What It Means to Serve With Rodeo Austin

The Star of Texas Fair & Rodeo (STFR) was formed by a small group of people that over the years has grown into a network of over 1,500 volunteers contributing their time to over 30 committees. These dedicated and hard-working individuals keep Rodeo Austin’s vision alive, sharing it with Austin, the greater central Texas community and the nation. Two such individuals are Stacy Looney and Brian Hill – longtime volunteers of Rodeo Austin who continue to promote the organization through their commitment and dedication.

Stacy has worked with Rodeo Austin for nearly 12 years and has served on 11 of the 33 committees. When asked why she continues to support the STFR mission, “I love being a volunteer for Rodeo Austin. There are many fun and rewarding ways to get involved. One of my favorite committees is the Scholarship Committee because we, as volunteers, spend so much time throughout the year putting on events like the Rodeo Austin Gala, the Sporting Clay Tournament and the actual two weeks of the Fair and Rodeo, to raise money for the scholarship fund. Then in August we go to the scholarship banquet and meet the scholarship recipients and their families and we get to see the benefit of all of our hard (and fun!) work. I highly recommend getting involved with Rodeo Austin. You won’t be disappointed.”

Like Stacy, Brian donates his time and hard work to promote STFR’s mission. As an 8-year member of Rodeo Austin, Brian says the relationships he’s made at STFR are invaluable. He started out as a volunteer for Bullet Proof, the blow-out event that concludes the Fair and Rodeo. Eight years later, Brian leads the Shoot Out Sporting Clay Tournament Committee (Tuesday, October 12, 2010), also his favorite event, as Committee Chair. In asking him to sum up his experience with Rodeo Austin so far, he simply responds, “It’s really fulfilling to be able to help promote youth education just by volunteering my time. Get ready for another awesome year. Yeehaw!”

Rodeo Austin’s Vanessa Sugrue heads up the Membership Program – from maintaining the member database to coordinating member recruitment events, Vanessa is always on the lookout for ways to spread the word about volunteering at STFR. “It’s exciting to meet new people and letting them know about Rodeo Austin’s mission,” says Sugrue. “Once they learn that all the work we do is in support of funding scholarships, they get really interested in talking about how they can help.”

Rodeo Austin is grateful for the service of the over 1,500 volunteers like Stacy Looney and Brian Hill, individuals who are committed to Promoting Youth Education – Preserving Western Heritage. As a Rodeo Austin volunteer, you have the opportunity to select your membership level, get the inside scoop behind the scenes and impact the educational futures of central Texas youth. Whether you’re looking for an annual membership or want to join Rodeo Austin for life, there’s a membership level and volunteer opportunities to fit your lifestyle. The membership deadline for the 2010-2011 season is November 1st, so sign up today to make sure you don’t miss out on another amazing year of Rodeo Austin.

To learn more about STFR’s Membership Program visit www.RodeoAustin.com or contact Vanessa directly at [email protected].