Meineke Car Care Bowl of Texas

Over 150 volunteers, sponsors, and special guests gathered at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on February 16 to celebrate the 2010 Texas Bowl at the annual Volunteer and Sponsor Appreciation Reception.

The bowl game boasts a roster of over 300 volunteers and 60 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 Texas Bowl’s new partnership with ESPN Regional Television, Senior Director of Events Clint Overby addressed the audience.

“A bowl is made up of two things: backbone and soul.  The Texas Bowl staff is the backbone, and you all are the soul.  We thank you for your work,” Overby said.

Following a video recapping the 2010 Bowl Week, Texas Bowl Executive Director Heather Houston commented on the bowl’s successful new partnership with the Big Ten and Big 12 Conferences.

“The combination of Illinois and Baylor made it a special year.  We had the 8th largest crowd of all the bowls and were 5th of all non-BCS games,” said Houston.  “With the solid base we have, we look forward to making 2011 even bigger.”

To complete the night, Houston was joined on stage by 2009 Texas Bowl Volunteer of the Year, Rob Lynch, to present 6 Chairman’s Awards and the 2010 Texas Bowl Volunteer of the Year. Chairman’s Awards were presented to:

• Andy Boland – Hospitality Committee
• Terry Cooper – Cavender’s Boot City & Mark Telscher – Wrangler
• Bob Moses – Texas Bowl Board of Directors & 2010 Gridiron Legends Inductee
• Bill Rubinsky – Rodeo Bowl, Texas Bowl Gameday, Texans Gamedays, Texans Training Camp
• Bill Scott – Rodeo Bowl, Texas Bowl Gameday, Texans Gamedays, Texans Training Camp
• Trey Young, Manager of Ticket Services – Houston Texans

And the 2010 Volunteer of the Year award was presented to:

• Joel Wetzel – Chairman, Officials Hospitality Committee

Each year the Volunteer and Sponsor Reception symbolizes a close to the Texas Bowl, but planning for 2011 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.”