News

We are ready for the turkey and dressing, but what we all really want is pie! What kind of pie do you want at the big family dinner? Personally, I never met a pie I didn't like. Bring all the pies and I will taste them all. It is also a tradition to eat too much and then take a big nap. I like a nap after Thanksgiving dinner. We should all be allowed a nap after all the preparations for the big dinner. It is earned and deserved. So eat and nap is the plan for next week!

Before we take off for the deer lease, skiing, or some other fun destination, remember to Shop Locally with all of our great businesses in Giddings and Lee County. We have many fun shops and great people that want to help you get your Christmas shopping done.

Thanksgiving Day at First Presbyterian Church - 10:30-Noon serving Free Thanksgiving Dinner... Drive thru pickup for plates is in the alleyway. Delivery is available by calling 979-542-9020 or for more information.

Safe travels and God's Blessings on you and your family. 

The rain is coming... we have seen evidence of the purple sage blooming

That surely means we will get the rain we so desperately need. The cracks in the yards are becoming a little scary! And we have water restrictions in place and now we have a burn ban. So the heat is serious and we must all do our part to conserve water. What old wives tales do you know about that herald future rain? At the very least it gives up hope that the grass will become green again, and that our plants will survive. 

It is just so hot that most decisions are made by how much time is required outside... God bless all the workers who are out in this heat every day. 

The upcoming events and activities for the rest of the month and heading into August are exciting to say the least! Check out the Christmas in July Sip & Shop which is coming up on July 29th. We have been sold out for weeks and we are so excited to see all the vendors. There is no cost to attend, however we will be accepting school supply donations for the Backpack Giveaway! 

Back to School is coming and we want to remind you that the First Assembly of God Church is working on their Back to School Giveaway on August 5th. They are accepting donations at this time of school supplies to fill the backpacks. You can make a donation at the church or drop it off at the Chamber office. We will make sure they get it. 

There will be a Community Blood Drive on August 16th at Giddings Public Library in the Bloodmobile. It only takes a few minutes to give the Gift of Life! They open at Noon and close at 6PM. 

FYI - Here's your chance to provide something for our Visitors Bags! Take advantage of this opportunity. We are making up 200 plus Visitors Bags for an upcoming 4-H conference and the incoming new teachers at GISD. We will make sure your brochure, business card, or other items will be placed in the bags. The deadline for getting this to us is Thursday, July 27th. Let us know if we need to pick up your items. 

Finally we are very excited about the upcoming Community Awards Banquet which will be held on August 8th at The Silos on 77! This year our theme is "To Boldly Go - Into The Next Century" as we wind down our celebration recognizing 100 years as The Voice of Business in Giddings and Lee County. We will be using Star Trek as our backdrop to reach toward the stars in the next 100 years. Costumes are encouraged, but not required. As always, business casual is the event attire. But don't be surprised if you run into some famous Vulcans...

We will announce the Community Awards recipients this week in the media so watch for this news. We have lots to be thankful for in our community... especially all of our many citizens who work tirelessly to make Giddings and Lee County a great place to live.

We are ever thankful for the small rain showers, however brief because it gives us hope! Every person that saw the rain shower was smiling. It repeated Thursday at lunchtime. Just a brief rain shower that fell and gave us hope. Then the humidity kicked in and we were suffering again from the summer heat. It is July, so we can expect those higher temperatures during the day. Any cloud cover is greatly appreciated and is a relief. I am glad that I mostly work indoors! 

Our work outside is usually associated with events like the Freedom Fest which was held on Monday night at Veterans Park. It was a great night with local musicians and food. The splash pad was a huge hit with the kids and every time I looked over at the cornhole games they were full. I can honestly say that Freedom Fest was a huge success! We counted over 500 in attendance, and probably missed some. We had kids of all ages dancing, visiting, and enjoying the music. The City of Giddings Parks and Recreation Department really did a fantastic job of getting everything ready for the event. Kenny Ray and his department were awesome to work with and they are planning more improvements for the future. 

GREAT JOB GUYS! 

Watch for more fun things at Veterans Park in the near future.

Upcoming events and activities -

Saturday, July 8 - Downtown Giddings Plaza Street Vendor Show from 9-1, Second Saturday Street Dance from 6-10pm across from the Gazebo.

Saturday, July 29 - Christmas in July Sip & Shop at The Silos on 77... 40 vendors, cold tropical drinks, and start Christmas shopping early!

Saturday, August 5 - Back to School Backpack giveaway at First Assembly of God Church parking lot.

Tuesday, August 8 - Community Awards Banquet at The Silos on 77 from 6-10pm. Tickets and Sponsorships available, call for more info. 

Friday, August 11 - Rotary Club Fun Night at American Legion Hall 

Wednesday, August 16 - Community Blood Drive at Giddings Public Library from 12-6pm

Saturday, August 19 - Sharity Productions presents Marty Haggard and Mary Sarah at The Silos on 77. Showtime 7pm. 

Saturday, August 19 - Jigsaw Weaponry presents A Girl and A Gun training

Saturday, August 26 - Denim & Diamonds Gala presented by New Horizons Lions Club at The Silos on 77. Tickets and Sponsorships available.

The weather was exciting last night. We had thunder, lightning, wind and rain during the night which was greatly needed. We had been promised all week that we would get the rain, but it held off until after dark. The pets were not huge fans of the thunder. It made for really good sleeping weather at my house. 

We have a celebrity in our midst... this week Rodeo Giddings started on Thursday with slack and will continue tonight and tomorrow at the Lee County Sheriff's Posse Arena. We are so proud of Mark and Rodeo Giddings!

https://www.kbtx.com/2023/04/20/lee-county-sheriffs-posse-holding-rodeo-giddings-this-week/?fbclid=IwAR2b4Pj9phSncsuquw8wRkgpthOUSwtZZXlvJse8JGMhMNgRmvhYCTKawHs

We do want to give a shout out to our very own Margurite Lawrence and wish her a very happy 100th birthday! 

Hello everyone! Just wanted to let you know of a REAL HISTORICAL EVENT, Margurite Lawrence will be celebrating her 100th birthday this Saturday (4/22) at the Venue on Main, Giddings from 2-5. Hope everyone can stop by and meet a real piece of Lee County History.

She was born 4/20/23 at Beat Five. Parents Sue Ella Wood and John Bert Dodd. Married Odais Lawrence and moved to Giddings, where they raised two children, Bob and Betty. They operated Lawrence's Gulf Station and Garage for many years. Known for being an outstanding waitress at several local restaurants. Proven to be at least 7th generation Texan. Attended Dime Box schools.
- Invitation per Brenda Lawrence

We are making history every day. We just need to recognize how important it is to document these moments so that we can look back in the future and remember the good times we had.

As you can tell from the traffic on Hwy 290 and 77 this week, it is Spring Break and the Bluebonnets are blooming. Thanks to some very beneficial rains and cold weather back during the deep winter, we are having a very early and bountiful Bluebonnet Season! 

The next few weeks will be packed with fun and excitement. Starting with all the vendors rolling into Round Top and surrounding areas this week and setting up for the annual pilgrimage to Round Top, Warrenton, Fayetteville, and Oldenburg, Texas for the Antiques, Arts, and Crafts Show. It is so many things to so many people. Folks from across the country come to see it and they are all looking for something different and unique. And, the vendors are from all areas of the country. You can spend a day or a week and never see it all. Just remember to wear comfortable shoes and drink plenty of water. And you might need a hat, umbrella, rain poncho, or a fan to fend off the heat, so go prepared.

Plenty of things to see and do in the next couple of weeks. Enjoy the warmer weather but be prepared... it can change drastically. We know that they keep talking about some  bad stuff coming in the next several days. Just be prepared. But, in the meantime go see some bluebonnets, listen to some music, and enjoy these beautiful days.

March 20 - Rural Employer Lunch & Learn for Businesses and Local Employers 

March 25 -  Lee County Little League Crawfish Boil at The Silos on 77 - Advance Purchase required

March 28 - Martin Luther Church WOW Ladies Walk In Coffee

April 1 -  Immanuel Lutheran Church Spring Fest - free to attend

April 1 -  Cars & Coffee in Downtown Giddings 11am across from the Giddings Brewhaus - free to attend

April 1 - Brian Black and Georgette Jones Country Music Show at The Silos on 77 - Advance Purchase required

April 3-4 - Women's Self Defense Class at Fitness Solutions

April 4 - First Assembly of God Walk In Coffee

April 15 - Knights of the Round Table Gala at the Silos on 77

April 20-22 - Rodeo Giddings at the Lee County
tickets available at the gate     

April 22 - Interact Club Annual Plant Sale

April 22 - Lee County Center for the Arts Crawfish Contest

April 24 - First Methodist Church Walk In Coffee 

June 23 - Hot Summer Luau Casino Night at the Venue on Main, sponsored by the Chamber

We hope you have a great weekend and be safe traveling for your spring break activities. We will be here holding down the fort. The weather is perfect for your travels. Pack the sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses. You may need an umbrella later next week, but hopefully it will only be the kind that is in your tropical drink and not for rain. 

We decided to postpone our Casino Night event that was scheduled for next Friday night because we were not ready! We have had so many other events and activities going on that it snuck up on us and we just couldn't do it. We will do it in June when there is less legislative, workforce, and critical planning going on in our office. We hope that you can make plans to attend our Hot Summer Luau Casino Night on June 23rd. Casino Connection will be here to help us roll the dice. 

Check out our list of events and activities that will be happening in the next few weeks! Great food, fun activities, and warm weather to enjoy.   

There is another way to check out all the fun activities that are happening in and around Lee County. Check out our website under the Events tab.

March 20 - Rural Employers Workforce Lunch - RSVP required

    March 25 - Lee County Little League Crawfish Boil at The Silos on 77 - Advance Purchase required

    March 28 - Martin Luther Walk In Coffee at Martin Luther Lutheran Church 

    April 1 -  Immanuel Lutheran Church Spring Fest - free to attend

    April 1 -  Cars & Coffee in Downtown Giddings across from the Giddings Brewhaus - free to attend

    April 1 - Brian Black and Georgette Jones Country Music Show at The Silos on 77 - Advance Purchase required

    April 20-22 - Rodeo Giddings at the Lee County tickets available at the gate     

March has shown up loud and windy! It has been a rollercoaster ride for our local weather and of course it is Lee County Junior Livestock Show week, so that means it has to storm. It's funny how we associate the weather to certain annual events because of our past experiences. We still expect another cold snap around Easter every year, no matter what day it falls on... Whatever the weather, we know the show must go on. Livestock shows, fairs, rodeos, are the tried and true barometers of a community. People are rooted into the soil surrounding these events. They come for the camaraderie of family, friends, and neighbors. Everyone pitches in to create a memorable experience for their children and each other. Our best memories will always include these events. Good luck to all the parents, children, coaches, mentors, buyers, and sellers at this year's Lee County Junior Livestock Show and Sale. It is hard work, but the memories are worth it!

There are some other important dates to remember for March.

March 7 - Pancake Supper at Giddings Elementary School drive thru on E. Industry - Tickets available at Giddings Elementary or a Rotarian. Pick up starts at 4:30pm.

March 8 - Circus at Lee County Sheriff's Posse Arena. Starts at 6:30pm. 

March 12 - Loebau Store Polka Music and Cold Drinks     

March 13-17 - Spring Break

March 17 - St. Patrick's Casino Night at The Venue on Main, sponsored by the Giddings Chamber 

March 20 - Rural Employer Lunch & Learn for Businesses and Local Employers 

March 25 - Lee County Little League Crawfish Boil at The Silos on 77

March 28 - Martin Luther Church WOW Ladies Walk In Coffee

April 1 - More information soon...

• Cars & Coffee Car Show
• Spring Fest at Immanuel Lutheran Church 
• Brian Black and Georgette Jones at The Silos on 77                                           

We are excited to see so many fun events happening in and around Lee County. Let us know what you are planning and we will help get the word out to the community. 

We do want to tell you about our trip to the Texas State Capitol on Tuesday... IT WAS AWESOME! We ride the bus so we don't have to park in downtown Austin. I highly recommend it to everyone. We had the best day ever. We were able to meet with Senator Lois Kolkhorst, State Representative Stan Gerdes, Andrew Ross with Congressman McCaul's office, and Kara Mayfield with Texas Star Alliance. We had a huge group that was able to see the Senate Gallery where Lee County was recognized by Senator Kolkhorst, and we were seated in the House Gallery where Representative Gerdes read a Resolution recognizing Lee County. We took time to visit the Ag Museum where Rep. Gerdes presented Tootsie Tomanetz with a Resolution recognizing Snow's BBQ on their 20th Anniversary. County Judge Frank Malinak, Mayor Joel Lopez, County Commissioners, David Stedman, Giddings Economic Development President, and many others joined us on this trip. We were pleased with the turnout and the many people we were able to meet.

Another full week of family friendly activities and the weather is absolutely beautiful! These cool mornings are so wonderful...

National Night Out in Giddings will be on Tuesday, October 4th at Veterans Park from 6-8pm.

Family Crisis Center Meet and Greet is Thursday, October 6th at the Business Center - First National Bank next door to the Chamber office from 5-7pm.

The Shane Hanchey Roping starts this week and there are several activities at the Lee County Sheriff's Posse Arena -

Columbus Day Holiday is October 10th and our office will be closed.

Lee County Veterans Association will host their annual Chicken Spaghetti Lunch - Drive Thru only on Tuesday, October 11th. Tickets are available from Lee County Veterans

Relay for Life is Saturday, October 15th at Veterans Park from 6-9pm.

We are happy to share the events early so you can post them in your calendar. Looking forward to seeing you in the neighborhood.

The Succession Plan, So You Can Retire

There is this belief that as the population hits retirement age and employees start to leave the workforce that someone will step up and be able to do the job in the same way you did for the company or agency where you are employed.

The Great Resignation as it has been called in numerous op-eds and news stories is one of the many challenges that can be attributed to the last two and a half years. It is the quiet retirement or mass exodus of much of the institutional knowledge that companies, and organizations have had on staff for many years.

What happens when that institutional knowledge is no longer available? It can throw a company or organization into a crisis.

Planning for your retirement is one thing… but you also need to plan for your successor. Who will take your place and who can you mentor to become the person the company can trust to carry on your legacy? 

Serious thought and planning should go into those decisions. Your knowledge and skills are not something you can leave behind in a folder or on a computer. You must take responsibility for identifying someone you can trust with your job when you leave.

Take time to look around at who can step into your shoes when you get ready to get on the Retirement Bus…become a mentor and begin to train the next generation. 

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Blood Drive is coming up on Tuesday at the Giddings Public Library. It will be at the Blood Mobile Bus again from 11AM - 6PM.

You only need to drive a little ways to visit Fedor, Texas for the annual Fedor Fish Fry on Saturday, or out to Serbin, Texas for the 34th Annual Texas Wendish Festival this weekend. Great fun for the whole family! 

Rolling over into next week we have the Free Informational Water Meeting set up by the Lee County Agrilife Extension to help answer questions about the future of water in Lee County. Then on Friday night the Black Bridge Festival kicks off with an Oktoberfest Celebration in downtown Dime Box, Texas. There will be a barbeque cookoff on Friday and a Mini Marathon on Saturday. Another family friendly activity for you to attend. 

We are sharing this information with you today because we receive it and know it is important. This is a grant opportunity for the Texas Travel Industry. There are many deadlines so check it out as soon as you can. 

https://gov.texas.gov/business/page/texas-travel-industry-recovery-grant-program

Lots of historical significance in all of these surrounding areas. We are in history and love to celebrate with family and friends. We look forward to seeing you all!