The Chamber is pleased to an-nounce that Paul Hobby, incom-ing Chairman of the Board of the Greater Houston Partnership, will be the featured speaker at the 2014 Annual Banquet. The event will be held on Thursday, January 30, at Fireman’s Train-ing Center in Brenham. The theme of the banquet will be “Celebrating Partners in Prog-ress.”

“We are very happy to have Paul Hobby as our banquet speaker. He is a well-respected leader in the Greater Houston area who will talk to us about goals for growth in this region,” said Kurt Po-deszwa, outgoing Chairman of the Chamber’s Board of Directors.

Paul Hobby is a native Houstonian and Man-aging Partner of Genesis Park L.P. Addition-ally, he is currently Chairman of the Houston Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and Vice Chairman of the Texas Ethics Com-mission. He is also the grandson of former Lt. Governor Bill Hobby.

Genesis Park is a Houston-based private equity firm focusing on buyouts, partner-ing strategies with public corporations, and growth financing. Genesis Park has executed a number of successful communications and energy technology transactions, including Alpheus Communications, CapRock Ser-vices, FuelQuest, Red Arrow Energy, Avalon Partners, Commercial American Insurance Company, Vivante GMP Solutions, SAT Cor-poration, Western General Holdings, Intermat and Greenwell Energy Solutions. Hobby was

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Alpheus Communi-cations for over seven years and was Chairman of CapRock Ser-vices for five years.

Prior to Genesis Park, Hobby conceived a technology strategy for integrating media operations through improved informa-tion technology. That company, Columbine JDS Systems Inc., became the largest provider of media software and services in the world during Hobby’s tenure as Executive Chairman of the Board.

Hobby has served on a num-ber of boards of leading public and private companies including: NRG Energy, Eagle Global Logistics, Stewart Title, Coastal Banc, Amegy Bank of Texas, Aronex Pharmaceuti-cals, and Texas Genco.

Before his professional private equity and management career, Hobby served as an As-sistant United States Attorney for the US De-partment of Justice, and Chief of Staff for the Lieutenant Governor of Texas.

He is a graduate of the University of Vir-ginia and the University of Texas School of Law, where he has served as an adjunct facul-ty member and been honored as Outstanding Young Alumnus. He has been a guest lecturer at Stanford University Graduate School of Business and the Jones School at Rice Univer-sity. He has also been Chairman of the Texas General Services Commission, The Texas Business Hall of Fame.

Serving as Master of Ceremonies at the banquet will be David Yeager, and John Barn-

hill of Blue Bell Creameries (retired) will in-troduce the keynote speaker.

Washington County Chamber board direc-tors who ended their term of service in De-cember will be recognized: Jim Baker, Barry Brass, Kerri Hamilton and Joel Romo. Debbie Havers will continue one more year as Sec-retary for the Board of Directors. The Blue Blazer of the Year will also be awarded.

Headline sponsors of the banquet include:Blue Bell CreameriesBluebonnet Electric

Brenham Chrysler Jeep DodgeBrenham Clinic

Brenham National BankGermania Insurance

Scott & White Hospital-BrenhamVan Dyke Rankin and Company

“We are very grateful to these sponsors,” said Page Michel, Chamber president, “be-cause they enable us to host a very special event for members and guests. There will be complimentary drinks during the social hour, a delicious meal, a compelling speaker and wonderful awards presented. It’s going to be a great evening.”

Another highlight of the evening will be the announcement of the 2013 Man and Woman of the Year-Lifetime Achievement award winners. Last year’s winners were Sally Blackie-Sengel and Jim Ellison, who will return to do the surprise introductions of the 2013 winners.

Tickets for the banquet are now on sale at the Washington County Chamber, located at 314 S. Austin Street in Brenham. Individual tickets are $30 per person, on sale until January 24.

“BUSINESS AFTER HOURS”washington county’s favorite networking event

Hosted by:

Brenham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center400 E. Sayles Street, Brenham

Thursday, Jan. 16 from 5-7 p.m.Enjoy great networking and refreshments.

Bring plenty of business cards to share with other members. Free for Chamber members and all employees!Special beverages provided by Mike Hopkins Distributing

Learn more about Brenham Nursing & Rehabiliation Center at www.rnct.com.

January 20142014 Board of Directors

ChairmanLiz HoPkins

Stella Designs & Solutions

First Vice ChairWesLey Brinkmeyer

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative

second Vice ChairmanmiCHaeL PiTTmanScott & White Hospital

Treasurer

miCHaeL GroVesThe Artex Group

secretary

DeBBie HaVersRR Donnelley

immediate Past ChairkurT PoDeszWa

Camp For All

sHaron BrassKwik Kopy Business Center

riCky BoekerCity of Brenham-Fire Chief

CaTHy CoLe Heritage Texas

Country Properties

Coy FonTenoTKruse Village

suzy HankinsAnt Street Inn

miCHaeL HayWooDMission Brenham

JuDi HousTonBrazos Valley Schools

Credit Union

CHaD GerkeGerke Law Firm

renee mueLLerWashington County Attorney

miCHaeL WaTTsBrenham ISD —

Brenham High School

Dennis CroWsonBlinn College

asH PaTeLBest Western Inn–Brenham

GraCie sLaTTeryBrenham Clinic

naTHan WaDe Lazy “D” Ranches

ranDy WeiDemann Van Dyke Rankin Insurance

TiFFany WinkLesBlue Bell Creameries

HOBBY

Greater Houston Partnership Chairman Paul Hobby to speak at Annual Banquet

Page 2 Chamber Works January 2014

Ribbon Cuttings

GROUP BUYING POWERChamber members can now get major savings on

credit card payment processing.Learn about our new member benefit program.

Contact Will Watson at (979) 345-2988 • will.watson@infintechllc.com

www.infintechllc.com

RAM OpticalPresident: Tony Ramirez2412 South Chappell Hill Street, Brenham(Located in new retail center by Brazos Valley Schools Credit Union on Stringer St.)

Branded BoutiqueOwners: Dianna Blasingame, Brittany Eberly, Cindy Eberly, Kristen Eberly and Christa Loos205 West Main Street, Brenham

Washington County Chamber of Commerce

Page Michel, President & CEOJane Hinze, Member Services Mgr.

Shae Pauler, Business Programs Mgr.Lu Hollander, CVB Adv. & PR Mgr.

Jenny Mills, Visitor Center Mgr.Judy Hyman, Visitor Center & Group Contact Mgr.

Debby Welch, Visitor Center AssistantCheryl Sevin, Bookkeeper

Support Staff: Marge Runge, Jeanine Presswood and Darlene Denman.

314 S. Austin Street, Brenham979-836-3695

www.brenhamtexas.com

Mean Cowgirl CoutureOwner: Heather Moore2009 S. Market St., Brenham

• TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS• TEXAS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES• TEXAS ASSOC. OF CONVENTION & VISITOR BUREAUS• U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The Washington County Chamber is a Proud Member of ...“Wake Up,

Washington County!”Networking Breakfast

Thursday, Feb. 13 at 7:45 a.m.

Hosted by

Hospice Brazos Valley302 E. Blue Bell Road, Brenham

Breakfast sponsors:

Brenham Nursing & Rehab CenterFree for Chamber members!

Enjoy breakfast and a chance to network with other lo-cal businesses and organizations. It’s a great way to inform them about your products and services and learn what’s new in the community.

Everyone gets a chance to give a 30-second commercial about their business/organization. Be sure to bring plenty of business cards and brochures for sharing.

RSVP to Jane at (979) 836-3695 or jane@brenhamtexas.com

Chamber Elects New Executive Officers

The Washington County Chamber of CommerceBoard of Directors formally approved a new slate

of executive officers for 2014, elected at the board meeting in December.

2014 Chamber Board Executive CommitteeChairman: Liz Hopkins, Stella Designs & Solutions; First Vice Chair: Wesley Brinkmeyer, Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative; Second Vice Chairman: Michael Pittman, Scott & White Hospital-Brenham; Treasurer: Michael Groves, The Artex Group; Secretary: Debbie Havers, RR Donnelley; Immediate Past Chair: Kurt Podeszwa, Camp For All.

Chamber Works January 2014 Page 3

Thank you to our Presidential Level members ...

Bluebonnet Electric

Metropolitan Water

Company, L.P.

of Brenham

— BrenhamBrenham

Clinic

Brenham National

Bank

BRENHAM

Thank you to our Chairman’s Circle members ...

Brenham/Washington County DrawsGlobal Tourists with High-Tech GeoTour

Washington County’s “Birthplace of Texas GeoTour” is the newest GeoTour welcoming explorers of all ages and avail-able to six million geocachers through Geocaching.com and its smartphone apps. The Birthplace of Texas GeoTour offers adventurers the opportunity to find 26 caches placed at key destina-tions in Brenham, Burton, Independence, Washing-ton and Chappell Hill.

C h a m b e r- C V B Website & Social Media Manag-er Jenny Mills states: “We want to reach out to a global market of people who enjoy adventure and travel. There are lots of geocaches placed throughout this county by indi-vidual cachers, and they’ve been found by many people over time, but few take you to the actual attrac-tions that make up our beautiful county.

“We saw this opportunity for a global reach by doing an official GeoTour and decided to implement it. We hope geo-cachers wanting to travel to Texas will use geocaching as a bonus reason to visit Washington County. By caching the Geo-Tour, adventurers will be taken on a tour of Washington County just as any tourist would be. We’ve seen a lot of activity since our launch date (December 18) and have had very positive feedback from the geo-caching community.”

What is geocaching? It started in 2000 when an Oregon man decided to test the

accuracy of GPS signals after the block-ing technology was removed. He placed a bucket holding various items including a logbook in the woods and figured out the coordinates of the hidden location using a handheld GPS device. He then posted those

coordinates on an online newsgroup. Three days later the bucket

had been found by two dif-ferent people. Intrigued

by the concept, the finders started hid-

ing containers and telling their friends and soon after “geocach-ing” was born.

What began with one man in Oregon has grown to a world-

wide treasure hunt of over 6 million

geocachers world-wide. Currently there

are more than 2 million containers hidden throughout

the world – containers as small as your fingertip or as large as a trunk – con-tainers placed in trees, attached to fences, under water and even in space!

A geocaching GeoTour is a tailored se-ries of caches hidden at a destination’s points of interest. Tourists and adventur-ers search for geocaches — cleverly hidden containers that hold a logbook and often small trinkets for trade — using a GPS de-vice or the Geocaching app for the iPhone, Android or Windows Phone. Geocaching is a free hobby that combines the outdoors, exercise, technology, and fun. The series of geocaches in a Geocaching GeoTour helps visitors discover a destination by convey-

ing a historical story, revealing hidden vantage points, or bringing them to scenic locations.

Each time a cache is logged as found on the Geocaching.com website, the cacher has an opportunity to make comments about that specific find. One set of cachers made the comment, “We have been to the Brenham area many times over the years to

see the bluebonnets and to cache. We spent today caching the area with two others. Because of these caches we saw things we had not noticed before and learned some of the history that we did not know. Thanks for placing these caches and providing this interesting tour of the area.”

See GEOTOUR, Page 4

Page 4 Chamber Works January 2014

Blue BlazersJOLENE CURTISTexas AgFinance

TIFFANY COMPTON-FALKHodde Real Estate Company

JOYCE DICKSCHATBrenham National Bank

JOHANNA FATHEREERE/MAX Advantage

WENDY FRAzIERBBVA Compass

PAM GREENRE/MAX Advantage

EDDIE HARRISON Individual Member

JARED HARTMANSeidel, Schroeder & Company

TAMMY JASTER City of Brenham-

Blue Bell Aquatic Center

FLORENCE JULIANBlue Bell Creameries

BRICE MILLIORN Edward Jones Investments

LINDA PIPESIndividual Member

CHRISTY SCHLOTTMANNExpress Employment

Professionals

RANDY WEIDEMANN Van Dyke Rankin & Company

BARBARA WILGANOWSKI Spherion Staffing

Florence is currently employed at Blue Bell Creameries as a Public Relations As-sistant. This has become a second career for her and she thoroughly enjoys the daily con-tact with people throughout the Blue Bell network. Her desire to become a Blue Blazer was directly linked to Blue Bell’s encour-agement to be involved in this community endeavor, and it has been a most rewarding experience for the past five and a half years.

In addition to being a continual volunteer with Unity Theater since 2005, Florence also has been an active charter member of Washington County Rotary Club since 2002

and a Paul Harris Fellow of that organization for several years. She was the 2012 “Blue Blazer of the Year.”

Florence lived in Ohio for 25 years be-fore moving to Texas. Her daughter and two grandchildren still live in Ohio. Her son cur-rently lives in Oklahoma City. As a member of First United Methodist Church of Bren-ham, she is active in the United Methodist Women’s organization and participates in Missions projects.

Florence thinks Brenham is a great place to live, work, and volunteer and she feels she has found her true home here.

BLUE BLAZER SPOTLIGHT

Florence Julian

Welcome New MembersactionCoaCHOwner: David Barham1508 South Park StreetBrenham, Texas 77833Phone: 979-203-8650barhamandassociates@icloud.comwww.actioncoach.comBusiness Consulting/Training

C&s CounTry sTore anTiQuesOwners: Marshall & Mary Harrod1003 Hwy. 105Brenham, Texas 77833Phone: 979-836-5385marysacs@gmail.comwww.country-store-antiques.comAntiques

CurB your reCyCLinGOwner: Mary Petersen2409 Progress DriveBrenham, Texas 77833Phone: 979-203-7135mary@brenhamrecycles.comwww.brenhamrecycles.comRecycling

DraGonFLy momenTs Owner: Joi Bodine4100 FM 2714 Round Top, Texas 78954Phone: 281-384-4207Joi019@yahoo.comwww.dragonflymomentsroundtop.comBed & Breakfast

isB insuranCe serViCesOwner: Ronald Rudloff31384 FM 2920, Suite BWaller, Texas 77484kspinn@isbinsurance.netwww.isbinsurance.netInsurance

Lazy “D” ranCHesOwner: Nathan WadeP.O. Box 277Burton, Texas 77835Phone: 979-661-6503nathan@lazydranches.comwww.lazydranches.comRanches-Cattle Sales

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHTEdward Jones Maintains

Traditional ValuesThis full-services brokerage firm has one priority

that has never changed since the firm began nearly 90 years ago: service to individual investors when and where it is convenient for them. To accomplish this, Edward Jones has focused on building a network of one-broker branches that are conveniently located for individuals.

Edward Jones provides financial services for indi-vidual investors in the United States, and every as-pect of the firm’s business, from the types of invest-ment options offered to the location of branch offices, is designed to cater to individuals in the communities in which they live and work. The firm’s 12,000-plus financial advisors work directly with nearly 7 mil-lion clients to understand their personal goals -- from college savings to retirement -- and create long-term investment solutions that emphasize a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-hold strategy. Edward Jones embraces the importance of building long-term, face-to-face relationships with clients, helping them to un-derstand and make sense of the investment options available today.

Headquartered in St. Louis, Edward Jones ranked No. 8 overall in FORTUNE magazine’s 2013 “100 Best Companies to Work For” ranking. Visit www.edwardjones.com and www.careers.edwardjones.com. Follow on Twitter @EdwardJones.

For more information, contact Edward Jones In-vestments-Billy Starnes in Brenham at (979) 836-1951, or email billy.starnes@edwardjones.com.

Be the next member in the “Spotlight!” Send submissions to info@brenhamtexas.com. Your “Spotlight” can be about a recent award, event, business expansion or new employee, or simply a couple paragraphs to increase community awareness about your products/services. (100-150 words maximum)

The Birthplace of Texas GeoTour joins over 30 other GeoTours around the globe hosted by parks, visitor bu-reaus or local communities. But it is the first in the state of Texas! Travelers can explore the GeoTours page to find geocaches on their current trip or to decide their next vacation destination.

To start caching the Birthplace of Texas GeoTour, ad-venturers first have to register for a geocaching name. If they want to claim prizes they will also need a Pass-port obtained either online or at the Chamber’s Visitor Center or main building. As players find each cache, they sign the log, record the code letter found in the container on their Passport and put the container back as they found it. The Birthplace of Texas GeoTour is designed for players to earn points by caching, eating, sleeping and shopping throughout Washington County. Once they find all the caches or collect sufficient points, they turn in their Passport for some great prizes.

Complete GeoTour information and Passports are available at www.VisitBrenhamTexas.com. You can also learn more at about geocaching at www.Geocach-ing.com.

GeoTour(Continued from Page 3)

Did You Know? Members, promote your events

and business for free in the “Hot Deals” section and “Calendar”

on the Chamber website!

Jill Wallace, Darren, Huckett, Christina Koehn, Sara Byars, Mari Hinostroza-Perry and Kevin Hemann in the radiology simulator.

Chamber Works January 2014 Page 5

Leadership in Health CareThe December session of the Leadership

Washington County program focused on Health Care and allowed the class to learn more about the industry first-hand.

The day began at the Brenham Clinic with an overview from Dr. Jeff Stolten-berg, Dr. William Loesch and Dr. Donald Draehn. Each physician gave the class a description of their specialty and how they have seen health care change since they have been in practice. Gracie Slattery, Administrator of Brenham Clinic (LWC Class of 2000), also spoke about how each day at the clinic someone receives life-al-tering news whether it is regarding their health, the health of someone in their fam-ily, or one of their friends.

After leaving the Brenham Clinic, the group was transported to the Texas A&M Health Science Center in College Station where Michael Hutton, Director of Nurs-ing, and Smiley Flores, Interim Dean of Health Sciences, explained their roles.

The center is home to 11 Blinn College vocational programs. It is a multi-million dollar facility complete with simulated delivery rooms, simulated ambulance and simulated mannequins. Each of the simulators is controlled through software guided by instructors and recorded so students can play back the recordings and view their progress.

The session concluded with a tour of our local Scott & White Hospital by Mi-chael Pittman, COO, and staff. They also showcased their lean communications system.

In January, the leadership class will have Civic Day, focusing on local govern-ment and non-profit organizations.

Leadership Washington County is a program of the Brenham/Washington County Chamber of Commerce designed to train and motivate current and future leaders of our community. The next class will form in July and begin in August.

Pam Muegge, Mari Hinostroza-Perry and Emily Bolenbarr listen in the control room as Sami Rahman explains the benefits of videotaping the students’ sessions.

Michael Pittman, Chief Operating Officer at Scott & White Hospital-Brenham, tells the class about the winding journey that brought him to Brenham.

It’s a baby! Patsy Bartkowiak, Bridgette Schulze, Jessica Holloway, Susan Myers and our bus driver get a front row seat while the instructor demon-strates how the mannequin “gives birth.”

YPO January Happy HourWashington County Young Professionals Orga-

nization, the YPO, is an organization launched by the Chamber designed for employees in Washington County looking to build relationships and raise leaders within the community.

The organization is free and open to anyone who lives or works in Washington County and is between the ages of 21-45. Monthly social events are held. The next happy hour event will be on January 23 at Ameri-can Man Cave (214 E. Alamo, Downtown Brenham) from 5:30-7pm. Join the group for a little friendly competition, adult beverages and a great time!

******Thanks to these volunteers who will be coordinating

the YPO in 2014: President – Nathan Wade; Co-Direc-tors of Public Relations– Kristin Krenek, Jared Krenek and Nicole Lowe; Director of Membership – Kimberly O’Neill; and Director of Special Events – Clint Kolby

******For more information about the Washington County

YPO, send your contact information to youngpros@brenhamtexas.com or check out the Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/YPOwashingtoncounty.

The group listens to Dr. Jeff Stoltenberg as he gives an overview of being a General Surgeon.

Kurt Alfred, Susan Myers, Jenny Van Dorf and Pam Muegge listen as the “sick” patient in the EMS simulator tells the class his symptoms.

Tweet with us @ www.twitter.com/

VisitBrenham or ChamberWashCo

2014 Visitor GuidesStart the New Year off

right with the 2014 Visitor Guide! Supplies are avail-able at both the Visitor Center (115 W. Main) and the Chamber main building (314 S. Austin Street). As time permits, staff members will be making deliveries. However, if you need a fresh supply more quickly, please drop by either location.

As we make deliveries, we’ll be happy to collect and recycle any 2013 Visitor Guides you may have left. We respectfully request that you responsibly recycle the 2013 Guides (and discontin-ue distributing them) as the information they contain is no longer valid. Thanks for your support of our tourism efforts.

Tourism TuesdayMark your calendars for Tuesday, January 14, for the

next Tourism Tuesday gathering at 10am in the Chamber conference room. Updates about tourism activity will be provided by both Chamber-CVB staff members and at-tending tourism partners.

GeoCaching“The First GeoTour in Texas” was launched here in De-

cember. Chamber-CVB Website & Social Media Manager Jenny Mills created the tour and continues to monitor ac-tivity at the 26 geocache sites within the “Birthplace of Texas Geo Tour.” Read the full article on page 3 in this issue. The tour has been steadily attracting geocachers to our county, even despite inclement weather. For details, check the link on top of www.VisitBrenhamTexas.com. Sign up to become a geocacher yourself and enjoy this fun, free activity with family and friends of all ages. It will connect you to nature in a new way and guide you to some of the most interesting historic sites in the county.

Wedding promotionsThe Chamber-CVB continues to promote Washington

County venues for “destination weddings” through The Knot, both with print advertising in the bridal magazine and through online opportunities. Each month, between 800-1,000 direct mail pieces are mailed to prospective brides who are considering locations for their upcoming weddings. Any Chamber members that are involved in the bridal industry should keep us posted about your products/services for this year-round marketing program.

Simon Theatre ExpansionIf you’ve driven through the downtown area recently,

you may have noticed the blank space on Douglas Street where a one-story building once stood next to the Simon Theatre building.

The good news is that construction is underway to ex-pand the Simon’s meeting space, including the construction of two elevators. Even though there is dust and construc-tion noise at times, staffers are excited about the future of this beautiful space.

Travel scheduleJanuary is a heavy travel month for CVB staff members

as the schedule includes several travel shows and a mid-winter conference.

Judy Hyman will travel to Nashville to work with the “Team Texas” booth during the American Bus Associa-tion conference. Later in the month, she will represent the Washington County area at the Fort Hood Travel Show and the Houston Precinct 4 Travel Show.

Lu Hollander will attend the Texas Association of Con-vention & Visitors Bureau mid-winter education confer-ence in Farmers Branch.

Washington-on-the-Brazos events at Barrington

Butchering and Curing - Butchering livestock was a very necessary way of life in the mid-19th century. There are different ways of curing, but they all serve the pur-pose of preserving it to eat later. See a demonstration on Saturday, January 11 and beginning the curing process on Sunday, January 12. This program will be ongoing, so if you want to see every step you have to attend the entire event. Steps will not be repeated once the resources have been used up.

“Butchering and Curing” will be at Barrington Living History Farm, located within Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site at 23400 Park Road 12 in Washington. Admission fees. Standard hours of operation for the site are from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Please dress appropriately for the season and be pre-pared for the weather as the event will take place in an 1850s period setting with some portions outdoors. For ad-ditional details visit www.birthplaceoftexas.com or call 936-878-2214 ext 246, ask for Jon.

“Tails from the Ark”Local artist Kathy Durst features a quirky take on the

animal world. Spiced with humor, her creations are a de-light both to the eye and the heart. The exhibit runs now through February 1 with the artist’s opening reception on January 18 at 5-7 p.m.

Arts For Rural Texas is located at 114 N. Live Oak Street, Fayetteville. For more information call 979-378-2113 or visit www.artsforruraltexas.org.

Brenham’s Uptown SwirlPlan a great weekend around the 2014 “Uptown Swirl!”

as you shop your way through downtown Brenham on Sat-urday, Jan. 18, from 3-7pm. You will get to taste over 20 different wines and take home a commemorative glass. Tickets are $30 per person. For more information, visit www.brenhamuptownswirl.com or call 979-337-7384.

A group of wine tasters enjoy the afternoon during the Uptown Swirl event.

Texas Tech Brass QuintetFrom Madrigal to Jazz, an afternoon of glorious sound

will be heard on Saturday, January 11, at 3 p.m. at Festival Hill Institute. For performance details and ticket informa-tion, call 979-249-3129 or visit www.festivalhill.org.

The Original Round Top Antiques Fair Winter Antiques Show

You are invited to join in celebrating the 46th year of this event in Round Top, a history earned through a consis-tent reputation for unsurpassed quality and unusual, one-of-a-kind antiques at the Big Red Barn located at 475 S. Hwy 237, Carmine on January 24-25 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission fees. For more information, call 512-237-4747.

Page 6 Chamber Works January 2014

Tourism News

Working for YOU!As a Chamber member, your promotional information

is seen by thousands of people every month.

WALK-INS

WEBSITEwww.BrenhamTexas.com

Unique VisitorsDec. 2013 — 6,003

Total PagesDec. 2013 — 12,340

Visitor CenterDec. 2013 — 347

HQ BuildingDec. 2013 — 678

WEBSITEwww.VisitBrenhamTexas.com

Unique VisitorsDec. 2013 — 8,218

Total PagesDec. 2013 — 15,977

Chamber Members are Invited to

Advertise in this SpaceCall or e-mail us for more details!

(979) 836-3695 • news@brenhamtexas.com

See TOURISM, Page 8

Chamber Works January 2014 Page 7

Jan 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31Live music at The stone Cellar Live bands, pizza and drinks every weekend. Acts in-clude Black Cat Choir, Tubie & The Touchtones, Tres Dux, Jack the Sax, Aaron Gross, Eugene Eugene, and more. 204 East Mill Street in Bybee Square, Round Top (www.stonecellarwines.com).

Jan 10, 17, 24, 31Live music at nathan’s BBQMusic from 6-9pm. Entertainment varies. Check website or Facebook page for details. Cajun Food Specials every Fri-day, 1307 Prairie Lea, Brenham (www.nathanbbq.com).

Jan 10, 17, 18, 24, 25, 31, Feb. 1Live music at The kenney store Go early for dinner and stay late for live music and danc-ing. Most nights are free, but occasional cover charges, 811 Loop 497 South (www.TheKenneyStore.com). Jan 11Chappell Hill Chamber of Commerce Banquet The banquet will be held at Lillian Farms Bed & Break-fast, guest speaker will be Washington County District At-torney Julie Renken. To make reservations, call 979-836-2554 (www.chappellhilltx.com). Texas Tech Brass Quintet From Madrigals to Jazz. An afternoon of glorious sounds, 3–4:30 p.m, Festival Concert Hall, 248 Jaster Road, Round Top (www.festivalhill.org). Jan 14Choose Healthy Living zyto scan and free health seminar the 2nd Tuesday night of each month focusing on different aspects of healthy liv-ing and taking control of your health “naturally”. Various guest speakers, 6pm – 8pm, Scott & White Hospital-Edu-cation Room, free. Jan 15Community Health Fair Scott & White Wellness Center hosts the community health fair from 6am-9am in the Scott & White Hospital-Educa-tion Room. Appointment is required. Call (979)830-5017 to schedule yours today or email RLRAY@SW.ORG.

Jan 16Business after Hours Hosted at Brenham Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, 400 E. Sayles St., Brenham, 5-7pm.

Bluebonnet opry Friends of the Bluebonnet Opry present Paul Vick of Pflugerville, Rick Weiss of Brenham, and Kyla Rae Cma-jdalka of Brenham. Plus the Bluebonnet Opry House Band: Duane Wavra-bass; Harris Kubos, Sr.-fiddle; Craig Schmidt-steel; Terry Barnett-lead guitar; Harris Kubos Jr.-drums; John Dujka-keyboard; and John Amelang–sound. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Show is 7:30-10:00pm, tickets $5, at Silver Wings Ballroom, 4100 Hwy 105, Brenham (www.friendsofbluebonnetopry.org).

Jan 18uptown swirlSwirl and shop your way through town. Over 20 differ-ent wines, commemorative glass, $30, 3-7pm (www.brenhamuptownswirl.com). Jan 20Fit & strong Scott & White is holding the Fit & Strong award-winning, evidence based physical activity program, proven to im-prove arthritis symptoms and promote an active lifestyle. 8 week program includes 90 minute sessions of exercise and group discussions, low impact aerobics, strength exercises, flexibility, and balance training. Limited space available, 1pm-2:30pm at Scott & White Hospital-Education room, 700 Medical Pkwy, Brenham. Sign up with Renee Ray at (979-830-5017).

Jan 23yPo at american man Cave Young Professionals are invited to this social event to be held from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at American Man Cave, 214 E. Alamo St., Downtown Brenham.

Jan 24aarP Driver safety Course WCHLA, the Senior Activity Center, will sponsor an AARP Driver Safety course on Friday, January 24, at the Blinn Student Center from 10am-2pm. Bring a sack lunch. This class could make folks eligible for a discount on their car insurance. Open to all ages at $20 per person, AARP members at $15.00. To enroll, call the Senior Activity Cen-ter at 836-6552 or stop by the Center at 2804 Gun & Rod Mon-Fri, 8AM-2PM. Instructor: Skip Johnson.

Jan 25Community Health, Wellness and safety Fair Hosted by the Wash. County Coop. Extension Program, in collaboration with St. Matthews Missionary Baptist Church, from 9am to 2pm, at St. Matthews Missionary Baptist Church in Washington. The target audience for this event are residents in Old Washington, but ALL are welcome to

attend. For more information, contact Mary Sanders, Exten-sion Agent, 1305 E. Blue Bell Rd, Brenham (979-277-6212, mary.sanders@ag.tamu.edu, washington.agrilife.org).

Jan 26Brenham Children’s Chorus Gala Pro Bowl Tailgate Party with food, beverages, auction, and entertainment by the Brenham Children’s Chorus, 4PM - 8:30 PM at Green Meadows in Old Independence. For more information, contact 979-277-3897or email bren-hamchildrenschorus@gmail.com. Invitation only.

Jan 30Chamber & eDF Banquet “Celebrating Partners in Progress” 5:30 PM, Fireman’s Training Center, tickets sold in advance only, $30 per per-son, $360 per reserved table for 8 (979-836-3695).

A few February highlights…Feb 1Community CPr ClassHeld from 8:30 AM – Noon at the EMS Station at 1875 Highway 290 West, Brenham, $25 per student.

Casa Casino night Casino style tables & slots! Buffet dinner, CASA Buck$, free souvenir mug & unlimited refills, 6 - 10 PM, Austin County Fairgrounds, purchase tickets from CASA for Kids 979-277-0088, 2309 South Day St., Brenham, $50 early bird special (www.wespeak4kids.org).

Feb 4Free Computer, Job search & resume assistance Free one-on-one computer, resume, job search help. Ev-ery Tuesday & Thursday from 1-3pm at the Brenham Li-brary, sponsored by Technology For All & Blinn Hodde Tech Ed Center–Computer Lab, Instructor: Jerry Lauzon (979.830.4484, Jerry.Lauzon@techforall.org).

Feb 5arts at the Lake monthly meeting Arts at the Lake meets the first Wednesday of each month at the Somerville Senior Center at 6pm. Local Artists and friends are invited to attend and find out what is going on in Washington County and Burleson County to support lo-cal art. Somerville Senior Center, Hwy. 36 at 6th Street.

Feb 6Faith mission’s annual Volunteer appreciation Dinner and Birthday Celebration To be hosted at The Cannery Kitchen, time to be an-nounced.

What’s Happening in January

New Staff MemberPlease help us in welcoming Lori

Wegner to the Chamber staff as the new Receptionist.

In this role, she delivers outstand-ing customer service to all callers and visitors, answers phone inquiries, greets walk-in visitors, and fulfills requests for information about the Brenham/Washington County com-munity.

Lori was born in Brenham and is a graduate of Waller High School. Before coming to the Chamber, she worked with Personnel Services. In her free time, she enjoy spending time with her two dogs, going to mov-ies and walking.WEGNER

It’s All AboutBeing ConnectedThe Chamber of Commerce is the only organization in town

that makes all of these connections…• Connects its members with other members.• Connects its members to customers.• Connects the business community with government agencies.• Connects businesses with community organizations.• Connects job seekers with job opportunities.• Connects community leaders with leadership opportunities.• Connects current generations with new generations.• Connects citizens with information.• Connects tourists with the region’s attractions.• Connects members with educational opportunities.

Be the next member in the

“Spotlight!” Send submissions to

news@brenhamtexas.comYour “Spotlight” can be about a re-

cent award, event, business expansion or new employee, or simply a couple paragraphs to increase community awareness about your products/ser-vices. (150 words maximum)

Page 8 Chamber Works January 2014

Washington County “adopt-a-sign” partners

To ensure the long-term care of the Welcome Sign monuments at the five entry points to Washington County, four landscaping companies from our community have volunteered to oversee their maintenance.

Precision Lawn management — U.S. 290 West Sign

Designing Landscapes — U.S. 290 East Sign

Glasco & Company Landscaping — Hwy. 36 North and South Signs

Wise Landscaping — Hwy. 105 Sign

Chamber News & NotesDid You Know?

That the Chamber provides hundreds of “Relocation Info” packages every year to individuals and businesses who are con-sidering moving to this community. As a member, you are eligible to include your promotional material and reach this tar-geted audience for a nominal annual fee ($75). Contact the Chamber office to be included.

Get Noticed…The ChamberWorks newsletter is published

inside The Banner-Press on the first Thurs-day of the month. Chamber members have the opportunity to advertise in this newslet-ter. Rates start at only $25 per month.

If you are looking for a new opportunity to advertise, just give Jane Hinze, Member Services Manager, a call at the Chamber: (979) 836-3695.

Another great way to promote your or-ganization is through targeted emails. The Chamber will forward your “e-message” to all members, as long as it meets certain criteria. For non-profits, it should not have a strong-sell for sponsorships or donations. The mes-sage should be newsworthy, typically about an upcoming event. For regular businesses, it should also be about upcoming special events, as long as there is no purchase required for the reader to experience the event.

“Stars over Brenham” Quilt Show Feb. 7-8

The Friendship Quilt Guild will host its ninth biennial juried show featuring both contemporary and traditional quilts February 7-8, 2014, at the Fireman’s Training Center, 1101 Highway 290 West, in Brenham. Hours on Friday, February 7, are from 10am-5pm and on Saturday from 10am-4pm.

The “Stars over Brenham” show quilt was de-signed, pieced and hand-appliqued by Brenham Quilt Guild members and machine quilted by Car-olyn Gallmeier. It is approximately 76 inches x 100 inches. Chances to win this special handmade quilt are available with a donation of $1 for one ticket or $5 for six tickets. The “Stars over Brenham” quilt drawing will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday. A “Fat Quarter” raffle will also be held; for non-quil-ters, a “Fat Quarter” is a piece of fabric measuring 18”x22” of various designs and colors.

A number of vendors will be on hand with dem-onstrations and products of all types, ranging from quilting supplies to jewelry. In addition, a Boutique filled with a wide variety of upscale items hand-made by Quilt Guild members will be available for shoppers.

Admission to the show is $5 per person; children under 6 are free. For more information, phone 979-421-2210, email brenhamfqg@gmail.com or visit www.quiltguildbrenhamtx.blogspot.com.

Tourism(Continued from Page 6) BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

Curb Your Recycling Serving

ALL of Washington CountyA curb-side recycling pick-up service for Washington

County is here! Curb Your Recycling is locally owned and operated right here in Brenham since 2011.

They offer twice a week, weekly, every two weeks, month-ly, or as-needed services. Containers are provided with lids that stack nicely on top of each other. You can order as many as you need. They service both residential and business cus-tomers.

Why recycle? Did you know that approximately 1 BIL-LION trees worth of paper is thrown away each year? Amer-icans drink enough bottled water a year to stretch the bottles around the Earth over 100 times. That’s approximately 85 million bottles of water being consumed every day in the United States.

Recycling ONE aluminum can will save enough energy to run a TV for 3 hours. Curb Your Recycling will help you help the environment.

Contact owner Mary Petersen for more information at (979) 203-7135 or visit www.BrenhamRecycles.com

Be the next member in the “Spotlight!” Send submissions to info@br-enhamtexas.com. Your “Spotlight” can be about a recent award, event, business expansion or new employee, or simply a couple paragraphs to increase community awareness about your products/services. (100-150 words maximum)