VĚSTNÍK
Lodge 47, Seaton youth visits Port Aransas Dear Vestnik Readers This weekend, we get to go to Port Aransas! I can’t wait to go! On March 19, we got to go to a dance at our hall. It was super fun! There were brisket sandwiches and nachos. A lot of my family came to the dance. On Good Friday and Easter Monday, we don’t have school. In a few weeks, it will be time for STAAR testing. Boohoo. We have been doing a lot of benchmark exams to see how we will do on the STAAR. I think I will do well on my STAAR test. See you next month. Fraternally, Travis Ordogne, age 10 —SPJST—
Monday, April 25, 2022
SPJST May Věstník Project This project earns a maximum 1 point in the SPJST Youth Merit Point System. To complete the project questions to earn 1 point in the SPJST Merit Point System, scan the QR Code below, or go directly to spjst.org/programs/vestnik-project/
Canoeing the Colorado River Camp Kubena Ledbetter, Texas
Happy birthday, kayla of lodge 202 jourdanton
Lodge 202, Jourdanton Youth Club President Kayla Fair celebrates her 16th birthday on May 7, 2022. Have a fun, memorable day, Kayla! —Photo by Bettie House
17
“The Texas River Song,” sung by Lyle Lovett says, “and The crooked Colorado runs weaving and winding.” A slow and meandering river, the Colorado River has very little rough water but plenty of Texas sights, sounds, and smells to capture your senses. When you are sitting in your canoe, and you are drawing your paddle through the sometimes clear water, there is a sense of being back in time. Maybe a time when the Czech settlers were discovering this central Texas area, or maybe Stephen F. Austin taking a break on his travels to get a drink of the cool Colorado. Whatever time in history, canoeing this section of the river between Smithville and La Grange is always an adventure. As you put your canoe in the river, you notice the riverbed is just sand and gravel. Later, you will find out this sand and gravel makes great islands in the middle of the wide river that is perfect for a lunch break or even to pitch a tent for the night. At Camp Kubena, we are always used to seeing the post oaks, pecans, and live oak trees, but what was surprising, was the abundance of sycamore and willow trees. There is something relaxing about canoeing under a weeping willow with its shade and long, thin branches gently sweeping over
your head as you gently glide safely beneath it. In the hill country area of Texas, we are used to seeing limestone outcroppings, but on our section of the Colorado, the river cuts deep into the rich soil of the flood plains of Central Texas. You can really see the deep, red clay and dark black topsoil that this river deposits on the plains. As we slowly move down the river, with the sun overhead, it is definitely time to take a dip in the cool, refreshing waters. As you sit in the water, take a quiet moment to reflect; you soon realize you are not the only animals that think the Colorado is a fantastic place to cool off. Because just on the banks, there is a herd of white tail deer coming over for a quick drink, or there is a Pileated woodpecker hammering away on one of the many sycamore trees, or that crazy armadillo digs in the soft sand for some grubs. The Colorado River is home to so many plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, and other animals; it’s hard to remember it all. Not only is the Colorado River home to plants and wildlife, but it is immersed in the rich history of Texas. Many battlefields, settlements, and other historic places lie hidden along this route. Fact: The Colorado River is approximately 862 miles long and is the 18th longest river in the United States. It originates just south of Lubbock, continuing
through Austin, until emptying into Matagorda Bay on the Gulf of Mexico. In the summer of 1821, before Texas was a part of the United States, Stephen F. Austin sold 307 parcels of land to 297 families that became known as the “Old Three Hundred.” One of those families was the Beason family who built and operated a ferry that crossed the Colorado River. After the Battle of the Alamo, Santa Anna’s army headed for San Jacinto. Sam Houston ordered that Beason’s Crossing be burned. After the population returned in 1837, it was officially renamed Columbus. After a long day on the Colorado River, we finally canoe up to the landing in La Grange. You really get that feeling of just having taken a ride through time. You have seen animals that are sometimes just in pictures; you have heard the calls of the birds that seem to be covered up by the daily bustle of life; and you have looked at the night stars of Texas and imagined a time, sometimes forgotten. —SPJST—
https://spjst.org/programs/vestnik-project/
