EEJ Memorial Foundation
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The Latest

SEED COLLECTION TO SUPPORT THE LEWISVILLE AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH FACILITY (LAERF)

11/6/2023

 
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As part of the Treemendous Quanah program of the E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation, we were excited to, once again, partner with the West Kessler Native Arbor Initiative of the West Kessler Neighborhood Association for the WKNAI Native Tree Seed Collection - 2023 event on Saturday Morning.
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We were joined by several representatives from the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF) and spent about two hours collecting tree seeds from the Stevens Park and West Kessler areas of Oak Cliff. East Dallas 4-H Club also participated in this year’s event with several volunteers who helped gather seeds while learning about significant native trees in the area and gaining a greater understanding of the work being done at LAERF. All seeds collected were provided to LAERF for growing new trees as part of their research programs supporting reforestation efforts.

We would like to thank all the volunteers who showed up to gather seeds, those who helped by collecting seeds in advance of the event, and to the representatives from LAERF for sharing their knowledge and expertise with all the participants.

The WKNAI is a project of the West Kessler Neighborhood Association that was created in consultation with and the mentorship of the academics at the University of North Texas and LAERF. In conjunction with WKNAI, the E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation initiated the Treemendous Quanah program in 2020. Working with the WKNAI, the Foundation provides native tree seedlings from LAERF to Quanah public spaces.

Help Us Serve Up Fun!

9/23/2023

 
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Support the Quanah Friends of the Park in building a pickleball court in the Historic Quanah City Park!

​Are you ready to discover the exciting world of Pickleball? Quanah Friends of the Park certainly is, and we need your support to make it happen! We're thrilled to introduce you to our latest project - building a state-of-the-art Pickleball court right here in our beloved community.

We need your support to turn our vision into a reality! Every contribution, no matter the size, brings us closer to our goal. Here are a few ways you can get involved:
  •  Donate: Your financial support will directly contribute to the construction of the Pickleball court. Every dollar counts!
  •  Volunteer: Join our team of dedicated volunteers to help with fundraising events, court maintenance, and more.
  •  Spread the Word: Share our cause with friends, family, and social networks. The more people who know about our project, the better!
  • Corporate Sponsorship: If you represent a local business, consider becoming a corporate sponsor and enjoy prominent recognition within our community.
For more information about our new project or to make a donation, visit us at Quanah Pickleball Court.

CONCERT AT THE PARK SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2023

9/23/2023

 
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Friends of the Park is excited to bring you its 4th Annual Fall Concert at the Park on October 7, 2023 starting at 6:30 PM at Quanah City Park. This year’s free concert will feature classic rock n’ roll music from RawkTrain.

Stonework Completed at Historic Quanah City Park

7/10/2023

 
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Work was recently completed at Historic Quanah City Park to restore many areas of stonework in the park including parts of the perimeter wall and the creek retaining wall. Over recent years, there were several places that had significant damage that were sustained during storms and from other erosion. The work completed by Bobby White and his team was focused on those places in most serious need of repair and restoration.

In addition to the planning of activities and upgrading amenities in the park, Quanah Friends of the Park is dedicated to the preservation and beautification of the park. It is with that goal in mind that Friends of the Park was actively involved in seeking recognition for the park to be included on the list of Most Endangered Places by Preservation Texas in 2021. Following that recognition by Preservation Texas, funding was sought to begin work restoring the historic rock structures in the park.

In March 2023, through the Koch Companies Community Fund, Georgia-Pacific Corporation provided a contribution that allowed for this initial work to be completed. In addition to that funding, other contributions from individual donors made to the E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation for Quanah Friends of the Park, were also included to provide sufficient funding for this phase of restoration.
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While this is a time to celebrate the work already completed, it is also a time to continue to raise awareness of the continued need to complete additional work to preserve and restore more of the historical stone infrastructure in the park. Friends of the Park will continue in its efforts to seek out additional sources of funding to continue with more restoration activities.
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EEJ Foundation 2022 Annual report

6/4/2023

 
We are pleased to present the 2022 Annual Report of the E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation, which has been dedicated to enhancing and improving public spaces in Quanah and Hardeman County, Texas, since 2020. The Foundation has made significant contributions to various local projects in the past year, including the Treemendous Quanah initiative, the Goodlett Cemetery Committee, and the Quanah Friends of the Park. Through these projects, the Foundation has continued to advance its mission of improving the residents' quality of life by using and enjoying these spaces. This report highlights the achievements and impact of the Foundation's efforts in these key areas and provides an overview of our financial performance over the past year.
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CONCERT AT THE PARK SCHEDULED FOR SATURDAY, APRIL 22, 2022

2/18/2023

 
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After being originally scheduled for October 8, 2022 and postponed due to weather, Quanah Friends of the Park is excited to bring you the Concert at the Park at beautiful Historic Quanah City Park. This rescheduled concert will be the afternoon of April 22, 2023 and will feature Brave Combo, the Two-Time Grammy Award-winning band from Denton, Texas.

About Brave Combo:
​Trying to describe Brave Combo’s music requires a pretty extensive vocabulary, at least for musical styles. Since 1979, the Denton, Texas-based quintet has perfected a world music mix that includes salsa, meringue, rock, cumbia, conjunto, polka, zydeco, classical, cha-cha, the blues, and more. They are America’s Premier Dance band and a rollicking, rocking, rhythmic global journey — offering what one critic recently wrote, “Even if you come for the party, you’ll leave with something of a musical education.”
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You can hear Brave Combo’s vivid music in the films David Byrne’s True Stories, Clive Barker’s Lord of Illusions, Late Bloomers, Fools Rush In, Envy, and The Academy award-winning The Personals. In addition, they appeared at Oktoberfest in the beloved American burg of Springfield on an episode of “The Simpsons.” In 2008, Brave Combo provided the musical score for PBS’s first-ever animated series, “As the Wrench Turns,” which resulted in an “Annie” nomination from the International Animated Film Society. Their music has also been featured on ABC’s hit series “Ugly Betty” and Fox Television’s “Bakersfield P.D.” They have also contributed original music for ESPN and The Big Ten network.

Picnic and Concert at Quanah City Park Saturday, April 22, 2023

2/2/2023

 
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​Join us for a fun-filled day of picnicking and live music at the historic Quanah City Park on Saturday, April 22, 2023. The Quanah Friends of the Park is proud to host this Spring Picnic, starting at noon, and it promises to be a day of endless fun and entertainment for the whole family.

Bring your picnic lunch and enjoy the beautiful park's excellent picnic tables and benches. There will be live music all afternoon, with several games available, including disc golf, horseshoes, basketball, and cornhole. Additional food options will be available on-site for those who want to avoid packing their lunch.

The day's highlight will be the Concert at the Park, Presented by United Supermarkets, featuring Brave Combo, the two-time Grammy Award Winning band. Brave Combo will take the stage at 3:30 PM, so be sure to plan to stay all afternoon to enjoy the full experience.
Take advantage of this opportunity to spend a beautiful day with family and friends at the historic Quanah City Park, with live music, games, and a concert featuring Brave Combo. So come on down, grab a picnic blanket, and enjoy the day!

Third Annual Treemendous Quanah Event

10/10/2022

 
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​The E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation and Quanah Friends of the Park would like to thank everyone who helped to make the 2022 Treemendous Quanah Initiative a success.

Thanks to the generosity of a donation from Atmos Energy Corporation along with a number of individual donors, the Foundation was able to purchase a total of 18 beautiful trees in 30-, 15-, 10-, and 5-gallon containers. With a great deal of support from Atmos Energy, volunteers gathered at Historic Quanah City Park the morning of October 8th and planted 12 of those trees at the park, 4 additional trees at the Hardeman County Historical Museums, and 2 at the Goodlett Cemetery.

In addition to those 18 trees, through the Foundation’s continued partnership with the West Kessler Native Arbor Initiative (WKNAI), the group planted 13 additional seedlings at the City Park provided by the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF). Further, 11 other seedlings provided through this program were given for use in public spaces in Chillicothe as well 7 were given to the general public at the alternate event for Concert at the Park. A total of 49 trees and seedlings were planted and distributed in Hardeman County, included Shumard Red Oak, Live Oak, Bald Cypress, Chinese Pistache, Pecan, Maple, and Black Walnut. 
The Foundation and Friends of the Park would like to give a special thank you to Stephanie Engwall, Director of Environmental Practices, and Pam Hughes Pak, Manager of Public Affairs for the Mid-Tex Division with Atmos Energy, for their wonderful support, including coordinating the help needed to get the trees planted. Without the efforts of both of them, none of this would have been possible.

Friends of the Park also ask anyone interested in ensuring the trees planted in the park continue to get the care they need to please email eejfoundation@outlook.com to volunteer to help water the new trees.

About Treemendous Quanah: In conjunction with the WKNAI, the E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation initiated the Treemendous Quanah program in 2020. The WKNAI is a project of the West Kessler Neighborhood Associated that was created in consultation with and the mentorship of the academics at the University of North Texas (UNT) and LAERF. Working with the WKNAI, the Foundation provides free native tree seedlings to Quanah public spaces and relies upon the help of volunteers to plant trees through local restoration projects to enhance the beautification of Quanah and Hardeman County.

Treemendous Quanah Initiative - Tree Planting

9/15/2022

 
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Thanks to the generosity of a donation from Atmos Energy along with a number of individual donors, Treemendous Quanah 2022 will be our biggest event yet!

We need your help to plant trees on Saturday, October 8, 2022 at 9:00 AM. We will meet on the east side of Historic Quanah City Park to start the tree planting event.

The donations received have allowed us to purchase a total of 18 trees in 30-, 15-, 10-, and 5-gallon containers. Our plan is to plant 14 of those trees at Quanah City Park, 4 at the Hardeman County Historical Museums, and 2 at the Goodlett Cemetery. In addition, as part of our partnership with the West Kessler Native Arbor Initiative, we will also receive a number of smaller trees that will be planted at the various locations and will also be available for free to the public in Quanah!

Please help us get all these trees planted on October 8th and bring along whatever equipment may assist in that process (post hole diggers, shovels, gloves, etc.).

Additionally, we will need volunteers to help keep these new trees watered for their first 1 ½ - 2 years. Please email eejfoundation@outlook.com if you would like to sign up to help water these new trees!
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About Treemendous Quanah: In conjunction with the West Kessler Native Arbor Initiative (WKNAI), the E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation initiated the Treemendous Quanah program in 2020. The WKNAI is a project of the West Kessler Neighborhood Associated that was created in consultation with and the mentorship of the academics at the University of North Texas (UNT) and the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility (LAERF). Working with the WKNAI, the Foundation provides free native tree seedlings to Quanah public spaces. We rely upon the help of volunteers to plant trees through local restoration projects to enhance the beautification of Quanah.

Historic Quanah City Park Games Day 2022

5/28/2022

 
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Here are some pictures taken at Historic Quanah City Park Games Day 2022. Thank you to everyone who made it out to the park on Saturday to enjoy some games, food, and live music!

Here is the full schedule for Historic Quanah City Park Games Day 2022: Saturday May 28, 2022

​Games / Activities:
  • 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM - Two Bounce Houses and an Obstacle Course from JUMP Jalomo's Ultimate Magical Palace
  • 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Nerf Battle Zone
  • 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM - Basketball - Pickup games and organized games of H-O-R-S-E
Other Games Available:
  • Disc Golf, Horseshoes and Giant Jenga
Musical Performances:
  • 11:30 AM -12:00 PM Allie Denham
  • 12:00 PM -12:30 PM Monte Lumpkin
  • 12:30 PM - 1:00 PM Lacy Teichrobe
  • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM The Mule Creek Pickers (Marion Payne, Dr. Melton Brownlow, and Bob Harper)
Food
  • 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM (or later) – Shaved Ice Snow Cones and Iced Coffee for sale from Cool Beanz Coffee Cafe
  • 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM -- Burgers for sale from Quanah Volunteer Fire Department
Other
  • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM Quanah Top of Texas Youth Football Bake Sale and Registration Booth
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Our purpose is to enhance and improve public spaces, including parks, cemeteries, and museums, in Quanah and Hardeman County, Texas, and improve the quality of life of residents through the use and enjoyment of those spaces.  

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The E. Eugene Johnson Memorial Foundation is a Texas non-profit corporation and 501(c)(3) tax exempt public charity (EIN 85-1255191).
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  • Home
  • About
    • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Initiatives
    • Pickleball Court
    • Friends of the Park
    • Goodlett Cemetery
    • Treemendous Quanah
  • Donate
    • Donate
    • Shop