By Brenda Beust Smith
A proud and happy crowd, the hard workers behind the 2013 Jane Long Festival, gathered Sunday, Oct. 27, at the beautiful home of Wayne and Vickie Mouton on Mary Ann St. to reminisce about the event, hear about the financial success and offer special recognition to those who spearheaded the activities.

A delicious spread set everyone to nibbling as Margo Johnson, Eve Bradford and Charlotte Stirling announced the good news. After expenses were paid, the 2013 Festival was profitable in spite of the ominous weather forecast and thunderous downpour that ended only moments before the festival, on the grounds of Fort Travis, was set to open.

The profits enabled the Bolivar Peninsula Cultural Foundation and its subcommittee, the Jane Long Society, to make a $500 donation to Crenshaw School Drama Department’s fundraising campaign to finance a trip to the Renaissance Festival. Eve said that plans call for BPCF to once again host its quarterly art shows, and that the search for a new arts facility has some exciting leads.

Margo announced that the 2014 Festival Chairman will be Charlotte Stirling, who this year served as co-chair (with Margo and Eve) and as treasurer.

Coming on board too late to be included in the publicity as a sponsor was George Vratis and the Bolivar Peninsula RV Park, bringing the sponsor total to $5350. The Jane Long Lecture Series showed a $500 profit. A major increase in booth brought this year’s total to 35.

Highlight of the party was the presentation of the Spirit of Jane Long Award to Anne Willis. Anne was instrumental in getting the Jane Long Pavilion, the renaming of Hwy. 87 as the Jane Long Highway and the hanging of Jane Long’s portrait (for the first time ever) in the Texas State Capital. In making the presentation, Margo Johnson recalled Anne was the first person she could even remember ever mentioning Jane Long to her.

Anne hasn’t slowed her Jane Long campaign one bit. She announced she’ll be sending out pleas for letters in her campaign to get a ferry named Jane Long. Might be easier, tho, she quipped, to get a Coast Guard boat named after the Mother of Texas. But, she intends to keep trying.

Chairmen of the various festival committees in attendance received copies of Bolivar’s “Jane Long Balladeer” Bruce Haire’s new recording of “The Ballad of Jane Long.” Chairs included Silent Auction: Glenda Mastin, Sharon Rigsby and Bobbye White; Vendors & Booths: Sherry Morgan & Connie Hugon; Foundation Booth & Raffle: Cleo Phillips, Jane Loose and Diane Lewis; Lecture Series: Ange Bucheme, Helen Mooty and Brenda Beust Smith; Play, Linda Elissalde; Entertainment: Anne Willis; Set-Up: MacMcDonald and Tommy Stirling; Parking: Lighthouse Krewe; Stage Set-Up: Wayne Mouton, Bruce Haire and McMillan House Movers; Sponsors: Shirley Adams; Promotion & Advertising: Brenda Beust Smith and Website: Klela Bentley.

Special recognition went to Marcel Elissalde (who received an award from wife Linda); Wayne and Vickie Mouton; Tom & Georgia Osten of Crystal Beach Local News website and Jan Kent of the Beach Triton. (10-28-2013)