Well done Gonzales — take a bow

Over the course of the past week and a half, the community of Gonzales has pulled off a couple of amazing events with great aplomb. 

The two events were the Sisters on the Fly group holding their first ever national gathering at J.B. Wells Park and the Come and Take It Celebration. Both events require a tremendous amount of planning, behind the scenes work, and lots of help from citizens, businesses and local government and first responders.

It is our opinion the citizens, businesses and public entities of this area deserve a huge pat on the back for pulling these two events off and deserve to step forward and take a bow. For a town of this size to host two huge community events simultaneously with lots of local volunteers donating hundreds of hours of time and producing two quality events, well, we just think that is special and everyone should be proud of the community they live in.

First, let’s mention the Sisters on the Fly. Over 525 women from 32 different states attended the event at J.B. Wells. They arrived with wonderfully designed campers, 5^th wheels, motorhomes and even a teepee. Some slept in tents. Others stayed at local B and B’s or in our hotels. They all had a blast while they were here. They raved about the friendliness of the community and were overwhelmed by the welcoming reception they received when they got here. They also spent a ton of out of town money in attempting to support the community they were visiting. Our town was the beneficiary of their support and spending while they were here. To all the wonderful ladies of Sisters on the Fly, we say thank you and please come back again.

There are lots of people who deserve a big pat on the back for making this happen. Anne Dollery and her team at J.B. Wells did yeoman work in pulling off this huge event. Our new friend MaryLou Hostetter from Seguin organized this national event, and she was the reason Sisters on the Fly chose Gonzales for their first ever national convocation. People from Main Street, the Chamber of Commerce and the city of Gonzales all threw in whatever help and assistance Sisters on the Fly needed. Everywhere the Inquirer went we heard members of the group praising Marlene at the Running M, Bessie at Come and Take It, Angels and Outlaws, Rob and Lisa Brown for their hospitality and the list goes on and on. There were countless others who volunteered time and opened their doors for service and hospitality. Well done everyone.

Then there was Come and Take It. A huge thank you needs to go to the members of the Come and Take It committee, Daisy and Liz Beth at the Chamber of Commerce, various service organizations like the Lions Club, the Leos, the Elks, K of C, Daughters of the Texas Revolution and the list goes on and on. We would especially like to thank all the volunteers who donated their precious time to work the event and give up their free time to participate at Come and Take It. The volunteers not only donated time, but their cheerfulness and politeness combined to make the 63^rd Come and Take It one of the best ever.

We our proud of our community and the citizens who live here. Thank you and congratulations for all your hard work over the past week. We just want you to know you should feel proud of your efforts. Well done Gonzales!

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the passing of a Gonzales legend, Leon Netardus. Leon passed away on Friday, Oct. 4, and it was a monumental loss for the community. Leon was a great ambassador for the community and was a World War II hero. He was everyone’s friend and was one of the reasons why Gonzales started promoting its history and the community to the outside world. He wanted everyone to know about the community he loved so much. He was a great spokesman for our town, our history and our community. Leon was also our friend, and we can’t help but mourn his loss.

Godspeed, Mr. Netardus. For all your efforts on behalf of this community, we know you are looking on the Countenance of the Almighty. Thank you, and we shall miss you.