News

We are struggling to spend more of our day outside because of the wonderful weather. I threatened to move my desk outside to work. It is just so relaxing to sit in the sun on the front porch and soak up all the wonderful sunshine. I can say that East Hempstead is a very busy street, and I see everyone go by on their way to somewhere. Life is great in Giddings!

We are excited to remind you of the extended hours for shopping locally tonight at local shops. They are all eager to help you with all your Christmas shopping. From 6-8PM Ashley's Attic, Gourmet Divas, and The Grapevine will help you shop, select, wrap, and possibly ship your gifts. The ladies have been working hard to get everything ready for you.

This weekend is chock full of activities for you and your family to enjoy. MAKE PLANS TO GO TO THE CPRA RODEO FINALS! Friday and Saturday nights will feature the CPRA Finals at the Lee County Sheriff's Posse Arena. Tickets are available at the gate only.

Sunday morning there is a drive thru fundraiser at The Silos for Bethany Lara. Tickets are $10 per plate.

Sunday evening on the Courthouse lawn we will enjoy music from the Lost Cause Band and TUB. We are celebrating our Patriotic Festival with flags and fans! Come be a part of our wonderful community event.

Tuesday the Lee County Texas Veterans Association is having a DRIVE THRU Chicken Spaghetti Fundraiser at the American Legion Hall. The tickets have been sold in advance. If you still want a ticket, you must call me immediately! I may have a few, I know a guy who may have a few. WE are down to the wire! 

THEN, we roll into next week when we will reveal our Community Award winners! Exciting times.

There was a little confusion about the Lee County Cleanup Day - October 17th from 9am-noon. It's easy to make a mistake, and we make some. The County Precinct yards will accept certain household items. 

Lee County Commissioners

Free Clean Up Day

Saturday, October 17, 2020

9:00am - 12:00pm

Drop off at Precinct Barns

Drop off locations-

Precinct Barn #1  979-542-6065

1007 PR 1411, Giddings

Precinct Barn #2  979-542-2522

1530 US Hwy 77, Giddings

Precinct Barn #3  979-542-6897

Belton & 4th Street, Lexington

Precinct Barn #4  979-542-1388

1056 Walnut Street, Lincoln

Acceptable Items - Carpeting, mattresses, appliances, old furniture, other household discards.
Items NOT accepted - no tires, no batteries, no wire, no tin, no yard waste, no hazardous materials, no building materials.

Clean up days are the second weekend in April & October

The other things that are coming up can be seen at our website, facebook, or instagram pages. 

COMING SOON--- 

Denim & Diamonds Gala, Chamber Banquet, Election Day, National Retriever Championships, Honor Park Dedication, and Sip & Shop! Call if you need the information sooner. It is just so much stuff.

Greetings

We have seen lots of folks posting on their social media outlets about the huge migration of the hummingbirds this year. The little tiny birds are amazing to watch and so ferocious! Territorial and vicious about who comes to their feeder. The entertainment value is greatly increased by the beautiful colors they display. They are one of the many migratory species that we in Texas get to enjoy! I really like the Monarch Butterfly migration too!

If you are a high school football fan you have been waiting for Friday Night Lights for a while now. We are cheering for our Lee County teams and pray they stay safe. Go Buffs, Go Eagles, Go Longhorns!

On Friday the Giddings Fire Department unveiled their addition to the 911 World Trade Center display at the Giddings Fire Station. The beautiful granite markers were donated by Jacob Janda and tell the story of the gift to our city. After the 911 Tribute at the Giddings Fire Station, there was an evening event at the Firemen's Airline Park that included a Cornhole Tournament, live and silent auctions, and music. The crowd was entertained during the auction as the competition heated up over some really awesome auction items. After the auctions were completed Kenny Orts took the stage and opened the evening with the National Anthem which he sang acapella! It was beautiful. It was a wonderful night, and if you happened to be out in the country you may have seen two beams of light that represented the Twin Towers. The Patriot Day event was awesome.

As we look forward to the cooler weather and getting to do more activities, we want to make you aware of some events that are coming up in October. The Black Bridge Festival and National Night Out have been canceled this year, but there are other events that you will want to attend. 

October 10th - CPRA Rodeo at the Sheriff's Posse Arena

October 11th - Grimes Street Music Fest on the Courthouse Square

October 13th - American Legion Chicken Spaghetti at the American Legion Hall - drive thru only

October 17th - Southwest Rodeo Hall of Fame - Leon Coffee at the Silos on 77

October 24th - New Horizons Lions Club Denim & Diamonds Gala at the Silos on 77

October 27th - Chamber of Commerce Community Awards Banquet - Mask-arade Ball at the Venue on Main

October 31st - Halloween activities - TBD

Shop Local, Support Local. We are committed to helping our community thrive!

Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

Executive Director

I am so excited!!! During my morning reading I discovered a weather resource that is so cool! It is August and anything that can cool is huge... https://spaghettimodels.com/  Everything you ever needed to know about weather is on this page. I have to say that with the way 2020 has been so far, I will not be surprised by anything,,, but, I am so impressed with the amount of information on Mike's page. Go check it out and tell us what you think.

I am also happy to report that my second grandbaby arrived safe and sound this week. Dylan Mae Horne weighed in at 8 pounds and 6 ounces, 20.5 inches long, with dark curly hair. Gus and Sarah are home already and Madison is very curious about the new addition. We are very excited to see the family grow. Thank you to everyone for their thoughts and prayers. 

Reminders about upcoming events -

• US Census - complete the census on your phone, online, or by mail.

• 100th Anniversary of Women's Right to Vote was ratified on August 26, 1920 - register to vote

• Patriot Day - September 11th the Giddings Volunteer Fire Department will host their annual auction at the Giddings Firemen's Park starting at 6pm. The Giddings Breakfast Lions will have food available for sale, and the Fire Department will have cold beer. Kenny Orts will provide music after the auction.

  “Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.” – Napoleon Bonaparte  
  

  Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

  Executive Director

Good morning!!!

If you are like me you look for a reason to celebrate every single day! The excitement and enthusiasm is starting to slowly return to our lives. We have so much to be grateful for today. 

There are several things that I want to let you know about this morning. I can hardly contain myself...

The next season of the Netflix series takes a look at barbecue around the world

https://austin.eater.com/2020/8/17/21372044/netflix-chefs-table-bbq-show-pitmaster-tootsie-tomanetz-texas-barbecue

Kelita and I were so blessed to be able to work with an awesome film crew in January this year as they were working on this project! We had actually been working with Michael Hilliard for over a year as they planned the project. It is a real process when it comes to filming in your community. We are grateful to each and everyone who helped to make this possible. The real hero is Tootsie Tomanetz and we are so happy to be able to give you this information.

Remember to register to vote! Fill out your US Census form! Take time to smell the flowers! Be Brave!!!

Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

Executive Director

Let's talk about the good news!

The Labor Market report came out and Lee County and Fayette County saw their unemployment number drop the most of all the counties in the Rural Capital Area. (5.2 for Giddings, 7.2 for Bastrop and 5.2 for Fayette.) That is good news for our community and for our local businesses that are open.

We are hopeful that our city, state, and country can return to normal at some point. Being able to work and have your business open is so important. We encourage everyone to shop local to help our community as a whole. We are all here to support each other through the good times and the not so good times. 

Find ways to encourage each other and give your friends and neighbors support. It will give us all a better outlook on the future. 

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and try to stay cool! This heat is no joke!

Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

Executive Director

July is always warm, but 108* is pretty hot even for Giddings!  We are looking for a shady spot to park wherever we go. Standing in the shade in the morning is somewhat pleasant as long as you don't move too much! We are always prepared for the heat but it is surprising to go from the inside, dark, cool air conditioned place to the blast furnace that is outside. Drink lots of water and try to stay cool!!!

Today is the runoff election for Lee County Sheriff.

The Lee County Veterans Wall project which is moving along with the help of so many great volunteers! You can check out the new addition to Veterans Park by driving into the City Park located behind Shoppa's John Deere Tractor Dealership. We are excited to see the progress. 
If you want to be part of the project, you can visit their website and sponsor a paver.
https://leecountytxvets.org/engraved-pavers

Finally, we are currently accepting nominations for our Community Awards. The Chamber Banquet will be held later this year. The new date will be decided and you will be notified. 

Hope you have a great week and remember to go vote!

We are surprised by the cool and cloudy weather we have been having lately! It really makes my plants and flowers happy, which in turn makes me happy. Plants = happiness!

Early voting is happening now until July 10th for the local runoff election between Casey Goetz and Garrett Durrenberger for Lee County Sheriff. You can vote at the Giddings Public Library or at the American Legion Hall in Lexington. Election day is July 14th. 

Did you know that there is a lot to do this weekend around the area. On Friday we are hosting the Grimes Street Music Fest in downtown Giddings on the Courthouse Square. Bring your lawn chairs and a cooler so you can enjoy the music we all love!

On Saturday the Giddings Volunteer Fire Department will be preparing their famous barbeque and selling it by the pound or in a to go box as a meal. They will also host the Annual Fireworks display at dark after the bullriding.

The Lee County Sheriff's Posse is hosting their annual Fury on the 4th Bull riding in the Arena. They are excited to be bringing the best bull riders in the country to Giddings. 

Round Top is hosting the Longest Running Parade West of the Mississippi on Saturday morning in downtown Round Top. It is huge with floats and vehicles from all over Texas. 

Celebrating our Independence is inherent in us. We live by the Constitution and hold it dear to our hearts. We look forward to these celebrations because they renew our hope. They renew our faith that everything is going to be okay. 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.Hebrews 10:23  

Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

This morning the weather outside was almost perfect! It brought a smile to my face as soon as I opened the door and walked out to check on the plants. After yesterday's oppressive heat it was important to give everything a nice drink of water. 

It is amazing how much the humidity can affect the temperature and what you are able to accomplish when it feels nice outside! It is great to see people out and about shopping and working. We have been able to visit with our friends and catch up on everything. People are glad to see things returning to normal after the last several months of staying home.

We are happy to announce the Grimes Street Music Fest is happening again this year on the Courthouse Square on July 3rd. Then on Saturday, July 4th the Giddings Volunteer Fire Department will host their annual Firemen's Feast and Firework's Show. Also the Lee County Sheriff's Posse will host the Fury on the 4th with Championship Bull Riding. Great community events that are outdoors with plenty of fresh air and warm temperatures. 

All of this information is great news for our community! We look forward to seeing you out and about!

Deadline - Friday, June 12 

Grimes Street Music Fest sponsorship on our Event Forms page

Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

Happy Thursday,

We are moving forward with local activities and plans for returning to a more normal life in Giddings. As we prepare to get businesses open and events start happening we have some guidelines that will be included. These come from the State of Texas and will be shared across all platforms and for every one to easily access. 

We are so very excited to see the Governor moving forward into Phase 3 of Open Texas and expect things to continue expanding.

The eternal optimist in me is always looking for the silver lining in every cloud and it gives me HOPE to see people out and about, meeting in their groups, clubs, and organizations. Finding ways to gather in a meaningful way and continue the good work that these organizations promote is the best way to combat the stress and anxiety we have had for the last two and a half months. Keep moving forward is the best thing we can do!

In preparation for the upcoming Grimes Street Music Fest we are including the sponsor recognition page from last years event. This year will be different but it will still be held on July 3rd on the Lee County Courthouse Lawn! Make plans to spend the day with us and celebrate all the wonderful things we are so grateful for in Giddings. Small Town Life has it's rewards!

There will be updates soon about the canceled and postponed events that are on the community calendar. We will keep you posted. 

Denice Harlan, PCED, IOM

Executive Director