12/18/2023
I probably had one of the best naps I’ve had in a while yesterday 🙂 but I wanted to take a minute this morning because I know a lot of us are recuperating and thank my biggest volunteers.
First and foremost Robert Thomas, you stepped in when I needed you the most, and especially during the last few weeks you worked as many hours as I did if not more! You took care of all of the bartenders and most of the set up. You took care of helping tear everything down and clean everything up, managed the money and you managed a lot of things that I didn’t know how to do properly. Your expertise was invaluable. I also really appreciate you taking over that last meeting and handling it because I was really tired.
Charles and Elizabeth Bastian, thank you so much for helping me put the 5013C together for helping me to figure out how to open the bank account and how to set up the original page on Facebook and for your ideas and your knowledge! I love you guys and I’m so thankful that you’ve become such good friends of mine . I look forward to working together with you until you decide to do your truck around the world 🙂
Theresa Schrader, Girlfriend, you are an amazing person! Your idea for the newspaper was great. I can’t imagine how I would’ve gotten all those newspapers folded without you and kathy. You are always there ready and willing to help and I just don’t know what I would’ve done without you.
Kathy Hrna, wow again thank you so so so much for the hours folding and for helping pass out newspapers! For helping with the float and so much more! Can’t thank you enough!
Stephen and michael schrader, next year we’ll get the ghost tours going Michael and thank you for all of your help this year again, both of you were amazing and stepped in every time we needed help. Thank you.
Courtney dyer and anne marie Sosa, thank you thank you thank you!! The website was wonderful and seeing all the vendors on main made it magical! Just imagine next year!
Kimberly Smith, again, I feel a bit speechless. And definitely touched. You didn’t know me from Adam so you took a huge leap of faith and jumped in with both feet, asking people to sponsor us, and helping put all of our spreadsheets together, and you just were so much of a backbone to us. Your husband was also a gem! I cannot thank you enough.
Michelle Nelson, I love you girlfriend! It’s kind of funny how we met in somewhat adversary conditions I was a little too busy maybe 🙂 protecting my client to notice just how special you are! You are one hell of a woman. You made our town look more beautiful than it has ever looked. Thank you.
Peggy, again, thank you I had so many people tell me that one of their very favorite parts of the whole festival were the reinactors. Everyone absolutely loved them and next year will be able to make that section even bigger with your help I hope. Thank you very much. I know you worked countless hours on that.
Smithville Garden club, thank you for your contributions and for your help making Santas workshop look so beautiful
Tomika and Amber and our other bartenders, thanks for helping us keep our town safe but serving our guests.
Arlene berthiaume,your talent is endless! The costumes you created will give our town years of happiness! It was so much fun to see the smiles on the kids faces
Gina Bayer, thanks for being there! Please thank Gary for giving you up to us. I don’t know how we could have done it without you but next year we need 3 or 4 of you… I hope we didn’t beat you up too much.
Aaron Rainey, thank you so much for helping with the floats and passing out flyers and posters
Jill Strube and the city of Smithville LOVED working with our city! You guys were so supportive and helpful. Jose, thanks so so much for all the pictures. We need to figure out how to put a folder together for everyone to post their photos so we have all of them in one big place
Robert Williams, thank you so much for working together with our incredible Smithville police, and keeping everyone safe 
W***y and the chamber, thank you Willie, for supporting us, and for helping us throughout the process
Joe Oviedo,, thank you, JOE for creating such a beautiful stage area. Sorry about the weather and the mishaps and hopefully next year will have beautiful weather the whole weekend. But I really really do appreciate this stage looking so nice and displaying our sponsors across the front of it, as well as our musicians on it.
Letha Mignon and Larry Wilson, thank you so much for putting together the song. Next year is going to be amazing and we need to discuss how we let everybody know what we’re going to do and execute it 🙂
My staff at the fat cat, thank you guys, so much for keeping it together especially because Rob and I were both stretched between the festival and the restaurant. You guys did an amazing job on what turned out to be the very busiest day we’ve ever had since we’ve been open.
Smithville school district, thank you guys for everything you did, and for everything I know we will do together in the future 🙂 I loved the essays that the kids wrote about working together, living together, getting along together and being one. We need to do that again next year. I will bring the checks to the school for the kids when we get back from vacation 🙂
Last but certainly not least family who gave me up for months!!! I love you guys and am happy that you saw and understood the mission. Thank you Dennis for being patient when I was gone so many hours getting things done and for keeping the kids happy and helping me to explain to them why I was gone so much. It was a really good learning experience for them.
Rob Thomas, Robert Williams, Fat Cat Lounge and Cafe, Theresa Johnson Schader, Gina Chronis Bayer, Tomika Nowlin,Amber Williams Dalton,Dennis Huffman, Letha Mignon, Larry Wilson, Joe Oviedo, Willie Culberson, Smithville Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Smithville, Courtney Dyer, Smithville Farmers Market, Jill Strube, Aaron Rainey,Smithville Garden Club, in Smithville Texas, Kimberly Corley Smith, Ann Marie Sosa, Kathy Sabrsula Hanzelka Hrna
