Podcast: Bridget Russell, College Station’s Pool Shark
By Jay Socol, Public Communications Director
May is Water Safety Month, which obviously highlights the importance of knowing how to swim and how to watch family and friends when at the lake or at the pool.
In this podcast, College Station Pools Supervisor Bridget Russell talks about the challenges she and her staff face, how they’re not to be considered babysitters, and how you can stay safe this summer.
Total run time: 26:01
- 00:00 — Show open
- 01:52 — About Adamson Lagoon
- 02:53 — About Bridget
- 04:26 — A pool supervisor does…everything.
- 05:53 — How tough is it to get teens to be lifeguards?
- 07:30 — Why is Water Safety Month so important?
- 08:49 — Bridget does lakes and pools WAY different than the rest of us.
- 09:48 — How people enjoy water has changed: “Flat water” is out.
- 11:05 — About CS’s two OTHER pools (Hallaran, Thomas)
- 13:20 — Habits of parents are different now
- 14:54 — We are NOT babysitters!
- 16:33 — Teaching adults to swim, too.
- 18:22 — CS Baby Boomers still love the water
- 19:40 — Resources for keeping your family safe in and around the water
- 20:50 — Weird things at the pool (Spoiler alert: POOP)
- 22:52 — Final thoughts + upcoming events and essential tips.
About the Blogger
Jay Socol (@jaysocol) is in his ninth year as College Station’s public communications director. A 1991 graduate of Texas A&M. Jay has also been communications director for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, public information officer for the City of Bryan, and news director at several Bryan-College Station area radio stations. A native of Breckenridge, he also serves as president of the Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers.
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Texas Weekend of Remembrance to honor our fallen
By Gabby Salazar, Tourism Events Supervisor
While other cities in Texas are known for space exploration, kolaches, and live music, College Station has a well-earned reputation for its enthusiastic support for our nation’s armed forces, especially our veterans.
After all, College Station happens to be home to Texas A&M University, which produces more officers than any institution besides the military academies and maintains a 2,000-member Corps of Cadets. More than 1,400 veterans were enrolled at the university last fall.
That makes College Station a natural venue for a Memorial Day weekend event designed for Texans to pay their respects and honor the servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives for our country.
The inaugural Texas Weekend of Remembrance will be May 25-27 (Friday-Sunday) at Veterans Park & Athletic Complex. Our goal is to grow the event into an annual Memorial Day mainstay for military members, veterans, their families and the public to remember the fallen.
The commemoration begins Friday, May 25 with softball and flag football teams dedicating their competition to fallen soldiers. The tournaments are coordinated by Heroes Sports, an organization that supports service members and veterans by providing ways to maintain active lifestyles, bond through teamwork, and become active in their communities.
The weekend officially starts Saturday with opening ceremonies at 10 a.m. The schedule includes a motorcade, parachute jump, presentation of colors, rifle salute, and roll call with a ship bell from the USS Kearsarge, which served in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Brig. Gen. Joe E. Ramirez, Jr. (Ret.), commandant of the Corps of Cadets, will provide opening remarks, and Maj. Gen. Paul T. Calvert of Fort Hood will give the keynote speech.
Since good music has a unique way of bringing people together, we’ve invited some outstanding artists to entertain our visitors. Saturday’s opening act (6 p.m.) is the Scooter Brown Band, which will be followed by Joe Nichols and Jamey Johnson. On Sunday beginning at 2:15 p.m., Cody Wayne and Aaron Watson will perform.
Before Sunday’s concerts, join us at 8 a.m. for the kid’s mile fun-run and the 5K run/walk. All proceeds will benefit Brazos Valley Cares for the support of veterans and their families who experience financial hardship. After the races, a free breakfast will be provided by the West End Elixir Company at the American Pavilion. Chaplain Benjamin T. Mayhugh of the U.S. Coast Guard will be the speaker.
Concessions will be available for purchase throughout the weekend, with part of the proceeds donated to the Texas A&M University Veterans Resource & Support Center to assist with scholarships. No outside food, drinks or pets are allowed, but you may bring plastic water bottles. Ample parking is available on-site.
The Texas Weekend of Remembrance embraces the tradition and history College Station is known for by highlighting Memorial Day weekend events and related facilities around the community.
For a complete schedule of events and other information, go to cstx.gov/TWR or call 979-764-3486.
About the Blogger
Tourism Events Supervisor Gabby Salazar is in her third year with the City of College Station. Before joining the city staff, she was the night manager at Texas A&M’s Reed Arena. A product of A&M’s sports management program, Gabby earned her bachelor’s degree in 2014 and is working toward her master’s. A native of Alamo, she was also a member of the Aggies’ nationally-ranked track and cross country teams.
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The ever-popular Games of Texas returns in July
By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator
The Games of Texas may not be the Olympics, but it may be the next best thing, at least in the Lone Star state. As the state’s largest amateur sporting event, the popular festival provides an exceptional forum for the state’s Olympic hopefuls – along with recreational amateur athletes – to train and compete.
The Texas Amateur Athletic Federation’s 2018 Games of Texas will be July 26-29 at premier venues across Bryan-College Station. The City of College Station, in collaboration with the City of Bryan and Texas A&M, is playing host for the sixth time after conducting the event in 1988, 1994, 2000, 2014, and 2015. We’ll be the host city again next year.
The Olympic-style competitions afford Texans of all ages and skill levels a wholesome avenue for positive, personal development through sports and physical activity. Scheduled events are archery, pickleball, judo, lifeguarding, boxing, golf, skateboarding, soccer, bowling, swimming, tennis, sand volleyball, skeet shooting and track and field.
The event has steadily grown since it began in San Antonio in 1986. We expect more than 20,000 visitors with about 1,500 local volunteers helping us out.
You can be part of this world-class festival by either competing or volunteering.
To register as a competitor, go to taaf.com/gamesoftexas. Some eligibility restrictions apply, and registration deadlines vary per sport.
Volunteers must be at least 15 years old and will receive free refreshments and a Games of Texas shirt. For more information, visit taaf.com/volunteers by July 12.
About TAAF
TAAF is a non-profit organization established in 1925 to promote and organize amateur athletics across the state. Members include parks and recreation departments, along with individuals and organizations that contribute time, energy and effort toward producing successful amateur athletic events.
TAAF is proud to be recognized by the United States Olympic Committee as an Official State Games Program participant every year since 1991.
For more information, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 979-764-3486 or parks@cstx.gov.
Related Blogs:
- Games of Texas drops $7.5 million into B-CS economy
- Photo Album: 2015 Games of Texas
- 2014 TAAF Games of Texas were a rousing success
- Photo Album: 2014 Games of Texas
About the Blogger
Kelli Nesbitt (@kneztalk) has served the Parks & Recreation Department for 14 years, the last seven as marketing coordinator. A native of Bryan, Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in health & kinesiology from Sam Houston State.
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Family-friendly Starlight Music Series enters 17th year
By Kelli Nesbitt, Parks & Recreation Marketing Coordinator
For 17 years, the Starlight Music Series has attracted lovers of all types of music to enjoy free, family-friendly entertainment under the stars at the beautiful Wolf Pen Creek Amphitheater.
The 2018 Starlight Music Series begins May 5, followed by shows on May 19, June 2 and June 9. Families, friends, and visitors are invited to bring their picnic baskets, coolers, blankets and lawn chairs for four Saturday nights of rockin’ fun.
Gates open for each concert at 6 p.m. and the shows start at 7. Free parking is available at Post Oak Mall, with handicap parking located off Colgate Drive. Pets are not allowed.
Here’s the entertaining lineup:
May 5: Bri Bagwell with guest Reagan Quinn
A four-time Texas female vocalist of the year, Bri Bagwell is a contemporary artist with a honky-tonk heart. She has steered clear of the Nashville star-making machine and works without a manager or a record contract, earning fans through extensive touring and independently released recordings.
May 19: Infinite Journey with guest Cherry Bomb
Infinite Journey is an international Journey tribute band based in Dallas that has played high-energy shows across the country since 2012. The five-piece group delivers a musically immersive Journey experience, focusing on the overall sound, solos, and soaring vocals that made Journey so iconic.
June 2: Hotel California
Traveling all the way from Canada, Hotel California is North America’s best tribute to The Eagles. They look and sound like The Eagles and are the next best thing. Covering all of the favorites from “Take it Easy” to “Life in the Fast Lane” and even “Hotel California.”
June 9: Cupid & The Dance Party Express with guest Mi’chel Rose & Zydeco Players
Louisiana-born R&B vocalist Bryson Bernard, popularly known as Cupid, first sang in his church choir and was encouraged by his pastor father. Cupid shuffled his way into hearts of millions with an up-tempo party song “Cupid Shuffle,” which also inspired the popular dance craze of the same name.
Refreshments
You may bring refreshments, but no kegs or glass containers are allowed, and coolers must be 48 quarts or smaller. Concessions are available for purchase.
Seating & Smoking
Chairs are welcome but not in designated blanket-only seating areas. Smoking is not allowed in the main seating area, but we provide two designated smoking areas.
For more information, go to cstx.gov/starlight or contact the Parks & Recreation Department at parks@cstx.gov or 979.764.3486.
We’ll see you under the stars!
About the Blogger
Kelli Nesbitt (@kneztalk) has served the Parks & Recreation Department for 14 years, the last seven as marketing coordinator. A native of Bryan, Kelli earned a bachelor’s degree in health & kinesiology from Sam Houston State.
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Explore with Dinosaur George Saturday at Lick Creek
By Hallie Hutchins, Parks & Recreation Marketing Assistant
Few ideas get kids — and former Aggie turned Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett — more excited than dinosaurs. Children have a seemingly endless fascination with these dangerous yet majestic, fierce yet lovable prehistoric creatures.
Maybe it’s never actually encountering a dinosaur that makes them so intriguing, or their legendary size, or even the illustrated stories that so vividly bring them to life. A child’s natural curiosity about dinosaurs creates an ideal opening to teach them about biology, history, and scientific thinking.
On Saturday, the City of College Station Parks & Recreation Department invites dinomaniacs to spend the day at Lick Creek Nature Center with the Dinosaur George Traveling Museum. Dinosaur George treks back to the Jurassic to experience enormous, prehistoric dinosaurs and other epic creatures.
The first performance is from 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m., followed by a second show from 1-2:25 p.m. Each show is $5 per person, and registration is required.
For more than two decades, Dinosaur George has been teaching elementary, intermediate and middle school students about the amazing creatures that once ruled our planet. George Blasing is a self-taught paleontologist and animal behaviorist with more than 40 years of study and research.
With his vast knowledge of prehistoric life, expertise in animal behaviors, and powerful on-camera presence, Dinosaur George is a highly respected and sought-after expert who shares his love of all things prehistoric with throngs of enthusiastic fans.
The program displays dinosaur relics of all kinds from around the world with more than 150 museum-quality exhibit pieces from the earliest life on Earth. From giant Texas reptiles to dinosaurs and Ice Age mammals, you’ll see firsthand some of the creatures that once roamed our state — and maybe even your backyard!
Bring your entire family to experience an energetic, fun, dino-mite performance by Dinosaur George.
For more information, contact us at 979.764.3486 or vgodwin@cstx.gov.
About the Blogger
Hallie Hutchins is in her third year as marketing staff assistant in the Parks & Recreation Department after graduating from Texas A&M in 2014 with a degree in sports management. She has previously worked with the Dallas Sidekicks professional soccer team and Texas Team Junior Golf. Originally from White Oak, Hallie also attended Kilgore College and was a member of the famed Kilgore Rangerettes dance team.
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Sunday’s Monarch March marks annual migration
By Hallie Hutchins, Parks & Recreation Marketing Assistant
As spring approaches, monarch butterflies are preparing to make their annual 2,500-mile journey back to their homeland in the north. Among their stops along the way will be the Brazos Valley.
To commemorate the iconic black and orange butterflies’ return to Aggieland, the College Station Parks & Recreation Department’s Monarch March event from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday at Lick Creek Park Nature Center offers a variety of interactive educational activities.
The festivities are a fitting tribute to the winged creatures that graze our landscape each spring. The program includes a walk through Lick Creek Park Nature Center’s Monarch Waystation, butterfly face painting, tips on how to create your own waystation or butterfly garden, and much more.
Community organizations such as Friends of Lick Creek, Texas Master Naturalists, and Butterflies of the Brazos will host a booth with activities that instill a greater appreciation for wildlife.
As part of our commemoration, you can pick up two free Butterfly Retreat seed packets at our Central Park office at 1000 Krenek Tap Rd. Each pack covers more than 20 square feet and contains a wildflower mix that’s perfect for creating a butterfly habitat.
The beauty created by the spring monarch butterfly migration can be mesmerizing. Monarch March celebrates this fascinating time while emphasizing the importance of creating healthy habitats to support these beautiful insects.
For more information, go to cstx.gov/monarchs or call 979.764.3486.
Related Blog Posts:
About the Blogger
Hallie Hutchins is in her third year as marketing staff assistant in the Parks & Recreation Department after graduating from Texas A&M in 2014 with a degree in sports management. She has previously worked with the Dallas Sidekicks professional soccer team and Texas Team Junior Golf. Originally from White Oak, Hallie also attended Kilgore College and was a member of the famed Kilgore Rangerettes dance team.
If you found value in this blog post, please share it with your social network and friends!
