MEDIA BLITZ

On July 23, 2026, Media Blitz coordinator, Bob Heinonen informed us that "9,133 postcards are now rubber banded in bundles of 100. Next step is to schedule and pay for the post office drops to be made on August 4th. Once scheduled, organize the bundles by carrier route within zip code." Then . . . they were mailed to EVERY mail receptacle in Blanco County!!! Did you receive your card? We hope you shared it with family and friends everywhere.

We are doing our best to spread the message about light pollution to as many people as possible. This is a major information project for BCFNS and it comes with some major expenses. We extend our sincere appreciation to our members and supporters. We couldn't fund this project without your continued support through membership renewals and donations. Thank You!!!

For those of you who live outside Blanco County here is the message that the card conveyed.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS

Calvin and Julie Allison are BCFNS newest Membership Sign recipients. Pictured above is Julie with our Advisory Board Member, Elizabeth Miller (in the hat). Julie and Calvin were already night sky enthusiasts as you can see in the background of the picture. Many a night is spent looking through their telescope at the wonders in the dark Blanco sky. They decided to let others know about the importance of keeping our sky dark by putting one of our signs in their yard. You can do the same by purchasing a sign; scroll to the bottom of this newsletter to find out how.

MARVEL AT THE MOON

What a spectacular satellite! September 19th is International Observe the Moon Night.

Kenton Brake, the new Interpreter at Park Blanco State Park has invited us to join him at 7:30 pm on September 19th "as we peer at our nearest celestial neighbor and learn some cool things about the moon!" Join us as we welcome Kenton. We are looking forward to future night sky programs at the park.

https://tpwd.texas.gov/calendar/blanco/marvel-at-the-moon-1

SPEAKING OF THE MOON . . .

We hope you were able to enjoy the "near total" lunar eclipse on Thursday, August 27th. It was a perfect evening for sky watching in Port Aransas, Texas where this editor was viewing.

I hope the Blanco sky cleared enough for you all to enjoy it as well. Although, the rain was a most welcome gift. The image above comes from Jason Ware in DFW looking through a 14" scope. If you missed this one you'll have to wait until June 25-26, 2029 to catch the next total lunar eclipse over Blanco County!

TWIN SISTERS 11th ANNUAL "RAISE THE ROOF" COOK-OFF & FESTIVAL

Please consider coming out to Twin Sisters dance hall, located at 6720 Hwy 281 South, 6 miles south of Blanco, Texas, on September 26th from 9am-4 pm, to support the "Raise the Roof" event. BCFNS will be there. Stop by our table to say "hello" and bid on the silent auction item we have donated to help raise money for this historic dance hall. There will be food, vendor booths, music and a dance later in the evening.

A BCFNS member who wishes to remain anonymous once again donated a sponsorship to "Raise the Roof" on our behalf. This is a double win as it brings recognition to both organizations! Twin Sisters placed the message below on their Facebook page.

A BIG THANK YOU TO BLANCO COUNTY FRIENDS OF THE NIGHT SKY! 🌟
We are so grateful for the support of Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky as a sponsor of our upcoming fundraiser! Your generosity helps us continue our mission of preserving Twin Sisters Dance Hall & Community Center and keeping this special place alive for our community. ❤️ We truly appreciate you being part of our 10th Annual Fundraiser and helping us make this event possible!

Please join us in giving Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky a huge THANK YOU! Thank you for supporting local history, community, and the traditions that make the Hill Country so special! 🤠💛

BUT WAIT . . . THERE'S MORE . . .

The Blanco Conservation Initiative (BCCI) and Twin Sisters Dance Hall are sponsoring an Art Contest. Highway to History. If you are the creative type, you might be interested.

"Just a stone's throw from Highway 281 there are wood floors that hold the soul of thousands of dances. A whole landscape soaked in the sound of guitar pickers and fiddle players and laughter. Shady oaks who saw the raising of the roof in 1870 and the wagon trail that became a road etched into the landscape for future generations to follow. And then became a highway."

"If you've ever tried to tell the story of a place through art, then we want you for the 2026 Art Contest: Highway to History. Artwork will be displayed at the 11th Annual Raise the Roof Cook-off and Festival. More info can be found at bccitx.org/art-contest." The submission deadline is just a few weeks away and everyone is excited to see what our local artists create!"

FALL BIRD MIGRATION HAS BEGUN

Millions of hummingbirds and many other types of birds are beginning their fall migration through Texas, with the Gulf Coast serving as a major stop along the way. Help the birds find their way by turning off your outdoor lights!

NEXT BOARD MEETING

The next Board meeting will be September 16th @ 9:00 am at Texas Regional Bank in Blanco.

You are welcome to join us.

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. A membership sign is the best publicity the night sky can have.

If you have been thinking of joining BCFNS or renewing your membership, you can take advantage of our special offering of a free one-year membership ($20) with the purchase of a sign ($35 tax included).

Click here to purchase your sign today: https://www.blancocountynightsky.org/membership.php

An automatic, reoccurring payment for your membership is a great benefit. One and Done!

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

THIS NEWSLETTER

We hope you enjoy our newsletter and are 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.

If you would rather not receive these newsletters, just reply "No thank you" and we'll purge you from the list with no hard feelings.