The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 103, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, March 6, 2009 Page: 2 of 28
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Page 2A
The Boerne Star
Friday, March 6, 2009
OBITUARIES
Hettie M. Solarczyk
May 8,1942 - Feb. 28, 2009
Hettie M. Solarczyk, age 66, passed away peacefully with her
family by her side, on Saturday, Feb. 28,
2009.
Born in Europe on May 8, 1942, she was
the daughter of Michael Portnajmer and a
Jean Czaja Portnajmer. A 10-year resident s
of Boerne, she had been a member of St. a
Peter the Apostle Catholic Church, Het- M
tie was always surrounded by students in
her work with the Judson ISD and Boerne
ISD.
Preceded in death by her parents, brother,
Casey and sister, Lania, Mrs. Solarczyk is
survived by her husband of 49 years, Mike;
sons, Ray Solarczyk and wife Diane and
Tommy Solarczyk and wife Judy; grandchildren, Travis and Kate-
lyn; brother, Frank Portnajmer; and sister, Stasia Bitner.
The Recitation of the Rosary was Tuesday, March 3, at 7 p.m.
at Vaughan’s Funeral Home. The funeral Mass was celebrated on
Wednesday, March 4, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Peter the Apostle Catholic
Church with Father Tony Cummins as celebrant. Burial followed in
Solarczyk
the Boerne Cemetery.
To leave a message or trib-
ute for the family, please visit
www.vaughanfuneralhome.
com and select the obituar-
ies icon.
Funeral arrangements
entrusted to Vaughan’s
Funeral Home of Boerne.
Vaughan's Funeral Home
. 319 EAST SAN ANTONIO ST.
BOERNE, TK 78006-2501
Office (830) 249-9128
toll-free
io% 1-800-929-0949
STBTC launches teen donor
initiative for 16-year-olds
The community blood supply is blood drives during March:
always tenuous, but even more so Friday, March 6, Albany Engi-
after the holiday season and this neered Composites parking lot,
year has proved no different at 1281 North Main, 8 a.m. to 5
the South Texas Blood and Tissue p.m.
Center. To adequately supply over Friday, March 11, City of Boerne,
100 hospitals and clinics in 43 in the parking lot at City Hall, 400
counties, 600 units of blood need East Blanco, noon to 5 p.m.
to be collected daily. Thursday, March 12, Texas
To help in the battle of blood Department of Transportation,
shortages, STBTC is now accept- 1375 N. Main St., 1 to 3:30 p.m.
ing 16-year-old donors. They Tuesday, March 17, in the park-
must weigh 120 pounds, be in ing lot at Wal-Mart SuperStore,
good general health, have a signed Boerne, 1381 S. Main St., 1 to
parental consent form and present 7 p.m.
identification. Saturday, March 21, Javelina
Forms can be downloaded www. Harley-Davidson, 29078 I 10
southtexasblood.org/events_high- West, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
school.asp or at www.myspace. Sunday, March 22, First Baptist
com/connectforlife. Church, 631 South School Street,
It is recommended to eat and in the lower parking lot, 8 a.m. to
drink before and after donating. 1 p.m.
Information regarding donors with Saturday, March 28, Kendall
diabetes and donors who currently County Fairgrounds, 7 Hwy 46
take medications is available at East, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
1-800-292-5534. Tuesday, March 31, 24/7 Health
Several Boerne area organiza- & Fitness, 439 West Bandera,
tions and firms are sponsoring Suite 17, 9 am. to noon.
.thole
Hill Country resort brings a
piece of the Serengeti to Texas
_ BY ELENA TUCKER
* Staff Writer
It was only a year ago that Lori
Hagee felt the first tickle of an
improbable notion — the crazy idea
that her ranch-type home might
become the grand lodge for an Afri-
can-themed boutique resort.
"I don't know why it didn't seem
bizarre," the real estate developer
said.
Last fall Hagee's unlikely idea
not only sprang to life, but has
since taken off with such vigor that
the original vision is now branch-
ing off into a variety of surprising
directions.
Located in Bergheim, the
Serengeti Resort opened on Nov. 8
as a exotic animal park that's open
to the public as a wine-tasting desti-
nation and setting for special events
such as parties and weddings. After
the New Year, the facility began
accepting overnight guests as well.
Response thus far has exceeded
even Hagee's vision, she said.
"We didn't start lodging until the
second week of January but we've
already booked 220 reservations in
five weeks. We have only six Satur-
days left in all of 2009 for booking
weddings," Hagee said.
Area day-trippers who don't wish
to spend the night or book a party
can simply show up to rent a golf
cart that seats four for $35 an hour
and spend several hours of daylight
viewing the ostriches, giraffe, zebra,
wildebeest, eland, addax, aoudad
and elk. Also available are stargaz-
ing platforms, nature trails, hayrides
and trail rides.
Star photo by Anya Maltsberger
Guests at the Serengeti Resort can get up-close and per-
sonal with the property's many exotic animal varieties.
facility, knows what it's like to relax," Hagee said.
change bed sheets and to get up at As of Saturday, the Serengeti
5:30 in order to cook breakfast for Resort will be open to visitors seven
There is no charge for admission
to the resort's grounds.
Another option for couples or
families is a ride in either the horse-
pulled carriage or canopied wagon.
With the driver serving as tour
guide in both instances, the 20-min-
ute carriage ride is $20 per person
while the 20-minute horse-drawn
canopied wagon costs $8 per person
and holds 14 adults. Reservations
are required for both excursions.
For all visitors, a large patio area
is available to sit and relax while
enjoying a glass of wine, meats and
cheeses from the deli, watching the
sunset or the stars. Children can
also play on the playground, feed
fruit to the Madagascar lemurs and
pet the 5 month-old baby camel,
Clyde.
her guests. days a week.
Her familiarity is born of years Serengeti's "boutique resort"
at the Arbuckle Wilderness Park, component a currently offers four
a drive-through destination in rooms, but plans call for 10 spa-
southern Oklahoma that attracted cious, themed bush lodges by the
upwards of 200,000 people each end of the year. Accommodations
year. Eventually Lori Hagee served cost between $150 and $395 per
for 13 years as operations manager night.
there. Last, at least for now, is the resort's
The family also owned a Colorado availability as an event venue and
resort for many years before selling themed-meal destination. Opening
both and moving to the Hill Coun- later this month will be a western-
try in the 1990s. themed site featuring a cowboy
"So I kind of have hands-on gunfight and steak dinner.
experience with theme parks and By May, Hagee hopes to make
hospitality. And I have a history available a Jerusalem house,
with exotic animals. We've had intended to appeal primarily to
giraffes since I was small and my church groups. The Jerusalem
boys were raised with chimpan- house will incorporate biblical study
zees," Hagee said, related to wine, wine-tasting, com-
It seems the move to Texas didn't munion, and dinner in an "Upper
quash Hagee's entrepreneurial ten- Room-type" patio setting.
dencies. A self-described "real estate However, of all the Serengeti's
person," though Hagee feels her current and future highlights, Hagee
true calling to be church ministry, said one of her favorite things about
for now the Serengeti Resort is both the resort is the night sky. Each
vocation and avocation enough. night for a time, outdoor electric-
"This is what I do," Hagee said, ity is extinguished and guests are
"I take a piece of property and I encouraged to focus their sights
develop the best and highest use for upward.
that piece of land. And the best and "It's really cool to sit out here
highest use for this - that's what it's and hear the noises: the ostriches
become." bellowing and the elks bugling. It's
The resort features more than 45 pitch black except for the stars and
varieties of imported wine, mostly it's beautiful," Hagee said.
from countries south of the equator The Serengeti Resort is at 408
including South Africa, New Zea- Fuller Dr. in Bergheim. For more
land, Chile and Argentina, information call 830-816-3600 or
go online to www.serengetire.sort.
com.
Hagee, who's still coming to terms "This is intended as a place where
with staffing issues for such a large people can sit, drink wine and
Xeek
• Residential 24-hour Personal Care
• Independent, Assisted & Dementia Rooms
• Private & Semi-Private Rooms
• Respite & Short-term Stays
• Non-Residential Adult Daycare
• Alzheimers, Dementia & Memory Care
Small Family Home
, Means Better Care!
Did You Know
We would like to express our
sincerest appreciation and thanks
to the following for going above
and beyond the call of duty.
Kendall County Sheriff’s
Department: We would like
to thank you for providing
escort services for all funerals in
Kendall County at no charge to
the deceased or their families.
The families as well as Vaughan’s
Funeral Home would like to
take this opportunity to express
our gratitude and once again
recognize you for going the extra
mile for our community. We are
very fortunate to have such an
outstanding Law Enforcement
group to be able to call our friends
and neighboors.
Mitchell Cleaners: This
company came forth and offered
to press all American flags required
for use for any Veteran buried in
Kendall County. This is another
typical example of a patriotic
businessman in our community
stepping up to the plate to offer
support and appreciation for our
Veterans. For this we salute you!
What will your
family do?
What will happen when you
pass? Will your family and your
friends be prepared to handle the
necessary details of your death,
funeral and burial arrangements?
Will they know your wishes or
preferences? What will your
family do?
By planning your funeral in
advance, you can ensure that
the decisions you make are
satisfactory to everyone involved.
Pre-arranged services not only
give you peace of mind, but also
save you money.
For more information,
please call our family
counselor John Newton
830-249-9128 or
210-382-6783
Vaughan's
Funeral Home
319 E. San Antonio St.
Boerne, Texas
78006-2051
We treat you
like family.
TA
Elegant
Sylvan Setting
Call for your personal tour
210-557-3045 or 830-249-3730
38400-A IH-10 West, Exit 538 • Boerne
Small Really Is Better.. .Come See Us Soon!
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Cartwright, Brian. The Boerne Star (Boerne, Tex.), Vol. 103, No. 19, Ed. 1 Friday, March 6, 2009, newspaper, March 6, 2009; Boerne, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1667385/m1/2/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Patrick Heath Public Library.