The calm AFTER the storm...

There has been a whirlwind of activity over the past month-and-a-half in Smithville.

The Citizen of the Year as announced at our annual awards banquet is Peggy Walicek. After hearing of all her contributions to this community, my reaction was the same as the committee that chose her -- "Are you sure she's never been named Citizen of the Year prior to now???" Congratulations to Mrs. Walicek!

Speaking of serving one's community, the Smithville Volunteer Fire Department and surrounding FD's did a marvelous job of protecting dozens of homes and businesses from the fire that broke out on February 28, the same day as the Chamber Awards Banquet. Several members of the chamber were affected directly and indirectly by this tragic turn of events; some of those folks even showed up at the banquet despite their experiences that day. Although there was some talk of postponing the event, it was determined that the Chamber could respectfully host the event, although it was a bit subdued. The true spirit of Smithville shone through as banquet attendees, dressed in their "Sunday-finest", rolled up their sleeves at the conclusion of the banquet and set up the Recreation Center to house displaced fire victims. Thankfully, there was plenty of delicious food left over from the event to serve those people in need. Silver linings!

March saw the arrival of our annual biker rally, Thunder on the Colorado, on Friday the 20th through Sunday the 22nd. Bikers from across Texas convened at RiverBend Park to show off their rides, compete in games and contests, take part in a Fun Run, enjoy some live music, and consume massive amounts of food and beverage. This event continues to generate more interest year after year, and as we here at the Chamber continue to "fine-tune" it, we hope that it can eventually become the Texas-version of Sturgis! (We've got a way to go on that one, but it doesn't hurt to dream big!)

Next up....Smithville Jamboree!

Smithville to honor its own

The Annual Awards Banquet is fast approaching and the tension is mounting!

It has already been announced that Smithville Regional Hospital is being honored as Employer/Business of the Year for all they contribute to the both the wellness and the employment opportunities in this town. It's hard to find an event in Smithville that doesn't involve the hospital system in some shape or form. Sometimes they buy sponsorships, other times they provide first aid staff, or other times they serve up some of that tasty cuisine crafted by chef John Chabot from their bistro (it's not a "hospital cafeteria"...it's an "in-house bistro"!)

Likewise, the Lost Pines Artisans Alliance, our honoree for Organization of the Year, gives their all to every project they touch. From hosting First Saturday Art Shows to beautifying the skate park, from working with this community's youth to revitalizing the Mary Nichols Art Center, this group has accomplished more than they can probably even remember themselves! Not to worry, though -- we're happy to remind everyone at the Annual Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet exactly how valuable the LPAA is to all of us.

The buzz is certainly building around who will be named Smithville's Citizen of the Year. It's a blessing that we have so many deserving citizens in this town but it's a curse to have to choose just one! Everyone who nominated an individual put forth their best case and the committee had a tough task in their decision, and the winner is......well, you'll have to attend this year's banquet to find out, won't you? Sure, you can always pick up a copy of The Smithville Times to learn who was named, or you can even visit this blog after February 28th to learn the person's identity, but there's nothing quite like being there in person to see the face of the recipient when he or she learns that they've been honored by their friends and neighbors. Since the honoree has no idea that they were to be named, there is no prepared speech -- just genuine, unfiltered emotion. That's just the best, isn't it? That's what we love about Smithville!