By:  Holzheauser                                       H.R. No. 115
       73R2659 LBD-D
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, On Friday, January 15, 1993, Mr. and Mrs. Edwin
    1-2  Chovanetz were formally honored by the Texas Department of
    1-3  Agriculture for the historic contributions each generation of their
    1-4  family has made to the economic and cultural development of the
    1-5  State of Texas; having owned and operated their land continuously
    1-6  for more than 100 years, the Chovanetzes and 84 other families with
    1-7  similar records of achievement were recognized in a special
    1-8  ceremony of the Texas Family Land Heritage program; and
    1-9        WHEREAS, Initiated in 1974, this unique program has paid
   1-10  tribute to the more than 2,000 farms and ranches that have proven
   1-11  valuable to Texans everywhere for more than a century, providing
   1-12  financial prosperity and acting as a treasured cultural point of
   1-13  reference; and
   1-14        WHEREAS, In 1890, Frank Chovanetz laid claim to 108 acres of
   1-15  land in southeast Texas' Lavaca County; here this rugged individual
   1-16  toiled beneath the hot Texas sun, raising Longhorns, cultivating
   1-17  crops of cotton and corn, and developing a special relationship
   1-18  with the land that would endure in the hearts of generations to
   1-19  follow; and
   1-20        WHEREAS, A barn and windmill stand today as reminders of this
   1-21  founder who, with courage and determination, carved out of the land
   1-22  a way of life for his family; here, on this same plot of land,
   1-23  Edwin Chovanetz continues in the worthy footsteps of his
   1-24  grandfather, growing coastal hay and raising cattle; and
    2-1        WHEREAS, Texans, who traditionally have looked to the land
    2-2  for their identity, owe a great deal to the spirit of families such
    2-3  as these; the timeless values of the dedicated men and women who
    2-4  continue to live and work on this state's farms and ranches are a
    2-5  source of pride for all and a reminder of a legendary heritage that
    2-6  is often easily forgotten; and
    2-7        WHEREAS, The value of Hackberry Chovanetz Ranch extends far
    2-8  beyond simple financial profit; rather, its true worth is realized
    2-9  in the tradition of pride instilled in the hearts of those who
   2-10  have, through years of labor, formed a lasting bond with the land;
   2-11  now, therefore, be it
   2-12        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 73rd Texas
   2-13  Legislature hereby honor the Chovanetz family for its many special
   2-14  contributions to the spirit of the State of Texas over the past
   2-15  century; and, be it further
   2-16        RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
   2-17  prepared for Mr. and Mrs. Edwin Chovanetz as an expression of high
   2-18  esteem by the Texas House of Representatives.