Thursday, May 2, 2024
Following the Gatesville Exchange Club’s 40th anniversary, the organization plans to give back to the community through the creation of a gazebo that will also serve as a memorial for one of their former members.
The structure will pay tribute to the memory of Ronnie Viss, who died in 2021 at 45 years old. Viss not only served in the Exchange Club, but also on the Gatesville City Council for eight years, including acting as Mayor Pro Tem during his term. He was also involved in several local organizations, including the Boys and Girls Club Advisory board and the Coryell County Child Welfare Board.
Viss’s contribution to his community encompasses the purpose behind the gazebo, explains Lauren Morrell, an Exchange Club member leading the project. The gazebo will not only provide a nice addition to Gatesville, but the organization hopes it will also inspire citizens to take part in serving their community. While Morrell did not know Viss personally, she often heard about his service and his impact locally.
“The gazebo came as a larger concept that the Exchange Club could take on as a way to also give to Ronnie because he was such an integral part of the community,” Morrell said. “Just in the fact that the Exchange Club has the three tenants as a national organization– Americanism, prevention of child abuse, and community service. He (Viss) embodied that in the things he did in the Exchange Club, in the city council, and in life from what I have been told. That is the kind of embodiment of (what) we are celebrating. This club represents these things and honoring him would be a perfect example of what that is as a person.”
Doris Hoff first met Viss through the Exchange Club two decades ago and became close family friends with him for several years. Through his community involvement and years of service in the funeral business, Hoff said Viss was always striving to help someone.
“He was compassionate,” Hoff said. “He understood how people needed to be helped and that was just his goal in life.”
The Gatesville City Council approved the building of a gazebo during a regular meeting in December. The cost of project materials is estimated to be around $8,000.
Morrell said Freedom Park is one possible spot for the gazebo, but the Exchange Club is also considering other locations in Gatesville. They plan to complete the gazebo by this summer.
Along with honoring Viss, the Exchange Club wants to make the project a community effort by potentially partnering with local entities, organizations, and schools.
“The successful construction of the gazebo will depend on a collaborative effort involving many individuals within our community, reflecting the very essence of the Exchange's core values,” City Manager Scott Albert said in an email.” The project will require contributions from various members of our community to secure the necessary funding and support for the construction of this gazebo, which exemplifies the vision of the Exchange – bringing people together for a common goal.”
The Exchange Club plans to fundraise for the gazebo through June. Those who are interested in contributing to the project can contact the organization via their Facebook page: The Exchange Club of Gatesville.
“We would like it to be something for the community,” Morell said. “A sense of ownership in when people see and read the placard that’s on this - it will inspire them to want to be a part of their community and have a hand in it.”
