News

The Lee County Fair was a huge success, we got some much needed rain and we have a holiday weekend!

We want to express our thanks to the community for coming back to the Lee County Fair in such a huge way. We broke records in so many areas. It was fun(hot), we saw lots of our friends and neighbors, and we are excited about next year.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Uvalde, Texas. Our hearts are broken for each and everyone in Uvalde. We lift them up in our prayers.

Congratulations to all our graduates!

We are excited to announce that the Grimes Street Music Fest is moving to Veterans Park! The area around our courthouse is off limits to events until late 2023. This called for our community to put on our thinking caps and come up with a plan. Our great city manager, Spencer Schneider, and TUB frontman, Tim Langham were instrumental in helping to secure Veterans Park for July 1st. This will kick off the long weekend of fun activities for the whole family. 

We hope you will come out and enjoy Veterans Park with us on the evening of July 1st. Bring you blankets, lawn chairs, cooler, and kids! We will have food vendors, community organizations, and Lee County Veterans Association on hand that night too. 

JOIN US FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING IN OUR COMMUNITY! Free admission.

The temperature outside is not quite as warm as I prefer, but if you stand in the warm sunlight just out of the wind you can enjoy being outdoors today. That wind tho...? 

We are looking forward to this wonderful weekend which is going to be beautiful! AND, for some people who have off on Monday, it will be a long holiday weekend. Go, be free... Take time to smell the coffee and roses. 

We are also counting down the days until the Lee County Junior Livestock Show, St. Patrick's Casino Night and of course SPRING BREAK!!!

Have a super great weekend and President's Day. Our office will be closed on Monday for the holiday.

Isn't this the best weather ever??? We stand on the front porch and soak up the sun because it is just so wonderful. 

Take time to go by all of our local shops to check out the many ways you can celebrate your Valentine... so many beautiful things that will say "I Love You"!

Early voting starts on Monday, February 14th.

It is with great pleasure that we announce the Merger of Siegeler Insurance Agency, Inc. of Giddings, and Wellmann Insurance Agency Inc. of Brenham. Congratulations to Michael Siegeler and his wonderful staff.

Coming up in March the Lee County Junior Livestock Show is happening March 1-5, at the Lee County Junior Livestock Show Barn. There are so many kids that work so hard to bring these animals to the show, or bake a cake, or do some kind of incredible art project. They are all so amazing. Go see what they are doing out there that week.

We are also very excited about our upcoming Casino Night on March 5th at The Venue on Main. The doors open at 5:30pm. It will be a great time with our friends from the community. Come find your Pot O'Gold.

A successful Customer Intake Specialist at Butler Contracting is the most important position in our company as you will be the first impression of our award-winning customer experience. If you love providing an exceptional customer experience then this position is for you. Our proven systems and processes will allow you to thrive in what you do best providing fantastic customer service. We have all of the tools, resources, and programs set up to be successful. We are seeking the right candidate to perform the role. If you are looking for an exciting way to help your community, what is stopping you from applying?

Qualifications:

-High School Diploma or equivalent

-Answer the phone each time we receive a call and call every customer back within 15 minutes of their initial call whenever possible.

-We pride ourselves on answering the phone and being responsive to our customers' needs.

-Excellent communication skills in customer service

-Make outbound phone calls to speak with customers to schedule consultations and collect project request information

-Display kindness and be open to providing scheduling accommodations to customers.

-Manage customer project requests, phone calls, email traffic, calendar activities, and voicemail and text messages.

-Detail-oriented with the ability to catch errors and can efficiently make corrections with little to no supervision

-Must work well independently and critically think to resolve issues quickly

-Ability to effectively time manage and use discretion to prioritize tasks as there will be times you may be over inundated with customer requests or tasks.

-Strong understanding of Google Docs, Google Sheets, email, using smartphone applications, and uploading and saving photos.

-Computer competency for data entry and reports as needed, and can quickly learn and effectively use our in-house CRM system and programs

-Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with customers and staff

-The Customer Intake Specialist will report to the Director of Operations

-In addition, this role will support the Director of Operations and General Manager with administrative duties

-A basic understanding of remodeling or the construction industry is desired and would be beneficial in this position

This position is Full-Time Monday-Friday with the understanding overtime may be required at times. We offer insurance and benefit options available after 60 days. Major Holidays are paid and an additional 5 days PTO within the 1st year of service. Veterans will receive an extra paid holiday on Veterans Day as a thank you for your service. If interested and you meet the qualifications listed above, please fill out the application below and resume. We look forward to hearing from you!

https://butler.contractors/careers/

It's cool in the morning and warm in the afternoon which gives us great hope that winter is not far off and a time of rest and rebuilding will come to us. 

This week there is so much going on and you don't want to miss any of it! On Tuesday we have the Grand Opening of the Special Services Center located at the Giddings ISD Campus in front of the Administration Building. We will cut the ribbon at 4:15.

On Thursday evening we will welcome our authors and kick off the Texas Word Wrangler Book Festival with the annual Gala at the Giddings Public Library at 6pm. Tickets available at the Library. On Friday and Saturday head over to the Library to meet the authors, check out all the new books and update your library card!

Then on Sunday there are several things happening...

Sip & Shop Christmas Market starts at 10am.

Lee County First Responder Organization Fundraiser drive thru at the Lincoln Community Picnic Grounds at 11am.

Community Wide Thanksgiving Service at First Baptist Church of Giddings at 6pm. 

We are kicking off the shopping season and inviting everyone to shop local and support your local businesses during the Christmas Season. Our businesses look forward to seeing you and helping you find exactly the Christmas gift you have been searching for all year.

We were surprised to wake up to thunder and lightning last night with about 3 - 3.5 inches of rain at our house. I actually slept right through it... 

But we really did need the rain, and the ground absorbed it like a thirsty sponge. Happy days are here again. 

On a different note, the Round Top Antiques Show opens this weekend. It is a couple of weeks late this year which will give visitors a little cooler experience than in the past. We know it is Round Top weekend because it rained. HAHA! This weekend through October 30th the vendors, shoppers, and assorted tourists will descend upon the area for the semi-annual show. Be prepared for traffic, lines in the restaurants, and surprises around every corner. 

Thankfully we are always happy to welcome our veteran shoppers and newbies to our community. We take every chance to hand out a map and visitors guide. We also take time to tell the story of the Schubert Fletcher Home which was built in 1879. This old house has seen a lot... if only walls could talk. 

Finally, I want to alert you to the following information.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? You may already be too late.

We have ten weeks until Christmas…      Let me say that again, we have 10 Saturdays until Christmas!

How is it possible? The time has flown by and we are in the last quarter of this year. Which means if you haven’t started buying your Christmas gifts and decor, then you may be surprised by the many items that have been placed on back order. And, by looking at the shipping industry we may be in for a long wait. One thing that we can be proud of in Giddings is the many businesses who are here to help you fulfill all your Christmas dreams. From personal shoppers, to beautifully wrapped gifts, and even delivery in some cases our local retailers are prepared to help you get Christmas done on time.

This year will require some planning and executing to get the cards mailed in time, the Christmas tree up and decorated, and of course your favorite meals prepared so that you and your favorite people can be together.

Take time to create your list and look local first to help achieve a stress-free holiday experience.

LOOK LOCAL FIRST – 10 Saturdays until Christmas                       

Have a happy Thursday! Let us know when you are planning your Christmas Open House this year so we can add it to our growing calendar of events.

The weather has been amazingly awesome this week! Good hair days abound when the humidity takes a dive like it did this week. So many things to be thankful for like perfect weather, happy children, funny pets, and friends/family!

Take time to walk outside and enjoy this beautiful weather and watch the butterflies. They have really put on a colorful display this year. It is amazing that they are so fragile, yet strong enough to migrate all the way across the country. INCREDIBLE!

Speaking of great weather... this weekend kicks off what has been traditionally in September. Round Top and its hordes of people that come to shop, eat, see, and be seen has started. Get ready for everything to be full, crowded, and rocking. 

Fun times are coming this weekend with the Shane Hanchey Invitational Roping out at the Lee County Sheriff's Posse Arena.

Monday is Columbus Day and we will not be in the office. Call if you need us. 

Last, but not least is a reminder that on Tuesday the Lee County Veterans will have a drive thru luncheon at the American Legion Hall serving Chicken Spaghetti.

Woke up this morning to the most glorious cool weather... It makes me smile so much to have such a significant change in the weather and it gives me great hope for the coming days. Yes, I know it will get warm again. But now I have great HOPE that our cooler temperatures are getting ever closer.

HOPE is what gives every one of us the energy to get out of bed every day and go do that thing we do... If you need a little pep talk, come by my office and we will discuss all the great things we have to be grateful for in Lee County Texas.

Say a prayer for all of our DPS Troopers who are at the border or being deployed there. 

We have a lot of upcoming events that you will want to participate in and we are happy to add it to the calendar if it is not too late.

Our office does have some of the Giddings Breakfast Lions Club tickets for their Annual Fried Fish on the Friday night before the Giddings Buffaloes Football Game. $10 for a ticket, plates to eat there or to go available in the Giddings High School Cafeteria.

We are also excited to welcome the newest member to our Chamber family - Lee County Amateur Radio Emergency Services! Lee County ARES provide supplemental radio communications for the public, government, and non-government organizations in case regular communications are no longer adequate in case of emergencies, disasters, or events. Watch for their upcoming ribbon cutting soon.

Also join us in welcoming Giddings NewYou Body Sculpting and Jazmin Salazar to the Chamber! We'll be celebrating with a ribbon cutting at her shop at 1063 N. Orange St. on Monday, September 27th at 10am. Please join us!

Hope you have a great week and look forward to seeing you out and about. We are getting busy planning all of the wonderful fall events. Send us your information as soon as possible so we can include it in upcoming announcements

The heat and humidity are really starting to get old. The DOG DAYS as we call them are beginning to wear on the nerves. Standing outside for more than a few minutes will make the sweat start rolling...

But I see some random raindrops and that gives me hope. 

This week was full of great excitement because we were able to finally start giving out our Chamber Awards that had not been delivered in time for the banquet. It was actually more fun to be able to go visit award recipients and remind them of their wonderful accomplishments.

It was so fun to deliver the Lifetime Achievement Award to Buddy Preuss at his office with Louise, Sam, and Sloan by his side. It makes me smile to be able to deliver such a memorable gift. Thanks to Frank Smith for coming by and taking this wonderful picture for us. 

Yesterday the Lee County Amateur Radio Emergency Services team came to speak at the Rotary Club about their emergency radio volunteer organization. Marida del Favia Core Borromeo was the speaker for their new 501C group. This is a great organization and they would love to come to do a program for you at your civic group, church, or youth organization. The ham radio has been around for a long time and it has been in the hobby industry for many years. It has recently become an Emergency Management tool and is very interesting to learn about the different levels of amateur radio communications that are out there... breaker breaker 19! Do you copy? 

LC-ARES.org or 979-540-9630

September is going to be super busy. It is going to be exciting to see what the next few months will be since we are seeing this huge uptick in activities... Stay tuned.

We are sad to see the end of July so soon and these really warm days.
Not really, this heat is no joke! My tan is really starting to get dark which means more wrinkles... oh well! I'll take the wrinkles. 

We hope you had a wonderful week, and if you just got back from vacation, we feel your pain. It is hard to come back to an email box full and a stack of work. But if you unplugged completely like all the experts tell us, you will be re-energized and ready to tackle whatever the world or office throws at you. 

As we have been preparing for all the fun events that are coming up in August we realize that it is the end of summer. School starts soon and of course our 'normal' routines return. AHHHH, the sound of the school bell helps many parents enjoy that ROUTINE. So we can get excited about the SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVES and STUFF THE BUS type events that are coming up. We can find new backpacks, school clothes, and lunch bags everywhere we look. If you are a retired teacher, you are realizing that you don't have to go get ready for the school year... It is amazing!

Don't stress about it, we all go through it, and if you are having a hard time getting excited about school starting, just go stand in the store close to the school supply aisle. Little children see the wonderment of all the stuff and dream about starting school. We should all have the eyes and hearts of 6 or 7 year olds.
 

Lots of stuff going on in August! But tonight the Sheriff's office and the Lions of Lee County are hosting a wonderful movie night on the county courthouse lawn. Bring your lawn chairs! Fans and cool drinks. Family fun for all!

We will kick off August with some fun back to school activities and then celebrate all of our Community Awards recipients. That same week the Rotary Club of Giddings will have their annual Fun Night Fundraiser that helps to provide funding for the Early Act First Knight Character Program at the Giddings Elementary School and other Rotary charities. And then the next week the New Horizons Lions Club will host the Community Blood Mobile at the Giddings Public Library from noon until 6pm on Tuesday, August 17th. Give blood, save lives, lose a pound!

That's enough for today. Go out and have a great weekend! Know that we are a great community of givers and that we are better together!