Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas

Over 100 volunteers, sponsors, and special guests gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on February 15 to celebrate the 2011 Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas at the annual Volunteer and Sponsor Appreciation Reception.

The bowl game boasts a roster of over 325 volunteers and almost 100 sponsors, many of which have been associated with the bowl since its inception in 2006.

“This is a special group,” said Chris Vaughan, Hospitality Chair and 2007 Volunteer of the Year.  “Every year, I look forward to getting our group back together.  We have a great time, and we love what we do.”

As part of the festivities, new Board of Directors Chair Philamena Baird offered her thanks to the group.

“It is because of the people in this room that the bowl has become what it is today.  We appreciate your (volunteer) work and dedication more than you know,” Baird said.

Following a video recapping the 2011 Bowl Week, Executive Director Heather Houston commented on the bowl’s continued growth.

“We had the 6th largest attendance of all the bowls and were 3rd of all non-BCS games,” said Houston.  “We are able to climb these ranks every year which is a great accomplishment for a bowl as new as ours.”

To complete the night, Houston was joined on stage by 2010 Texas Bowl Volunteer of the Year, Joel Wetzel, to present 7 Chairman’s Awards and the 2011 Volunteer of the Year. Chairman’s Awards were presented to:

• Yonny Demeris - Demeris Bar-B-Q
• Tom Rosepink - Gridiron Legends Committee
• Tony Burlingame - Hospitality Committee
• Chuck Throckmorton - Hospitality & Band Committee
• Jeff Sutton - Media Hospitality Committee
• Lori Scott – Rodeo Bowl, Gameday, Texans Gamedays, Texans Training Camp
• June Deadrick - Board of Directors

And the 2011 Volunteer of the Year award was presented to:

• Michael Coppens – Chairman, Young Executives Outreach Committee, Events & Hospitality Committee

Each year the Volunteer and Sponsor Reception symbolizes a close to the Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas, but planning for 2012 is already well underway.

“This event is always a little bittersweet because we won’t see many of our friends for the next few months,” Houston commented.  “With the start of college football, we look forward to seeing our ‘bowl family’ again and following teams across the country on their way to a championship season.”