Chris Curbow and his wife Courtney escaped from Houston and moved to Blanco in the summer of 2004. Courtney knew the area and they just picked the town that seemed like the right mix of pretty and quiet. Chris works as the Controller for Cox Paving of Texas and he and Courtney have a son, Townes, who is attending Texas A&M. Chris has lived in a bunch of different places but never anywhere as long as he's now been in Blanco. It's home.

Chris resides within the city limits of Blanco, and has many times stared up at the sky from his backyard on a new moon night, appreciating how visible the stars are for being viewed from right in town. He knew this was largely due to the work of the Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky and so also knew there wasn't any way he could say no when asked to volunteer.

Treasurer and board member are Chris's main duties with BCFNS. He's handling a lot of the financial reporting and will be fulfilling a few other tasks such as judging art contests and getting readings on Sky Quality Meters.

In his free time, he plays guitar and banjo and writes songs, as well as fitting in a little gardening when he can.

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THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF BLANCO'S OUTDOOR LIGHTING ORDINANCE ADMINISTRATOR IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE

  
Before                                          After

Here's a view of the rear of the 7-11 Service Station in Blanco Before and After they retrofitted their outdoor lighting. Note the change in color temperature and the reduction in glare. Big difference!!! We'd like to thank the management of the facility for their willing cooperation in making the night sky above Blanco just a bit darker for us all to enjoy.

Stay tuned for more Before and After photos as other businesses around the County jump on the bandwagon for night sky preservation!

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POETRY FROM OUR CONTEST

Thank you to everyone who participated in our poetry contest. The winning poem was shared last month. Each month until they have all been shared, one will be featured in this newsletter.

Owl & the Dark Skies
By Rachel Lumpee

As sunset fades,
the night's sweet shade,
nocturnal creatures start to parade.

An owl's soft hoot, a gentle sound,
echoes through the darkness all around.

Hoot, hoot, the owl's wise call,
underneath the Milky Way's twinkling wall.

A calming scene, a peaceful sight,
a night of rest, a gentle delight.

Let's protect our dark skies with care,
for Owl and creatures that roam with flair.

Their lifestyle depends on the night's dark skies,
so let's protect the night sky before it dies.

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WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Cindy and Tim Hayford
Craig Allen Webb
Claire Raver
Annette and Jeff Raver

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NEXT BOARD MEETING

The next Board meeting will be April 15th @ 9:00 am at Texas Regional Bank in Blanco.

You are welcome to join us.

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CONSIDER BECOMING A MEMBER

A membership sign in your yard is a great way to let others know that you care about the night sky and perhaps make them curious about the organization. We have been successful with our Membership Sign Promotion but still need your help. The more signs we can get out in the public, the more people we can reach with our message to “save the stars.”

If you have been thinking of joining BCFNS or renewing your membership, you can still take advantage of our special offering of a free one-year membership ($20) with the purchase of a sign ($35 tax included). A membership sign is the best publicity the Blanco County night sky can have. Go to: https://www.blancocountynightsky.org/membership.php to order your sign today!

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

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THIS NEWSLETTER

We hope you enjoy our newsletter. BCFNS is always looking for ways to make it better and more enjoyable. To that end, we invite your suggestions, comments and ideas for articles. In fact, if you would like to write an article to be published in our newsletter, we will certainly consider including it. Please send them to: newsletter@blancocountynightsky.org

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.