarwal will attend Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, and study biology. Tianyu Wolfrik Wu plans to study finance at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Matthew R. Rowe will attend Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Crawford B. Arnow plans to go to Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. William G. Casas will attend Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.

Of the National Merit finalists across the nation, these St. Stephen’s

Austin Greek Festival, May 26-28

The annual Austin Greek Festival happens Memorial Day weekend, with the spirit of Greece emerging in the Austin community with Greek food and drink including Spanakopita, Gyros, Souvlaki, Saganaki, Baklava, Greek beer, and wine and other bites and drinks.

Professional Greek dancers and a live band from Greece will provide entertainment along with a local dance troupe. And the audience is always invited to jump out onto the dance floor.

There will be something for everyone to enjoy including kid-friendly activities and shopping, even enjoying a breathtaking view of Austin and the Hill Country from the breezy hilltop.  Interactive church tours will provide an opportunity to experience the love, fullness, and authentic beauty of the Orthodox faith, as visitors behold Byzantine art and iconography while learning about the long and historical path of the Orthodox religion.

Episcopal School National Merit Scholars are among 7, 140 seniors who will receive a total of nearly $28

million nationwide in college scholarships in 2023 through National Merit Scholarship Corporation.

LOCATION: Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, 414 St. Stephen’s School Rd, 78746

HOURS: Friday and Saturday, May 26 and May 27, 11am – 10pm; Sunday, May 28, 12pm – 10pm.

ADMISSION: $5; free for children 10 & under, military and first responders w/ ID; and parking is free.

More information is available at AustinGreekFestival.com.

PHOTO COURTESY ST. STEPHEN’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Around the Neighborhood:

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WEST AUSTINITES REMEMBER GRADUATION TRIPS — Compiled

by Forrest Preece

A lifelong Austinite, this is my home, this beautiful, vibrant city I love. I know Austin like few others because I’ve been dedicated to our community for decades. So, whether you’re looking for a bungalow, a lakeside villa or a panoramic penthouse, my commitment to you and my unmatched knowledge can turn your Austin dream home into your new reality. Let’s take that next step together.

AUGUST W. HARRIS III

512.653.8611 | august@moreland.com | moreland.com

When our oldest daughter graduated from high school, we took her and her two younger sisters to Greece. Since Greek History and Mythology were some of her favorite subjects, she walked around Athens in tour guide mode. We

had a blast learning about the history, but our favorite part was probably visiting some of the stunningly gorgeous islands, and being around the joyful people and our family.

— Paige Alam

Following law school graduation and the subsequent bar exam, law students often take a “bar trip” before they start their post-law school jobs. In 2014, a couple friends and I left the day after the bar for a planned trip to Bulgaria, Istanbul and then Israel. Bulgaria and Istanbul went according to plan, but as we were in Turkey, shelling started in Israel and the friends we were planning on visiting in Israel advised that it probably wasn’t the best time to travel. But my friend and I did not have tickets back to the states for another nine days, so we got on the internet, looked for cheap flights from Istanbul, and 24 hours later, were in Tbilisi, Georgia. We had an amazing four days exploring Georgia, and then we had a taxi drive us to Armenia where we had four more amazing days exploring around Yerevan. They were two countries I probably would not have prioritized for visits had our circumstances not required a last minute change, but they are two of my favorite places I’ve ever been, and I am thankful I had the chance to experience them.

—Will Duncan

In June 2006, we celebrated our son, Jordan’s high school graduation, our oldest daughter, Aubrey’s graduation from Davidson College, and Randy’s 50th birthday by taking a cruise to Alaska! Our three children, Aubrey – 22, Jordan – 18, and Everly – 15, were with us for this unbelievable trip. We started in Vancouver, BC (which is where Jordan now lives) and cruised to Fairbanks, Alaska. It was

incredible as we celebrated Randy’s 50th birthday with a private dinner prepared by the ship’s chef on our suite balcony in front of the glaciers. The best part of the trip was finally seeing whales. I had put the kids through so many unsuccessful whale-watching trips where they got seasick, etc. This time they prayed so hard that mom would finally see her whales and we did. Even better, we saw at least six

humpback whales come up out of the water simultaneously, which is called bubble-net feeding or surface feeding. I was thrilled, and our children and Randy were thrilled, especially because they would never have to go on another whale-watching trip again! Except someday we will take our grandchildren as it’s the most beautiful trip we have ever experienced.

—Deborah Davis Groves

REALTOR®, CLHMS

Lynn Meredith

BY FORREST PREECE

The random chances in life never fail to intrigue me. Back in the late 1960s, two bright young people were attending St. Francis, a private university outside Pittsburgh. One was a woman who grew up going to a Catholic school in Queens. The other was an all-star soccer goalie from Philadelphia, there on a scholarship.

They met, became a couple, and married after they graduated. If they hadn’t both attended this institution, it is likely that Austin would have been deprived of two powerful forces for social good.

On a recent morning, I talked with Lynn Meredith in the downtown penthouse where she lives with her husband Tommie. These two, who were named Austinites of the Year in 2012, have indeed made their positive mark on our town.

Some background on their life journey that landed them in Austin: after graduating from college and getting married, they moved to Pittsburgh, where Tommie went to law school and Lynn did graduate work and taught middle school. Then it was on to Washington, DC.

From there, they moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. Tommie was working as a tax attorney and Lynn joined the Palo Alto Junior League, where she had opportunities to sharpen her skills in community impact for social improve-

ment, how to identify issues, run a meeting and build advocacy. Soon, she was traveling around the country teaching advocacy skills to other Junior League Members. She looks back with pride on one project in particular from that time — “Christmas In April.”

This program repaired peoples’ homes – such as adding ramps or fixing roofs — so they could remain in them. “It’s important to do the actual work and to let others know that our neighbors need a hand up,” Lynn says. This project resulted in many people avoiding homelessness, an issue that

Lynn is still actively combating in Austin.

While they were in the Bay Area, Tommie’s achievements and professional reputation began to attract notice nationwide. When Dell Computer began looking for a chief financial officer, the firm’s board members Dr. George Kozmetsky and Admiral Bobby Inman suggested that they approach him. In 1992, Tommie joined Dell as senior vice president and chief financial officer, and after Lynn finished the school year in California with their kids, she moved to Austin.

It was inclusion from the very first in Austin for the Merediths. “I was fortunate that Nancy Inman and Ronya Kozmetsky shepherded us around town, and helped me meet the right non-profit leaders. Austin is such a welcoming place,” Lynn says.

Soon she met Debbie Edward, founder of the Austin Children’s Museum. Of all the executive directors of nonprofits Lynn had encountered, Debbie sparked Lynn’s interest the most. She began working with the museum and chaired the International Children’s Festival. Soon she was chairing the museum’s board, and headed the campaign to build the Children’s Museum on Second Street. Today the Thinkery is thriving in the Mueller neighborhood, where it offers indoor and outdoor activities that let children and families learn through play. “That is my longest-standing commitment,” Lynn says.

Lynn’s initial involvement in the community was geared towards helping make our city a more creative and inclusive place. But as Austin grew and there were growing pains, she became interested in addressing the basic needs of our citizens. In the late 1990s,

ism. Those lessons include a lot of hands-on, practical skills — like how to change tires and public speaking. “It makes me happy when I see moms and daughters serving and investing in our community at places like the Thinkery and Mobile Loaves and Fishes,” Lynn says.

In 2010, when she and Tommie moved downtown near Waller Creek, as a family they committed to improving the environment in the city’s center. As supporters of The Nature Conservancy and environmental efforts, making Downtown greener was a perfect next step.

Tommie was tapped to be a co-chair of the Waterloo Greenway Project. This project is a deep, long, strategic effort to preserve Austin greenspaces and reduce barriers for people from all over the city to come together in an urban setting with natural surroundings. “The Greenway is about community, embracing and expressing the city’s many cultures, a love for nature, and promoting mental and physical health.” She adds that she is proud of how this effort found backing from so many communities –business, tech, government and non-profits.

Waterloo Greenway will add 1.5 miles of trails and 35 acres of greenspace. “I feel fortunate to live in a city where a project like this can be realized. The leadership – original and current – is fabulous and there are more great things to come.”

with two other women, she started the local chapter of the National Charity League, which works with girls in grades 7-12 and their mothers. The group encourages moms and daughters to work side by side and learn habits and skills of leadership and volunteer-

The Park and Moody Theater on 15th Street is now open and has widespread community acclaim. The groundbreaking for the southernmost piece, 4th street to Lady Bird Lake, was held in May with completion in 2025. In keeping with the original “barbell” overall plan, the two geographic ends of the project will be finished before the mid-section is started.

Recently, Lynn has become more involved with the homelessness response system. As she says, in 2018 and 2019 it became clear that too many people were “getting stuck” and were having to struggle to keep from becoming homeless and resolving their homelessness. She is working with Downtown Austin Alliance, the Chamber, City Hall and community leaders on this issue. Organizations like Caritas, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, Foundation Communities and faith-based groups were working diligently along the same lines, but it was obvious they were stretched for resources.

She now sits on the board

of the Ending Community Homelessness Coalition (ECHO), the lead agency that plans and implements community-wide strategies to end homelessness in Austin and Travis County. Synergy is being produced by combining the efforts of non-profits working on the issue. The objective is to provide a path to self-sufficiency with dignity through community, housing and supportive services. “My life is about community impact and being a part of the solution to the needs we should be addressing in our city.”

Along the way, Lynn launched four children. They went to colleges in other parts of the country and are all thriving in their own ways. “Three of my four children live here, and I have eight grandchildren. I’ve had a wonderful life in Austin and it’s getting better all the time.”

Chris Andre

Elizabeth Christian

Founder and former CEO, ECPR

BY FORREST PREECE

1. What’s something about you that not many people know?

I have a couple of guilty pleasures—one is that I love to sew and have made a good number of the clothes I wear; the second is that I’m a Francophile and am working hard on being fluent in French.

2. What was your first job? While I was a student at McCallum High School, I worked as a checker at the Rylander’s (now a Randall’s) on Balcones. My shins still bear the scars of grocery carts ramming into them!

3. You can have dinner with three people – dead or alive, any time in history— who would they be?

Jane Austen, Eleanor Roosevelt and J.K. Rowling! What a conversation that would be.

4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be?

Paul McCartney, Johnny Flynn and Frank Sinatra.

5. Favorite book and TV show?

Book: Tie between Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” and Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy.  TV show: The Detectorists on BBC. Look it up if you haven’t watched it. You’ll thank me forever.

6. Most powerful movie you have seen? I have literally dozens of favorite movies. The original “Rocky” sticks out because I saw it with my dad and he cried when Rocky triumphed. “The Return of the King” is probably the one I’ve watched the most often, a close tie with “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.”

7. Favorite place in Austin? The LBJ Library

8. What did you want to

Scott - Tew

Catherine Elizabeth Joy Scott married Andrew Robinson Tew at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 13, 2023, in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Hot Springs, Arkansas, with the Rev. Christoph Keller III officiating.

Elizabeth “Becky” and the late Morin Montagu Scott Jr. of Little Rock, Arkansas, are the parents of the bride. She is the granddaughter of the late Marguerite and Martin Butler and the late Joy and Morin Montagu Scott, both of Austin, Texas.

Parents of the bridegroom are Alix and John Graham Tew of Charleston, South Carolina. His grandparents are the late Patricia and Emmett Edward Robinson of Charleston, South Carolina, and the late Elizabeth and Albert Monroe Tew of Columbia, South Carolina.

be when you were growing up? A journalist

9. Which living person do you most admire? Volodymyr Zelensky

10. What makes you happy? Being around funny, smart people who like to talk politics.

11. Best advice you ever received? If you love what you do for a living, work is not work.

The bride’s honor attendants were sisters of the bridegroom, Patricia Colbert Tew of New York City and Elizabeth Schubert Tew of Nashville, Tennessee. Bridesmaids were Laura Whitaker Stephens and Mallory O’Quinn Millsap of Dallas, Texas; Elizabeth Acomb Crosby and Anne Lykes Woodard of New Orleans, Louisiana; Mary Olive Keller Stephens of Little Rock; Claire Ann Lewis Matson of Tampa, Florida; Virginia White Grayson of Nashville, Tennessee; Memory Madden Pohl of Austin, Texas; Erin Anne O’Brien of Saint Louis, Missouri; and Christina Isabel Lawrence of Greenwich, Connecticut.

The father of the bridegroom and Morin Montagu Scott III of Austin, Texas, brother of the bride, served as the bridegroom’s honor attendants. Groomsmen were Charlton deSaussure III, Benjamin Houston Joyce, William Chase McNair, Charles Connelly Prevost, Charles Lewington Rhodes of Charleston, South Carolina; Charles Andrew Mowlajko of Greenville, South Carolina; Andrew March Wilson of New Orleans, Louisiana; William Myles Wynn of Charlotte, North Carolina; Justin Herbert Yampolsky of Washington D.C.; Tyler Allerton Young

of Greenwich, Connecticut; and Galen Parrish Green of Charlottesville, Virginia.

A reception was held at Hot Springs Country Club.

The bride graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi and with a master’s degree in business administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She works at Google. The bridegroom graduated from Clemson University with a bachelor’s degree and works at Hearst Media Production Group. The couple is living in New York City.

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Carrying Hope Benefit Enables More Support for Youth in Foster Care

Carrying Hope, an Austin-based nonprofit that provides comfort items and support services to youth in foster care, held its sixth annual Hope Blooms Gala on Thursday, March 23rd outside at a flower-adorned Springdale Station. The event was a smashing success that raised an incredible amount of money to directly benefit children and youth in foster care in Texas. Guests enjoyed catering by Royal Fig, an open bar, cookies by Kitchen Elf, and a fabulous array of live and silent auction items. Attendees were moved to tears by speaker Joy Sewing, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer for the Houston Chronicle and a foster-adopt mom who shared her heartfelt story of opening her home to her two children. For more information about Carrying Hope, visit www.carryinghope.org.

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cake.” You

go wrong with Kacy!!”

One Stellar Night in the Emerald City Raises $202,600 For Central Texas Families

On Friday, March 31st, guests gathered at the Austin Central Library for Any Baby Can’s One Stellar Night in the “Emerald City” event. The event co-chairs were Cathy Schechter and Van Vo, and the emcee was CBS Austin anchor Allison Miller. Uplifting stories from Any Baby Can clients and supporters inspired guests to unite to help strengthen and empower parents and invest in child development across Central Texas. Costumed characters, culinary creations, fortune-telling, and a live auction all played a role in the highly whimsical night.

Any Baby Can, a Central Texas nonprofit, partners with families to overcome obstacles and achieve well-being. With programs that meet clients where they are - at home, work, or school - Any Baby Can helps build stability, develop skills, and navigate systems, so children and families reach their full potential. Any Baby Can relies on grants, donations, and fundraising events to continue offering programs and services to thousands of families across Central Texas. Learn more at www.anybabycan.org.

JDRF’s The OneParty Supports Type 1 Diabetes Research

JDRF, a nonprofit organization that advocates for and funds type 1 diabetes (T1D) research, presented the OneParty on Friday, April 21st. Committee members were OneParty Chair Liz Seade; Auction Co-Chairs Colby Imbrie and Karen Ungar; OneClassic Co-Chairs Elise Bridges and Kathryn Ary; and OnePickle Chair Nancy Pollak. The OneParty raised more than $2 million dollars for Type 1 diabetes research. During the day, guests enjoyed a golf tournament at the Lions Golf Course and a pickleball tournament at Lost Creek Country Club’s newly unveiled courts. That evening, The OneParty’s “One Starry Night In Texas” featured a cocktail reception under the

stars at the AT&T Conference Center followed by dinner, dancing, silent and live auctions as well as dueling pianos.

This annual event helps drive awareness for JDRF’s “Fund a Cure” campaign. “Fund A Cure” donations go directly to research, are 100 percent tax deductible and fund science that is making medical history. Since its inception, JDRF has contributed more than $12.8 billion to T1D research and currently has more than 500 active grants around the world driving progress. JDRF’s goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from people’s lives until we achieve a world without type 1 diabetes. To learn more about JDRF, visit www.jdrf.org/ southerntexas.

Ronald McDonald House Charities Celebrates Opening of Seventh Area Family Room

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas (RMHC CTX) celebrated the opening of the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Dell Children’s Medical Center North Campus with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 26. This is the seventh Ronald McDonald Family Room in Central Texas to support families with critically ill and injured children. The Family Room is now open

to families with hospitalized children aged 21 and under.

The Ronald McDonald Family Room allows families to rest and regroup in a comforting environment while always being steps away from their hospitalized child. Typically located near the neonatal intensive care units (NICU) or pediatric intensive care units (PICU), the Family Room provides families a place

to recharge, grab a bite to eat, shower, or sleep so they can stay strong for their children.

“We are thrilled to have the Ronald McDonald Family Room right here inside our hospital to provide comfort, support, and resources to families with children in our care,” said Cathy Heckenlively, DNP, MHA, RN, Chief Administrative Officer at Dell Children’s Medical Center North Campus.

BOOK REVIEW

By Forrest Preece

Many West Austinites know Ramona Kelly from her years as the senior director of development for The Wittliff Collections and as an award-winning documentary producer with a national reputation. But her recently published memoir reveals that life gave her a steep climb to reach this point.

Kelly’s memoir “What Comes Next” isn’t a Hallmark story, though it does have a happy ending. It’s more Erskine Caldwell mixed with Little Women/Jo March, plus chunks of Grey’s Anatomy and Drugstore Cowboy.

I thought I kind of knew Ramona Kelly, but I hadn’t even scratched the surface. She’s impressed me as an excellent writer and documentary producer, but we really never had a chance to intersect on projects during my four decades in the local advertising business.

After reading an advance copy of her book What Comes Next, my eyes have been opened. With her words, she strapped me in and took me on the jumbo roller coaster of her life. It starts with her poor childhood in a rural farm setting outside of Shreveport. Her father died when she was so young she barely remembers him. It didn’t take long for her mother to marry a dairy farmer who lived nearby. After lingering with the aftereffects of a brain-damaging stroke for many years, he also died and left Ramona’s mother with no marketable skills and a houseful of kids.

PHOTO BY HOLLY REED

her career in Austin advertising.

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With that hardscrabble childhood weighing her down, Ramona could have caved, married a hometown boy, and settled for a marginal life.

But in school, she took it on herself to square her shoulders, become president of the student council, an honor student, a club joiner, and a beauty pageant queen. In her college career at LSU, at one point she had to drop out for lack of funds, but she amassed enough savings from a waitress job to transfer to the University of Texas, earn a degree, and begin

Along the way, she acquired a husband, Scott, who became sales manager for a local TV station and started an ad agency with Ramona as his business partner. (Before they opened their agency, I had used him as a free-lance photographer.) Her book reveals that he was also a cocaine addict who robbed a pharmacy and a bank, dealt drugs, and wound up in Leavenworth. He was paroled, arrested again for drug possession, and died as a ward of the federal government. They divorced after nine years together and she remarried, but that marriage ended in divorce, too.

In spite of all that, Ramona raised two exemplary daughters who have had great success in life. She also became an award-winning documentary producer and, as I stated above, had a stint as the senior director of development for the prestigious Wittliff Collections. Oh – then there was “the brain thing,” as she calls it –– a subdural hematoma in the middle of the pandemic and Austin’s great winter storm of 2021. It’s a gripping read, written by one tough woman. Highly recommended. (It is available on Amazon.)

Records shattered at 2023 Austin Go Red for Women Luncheon

Central Texas’ commitment to women’s health has never felt stronger than it did at the 2023 Austin Go Red for Women Luncheon and Summit, presented by St. David’s HealthCare during American Heart Month. Behind the leadership of chairperson Denise Bradley, the Luncheon set a new fundraising record with over $400,000 raised to increase women’s heart health awareness and serve as a catalyst for change.

A record-number 420 attendees were delighted by keynote speaker Star Jones (lawyer/TV personality, Divorce Court) as she bravely shared her heart health journey. “They [flight attendants] tell you when you get on a plane to put your own oxygen mask on first. We, as women, need to be doing that with our heart health,” said Jones during her address. “If you can’t help yourself, you can’t help others.”

Laura Sammons, the event's Open Your Heart Stroke Survivor, is a former US

Air Force JAG officer, talented singer, mother of five and current corporate attorney who has taken control of her health after a life-changing medical scare.

Attendees were encouraged to “Be the Beat” by emcees Kristen Currie and Jennifer Sanders from KXAN and learned how to perform Hands-Only CPR during the event. It is especially imperative for women to learn this simple two-step, lifesaving skill because women are less likely to receive bystander CPR due to fears of sexual assault or doing greater physical harm.

Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the American Heart Association and the 20th year of Go Red for Women in Austin. The Go Red for Women movement exists to increase women’s heart health awareness, and serves as a catalyst for change in the drive to improve the lives of all women. Find resources to support women’s heart health at GoRedforWomen.org.

Travis County Medical Alliance Throws a Party to Keep Austin Healthy

On April 14, the Travis County Medical Alliance and Foundation celebrated its 99th year by bringing together the “family of medicine” with physicians, their spouses/partners, sponsors and guests, to raise money for eight well deserving non-profits at its annual gala, Party With a Purpose. The TCMA was formed in Austin in 1924 so it was fitting to have Iconic Austin as the theme for the evening at the Austin Central Library.

The Party committee members, co-chaired by Christi Dammert and Melissa Smith, were inspired by the rich history of Austin and while planning the event they laughed over the endless ways to “Keep Austin Weird.” Leading up to the event TCMA members received fun historical facts about Austin dating all the way back to how the land was formed, how the city was formed, how Willie Nelson made Austin his hometown and little nuggets about Austin landmarks.

Julie Cowan and Christina Fenrich created the funky decor which included tie-dye, a plethora of El Arroyo signs and oversized backdrops featuring the Broken Spoke and the UT Tower. At the event, guests were encouraged to wear what they felt represented Austin — lots of boots, tie dye, western shirts, bell bottoms, swing skirts and even a re-interpretation of the Texas flag. Guests sipped on classic margaritas, filled up on tacos and brisket, and twostepped the night away to the classic country band The Merles.

Sponsorships, direct donations and a fabulous raffle that include a once-in-a-lifetime VIP experience at the Kentucky Derby donated by Dr. Richard and Inga Ruckman raised $64,000, fulfilling the grant requests of halfHelen, Hope Clinic, Austin State Hospital’s Volunteer Services Council, Lirios, Memory Caregivers, Volunteer Healthcare Clinic, St. Louise House, and the Travis County Medical Society Physician’s Wellness Program. The Alliance supports the mission to “work for a healthier central Texas” through service projects and by providing grants to well deserving non-profit organizations.

It was an iconic Austin kind of night!

Updated Wooldridge Square Historical Marker Unveiled

On the morning of Friday, May 12, local dignitaries gathered to unveil a new historical marker at Wooldridge Square in downtown Austin. On hand were Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin City Councilmember Zohaib “Zo” Qadri, Parks and Recreation Department Director Kimberly A. McNeeley, and Co-Chairs of the Friends of Wooldridge Square, Charles Peveto and Ted Lee Eubanks. This updated marker was created by The Friends of Wooldridge Square and funded by the Downtown Austin Alliance (DAA) and the Austin Parks & Recreation Department (PARD).

The new marker presents a richer and more diverse history of the park than the previous version which was erected in 1971. Prior to the unveiling, the officials spoke about the significance of Wooldridge Square in Austin’s history. One of the original four public squares laid out in Col. Edwin Waller’s 1839 Plan of Austin, it has been the scene of many important rallies and political gatherings.

For instance, Booker T. Washington addressed a crowd there in 1911 when he was not allowed to speak at the state capitol because of his race. Lyndon B. Johnson announced his first run for the U.S. Senate there in 1941. Minnie Fisher Cunningham, an organizer of the National League of Women Voters, used the park to announce her campaign as the first Texas woman to run for the U.S. Senate in 1928. Jane McCallum hosted rallies there with the Austin Equal Suffrage Association. Also, the first use of an armadillo to symbolize Austin’s counter-culture happened in the square at a benefit concert in 1968.

Peveto said, “It has been an honor to have been a founding member of Friends of Wooldridge Square in 2009 and to have continued being an advocate for saving and preserving this historically significant cultural landscape. There are so many chapters of history that represent all of Austin at Wooldridge Square.”

Wooldridge Square is listed in the National Register of Historic Places, is designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL), State Antiquities Landmark (SAL), and an Austin City Landmark and recently was presented the Lone Star Legacy Park Award.

PHOTOS AND ARTICLE

BY FORREST PREECE