A $14,953 grant from the Lower Colorado River Authority and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative will help a church in Winchester replace outdated playground equipment at a community park and play area.

The Community Development Partnership Program grant, along with $4,100 in matching funds from the church, will allow Saint Michael’s Lutheran Church to improve a park on its land that hosts numerous community events and is open to area residents and visitors.

“We don’t have a lot of public resources here in Winchester, so the Saint Michael’s Church park is an important place for people to be able to play and gather,” said the Rev. Nate Hill, the church’s pastor. “If you’re driving by, you’ll often see children out there playing. The high-quality equipment we’ll have will make things safer and more enjoyable for them.”

Hill said several organizations in the area, including the Winchester Area Volunteer Fire Department, hold events and activities at the park.

In addition to replacing an old wooden playground structure that had to be torn down because it was unsafe, the church will add rubber mulch and new border trim to replace a sand base and a rotting wooden border trim. The new playground will include a slide, swings, rock-climbing wall and more.

The community grant is one of four grants being awarded by Bluebonnet and the LCRA through LCRA’s Community Development Partnership Program, which helps volunteer fire departments, local governments, emergency responders and nonprofit organizations fund capital improvement projects in LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas. The program is part of LCRA’s effort to give back to the communities it serves. Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative is one of LCRA’s wholesale electric customers and is a partner in the grant program.

Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted in January. More information is available here

Christmas parades, events and dazzling displays will light up Bluebonnet area nights. Help us spread the good cheer.

By Sidni Carruthers

Share the holiday magic with us

There's a lot to love about the Christmas season in the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative service area. Start marking your calendar with can’t-miss seasonal spectacles. Keep an eye on our social media in late November and throughout December for information about holiday events and activities — and impressive light displays — across the Bluebonnet region.

This list is not comprehensive. Please tell us about your community events or the best neighborhood light displays in any of our communities. See the “Christmas lights” box for contact information.

BASTROP: The city’s River of Lights display runs 6-9 p.m. daily, Nov. 24-Dec. 31, at Fisherman’s Park on Farm Street. The annual Lost Pines Christmas Parade will traverse Main Street from 6-8 p.m., Dec. 10.

BRENHAM: In downtown Brenham you can enjoy the Christmas Stroll starting at 6 p.m., Dec. 3, followed by The Storybook Christmas Parade.

CALDWELL: Christmas on the Square downtown is Dec. 10 and features holiday music, dancing and Santa.

ELGIN: The annual Holiday by the Tracks & Hot Cocoa Stroll will be Dec. 3. There are photos with Santa, shopping and the lighted Christmas parade, which starts on Main Street at 7 p.m. A live Nativity will be in Veterans’ Memorial Park afterward.

GIDDINGS: The Christmas at Tejas lights are a feast for the eyes. Organizers at Tejas Camp and Retreat, 1038 Private Road 2191 in Giddings, promise it will be one of their biggest light displays yet. A maximum of 500 people per night can participate in three nights of activities, 5:30-10 p.m. Dec. 9-11. General admission is $30; $45 for VIP admission, which offers extra treats. Overnight stays are also available Dec. 16-20. Get more information at mytejas.org (search for Christmas at Tejas.)

LOCKHART: A Christmas to Remember in Lockhart is the first weekend in December. Activities start at 7 p.m., Dec. 2, with the Christmas tree lighting on the town square; 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Dec. 3, there will be activities downtown with vendor booths and entertainment; at 7 p.m., the lighted Christmas parade will travel down Market Street and loop around the Caldwell County courthouse.

LULING: Cookies and Carols will kick off holiday celebrations, 5-8 p.m., Dec. 2. The event will include a craft market, Christmas tree voting, photos with Santa, hayrides and more. This also marks the start of the Yule Trail’s more than 140 lighted holiday signs downtown, which runs nightly Dec. 2-Jan. 6.

MANOR: Holidays in the Park returns to Timmermann Park, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Dec. 3, followed by a showing of “The Polar Express” movie in the park at 7 p.m. The festivities include an ice skating rink, food trucks, vendors, train rides, photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, inflatable figures and other activities.

ROUND TOP: The lighted Christmas parade and Holiday Fun event is Dec. 3. Starting at 10 a.m., events include holiday shopping, historical home tours, activities on the square and the lighted parade at 6:45 p.m.

SAN MARCOS: The Sights and Sounds of Christmas Festival will be open two weekends, Dec. 1-3 and Dec. 8-10, along the San Marcos River. Activities are 5:30-11 p.m. Along with lights and music, there will be a carnival, arts and crafts, photos with Santa and more. Admission is $5 nightly, $15 for a six-day pass and free for kids 12 and younger.

SMITHVILLE: The annual Festival of Lights and lighted parade on Main Street is set for Dec. 3. Events start at 10 a.m. with a holiday market at the Smithville Recreation Center, plus a fest area just for the kids, a cornhole tournament, live music and train rides. The day’s events end at 9 p.m. 

Information provided by city, chambers of commerce and location websites; event representatives.

Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative Board member Debbi Goertz earned a Director Gold credential from the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, which represents more than 900 of the nation’s electric cooperatives.

Goertz has served as a Bluebonnet director from District 3, Bastrop County, since 2017. To earn this certificate, Goertz completed two other certifications and three courses, and she will complete three continuing education courses every two years. Of the more than 500 electric cooperative directors in Texas, only 95 have received this credential.