Thankful Hubbard has been awarded the page of the month for December 2006.2008 NSDAR Community Service Award
"Giving back to the Community with every project"
- the philosophy of Dick Rathgeber,
Thankful Hubbard's NSDAR Community Service Award
2008 Recipient
The NSDAR Community Service Award was presented to Dick Rathgeber by our Thankful Hubbard Chapter at a special luncheon meeting at the Austin Woman's Club on April 14, 2008. This national award recognizes worthy residents from a variety of walks of life for unpaid voluntary achievements in cultural, educational, humanitarian, patriotic, historical and citizenship endeavors, or in environmental conservation. The recipient must have contributed to the community in an outstanding manner for voluntary heroic, civic, or benevolent service or organized or participated in community activities.
Thank you Floylee Hemphill Goldberger (our chapter Community Service Committee Chair) for spearheading this nomination and completing all the necessary paperwork, because Dick won the award!
Dick Rathgeber, a well-known Austin area philanthropist and real estate developer, is certainly a worthy individual who has contributed to our community in countless outstanding ways. A highly respected businessman, Mr. Rathgeber has cleared the way for many construction projects, including Holy Cross Hospital, Texas School for the Deaf, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (3 projects at the former air base), Millennium Entertainment Center and Moffett Molecular Biology Building (UT-Austin -- former Anna Hiss Pool). In addition, his firm, Southwest Construction, has provided major demolition projects at a reduced rate, or completely donated for the Austin Parks Foundation, the Austin Children's Museum, Safe Place, People's Community Clinic, Meals on Wheels, the Texas Women's Chamber of Commerce, the Seton Healthcare System, and the Salvation Army, valued at $2,000,000.
Most recently, Mr. Rathgeber has donated 16 acres of land, valued at $3.6 million, to provide facilities designated for organizations helping children. The land is adjacent to the old Robert Mueller Airport. Two of the designated agencies are Austin Children's Shelter and the Scottish Rite Dyslexic Learning Center. He and his wife, Sara, have donated and assisted the Settlement Home, the Girl Scouts Council, and the Helping Hand Home for Children. He has chaired several fund-raising campaigns in Austin, including one benefiting the Shoal Creek Hospital in acquiring 16 new psychiatric beds. He has assisted the fund-raising for the Settlement Home.
Among the many awards of distinction bestowed on Dick Rathbeger are: top three awards from the National Salvation Army (only world wide recipient); Lutheran of the Year in Texas (1990), National Association of Fundraiser's "Philanthropist of the Year," (1995); Meals on Wheels and More Keystone Award, (2000); Austin Chamber of Commerce's "Austinite of the Year," (1985); Urban League "Humanitarian Award" (1985); Austin Children's Shelter "Spirit of the Shelter" (2002); Dennis Quaid Charity Weekend's "Star for Austin's Children" (2005); Real Estate Council "Neil Kocurek Life Achievement Award" (2006); Best Citizen -- Austin Chronical (2007); Austin-American Statesman Editorials praising Dick Rathbeger for gifts to the Austin Independent School district for a future performing arts center, including land and gifts valued at $7,000,000, together with front page news articles (2008);
A Shout-out for Jean Durkee !
National Honorable Mention from NSDAR for Jean Durkee's essay submitted for the American Heritage Committee Contest, A Heritage Remembered (Literature and Drama-Short Story category). Jean, your Thankful Hubbard chapter salutes you!
The Thread of Life and Love
In the late 1880s Grandmother learned to crochet, as many of the young ladies did in that time period. Her fingers were constantly busy crocheting doilies and beautiful medallions with a single thread to finally be joined together to make tablecloths, dresser scarves, armchair covers and so many useful items for the home. There was one special piece that Grandmother Ida Hillard Stevens (1886-1977) crocheted that was passed on to me from my mother, Lucy Stevens Kellner NS DAR # 433657.
In1942, during World War II, Grandmother had trouble finding enough thread to continue her crocheting talents. As she was mourning the death of her youngest daughter, Elizabeth, a bride of 6-weeks, who was hit by a car as she stood on the sidewalk waiting for a bus, she then learned two weeks later of the death of her eldest son, LTCOL. Francis Robert Stevens. General George Marshall sent my Uncle, LTCOL Stevens, on a fact-finding mission for a clearer picture of activities in the Pacific. He met Lyndon Baines Johnson, a congressman from Texas and Commander in the Navy Reserve who was performing the same mission for President Roosevelt. The men decided to combine forces and continue as a team. On June 9, 1942, they landed at Seven-Mile Air Strip in New Guinea and went to the flight line where B-26 Marauders were waiting to take off on a raid. Johnson found a seat on the Wabash Cannonball. A few minutes later, he climbed out to retrieve his camera. When Johnson returned, Stevens had taken his seat and, grinning, told him to find another bomber. Johnson made the flight aboard the Heckling Hare which developed engine trouble and turned back. The Wabash Cannonball, with Stevens aboard, was attacked by the famous Saburo Sakai, who piloted the Japanese Zero. Through all of this tragedy, Grandmother knew she could feel ‘together’ then, held by a thread of imagination and hope if she could find some thread to crochet.
Grandmother and Granddad Stevens heard that there may be hope in finding some thread to crochet. They went to the Parachute Factory on the outskirts of Columbia, Mississippi to see if there was any ‘thread’ that she could buy to continue her crochet projects. The manager pointed to a barrel of parachute cord and told Grandmother to take as much as she wanted. Here was the ‘thread of life’ to be used as the ‘thread of love’ into a most beautiful bedspread which now graces the bed in our guest room.
With my personal story, A Heritage Remembered ~ The Thread of Life and Love, let us all pray for a thread of hope and imagination to bring us all together in life and love.
A Shout-out for Thankful Hubbard Member Diane Tulia !
At our Thankful Hubbard Holiday Tea in December (2008), we presented Diane Tulia -- tireless volunteer -- with the Community Service Award for her years of Volunteer Service and Recognition.
Diane Tulia's life reflects her dedication to serving others. She has spent years, often decades, devoted to a wide variety of volunteer activities. In the last five years, her focus has included being a Volunteer Transitional Care Parent for the Gladney Center for Adoption; a Victim Services Volunteer for Travis County; a Mentor at Galindo Elementary School (Austin AISD); Committee and Board member of her home owners' association; a special fund raising volunteer for Red River Valley Fighter Pilot's Association (deeply involved in this organization that "takes care of their own," as both wife and daughter of veterans -- Gulf War and Vietnam, respectively, she holds RRVF close to her heart); Breast Cancer support group volunteer (as a 17 year survivor of Breast Cancer, Diane shows newly diagnosed women that there is, indeed, life after cancer treatment!).
Diane is the recipient of numerous honors and awards:
February 2008 - Sertoma Club of Austin's Service to Mankind Award Winner and Regional Service to Mankind Regional Award Winner for 2008
May 2008 - Humanitarian of the Year for 2008, Air Warrior Courage Foundation (formed by members of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilot's Association to expand upon their principles)
1989 - The Foreign Technology Division (at Wright Patterson Air Force Base) nominee for the Joan Orr Air Force Wife of the Year
1988 - Outstanding Young Woman of America
Beginning in 1975 and the Columbus Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Diane's life was filled with volunteer service: in 1976, Pike’s Peak Mental Health and Family Counseling¬ Trained Counselor in Colorado Springs, CO; 1981 Officer’s Wives’ Club Hospitality Chairman Keflavik NAS, Iceland; 1982-1984 Battered Women’s Shelter-- Trained Counselor Seymour Johnson AFB, NC; 1984-1986 Wildlife Rescue Wildlife Rehabilitator Austin, Texas; Miami Valley Literacy Council-- Taught illiterate adults to read Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio; 1987-1988 Activities Chairman-responsible for organizing and overseeing the annual Fund Raising project for the Officer's Wives' Club Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio; Treasurer, Wright Patterson Air Force Base Officer’s Wives’ Club Treasurer-administered an annual budget of $130,000 with a percentage donated to charity Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio; Candy Striper for troops being deployed to Iraq during the early stages of Operation Desert Shield Torrejon AB, Spain; Second Vice President, Officer’s Wives’ Club Torrejon, AB, Spain; 1990-1991 Member at Large Officer's Wives Club Torrejon AB, Spain ; 1992-1994 Reach to Recovery Volunteer-made visits to the hospital after a patient had cancer surgery to offer encouragement and support Ramstein AB, Germany; 1992-1994 American Cancer Society-- Speaker to Groups concerning Detection and Survival of Breast Cancer Ramstein AB, Germany; 1992-1994 Lutheran Parish Council Ramstein AB, Germany; 1992-1994 Red Cross Volunteer Ramstein AB, Germany 1994 Officer’s Wives’ Club Hospitality Chairman Luke AFB, Arizona Red Cross Volunteer; 1993 Treasurer for Ramstein AB Charity Bazaar, raised over $2 million, with 10% coming to our OWC f for charity donations;1993 Protestant Parish Executive Board-Secretary Ramstein AB, Germany; 1993 Officer’s Wives’ Club Treasurer, operating budget of $220,000, with a portion donated to charity Ramstein AB, Germany; 1993-1994 Member -Executive Protestant Parish Council Ramstein AB, Germany; 1993-1994 National Military Family Association Representative Ramstein AB, Germany; 1995-1996 Officer’s Wives’ Club Parliamentarian Moody AFB, Georgia; 1995-1996 Red Cross Volunteer Moody AFB, Georgia; 1996-1997 Board Member, Any Baby Can Austin, Texas.
A Shout-out for Amanda Bohm
Her Constitution Week poster won Third Place at 2008 TSDAR Conference.