![]() To recognize their hard work, Cecil and Judi were deservedly named Small Business Persons of the Year in 2007.Ĭecil and Judi are the proud parents of Ashley Murphy, Shane Bowen, and Chelsea Mason, and grandparents of nine. 1, worked with the Young Life Organization for fifteen years, and sits on the board of Abilene Christian University. He served as Chair of the Comal County Water District No. With over 140 funds, the foundation grants monies for causes like senior services, education, and youth programs.Ĭecil has also served his community in other organizations that have benefitted from his coaching and expertise. The community foundation serves as a way for people to create an endowment that outlives them and continues to fund their causes and goals. The New Braunfels Community Foundation has, to date, granted more than eight million dollars to non-profit causes in the community and has assets of more than thirteen million dollars. Four years later, after countless meetings and with critical seed money funding from the McKenna Foundation, the New Braunfels Community Foundation was born. The Chamber agreed the project was worthy enough to be an independent undertaking. Armed with the Chamber’s blessing and the addition of David Pfeuffer, the committee spent one year researching and fact-finding. Cecil suggested starting a similar foundation, and fellow committee members Marian Benson, Roger Tuttle, and Doug Toney agreed. A neighbor in Abilene had been a member of a community foundation, and Cecil was surprised that New Braunfels did not have one. In 2009, Cecil attended a Chamber retreat and served as a committee member tasked with identifying community improvements. ![]() Cecil became involved with the Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce, where he served on the Chamber’s Board of Directors for three years and on the Convention and Visitors Bureau for thirteen years, including a three-year stint as committee chair. It was an opportunity that would provide the Eagers with personal satisfaction and new relationships in the business community. In 2000, an opportunity arose, and Cecil and Judi bought the historic Gruene Mansion Inn. In 1996, Cecil accepted an offer from T-Bar-M to serve as president of their camps, and the Eagers relocated their family to New Braunfels. The relationship between T-Bar-M and Cecil also proved significant personally. Cecil arranged with his new acquaintances at T-Bar-M to host tennis tournaments for Abilene Christian over spring breaks, with significant results for his teams. Cecil’s mission of building a nationally recognized tennis program at Abilene Christian lacked the resources for the travel necessary to play ranked teams. The visit proved significant for all parties. He was at the facility when T-Bar-M Tennis Camp in New Braunfels came to research converting their pure tennis camp into a sports camp. While coaching at ACU, Cecil worked summers in Missouri at Kanakuk, a well-known Christian-based sports camp. ![]() He coached twenty-five All-Americans and additionally served as Abilene Christian’s Athletic Director from 1990 until 1995. Cecil served as the men’s and women’s tennis coach at Abilene Christian for twelve years, leading the Wildcats to NCAA Division II top ten rankings and seven Lone Star Conference championships. The untimely death of Cecil’s father compelled him to return home to assist his mother and reunited him with Abilene Christian. He coached high school for a year until he was hired by World Championship Tennis in Dallas, a professional men’s tennis tour. Merwin and Georgia Mae Eager raised their son and two daughters to live their Christian faith and to work as a team - concepts that are the solid foundations of Cecil’s professional and volunteer life.Īfter graduating high school, Cecil earned a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education from Abilene Christian University and a master’s degree from Baylor. The Braunfels Foundation Trust is delighted to join in and honor Cecil Eager as a Living Legend of New Braunfels.Ĭecil was born in the small west Texas town of Clyde. Abilene Christian University inducted him into their Sports Hall of Fame and named a tennis facility for Cecil and his wife, Judi. ![]() The New Braunfels Community Foundation bestows an annual philanthropy award, “The Eager,” in his honor. The New Braunfels Herald Zeitung honored him as a “Pillar of the Community” and an “Unsung Hero.” The Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce placed him in the Hall of Honor just last year. The Braunfels Foundation Trust is somewhat late to the party in recognizing Cecil Eager’s many contributions to our community. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |