Brewer Ex-Student Association holds annual business meeting

By Cheryl Posey

This year marked the first year for the Brewer Ex-Student Association to meet in the beautiful new library at Brewer High School on Loop 820. The meeting attracted a crowd of about 25 members who made several important decisions for the upcoming year.

After the reading of the minutes from the last business meeting, one of the first motions to be made for the evening surprised many present. The action was a motion to disband the association due to lack of interest. The member explained that although he and many others had been loyal to the club for years, membership had been steadily declining and he thought the new generations of Bears graduating were no longer interested in such an organization. The motion was seconded, but many members asked that the motion be tabled for a year to see if anyone else had any suggestions on creating interest in the organization. The motion never made it to a vote.

Frank Molinar, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Community Relations for the White Settlement ISD, then stood and asked if he could address the crowd. He expressed concern over disbanding the more than 40-year-old club and said that he believed there were still many ex-students and golden Bears willing to expend their time and energy to keep the organization afloat. “I am personally against disbanding,” he stated and said that he hoped the members would give him 1 year to try to turn the club around.

He stated that with the recent change in administration he was sure the school district would become more receptive to the club and would be supportive of the organization’s future endeavors. He also said that as a proud 1985 graduate of Brewer High, he was ready to dedicate himself to the cause of helping resurrect the Exes’ Association.

Former Exes’ Association president Maxine Harrod said she agreed with what Molinar was saying, but also stated that the organization needed some new life. “We need the young people if we are to survive,” she said.

As the members listened the motion was withdrawn and the group began to focus their attention on the planned agenda. Donna Weber gave a treasury report and stated that the association had started with $1,682.16 in December of 2006 and that at the time of the meeting that night the treasury had $636.74. Money making projects for this past year had included memberships, T-shirt sales and a rummage sale held as part of the Senior Citizens of White Settlement’s parking lot sale. Expenditures included bank fees, the annual scholarships given in May, rental of the VFW hall for the social and the purchase of the T-shirts for the club to sale.

It was noted that the classes of 1957, ’67, ‘77, ‘87, ‘97 and 2007 were the honor classes for this year’s Homecoming, and that they would be recognized at the game, along with fallen soldier and 1994 graduate William Brown who had been chosen to receive this year’s Distinguished Bear Award. The association officers noted that the club had given up the electing of a Coming Home King and Queen due to lack of interest, but some members expressed interest in bringing back that tradition and possibly establishing some newer ones.

It was also determined that Class of 1957 graduate Jesse Blair would be honored this next spring with the scholarship being awarded in his memory during the BHS Spring Honors Night Program. Blair died of cancer earlier this year.

New officers were elected at the close of the meeting and are as follows: Cheryl Wilbur Posey – President, Frank Molinar – President Elect, Kay Erwin – Secretary, Maxine Harrod – Treasurer, Rita Owens – Membership and Linda Dickson as Special Projects manager.
The club hopes to hold its next meeting in November to move forward with plans for a membership drive that will fund the scholarships to be given this spring.