Central Texas Tolbert Chili Group

September 4, 2010

Patricia's Honky Tonk - Bastrop

Benefiting Bailey Kay Hutson

Bailey Kay is 12-years-old.  She was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. She is paralyzed from the waist down.  To date she has had 40 surgeries, the most recent in May 2009.  She is a tough little girl with a huge personality.     The CTTCG holds 3-4 events each year that benefit this little gal along with several other fund raising events held by different organizations throughout the year to help defray some of her huge medical debt.

In spite of her confinement to a wheelchair, Bailey Kay is a huge rodeo fan.  Her mother said, "Our family is all rodeo. All our friends are rodeo.  It starts from her grandpas to her dad, to her uncles, and to her brother and sister. Its just in her blood. She is all RODEO. Ha Ha."

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March 6, 2010

Maxdale  

Sometimes it's just curiosity...

Ghost or graffiti?

Supposedly haunted by an old man with a limp.

That's not an apparition...it's somebody's porch light off in the distance distorted by the long exposure of the camera lens in the near pitch black darkness.

We did a little reading in the dark...

Some of it was kinda creepy...

It was just a conversation, not a seance.

We even did a little sprucing up before one of the locals eerily parked his muffler-challenged, running light-adorned, window- tinted truck to aim the headlights into the graveyard, which prompted all of us to skeedaddle!

February 13, 2010

4th Annual

Cedar Hall Chili & BBQ Cookoff - Lockhart

Benefiting Special Olympics

In June of 1962, Eunice Kennedy Shriver started a summer day camp for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at her home in Maryland to explore their capabilities in a variety of sports and physical activities. Today, Special Olympics touches the lives of some 30 million athletes around the world.

For people with intellectual disabilities, Special Olympics is often the only place where they have an opportunity to participate in their communities and develop belief in themselves. Many live lives of neglect and isolation, hidden away or socially excluded from full participation in schools or society. For athletes, Special Olympics sports provide a gateway to empowerment, competence, acceptance and joy. Confidence, skill and determination are common benefits of involvement with sports.

Texas

The mission of Special Olympics Texas is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in the sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community.

Who We Are

The Central Texas area is made up of 2,394 athletes from Bastrop, Blanco,
 Burnet, Caldwell, Colorado, Comal, Dewitt, Fayette, Gillespie, Gonzalez, Guadalupe, Hays, Kendall, Lavaca, Lee, Llano, Travis, Victoria and Williamson counties. There are 252 certified coaches in the Central Texas area.

Competitions

Special Olympics Texas holds more than 250 competitions annually on area, regional and state levels. Event divisions are based on age, gender and ability level to give athletes an equal chance to win. Each participant receives a medal or ribbon following his/her event.

Funding

Special Olympics Texas is a registered 501(c)(3), non-profit organization supported by private donations from individuals, corporations and organizations throughout the state. Special Olympics is "the most credible charity in America" according to a survey in the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Christmas Cards for the Military

Deadline is December 7, 2009

The last couple of years there have been emails circulating regarding sending cards to our injured military personnel.   Although a wonderful idea, cards sent to Walter Reed Medical WILL NOT reach their intended recipients.   Those sent through the American Red Cross will.  Read on:

American Red Cross Website:  http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail

Holiday Mail for Heroes is back!
In this season of hope and giving the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes, Inc. have joined forces to invite Americans to “send a touch of home” to United States service members and veterans across the country and abroad. In its third year, the Holiday Mail for Heroes program is an opportunity to share joy and thanks with our service members throughout the holiday season by way of a greeting card.

Today over 1.4 million men and women serve in the U.S. armed forces and over 24 million veterans have served in the past. The holiday season is the perfect time to honor and extend a warm holiday greeting to those who’ve served and continue to do so.

How Holiday Mail works
We have established an extensive process to ensure all cards sent to our service members are safe and arrive in time for the holidays. Holiday cards will be collected through a unique P.O. Box address from Monday, November 2 through Monday, December 7*.

First, cards from across the nation must be sent to this address:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Every card received will be screened for hazardous materials by Pitney Bowes and distributed to participating Red Cross chapters nationwide. Once the cards arrive at the Red Cross chapters, they are sorted and reviewed by volunteers who then distribute them to service members, their families and veterans in communities across the country.

Please don’t forget to follow these guidelines while preparing your holiday greetings!

Do...

Sign all cards
Entitle cards “Dear Service Member, Family or Veteran”
Limit cards to 15 per person or 50 for school class or business group
Bundle groups of cards in single, large envelopes (there is no need to include individual envelopes and postage for cards)

Don’t...

Send letters
Include personal information such as home or email addresses
Use glitter – excessive amounts can aggravate health issues of wounded recipients
Include inserts of any kind as they must be removed in the screening process

Saturday, October 3rd

39th Annual Tolbert Ladies State

Chili Championship of Texas

Camp Ranger

Blanco, TX  

This cookoff is traditionally held the first weekend of October and is a great lead into Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  Cooks start gathering on Friday evening for the B.E.An Bash, Margarita Mix-Off, Costume Party and Cooks Dinner with the entree served up to the cooks by The Central Texas Tolbert Chili Group.   Saturday morning and the day's festivities are jump started by the Girlie Man beauty contest around eleven in the morning.  There will also be an open BBQ limited to chicken and pork ribs.  There will be a horseshoe tournament, showmanship, auction, raffles, crowning of the new Queen of Chili, Texas Hold 'Em poker, and live musical performances by Russell Clepper and Jimmy George followed by The Drug Store Cowboys.   Go on out and help these ladies raise some serious money for Breast Cancer Resources.

September 19, 2009

A Lil' Ol' Country Cookoff

Giddy Ups

Benefiting the Capital Area Food Bank.

Hungry Households
     Nearly one in five Central Texans are food insecure.
Making Ends Meet
     Three quarters of households receiving assistance are below the federal poverty level. 
     The annual income needed for a Travis County family of four is 257% above the Federal poverty level. (Austin continues to have the highest cost of living in the state of Texas, exceeding housing costs in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Fort Worth.)
Those Served are Younger
     One third of food consumed are children.
Working Poor
     Approximately one fifth of Travis County residents are classified as "working poor" by the Texas Department of Human Services. 

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Glossary of Terms

Food Insecurity:  According to the Texas Alliance for Human Needs, food insecurity is defined as the lack of access to enough food to fully meet basic needs at all times due to lack of financial resources.

Food Insufficiency:  The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's (NHANES) measure of whether a family sometimes or often did not get enough food.

Hunger: The government's definition states, A situation in which an individual involuntarily goes without food for an intermittent or extended period of time.  This situation can be caused by external forces that limit the individual's resources or ability to obtain sufficient food, and may result in detrimental physical and psychological consequences. Hungry households are those in which families have decreased the quality and quantity of food they consume because of lack of money - to the point where they are likely to be hungry on a frequent basis.

Working Poor:  Working poor is defined as living at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines ($36,488 for a family of four). (Source: Basic Needs Coalition, 2005).  Other definitions include people who worked, but who nevertheless, fell under the official definition of poverty and people who were in poverty and had at least one working family member.
 

Please bring canned goods for donation to the Capital Area Food Bank.  

September 12, 2009

6th Annual Stumble Inn Chili & BBQ Cookoff

Bastrop, Texas  

Benefiting Phone Cards for the Troops

Being able to phone home keeps our troops connected to their families and friends.  Keeping them connected is the least we can do to say Thank You!   These phone cards allow our service men and women to call Stateside at a reasonable price. 

June 27th, 2009

2nd Annual Circle C Chili Co.

Rockne, TX

Benefiting the Town Lake Animal Shelter

The Town Lake Animal Center is dedicated to providing and promoting humane treatment of animals while protecting the public health by managing the domestic animal population.

The animal center provides many services, including adoptions, impoundment, injured and stray animal rescue, pet registry information, and spay/neuter education. The pet adoption center and offices are located at 1156 West Cesar Chavez between Lamar and Mopac.

Adoption and reclaim hours are from 11:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. through 5 p.m. Weekends.

The receiving office and Injured Animal Rescue service operate from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., M-F and 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Sat/Sun.

Hot Weather Tips

In summertime, the living isn’t always easy for our animal friends. Dogs and cats can suffer from the same problems that humans do, such as overheating, dehydration and even sunburn. By taking some simple precautions, you can celebrate the season and keep your pets happy and healthy.

- A visit to the veterinarian for a spring or early summer check-up is a must; add to that a test for heartworm, if your dog isn't on year-round preventive medication. Do parasites bug your animal companions? Ask your doctor to recommend a safe, effective flea and tick control program.

- Never leave your pet alone in a vehicle—hyperthermia can be fatal. Even with the windows open, a parked automobile can quickly become a furnace in no time. Parking in the shade offers little protection, as the sun shifts during the day.

- Always carry a gallon thermos filled with cold, fresh water when traveling with your pet.

- The right time for playtime is in the cool of the early morning or evening, but never after a meal or when the weather is humid.

- Street smarts: When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog stand on hot asphalt. His or her body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

- A day at the beach is a no-no, unless you can guarantee a shaded spot and plenty of fresh water for your companion. Salty dogs should be rinsed off after a dip in the ocean.

- Provide fresh water and plenty of shade for animals kept outdoors; a properly constructed doghouse serves best. Bring your dog or cat inside during the heat of the day to rest in a cool part of the house.

- Be especially sensitive to older and overweight animals in hot weather. Brachycephalic or snub-nosed dogs such as bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, Lhasa apsos and shih tzus, as well as those with heart or lung diseases, should be kept cool in air-conditioned rooms as much as possible.

- When walking your dog, steer clear of areas that you suspect have been sprayed with insecticides or other chemicals. And please be alert for coolant or other automotive fluid leaking from your vehicle. Animals are attracted to the sweet taste, and ingesting just a small amount can be fatal. Call your veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435 if you suspect that your animal has been poisoned.

- Good grooming can stave off summer skin problems, especially for dogs with heavy coats. Shaving the hair to a one-inch length—never down to the skin, please, which robs Rover of protection from the sun—helps prevent overheating. Cats should be brushed often.

- Do not apply any sunscreen or insect repellent product to your pet that is not labeled specifically for use on animals. Ingestion of sunscreen products can result in drooling, diarrhea, excessive thirst and lethargy. The misuse of insect repellent that contains DEET can lead to neurological problems.

- Having a backyard barbecue? Always keep matches, lighter fluid, citronella candles and insect coils out of pets' reach.

- Please make sure that there are no open, unscreened windows or doors in your home through which animals can fall or jump.

- Stay alert for signs of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting and drooling and mild weakness, along with an elevated body temperature.

Water Safety

For a lot of families, summertime means swimming time. If your pooch will be joining you on your adventures, be it lakeside, oceanside or poolside, please read our following tips:

- Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool.

- Not all dogs are good swimmers, so if water sports are a big part of your family, please introduce your pets to water gradually.

- Make sure all pets wear flotation devices on boats.

- Try not to let your dog drink pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals that could cause GI upset.

June 11-13th, 2009

Chisholm Trail Roundup

Lockhart, the BBQ Capital of Texas  (working on making it the Chili Capital too!)

This annual event actually kicks off on Wednesday June 10th with a cowboy breakfast and just keeps on getting better.  There is a music festival starting on Friday with two stages featuring the likes of Curtis Clay doing his country soul, The Fossils, Aaron Watson, Ponty Bone and many more.  There will be arts & crafts, food vendors, a carnival, a washer tournament and more activities than you can shake a stick at.   Way more than just a chili and BBQ cookof.  Check out the website for all the details - just click on the button to go there now!

Note:  The entry forms for the cookoff events are on the website.  Forms and payment MUST be turned in no later than 10:00 a.m. the morning of the cookoff, AND a cook's meeting scheduled for 10:30 that the head cooks MUST attend.  TAKE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER!  YOU MAY BE ASKED TO SHOW IT!

May 23, 2009

Just a Chili Cookoff

Camp Ranger - Blanco

No beans.  No barbeque.  No 'ritas or Bloody Marys either.  It's just a chili cookoff sandwiched in between old style atmosphere and chilihead pizzaz.  There will be some individual and team events, games of skill and chance, a silent auction and lots of story telling, tall tales, laughter and frivolity.   Bring your RV - they've got electricity, bring your guitar, your scrapbook, a covered dish for the pot luck dinner on Friday night, your favorite beverage and a comfortable lawn chair.  It's gonna be fun.

This sanctioned cookoff is to raise badly needed funds to put on the Tolbert Ladies State Chili Championship of Texas October 3, 2009.   They've got some big plans for this year's Ladies State, including a dance on Saturday night featuring The Drug Store Cowboys!  It's gonna take some bucks to pull it off, so please go on out to Camp Ranger, pick up a couple of points for Terlingua, and help these ladies achieve their goal.   We'll see ya there!

May 2, 2009

Lone Oak Bar & Grill

Benefiting Bailey Kay Hutson

Bailey Kay is 11 year old.  She was born with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. She is paralyzed from the waist down.  To date she has had 39 surgeries and will be admitted into the hospital on May the 12th for surgery #40.  She had a huge operation on October 21st of last year that kept her in the hospital for nearly four months, and this next one is expected to keep her in there for about a month.  She is a tough little girl with a huge personality.  

Bailey is a huge rodeo fan.  Her mother explained, "Our family is all rodeo. All our friends are rodeo. It starts from her grandpas to her dad, to her uncles, and to her brother and sister. Its just in her blood. She is all RODEO. Ha Ha."

Bailey will be at the Lone Star Bar & Grill for a little while to meet the cooks on Saturday. 

Dig deep guys - this is a really good cause. 

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Rockne, Texas 

Rockne, twelve miles southwest of Bastrop in southwestern Bastrop County, has its origins in German settlers such as the Lehman family who arrived around 1846.  The settlement was first called Walnut Creek, then Lehman or Lehmanville.  Rockne received its present name after Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne's death in 1931, when the schoolchildren of the community voted to rename their town in his honor.

Closest hospital: Smithville Regional.

Largest employer in area: Utility company. Second is a construction company.

Contact us today!

Do you have pictures of Post 2527?  Please send them to:

laury@centraltexaschili.com