Former justice of the peace honored for commitment to Highland Lakes youth
Former Burnet County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Bill Johnson (left) gives a thumbs up after seeing his name on the sign outside the Boys & Girls Club of Highland Lakes-Burnet Unit that bears his name. Burnet County Precinct 2 Commissioner Russell Graeter and Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes Executive Director Bill Drake unveiled the sign June 5 during a ceremony during which officials dedicated the Burnet unit's building in Johnson's honor. During the 1990s, the former justice of the peace raised funds to build the structure that would eventually become a part of the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes. Staff photo by Daniel Clifton
BURNET — Bill Johnson served Burnet County residents for several years as Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace, but it was his dedication to Highland Lakes youth that finally earned his name a permanent place in the community.“Bill had a dream to do something for the kids, get them off the street and keep them out of trouble,” said Russell Graeter, a Burnet County Precinct 1 commissioner and a board member for the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes.
Johnson, who retired in 2004 from the justice of the peace position, sat in a chair next to Burnet businessman John Hoover as Graeter spoke. Others in the room included members of Johnson’s family as well as Burnet and Boys & Girls Club leaders.
They gathered June 5 in the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes-Burnet Unit to honor Johnson, the man they credit for getting the facility’s building constructed in the 1990s. Though the Burnet unit didn’t open its door until November 2004, it was Johnson’s advocacy for youth in the 1990s that laid the groundwork.
During the ceremony, Graeter and other Boys & Girls Club leaders dedicated the Burnet unit’s building to the former justice of the peace. The building, along with a sign out front, will bear Johnson’s name.
When Johnson started his fundraising to create a place Burnet youth could go to have fun, learn a few things and stay out of trouble, there was no Boys & Girls Club presence. He had no organization backing him up, just a desire to provide kids with a place and a program.
The then-justice of the peace knocked on a lot of doors. Individuals and businesses donated funds. Johnson was able to secure a grant from the Meadows Foundation. The city of Burnet provided some land for a building.
Burnet County Jail trustees framed most of the building while other people and businesses helped finish it out, Graeter said.
The building and program became known as the Burnet Police Activity League, a place youth could learn sports, study and just have fun.
But eventually, the program struggled. In 2003, a group of Burnet residents, seeing the role the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes was playing in Marble Falls, approached the organization about starting a facility. Graeter said Boys & Girls Club officials told them it would take a lot of money. The Burnet leaders pressed the organization leaders. Graeter said, eventually, the Boys & Girls Club officials said it would take at least $120,000 to get a Burnet unit off the ground.
“A lot of people stepped up,” Graeter said.
Six months later, the Burnet group had the $120,000. Several months later, the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes-Burnet Unit opened in the building that Johnson led the way in getting built.
Graeter said the Burnet unit regularly serves 80-85 children daily with those numbers going up during the summer.
But none of this likely would have been possible had Johnson not had a dream in the 1990s and followed up on it. Greater said it was highly unlikely the community could have built a building and opened a Boys & Girls Club in 2004 at all had it not been for Johnson’s foresight and previous efforts.
“I can’t thank you enough,” Graeter said to Johnson. The former justice of the peace nodded and smiled.
For more information on the Boys & Girls Club of the Highland Lakes, go to www.bgc-hl.com.
daniel@thepicayune.com