Summer 2008 - Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve

Quarterly Newsletter of the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, Inc.
Calendar
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Events
Ste. Genevieve Garden Walk
When: May 17th & 18th
Felix Valle SHS Open House
When: Sat, Jun 14th
Ste. Genevieve’s
French Heritage Days
When: Jun 7th & 8th
Ste. Genevieve
FREEDOM Celebration
When: July 4th
Where: Pere Marquette Parc
Ste. Genevieve County Fair
When: Jul 11th thru 13th
Jour De Fete Festival
When: Aug 9th & 10th
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Meetings
Program Meeting
When: Sun, May 18th at 5 p.m.
Where: Guibourd-Vallé Garden
Board of Director’s Meeting
When: Thu, Jun 19th at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Kiel-Schwent House
Annual Membership Mtng
When: Sun, Jul 20th at TBD
Where: TBD
Summer 2008
Memorial Cemetery Update
The Foundation for Restoration recently
completed the Save America’s Treasures
grant for partial restoration of the Cemetery.
The Foundation’s Cemetery Committee
has been developing plans for the next
phase of the Restoration. The landscaping
plan has been bid and awarded to Huck’s
Landscaping, which will include the planting
of 25 trees and shrubs this spring as well
as maintaining the plantings that were
installed last year. A contract has also been
established with Booker Rucker to complete
the recordation regarding the tombstone
restoration.
Bids for completion of the fence and stone
wall on the west border and tuck pointing
of the existing stone wall are also being
solicited.
A 50 year easement with the National
Park Service was recently signed by the
City of Ste. Genevieve and recorded. This
easement is a requirement of the Save
America’s Treasures grant. Its primary
purpose is to insure that any future work will
follow the guidelines under which the recent
SAT project was performed.
Volunteers from the Foundation for
Restoration of Ste. Genevieve spent
Saturday morning, March 8th cleaning up the
old Memorial Cemetery in Ste. Genevieve.
Nine loads of leaves and limbs were taken to
the city disposal area. Volunteers included
Jack and Mickey Koetting, Jack Donze,
John Orem, Sam Ewing, Chuck Houchin,
John Karel, Bob Kist, and Bob Mueller. The
Foundation was assisted by local cemetery
neighbor, Lonnie Medley who provided time
and equipment.
VALLÉ HIGH Students Volunteer for the Foundation
On Friday, April 18th, twelve Vallé High
School students performed volunteer work
for the Foundation of Restoration. Megan
Basler and Katlyn Kertz helped by cleaning
the Kiel-Schwent House. Wade Kraenzle
and Jeremy Abts worked at the GuibourdVallé House. Carol Naeger, Jacob Grass,
Kory Donze, Garrett Gertzemeyer, Lindsey
Orr, Seanice Evans, Ally Suiter, and Kayla
Meyer all participated in a cleanup at the
Memorial Cemetery. Mario Pace, a teacher
at Vallé High School, also helped out. Thanks
to all of these fine young teenagers who
are giving back to their community. Their
support and efforts are greatly appreciated.
Board of Directors Meeting
When: Thu, Aug 21st at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Kiel-Schwent House
Subj: Election of Officers
NOTICE
The May Board Meeting will
be held at 5 p.m. on Sunday,
May 18th at the GuibourdVallé House. Please RSVP
with your payment of $7.50
per person for dinner to
FRSG NLT May 14th.
Photo by Robert Kist
Pictured with the students are Mario Pace, Mickey Koetting, and Joann Schremp
Page 2
Quarterly Newsletter of the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, Inc.
Clean-up Day
Saturday, March 18th was a clean-up day at the Guibourd
Vallé House in anticipation of the season opening on March
29th. Thanks to GV House Committee Chairperson Bonnie
Samuelson and Mickey Koetting, Sandra Cabot, Ellie
Douglas, John Wibbenmeyer, Al Kaiser, Joann Schremp,
Bob Mueller, Chuck Houchin, John Karel, Bob Kist, and
Frank Myer for their efforts.
The Guibourd-Vallé House held a free open house during
Ste. Genevieve’s Spring Into Ste. Genevieve event on
March 29th. After the open house, Bob Kist of the Cemetery
Committee provided a history of the cemetery restoration
project and a description of plans for the next phase. The
event concluded with a trip to the Cemetery where Mickey
Koetting gave a short talk on those buried in the cemetery
and the French Marines from Fort de Chartres fired a salute
in honor of the Ste. Genevieve’s pioneers buried there.
Guests were invited to view the restoration efforts completed
to date.
Bonnie Samuelson, Chairperson of the Guibourd-Vallé
House Committee is looking for volunteers who would like
to serve on the committee. Areas of interest include the
garden, furnishings, in-door and out-door maintenance,
gift shop improvement, long range planning, marketing and
historical interpretation. If interested, please contact Ann
Casada at the Foundation headquarters on 573-883-9622
or email the Foundation at [email protected].
Seeking Tour Guides
We are looking for someone who would like to work every
Saturday throughout the 2008 Season. The hours are from
10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. We are also looking for someone
to work as a “substitute” during the week or on Sundays
when one of the regular staff is unable to work. The house is
closed on Wednesdays. The pay is $6.00 per hour.
If you are interested in being a Tour Guide this year at the
Guibourd-Vallé House, please contact Ann Casada at the
Foundation headquarters at (573) 883-9622.
Sale at the Guibourd-Vallé Gift Shop
Numerous items are currently on sale at up to 50% off at
the Guibourd-Vallé Gift Shop. The sale will continue through
the French Heritage festival in early June. Stop by and
purchase a gift for someone and help promote the operation
of the Guibourd-Vallé House.
Mecker Research Library Happenings
Book Sale
Library Donations
The Mecker Research Library held a Book Sale at the
Foundation Office on Saturday March 29th as part of the
Spring Into Ste. Genevieve event. Thanks goes out to all the
Foundation members and the general public who donated
books for this event.
Some recent donations to the library include:
Thanks also to Janet Leonard, Ellie Douglas, Joann
Schremp, Linda Mueller and Bob Mueller for providing the
labor to setup the sale. A special thanks to Chris Nohr of
Missouri Molding and Glass for providing assistance on
signage for the event. Janet Leonard, Ann Casada, Sarah
Menard, Ellie Douglass and Linda Mueller all helped out to
run the day of the sale. Approximately $250 was collected
and will be used to buy additional books and hardware for
the library.
Board Member Donna Charron has agreed to become
chairperson of the Foundation’s Mecker Research Library
Committee replacing Frank Rolfe. Those individuals
interested in serving on the Committee should contact
Donna via the Foundation’s Office at 573-883-9622.
John Jay Audubon by Richard Rhodes
The Family Genealogy Series by Rob Beckerman
Jokerst Family
Wipfler Family
Baum and Falk Families
Beckermann Families
Eichenlaub Family
Herzog Family
CD of Dozen Distinctive Destination Presentation
“Resource Guide to Ste. Genevieve Genealogy”
Keil-Schwent sign photo
Quarterly Newsletter of the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, Inc.
Page 3
Foundation Flag Now Flying
The Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve now
has a flag that can be flown on Foundation buildings and
at the Island of Flags in the Ste. Genevieve City Square.
We will also be able to use our flag during parades and
promenades. Thanks to Chuck and Carrie Houchin for
providing various designs and then working the details out
with the flag manufacturing company to have the design
selected made.
A flag raising ceremony was held on Saturday, March 29th
during the Spring Into Ste. Genevieve event. President
Mickey Koetting spoke about the Foundation and the flag
and a ‘hurrah’ was given by the crowd and the Company of
French Marines from Fort de Chartres.
Photo by Bob Mueller
Memorial Cemetery cleanup crew (left to right): Jack Donze, John Orem,
John Karel, Mickey Koetting, Sam Ewing, Bob Kist, Chuck Houchin
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Foundation Board of Director Changes
Frank Rolfe, a Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve
Board of Directors member has submitted his resignation
due to increased family activities. We thank Frank for his past
contributions as a Board member and as Chairman of the
Mecker Research Library Committee. Frank indicated that
he is still very supportive of the Foundation’s initiatives.
At the March Board meeting, the Foundation’s Board of
Directors elected Chuck Houchin to fill out the remainder
of Frank Rolfe’s term on the Board. Chuck and his wife,
Carrie, have been supporting the Foundation’s activities
since moving to Ste. Genevieve in October 2007.
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Ways to Improve
Our Community’s Appearance
Protect:
• Entryways and roads that have outstanding scenic or
historic importance.
• Scenic vistas: bury utility wires, screen unsightly
intrusions.
• Trees and landscape character: plant street trees,
landscape parking lots.
• Billboards: limit the size, height, and number of other
outdoor signs.
Encourage:
• Tourist support facilities (hotels, motels, restaurants and
shops) to locate in historic buildings or to build new structures
that are architecturally compatible with the community but
not imitative of your town’s authentic historic buildings.
Excerpt from “Community Appearance and Tourism: What’s the Link”
by Ed McMahon
Photo by Charles Mueller
Mickey Koetting and Bob Mueller hoisting the new Foundation flag at
the Isle of Flags with the French Marines in formation.
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In Memoriam
John McCammon - Elaine Scherer
The families and friends of recently deceased long time
Foundation members, John McCammon and Elaine
Scherer provided a lasting memorial to their loved ones by
making donations to the Genevieve Memorial Cemetery
Restoration Fund. We thank them for their generosity and
please remember them in your thoughts and prayers as you
walk through the Cemetery.
Mark your Calendar
The annual general membership meeting of the
Foundation for Restoration will be held on Sunday, July
20, 2008 in the afternoon. The specific time and place
will be announced in June.
This is a good time to meet fellow Foundation members,
hear about the happenings of the Foundation over the
last year, enjoy a St. Genevieve related program, and
meet the newly elected members of your Board of
Directors.
Foundation for Restoration
of Ste. Genevieve, Inc.
P.O. Box 88
Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
U.S.POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT #88
STE. GENEVIEVE, MO 63670
Published Quarterly by the
Foundation for Restoration
of Ste. Genevieve, Inc.
P.O. Box 88
Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
 573-883-9622
email: [email protected]
2008-2009
Officers and Board
Mickey Koetting, President
Bob Mueller, 1st Vice Pres
Sandra Cabot, 2nd Vice Pres
Bob Mueller, Treasurer
Ann Casada, Secretary
Jan Brans
Donna Charron
Ellie Douglass
Tom Greminger
Clarence Hill
Michael E. Horrell, CPA
John Karel
Robert Kist
Frank Myers
Charles Houchin
Bonnie Samuelson
John Wibbenmeyer
Cover art: Detail of Ste. Genevieve, Missouri mural on the Missouri State Capitol.
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Copyright © 2008 Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, Inc. All rights reserved.
No portion of this publication may be copied or reprinted without the expressed written consent of the Foundation for Restoration of Ste. Genevieve, Inc..