WOW! That’s a BIG sign!

Fred and Terry Duncan, Lifetime Members who live north of Round Mountain, wanted a bigger sign to hang on their gate. Board member Bob Heinonen recently delivered this 24”H x 36”W sign to the Duncans. Our “normal” size sign is 12”H x 18”W which you see in the picture to the right of the Duncans. We love this larger sign as it is more visible to people passing by on US281.

BCFNS has decided to offer this larger sign to all members: Business, Lifetime, and Household members. If you would like a LARGER sign, let us know and we’ll order one for you. Currently, the larger sign will cost $179.86. If we can order 5 at one time the cost could be about $50 less. If you are interested, please send us an email and we’ll work out the details. Don’t forget to check out all of our membership and sign options at the bottom of this newsletter.

Contests

You may have realized by now that we LOVE contests! Another thing you may realize is that we LOVE “themes”. Below we’ll share information on upcoming contests and for your entertainment one of the poems from our Poetry Contest which was held earlier this year.

If you haven’t already started, it is time to begin working on your song for the 2022 Night Sky Song Contest. The theme is: Preserving the Night Sky!

We know some of you may have already written a song without knowing the theme. That’s okay; we will accept any original song that focuses on the night sky in a meaningful way.

The songwriter or anyone they designate, is invited to perform their song on October 1, 2022 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at Gem of the Hills in Blanco, Texas.

We are currently working on the prize to be awarded and how judging will take place. Both will be announced soon. All BCFNS members will be invited to attend.

The 2022 contest is underway with the theme “Under One Night Sky”. Students around the county are working to express their thoughts about the night sky through art. This year’s contest is open to students in the Blanco and Johnson City schools as well as Blanco County home schooled students. This is such a fun event for all of us as we enjoy these original creations. Check Facebook and Instagram for details or send us an email. The contest runs from now until April 21st. Winners will be announced shortly thereafter.



Here’s a look at a few of last’s year’s entries.

Entry in our poetry contest, “The Night Sky through the Poet’s Eye”, ended in January and all of the ten poems are available to read in our Facebook Group under “Featured”. We realize some of you may not have a Facebook account so, we have decided to share some of the poems in our upcoming newsletters. The first one we’ll share is:

Finding Darkness
by Jodell Wright

When bright lights and big cities ceased to impress us,
We headed up north, where life might be stressless.

The darkness at first, was a bit disconcerting.
Where were the street lights we'd been used to see burning?

But when we looked up, all the light that was needed,
Was found in the brilliance of stars unimpeded.

We soon learned of a group called the Friends of the Skies,
So we quickly enrolled, and put up our sign.

Now our knowledge of stars, the meteors, and planets,
Has increased to limits we could've only imagined.

The moon, the Perseids, Orion, and Venus,
Are some of the wonders that never cease to amaze us.

We pray through the efforts of these Friends of the Skies,
That darkness prevails in the hills where we reside.

* * * * * *

Meet the BCFNS Board Members

Barbara Hudson

Barbara Hudson spent her childhood in Johnson City and graduated from Johnson City High School. She moved to Austin to attend school, raise a family and work in a law firm for 40 years before returning to her childhood home in Johnson City.

A friend invited her to get involved with Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky (BCFNS) and it’s been quite an educational experience. After living in Austin and seeing how the development and growth was impacting the night sky view, she decided spending time learning and educating others about the preservation of the night sky is a worthwhile effort.

Barbara is retired and serves as Board Secretary for the BCFNS plus volunteers for the Johnson City Library, League of Women Voters-Hill Country, and her church. Barbara is also actively involved with a committee planning for the total eclipse in 2024.

Next Business and Brainstorming Session

Our next meeting is Wednesday, April 20th @ 9:00 a.m., at El Charro Restaurant in Johnson City. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you would like to attend via Zoom, just let us know and we’ll make it happen.

Other News

• We will have a space at the Exhibit Hall for the Blanco County Fair & Rodeo August 19-20th.
• BCFNS Advisory Board – Are you willing to share your expertise? We would like to include: A realtor, a developer, a contractor, a lighting fixture expert, a CPA and other professionals who have a passion for the night sky. Contact us at: President@BlancoCountyNightSky.org or join us at our March meeting.
• Volunteer Opportunities at BCFNS Volunteers

New Membership Options

You asked and we found a way!!! Below are two new options for you to purchase or renew your membership plus our ongoing special membership sign offer.

Lifetime Membership – If you really would like to make a difference in protecting the night sky, become a Lifetime Member. For a one-time payment of $500 you can become a member of Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky for LIFE! In addition, Lifetime Members will be awarded a Lifetime Membership sign. This is a non-refundable membership.

We already have 4 Lifetime Members!!! See who they are at Lifetime Members!!!


Prepaid Membership – If you would like to prepay your membership for five years or more you are now able to do that. This will save you time and it will be easier to make sure your membership is always up to date. This prepayment option is non-refundable.

For more information on these and all our membership options click here: Membership Options

Membership Sign Promotion - A membership sign is the best publicity the night sky can have. For folks thinking of joining the BCFNS or renewing their membership, we are offering a free membership ($20) with the purchase of a sign ($35 tax included). Here’s the link: BCFNS Membership Signs. There are already 77 member signs out there!!!

Remember we are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. Please consult your accountant or tax adviser for details regarding deductibility for your donation.

Stat Report

Type	January	February	March
Lifetime Members	-	4	4
Paid Households	80	84	91
Household Members	159	167	181
Business Members	6	7	7
Signs Displayed	72	77	77
Facebook Group Members	544	558	568
Facebook Reactions	597	396	138
Instagram Followers	269	284	298
Instagram Reactions	46	65	56
Website Visitors (Unique)	613*	1120	1000+

* Partial month