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Jan and Roy Edwards hand $1000 award check to
Pat Webb, F.O.R. Community Center Chairman
Dow / Smithsonian Community Catalyst Award –
The Catalyst Keeps on Working
There the ad was – in the special Innovators
edition of the October Smithsonian magazine. A contest with
a cash award for a community catalyst that had created an
initiative that is fundamentally changing lives.
Well, opening the mouth of the river was such an event. All
you had to do was write a 250 word essay telling the story.
But what was the chance that what we were doing on our
little river in Southern Brazoria County, Texas would stand
a chance against all the other initiatives submitted from
all over the nation? Probably not much, Jan Edwards thought,
but maybe, just maybe before the editors chunked the
application in the trash, someone would see the river’s
plight and write a story about what was going on. So the
essay was written – but not with much hope of success.
But then came the phone call from the Smithsonian that Roy
and Jan’s application had won the $1,000.00 cash award.
There was no question what they wanted to do with the money
and while they were still on the phone learning that they
had won, they asked that the check be written out to F.O.R.
for items needed at the new Community Center. After all,
they thought, they never expected to win, and the money came
from writing about the river and needed to go back to the
river – and the community.
Once the news of the award got to the F.O.R. Community
Center Chair, Pat Webb, and the Edwards thought about one of
the things needed for the center that there was no budget to
buy – and that was picnic tables. With a $1,000.00 – F.O.R.
could purchase 2 – maybe 3 park quality picnic tables and
benches OR… volunteers could get together and build 5 heavy
duty aluminum tables.
 So,
Pat ordered the materials and he, Roy, Ken Wright and
Darrell Powell started to work. They bent aluminum pipe to
the right size, and cut wood to size. Many many hours of
cutting and welding took place. Brazos Fasteners donated the
bolts and nuts and screws it took to assemble the tables,
and soon the many hands made light work of the tables. And
suddenly, there were 5 new picnic tables ready for action!
Now, more of the community can come and picnic at the F.O.R.
Community Center and F.O.R. will have more seating for
spring and summer events – and community events like
weddings and family reunions.
It seems that the Community Catalyst Award has joined in
with the catalyst of the river to create more community
interaction which continues to “fundamentally change
lives” along the river. Never doubt what our river
community can do with just a little catalyst – for where
there is great love, there will always be miracles.
Thank you, Jan and Roy, for your
contribution, to Friends Of the River, one that will be
enjoyed by all.
and many thanks for the time spent and hard work of these
F.O.R. volunteers.
Watch for the Dow Community Catalyst Award
announcement in the April (or May) Smithsonian magazine.
One of F.O.R.'s
primary functions is to educate the public
regarding the issues concerning the San Bernard
River and it's Communities. Contact Pat Webb
pat@sanbernardriver.com to schedule a
guest speaker for your group or special event.
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