This is the first is a series of stories spotlighting some of the best young musicians from around the world that have arrived in Fayette County for this summer’s Round Top Festival Institute: Music is what feelings sound like, and at the season opening concert for the 54th Annual Round Top Music Summer Festival at Festival Hill on Saturday, June 7, the young artist orchestra was overflowing with emotions. For violinist Julian Leon, a 20-year-old Round Top Music Festival alumnus from Orange County, CA, who is in his third year at the San Fransisco Conservatory of Music, Festival Hill has shown him that the true love of music is a shared passion.

Local veteran Charlie Brown of Rabbs Prairie got a call from Uncle Sam in 1965. A few months later he arrived in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, where he spent the next year as a military policeman.

In this monthly series, local realtor Andrea Schutter Riebeling does a Q & A with local business people about what inspires them. This month’s interview is with owner Sedji Gashi of Ere’s Italian Restaurant in La Grange.

Mark your calendar for area Vacation Bible School. Holy Cross in Warda will have VBS June 16-18 from 5:30-8 p.m. St. Paul in Serbin will have an Australian Adventure themed VBS June 9-13 from 8:15-11:15 a.m.

The very first city-wide community garage sale will be June 27 and 28 starting at 8 a.m. each day.

Harold Boehnke is very proud of his grandson, Adam Boehnke, who graduated with honors on May 10, from the University of Texas Austin Cockerel School of Engineering with a BS in Environmental Engineering. Adam was also a speaker at the Global Sustainability Leadership Institute (a business sustainability organization at UT) at the minor graduation.

The Annual Picnic of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church has been set for Saturday, June 14 at the Park Pavilion in Winchester.

Bingo in Ledbetter has been changed to the third Sunday, which is June 15, due to the Ledbetter Homecoming being held on the second Sunday. Play is from 2-4 p.m.

Patsy and Donald T. Wilson Sr.

The La Grange Garden Club marked the close of ‘24-’25 year with a lovely spring themed luncheon. An Honorary Life Member Award was given to Johnelle Minzenmeyer-Miksch for her over fifty years of service to the club. Officers for ‘25-’26 were installed and the exciting plans the La Grange Garden Club has for the return of a plant exhibit at the 2025 Fayette County Fair (entry forms and information will be on the Fair’s website on June 1). Pictured left are the 2025-2026 La Grange Garden Club officers (from left): Mike Sobota-Treasurer, Marian Tajchman-President, Pat Karisch-Vice-President, and Diane Johnson-Secretary. At right, Sherri Ahart presents Johnelle Minzenmeyer-Miksch with a garden bouquet as she was given the Honorary Life Member Award.