It’s Kiley again and I am proud to be able to talk about the commonwealth of my little community of Gonzales, starting with education. I have attended kindergarten through senior year here and have realized along the way that the teachers truly cared about every one of their students succeeding. I remember students took for granted that any teacher would stay before and hours after school to tutor for free in high school. When it comes to health, there is a beautiful Seiver’s Medical Clinic, Community Health Centers of South Central Texas, and a couple private practices along with a chiropractor and wellness center. I know the family who built their pharmacy from the ground up here and it is amazing to see such family oriented businesses in this community. For leisure and recreation, I recommend going kayaking or fishing in Palmetto State Park or going to the historical, quant 2-screen movie theater downtown. I will put spirituality and history together, because the history of Gonzales is what knitted the community together. Long story short for the history of little ole’ Gonzales, Texas: the settlers borrowed a small cannon from the Mexican army to fend off the Indians, but later the Mexican army wanted it back. The settlers drew up a flag on the cannon that famously said “Come and Take It”. This was known as the Battle of Gonzales and is the reason for our little festival “Come and Take It” that continues every October. My opinion of my “sense of place” in Gonzales is the fact that I can come home and feel sixteen again, go to the football games, and say hi to the same happy people in the grocery store like time stands still. When I thought about arts and culture, the first thing that came to mind is the Old Jail Museum and the car show at Come and Take It. These are things we are proud of and what I consider art that is a part of our culture. For the water cycle, I learned that the settlers came to Gonzales because its Guadalupe River was a significant source of water, and it continues to supply today. I found the best way to experience wildlife here is to go to Palmetto State Park and see the beautiful cotton tails and lake. I combined soil and mineral cycle and foodshed together because there are many farmers and companies that deal with both. For instance, there are corn fields that most likely feed the livestock that Graham’s cattle company raises, which creates a sustainable and homegrown soil and food cycle for Gonzales. Lastly, for renewable energy, there is an electric corporation called GVEC (Guadalupe Valley Electric Corporation) that has attempted to create renewable energy by using solar panels and even a small wind turban that will pay itself of in just a few more years. These are my experiences of commonwealth in the beautiful community of Gonzales!
