Back when I was a kid, you could drive any direction in East Texas and pass any number of small towns and miss ‘em if you blinked.
But if you got to Bullard, you knew you’d arrived.
Maybe its because three generations of families have farmed and turned cattle out to graze the land. Or maybe it’s because more often than not Bullard had terrific football teams.
There are a thousand reasons to love Bullard today. Here are a few:
-I love the way Bullard folks bicker like siblings, then bury the hatchet and all pitch in.
-I love the way public policy discussions are rowdy.
-I love the way the Bullard Banner adds to the sense of community and also manages to print tons of pictures of kiddoes doing great things.
-I love the way there is a golden diamond of buildings available for community functions, like points on a compass. To the north, a public golf course, an amazing private school and a beautiful new museum all of which are drawing people to Bullard. From the east to the south, an impressive array of public school facilities. From the south to the west, Bushman’s and Kiepersol.
-I love the new Bullard Education Foundation.
-I love the way there are many strong churches whose members put aside doctrinal differences and work together all the time.
-I love the way civic leaders aren’t afraid to dream big and welcome new people to serve.
-I love the way kids are included and tag along to adult functions.
-I love the way independent-minded businessmen start new ventures, sometimes more than one business at a time.
-I love the way folks who work for big businesses are not afraid to ask their bosses to pitch in and help.
-I love the way the men are strong and full of courage and the women are, too.
What would I like to see happen in Bullard next?
-I’d love to see the proposed library building become reality. The plan is to create a public space that will bring all the generations together. I hope it has cyber-friendly access.
-I’d love to see the new Boys and Girls Club get the facility they need.
-I’d love to see the Red, White and Blue Festival become known as a state-wide clearing house where once a year dozens of organizations and VA representatives gather to serve our young veterans and their families as they return home from Afghanistan and Iraq. Connecting vets and their families with services is a great way honor Veteran’s Day each year.
I could go on, but the best reason to love Bullard is her people. And there’s more than a thousand of ‘em.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.
